Email from Elder Lofthouse 7/21/14 Farmsville! Here to stay

 love Farmersville and I love Elder Herrera. He is such an amazing person. He is from Ecuador but has lived in L.A. the last 12 years, and he has an amazing conversion story.  The pictures he showed me of who he was 4 years ago are physical proof of the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. He can bear such a powerful witness of that power because he has experienced it so deeply. He is so loving, generous and is always looking out for the needs of others. So, he's a really easy companion to get along with and he does a lot of good in the lives of the people of this area. 

Farmersville is a small community about 5 minutes from Visalia.  We also cover Exeter which is also about 5 minutes from Farmersville.  I really, really like this area.  The Visalia area I mean.  My companion and I are both thinking that maybe one day we'd live here.  There are ten missionaries in our ward (the Visalia 5th ward).  Two pairs of sisters, the zone leaders, us, and the Woodlake Elders (another little town about five minutes from Exeter).  Elder Herrera and I live in what is known throughout the mission as "The Shack."  I'll have to get some pictures of it for you.  It's a tiny little house and I absolutely love it!  

I feel so not trunky right now. I really hope to conserve that over these next few months. I have the mentality that I will be here in Farmersville until November and I have work to do here. 4 months is not a lot of time and I don't want to waste a minute of it. I don't feel for a second that I'm anywhere near completing what God sent me to this mission to do. 

I feel our focus right now needs to be in getting lessons with a member present. What most of our investigators need is fellowship. We also need to find a bit more, but we've been focusing a lot on that this week and we're starting to increase our pool. That will continue this week. We had three investigators at church this week, one of which has a baptismal date, and the other two will soon have a date I'm certain. One of those is I. She lives right around the corner from us, she's been to church several times, she reads and prays, but she's afraid of what her mom will do if she gets baptized. Elder Herrera and I both feel that humility is the key for her, and I feel that if she will fast to know when to get baptized or to have the strength to do what she knows she needs to, that she will be baptized soon after.

Anyway, being in a new area is always a bit hard for me at first. I'm even quieter than normal when I'm around lots of people I don't know. But I expect with a little time to be able to work closely with the members here to bless the people of Farmersville. Who knows? Maybe one day we'll have a branch in Farmersville and Exeter (the other nearby city we cover). 

I've been reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning (in Spanish) with the goal of finishing it before I leave.  I love the Book of Mormon.  Every day as I ponder the verses I read, I get something out of it that I never got before.  I know that it is a Book meant for us and that as we prayerfully study it, "the words of Christ will tell you all things what [we] should do."  

Have a fantastic week!
Love,
Elder Lofthouse

Email from Elder Lofthouse 7/14/14 Transfers!

Transfer calls came!  I'm going to Farmersville in the Visalia Zone to be with Elder Herrera, from Ecuador.  He's been there for 10 months.  I'm being replaced by Elder Artal (one of my favorite misisonaries) from Venezuela who goes home this transfer and Elder Martinez from Chile.  Yep.  They needed two native speakers to replace me.  Just kidding.

I know transfers were inspired and I heard about how the Spirit just took over during transfer board. Going to a new part of the mission, with new leaders and a new companion is exactly what I needed. And I get a native speaking companion! I'm excited! I know, just as you said in your letter, that being humble and accepting, no committing to the Lord's will will be the key to success. My whole mission I've struggled with that, have improved much, and know that He is placing me in the right places with the right people to really master that attribute. I always have mixed feelings at transfers, but as I really ponder it I KNOW that Heavenly Father knows me, He wants what is best for me, and I am being sent exactly where I need to be right now.

We had 3 investigators at church, which was such a blessing! That was three times as many as we've had all transfer. One was R C who has a lot of desires to change his life. His ex-wife is a member and they and their kids have gone to church a lot in the past few months. I'm not really sure what their relationship status is, but regardless of what happens between them, he's determined to be a different person. He wants to be an example for his kids and I know he's felt the Spirit at church and as he's talked with us. The other two were I and C who have been investigating lots of different churches. Ismael has a baptismal date for August 9th, and they are progressing very well. C's been really busy though, so we haven't gotten to talk with her very much recently. We'll need to soon, because they need to get married before either of them can get baptized.

It's always really hard for me to not check out early the last couple days after transfer calls come. I feel like Farmersville is my new area and I just want to get there. I'm trying to stay focused though and do what I can with the last few investigators I'll see here in madera. I love Madera! It is such a wonderful place to serve as a Spanish missionary. On Sunday, R (who got baptized a month ago) gave me a great big hug. I'll miss him! I'm definitely going to make sure I stay in touch with him.

Well, here goes. I hope Farmersville is my last area. Last stretch! I'm going to give it all I've got. "Humble and full of love" will be my focus (D&C 12:8). I'm so thankful to be a missionary!  I know this is the Lord's work.  I know that He knows me.  He's guiding me and He has a plan for me.  I love all of you and I know He does too.  He also has a plan for you.  Trust Him, commit to His will, and you will see miracles in your life.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Lofthouse

Email from Elder Lofthouse 7/7/14

This has been a really, really long week.  I can't believe how much has happened.  We got a new mission president!  President and Sister Clark are wonderful.  We got to meet with them individually for 2 1/2 minutes on Thursday.  Not much time, but it was worth it.  I'm excited!

On the 4th of July Elder Morrow and I just camped out in the apartment (we're only allowed out after six if we're with a member).  It was nice to just relax for a few hours.  We did see some fireworks from our apartment and we heard a lot.  Yay America!

M has a baptismal date for this Saturday. We stopped by last night and he first asked us about the Virgin Mary and we talked a bit about that, but in the course of our discussion we discovered what his biggest doubt has been, and that is what his parents will think. He's close to thirty, but he's finding it very difficult to leave behind the traditions his fathers have given him. He's felt the Spirit and he knows this is true and from what I understand he just wants to feel confident in being able to explain to his parents why he's changing. We're having a lesson in the home of his brother-in-law, E S, on Tuesday (the Elder's Quorum President) and plan on having a mini testimony meeting. When Hermano S joined the church, his wife was very angry at him, but several years later she was baptized and is now a faithful member of the church. We hope their example and their testimonies will help him make the decision.

A few weeks ago we were struggling to find, so we re-focused on our finding and have been having wonderful success. On Saturday, we felt we should set a goal of two new investigators, though we really weren't sure how we were going to looking at our plans. We had too many appointments. But we set the goal in faith and we found them! A and M! As we said the closing prayer in that lesson, I couldn't quite hold back the tears of gratitude and amazement as I realized that we had found the two new investigators the Lord had inspired us to look for. I know that this is His work and He directs it (unless we don't let Him).

I really want to finish off my last three transfers strong. During my fast yesterday, I decided to do the "Purification Challenge", and fasted to know what things kept me from having the Spirit more abundantly in my life. This morning I made a list of 10 or 11 things and commit to God to "fast" from those things this transfer (English is one of them). I look forward to this coming transfer (transfer calls come this week) and the opportunity to re-commit myself to this work and use up every last minute I have.   

I love you all and hope you are having a wonderful week!  I know that this is the only true and living church on the earth, that this is God's work and He is hastening it, and that as we give our lives over to him He can work wonders in us.

Love,

Elder Lofthouse

Email from Elder Lofthouse 6/30/14

I love California summers!  109 today, but it should cool down to 101 for the rest of the week.  I'm so excited!

Well, in just a matter of hours, President and Sister Gelwix board a plane to head home to Salt Lake and in come President and Sister Clark.  We get to meet them officially on Thursday.  I will miss the Gelwix's so much.  On Thursdaya lot of missionaries in the Fresno zones got to go help clean the mission home and at the end we were all gathered in the living room and just spent about 20 quality minutes together.  None of us wanted to leave and President even invited us all to stay the night.  I think he was only half-joking.  I included a picture of a bunch of us elders with him on his couch.  That was such a great day!

Sadly, M did not get baptized on Saturday.  He got some cold feet but said he wants to keep reading, praying, and going to church.  He says he doesn't doubt God and the church, just himself.  We made some good plans to help him out though and I'm absolutely certain he'll be baptized in July.

R has been doing well.  The funeral will be tomorrow but we won't be able to go because of district meeting.  He's still been coming to church though which was absolutely amazing to me.  He has become such a solid member in such a short time.  I love him!

We've been finding a lot of new investigators this week and I'm excited for the month of July.  Time sure flies when you're having fun!  I love this work and I feel ever more present the thought that it's coming to an end.  I want to tear these last 4 1/2 months apart.  Good things are going to happen!

I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!  

Love,

Elder Lofthouse

Email from Elder Lofthouse 6/23/14

Well, it's been another one of those weeks that was kind of long but I can't really remember what happened.  We had zone conference on Thursday.  It was our last conference with President and Sister Gelwix and it was more just a lot of talking with them than anything else.  We got to see a video of when he proposed to her, a documentary done on him called, "No Regrets" (Sister Gelwix's idea to show), had some Q&A sessions, and also some good trainings on teaching like Christ and the Atonement.  President shared a lot of great stories.  For all you Cougar fans, do you remember when BYU beat Oklahoma in 2008 (I think it was 2008)?  Well, before that game Bronco Mendenhall asked President Gelwix to come give the team a pep talk.  In short, they won because of his inspiring comments.  At least, that's what we'd like to believe.  Cool, huh?

We had a hard time finding people to teach this week. It felt like everything was falling through all week long.  But we got through it, M came to church, and he should be getting baptized on Saturday!  I'm so excited for him!  I really think that with the help of his brother-in-law (Hermano S, Elders Quorum President), he and his wife will be getting sealed in about a year.  That's what it's all about!

We got a call on Friday morning from one of our investigators, J.  His neighbor is R C, who got baptized a couple weeks ago.  He told us that R's wife had fallen and was in the hospital and she wasn't doing too well.  So we went to the hospital immediately, found out she was in ICU and went up to give her a blessing.  It sounds like she's doing better now.  Thank goodness for good neighbors!  

Anyway, next week our new mission president arrives, President Clark.  We're excited! 

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love,

Elder Lofthouse

Email from Elder Lofthouse 6/16/14

This was a good week. I've been feeling pretty good lately. There is nothing I love more than feeling the Spirit and I have felt it often recently. I know this is God's work.

R got confirmed yesterday. He has changed so much recently, and is very happy with his decision. He thanks us all the time for opening his eyes. The other day he was sharing with us some problems he's been having with children and grandchildren fighting. In the past he may have lost his temper and said a lot of things he shouldn't have but he said to us, "I've been trying so hard. I haven't done ANYTHING to offend God since I've been baptized. So instead I just cry." I had never seen him cry before but he was when he was talking with us. I hope his wife notes the change in him and will one day follow his example. In just a brief month and a half I have really come to love that family.

M has also been progressing really well, but didn't come to church yesterday because of a Father's Day activity with his family. His wife came though. We should be having another lesson with him in the home of his brother-in-law (who's the Elders Quorum President) tomorrow, and is still on track to be baptized at the end of the month. He's starting to know the scriptures and has found lots of answers during his studies. I'm excited for him!

We really haven't had much contact with F though. I still have high hopes for her, but we need to have another lesson soon. Something I've noted on my mission is that the Spirit, before baptism and confirmation, has a shelf-life. We need to act quickly before she completely for gets her experience last week.

I can't believe two weeks of this transfer are already almost gone. I've really enjoyed being with Elder Morrow. He accepts correction very well, he speaks Spanish 100% of the time, he's been discerning all our investigators' thoughts and I am just having a great time with him.

Well, I hope you all have a great week!  Life is just great!

Love,

Elder Lofthouse

Email from Elder Lofthouse 6/9/14

I am so excited for this transfer. I am so thankful to have Elder Morrow as a companion.  He's from Virginia, he's 20, and he's been out 14 months. He is a fantastic missionary! 

R C got baptized yesterday. We met with him a couple hours beforehand and he thanked us for opening his eyes and helping him join the Church of Jesus Christ. Not too long ago, I wasn't even sure he really understood the restoration. He has made leaps and bounds in the last month! He has a lot of family in the ward, and they were are really excited and could hardly believe he was actually getting baptized. Everyone's faith is really high right now that his wife, B, will soon follow.

M came to church yesterday for the first time! He has a baptismal date for June 28th. He has also made leaps and strides in the last couple months and his less-active wife is no longer less-active. I hope she gets a calling soon. I am very excited for them.

We also got a new ward mission leader yesterday.  He served a mission in Missouri, was the first convert in his family (they've almost all been baptized in the last 10 years now), and is already really good friends with us.  We are all super excited.  He has a lot of good plans and is going to be such a blessing to this ward.

Our best experience this week was with an investigator named F. We hadn't seen her for quite awhile. We started the lesson by asking her what she remembered from what we had taught and she really didn't remember much. Then, Elder Morrow started asking inspired question after inspired question. He asked if she was ready to make covenants with God. She said that the missionaries wanted her to get baptized, but she didn't intend to get baptized. She'd talked to someone who's gone to our church for years without getting baptized and told her that she didn't need to get baptized to go to church and hear the word of God. Elder Morrow asked her if she had asked God if she should get baptized and she said no. With absolutely no hestiation, Elder Morrow got on his knees and said, "We can do it right now then!" She said, "Okay," got on her knees and asked how to do it. I re-explained to her prayer and we told her that we would stay on our knees after the prayer and pay attention to how we felt. She said a very sincere, faith-filled prayer, saying, "Please tell me if I should get baptized in a dream, because only you know my problems and my situation, and I need you to tell me in a dream... or right now, if I should get baptized." As soon as she said, "right now," the Spirit flooded the room. After she said amen, we stayed on our knees for probably 5 minutes straight, just basking in the Spirit. It was wonderful! My companion then said, "I sense you've received your answer." She nodded and he said, "So will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the authority from God?" She said she was going to talk to her daughter-in-law who is getting baptized in one of the English wards soon to see when it would be. It was amazing how quickly the Spirit changed her!

Well, I hope you are doing well.  Have a fantastic week!