Survived His Second Earthquake

From the Mission President at 2:26 pm:

Estimados Padres y amigos de misioneros de la misión Mexico Puebla Norte. A la 1:15 de la tarde hoy experimentamos un sismo centrado entre Puebla y CDMX que midió 7.1. Perdimos electricidad, servicio celular e internet. Poco a poco se están arreglando. Estamos en el proceso de verificar el estatus de cada misionero. Colocaremos mas noticias en las redes socials y por correo electrónico cuando estén disponibles. Gracias por sus oraciones y fe. - Presidente Nelson

Dear Parents and Friends of missionaries of the Mexico Puebla North mission. At 1:15 this afternoon we experienced a 7.1 earthquake centered between Puebla and Mexico City. We lost electricity, cell service and internet. Little by little it is getting fixed. We are in the process of verifying the status of each missionary. We will add more information to the social networks and by email when it is available. Thank you for your prayers and faith. - President Nelson.

From the Mission President at 4:01pm (wow they are on top of things!):

Estimados papas y amigos de misioneros de la misión Mexico Puebla Norte. Ahorita terminamos verificando con todos los misioneros en la misión y todos están bien! Hemos hablado con cada uno de ellos para asegurar que están bien y que están en un lugar seguro. Cada misionero va a tener la oportunidad de escribir a sus familias mañana cuando todo el poder ha sido restaurado y las calles están mas seguras. Colocaremos cualquier cambio en las redes socials y por correo electrónico. Muchas gracias por sus preocupaciones y oraciones. - Presidente Nelson

Dear parents and friends of missionaries in the Mexico Puebla North mission. We just finished verifying with all of the missionaries in the mission and all are without injury and in a secure place! We have talked with each and every one of them personally to make sure they are okay. Each missionary is going to have the opportunity to write their families tomorrow when every thing has calmed down and all power has been restored. We will add any change to the social media sites and by email. Thank your for your concern and your prayers. - President Nelson

So we´re allowed to write home again because as I'm sure you saw on Facebook and news and stuff there was another earthquake today! It was a 7.1, not sure what that means but it was kinda big I guess. We were in a lesson with a guy who works at a drycleaners, just like at the front desk with him and we started to testify and the ground literally started shaking and I felt like super powerful. We just walked out to the middle of the street to wait it out, and everyone around was running and screaming. The guy we had been teaching ask us, "Why is it that everyone else is freaking out and us three are so calm?" We were able to tell him that we were calm because we are prepared, or at least we are in the process of preparing ourselves. 

30 I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear. D&C 38:30

Super powerful experience honestly, the Spirit was very strong. 

The church in the picture was totally fine when we were on the way to the lesson, and when we walked back it was like that! (D&C 29:21)

I felt the Spirit many times tell me that the time is very soon, much sooner than we are thinking. Have a good rest of the week, but please prepare yourselves and everyone else. 

The whole mission is fine, just a bit of damage in a few houses (including the mission home :(  ), I don't feel scared at all.

All is well in Zion.

Love you guys,
Elder Lethaby

Waffle Iron as the latest purchase - missionary tool?

September 18, 2017

Hi Mom! 

I think I will be writing earlier, but not always, it just depends on our pday plans now haha. Elder S says hi and we think you should make friends with his mom - send her a request on FB. 

This week was awesome, really saw some miracles. Our investigator A, is 20 years olds, has a member gf, has like 8 months investigating the church, and is finally going to be baptised this week! He was working but now he quit and can have more time to be active in the church. Great guy, trying to decide between mission and marriage but I'm telling him to mish it because his soon to be bro in law is the Elders quorum pres, his soon to be father in law is the old bishop, and because its a commandment (mostly because of that). Ive been learning to be more bold and not be afraid of just inviting everyone to do what God wants them to do. 

We had some great zone conferences this week where we got everyone to do a trust fall line and then we talked about how if even just one of us isn't committed to reach our missions goal (100 baptisms in a month), the rest of us cant do it either. We are a team! The whole church is a team! 

Last week we bought a waffle iron, and today we took it to the test with a member and his nonmember fam and they turned out just great! We will be having better breakfasts now I guess but please send more syrup. I got the package with the Canadian froot loops and all that! Great work mom, big fan! You're the best mom in the world! What's the latest on the pants situation though? Trying to decide if I should go buy some or wait for a package because I only really have two pairs right now. And Elder M still wants beef jerky!

Sounds like everyones doing great! 

Love you!
Elder Lethaby

First Earthquake

September 11, 2017

Hi mom! 
We had a very eventful week that went by really quick. We took an Elder who went home to the airport in Mexico city, we went to Tlaxcala, we planned a zone conference, we survived an earthquake, we lost a companion (Elder M who went with the companion of the Elder who went home), and we still squeezed in a little bit of time to see some miracles. A, an "eternal investigator", quit his job, and will now have time to go to church and see us a bit more often. He went to church yesterday and wants to get baptised. His girlfriend is a member who invited him, but he is super sincere and has a strong testimony. Should be baptised in two weeks! We also had been praying to find someone who had also been praying to find us. The next day when we were heading back home, a woman was backing in to her driveway in front of where we were walking and stopped, rolled down the window, and told us she needed a verse of scripture or something to help her out right now because she was going through problems with her husband. We were able to give her the family proclamation and testify that it will get better. Very simple but powerful experience. We also found a part member family of 4 siblings between the ages of like 25 and 35 who all live together and only one brother is a member, but he's awesome and went on a mission and we started teaching his family yesterday. One of his brothers was super closed, but he has a sister whose children are baptised and she was talking about how she wants them to keep going to church but just doesn't trust herself to be "perfect enough" to be a member. That's what the atonement is for though! So many people think it's just for our sins, but it's for our weaknesses too! We told her she doesn't have to be perfect, that we aren't perfect, and at the end she told us we are the first (of many) missionaries who have come and told her that. She said she felt like we were being real with her, that we were there to help her and not just baptise her to count it on a list.I feel like that has been a big change in me in the mission and it was a great experience. 
Love you all
Elder Lethaby

What does his badge mean to him?

September 4, 2017,

Shane's living the dream! 

I love magnum bars too, they're kinda expensive for missionaries, but I love them so sometimes I treat myself. Sounds like an awesome trip though. 

This week we had a ton of meetings again, almost all went very well, and it looks like there's some good stuff going on in the mission. In one of them I realised there were only 3 missionaries out of like 30 with more time than me in the mission which was very weird, the mission is super young now. Feeling inspired to work harder ever day. We are literally preparing the way for the second coming so we gotta get going! A bit stressed with some little problems though but don't worry about it, got great companions to work with. Elder S is funny in the same way as Jake Maller like he just says things sometimes that don't make sense but he's also really smart and has a lot of ideas and thoughts about how we can help the mission. Elder M might leave us this week, still haven't decided, but hes doing good too, the last few days with a sudden burst of energy because the secretaries bought his plane ticket. 

This week we had a miracle too! A__ (20), an old investigator who almost got baptised but then started working way too much so he couldn't go to church called us and told us he was going to enter university and would not have to work much and wants to prepare himself for baptism and he wants to go to institute! So hyped on him! Please pray that he can have the strength to overcome the temptations that come his way. Great guy, also talked about going on a mission. 

I know this is the same work Christ would do if he were here, we just have to try harder to do it in His way.

Love ya!

Elder Lethaby

Questions Answered: 

What does your badge mean to you? How is it different than an employee badge?

It means that we've gotta be alert at all times because we represent the church, the fam and most importantly the Savior. Big deal. We talk a lot about how if we didn't have the badge, would they still recognize us as representatives of Jesus Christ? 

How will you teach people and/or missionaries this week the way the Saviour taught? How will you teach like the Master?

We have been talking a lot about the need to "clean up the mission" again because of a few things that have happened, and so I think it would have to be teaching them to be obedient, visiting those who need help, but not just to get mad at them but to honestly help them become like Christ. 

Who has served you this week, and who have you served?

Today N, a recent RM from our ward took us to McDons which is a big trt cuz it's expensive for us and it was the first time I've gone in my mish so that counts as service, big fan of him. I served Elder S with his new role as AP to understand all of his new jobs.

When I knew it Was True....

August 28, 2017

HEY I'M HYPED!

We're in a trio now! Elder S from Arizona is gonna be with us. He's a real good guy who's really good at swimming (swam with Micheal Phelps and once beat him so he's probs gonna go to the Olympics when he gets home). I have wanted to be his companion for a long time so couldn't be happier. He was just in Amalucan with Elder A too which is kinda cool. 

Yesterday we received 6 new missionaries (all great), and said goodbye to 10 (we keep losing more). Also another secretary (Elder A) got here so well be 6 in the offices now. 

Sounds like you are all doing great and enjoying the vacations. Keep me posted. Would love to go see Spain some time. 

Wrote lots in my answers to the questions, so I already talked about everything else I wanted to say haha. 

Love you all, I'm excited right now!!
Elder Lethaby

Questions Answered:

Can you pinpoint when you knew the church was true? 

I think the first time I felt the spirit like really strong was the first time I went to the temple when I was 12 and I was waiting to do baptisms sitting with Scotty K, and his grandma had just passed away and he was pretty sad but I just remember I felt the spirit really strong when we talked about eternal families. That night I read the book of Mormon by myself when I got home for the first time even though it was like 1:00am just because I wanted to. Also lots of EFY/Youth conferences helped me along the way. THE ACTIVITIES FOR THE YM/YW ARE IMPORTANT! NEVER MISS THEM!

What doctrine are you studying right now?

We have been studying as a mission in the BoM about the promises that father Lehi made with his children and posterity. We have found some pretty cool examples, and then we highlight in another colour what we can do to make sure those promises are fulfilled. 2 Nefi 29 has some trts. 

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/29.3

How do you study? Compare scriptures, and read talks on a specific topic? Discuss?

Also as a mission we are studying 44 principles. Basically what that is, is a binder president gave us where there are several sheets (44) and a bunch of questions and ways of applying every principle. The 44 principles are the principles that come in the lessons in chapter 3 of PMG (Preach My Gospel). So we basically just make mini lesson plans of every little topic so that when we are called upon we can be ready to explain it is a powerful, clear way and use scriptures, experiences and examples to back it up. 

How was the fancy dinner with the president? Try anything new?

We went to Pampas, a Brazilian buffet. It was very good. They have people that come around with different kinds of meat and you can just tell them yes or no. I said yes a little too much :) One thing I tried was like roasted pineapple with cinnamon. V good. Not much new other than that. 

What have you learned about a companionship that you want to take with you into a marriage?

I have learned to accept that my ideas aren't always better than my companions ideas. Even though sometimes he still doesn't convince me that his ideas are better, I just give in and sometimes he proves me wrong and I like it because I let myself learn more. 

See any new sights this week?

Mmm that one not really. Just that we moved around the furniture and cleaned the house a lot to make way for our new companion so the house is a new sight haha.

One Year Down-Learning to be a Grown-up

August 21, 2017

Hi mom,

We had a pretty interesting week, lots of different experiences. 

I got to go on divisions with President Nelson Tuesday, the transfer meeting on Wednesday, interchanges on Thursday, and a little more time in our area on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday our ward finally got a bishop! They called a brother who's about 30 years old as the bishop, and his two councillors are younger than him! The three of them were very shocked with their callings, but I think they will do a good job to make a change in the ward. Kinda scary though!

I enjoyed the transfer meeting a lot! We went to president's house from like 9:30-2:30 and still didn't finish! Lots of work. There's a white board with a card of every missionary, their picture, their areas they've had, their old companions, their assignments, and a few other details. We prayed and then talked a lot about every one of them. Not all of the changes we decided to make are what we had thought would happen, sometimes president knows other things that are going on with certain missionaries, and sometimes the spirit just tells us to change something.  

We also set some goals that Sister Nelson is gonna be checking with us about the work in our area. We set the goal to be there working for 40 hours a week which doesn't sound like much but was pretty hard to reach this week. 

Hey send pics next week though! That's my rule if you're gonna go on vacation without me you gotta send pics! Can't really think about what else happened this week but I just went and bought some new shoes so that's kinda cool. They're gonna be my Sunday/conference/nice event shoes because even though my other ones are still hanging in there, they don't look too good anymore. I think they were the equivalent of like $60 though and they're Flexi brand which I think is supposed to be pretty good. 

Learning lots here about being a grown up hahah, like I can't just ask someone else whenever I have a problem, I have to figure it out and have the confidence in myself that it's the right answer (with mission rules and special permissions and stuff like that). Also just always being prepared without having to be asked for everything. I feel like I didn't know how to think for myself before the mission. 

One year down now, have loved it a lot up to this point and am very excited to keep progressing and drawing closer to Heavenly Father every day. Even though some days I have been working so hard without seeing any results, I look back now and honestly feel very proud of what I have been able to do. Love being a missionary. 

Have fun in Iceland and Spain and stuff!

Love,

Elder Lethaby 

Questions Answered:

Can you describe the city a bit?

The city has a lot of parts that are really "fresa" or like fancy nice, and other parts that are a bit poor. You get around in combi (little van that's like the public transportation). Everyone speaks Spanish but in this ward a bit more English. Idk what else to say haha.

Best memory of the week?

The transfer meeting! Very cool experience to see how it's done and see the concern president has for the missionaries when we are planning. Even the disobedient missionaries are very important to him and we tried to plan to help them change. 

Are you close to a Costco? One just opened in Iceland in May! What?!

I think so because the secretaries always go but I've never been!

Favourite scripture this week.

Jacob 5. Didn't get it at all before the mish and now I get it a little. https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/jacob/5?lang=eng

When you learn that this 88 year old walks slow...

August 14th

Hi Mom!

We had a really good week with the zone conferences. The best part was when President talked about charity, and showed this talk (please listen AND watch): https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/the-great-commandment?lang=eng 

He talked about how if even just one of us has the idea in our mind that the mission is about receiving recognition for assignments or how many baptisms you have, the whole mission will go down. He used an example of just putting a little drop of food colouring in a big jar of water, but quickly it spread through all the water (the mission). We can choose if we want it to be a drop of charity or pride. One Elder told me after it was one of the most spiritual experiences of his (23.5 month) mission. We also talked about specific things we can do to work better with the members. 

Before I forget, my companion wants me to ask you to send beef jerky hahaha, an old companion got it once and he LOVED it but hasn't found it here. Also if you find that there's a bit of money missing from my account don't worry, I think I'm gonna buy some new shoes and a suit next week so it's for that. 

Sounds like all is well there in the YYC, Katelyn looks really happy! Send pics of her husband! Also the overpass looks handsome. 

Got to work with Elder Stones for a day this week too, which was a treat, I think he probably sent a pic to his family of the ice cream we bought, there's like 10 places to buy it in our area and it's all so good. He's doing really good and is a lot more confident now!

This week we are already going to have the first meeting to plan the transfers of the mission which I think will be a very very cool experience, super excited for that.

Have fun in Iceland and send lots of pics! Wish I could be there with you guys, but I am so happy to be where I am right now. I know the people, the place, the experiences, and everything around me is part of Heavenly Fathers plan so that I can become who I need to be. 

Love you all!

Elder Lethaby

Questions Answered:

How did zone conference go?
The zone conferences went really well! We were able to get everything ready and even with the hurricane that came by on Thursday it all went really well!

What lessons did you learn about organising an event like this?

We shouldn't just assume that the missionaries understand what they have to do. The zone leaders and sister training leaders are given the chance to train in the zone conferences, but we realised almost all of them are new, and they haven't had much experience training and that was probably the worst part of the conference, but not because they aren't good missionaries, because we didn't teach them. 

Ever play any good practical jokes, or have any done to you?

Were really into sneaking into the offices really quietly and waiting to see how long it takes for the secretaries to realise we´re there, but other than that not much since the MTC. 

Where will you spend FHE tonight? Do you mostly go to members?

We are gonna go with a little old lady and her less active fam!

Did you learn anything on the Sabbath Day…yesterday?

Yes! We passed by for an 88 year old recent convert who lives like 2 blocks away from the church so we thought we could get there in like 5 minutes, but he walked really slow, like way slower than we thought, and I was frustrated and ashamed to get to church late, but then I realised it was more important that he could get there, than just thinking about myself. Also they asked me to speak when I got there.