September 29, 2014

So this week was pretty awesome! We saw a couple miracles! :) We were told that there had been a man coming to church, whose father recently passed away. And before, he didn't want anything in the Gospel. But we had been coming for like 4 weeks and so we found him, taught him, and baptized him this week! He was golden! It is amazing to see how the Lord prepared him to receive the gospel! :) And then another story about diligence! My companion and I were super tired and had a unsuccessful day to find people to teach. Which is normal haha but we were about to return to the house, when I felt like there was still one more person to visit. My companion agreed and we walked all the way over there. We knocked on his door, and nothing... And I was like, WHAT THE BEANS! Why did I feel that impression. So while my companion was passing the numbers to the zone leader I was just standing in the street. When this guy came up to me and was like "Hey! I found missionaries over where I work once. In a totally different colony. And they said the would pass my name on to you guys. But nothing ever happened". And then he was like, "But I really want to come to your church and learn about your church." And I was like..... YA!!! Haha So we have an appointment tomorrow. And it is so cool! To see that when we go the extra mile, and really put in the effort then the blessings come. And ya, that was a cool experience. I am glad to hear that Kendal is doing a little bit better! I hope she continues to recover! I am STILL learning a super ton here! I now know why we are sent on missions. The Lord doesn't really NEED us to do this work. He can do anything if he wants. It is just that WE need to do this work and have these experiences, WE need the mission. There are so many things that I am learning that just can't come from anything else. HAHA Anyways I don't really have anything else to say! I am scared to send pictures because I don't want to lose them like the last two times. :) I will print them first haha. Oh and I got the letter from Aunt Beth and the Fam! :) Thanks guys! I loved the letter :) haha. Until next week! Love ya guys! Elder (always a party) Sladers :D

September 22, 2014

Alright so I actually have some news to tell this week because I got transferred! Haha I am now in an area called Fraustro. You could probably find it on google maps by typing San Nicholas. So the reason that I am excited about this change is first, it is a small area, which means we don't use buses, which means that I am going to buy FOOD! :) HAHAHAHA And our house is a lot nicer than my other house. So ya! Super stoked about that! My new companion is named Elder Tamala. And he is from Ecuador. And he is super awesome. He doesn't speak any English at all. So this is a great opportunity to learn the language better and faster! :) So yesterday I got to give a talk in sacrament meeting. And I didn't have much of a heads up. And so I did it on Love and spoke from the heart. And it wasn't perfect, and I still need a lot of work, but everybody said that it was good. So I was excited about that. But little did I know that an Area of the Seventy was sitting behind me! Haha I guess I missed that part. So ya. No notes, talk in sacrament, with an Area of the Seventy, in Spanish. Never thought that would happen! Haha and the thing is. I was not even a little nervous. It was definitely the spirit helping me with that part. So, ya I am doing really good! one thing that I am learning as I go is that the Latinos are not super obedient. And I didn't know because well I have only had Latinos as my companions. But I really am afraid that this whole time, we haven't been exactly obedient. So I think I am going to study up on everything and repent haha. And Somehow try and help them and motivate them to be more obedient to haha. Oh dear. haha Gotta love the mission. I have been studying a lot about the spirit, and conversion. And how really there is nothing that we can say to convert people. It has to come through the holy ghost. And that comforts me, because with my still limited Spanish, the spirit can convert people. And really we are just helping. The mission is so cool. I am learning tons and I love it! Thanks for the update on Kendall. I will continue to pray for her. Thanks everybody for your letters and everything! I am so blessed to have all of you in my life! I love you all! Elder Sladers! :)

September 15, 2014

Alright so this week I have felt a lot better! And I have been doing a lot better! Today is changes! And I don´t know what is going to happen! If I am leaving, if I am staying, or what! So it is pretty exciting right now! Haha So the reason I am doing a lot better is well, the gospel. Haha I just took a step back and just looked. And decided that everything is in the Lords hands, all I can do is my best, and I just can´t get discouraged when people don´t accept the gospel. To me it is so sad when people stop investigating or just don´t accept. But I have figured out that somehow I can´t get too upset, or put too much of my heart in it. I have to find the balance between caring, but not letting it get to me. And it isn´t as easy as it sounds! Haha But ya, I have been studying a lot of chapter 6 in Preach my Gospel. About Christ like attributes. I have studied a lot about Faith, hope, and Patience. And well I feel a huge difference in my life. I realize that I am going to make mistakes as a missionary, and it just takes time to be good at something. Haha My life is truly a blessing. I also did an activity about how were my prayers. And I have fixed them a lot, and I can feel a huge difference in my life! If you guys can, find a Preach my Gospel, and find the activity for prayers. It is in Chapter 4 and it will really help build your relationship with Heavenly Father. Welp it has been super duper rainy this week. And I realized that one pair of my shoes has a lot of holes in them. Nothing that some glue won´t fix, but ya, my other pair is rocking! They are kicking trash! My shoes are still in tact and many missionaries shoes aren´t after 3 months. This mission is super hard on shoes haha. Well I have hope to put on pictures today! So lets hope for success eh? I have been praying for Kendal! I hope she is ok! Keep me posted! Well I love ya guys! It is possible that next week is the temple so it might be wednesday! I love ya guys! -Elder Sladers

Hola!‏ September 8, 2014

Ok! So this is going to be another short one because I have a super super bad keyboard and it will probably take me the whole time to write this! haha This week was a lot better than last week! We found some new families and I had the opportunity to go on divisions this week! haha The funny thing is, that I went with Elder Cummings, my companion from the MTC! HAHA! We are both of course struggling with spanish haha, so it was a really fun experience to see how much we have both improved! I am actually better than I thought I was! It was a big confidence booster! I also got to go with Elder Keenan, who is a zone leader. And he shared with me a story that his home teacher told him. When his home teacher was on a mission, he went to go get his shoes shined. And there was a big line for these shoe shining booths. But on the end, there was this guy that hardly had arms and moved around on a little skateboard. And this guy felt the impression to go sit in his booth but he thought, no I am just going to wait for the normal people because I need a good shine. But he eventually went over to that booth and sat down. And the guy was so excited and so friendly, and he talked to him, and gave him the best shoe shine he had ever had! But then the little guy on the skateboard said, I thank the Lord every day for the chance I have to serve... Wow, he is so thankful for the opportunity to shine shoes and serve people, even though his body was really bad. That just makes me think how lucky we are that the Lord gives us the opportunity to serve. But he can use us more because we have a really good body and the gospel. So ya, that is my story for the week. So I was all good until last night. I got super duper sick, and I am barely surviving right now haha, but it is all good because I will get better. Oh my! I am sorry to hear about Kendal Levine! I cant believe that happened! She will be in my prayers! Please keep me posted on that! Welp I love you guys! Have a good week! Elder Sladers

All is Well!‏ September 1, 2014

HOLA!!! This week was pretty cool! Elder Valenzuela of the Seventy came and gave a training to us! It was so super cool! I Understood a lot of it So that is good! And I had to give the opening prayer in spanish in front of all of these people! haha That was fun! And a little bit nerve racking but fun! Elder Valenzuela talked about M&M´s haha. Members and Missionaries. And he talked a lot about how much we need to work together and some ways we can do that! So that was pretty awesome! So this week was pretty disappointing. We just had some bad luck with investigators and my convert is not really a convert because now he really doesn´t want anything to do with us. So ya I am pretty sad about that. And I got a little bit sick and I think it was from the heat. Or something like that I don´t know. haha But man I am just trying to survive this week! But on the bright side today we got to do a zone activity, and we went to like the tallest mountain in Monterrey. And got to climb part of it and I ran a little, and it just felt so good to be in nature again haha. It was just so beautiful. I sure miss running. I really really want to start again somehow. Maybe next change when I am finished with my training period. Sorry today is super short! I don´t really have more time! Love ya guys!

August 18, 2014

OK! How is it going family! And friends! :) Things are pretty good around here! I am still super well, just plucking along trying to survive and understand everything. There is just so much I have to learn and do! It is overwhelming when I think about it haha. But little by little it will come! haha I don´t really have much to report on that is different! We have some new investigators that are pretty awesome! I really hope that they pull through! haha I am pretty excited about the work! It is really fun to go with Elder Barrera, and find TJ`s or Jehovahs Witnesses. HAHA they have some stinking weird beliefs! And Elder Barrera is super good with his bible, and he is super good at destroying them in bible bashes. But unfortunately that is not what we should do, because we waste our time when we do that. So I always just say have a nice day and grab him and split. Haha but it is still funny sometimes. Ok funny story. Remember how I was proud of myself for cooking? Ya, so I made my comp breakfast one morning, and he broke his tooth :D HAHAHA! Super sad but how funny is that! He already had the problem before but he blames it all on my eggs! So now everybody thinks I make eggs of steel! :) Haha I love it! Well, there wasn´t anything this week that I can really report on that it different. But I believe that today is the day for pictures! WOOT WOOT! haha I don´t have a super ton but, I believe that I have a couple worth sharing! I need to take lots more! I hope everybody is good! And mom! Feel better! And stay away from that milk chocolate! Love you guys :D -Elder Aussy

August 25, 2014

What is up people! :D So this week was pretty great! Our investigator came to church again and I feel like she is gonna make it :) And I am pretty excited! We have more people to teach and more things to do! So ya! The work is going good! :) Also there was this one day where my comp was sick after our food appointment, and so we were just like stopping at random houses. And So while my comp was ¨gone¨, I got the chance to teach people by myself and really got to see what I could do! And wow! I really surprised myself! haha I taught this guy all about The Book of Mormon, and at the end he was like, ¨So... how much for this book?¨ and I was like ¨UHHHHH bro you can have it!¨ :) And then I gave the sisters the reference of this dude, because he wasn´t in our area and he came to church and he told them that he knew that this really is the true church. :) So that was really cool. The lord really does prepare the people to hear the gospel! I hope this guy works out! :) So I had my first experience where I felt like I was in danger! I think I might have just bared my testimony at the wrong time about this being the only true church! :) And ya! This guy didn´t like that very much! Haha don´t worry mom it wasn´t like real danger! He was just a little upset! haha! :) This mission is super fun! I am learning so much everyday! The church is true! The book is blue! Love ya guys! Have a good week! :D -E Slade!

August 13th 2014

Alright so this week was pretty great! I have had a lot of pretty good experiences here. The only thing is that I have been told by tons of missionaries, that I am in a gold mine area. Like this area is the best! And... we are not finding anybody that will keep there commitments! Or that really wants to listen to us! And it is frustrating! And everybody that has been like, when I was in your area I baptized a lot! And I am like AHHH! I just want to find someone that wants to know this truth! Haha man. No its really great! I just have so much work I need to do on my lessons. I wish I would have been sent here after I have experience and know the language. But ya, everything is good! I know that everything is the way it is for a reason and all I can do is my best so I shouldn´t be frustrated haha. :) Ok, so I found a place that every Thursday, there is Nutella :) So I have been enjoying that! I really took advantage of that at home. The whole unlimited food thing :) haha. Oh mom! You will be so proud of me! First of all my sewing job is still holding up with my bag! :D NBD And I get up and cook breakfast every morning. That´s right... COOK :) haha just eggs but still. :) Oh ya! So I just recieved my first letters... Yup my first letters. And they were all dated from like early June, so... wow! haha I got one from Grandma Nette, which she said I think you might like to get snail mail. HAHA!!! More like super duper slow motion snail mail, haha And Riley Stead, and Abbey Morrison, which was a great surprise! :) haha And I don´t know how to say thanks, at least thanks that won´t take months to get there so I hope they read this :) Thank you guys for the snail mail! :) It makes me happy. Ok, so my funny story of the week. It actually happened a couple hours ago on the way home from the temple! Oh my goodness I love the temple! Haha anyways we were taking the metro home from the temple, and I was the last one boarding, and the doors started shutting really fast on me. And my companion and everybody else was already inside, So I like dove and the doors squashed me, and they don´t sense if there is somebody there, they just close no matter what, so I am like yelling, NOOOOOOOOOO! kind of like a slow motion action movie, and I had this epic battle with these doors, but I eventually got through and everybody was laughing at me who was on the metro. :D Ya it was pretty awesomely dramatic. :) haha welp that is it. I think I have a plan to get my pictures up. But I need to find something first so. I hope I will be able to do that. Alright, well I love you guys :) thanks for everything! Have a great week!