Merracles

December 11, 2012

This last week was an interesting one to say the least. I almost wanted to say that nothing happened, but then I remembered some of the best things that have happened yet on my mission.

 

So on Tuesday last week, we went on a blitz (where you and they divide your respective companionships so that you can double your finding time because their area is also your area, and both sets of elders are on two different streets getting twice as much work done in the same amount of time) with the Tongan elders. The Tongan elder that I was with is kind of a shotgun missionary. No tact, he just challenges people to read the Book of Mormon using those words exactly. It was interesting tracting with him again. Well, we knocked on yet another door, which we had already been tracting for like an hour, and this lady answered with a kid in her arms. I said,

"Hi, we're missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints..." and then she looked at me funny.

"You already know who we are, don't you?"

"Yeah, I'm a member." ("Oh no!" I thought "I've been in this ward for nearly 4 months and I don't recognize her, How could I have done that!"

"Oh you are? Cool. Where do you attend?"

"I haven't been in a really long time."

"Well," said elder Martinsen "we'd love to convince you to come back to church." ("What is he doing!" I thought "She's just going to turn us away!")

"I actually don't know where the church is." she said

"It's just on the other side of Lombard behind the Les Schwab." I said.

"oh, okay. Come on in guys"

Yeah... I was not expecting that. She then told her tale of how she had gotten sick over a year and a half ago for about a month and nobody from her ward had noticed, so she never went back. She's been endowed and still has all of her garments and temple clothes but chose to stop wearing them. Then she moved out here to St Johns, and so she wasn't on the ward records. She also told us that she knew that it was time for her to come back because her teenage daughter that lives in Utah had been texting her for a few days telling her to read her scriptures and pray and then on day 3 we showed up at a time that she's not even normally home. She lives with her Mexican RIPPED boyfriend and his daughter and their new born son. She started to cry when she said that she knew she should go back, but she also knew what she had to give up to do it. We gave a blessing to the new born because he had ring worm in the back of his head. and then left. Later on in the week we texted her and invited her to the ward Christmas dinner and not only did she come, but she brought her kids, her niece and nephew, and her co-worker and her two kids. They filled up an entire table! It was awesome. The co-worker wasn't even a member! It was so cool to witness. After that she told us and the bishop that she wanted to have her son blessed in church and also that she had a good friend that got her active the last time that was moving into the ward within a week!

MERRACLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She will be a fantastic addition to our ward. I'm really glad that we were guided to knock that particular side of the street that day, and also Elder Belo was prompted to send us to that street. It's so wonderful to see the changes that others can make when just the right thing happens in their lives. I know that's what happened to me to get me on a mission, and I'm still making changes to become more fully converted unto Christ. I love you all, and I wait anxiously to hear from you guys each week.

Merry Christmas y'all!

Your Elder Lloyd

Answers to Prayers

December 4, 2012

To answer your question Mommy, I'm pretty sure the whether isn't getting to me as much. But I will say, it stinks to never see the sun. It rains 6 1/2 out of the 7 days. It's crazy.

Ward correlation, Ward council. PEC, whatever the meeting is before church, it is the MOST IMPORTANT meeting that we as missionaries have all week. Especially now that we have a new bishop who is VERY missionary minded and from day 1 has talked to the entire council about how they can use us as missionaries better. Finally this last week we started getting some names of people to go visit. It's been good. this is the meeting where we ask for specific help from the ward. emphasis on specific! The next week the bishop makes a point to follow up on those assignments.

Service opportunities. I've moved 3 different families, re-enfforced a shed wall while it was still standing, pulled weeds, reorganized backyards and junk piles (people in Oregon are all hoarders, it's terrible), sung carols, given food to a hobo investigator that we got from a member that we were never going to eat. The list keeps going.

I'm running out of time, but we had an amazing experience this last week, and it all started with giving a blessing to a girl who was about to move. Because of that blessing, she felt inspired to invite her friend that she just met at the grocery store to church. He came to church and we talked to him, set up an appointment with him and then went on Tuesday. He didn't show up. We tried to find him, but it's hard to find a homeless guy that only told you approximate coordinates. We said a prayer asking in faith that he would call us and meet with us again. The next morning he called apologizing that he didn't make it. He had been arrested the day before. So we met up that day and Elder Belo had the inspiration to teach lesson three of Preach my Gospel first. So we did. As we were talking about baptism, he said, "I don't have that yet... yeah... I should get baptized." It was pretty cool. He then told us his life story. About his heavy drug usage in the past, how when he was past out once that people came to him asking if they could take over his body, because it would be easier for him, how his mother had sold his girlfriend into prostitution back in California, and how he wanted to move up to Canada to start a new life and get away from his family because of what they had done to him. That day we gave him a box of food we weren't going to eat. The next day we taught the restoration, and the next day we taught the word of Wisdom. He accepted it on the spot. Since, he has moved to Washington, but he calls us still and lets us know what's going on. The miracle is, 20 minutes before the girl invited him to church, he had prayed that God would lead him somewhere where he and his dog could have rest and peace.

I love you all!

So hungry, I ate a horse... literally

November 26, 2012

So I forgot to mention to you last week that I've been going on a lot of exchanges with the Tongan elders and we also have a Tongan less active in our ward. Because of that I've been eating some interesting food. One thing is called Tarro root? don't ask me on the spelling. it's Tongan and tasteless, but is similar to a potato. I also ate Tongan sushi, which is REALLY good! Also had chopsui, which is possibly my favorite Tongan dish. oh and this last week I ate horse 5 times between the buckets of left overs that they sent us home with. Horse. Is. Good. Sooooo good. I wish I had more of it. Don't go knocking on it either till you try. I know it's a beautiful creature, but it tastes even better!

This last week has been very good for me. I had been struggling this last week with having memories of life just before the mission. It was very distracting that some of the other missionaries weren't making it easy to forget. Well this last week Elder Belo got me sick, so one night we retired to bed early and watched the remainder of our training videos just a few days early. In the middle of them there was an example of an addiction recovery program in it. I then paused the video and expressed to Elder Belo my frustrations with programs like that in the past and how easy it is to become discouraged and disgruntled my them just by what people are saying and how they are saying it. Then I expressed to him how I got over my addiction and I can say it in the words of Boyd K Packer to the best of my memory. "True doctrine understood correctly changes behavior faster than the study of behavior changes behavior." That is what truly worked for me. Then the most miraculous thing happened to me. I realized that in my journey I had kept my frustration with me and my frustration led to more temptations. It felt like I was wearing frustration like a chinked up piece of armor. I hadn't allowed my armor to be replaced, worked on, polished and made new. In that moment of realization I felt that heavy dysfunctional armor that I had been using for forever fall off. I was free. New. Comforted. Pure. It was the most wonderful feeling. I have had the time to reassemble new pieces of armor together as I study the scriptures and turn to the Lord in prayer. This armor doesn't allow temptation in. It just doesn't come. I feel like I've been given that rest that I've been looking for for the longest time. It's a miracle. One that is only granted through the Atonement of Christ.  I am so grateful for Him doing that for me. I feel loved, and I feel a responsibility to become the person that I can only become by utilizing that great gift that was given to all men. It takes patience and time. And honestly if you're living in accordance to his will, you don't have to try as hard. It will come naturally as you follow the promptings of the Spirit.  God is at the helm when you submit your will to his. He'll give you the armor you need. He'll give you rest. He will give you peace. I know it. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, amen.

Happy Thanksgiving

November 20, 2012

This last week we took R. to the Temple Visitors center and the Atrium inside the temple. We had the sisters do a presentation on the Life of Christ as well as go through the Doctrine of Christ. It was very good despite the hectic wedding photos being taken in the atrium.   R. recognized the spirit and Elder Belo and I helped her associate that same feeling that she had in the temple and while talking to the Temple President with the good feeling that she gets while reading the Book of Mormon and when she prays. She told us that she's started to receive answers to prayer through the Book of Mormon, but she's still iffy on whether or not she wants to be baptized. Elder Belo and I are going to follow up with her on whether or not she's been praying to know if it's true when she gets back from Thanksgiving break. Other than that we just picked up a new investigator last week that has been coming to church for the last 2 years or more. He's really genuine about wanting to know for himself. his name is E. and he's a professional short track speed skater. He's way cool. and super ripped!

Sadly I used my time to reply to you all individually and not in one massive report on what I've done this last week. I stole the above paragraph from my letter to my mission pres. I did just finish reading all the way through the gospel of John and now I'm moving  onto the other gospels so I can learn more about Christ and who he is as a person and not just what he's done for me. I've felt of his love, but I want to know whose love I'm receiving. It's been very addicting reading about him and also watching the bible videos in order. I think that they are nearly perfectly done. I love it.

I love you guys. I hope you don't get sick from all the pie this week!

Happy thanksgiving!

Small and Simple Things

November 7, 2012

The reason why I've entitled this one small and simple means is this. You know how I told you a couple weeks ago that we had 10 investigators? well now we have 3. Last week we dropped a few and got dropped but a few. So instead of stacking up time teaching, we tracted! Can I just tell you how much I love tracting? It's the absolute best thing in the world! Seriously. Steven and Russell probably think I'm crazy, but I truly feel like every time Elder Belo and I go out that we are being directed by the Lord to someone who needs us. It was that way last week. We had a half hour conversation with a mother real estate agent who asked us if we had already knocked the entire street. She told us that missionaries had never stopped by her place and we asked her if we could and she said yes. Then a college student that we had found my first week in the field that we've talked to on several occasions about why we're out here and what happened in our lives to give up everything that we had going for us for two years to serve the Lord, we asked her if she'd like to learn and actually have the lessons and she said sure. She told us the first time we saw her that she was looking for a good christian church here in Portland to attend. Then we had dinner with J. and W. F. on Sunday. Had some gluten free pizza, which was delicious by the way, just a bit gummier than normal bread. At the end we asked them if they'd like to learn what the missionaries have to teach, and they we super open to it despite the fact that they went through a spiritual "finding" about 10 years ago. Maybe what they need is the Preach My Gospel lessons and not the memorized discussions. who knows, all I know is that in all 3 of these cases, we befriended them first some for weeks and weeks and others for just 30 minutes. It was only after they knew who we were that they became willing to listen to the message. So it shall be with you in your lives. When people get to know who you are, people will be willing to take the lessons, but if you never ask them, they will never ask you! Be willing to open your mouth. It's easy. I do it all the time, but usually my foot goes inside it ;) ha ha just kidding. But seriously... small and simple means.

The same thing happened to me with the elders in my district. I will admit, I had been feeling some pressure from my fellow missionaries. It was weird. A lot of them think that I'm too intense. This last week I made it a point to make go out on a limb and try to actually make friends with some of them. To my surprise, I really connected well with two elders who just white washed into an area that just got split in half. Again though, it was only after they knew who I was that they were willing to open up. I promise that life gets easier when you open up. We've been trying to teach that to one of our ward missionaries who is with us nearly daily. he's 73 and never had a family and is a convert to the church, so he dedicates almost all of his time to the Lord by being our means of transportation if we need it. We try not to use him unless we have to though, we were given bikes for a reason. hopefully I can send a picture home of him soon. His name is Brother R., and yes he's German, but he doesn't speak it one lick. He's never been east of the border of Yellowstone, and that was only because he worked there for a few years. He's a character and much fun to be with, he's just super introverted and shy, but he has genuine interest in the gospel and the investigators. He's with us for like 75% of our lessons. It's pretty sweet.Anyway the library is about to close, so I'll talk to you next week. I'll close with this though.

When our testimony grows so does our desire to become a master teacher, more obedient, increase work ethic, and better our attitude. If you don't want to work, look at your testimony and see how you can strengthen it. If you don't want to be obedient, look at the miracle of what Jesus Christ has done for you personally and then pray to feel of the reality of it and of His love for you. I promise that if you do, He will answer through the Holy Ghost and your desires for disobedience with disappear. Remember gratitude. Gratitude for everything that blesses your life, even if it's just the clothes on your back, when you are grateful to the Lord, it makes you curious about the nature of God and His plan for you and as you ask, you shall receive. So, if you want answers from God, start by being grateful for what you already have. I know that He will bless you so much there won't be room enough to receive it! I love you all and I want to hear from you. Including you Yvette/Steven/Melissa/Josh/Diana/Friends who read this on the blog! just in case you don't know, my email is kentl@myldsmail.net

Tell me about the miracles in your life! I want to hear about them.

sincerely,

Your Elder Lloyd

B. Got Ordained

October 30, 2012

First of all, please thank Brother Bennett for his email. It was VERY good to hear from him. I know that he was inspired at that time to write to me. I'll do what I can to write him back.

Well, a lot has happened since the last time I've talked to you. Quite frankly we've been learning the pains of having to drop investigators and less actives as well as the pain of being dropped by investigators. Oi! It's alright. The gospel is still true ;)

We have a rather frustrating situation going on with L. We've taught him the Word of Wisdom about 3 times and he's still resistant on cutting his coffee. There's something there that is holding him back. He wants to be baptized but is saying that he doesn't want to do it until December. We've been working with him since I got here over two months ago. We told him to pray about things but he kept on saying that he wasn't getting an answer. So I prayed to know why he wasn't getting and answer and I told him what my answer was, which was that until he quits coffee he won't receive an answer. I feel like maybe he doesn't have the desire to repent fully. Or maybe the thing is that he doesn't understand that repentance requires change in order to bring us closer to Christ. Maybe that's what we need to talk to him about. Writing this has been very revealing to me right now.

B. is still as gung ho as ever. He's timid at first but every time we talk about 2 steps ahead he's willing to take the next step. He's a real go getter. I love him. He's taken a real liking to the Young Men's president which is a good thing because he's the only priest in our ward. In fact the only other active Aaronic priesthood holder is a deacon who's why psyched about the missionary age change. He was ordained in front of all the young women this last week because it was ward conference, which  was a very spiritual experience.

The bishopric was almost completely changed this Sunday. The new bishop is a guy that has been serving as high council member for another ward for the last 2 1/2 years so he pretty much has no idea what's going on in the ward. However, we had a brief chat with him on our way home from church and he's really excited to put the theories of what he's been taught by the stake president to use when it comes to how a ward should be working with the missionaries. He really wants to use us much more effectively than we have been used in this area for the last 6 years.

It is truly only through charity that His work can be accomplished. Without Charity we are nothing. I never understood this until today in my personal scripture study. Charity is what makes us able to have good, loving, healthy relationships with those around us. It is only through these relationships that we can have joy. That is what it means in 1 Cor 13 when it says that you could have faith to move mountains but without charity you are nothing. Without charity, who would want to be around you. Our joy is in those that we love, not ourselves and what we alone accomplish. If you have no charity, who will be your friend in the eternities to come. If you have not charity, what joy do you have.

When we have charity it qualifies us to become pure, even as Christ is pure. It also qualifies him to have the Spirit with him. It is only through charity that we can teach with power. It is only through Charity that other people's lives can be changed. I urge you to think to yourself if there is someone that you come in constant contact that you do not feel complete love for. I testify that it is possible. Pray for it with full energy of heart and act on that desire! I have come in contact with several criminals in this area, and no matter what their indiscretion has been, Christ gives the power of Charity to me as I seek attune my will to his and accomplish His work rather than my own. Your work will almost always be frustrated; His work, as he has promised, cannot be. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all, and I can't wait to hear from you next week. It'd be good to hear from somebody than just Mommy.

Happy Halloween everyone! Don't drink too much candy for breakfast the next day!

Brandon's Baptism Week

October 23,2012

So this last week has been one of miracles. We had a new investigator that we taught 3 times in 2 days. His name is S. and he lives in this retirement home just down the street. I had met him some weeks earlier on an exchange with that missionary that taught me the importance of not being a robot of intensity.

In the first lesson he was really quiet and reserved, but he asked good questions. He says that he's been keeping track of "us" (Mormons) for a long time and that he's seen our church with the gold dome in Oakland California. At the end he thanked us and told us that we had lifted him up. In the second lesson we took him on a church tour and retaught about Joseph Smith and the Restoration. The spirit was so strong when  he said that he believed that Joseph Smith was a prophet that we committed him to a baptism date right then and there. We then took him to the temple visitors center later that night with B. We showed him about the temples and showed him that the church with the gold dome was actually a temple. We also watched a movie in the visitor's center about families that he said was "exciting!" When we went into the Temple Atrium (which is a very good tool to use in an investigator's conversion) he said that he felt "peaceful... and happy... and I don't know why." I testified to him that that was the holy ghost and that after he's baptized he can feel like that whenever he wants. He also said to Elder Belo later that the gout in his knee which hurts 24/7 went away when he went to the temple. The Spirit works wonders. B. of course was going crazy. He was overwhelmed with the amount of the spirit that was there. He's going to be ordained next week.

B.'s baptism went well. He chose me to baptize him because he told me that I was the "window to his happiness and conversion." It was a beautiful experience, but that's only the beginning of his journey on his path beck to Heavenly Father. He's a great kid and is always anxious to learn more about God in spite of what may be going on around him.

So the F. family that I've been meeting with that I thought may be related to daddy's old roommate. Well buckle up, this is crazy. We went to their house this Sunday. He's totally open and welcoming of us, in fact he and his wife invited us over for dinner on the 4th. He's less active and his wife isn't a member. They have two kids named C. and C. They may not be members, but I feel the spirit more in their home than in some of our member's homes. They are honestly living all of the commandments and build upon the rock of our redeemer. (They teach world history with a Biblical stance to their homeschooled children, and the kids can honestly tell us the entire order of what happens in the Bible. It's crazy. I can't do that!) We got to talking and J. pulled out a picture while he was telling me about his crazy story about his family history and how that relates to his brother-in-law. The picture he pulled out was a wedding picture. Instantly I recognized the groom.

"wait, you know this guy?!" I asked

"Yeah, that's my brother, B." he said

"He was one of my ballroom teachers at BYU!"

"Oh, so do you know his wife?"

"Totally!"

"What's more than that, my sister catered that wedding! Surefire Pizza is my sister's business!"

"No way! Oh my gosh, that food was so good!"

So Melissa, thanks for helping me do missionary work through Surefire Pizza. You have no idea how people respond to that dance video out here.

Instantly I started to see family resemblances. It was crazy. I know that I felt a reason for me to go to his place when I was looking through the ward list. I'm pretty sure he still has a testimony. I know that we are there for a reason. Hopefully we can start teaching the wife sometime soon.

Other than that I've been learning a lot about the importance of working through things with your companion and not in spite or around things. It really helps you to grow closer and you feel a connection that I honestly can't describe in any other way except rewarding, and special.

I love you all. I've got to go, but I'll end with this. This is but a small moment in our lives as eternal beings. Your burdens can and will be lightened if you search and ponder the scriptures, pray for forgiveness or help, and then listen, waiting to act on the feelings and knowledge that the Holy Ghost will give unto you. You specifically are a special soul. You have a very specific job or role that Heavenly Father wants you to perform in this world. Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you.

Elder Lloyd :)

 

The Rain Came Down... and the Floods go up Hill

October 16, 2012

So this last week was interesting. We finishing teaching B. (17) all the things he needs to know in order to pass his baptismal interview. I don't know if I've talked about him before. The Spanish elders found him tracting and then passed him on straight to us. He's a teenager with a love for fantasy and sci-fi. Of course I told him about Orson Scott card. When we talked to him during our first appointment we were impressed not to teach him the first lesson (the restoration) but to teach him the Plan of Salvation. We had found out that in the week since the Spanish elders had come by and our appointment that he had read all the way to page 131 in the book of Mormon. Say what???? yeah. The kid is a reading machine. As we finished the plan of Salvation we asked him how he felt about it all, and he said "scared actually." We asked why, and he said that he had "five balls on a chain of sin and misdeeds that were weighing him down." Instantly we taught him about the priesthood and baptism and committed him to a baptismal day of October 20th. Yeah, baptismal date on the first lesson. It was awesome!

We later found out that he wasn't comprehending anything of what he was reading, and we read 3 Nephi 11 with him in one appointment. After that he said that he wanted to restart from the beginning and actually get depth out of it. We didn't even prompt him to say that....

When he watched conference, he told us that he needed to tell us a truth.  Instantly Elder Belo and I got a little afraid but confident that we could overcome any challenge that he put in front of us. B. then began to tell us about his girlfriend and how she had been in the hospital two years ago and told him that she loved him and that she wanted him to keep praying about the church. She died a few days later and ever since then, missionaries have been knocking on his door every other Monday for two years. Finally he let them in when the Spanish elders came around about a month ago. I knew at that time that we had been truly inspired to teach the Plan of Salvation first and not the restoration.

I can literally see the difference in B. He's standing up straighter, quick with a smile, and is already teaching people about the law of chastity and telling people that he's a Mormon even though he has yet to be baptized this Saturday. I love this kid. I can't wait to take him and a less active to the temple visitors center this Friday.

I can testify that this gospel changes peoples lives. It makes them happy, confident, and proud. It makes them bold, and friendly, and brave. Why? Because this gospel radiates of eternal happiness. It's not called the Plan of Happiness for nothing. There is a connection with our Father above that cannot come through any other means. The Priesthood has been restored to the earth and God gave us the Book of Mormon through the prophet Joseph Smith to prove it. Ask Him, and he'll let you know the same way that he let me know. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

PS It rained on Friday and yesterday. After biking for 3 1/2 hours I was so soaked I stopped caring. I'm just getting used to being wet. And when there's rain there's wind, and the wind makes the water go up hill in sheets.

PPS. I got to see the coast yesterday in the rain. I took some really cool pictures that I'll have to send to you some other time.

I love you all.

Back to Normal

September 25, 2012

Okay things this week have been hectic/ getting back to normal. It's great. We had three new investigators last week. We almost had five, but a few people rescheduled with us for another time this week. Seriously, the work is coming our way.

So Friday, elder Belo and I were able to teach T.. T. an eleven year old girl with a twin brother.  She contracted a bacteria or  a virus that took away her eyesight and her ability to walk. But when she prays, you can tell she is talking with God, not talking to God. She has the most amount of faith that I've ever seen in my life. Her faith is so great that in spite of the fact that the doctors said she would never walk again, she can walk with assistance to balance her, and sometimes she can see the shadows of her hands waving in front of her. She prays every time "Put Your hands on my forehead and restore my eyesight, and restore my legs and my arms. Place your hands on J. (her twin brother) and control his craziness." He is extremely autistic and has no need to be baptized.

The thing about teaching T. is that when we teach her, we are actually teaching her grandmother and mother who are inactive but strongly want her to be baptized. So last time I went through the process that Glade Snyder went through with me. I told them about having to suffer through our own Gethsemanes in order to know of our Saviors love more fully, and then reading with them from Alma 22 and posing the question "King Lamoni's father was willing to give up everything, his entire kingdom, in order to know God. How much are you willing to give up to know Him?" It was a very beautiful teaching appointment that I cannot truly describe in my own words. There are many legal complications in their case because Technically T. is a foster child. But in the words of the member who was with us at the appointment. "I couldn't see them, but I was looking all around the room to find them. There were angels when these two elders taught." I don't know about that part, but the Spirit was definitely very strong and I could see the change beginning in G.'s and J.'s ( the grandma's and mom's) hearts. I only pray, like Glade did with me on November 10, 2011, that they will continue in righteousness and not falter, but seek out light and truth.

Later that night and trying to contact our hundreds (over 500) of less actives we knocked on a door and asked if this member lived there. Found out she didn't and that this woman (Jam...) and her family live there. We asked if we could come back on Sunday and she said yes. When we came back we got to know her and started to peak her interest in eternal family's through the Atonement. We asked if we could come back and teach her more about His plan for us and she said yes. It's going to be an interesting process though. She lives with her two kids and her boyfriend E.. She says that she wants to get married but that she doesn't want to do it too young for fear of getting a divorce down the road.

On Saturday we taught A. He is a professor at the University of Portland. I think he teaches a science of some sort. It shows in how he analyses the scriptures. Instead of taking it all in in context he questions each piece of information individually and asking pages worth of questions. it's good for us because we know EXACTLY where he is in his thought process, but it's destroying his ability to learn by the spirit. He knows that there are religious experiences but he says there are no ways to know if it is from God or from something else. Honestly that's a question that everybody has. We're trying to get him to read Alma 32 to help answer that question. Also, I bore my testimony that it's only because I've felt the same spirit prompting me in hundreds of different situations that I know that they are from God. To him he analyses one by one, but when you put them all together, there's no other conclusion. Jesus is the Christ. He did visit the people of Ancient America. Joseph Smith is a prophet. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. And most importantly, the priesthood has been restored to this earth. I know it, and I cannot deny it. I've had too many experiences confirming these truths to me to go against it. But it's only been because I was humbled by Glade on November 10, 2011 and also my friends in the singles ward in Sandy. Without their examples I would have been the same arrogant, selfish, demanding, and proud person that I was when I was still doing theater. I'm not saying that I'm not those things now, but I've been humbled to know where my weaknesses are. I'm really working on applying everything that I'm learning. It's hard in parts. I have a very bold personality, but it's hard to balance boldness with overbearance.  I'm afraid that I've been overbearing in the past. To all those of you that I have offended because of my pride and my demanding personality, I apologize. I'm sorry that I didn't know that there was a better way. I'm sorry that I didn't love Christ the way I do now. I promise you that I am repenting. I'm changing, and I love you all so very much. There have been friendships and relationships that I've had torn apart because of this. I am sorry in the deepest way and I hope very much that our relationships can continue when I come back.

This is His Work. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and I am going forth to bring about the eternal life of my fellow man through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. I'm very jealous of those of you who get to start that enduring to the end part of life. More than anything I want that. But the Lord has other plans for me right now.

Till next week. I love you. Never Forget that.

Last Week

September 20, 2012

OK, I just got back from the best lesson that Elder Belo and I have
ever taught. The guy's name is L.. He's that 42 year old marine
that I've been telling you about. He's got the biggest laugh in the
world and he's really, really kind despite his big burleyness. He's
had some issues trying to wean off coffee. But today we were planning
to just talking about the doctrine of Christ. Some how we tied in the
Word of Wisdom as an example of how we endure to the end and prepare
for baptism. We were really teaching by the spirit. We were showing
him the why's of the gospel, not that these are just things to do in
our church, but how we honestly come closer to Christ by doing them. I
feel like Captain Moroni right now when he was talking to Amalikiah I
think when he said, I can't remember what I've said but I know that
the Lord will fulfill the words of which I said... or something along
those lines. We really taught to his needs and when we felt that we
needed to address something Elder Belo said every time that we switched
off he felt that he had something specific to say, but as I was
speaking I already said exactly what he was feeling to say. It was
amazing. The Spirit was truly there.

As for the rest of the last week we've had a huge boom. It was about
Tuesday last week when we went tracting in an area after L.
canceled on us because Grimm was setting up to film in his house. we
decided to just stay in his area. We tracted for probably a half an
hour and the place was just dead. It even FELT dead spiritually. so I
commented to my companion "Is this where we feel we need to be?"
instantly he said "No." So we said a prayer on the corner of the
street asking for direction. When we were done Elder Belo said "I just
have the feeling we need to walk." So we did. every block or so I
would ask "do we feel like here is the street and then we would both
answer "no" we walked a considerable distance. we walked over "the
cut" (aka where the train rails cut St. Johns in half)  and he said,
let's pick up where my last companion and I stopped. So we did. We
were able to actually talk to half the people on that street. One guy
even gave us some plums after we testified of Joseph's first vision.
(they don't taste that great) He said he wasn't looking for a religion
though, that he was content with his Catholicism and we went on our
way. we found a less active family who is super nice, but best of all,
we found R. She's the mom of 3 children. When we knocked on her
door she immediately said come back on Friday. So we did. She was busy
Friday, but she said come back Monday. So we did. and I knocked on her
door 4 times because we could hear the TV going and she said "why you
no use doorbell?" and I said "I did... twice." She invited us in and
we had a very good lesson of the Restoration. She's currently reading
Alma 32 and we'll meet back with her on Saturday. Her thing is that
she doesn't want to go to church, but she was very intense about
agreeing with everything we said. She has a strong testimony of the
true principles of free agency and praying in faith. She was so
intense about agreeing with us that she cut Elder Belo off when he was
saying Joseph's words describing the 1st vision. She said "I believe
that a 14 year old could see a pillar of light because he prayed in
faith." and hen she rambled on for like another 10 minutes and the
entire time I wanted to scream "Wait, there's more!" It was very funny
to us.

I guess my story is that the Lord guided us last week. We found the
person who was more than willing to listen to us because we were
willing to ask and submit our will to His. There's something
interesting about all of that though. As a brother in our ward was
telling us last night, it is easier to steer a moving vessel than one
at rest. We had already been moving. We had already been trying. But
when we sought for the Spirit, he led us step by step, block by block
till we got to R's house. I am so thankful for His guidance and the
work that he does THROUGH us. We are the tools in his hands. When life
gets dark and gloomy, and you feel like God isn't answering your
prayers, look around you. Look at the people that are around you? how
have they been supporting you? How have YOU been supporting THEM?
That's something that Christ taught us. When we are put in situations
that we want to be selfish  and turn in to our inner desires for
gratification, instead turn outward and serve others. If you do, I
promise things will be easier, and the Lord will bless you. I testify
of this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Week One

September 11, 2012     So this last week feels like forever long and I've been writing hand letters so I forget who I've been telling what. But Last week after I emailed you I had the chance to go tracting for an hour and fifteen minutes. It was my first time doing it for real! It was interesting. there were some college kids here in St Johns that are very godless, which is really ironic because PU ha ha I mean UP (University of Portland) is a Catholic school and is in our area. When we walked up to these one kids gate I said that we were sharing a message of Jesus Christ and his restored gospel on the earth. To which one of them said "do you honestly believe that." To which I wanted to say "More than I believe that grass is green and the sky is blue. More than I believe that Picasso was a painter, More than I believe that if I eat enough I'll get full. More than I believe that you are here in front of me." but instead all that came out was a very confident "Yes, I do." To which he responded "I can't believe how dumb you are. If you haven't figured it out by now, I have no hope for you. Get out of here," I felt so sad that he was so resistant to the words of God. I felt so sad that he was too arrogant to think that maybe he didn't know the fullness of information in the world. Be a college kid, I thought maybe he'd have that realization. But maybe down the road his heart will be softened and he will be humbled and find Christ through faith and repentance. We'll see. We found several lesbian couples, a nice lady that we talked to for a while that had lots of Mormon friends but doesn't think religion is for her, and last but definitely not least, J..  J. is a college kid working at UP in the cafeteria. Born and raised in the Catholic church and Catholic schools but no longer goes to church because he doesn't really agree with it all/ how the church was run on Sundays. We knocked on the door and he just said "it's open." We walked in hesitantly half expecting to get sent out again, but then he invited us in. He asked us if we went to church on Sundays to which I said "We do. I didn't always, but I'm very glad that I do now." he asked me why that was and I bore my testimony of how I've felt of my Savior's love, and how going to church each week is a reminder and a way to come closer to him. Elder Belo and I taught him the first lesson. Gave him a book of Mormon and asked him to pray about it and set up a return appointment for a few days later. He even gave the CLOSING PRAYER! The only thing we failed to do was ask him if he would be baptized, but we felt like we hadn't covered prophets well enough to extend that invitation. considering we did all that in 12 minutes I was really happy! He was a very intellectual and knowledgable person in the Bible and compared Joseph's first vision to the time Christ apeared to Moses. He's one smart cookie. He seemed really open. But then the return appointment fell through because his brother made a surprise visit the night before and was staying for the weekend. We're going to drop by his place tomorrow at the same time we saw him last week in hopes that we can teach him again. That same day we met with girl that came from above. And by above I mean Alaska. We met with her knowing that she had been meeting with the missionaries up there and reviewed the baptismal interview questions. We retaught the word of wisdom to her and then I extended the baptism invitation. I got to "Will you follow the example of Jesus..." when she cried out "YES!" I finished the question and then she said yes again beaming more proudly than a toddler with a brand new toy. when I said september 22nd she again profoundly said yes! You could feel the spirit in the room and that she glorified God. She is VERY ready for baptism. So it was really hot for the first few days, but on Saturday it rained for like five seconds and thundered a ton, and then starting yesterday, I've had to wear a sweater. It's cold here! so much for not having to bring a winter coat! Anyway, we've got another investigator named L. He's a 42 year old marine looking for work. He's broke. Apparently they've had a hard time setting a batismal date for him but last time I met with him before I could say september 22nd he said "DECEMBER! It just came to me." yeah... we'll work with him on that one. We think that he is slightly questioning something but we think that when he comes to M.'s baptism on the 22nd he'll want to push up his own date of his own accord. He's really been worried about the whole money thing. He's flat broke, but the next time I saw him on saturday he said, the day after you guys came the producers of the show "Grimm" came up to me and my roommate and offered us $4000 if they could use our house for their show!" L. has really been praying about all this. I hope he's seeing the hand of the Lord in all of this and not just us as missionaries. Just so you know St Johns is a very bi polar city. Either people are very religious and hate mormons, or they are athiest/wicked and hate Mormons. So for the most part it's  lose-lose situation. I've had people dirve by cussing us out, and I've also felt the power of the devil in a man drain my spirit and make me feel very unsecure and unsafe. But in my studies I found the promise made to all believers in 2 Nephi 6:17 "But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people. FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD: I WILL CONTEND WITH  THEM THAT CONDENDETH WITH THEE--" My faith is whole, and I am made secure in that promise. I testify that my Lord Jesus Christ lives and that he will come to this earth once again. I know that he will redeem my soul if I stay close to him. I know that through him ALL things are possible. And I KNOW that WITH him, the success in this area is going to start to pick up. They haven't seen a baptism in this area in 9 months. That changes this transfer multiple times. I have been promised that by the Lord, and I can't wait to tell you all about it! I'll have to send more pictures next week. I'm out of time!

ok so I'm alive and well in portland today. My P days are now officially Mondays, with the exception of yesterday because of transfers. Btw, I'm in the same mission as Kodi Porter and Adam Manwill. I graduated with Adam at Hillcrest. kinda crazy. I said goodbye to my old companion Elder Schmidt and said hello to my new companion Elder Belo. He's from Brazil and is in his last 3 transfers. He thinks I'll "kill him off" meaning we'll be companions till the day he leaves to go back home. He's a cool guy. Really low key. Loves the members. He's lived in America for 14ish years so his english is amazing, but it still lacks in some parts. He had no idea what I was talking about when I said compost this morning. Oh yeah get this. I'm only 5 months younger than him. crazy huh? So last night we went to go eat at a members house and guess what Steven! You were right. Old women apparently get to brake the rules. The first thing that Mama Pace did was give me a big fat hug and there was nothing I could do to stop her. She's a funny lady. She loves the missionaries and has them all sign her ceiling in the basement. Some of these signings are from 2002. yeah... So I drew a picture of myself and signed it and dated my mission. I'll send home the pictures when I can. I have to switch my pictures to a usb format so I would need a cord from home, or I'll just have to buy another myself one day. So Mama Pace made us a real interesting meal. It was all green. Green pancakes, green applesauce, green eggs, green lettuce, green gatorade, green kiwi and grapes. It was ridiculous. Apparently it's a tradition up here for a greeny's first day. Unfortunately I made the mistake of accidently eating six leaves of peppermint in my salad and I practically choked on it because of the fumes. We all died laughing after that. we had a grand time just getting to know each other. I did learn something though. Avacado is not at all my favorite food. But I didn't make a single face... except with the peppermint because that was way too strong ;) Later last night I was assigned to teach family home evening. Wow. It was interesting. It went from a lesson with the kids singing songs about obedience and happiness (my favorite subject! go section 93!!!), to me teaching from 1 nephi 17 and 18. After that somehow I think the kids all disappeared and the 6 adults had one of the best scriptural discussions I've ever seen. It was interesting though. Mama Pace had told me to put a real emphasis on the kids that night, but the Spirit testified to me that it was the adults that really needed it. You could tell there was some contention in points of view at the beginning of the lesson, but by the end you could really feel the spirit. It was a very good experience. After that my companion and I went home and planned for an hour and 20 minutes. I knew nothing about the area so he had to get me up to date. I'm still sure that I know about 5% of what's going on, but all I want to do is get to work. This morning I continued to get up at 6:15 so we could exercise. I'm still not sure that exercising that in the morning is healthy for you. but it I got it done. Hopefully I didn't wake up the neighbors of the duplex we live in by doing my clapping push ups. Speaking of our duplex. Our apartment is FREAKING NICE. well as far as missionary apartments go. We have a stove, microwave, DISHWASHER, fans, two bathrooms, a room just for studying, a sectional couch that can seat eleven, and a couch in our bedroom. WOW!  I feel so blessed. seriously. The scariest thing that happened so far (other than the contention earlier mentioned) is that my companion told me that the stove didn't work. I cook EVERYTHING on the stove. He's been in this area for six weeks and he said it's never worked and told me if I could get  it to work he'd be so happy. I turned the knobs on and nothing happened. I pulled up the coils and guess what. Someone hadn't just plugged them back in. So I did and it worked fine :) ha ha, he was so happy. I can't believe that he went six weeks without a stove. That's incredible to me. So I was studying lesson three today because we're supposed to teach it later today and I never studied it in the MTC. Heck I only taught the second lesson once in the whole experience. But I kinda got side tracked while reading a scripture that PMG had referenced. It's John 7:17. I wondered what had prompted that, so for the first time since russell told me to study Romans over a year ago, I read the New Testament of my own free will. It was Golden! I was really learning by the spirit. I got to thinking about FHE last night and how that correlated to Christ's experience in that chapter. How much more patient would He have had to have been than I was trying to be. He did it because he understood that no matter what he did, he could say that he was the Christ till he was blue in the face, but until they used their faith to know by asking in prayer, the jews attempts at trying to justify him being the christ through the prophecies would fail them. The Jews were so worried about the knit-picky prophecies that they forgot the entire grand picture of the Father's plan. It taught me something interesting. The Lord had promised me some very certain and specific things and I've been trying to make those things all fit together with the people and knowledge that I already have, and sometimes it's driven me crazy. But if I sit back and look at the grand scheme of the plan by glorifying God through this work it doesn't matter. He's promised those things to me. So if I'm willfully obedient now then it doesn't matter; those things He's promised will come because I'm doing everything I can so that he will bless my life.   I can't wait for my first investigator tonight. I love you all! Elder Lloyd PS when I was at the bank today I overhead a woman tell this to the cashier. "So a few days ago I had $140 disappear off my front table, and a few days later I found it. My dogged pooped it out. Can I get new bills? I've got the old ones here taped together." And indeed she had. And she was holding the bills in a tissue. I just about died laughing when the cashier said "um.... we can't accept those here, but we might be able to credit you." Oh my gosh. Only in Portland!

Week Three

 [This is a week late --sorry.  the Editor Mom]

Thank you for your letters. I LOVE hearing from you guys.

I went to the doctor because my "strep" came back. Turns out it's tonsilitis, and I thought it went away but I just finished the pills a few days ago and now yesterday and today it's back again. so I'm going to go back today and see what the doctor thinks. Third time it's come back. It's okay. it's not effecting the way I work or my energy levels, which I feel blessed for.

Anyways, they switched my p day to today because we had in field orientation yesterday. I can't wait to get to the field. I'm pumped. I recognize that I have a lot left to learn, but the Lord has ways of using their servants just because of who they are. I'm ready for that. It looks like I lot of hard work. Hopefully my trainer will be as awesome as Elder Schmidt has been, but I love the guy already, whoever he his.

Sorry my thoughts are all jumbled. I'm running on a time limit and trying to send pictures to you at the same time. It's kind of frustrating, but it really doesn't matter that much......

I've really enjoyed my time here at the MTC, and can't wait to go through the temple later today. It might be the last time for the next two years.

Elder Schmidt and I humbled ourselves this week. we set the goals to become as obedient as possible and to call each other out on the mission rules so that we can qualify for the blessings that God wants and needs to give us to teach more effectively. We also humbled ourselves in teaching our investigator this week. We knew that since he would not accept Christ as his Savior then we must help him to gain a testimony of the truth of the BoM and thereby gain a testimony of Him. Since he was a politician earnestly seeking the truth we thought reading with him from Alma 22 about King Lamoni's Father and his process of learning the word could effect our investigator. It did. and we very nearly got him to pray with us for an answer about the BoM, but then we mentioned the Holy Ghost and he started to try and bible bash again. We quickly disarmed his arguments and brought it back to the question at hand. We were able to commit him to coming to church on Sunday!!!!! He's a good man. I love him to death, he just needs to let go of his pride. He reminds me of me from just a year ago. This was the chapter that Glade read with me. And was the turning point in my life when I knew of my Savior's love for me in full. It came in bucket fulls at a time. It is because of that experience that I want others to come unto Christ, so they can feel that love. So they can feel that security. And so they can go forth and be an example of the believers. Thank you Glade for being an exemplary missionary both in the field and as an RM. You have helped my weakness become strong as in Ether 12:27. You started me on a path to fulfill the work that God needs me to do. I testify that he knows each of us in full; past, present, and future. If we "lean not unto [our] own understanding" he will work miracles in our lives. True miracles. I've already seen them. I've already seen the promises and blessings given to me in my setting apart as  a missionary be used. And I praise God for it. Without it, I would be in the depths of sorrow right now.

I have to go. I love you all. I'll try to get this picture thing to work but if not I'll send them next week.

Love, Elder Lloyd

Even greater

August 24, 2012

Things here have only continued to be greater….

Elder Schmidt and I have only continued to be closer. He's been senior companion this entire time and we will switch on Sunday. He's a really fun loving guy with a dedication to the work that I admire. I see his capacity to love grow more and more every day. Even when we teach a Bible basher ;) ha ha!  

He's [the Bible basher] freaking smart. He doesn't believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but he quotes him all the time. He also thinks the Atonement was made up by men because of the Nicene Creed of like 1524 or something like that. (I vaguely remember that from my one quarter in European history.) We went over time on that lesson but for a good reason. The first half was me and Elder Schmidt just being blown to pieces by all these different things that I've never heard of before. … He kept on changing topics every 5 sentences so it was hard to go anywhere. Then I remembered what Bro. Bennett used to teach us in Priest Quorum: if you get in one of those situations when they're switching it up, address the topic in one or two sentences and bring it right back on course, and also, if you're with a bible basher, bear your testimony and they can't tell you that you're experiences are wrong. It was beautiful. I bore my testimony of the Savior and the Priesthood being God's authority on this earth and also the reality of modern revelation. At the end of my testimony he told us that he knew what we were saying wasn't a lie, or at least we weren't lying to him because he could see it in his eyes. We finally convinced him though to pray to know that the things we spoke were true for himself, because we don't want him to just trust us. That's the last thing we want. But he said he'd do it. We talked to him for an hour, and we were only supposed to be there for 40 minutes, but it's okay, he asked us to stay and it only went a few minutes into lunch. We'll teach him again on Monday. With that experience alone I saw Elder Schmidt's capacity for love double. ... I feel that same love. It's that the Savior has for our investigator and as his representatives here at the MTC we are better able to feel that love for our investigators.

To be honest, Elder Schmidt and I have been having a ton of Success with all our investigators. There have been a few that we we’re worried about, but then on our return visits we'd always pray for the Spirit as we were planning so we would know exactly what to teach. I've never felt the Spirit help me teach the same thing in so many different ways. It's beautiful. Oh and btw, teaching old people is our favorite thing ever!!!!! They are always fantastic to teach.  

It's really hard to see some of our fellow district elders struggle. They always ask us what we did to have success committing someone to baptism or to pray, but we tell them "it's not a jigsaw puzzle. For every companionship you're going to teach her in a different way.  Just apply what we've learned about preparation, and then teach by the Spirit. The Spirit will make up for the differences in teaching styles."

I love you guys. I really do. There's so much more I want to share with you, but I leave this with you. God loves each and every one of you with a love that is perfect. That always sounded fake to me, but I've felt the perfectness of His love for me. He knows every pain of my life past future and present, and he loves all the more because of it. It's just like a father or brother.

gotta go

Elder Lloyd

First letter from the MTC

August 17, 2012

I LOVE IT HERE AT THE MTC!!!!!! It's fantastic.

SO GUESS WHAT!!!!! Aaron Snyder was my teacher for my workshop yesterday morning! He was great. We learn about how to identify where an investigator is along their path to Christ. You do that by identifying what they know, what they feel, and what they do. It's been quite effective building lessons off that basis.  It also helps to learn to from people that I already know and trust. My capacity for growth increases exponentially because I already know where they are coming from

GUESS WHAT AGAIN!!!! Julia Itri is one of my Zone teachers! it was kind of weird not to hug her. But I can tell you I've never seen her happier than when she's teaching the missionaries the doctrine of Christ.

I've never been happier than I have been these last few days. I know for a fact that this is the place where I am supposed to be. I have felt of my Savior's love for me and for the teachers and the other missionaries and you guys. My heart overflows with emotion when I think of it. I never understood what people meant by the fact that He has a PERFECT love for us. In fact I never got why He loved us at all. But I realize now that it's because he knows us better than we know ourselves. I love you guys because I know so much about you and we've had many experiences together. Christ has an even more perfect love because he can empathize with us for our entire lives, much less what we are going through right now. It's a beautiful thing, the Atonement. I thought I already had an appreciation for it and Him before because of the things I wa able to over come with his help, but how full is my joy know that I can feel his love for me, and you.

Being set apart as a missionary rules.  I've already had the experience yesterday while we were assigned to teach our companions, to ask him a question while I was preparing that I knew was not my own thinking. It was something that God wanted Elder Schmidt to know, and it was something that only I would have been able to teach him. That's when I really learned that it was God who has put these companionships together and not men just seeing two names and saying, "those names would be good for the title of a talk show!" Elder Schmidt then turned around and did the exact same thing to me. taught me something that I needed to hear that only he could've taught me. I love him already. He's fantastic. I have no prroblems with him what so ever. He's a little bit shorter, and but he's a cross country runner and a life guard and a singer. boy does he love to sing. I told him that if he wants to join the MTC Choir that I would support him that. He REALLY wants to join. ha ha

I love you all. I'll send pictures soon, I just have to get my camera out of my back pack first, but that's in my class room and I'm doing laundry right now.

till next week. Love ya! write me soon.