El Templo Hoy!

19 May 2009

Dear Family,

I love hearing about the mission progress in our ward. I don´t really remember there ever being very many converts in our ward throughout my life. Maybe I was too young to know that there was someone new or that they fell away too quickly for me to get to know them. So, I´m really glad that it is growing and that the spirit of missionary work is entering the ward again. And as you said, missionary work runs 100 times better when the members participate in the finding and teaching. The people more readily accept the gospel and have the support system to remain active. Although my companion doesn´t agree at times, I like to try to have a member in every lesson after the first. It works miracles.

Jessica, I don´t really recognize you in this photo. I recognize Aaron and the house behind a little easier. I´m glad you had a good time and hope that you savor your final moments in high school. I can´t say that college is too much different (compared to Manual), but it is a change. And Jonathan, good luck with your finals. I know that you´ll do great.

This week went fairly well. Viviana and Lionel along with Veronica continue to amaze me. We had the lesson about the Word of Wisdom and it went really well. We found out that Lionel doesn´t drink, but he does smoke just a little. Never in the house, but a little at work. But the day before, he smoked half a cigarette and felt that he should stop, so he threw it away. All of the alcohol that they have in the house is just for display. We will see if they get rid of it all sometime or not. During the lesson, Lionel was about to offer coffee to Veronica (who accompanied us) and his wife said “But we don´t drink coffee now!” “Oh yeah, oops.” They also brought their two daughters to church on Sunday. They each have a daughter from their previous marriage (so neither one shares the same parents) and only come on the weekends. One is 10 (I think) and the other 7. We went to teach them a little to prepare them to come to church the next day. I felt like I was in a lesson with a member present with the help of Viviana, especially when she said “There are beliefs and things in this religion that you will have to put behind you from your old religion” (because the daughters are being raised in a Catholic school). They are getting ready for May 30th along with Sara.

Dad, I don´t think that our ward has an employment specialist. Here in Latin America, the Relief Society outnumber the Elders Quorum 3:1 or more. Every worthy male is called into a leadership position to fill the necessary callings. The left overs have to go work in the Stake. The bishop has only been in the church 6 years. My companion was the ward Secretary for 2 years before the mission, after being in the church only 2 years. I´m just glad that this ward is full of young men who might be able to fill out the leadership positions in the future, if they commit themselves and go on a mission. Leaving on a mission isn´t as set in this culture as it is in ours. We´re trying to help reactive a few of the young single adults so that they can serve missions.

Today we went to the temple. I´m really glad that we have one in this mission. I felt like the actors in the session were speaking a lot slower this time because I could understand nearly everything (and also because E´Rivas speaks a little faster). So, yes Mom, Sr. Fallon can send me a letter written only in Spanish. I´m pretty sure I´ll understand everything. My main problem will be knowing the words that she uses in her version of Spanish. There are a lot of differences in Castellano (like Ananá is pineapple instead of piña, which means a punch in the face). It was also a good time to be revitalized and receive vital instruction in how to become a better leader. This is the first time in my entire life where I´ve ever had to make a decision that directly affected someone else. In group projects I´ve always given my ideas and allowed the other person make the decision. I never made the decision myself. And I would do as they wanted. I like following, I don´t like leading. So, I´m getting a crash course in leading now. I do some things well, and I make a ton of mistakes. But I´ll learn little by little, just as I´m learning the language. All I need is time and experience. I also have my interview with President Benton tomorrow, so I´ll receive even more instruction and training.

I´m glad you could meet E´Harmon. He was a great elder in the MTC. I don´t remember that much about him, but he always has a good feeling about him. And I also agree with you mom, most of the time when I see a member with their eyes full of the light of Christ, I feel like I recognize them.

Oh, I was trying to remember what more I wanted to write. Here it is. I received another letter from E´Reese, who is in Poland right now. I feel really sorry for him. It sounds like his mission is really rough. This one is a ton easier. I sent him our standard of excellence (the goals that we try to reach, and is possible, but really difficult). He showed it to his companion, they “laughed and the cried.” We try to do 30 lessons (I´m doing more like 12-20 now) and 8 lessons with recent converts and inactives. They have 7 lessons per week with 1 other. One per day, and that is when they have a great week. I can´t imagine being rejected so. I´ll have to write him a letter to help him always be animated because I know that the field is white already to be harvest in all places.

Love,
Elder Drake Ranquist