Elder Garrrett Allen-- February 22, 2012

Also please tell momma whittle thank you for the package that she sent and for all of that great stuff. It was good to get and to here from her. Also if you could tell her that she should forward all of the emails of my friends. I would really love that and it would be really good for me. So if you would please do that i would be very greatful. Thanks mom. love ya
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Well I'm here in new mexico and i am not sure how i feel about it. Honestly it isn't super great but that is ok i guess.... The worst part is that I am a english speaking missionary and never do anything in spanish so basically I'm losing all of my spanish. I guess that i just need to work harder at it. I hope that i will be leaving here very soon. Anyways we left the mtc at 3 am and got on a plane to denver. Then from denver we went on a super small plane to durango. There i meet the APs and the mission president (president jones.) we had breakfast at his house(which was 50 mins away) and met four elders that were going to be are companions. There we did interviews and stuff like that and got to know each other a little better. Then we went to get companions. There was one elder that i didn't want to have and of course that is the elder that i got. This mission of mine seems to be working that way for me so far. Getting the things that i don't really want but this mission is not about me it is about the lord. Anyways from there i had to go to the apartment which is gross like no mans busimess but it will be fun. There are 4 elders living there so that should be good. Then we did weekly planning and that was my first day. After that we went to bed. So that next day we went tracking and i had my first door in spanish!! they werent interested though so that wasn't to great haha. but we taught so lesson and that was about all. Then on sunday I met a lot of people in the ward and guess what? Josh is in my ward so i saw him and we talked for a little bit so that was cool. later that night we went and checked out some different stuff and went with a member to 4 houses and taught some lessons there. So that was pretty good. Then it was p day which is on monday and after that it is today. so yea that is my mission so far nothing to great....
Anyways...here are some of the challenages that i am having...My companion is kinda not in to it and it really feels like he has no idea what he is going and what to teach me. Basically it just sucks there. So yea, but i am trying to be a good jr. companion and to just follow his lead. also he is THE loudest and most annoying chew i have ever met in my whole life so i will just let you guess how that is working out for me. Also he basically has ever medical problem you can think of and takes so crazy drugs. So yea, this is my adventure i have to do. Basically I am just trusting in the lord and trying to stay positive. It would be nice to hear from my brothers and sisters but they don't email and i have seem to lost the paper i had with all of there emails. Basically i am feeling like i am in the wrong place and am very discouraged. But i just need to work hard and do my best, This is my mission and i really don't want to waste it but a huge part of me wishes that i wasn't in new mexico and that i could be some where like argentina and that i could just be comfortable but again this mission is not about me and i need to do what the lord wants and just try to have faith. I know that the lord has my back here. Anyways the work here is kinda slow it seems like. A lot of it is reactivating navajos. We are right by the reservation so there are a lot of them and they will be baptized just not active. So yea....But people dont really want to talk and i have no idea how to get into the door. So that kinda sucks but hey just keep trying. At least the members here feed us a lot and that is pretty nice. pero i hope that i leave soon. Also i am sick right now with a cough that wont go away and basically i just don't feel great. So these are all things that are hard and i am really being tried. my spanish is already going away and that is not good and i have kinda been left here alone. so yea these are the things that are hard and there is alot of stuff but it will probably be ok because you support me and the lord is with me and hopefully i will be in argentina soon. So we will see what is going to happen. anyways if you want to send me anything my address is 400 w apache, farmington New mexico 87401. so yep that is about it. I love you all and will talk to you next monday! miss you guys alots and hope to hear from you soon. Love elder allen

Elder Matthew Whittle-- February 21, 2012

Que Onda!

Ay padre! Que lo paso? Se ve super guapo en ese foto;) haha Que chido. So sorry about the money thing. We've been taking this kid that's about 14 years old that struggling out to eat like twice a week, but I'm going to try to do better ;)

So I'm leaving O side, but I still don't know to where. I got a letter from President saying that he's counting on me in my next area so we'll see where I'm going. I leave today. It was so hard last night to say goodbye to everybody. Juana, a member in our area that Elder Kidd and I reactivated, started crying when I said goodbye last night. It was really hard. I feel like she's a mom to me now, but I know I'll see her again. I'm sad to leave Oceanside, but I know the Lord needs me in a different area for the next little while. I think I'm going to go up North more, but I'll let ya know next week. I still haven't gotten your package but I'll probably get it at transfers today. Thanks for sending that. You guys are great!

So Tony came to the noche de pelicula that we had up at the church. It was awesome. He picked us up in his big 15 passenger van with his wife, and his two sons. We watched the Joseph Smith movie, and they liked it. Hopefully we can keep teaching them. They'd be great for the ward, because of their huge van haha. In spanish work it's sometimes hard because a lot of the people no tienen carros. So that's definitely a plus. Tony is super super passionate about the gospel to. He always is talking about Jesus Christ. It's so awesome.

I'll try to get some pictures printed off or send you the sd card o something. Hope everyone is doing well. Keep it up on the basement paps. I wish I could help ya with that but at the same time I don't because I love being out here with the people. Keep staying strong in the gospel, and remember that there is no other work that is more important than the work of the Lord. Love you all. k bye.

Con amor,
Elder Whittle

Elder Matthew Whittle-- February 14, 201

Que honda tontos!

Hijo significa "son" no mas para que sepa:) y para que papa sepa, la palabra hijoles significa como "wow" y sigan adelante es como "keep it up" haha I think I could probably find some chocolate covered gummy bears in 18 months for ya;) haha. So I'm pretty sure all the transactions are correct, but I haven't been using that every other day. They've maybe been like once a week that I've used it. Maybe they just didn't go through for a while.

We haven't been able to teach that family that the J dubs are visiting yet, but this week we have an appointment with them so we'll see how that goes. Last night we had the most incredible miracles. We've been working like crazy for the past month or so, and pretty much all our former investigadors have had problems come up, and we haven't been able to teach them. So we've just been working on trying to find new people. It's been hard, but yesterday we had the impression to go visit a friend of ours in the area. His name is tony and he's borne again christian and he always says hi to us and gives us a bag of his tortillas. So we went up to his house and he was working on putting up his shelves. So we went in and starting helping him with his shelves, and talking a little bit about Jesus Christ, then suddenly he just came out and said I think God's trying to tell me something because I always see you guys around, and he said I want to investigate your church. He said I've heard a lot of crazy things about Mormons but I see you guys out here spreading the word everyday, and I see Jesus in you guys. We talked a little bit about the Book of Mormon and then he told us he's coming to church this weekend with us and he wants a book of mormon and all the materials that we have so that he can investigate and study. He's a stud! It was definitely a tender mercy from the lord, and a big blessing for us. We also found another family last night too, that let us come in and told us that they would like to learn. The lord is really blessing us right now. We just have to keep finding things to sacrifice so that we can show our desire and thanks to the Lord.

Thanks for the package with the CD's. They were super good. You did forget one song;) haha Raise it up from August Rush, but that's ok. Thanks so much for all that you do for me. I so blessed to have such a great family. When I show investigadors the picture of our family, they all think you're like another sister or something Mom. haha. It's pretty funny.

como esta mi hermano? no he escuchado de el por mucho tiempo. A lo mejor esta bien ocupado. Ojala que todo este bien con el. Parece que si. Y como esta megs? esta disfrutando matrimonio todavia? haha Good job on the basement paps. Keep it up. Hecha le ganas! haha. Looks like you're not a big sissy after all;) haha

Pues espero que disfruten el dia de valentina. Les amo todos de ustedes.

Con amor,

EL Elder Whittle

Sister Alex Hartvigsen--February 13, 2012

Dear Family, Happy Valentine's Day. This week was really good. On Monday we had a noche de hogar with a less active family in the home of our ward mission leader. The A's are a part member/less active family that we have been working with. Our ward mission leader shared with them President Monson's talk of living the abundant life from the Jan Liahona/ Ensign. On Tuesday we met with the a family. We challenged them to fast and pray about the Book of Mormon and about being baptized when they recieved their answer. All 3 of them came to church on Sunday. We were so happy to see them there and we know they felt the Spirit. We also had a lesson with a thirteen year old girl who has a date to be baptized . We talked about the Gift of the Holy Ghost and how it can bless us. We talked about how we can invite the Holy Ghost as well as cut down on the distractions that make it hard to hear him such as texting during church and meetings. It was the girl that suggested that she shouldn't text during church. It has been amazing to see how much she has changed in such a short time. On Wednesday we had a lesson with a recent convert and her friend and talked about church and baptism. We have arranged for several sisters who live in their apartment complex to take in cookies or a treat in an effort to better fellowship them into the ward and help them to get to know the ward members . On Saturday we had a lesson with a women and we talked to her about the importance of studying the Book of Mormon and praying about it. She has been putting it off and Sister S. challenged her to read even for 2-5 minutes a day at first and start exercising her faith that way and see the blessings that Heavenly Father will bring into her life. On Saturday night we had a baptism for the thirteen year old. It was so cool. We had a great turnout from our branch and the Spirit was really strong. She bore her testimony and mentioned that she was feeling the Spirit and how last week when Sister Sordes and I and our ward mission leader's wife came to her house to get her to come to church that she had been sleeping and had not wanted to but had felt the Holy Ghost tell her that she needed to get up. She went to church with us and really felt the Spirt. On Saturday we were invited to go to a barbacue in the park with several families from the ward as well as several of our investigators and less actives. It was a fish fry. I Hope you like the pictures.
It was a great week.
I love you all
Love Alex
Hermana Hartvigsen

Elder Matthew Whittle--Februay 7, 2012

QUE ESTA PASANDO? Hijoles! Todos estan casando! Que Raro. Man that's crazy. So when does Elder Terry get back out? Have they given him a date yet? He best be comin to Carlsbad:) haha. So my finger is doing good. The super glue worked like a charm! No worries there, and I'm going to get the package right after writing. Thanks for sending that. I have a bunch of the San diego temple ya, so just the salt lake temple would be great:) Thanks, and the cockroaches are gone:) Those traps worked like a charm. Gracias otra vez.

So Kelsi, Brynn, and Michelle are all getting married? That's super weird haha. Tell them all that the Elder Whittle dice felizitaciones. And Marissa is goin to China? Cool beans. She'll love it, and she'll learn a lot.

So things have been kind of difficult lately. We've been working like crazy trying to find people that really are ready for the gospel, but we haven't been able to find a lot. We've walked around all day inviting people to hear the gospel, and we've only been able to find a couple, but it's just a trial of our faith. I think it's going to pick up this week or pretty soon. Yesterday we invited about 70 people to hear the gospel, and only got like one person, but it's ok that's sometimes how it goes. We keep eachother staying positive. A couple days ago we talked to some Jehova's witness and they told us that they were teaching a family in a house that they pointed out to us, and that they already had dibs on that house. Well yesterday we were up by that house, and I said to Elder O. let's go knock that door. So we did, and we set an appointment with them for tomorrow, and we also came to find out that one of them already is a member. She's just less active. Those Jehova's Witness aren't going to be to happy, but whatever:) haha. We're doing good though. I might leave Oceanside in another two weeks. I still don't know but I should find out next week.

Pues Espero que todos de sus guerros esten bien:) Estoy muy feliz y todo. Me encanta la obra del Senor. Les amo mucho. Gracias por todo que hacen. Sigan Adelante!

Con Amor,

Elder Whittle

Sister Alex Hartvigsen-- February 6, 2012

Dear Family, It has been a really good week. . On Monday we had a lesson with a recent convert on recieving revelation through church attendance. It was a really good lesson and the member who came with us shared a powerful testimony on the importance of church and establishing unity. We had a lesson with recent convert and talked a little about the plan of salvation. We also had a noche de hogar (family night) ( I speak a lot of Espangish and sometimes I can't remember words ;) with the Relief Society president and talked about the Restoration and how we can recieve answers to our prayers by following the same steps that Jose Smith did. On Tuesday we had a lesson with a women and read Alma 7 with her and talked about the atonement of Jesus Christ. We then had a lesson with a part member family and talked about temples and family history work.On Wednesday we had a lesson again with them again and we listened to Elder Bednar's talk on youth and family history work from Oct Conference. Have any of you had any cool experiences with family history that you want to share with me? Their daughter is going to be baptized this Friday and we are working with the mom nad the daughter to prepare some names to go through and do baptisms for in the coming weeks. On Thursday we had a lesson with a family on the Family Proclamation and talked about how the gospel blesses our families. We had a lesson with a women and her two sons and talked about the Restoration and how Heavenly Father will always answer our prayers.On Friday we met with a recent convert and her friend and we watched Together forever with them and talked about how our families can me together forever.The recent convert's father has cancer and it has been hard for her to be away and not able to do much. On Saturday we had a lesson with a women and we talked to her about church and also about the importance of baptism. She wants to be baptized but has some complications due to a marriage situation. We challenged her to do all that is in her power to resolve these concern and then trust in the Lord. On Sunday we went over and talked to a women and her family about how we can strengthen our Faith in Jesus Christ and the importance of building our lives on that foundation. We read with them Helaman 5:12. We then had an appointment with the a family in our ward and talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the importance of forgiving others and also ourselves. It was a really good week.
This week I have been reading the Book of Mormon. I have noticed that as I have read it over the last few weeks that I have felt more peaceful and more optimistic even when circumstances haven't been ideal. It has really strengthened my testimony on the power of the Book of Mormon and I am excited to continue to read and to invite those that I am teaching to read so that they can feel that same peace.
I love you all
Have a great week.
Love Alex

Elder Corbin Moore-- February 7, 2012

Buenos Tardes,

Greetings from Los Angeles. Well its been another week here in Los Angeles, and things are going as they usually do. This past week we were able to have a Zone Conference that was absolutely amazing. Learned a lot of new things that I could apply to my life. We set up a lot of appointments this last week, but for some reason eveyone would cancel out on us. You know how it is everyone is just too "busy". But hey what can you do just keep moving forward. So we have been doing a lot of tracting around missed appointments, and a ton of street contacting. Which is always nice just allows me to develop my spanish. Its so interesting to look back on where I was the day that I entered the MTC, when I didn't know anything about spanish. I was so confused and it was really discouraging when eveyone started getting a hold of spanish and I couldn't to save my life. But now its like something clicked awhile back and I can understand everything that people are taking about. The Lord really does help with this so much. It is funny when I am surrounding by all these latino people and they all start talking spanish. Im pretty sure the see me and just think, there is now way that this guy speaks spanish, but then I know everything that they are talking about.
Oh and I have another experience to talk about. I always knew the day would come when I would have to eat something that I didn't like, and this week it came. We had an appointment with and less active ladie and her husband, who is an investigator. We arrived and she had made us dinner. And so I was thinking alright I guess that is nice of her. Then she served it up into two glass cups and set them on plates. We sat down and then said the prayer, after I took a quick glance over the food to she want it was. I couldn't really identify anything in it except for the octupus tentacle. So I just started eating. As I ate I asked what else was in it. She began to tell us that it was octupus, oysters, shrimp, and snail. (Seviche, is what it is called) For anyone that knows me I am not a big fan of seafood. But hey what can you do you just have to eat it. So I downed the cup, and then she started filling it up again. Hhaha. I was just thinking to myself, before the mission I never would have eaten this stuff. So its a good lesson for all you picky eaters out there like me. You just might as well get used to eating everything now, and just make it a whole lot easier for yourselves.
We have been working a lot with E. trying to get him ready. He came to church yesterday and while we were sitting there waiting for the meeting to start. He leaned over to me and said. " One of these days im going to be serving in the church, maybe I'll be sitting up there, pointing to the bishop, or maybe i'll even be speaking in a conference" (refering to the stake conference broadcast that we had from salt lake). He is progressing so well and loves everything about the church. I don't know if I will still be here in the area when he gets baptized but I will always remember the day that I found him, and how I found him.
Well that is it for this week. Thanks to all that sent me e-mails and letters. Thank you Oma and Opa for always sending me an e-mail, its always great to here how things are going.
Keyton and Bryson whats up you guys are dropping the ball. I get an email from everyone in the fam. But not you two, you all don't have time for me. I see how it is. Well I should be writting some letters to you two, today. Hope everybody is doing well and that you all are enjoying life. Heres to another great week.

Con amor
Elder Moore

Everything.Happens.For.A.Reason
There.Is.No.Such.Thing.As.Coincidence