5/27/14

Querido Familia, Well this week was really good! We have been getting more and more busy lately! We have been teaching a lot more lessons than before! And we have been slowly getting more members out with us! Members are the Key to doing missionary work! It is extremely difficult to get people to progress and come to church without members! This week we attended a funeral for the man I talked about last week! It was very interesting, because first they had a catholic priest come do a ceremony, then a member of our ward blessed the grave! I think the weirdest part was that the catholic priest started talking and he had an italian accent! But other than that, it was a very morbid experience! And I know you are wondering about dressing the body, and the only thing I am going to say about that is that it was a very sacred experience that I will always hold close to my heart! Well anyway, I know this letter is kind of short, but I don't have a whole lot to talk about! I'll make up for it by sending pictures! I love you all! Elder Lee My last Companion Elder Ramos My last district leader Elder Richards and I when we were on exchanges My Companion Elder Smith and I at the Temple My ward mission leader Jose Luis and Elder Rodriguez (An Elder in my district) and I Me next to the lamborghini that we saw outside of someones house Our ward mission leader when he came out with us on bikes! And me in my goober glasses to keep the dust out of my eyes! The wind has calmed down a bit now so I don't wear them as much, because I look ridiculous in them! Our district last transfer! From left to right: Elders Lee and Smith, Sisters Wilcoxson and Mitchell, Elders Rodriguez and Richards, Elders Blood and Berrett! The ZL's are in our district too but they weren't there for the picture! Elder Rodriguez and I

5/20/14

Querido Familia, Well this week was really good, our best in this area so far! Our ward mission leader came out with us all day after church on Sunday, and rode bikes with us! It was super awesome, and we can tell by the way he does missionary work that he was a good missionary in his day! We did some service on saturday, helped a new family move in! And Friday was the craziest day of all! So there was a man who had cancer that we were visiting, he was a member, and the doctors told him about three weeks ago that he had anywhere between one week and three years to live! So on Friday we had a strong prompting to go visit this family! So we got there only to find out that the man had passed away three hours prior to our arriving. He was still sitting on the couch and all his family was there. This experience really got me thinking hard about the plan of salvation and what really happens to us after we die. Seeing this lifeless man on the couch, I couldn't help but wonder, "Where is he right now? What is he doing?" As I saw all of his family gathered around mourning I wondered "What would it be like if I died right now? Would my family all be there? What if I didn't even get to say good bye? What if a member of my family died right now? How would I feel?" As I thought about these things I told myself "Oh, they are just sad because they will never get to talk to him or be with him ever again" Which is kind of a big deal but I thought it is no different that going away for a while or having a friend go away and you lose contact. But people don't mourn over that, so what is it? Why is death such a hard thing for people to deal with. Well, my thought is that its not seeing the person or talking with them that is so horrible. It is the love that you have for that person and the life that they had. It is the unknown, of where they are, or even IF they are. These are normal thoughts and feelings to have. When I came to this conclusion, I could only find peace and comfort in our savior Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation. That through Jesus Christ we will all be resurrected! We can all live with our Father in heaven again with our families and our loved ones! If this is not a basic truth of life and this gospel, then everything Jesus Christ did was worthless. But I testify that Jesus Christ did suffer and die for us! But more importantly, he over came death and was resurrected so that we too may over come death and be resurrected! I testify of these things in the name of our savior Jesus Christ, Amen! Side note, I had only met the man two times before so his passing wasn't super tragic for me, but as we were there my love for him and his family grew. And Tomorrow my companion and I will be going to the funeral home with another member to dress him and his funeral will be on Friday! I love you all! Elder Lee

5/12/14

Querido Familia, Well, not much has changed since yesterday! I am still doing well and am in good health! Thanks for the Birthday wishes Grandpa! I really enjoyed the poem! Well not much else, I hope you all have a good week! I love you all! Elder Lee

5/11/14

Mother's Day Skype call

5/6/14

Querido Familia, This week was good! As you all know I had a birthday this last week and I had the wonderful opportunity to turn one year older! Crazy how that happens in just one day! Haha! But as the birthday card that Mom and Dad sent to me said, I am now more intelligent and wise and witty too! This being said, I have been pondering about a lot of things! Some of which pertain to Birthdays! I would like to share with you all some of the things that have made a deep impact on me from my pondering! Something that has been on my mind a lot is Pride! Having a birthday on my mission has been one thing that has really humbled me a lot. You all are probably wondering now, how does that humble someone? or not, it seems pretty obvious to me! But here I am, on a day where usually I am the central focus of everyone within my immediate circle of friends and family, but now we take this fact and we combine it with the fact of who I represent as a missionary! So we take one person who is the central focus of his Circle of friends and family and you have him represent the One perfect being in this world, the very person that filled the bowels of mercy so that each and every other being on this planet ever in history and to ever be in the future, CAN return to have everlasting Joy, and what happens is one of them has to submit their will to the other! And quite obviously that person is me! Not to say that it was a hard decision, hard to do,Yes, but not a hard decision! Granted I already made that decision, when I was Baptized and again when I went through the temple, and again when I decided and accepted the call to serve! I feel like I am rambling a little bit now, but the point I am trying to get to is that we should always keep the focus of everything on the Savior! Because he is the one that gives us the hope of returning to our Father! Anyway, I really appreciate all of the Birthday wishes! I did get the package that Mom and Dad sent! I really like it, My companion was messing around with the Water guns and he said he felt like a space cowboy! Haha! I thought that was super funny! I am really excited about the gift cards and can't wait to use them! Also This Sunday is Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day Mom, Brittany, and Grandma! But that also means... Phone calls home!! So I will coordinate that with Mom! Thanks for all you love and support! I love you all! Elder Lee

4/29/14

Querido Familia, This week was pretty good! We went on exchanges twice! I left my area both times and went to one of the other areas in our ward! It was super fun to get to know the other elders better. We were able to get 5 new investigators this week! It's a family. They are super awesome! Unfortunately, I was on exchanges for the lesson, so I don't really know how that went, but my companion tells me it was awesome! So we had the amazing opportunity yesterday to go to the Albuquerque Temple! It was such an awesome experience! It is about a 4 hour drive and our ward mission leader drove us up there only to find out his recommend had expired! So he went to the mall instead and just chilled in Albuquerque until we finished! I did get my passport, but I have not gotten the license yet because I have to get a paper notarized first! But I will know for sure if I get it by next week, because if I don't get it before Friday I can't get it! I will let you know if I get the package! I will be expecting it! This Pday is a little weird because of temple day yesterday, our Pday ends at 2 today! But usually we go to Zone Sports for Pdays because it is hard to go anywhere without a car! So if we want to go somewhere we have to ask someone to take us and a lot of people usually don't want to take us! But I have been to a place called El Centro last transfer, which is just a street of super cheap stores! I didn't get anything though! Well, that's about it for me! I love you all! Elder Lee