Week 89: Well... Adiós Huajuapan, Hello JUCHITÁN!

So, I had transferred. I am very happy that my companion has made Christmas plans! And we have the Christmas activity on this coming Saturday so that will be fun!!! But I am tired because I have traveled 9 hours on Oaxacan roads in the last 2 days so I think I will sleep well tonight. It is weird being a missionary just all of the sudden picking up all your stuff and leaving to another place, living with people you have never met, and just leaving any friends you have made behind. But, it is ok, because I have gotten used to it now and I know it will not be terribly long before I see them again.

But, I am SUPER EXCITED for Christmas! In the Istmo there is not a lot of Christmassy stuff, but that doesn't mean that I can't be excited and happy about it! So, I will do everything I can to help everyone get excited!

Next week I'll have more time and pictures because I will be on my normal schedule and not just finishing a terrible bus ride. Well, actually the ride in the suburban from Huajuapan to Oaxaca was a lot worse than from Oaxaca to Juchitán because on the first I got thrown up on...  Elder Ellsworth was sick starting Sunday morning, so he threw up at church and then on the ride to Oaxaca... I hope he made it to the coast ok...

But I hope y'all are having a great day and doing everything that you need to!
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Elder Loosle
Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 88: Well... REALLY LATE LETTER... :P

Well, today we were waiting for like 2 hours to get some metal bed frames... We actually just got them, and then came really quick here to finish our writing. So that was sad. But besides that, it was a fun Pday! We made some stuffed gingerbread men plush thingies! There is a picture of one that I got to keep! We made a lot of small ones for kids as a service project! And we got to make a bigger one for each of us!

The other pictures of a field that we played on today, we left SUPER early to play so that there would not be anyone there and we wouldn't get burned, and it was FREEZING. But fun. And the last is of some keychains that I bought while I was in downtown Oaxaca last week for the zone conference. If you want to ask why the pineapple and the mango, well ask a return missionary that served in Mexico.

But this week we had a zone conference that was really good! We talked about realistic goals, and I realized that we need to always keep in mind the end. And also how we can use the members to help us. I learned a lot and afterward


, I had an interview with President, and he gave me permission to go to the temple with my first convert! His name is Paco, and while he is only a teenager still, he is going to the temple every 2 months to do baptisms for the dead! And so I think President wants me to finish my mission here in Huajuapan which would be fine with me. But if not, we will know next week! :D

Anyways, I hope that you all have a great week and are SUPER EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS LIKE I AM! Just always remember the reason for the season! Let's put more focus on our Savior and how we can help others, instead of what they can give to us! :)

Till next week! :)
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Elder Loosle
Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 87: Well... Today we climbed a mountain...

So, today for Pday we climbed a mountain! That was fun! I took lots of pictures from on top as well as one from below so you could see the mountain! We went with some ward members so that we could get to the mountain and follow the trail, but we ended up just ditching the trail for a while and going straight up the forest area. It was fun. We made it to the top, but the members who took the trail beat us XD But we had fun as well.

Also, the other picture is of a little bat-like object I found in a recent converts house... It says part of Hebrews 12:5 and  says

My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Well, it is an interesting scripture to put on an object of that kind... But it is ok, it was funny seeing it.

Anyways, this week has been interesting. We were able to get a lot of new investigators but the ones we have almost stopped progressing... It is kinda sad, but we do have to keep on helping other people and so sometimes we have to stop visiting some people in order to help others because there are only 2 of us, and like 60,000 + people that we need to visit. So, we are gonna keep working hard and show the Lord that we are willing to do whatever it takes to help people!

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Elder Loosle
Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 86: Happy Thanksgiving! Well, belated...

Well, my Thanksgiving was probably a lot less cool than y'all's but the good news is that on Sunday we had a baptism! I mean I baptised her, but IDK why because she is a 8 year old girl who is the daughter of members. Well her mom is a member and her parents are separated, so there isn't anyone with the priesthood in her house. But it was fun. Also, church was very interesting on Sunday. But we weren't able to get many investigators to church. But this week we will do A LOT to get more investigators and to get A LOT to church. We have big plans.

Speaking of big plans that is one of the pictures! Well it says PONTE LAS PILAS!!! Which is a saying that I like, it means like GET PUMPED! Or something like that. I like it because I like to help people get excited to share the gospel and help us out a bit!

But, I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I will!


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Elder Loosle
Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 85: Well, good things and not so good...

So we had  2 baptisms planned for this week!!! But I need to emphasize HAD... One moved to Puebla because her ex, who she separated from to be able to get baptized, was trying to kill her.... Oh Oaxaca... How I love you. Actually, I do love Oaxaca, because where else are you going to be able to see a priesthood blessing work so well, as to give someone the comfort that everything will be ok, even when someone is trying to kill them! (That happened twice... This week.... XD) But it is fun! We can be certain that in Puebla she will be a very strong member that will even probably help her family make it into the church!

And well the other investigator just won't talk to us and isn't in her house.... So, that is fun. But good news, we found a lot of investigators who have a lot of potential! And we are gonna help build a small little chapel (technically it is called a house of prayer) in a little tiny town! There are about 12 members there and it is an hour away from Huajuapan, so it is hard for them to get her. We actually have a few investigators there too, so we may even be able to start up a branch!!! And then get our district turned into a STAKE!! Exiting!!

Also exiting, I found a Texas vehicle sticker from years ago! We tried contacting the house but no one was home-... :( But there will be someone there soon, I am sure!

Hasta la vista. Well actually now, because I'll write again next week and the "vista" will be the next time I see y'all. So till next week!
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Elder Loosle
Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 84: Adiós Elder Johnson.... :(

Well, good news and bad news. Good news is that I get to stay in Huajuapan! But Elder Johnson left for the city of Oaxaca. We had a lot of fun as companions so it was a bit sad, but I know that he'll do great in his mission. And I'll be able to hold up the strength out here in Huajuapan de Leon!

I am now with Elder Jímenez, he's from the North, and I kind of knew him before being his companion right now, thanks to my time in the office XD But, he likes to work hard and so we will have lots of fun too.

Anyways, this last week we were able to find a lot of new investigators and we have been starting to receive a lot of referrals! I know that this branch here has a lot of members that want to help, they just sometimes feel nervous or don't know how. So we are here to show them! So also if any of you ever feel like you know someone that is having a hard time in their life, send them a message and tell them that you are thinking about them and that God loves them. Also that there are 2 missionaries that are literally just here to help people that want to talk to them to help them feel a bit better! Because as missionaries we are just here to help 24/7! So let us know so that we can help!

Sorry about no pictures.... We didn't have lots of cool things happen this week... I mean we found a scorpion under Johnson's bed, but to be honest, stuff like that is kinda becoming normal to me...

Bye!
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Elder Loosle
Misión Mexico Oaxaca

Week 83: Well, this week was rough....

Not a lot happened this week, because we had a milti-zone conference with a member of the 70! So we had to go down to Oaxaca the day before, so we had to spend a lot of time traveling in windy Oaxacan roads.... I don't enjoy it much because I mean I kinda wanted to be doing some missionary work instead of traveling for hours both days, but it turned out good. The meeting with Elder Valenzuela was just amazing. I learned a lot! And especially yesterday with fast sunday I realized that there are a lot of things as a missionary and as a person that I can improve at. I mean I know that what I have done is definitly acceptable for the Lord, but He also wants us to continually strive to be better and better! I mean after all, we do have the mandate to "Be ye therefor perfect, even as I, or your Father in Heaven is perfect." I may have quoted that bad... If I did I am sorry... I am trying to memorize more scriptures, but I haven't made it to 3rd Nephi yet....

Also, if I do not send an email next week it is because it is transfers and I left to an area far far away, but I'll then write at least a bit on Tuesday! So, I hope y'all have a great time! (sorry for no pics, can't find my adapter.... DX)