A Lot of Busy-ness Without Getting Much Done and He "cooks"

Yeee lots of catholics here, they usually are so hard core they don't even listen, but the rest, there's actually a lot of people who were baptized at a proper age by immersion so we have to explain the importance of the priesthood a lot. But really if people have faith and a testimony they will just do it. 

This week was pretty weird and hard to work with because Tuesday we had exchanges, Wednesday Elder P had 3 interview pretty far away for baptisms, Thursday we had a zone conference with president in Tlaxcala which is like 2 hours away, Friday and Saturday there were baptisms in the district and we had to go because Elder P is DL, today and yesterday we had to scope out houses because were getting another companionship in the district next week so we gotta find somewhere for them to live. So we only taught like 20 lessons or something this week. We were feeling pretty bummed but then we decided to fast and immediately started finding more people to teach. 

This one guy J is soooo ready I can't handle it. Same guy who we commited to baptism, taught to pray, introduced the BoM and I answered his questions in 10 mins last week. We taught him like 4 times this week, yesterday when we went to pick him up for church he was just waiting at the door ready to go. We taight him Word of Wisdom last night cuz he drinks coffee and we were like do you think it will be hard to give up? And he's like nah I can drink water it's all good. We told him he can drink herbal tea and he was hyped. So happy about that guy. 

Funny language thing I learned this week is that spicy and itchy are the same word so I might come home scratching myself and saying it's spicy. Overal feeling the language improving, after a baptism I was waiting for Elder P in another interview and I just had like a normal conversation with a stranger in the hall for like an hour with very few problems. 

 

Overal good week, wish I had more missionary stuff to report but really was a weird week, not a bad one though just different. 

 

Love being a missionary :)

 

Elder Lethaby

Questions answered:

Ever get a chance to talk/teach about Family History?nahhh only like 3 families in the ward have computors so we dont do anything with fam hist

Do they “celebrate” Halloween where you are? Do you have to be home early like our missionaries?!oh yes they celebrate it like none other. We don't have to be in the house early or anything because its not just one night, it would be like a week at home if we did that. The kids trick or treat but they try to get money not candy (usually still get candy), and they have been doing it every night for like 4 days now, pretty funny, we're in lessons and they knock and ask for money. They go all out too, like everyone has crazy facepaint, keep forgetting my cam though and also might be creepy to take pics. They had this big day of the dead dance happening in the streets with the weirdest masks and stuff going on all week. Pretty sure its like as big as christmas here.

Did you bring the right coat with you? And is it getting cold? Hayden Low is in the mountains and FREEZING!It just started getting cold this week, in the mornings I run with a sweater now and usually during the day too, but still not too bad, probs like 10 degrees but I think it's suposed to get down to like minus 5 pretty soon. Gonna buy another sweater I think.

Can you take picture of the inside of your fridge? Just to compare to Scott's!! Haha!!I will next week, you will be quite impressed by our cereal collection I think. This morning I made French toast and E P had never had it and he wanted without syrup and then he made a ham and cheese sandwich out of it, kinda weird but could be good.

Using the Lord's time and dog fights!

Ok I will get into sunscreen! I don't know... maybe everyone is pink or it was lighting because I haven’t noticed that much . But ya I will! Also I'm sending pics to Austen the same way, not sure what's going on. Don’t have any new ones this week so sorry.

There is so much power in following the mission president. His big thing is "las botana" (snacks), which means super short lessons especially at the start. Short but powerful. Yesterday we were in a lesson for waayay too long, like over an hour and at the end they were like ya  we will probably come to church. Then we went right after to another guy and in 10 minutes we gave him a book of mormon, answered his questions about the pamphlet which he had read cover to cover and made notes, committed him to come to church, committed him to baptism, and taught him to pray and he said the closing prayer. The contrast between how well we had used the Lord's time in those two lessons really stood out to me. After I had a pretty clear impression that if we stop wasting time in hour long lessons, the Lord will lead us to more people who are ready like him. I think I will stop talking so much about baptisms until we actually start getting some though haha. Lots of people like listening and say they will do stuff but they never come to church. This week we were told we are the first missionaries to bring our own investigators to the ward in almost a year! Crazy.

Overall lots of learning this week, I think the two extremes of sad and happy that you feel on the mission are a testimony of how important this work is! We are very excited still and working hard. I feel myself starting to trust more in God and follow the spirit. I also started memorizing 20 words a day with those flash cards, a measurable goal, and even though I didn't quite do it, I think my language has improved the most this week of my whole mission. Feels good.
Dios nos ama,
Elder Lethaby

Questions answered:

Do you get kissed on the cheeks in greeting everywhere you go?

Nahhh, not really a thing here, I've seen it like twice but only girls.

Do people ask you about your family a lot?

Again not really hahaha, any time we have intercambios the other elders read that book you made me though.

Are you getting use to "personal space" being different?!

Hahaha ya the convi, it's like a 12 seater van hollowed out with up to 30 stranger crammed in there

Do you have any lessons you've learned...no matter how big or small?

Big lesson this week was always get as much info as possible, we went for lunch in this town that the convos don't go to so we had to walk like an hour. Found a lady on the way, taught her, she accepted a baptismal date in 10 minutes of teaching and she was hyped but we didn't get her phone number or home address, just work, so now we have to go back and hope she's there. And also always ask for land marks. Got lost so many times this week haha

What do you drink? What are you allowed (as we saw the coke cans with your names)? …and explain the filtered water bottles!

I drink water and juice and yogurt drink. The filter bottles president doesn't trust so we buy these big jugs that last about 2 weeks and drink from there. We are allowed everything you are pretty much, accept tap water. "red cola" is big here. 

Have you met any creatures? 

Ya this week we were teaching a lessson in the street and two dogs starting fighting in the middle of the circle. Like between us and the investigators. Didn't really bite us though. I don't know... sometimes little spiders and stuff but nothing crazy. Lots of horses too. But mostly just dogs. Like usually you can see about 7 at any given moment.

Describe a normal day…

Wake up, go for a run, eat, study for 4 hours, go contact in the street (we don't knock doors), eat at 2:00 with members every day, then the rest of the day we usualy have lessons, like 6 or so every day. Mostly close to home but some pretty far. Get home at 9, plan, SLEEP. 

Are you in a city area or a rural area right now?

rUUUUral 

Thanks for everything! I got the package from dear elder and from Oma this week and appreciate them so much! Elder P is a big fan of the maple cookies. 

Where he lives

His apartment

Kraft Dinner (and if you know Joel...you know what that means!)

We had exchanges with the zone leaders this week which was a treat because they're white and I got to speak English for a bit! We had a pretty good day, but the others guys back in our area killed it! They found 11 new investigator and the granddaughter and husband of M committed to not only baptism but also marriage so they could be bapttized! Hypd on that. They can help her get to church and read and stuff too because he has a car and good eyes. Good stuff. 

One thing that has been hard though is that every time we go to lunch the members keep us for so long because the food is never ready; please try to have food ready right away when they missionaries come for dinner, I feel pretty guilty of that. Like they should be in and out, including sharing a message in an hour at most. 

I really liked the Gabe Kane quote about how you can't get a testimony without TEST. SO true! 

I ate kraft dinner this week which I'm sure will stir things up over there, DEDICATION.

The other thing I'm really into here is the pan (bread). It's different though, there's all these little bakeries that sell such good fresh donuts, pasteries, and bread and it's like 15 cents Canadian I think so you can eat it for the week for like a buck. SO good though.

Don't really know what else to say but love you all!

Elder Lethaby

Questions answered:

How do you wash your clothes?

Funny you should ask, we normaly wash with a member neaby but today they didnt have electricity so we did it by hand which was exciting.

What meals do you cook?

Cereal mostly, members feed us a lot every day so its all good. Today we made BLTs though

Do you have any adventures?

Every time you get in a convi its an adventure, you squeeze in and stand but you have to duck and its exciting. Cant really think of any aventures at the moment.

Where do you use the computer to write home?

There are little internet places all over, have gone to a differet one every time

How are your shoes holding up?

Good, cleaned them today and they look almost new again

Any chance of iPads in your mission? Or would you be too big a target then?

hahahha no chance

Birthday, tacos and family

This week was awesome, saw a lot more success. We found 15 new investigators this week and they all are families which is even better, and most of them live super close. Hermana M was my first baptismal date acceptor and she is this cute little old lady that can't walk so baptizing her might be interesting but she like starts crying every time she prays and she is always so happy to hear our message even though she forgets it like every time. Such a nice birthday treat. She is like SUPER old and can't read either so we were having a hard time giving her commitments but on Saturday her grandaughter's husband was home for the first time in our lessons and he was super interested, going to teach them right after this. We didn't even teach him a full lesson but he made it to church yesterday and I'm hyped cuz he and his wife can help her progress. Great fam. 

Another family we found is huge and never have men home so we have only been able to teach one of 4 lessons in the house, but they get me hyped too. Didn't make it to church but accepted baptismal dates too. Pretty funny, we always teach with the door open, us sitting outside, them sitting at the entrance. 

There are a few more families like that too. We are really excitd about them all. 

So happy to hear about all the boys leaving and getting mission calls; too hyped about Connor's! 

I got the box from home and really love the picture of all my friends; it's sitting at home right beside my pic of the fam on my desk. The tacos and guac are funny. Ate the microwave cake but we didn't have a mug so had to go buy one today haha, we have 2 cups, 2 plates, 2 spoons and 2 knives hahha, not much there. The weather here is dreamy, sometimes it rains a lot but mostly just like low 20s every day. Everything is cheap too! 

With the members we have been sharing the family proclamation a lot this week, and challenging them to put a copy on the wall somewhere special in there home where people will see it and read it and get the chance to share the gospel. There is power in that proclamation. I would like to challenge you ( amily and everyone in the world) to do the same. It's bold and powerful and shows your love for your beliefs and your family. 

Here is the link: https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation?lang=eng

I feel like there's more I wanted to say so maybe I will send another but who knows :)

Love missionary livin,

Love Elder Lethaby

QUESTIONS:

Any other Canadians in your mission?

First Canadian ever to enter Puebla North mission so no hahha

Where did all your money go last week?
Took it all out and hid it under the matress because literally nowhere takes cards haha

Birthday box arrive? Actually…one is from home, and one from the mission thingy in Mexico (we didn’t want you to go without!).
The one from home with the fake tacos came hahahah everyone was making fun of you in the offices so sorry

New favourite food?
Real tacos haha had them for the first time the other day, they don't have anything but meat but still are way better. Elder P said those weren't even good ones that I tried.

Favourite moment this week?
My favorite moment was when I got my first investigator to commit to baptism! Maria, I will talk about that more in big email

Are you writing in your journal?
Most nights but sometimes I don't if we are in a lesson till 9 30, probs 80% though

Are you as happy as you sound? Even in your discouragement with language, etc., you still sound happy. How is that possible?!
Last week not really, honestly. haha it was rough, but this week we saw so much success that I was just like jumping up and down after a few lessons so yeee pre happy.

NO TIME (or money!)

Happy Birthday today to Elder Lethaby!

Please write him...address on the right. Or email a short email to joel.lethaby@myledsmail.net

Elder Lethaby and mission president and wife.

Note from mum....he was really out of time...please excuse the typos, spelling and general disregard for grammar and punctuation!! Haha!!


So sorry but we ran out of money so we had to walk and now I have like 10 seconds to write because pday ends at 6 and its 5:55. We take convis everywhere (I hope i spelled that right), but ya these little hollowed out vans and its pretty cheap. Ugh I feel so bad because I want to write everyopne but ya hoping the answers were eenough to tide you over and I will write more next week. OveraL I understand why everyone says the mission is so hard. I am always falling asleep, never understand anything and feel very stressed. I want to help so much but I really feel useless. The thing that gets me through it though is 1. that it can only get better from here and 2. that the Saviour has felt this before. The food is really good, pretty much every meal is soup but like good soup. Members have fed us every day. One day the soup had this thing in it that looked like a donut but was meat and I have no idea what it was but I ate it and it was really chewy but like the hermana gave like all she could to make it for us so you gotta! Some houses are pretty nice, like ours is just fine but some are dirt floors. Overall though doing good, healthy, growing, being pushed more than ever but thats what its all about. Sorry to everyone I couldnt write, I will next week maybe! 

Love you all!

Elder Lethaby

Questions answered:

Did you get to watch conference? In what language?

Yes I watched 10 hours of conference in Spanish, couldnt even figure out subtitles haha but I understood most of it so its ok

How are you and your companion doing?

Elder P is the most hard working guy I know, he really wants to get stuff done which is good but sometimes makes me feel a bit bad about myself because Im trying but i dont think he understands how hard it is to go a week without knowing how to say what you want all the time. Overall though I am learning lots from him with language, habits and hard work. He also speaks better english than i do spanish I think so tyhats nice

Favourite person this week?

Theres this little boy in the ward named B who is so funny and cute and I cant understyand a word he says but I love him, he always stomps on my feet really hard and we see him most days because he lives near by and his dad is in the bishopric

Favourite moment this week?

We had a really good lesson yesterday with a newly baptized family and I understood almost all of it and taught like half the lesson which was awesome, probably tht.

Has your Spanish vocabulary doubled this week?!

Spanish vocab has not doubled because I have only had time to study language once so far because we have meeting like every day since elder p is the DL. But ya learning way faster than in the ccm because now I have no choice, he could speak english but he never does.