Week 54: Missed your email on Saturday...

Whoops! I knew I forgot something XD

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Elder Loosle

Secretario de Misión

Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 53: Well MY BIRTHDAY! And a year in the mission!

Well this week was a big anniversary week, cuz it was my birthday and the ONE YEAR MARK IN THE MISSION!! Super crazy! But this week has been pretty good! I am staring to get into the hang of being secretary!

But, before I get sidetracked all of the pictures are of the (1st) little party we had in the offices!

But anyways I wanted to share something that President told me in interviews yesterday! He told me you can make it to the Major Leagues if you can hit a curve ball. If we apply that to our lives, if we can nail a curve ball and make it into a spiritual home run, where we learn and grow, we can not only make it good in this life, but we can make it to our heavenly mansion! I definitely am a sure witness that life throws lots of curve balls that we don't necessarily want. But if we can learn and grow from everything that God lets us go through we will ALWAYS come out on top.

And that is a promise. Maybe not on top in the world's eyes, but that is because we will be on top of the world, and though the others may not understand, we will, and we will know that God will.

Have a great week! See y'all in less than a year!

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Elder Loosle

Secretario de Misión

Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 52: I got to play President, assistant, and rescue!

Well this week has been one of the longer weeks for the extra amount of work in the office and little amount of work that we could do as actual missionaries....... But I have really found some blessings within the work! And some answers to questions I didn't even know I had thanks to conference!

But first, pictures!!! One is of a Sister Missionary that got here from the CCM this last Monday! President wasn't here and neither were the assistants so I got to play President and be the welcoming squad with my comp! Super fun! There are 3 pics of this, one is of Elder and Sister Robbins with her also playing President to help make the sister feel welcomed! She knows that she just came at a weird time which is the real reason why President wasn't there.

The other 2 are when we did a service project to clean a chimney for a BBQ grill, but we didn't actually clean it because he didn't have the stuff. So I just climbed up it to see how dirty it was, and yes it was dirty.

Anyways going back to why the week was very long, but fun! So Monday the new sister got here, I also had to do some immigration stuff that day so that the people would not be sent home a year or 6 months early. So Monday morning I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

Monday night we found out that the Sister that was coming to the city for special transfers, got stuck in a blockade. (.... Oaxaca... -.-) (JK, I love Oaxaca!!!!) (But not blockades.-. ..) Anyway, so we get the news that she should arrive at about 2 in the morning and we would have to go get her. I couldn't sleep well because I was kinda worried for the Sister, even though I didn't know her, I didn't want her to suffer either... But then we go the entire night without a single call telling us she is still there, and so she calls back in the morning, telling the assistants that the blockade was still up in the morning and because she had a lot of stuff and no money, someone, (the secretaries) needed to go out there to pick her up, and bring her and her luggage to Oaxaca, because she couldn't pay for an Urban that will drive out there and take people to Oaxaca if you walk all the way across the blockade.

So Tuesday morning early we get going on very little sleep to take a 3 hour ride in a van, to get to a blockade, on a very windy road, so sleeping there is almost out of the question. But by nothing short of a miracle I was not only able to make it without throwing up, but also was able to catch a few Zzzz's! So we get to the blockade at like 11-11:20 and we pass by like 50 or 60 stopped cars before the driver says we can't go any farther and we have to walk the rest. Literally we were walking until 1 at a fast pace, before we found the sister, and we didn't even walk the whole blockade! It took us like over an hour to get past all the cars and too the actual blockade in the road, and well after that it was another 30 minutes of knocking bus doors asking if there were any missionaries on board XD It was definitely a once in a life time experience! So we find the Sister and she had actually been talking to the driver about the gospel and he didn't just want to learn more, he wanted to go to church so he could get baptized! But the sister didn't have any pamphlets or a Book of Mormon to give him, but that morning I wasn't planning on bringing anything because I wanted my hands empty to help the Sister with her stuff, but I had a small impression to bring a Book of Mormon, so I put it in my pocket, and when I was able to give it to him, you could just see that he wanted to read it. And he was about to as well, before another miracle happened. So we grabbed all of the sisters stuff and he was like "Y'all are walking to the other side?!" I told him yep, cuz that is how we got there, and after he told us good luck he said, if by some miracle they open up the blockade, before we get to the other side where we could take the Urban, he would pick us up and give us a ride! So off we went, and literally after I walked about 20 feet with a bunch of bags, I hear him scream, "Wait! Come back, they are letting cars pass!" So we quickly through everything back in and got a free ride to Oaxaca in a charter bus that is MUCH nicer than an Urban (15 or 20 passanger van). So we finally get back at like 6 and after some time waiting and doing some stuff we send the sister off to her area. But I kinda had a headache from the 6 hours of windy Oaxaquen roads. But it was a major blessing not having to walk the 3 miles again, with suitcases, and then stuffing us into a van to head home.

All of that in the first 2 days of the week... There is more, like how I had to send someone home yesterday to renew his visa from his house, but that will be for a different time cuz I have got to get to conference! Sorry that that last paragraph was longer than the book of Alma! XD

See y'all later, have a great week!

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Elder Loosle

Secretario de Misión

Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 51: One more week, SUPER FAST!

Well, this week went SUPER FAST!!! I feel like it was like 2 days at most! But I am starting to get a hang of the office work around here which is good! But because I didn't have any pictures this week, I'll send something fun that my Mom sent me! It is a Mad Libs thing, missionary version. So if anyone else has any other question feel free to ask!

Missionary Mad Libs

• The craziest members of the ward are the Martinez Family (in my old ward, still don't know a lot of people in the ward here..) and that’s because they are super hilarious!!!
• One of my prayers was answered when last week ended rough, so I prayed that this week we would be able to find more people, and it worked!
• How's Trump doing? is the funniest thing an investigator has said to me.
• An investigator I would love to keep in contact with is Paco because He is a super cool kid, and was my first baptism, as well as his whole family is super awesome!
• Chaka chaka (wash clothes in a bucket with a stick) is something I know how to do now, that I never thought I would.
• James the Rapper would sing this rap about Iowa: (I have no idea... Maybe ask someone in Iowa... But this is something about Oaxaca... But I also don't know who James the Rapper is... Also forgive me because my rapping skills are not the best, I am not a rapper.)

Oaxaca Mexico, it´s a whole new world,

Especially as a missionary, getting all the referrals,

The food is great, and the people are too,

I love Oaxaca, how about you!?

• I feel best on my mission when I can see people really changing their lives for the best!
• Remember that I am a servant of God, is what I do to lift myself when I’m feeling down.
• TLAYUDAS is my favorite new food I’ve tried.
• Investigators would say this about me: Wow, he's tall.

Well, besides that my week was a very good week! We have been able to find a lot more investigators and even some new ones! We have started to see some people progress a lot! Now we just need to help them take their next step to make it back to God, which is baptism! And we are trying to help get them excited to do it! :D

But for all y'all out there, I hope y'all have a great week and an absolutely WONDERFUL GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!! AND MY BIRTHDAY IS RIGHT AFTER!!!! EVEN BETTER!!!!

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Elder Loosle

Secretario de Misión

Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 50: A week of learning and cleansing (Spiritually and Physically)

Well this week has been a rough week, because we had a baptism planned for Wednesday but she backed out Tuesday night for her interview and hasn't even wanted to talk to us recently. But we will talk to her this week to try to get her excited again for her baptism!

But first things first, PICTURES! Well, yesterday was ST. PATRICK'S DAY! And so I had a green pen! And we ate green pistachio jello with Sister Madsen! Also we got to cleaning the house today and did a deep clean and found a tie.... There is a picture of it. It literally is growing. I ALMOST put it on to wear it to get a picture like that but I didn't want to stain my shirt XD

But going back to the week, well it has been pretty hard with a lot of stuff that has been happening which has not been normal, with baptisms that got cancelled, visas not working out, lots of things but my aunt Celeste sent me something this morning that really made me think. She said, "Life is what happens when you're making other plans. Make the best of it anyway!" Whatever happens in our lives, we must always make the best out of it! Because we came into this world knowing it would not be easy. But we knew that if we are faithful and doing what we can, it will be mu

ch more than worth it!

This week I have recognized that sometimes when things go wrong we need to not look outward, but look inward and spiritually cleanse ourselves. If we are not in the place that we want to be we need to first be doing everything God wants us to do. Then we can wait for the miracle to occur. And sometimes we need to change what we want so that it matches what He wants.

I know that through the small and simple things we do we will be able to make it to eternal life, and if we keep up on the small and simple things, it doesn't matter how many huge things come, we will be ok in the end. And so I would like y'all to remember that Jesus Christ is always there to help us when we call on his with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Have a great week!

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Elder Loosle

Secretario de Misión

Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 49: Another Baptism!

Well this will be short without pictures because we have a baptism in 2 hours! But the work here is great! We have a lot of stuff going on today so not a lot of time to write, or even respond to people XD

But this week has been good! I have been able to really focus on not stressing myself out because it was my first week as secretary without my trainer who taught me everything as a secretary and so I felt a bit overwhelmed because I started with a lot of work and not a lot of time to do it, but then after that I was able to manage it and now it has calmed down a bit and I am more calm. But I really have recognized how much the Lord has helped me in this past week! When He calls us to do something, it doesn't mean we are ready for whatever will happen in that moment, but it means that He has called us because He has prepared us for the work we are to do, and He will help us along the way so that we get everything done that is His will!

I know the gospel that I am teaching is really the gospel of Jesus Christ and it is the changes that if we make and follow this gospel, it will bring our souls to salvation.
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Elder Loosle
Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 48: Freddy got baptized!

Well Freddy just got baptized a few hours ago! He has been an investigator for like 8 months, and he has been through a lot of changes to be able to get to this point!

Although we had planned on 3 baptisms today, we were only able to have 1 because the other two we had to postpone for differing reasons. But we know that as we keep helping them they will get more and more ready for their own baptisms.

So all of the pictures today are from Freddy's baptism (besides one) and one of them is the different generations of secretaries that taught Freddy, which is Elder Sosa, Elder Moore and Elder Loosle! Because he was an investigator for a very long time, he had a lot of missionaries teach him! But one cool thing is that he is the first baptism that we as the secretaries have had in almost a year! Because we do have a lot to do in the offices, a lot of the secretaries couldn't find as much time to leave to work as missionaries, but we have found that as we organize our time, we can use it more efficiently in everything we do!

So some interesting things that we did this week. One of them is we found an American that is interested in learning about the gospel! So we taught a super great lesson last night in English! He does speak spanish but his English is better and he almost can't read in Spanish... But we do have some stuff in English that he can use! Also he is very interested to learn more! His name is Jorge, and even though he is actually Mexican, he grew us for most of his childhood in the US and just barely returned to Mexico to finish up the university and to teach English! He is a college aged student and he has a lot of desires to learn more!

But also, the other picture is when Elder Peterson, Assistant to President, was cutting everyone's hair in the offices because he is leaving on Tuesday to go to the Istmo! He is excited

, and so he was willing to give everyone a haircut before he left! Which is fine with me cuz that means I don't have to pay 50 pesos to get my haircut!

But also I wanted to say to everyone that this week has been fun, but also hard. With changes next week I have a whole lot to do and not a lot of time to do it, and messing up might get someone sent to jail or to their home country before their mission is up, so I have definitively felt some pressure as the secretary because I am still new. But I know that even with all that we have to do, God will always help us get everything done that He needs us to do. Because that is the most important. And He, as our Father, will always give us exactly what we need, so that we may be able to complete everything when He wants us to, not when we want to. So if anyone is ever feeling super stressed for one reason or another, just know two things. You are not alone. Because I can tell you I have also felt a bit of stress, but also our Savior Jesus Christ knows exactly what you feel. And the second thing is that God will ALWAYS love and help his children. And you as a child of God will receive that help.

Well, I hope that y'all all have a great week and make sure to have fun! 'Til next week!