May 26, 2014 Aeropuerto

Whats up everyone!

First off I have some pretty cool news! Por fin we are going to havea  baptism this week! Hermano Agustin is set and has his interview tomorrow to be baptized this coming Saturday! OORAH! It was a lot of hard work but you can really see that the members are a huge help with these investigators. Without them it'd be nothing. Agustin is 9 years old and his mom is a less active member but has a heart of gold and is super excited to see her only son be baptized. I cant say much more than that, just wish us luck that everything goes according to plan. =) 

We had a good lesson with Hermana Sofia this last week. A very powerful one that Maria Jose attended as well. We played a game where you give the person a paper with numbers scrambled 1 to 99 in different sizes. They have to circle the numbers 1 to 99 in order in under five minutes. So we had her do it. We tried helping her a bit and showing her how the game worked but she wouldn't listen to us. She would tell us that we were distracting her and that it wasn't helping. After the time was up she had only gotten to 50. About halfway. Then we gave her the exact same paper again except this time it had tic tac toe lines on it to split the numbers into groups. We then gave her another 5 minutes. She tried it but didn't seem to catch onto the fact that the numbers 1 to 99 were all in the boxes and were lined up in groups, making it easier to find them. After the time was up she had only gotten to 54... it was devastating. We then told her, Hermana... the lines represent the holy ghost in your life right now. God is trying to help you, just like we were. Helping you to realize that the answer to everything is right in front of you, but you just don't want to listen to it. The holy ghost is there and its testifying to you, you just need to listen to it... The entire mood of the lesson changed and we took advantage of it all by talking about the importance of the holy ghost. Maria Jose was perfect because she had the same situation with her family being all catholic and not wanting her to change. But she testified of all of the feelings she had and really did a fantastic job. =) We left and asked if she would come to church, but she never showed up yesterday.... sad. So we lost the baptismal date with her, but the lesson, I hope, hit her really hard.... 

I am back to teaching English again, and I have to admit, its a lot of fun being in charge of it all. Its super cool being able to speak two languages. The class is every Wednesday at 7 and its really helping me learn new words that I try to use to explain things. Its all going really well. =)

That's it for this week everyone. I enjoy hearing from you all and see how you are all doing. Man sades, that camp must have been pretty tough haha... alta camps always are, but I was happy to see your response to it. Just do it alright? Just do it. It-ll only make you better. =) Mom, wow.... even though you say the surgery was minor, it still looks pretty intense... I always hated those surgeries, let alone see you have to go through it, but I am glad I have a strong mom =) Goobs! Man, I miss you bro and I hope to be able to hear from you next week my man. I look up to you like my big brother bro and I wish I could be there to watch you grow up. Its awesome knowing that you're my little bro =) Stay fly man. Dad, I can understand that its nice to have a day off work. Its the same story here. Working all day everyday and then the Pday roles around and its nice to sit back and relax a bit. I know the feeling. I wish I could take a BS trip with you and Hogan, but know that my spirit is there drinkin a DP with you both. Love ya.

That's it guys. (ps I sent the book of Mormon just so you could see how much I used it. I got another one that actually stayed together so I decided to send my "extra baggage" back.) It might not make sense, but I figured that keat might like the jerseys and dad might like the book, and mom and Sadie the bracelets and the puzzle... maybe I didn't think it through well enough but hey... its the though that counts right? Ha! Alright, I'm gunna head out now, Love you guys and I hope you all have a great week. =) 

Kia Kaha!

Elder Proctor

P.S. yup, Im holdin a chicken.

May 19, 2014 Aeropuerto

Whats up guys?

Well after the hype of last week, nothing overly special happened here. We started off with some baptismal dates fall through because the people cant seem to get out of bed in the morning. Sacrament starts at eight and I would agree that its even a bit too early for the missionaries as well, let alone the new investigators that we invite to church. Oh well. 

Hermana Maria Jose talked on Sunday and she nailed it. She is such a cool person. It makes me really happy to know that she will be a convert for the rest of her life and that she will be strong in the church. For me at least, she is really special. She talked about faith and repentance in her talk and she did an amazing job being new to the entire thing. We helped her with some of the scriptures, but she did everything else and did a fantastic job. If we could only talk her mom into being baptized then things would be great. She has two younger sisters that are able to be baptized but the mom doesn't think that they are "old enough to make the decision for themselves yet." But then I asked her, "hermana, if you were to be baptized, would you allow your children to be baptized...?" and she responded, "si." and then I'm like, then whats the difference... haha oh well. I can understand the family traditions. Its just a speed-bump for them is all. It ll all fall into place sooner or later. 

Hermana Sofia told us that she had made her decision that she didn't want to change religions... she talked with the Father of her church and he told her it was a sin to change.... biggest joke ever. But she has allowed us to continue teaching her so its all good. We even brought hermana Maria Jose along to share her story with her because they both have the exact same situation. Just pray for her that she will realize its all true =) that's what we are doing here. 

Other than that, the only things that I ask for this week are for more people to write me. I love hearing from EVERYONE. Not just a few of you.  That's all for this week =) I hope you all had a great week and things are going well. I was happy to hear about sadies sporting events! Way to go sista! Love ya girl! Love you mom and dad... you guys mean the world to me. Keatster... man I miss you bro. SO much. I cant wait to play some ball with you =) Kickin it old school right? Live it while you got it bro. 

"Remember on or off the field, I'm always with you, live it while you got it."

Kia Kaha!

-Elder Proctor

May 12, 2014 Aeropuerto - Post Mother's Day

Well I am pretty sure that this letter will be rather short judging by the fact that I talked with all of you yesterday through Skype. It was so awesome being able to see you all and actually communicate with you guys. So much better than reading emails on Mondays, but this will have to do until December. Oh well.... 

It was super nice being able to show you all how I live day to day and to see the type of people that I communicate with on a daily basis. I felt really weird when we hung up and I had to call again to figure things out with Elder Smith, but he was finally able to get a hold of his parents and call them. He spent about the same amount of time talking to his family and girlfriend. It was cool being able to see where he was from and the type of background that he was raised in. We don't have much communication outside the lines of missionary work in that subject as companions. But it was cool meeting everyone. The other elders spent a long time as well so don't worry that I went over time... haha everybody did that I have talked to. 40 minutes to an hour just isn't enough when you only get to see the people you love most once or twice a year. I tried to make it count and show you what life is like as a missionary. =) Hope it was to your liking.

Nothings changed, so I think I will wrap this letter up this week. I just wanted to let you all know how happy I was to finally talk with all of you and to see you all face to face for once. It really took my week from being good to amazing. I hope you guys all continue to be the best that you can and continue to try your hardest in all you do. Don't worry about me here. I'm doing what I've been told and trying my hardest as well. 

Love you guys.

Kia Kaha,

EP

PS- I finally took dads advice and got my shoes shined =) 15 pesos and they look brand new.

May 5, 2014 - Aeropuerto

Alright well this week was completely filled with a bunch of mixed emotions due to the fact that Elder Castillo was leaving. We spent basically the entire week trying to make sure that he had everything set to go and that he was ready when the time came for him to head out. It took us all of Thursday Friday and Saturdayto finally get things put together but overall we all knew that the house would be different when we got back that night. He was a true friend to me. Kinda my favorite "companion" that I have had since I have been here. Hes super cool and alot like myself in a lot of ways so we got along super well. But, his 24 months were up on Sunday at about 3 in the afternoon. We packed his things after a tear-filled testimony meeting in which all of us, Elder Ricks, Elder Smith, Elder Roberts, and I all bore our testimonies telling him how grateful we were to have him as our companion over the last few months. We were all pretty emotional, but overall, things went well. We got his bags into the bus and off he went after a couple of more tears and a long hug for each of us. It was really sad, but he did what he did for two years and it was time for him to go back. He was a great missionary and we hope to meet up again in two years from now in Disney Land =) That was his goal for us all after we all finish haha... Lets hope it happens.

Other than that even, Hermana Maria Jose is amazing to say the least. She has attented every meeting we have had, every church service and has even begun to start thinking about serving a mission. She tells me about it all the time and cannot wait to finally be able to put her papers in in a year. Let me ask, would you have the guts to go on a mission with only having one year as a member of the church? Think about that... for me thats amazing. She is by far the Holy Ghost's best convert =) 

Hermana Johana didnt come to church this sunday... again. She always tells us that she is going to come, but hasnt showed up. We need to talk with her mom to see whats up. She always seems SO interested in our lessons and has a lot of fun, but we are beginning to question what she thinks we are... we think she thinks that we are some type of counselor that will help her daughter or something... In a form, yes, but we are there to teach her the gospel.... nothing more, unless asked. I really feel bad for her, but then again she is only thirteen and doesn't really know what is wrong and what is right quite yet. We need to give it time and see what happens. 

Apart from the two of them, the only other person we are working with that is close to baptism is the little sister of Maria Jose, Gabriela. Shes fourteen and really wants to follow her older sister, but theres one problem. Because she is underage, her mom, Claudia, wont let her get baptized.... Her family is completely catholic and doesnt really want anyone else to change religions... but we are working with her mom to see whats going to happen. She "supposedly" has a date set for the 17th of may, but hasnt completely been comfirmed yet. We shall see what goes down with that =)

Everythings good with me. I cant wait for the package and I hopefully you can send more things through this new route that you have found. Seems to be faster. Love you guys and I hope you have a great week =)

Kia Kaha,

Elder Proctor