Hello Mom (and family),
Thanks so much again for your letter, it really boosts my spirits to read them. It was so great to talk to you, I wish I could of talked longer but one of the Elders was standing next to me the whole time saying ¨ya mop¨ which means like yeah friend, and he really wanted to talk to his family. But I was bummed because I could of talked to you for a little longer, but oh well, it was nice to hear what I could and it was so great to hear your voices it gave me some serious strength to continue which is definitely what I need here. So to answer your questions, it´s been weird here because we haven´t had a really typical day, because with all the new training stuff, the christmas season and the coming up of a new year there hasn´t been a typical day. But usually what will happen is we will wake up at 630 and from 630 to 8 we are getting ready for the day, like exercising or showering or things like that, and at 8 to 9 we have personal study, which is crazy because now that i am in the field it is a requirement that you study in spanish, so I am reading the scriptures in spanish and I hardly understand any of them, but it´s alright, I had a great study this morning because I was really struggling with everything, but somehow the Lord lead me to scriptures that still had the same impact on me, even in spanish. So then at 9 to 10 we have companion study, where all the elders in the house get together and we sing a hymn and share what we learned in personal study and then we practice and study in our companionships for what we are going to do that day. Then I´m supposed to have language study from 10 to 11 but since my comp is native I dont really have an opportunity to study the language. Then we will usually go to the cocinera or cook´s house and she will cook us lunch and then we begin proselyting, either contacting, meet up with investigators for lessons and so forth. We might return to the house once or twice to use the bathroom and get something to drink but usually we are out walking from noon to 9 every day, my feet, hips, back, and everything has never hurt so much before. But it´s great. Our apartment is pretty nice considering the circumstances, unfortunately all the elders I live with are really dirty, and they don´t flush the toilet or clean up after themselves, but its pretty nice, we have a living area sort of with no furniture a back yard 2 bathrooms and 2 bedrooms. It´s crazy, from the outside here all the houses look super small, but when you get in the inside they are really quite big, depending on your area. And, yes, all four of us live together. And I´m not sure what we do on Pdays because my last pday we had a conference for like 4 zones for christmas, but Monday isn´t our pday its just our internet day, on pday we might take a nap, do some study, and play soccer Im pretty sure, because soccer is huge here. They have two teams in CR Sopressa and Liga and you are either one or the other, you can´t not be a fan of either, so people will come up to you and ask you what color you are, it´s funny. I love my comp but I wish I could understand more of him. In lessons he is so powerful and spiritual and has a lot of knowledge of the gospel, we just have a huge communication gap. San Jose is crazy like I said, it´s just like one of those cities you see on like amazing race or something, cars going everywhere, people crossing the street everywhere, dogs roaming around, people honking, and shouting. Its hard to explain what it´s like, you just have to experience it. It is pretty modernized, it doesn´t look that way, but when you get inside buildings and stuff it´s a lot like the US. And, we mostly travel by foot, often times we take the bus because Tibás is a big area but it costs money for the bus so we try and walk as much as we can. Sometimes we take taxis but theyre so expensive we are really not supposed to. I haven´t seen much crawling stuff, just HUGE ants, and cockroaches is about all in the city. And we have zero food in our apartment so I haven´t had much for breakfast, in fact today was the only day I´ve eaten breakfast in the apt. since I got here, I had an apple that a member gave us yesterday. And when I called on friday it was from my apartment, in our living area we have a phone. My mission president is somewhere in San Jose, I´m not sure how close he is to Tibás but I imagine its about an 30 minute trip by taxi maybe an hour by bus. Oh man, about that assault, it was so scary, it was weird a man just jumped out from like a little ledge overlooking a river thing and just tried to steal this girls cell phone, we´re really not supposed to get involved in things like that so we turned around real quick, but the guy saw us and turned and ran away and the girls just walked off and continued to text like it was something that happens often. I get so scared everytime we walk past that area now, but nothing weird has happened since. My area in Tibás isn´t really that scary, it has some poorer parts that are freaky but not as bad as the other elders who have to go to a town called Leon 13 and that place FREAKS me out. Elder Nuñez took me there on the 24 and it was terrifying, everyone was drunk and lighting off fireworks, not a good combo. But so far for me, Leon 13 is the scariest so far I´ve been in, and it´s one of 2 places that is the most dangerous in CR.
Well, I hope that answers your questions. This first week on the field has been absolutely crazy. I understand what a sister missionary once told me about learning a language, first you cry and then you learn. I´ve had my moments where I just want to cry and break down and give up, but in those moments are times that I learn the most about myself, spanish, the gospel, and everything around me. I can honestly say this week has been THE hardest 7 days of my entire life. Absolutely without a doubt, but like I said earlier everytime I direct my focus on the Savior, it gets a little easier. Yesterday was a perfect example of that. We went to el Barrio de Tibás and had our normal church meetings, I didn´t understand ANY of it, but the bishop asked me to pass the sacrament, and me, not knowing what that sentence was in spanish, foolishly said yes, haha it was scary but It was good becasue there was only like 20 members there when the sacrament was passed. I then said the prayer in PH, which also terrified me, but everyone comes up to me and says that my pronunciation is good. After the meetings, a member could tell I was having a rough day and he asked me in his broken english, if I had prayed and I said yes, harder than I ever have prayed before, he said are you studying with your comp and I said no, and he said are you fasting, and I said no. So I´m going to try to fast, to get that extra help from my father in heaven to learn spanish. I feel once I know spanish it will all come easier, the traditions, the gospel, the food, everything. It was nice, he told me afterwards, you can do this, you are a missionary. ANd that struck me really hard, I am a missionary, called by a Prophet of God, I have God on my side, and with God nothing is impossible, absolutely nothing. There are no boundaries to the amount that I am capable of learning.
I really deeply and sincerely appreciate all you do for me, you are my rock and my comfort. Like it says in the Josh Groban song ´´you raise me up so I can stand on mountains, you raise me up to walk on stormy seas, I am strong when YOU are on MY shoulder, you raise me up to more than I can be´´ Thats so true and something I often think of when I get discouraged.
Yesterday was better after church because we went contacting with the Bishop who is super nice, I bore a few testimonies in our lessons and it was good, we also placed our first BOM since I´ve been here which is great. After a long day of walking we went to the Bishops house and had a nice dinner of tamales and good carmel milk drink because yesterday was FREEZING!
Well I am glad to hear that all is well at home, just know I am thinking of you DAILY here, and constantly looking to you all for strength. I couldn´t do it without you. I love you, you are in my prayers always and forever,
your son, brother, grandson, nephew, best friend, adopted son, and favorite Elder
Elder Falor
Monday, December 27, 2010
I am a missionary called by the Prophet of God
Hello Mom (and family),
Thanks so much again for your letter, it really boosts my spirits to read them. It was so great to talk to you, I wish I could of talked longer but one of the Elders was standing next to me the whole time saying ¨ya mop¨ which means like yeah friend, and he really wanted to talk to his family. But I was bummed because I could of talked to you for a little longer, but oh well, it was nice to hear what I could and it was so great to hear your voices it gave me some serious strength to continue which is definitely what I need here. So to answer your questions, it´s been weird here because we haven´t had a really typical day, because with all the new training stuff, the christmas season and the coming up of a new year there hasn´t been a typical day. But usually what will happen is we will wake up at 630 and from 630 to 8 we are getting ready for the day, like exercising or showering or things like that, and at 8 to 9 we have personal study, which is crazy because now that i am in the field it is a requirement that you study in spanish, so I am reading the scriptures in spanish and I hardly understand any of them, but it´s alright, I had a great study this morning because I was really struggling with everything, but somehow the Lord lead me to scriptures that still had the same impact on me, even in spanish. So then at 9 to 10 we have companion study, where all the elders in the house get together and we sing a hymn and share what we learned in personal study and then we practice and study in our companionships for what we are going to do that day. Then I´m supposed to have language study from 10 to 11 but since my comp is native I dont really have an opportunity to study the language. Then we will usually go to the cocinera or cook´s house and she will cook us lunch and then we begin proselyting, either contacting, meet up with investigators for lessons and so forth. We might return to the house once or twice to use the bathroom and get something to drink but usually we are out walking from noon to 9 every day, my feet, hips, back, and everything has never hurt so much before. But it´s great. Our apartment is pretty nice considering the circumstances, unfortunately all the elders I live with are really dirty, and they don´t flush the toilet or clean up after themselves, but its pretty nice, we have a living area sort of with no furniture a back yard 2 bathrooms and 2 bedrooms. It´s crazy, from the outside here all the houses look super small, but when you get in the inside they are really quite big, depending on your area. And, yes, all four of us live together. And I´m not sure what we do on Pdays because my last pday we had a conference for like 4 zones for christmas, but Monday isn´t our pday its just our internet day, on pday we might take a nap, do some study, and play soccer Im pretty sure, because soccer is huge here. They have two teams in CR Sopressa and Liga and you are either one or the other, you can´t not be a fan of either, so people will come up to you and ask you what color you are, it´s funny. I love my comp but I wish I could understand more of him. In lessons he is so powerful and spiritual and has a lot of knowledge of the gospel, we just have a huge communication gap. San Jose is crazy like I said, it´s just like one of those cities you see on like amazing race or something, cars going everywhere, people crossing the street everywhere, dogs roaming around, people honking, and shouting. Its hard to explain what it´s like, you just have to experience it. It is pretty modernized, it doesn´t look that way, but when you get inside buildings and stuff it´s a lot like the US. And, we mostly travel by foot, often times we take the bus because Tibás is a big area but it costs money for the bus so we try and walk as much as we can. Sometimes we take taxis but theyre so expensive we are really not supposed to. I haven´t seen much crawling stuff, just HUGE ants, and cockroaches is about all in the city. And we have zero food in our apartment so I haven´t had much for breakfast, in fact today was the only day I´ve eaten breakfast in the apt. since I got here, I had an apple that a member gave us yesterday. And when I called on friday it was from my apartment, in our living area we have a phone. My mission president is somewhere in San Jose, I´m not sure how close he is to Tibás but I imagine its about an 30 minute trip by taxi maybe an hour by bus. Oh man, about that assault, it was so scary, it was weird a man just jumped out from like a little ledge overlooking a river thing and just tried to steal this girls cell phone, we´re really not supposed to get involved in things like that so we turned around real quick, but the guy saw us and turned and ran away and the girls just walked off and continued to text like it was something that happens often. I get so scared everytime we walk past that area now, but nothing weird has happened since. My area in Tibás isn´t really that scary, it has some poorer parts that are freaky but not as bad as the other elders who have to go to a town called Leon 13 and that place FREAKS me out. Elder Nuñez took me there on the 24 and it was terrifying, everyone was drunk and lighting off fireworks, not a good combo. But so far for me, Leon 13 is the scariest so far I´ve been in, and it´s one of 2 places that is the most dangerous in CR.
Well, I hope that answers your questions. This first week on the field has been absolutely crazy. I understand what a sister missionary once told me about learning a language, first you cry and then you learn. I´ve had my moments where I just want to cry and break down and give up, but in those moments are times that I learn the most about myself, spanish, the gospel, and everything around me. I can honestly say this week has been THE hardest 7 days of my entire life. Absolutely without a doubt, but like I said earlier everytime I direct my focus on the Savior, it gets a little easier. Yesterday was a perfect example of that. We went to el Barrio de Tibás and had our normal church meetings, I didn´t understand ANY of it, but the bishop asked me to pass the sacrament, and me, not knowing what that sentence was in spanish, foolishly said yes, haha it was scary but It was good becasue there was only like 20 members there when the sacrament was passed. I then said the prayer in PH, which also terrified me, but everyone comes up to me and says that my pronunciation is good. After the meetings, a member could tell I was having a rough day and he asked me in his broken english, if I had prayed and I said yes, harder than I ever have prayed before, he said are you studying with your comp and I said no, and he said are you fasting, and I said no. So I´m going to try to fast, to get that extra help from my father in heaven to learn spanish. I feel once I know spanish it will all come easier, the traditions, the gospel, the food, everything. It was nice, he told me afterwards, you can do this, you are a missionary. ANd that struck me really hard, I am a missionary, called by a Prophet of God, I have God on my side, and with God nothing is impossible, absolutely nothing. There are no boundaries to the amount that I am capable of learning.
I really deeply and sincerely appreciate all you do for me, you are my rock and my comfort. Like it says in the Josh Groban song ´´you raise me up so I can stand on mountains, you raise me up to walk on stormy seas, I am strong when YOU are on MY shoulder, you raise me up to more than I can be´´ Thats so true and something I often think of when I get discouraged.
Yesterday was better after church because we went contacting with the Bishop who is super nice, I bore a few testimonies in our lessons and it was good, we also placed our first BOM since I´ve been here which is great. After a long day of walking we went to the Bishops house and had a nice dinner of tamales and good carmel milk drink because yesterday was FREEZING!
Well I am glad to hear that all is well at home, just know I am thinking of you DAILY here, and constantly looking to you all for strength. I couldn´t do it without you. I love you, you are in my prayers always and forever,
your son, brother, grandson, nephew, best friend, adopted son, and favorite Elder
Elder Falor
Thanks so much again for your letter, it really boosts my spirits to read them. It was so great to talk to you, I wish I could of talked longer but one of the Elders was standing next to me the whole time saying ¨ya mop¨ which means like yeah friend, and he really wanted to talk to his family. But I was bummed because I could of talked to you for a little longer, but oh well, it was nice to hear what I could and it was so great to hear your voices it gave me some serious strength to continue which is definitely what I need here. So to answer your questions, it´s been weird here because we haven´t had a really typical day, because with all the new training stuff, the christmas season and the coming up of a new year there hasn´t been a typical day. But usually what will happen is we will wake up at 630 and from 630 to 8 we are getting ready for the day, like exercising or showering or things like that, and at 8 to 9 we have personal study, which is crazy because now that i am in the field it is a requirement that you study in spanish, so I am reading the scriptures in spanish and I hardly understand any of them, but it´s alright, I had a great study this morning because I was really struggling with everything, but somehow the Lord lead me to scriptures that still had the same impact on me, even in spanish. So then at 9 to 10 we have companion study, where all the elders in the house get together and we sing a hymn and share what we learned in personal study and then we practice and study in our companionships for what we are going to do that day. Then I´m supposed to have language study from 10 to 11 but since my comp is native I dont really have an opportunity to study the language. Then we will usually go to the cocinera or cook´s house and she will cook us lunch and then we begin proselyting, either contacting, meet up with investigators for lessons and so forth. We might return to the house once or twice to use the bathroom and get something to drink but usually we are out walking from noon to 9 every day, my feet, hips, back, and everything has never hurt so much before. But it´s great. Our apartment is pretty nice considering the circumstances, unfortunately all the elders I live with are really dirty, and they don´t flush the toilet or clean up after themselves, but its pretty nice, we have a living area sort of with no furniture a back yard 2 bathrooms and 2 bedrooms. It´s crazy, from the outside here all the houses look super small, but when you get in the inside they are really quite big, depending on your area. And, yes, all four of us live together. And I´m not sure what we do on Pdays because my last pday we had a conference for like 4 zones for christmas, but Monday isn´t our pday its just our internet day, on pday we might take a nap, do some study, and play soccer Im pretty sure, because soccer is huge here. They have two teams in CR Sopressa and Liga and you are either one or the other, you can´t not be a fan of either, so people will come up to you and ask you what color you are, it´s funny. I love my comp but I wish I could understand more of him. In lessons he is so powerful and spiritual and has a lot of knowledge of the gospel, we just have a huge communication gap. San Jose is crazy like I said, it´s just like one of those cities you see on like amazing race or something, cars going everywhere, people crossing the street everywhere, dogs roaming around, people honking, and shouting. Its hard to explain what it´s like, you just have to experience it. It is pretty modernized, it doesn´t look that way, but when you get inside buildings and stuff it´s a lot like the US. And, we mostly travel by foot, often times we take the bus because Tibás is a big area but it costs money for the bus so we try and walk as much as we can. Sometimes we take taxis but theyre so expensive we are really not supposed to. I haven´t seen much crawling stuff, just HUGE ants, and cockroaches is about all in the city. And we have zero food in our apartment so I haven´t had much for breakfast, in fact today was the only day I´ve eaten breakfast in the apt. since I got here, I had an apple that a member gave us yesterday. And when I called on friday it was from my apartment, in our living area we have a phone. My mission president is somewhere in San Jose, I´m not sure how close he is to Tibás but I imagine its about an 30 minute trip by taxi maybe an hour by bus. Oh man, about that assault, it was so scary, it was weird a man just jumped out from like a little ledge overlooking a river thing and just tried to steal this girls cell phone, we´re really not supposed to get involved in things like that so we turned around real quick, but the guy saw us and turned and ran away and the girls just walked off and continued to text like it was something that happens often. I get so scared everytime we walk past that area now, but nothing weird has happened since. My area in Tibás isn´t really that scary, it has some poorer parts that are freaky but not as bad as the other elders who have to go to a town called Leon 13 and that place FREAKS me out. Elder Nuñez took me there on the 24 and it was terrifying, everyone was drunk and lighting off fireworks, not a good combo. But so far for me, Leon 13 is the scariest so far I´ve been in, and it´s one of 2 places that is the most dangerous in CR.
Well, I hope that answers your questions. This first week on the field has been absolutely crazy. I understand what a sister missionary once told me about learning a language, first you cry and then you learn. I´ve had my moments where I just want to cry and break down and give up, but in those moments are times that I learn the most about myself, spanish, the gospel, and everything around me. I can honestly say this week has been THE hardest 7 days of my entire life. Absolutely without a doubt, but like I said earlier everytime I direct my focus on the Savior, it gets a little easier. Yesterday was a perfect example of that. We went to el Barrio de Tibás and had our normal church meetings, I didn´t understand ANY of it, but the bishop asked me to pass the sacrament, and me, not knowing what that sentence was in spanish, foolishly said yes, haha it was scary but It was good becasue there was only like 20 members there when the sacrament was passed. I then said the prayer in PH, which also terrified me, but everyone comes up to me and says that my pronunciation is good. After the meetings, a member could tell I was having a rough day and he asked me in his broken english, if I had prayed and I said yes, harder than I ever have prayed before, he said are you studying with your comp and I said no, and he said are you fasting, and I said no. So I´m going to try to fast, to get that extra help from my father in heaven to learn spanish. I feel once I know spanish it will all come easier, the traditions, the gospel, the food, everything. It was nice, he told me afterwards, you can do this, you are a missionary. ANd that struck me really hard, I am a missionary, called by a Prophet of God, I have God on my side, and with God nothing is impossible, absolutely nothing. There are no boundaries to the amount that I am capable of learning.
I really deeply and sincerely appreciate all you do for me, you are my rock and my comfort. Like it says in the Josh Groban song ´´you raise me up so I can stand on mountains, you raise me up to walk on stormy seas, I am strong when YOU are on MY shoulder, you raise me up to more than I can be´´ Thats so true and something I often think of when I get discouraged.
Yesterday was better after church because we went contacting with the Bishop who is super nice, I bore a few testimonies in our lessons and it was good, we also placed our first BOM since I´ve been here which is great. After a long day of walking we went to the Bishops house and had a nice dinner of tamales and good carmel milk drink because yesterday was FREEZING!
Well I am glad to hear that all is well at home, just know I am thinking of you DAILY here, and constantly looking to you all for strength. I couldn´t do it without you. I love you, you are in my prayers always and forever,
your son, brother, grandson, nephew, best friend, adopted son, and favorite Elder
Elder Falor
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
¡Hola mi familia!
Hello Family,
I hope this letter finds you well all the way from Costa Rica. Well, I arrived here about 2 pm (Costa Rica time) on Monday and it has been non stop crazy since. On Monday, as I said, we met the APs and they were really nice Elder Smith from Utah and Elder Centino from Nicaragua. Costa Rica is absolutely amazing and crazy at the same time. I cant believe I am here, but it is nothing like I imagined, don´t worry though, i am protected. On Monday we also ate dinner at Pres. Gálvez house and it was really good, then on Tuesday we went and got our fingerprints for our residency cards to live here. Then we had breakfast at the Presidents house, which also was really good, but i think my nerves are making me not very hungry, I havent ate much since i´ve been here, but i´m doing fine. We stayed with the APs in downtown San Jose which was an experience, I´ve never been in a city quite like this. I met my companion after a few hours of training on Tuesday, his name is Elder Bertrand, he is from Honduras and speaks little to no English, and I speak little to no spanish. It´s crazy, when I got here and listened to people speak, I felt like I learned nothing in the MTC, i said to myself this is a different spanish, not the spanish i learned, but I have a lot of work ahead of me if I am going to be successful with my spanish. My companion is awesome, he promised to teach me spanish if i would teach him english. They are putting more gringos togethere with nativos so that they can all be speaking two languages. My area is called Tibás I am in the City living with 2 other Elders, Elder Montierth from Boise, and Elder Nuñez from Honduras who also speaks no english. On Tuesday we took the taxi to our apartment and I put my luggage inside and immediately we were off to work, we went contacting and walking around because he isnt familiar with the area. We talked with about 4 people and made a few appointments to teach. My p-days will be on Mondays normally, but with the stream of new elders coming in on Monday we had it today after a really long but nice Christmas Multizone Conference. It was all in spanish, and I understood little to nothing, but it was good because the spirit was strong. Today I meet the Obispo or Bishop of the ward where we live, luckily the entire ward here speaks English. Its truly a humbling experience being in a completely different country where I dont understand anything, and have people look you up and down in a really weird way. Some people blatently ingore us as we come to the door and yell ¡upe! but others are really friendly. CR is the lowest baptizing mission in Central America but nonetheless they have tons of baptisms every month. Our focus as a mission is families and men who can be able to hold the priesthood, so we, as my companion says, looking for those of Gods children who look lost. I didnt say much as we contacted on Tuesday but I tried my best to communicate. Now I am sitting here in an internet cafe listening to the loudest traffic you´ll ever hear, with every body honking and yelling and speeding past. And I haven´t stopped thinking of you since I got on the plane at 5:30 on Monday. I´m so happy I was able to talk to you Mom for a few minutes on Monday, I can´t believe I cried that much, but even now I think of you and I start to get teary, when I think of all of you. I miss you a lot, and I feel very scared here in a totally different situation but I know its what Im supposed to do, where Im supposed to be. I look at my shoulder often now and I see you there cheering me on, it truly boosts me up. Well, I am happy, don´t get me wrong, I love what I´m doing it is just so different nothing I am ever used to before, but I know as my spanish improves I will be able to get into the swing of things. Mom HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW! Wow I sure do love you, and I´m sorry I couldnt be there for your birthday, but remember I am there in spirit and I will be thinking of you all day tomorrow. Remember you are loved even in Latin America by a really odd looking gringo walking the streets of Costa Rica and telling people about Jesus Christ. Haha. I hope you enjoy youre day and you all enjoy your holiday, now for what you are all probably waiting for, the call on Christmas. It will actually be on Christmas Eve at about 4 o clock CR time, i think it makes it 3 pm at home. You´ll probably have to buy a international phone card, in fact I would suggest it and you can call me at 01506(this is the number of the area) 2240-2042, I sure hope that works, and we´ll get to talk for as long as my companion will allow, but he is so chill Im sure he will let me talk for quite a bit. Once again the number is 01506 2240-2042, hopefully you can figure it out, I´m so excited to talk to you all. Well unfortunately my mission President has made a rule that we can only e-mail our families, but I will try to put little tidbits in my family e-mail for all of you! Mom, thanks for the christmas package, I can´t wait to open the letters on Saturday, but I did have to open all the presents in order for them all to fit into my bags, but i sure did like the temple calendar and the ties, thanks so much!
Maddison-thanks for all your support! I did get your package thanks so much! Unfortunately to make weight and to put everything into my bag i had to open all my christmas presents, but I loved them all thanks so much! Thanks for all your support while I was in the MTC and thanks for helping me get to CR you played a big part in getting me here, and I tell everyone here about you, even if it is in super broken spanish. It´s tough being here, I wont lie, but everytime I get sad or upset or i feel homesick, I just think about what I am here for, I am here to bring others closer to Christ who is my savior and theirs. When I think about that, all else just disappears and I am focused, It will take a little bit of time to get accustomed to a new culture, and a new language and new way of life, but I am excited for the next 22 months. Remember, I love you, you are in my prayers every night and I love the blanket! It really brings a piece of home with me. Tell your family I really appreciate their support and am so thankful to have them in my life. I´m so thankful for their examples and for yours. Stay strong and all remember I LOVE YOU! PS If you see Steph, by chance from Legacy House, tell her thanks so much for the packages, I really appreciated that.
BTW family, I you by chance want to send a package to CR, the only way that is best for you and for us is through USPS not UPS, DHL, or FedEx, they cost a whole bunch of money to drive into San Jose and pick them up, it´s just trouble, so if you want to send packages send them through USPS, ¡gracias!
Well I´m so excited to talk to you all, I know I will cry like a baby, but Im excited to hear all your voices again and get a little pick me up from home. I love you a lot! Don´t forget it. Don´t forget that our Heavenly Father loves you, that He knows you, just as He knows all His children. I love you so much! You are in my prayers!
Con amor, su hijo, amigo, y misionero favorito :)
Elder Falor
I hope this letter finds you well all the way from Costa Rica. Well, I arrived here about 2 pm (Costa Rica time) on Monday and it has been non stop crazy since. On Monday, as I said, we met the APs and they were really nice Elder Smith from Utah and Elder Centino from Nicaragua. Costa Rica is absolutely amazing and crazy at the same time. I cant believe I am here, but it is nothing like I imagined, don´t worry though, i am protected. On Monday we also ate dinner at Pres. Gálvez house and it was really good, then on Tuesday we went and got our fingerprints for our residency cards to live here. Then we had breakfast at the Presidents house, which also was really good, but i think my nerves are making me not very hungry, I havent ate much since i´ve been here, but i´m doing fine. We stayed with the APs in downtown San Jose which was an experience, I´ve never been in a city quite like this. I met my companion after a few hours of training on Tuesday, his name is Elder Bertrand, he is from Honduras and speaks little to no English, and I speak little to no spanish. It´s crazy, when I got here and listened to people speak, I felt like I learned nothing in the MTC, i said to myself this is a different spanish, not the spanish i learned, but I have a lot of work ahead of me if I am going to be successful with my spanish. My companion is awesome, he promised to teach me spanish if i would teach him english. They are putting more gringos togethere with nativos so that they can all be speaking two languages. My area is called Tibás I am in the City living with 2 other Elders, Elder Montierth from Boise, and Elder Nuñez from Honduras who also speaks no english. On Tuesday we took the taxi to our apartment and I put my luggage inside and immediately we were off to work, we went contacting and walking around because he isnt familiar with the area. We talked with about 4 people and made a few appointments to teach. My p-days will be on Mondays normally, but with the stream of new elders coming in on Monday we had it today after a really long but nice Christmas Multizone Conference. It was all in spanish, and I understood little to nothing, but it was good because the spirit was strong. Today I meet the Obispo or Bishop of the ward where we live, luckily the entire ward here speaks English. Its truly a humbling experience being in a completely different country where I dont understand anything, and have people look you up and down in a really weird way. Some people blatently ingore us as we come to the door and yell ¡upe! but others are really friendly. CR is the lowest baptizing mission in Central America but nonetheless they have tons of baptisms every month. Our focus as a mission is families and men who can be able to hold the priesthood, so we, as my companion says, looking for those of Gods children who look lost. I didnt say much as we contacted on Tuesday but I tried my best to communicate. Now I am sitting here in an internet cafe listening to the loudest traffic you´ll ever hear, with every body honking and yelling and speeding past. And I haven´t stopped thinking of you since I got on the plane at 5:30 on Monday. I´m so happy I was able to talk to you Mom for a few minutes on Monday, I can´t believe I cried that much, but even now I think of you and I start to get teary, when I think of all of you. I miss you a lot, and I feel very scared here in a totally different situation but I know its what Im supposed to do, where Im supposed to be. I look at my shoulder often now and I see you there cheering me on, it truly boosts me up. Well, I am happy, don´t get me wrong, I love what I´m doing it is just so different nothing I am ever used to before, but I know as my spanish improves I will be able to get into the swing of things. Mom HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW! Wow I sure do love you, and I´m sorry I couldnt be there for your birthday, but remember I am there in spirit and I will be thinking of you all day tomorrow. Remember you are loved even in Latin America by a really odd looking gringo walking the streets of Costa Rica and telling people about Jesus Christ. Haha. I hope you enjoy youre day and you all enjoy your holiday, now for what you are all probably waiting for, the call on Christmas. It will actually be on Christmas Eve at about 4 o clock CR time, i think it makes it 3 pm at home. You´ll probably have to buy a international phone card, in fact I would suggest it and you can call me at 01506(this is the number of the area) 2240-2042, I sure hope that works, and we´ll get to talk for as long as my companion will allow, but he is so chill Im sure he will let me talk for quite a bit. Once again the number is 01506 2240-2042, hopefully you can figure it out, I´m so excited to talk to you all. Well unfortunately my mission President has made a rule that we can only e-mail our families, but I will try to put little tidbits in my family e-mail for all of you! Mom, thanks for the christmas package, I can´t wait to open the letters on Saturday, but I did have to open all the presents in order for them all to fit into my bags, but i sure did like the temple calendar and the ties, thanks so much!
Maddison-thanks for all your support! I did get your package thanks so much! Unfortunately to make weight and to put everything into my bag i had to open all my christmas presents, but I loved them all thanks so much! Thanks for all your support while I was in the MTC and thanks for helping me get to CR you played a big part in getting me here, and I tell everyone here about you, even if it is in super broken spanish. It´s tough being here, I wont lie, but everytime I get sad or upset or i feel homesick, I just think about what I am here for, I am here to bring others closer to Christ who is my savior and theirs. When I think about that, all else just disappears and I am focused, It will take a little bit of time to get accustomed to a new culture, and a new language and new way of life, but I am excited for the next 22 months. Remember, I love you, you are in my prayers every night and I love the blanket! It really brings a piece of home with me. Tell your family I really appreciate their support and am so thankful to have them in my life. I´m so thankful for their examples and for yours. Stay strong and all remember I LOVE YOU! PS If you see Steph, by chance from Legacy House, tell her thanks so much for the packages, I really appreciated that.
BTW family, I you by chance want to send a package to CR, the only way that is best for you and for us is through USPS not UPS, DHL, or FedEx, they cost a whole bunch of money to drive into San Jose and pick them up, it´s just trouble, so if you want to send packages send them through USPS, ¡gracias!
Well I´m so excited to talk to you all, I know I will cry like a baby, but Im excited to hear all your voices again and get a little pick me up from home. I love you a lot! Don´t forget it. Don´t forget that our Heavenly Father loves you, that He knows you, just as He knows all His children. I love you so much! You are in my prayers!
Con amor, su hijo, amigo, y misionero favorito :)
Elder Falor
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Last week in the MTC!
Hello Family!
I hope this letter finds you all doing well! So I got my travel plans last Thursday! I will be leaving the MTC this coming Monday the 20th. And Mom, don't worry, not only will I be with the 4 elders from my district going to CR but we are traveling in a group of 16 missionaries all going to CR! So I will be plenty safe, guided, and protected. We leave our dorms at 2:45 in the morning so as to get to the travel offices here at 3 and our first flight leaves SLC at 5:30 AM, I don't know how much time I will have to call, but my Branch President said since it's so close to Christmast it will only be about 10 minutes depending on the layover, which mine is really short. So I will call at SLC anywhere from 4:00 to 5:00 AM, I'm sorry, I know it's early but I will be glad to talk to you all for a little while and then again on Saturday. I land in Houston at 9:32 aprox. and we leave there at 10:20 and should land in Costa Rica around 2:00 PM on monday. So should I call 7643170 on monday or the house phone or what? I'm so excited to hear from you!
Mom, I got your package, AH! thanks so much! The krantz were amazing as always, and thanks for sending me the dictionary that will be really helpful. The krantz were really good and reminded me of some good home cooking just before I have to get used to rice and beans for two years, YUM. But I am really excited because I'm growing sicker and sicker of the MTC food as the days pass. Also, I will be sending a package home full of things I will not need in CR (my 2nd suit, sweats, sweatshirt, etc..) So just keep an eye out for that. Also, mom if some money comes out of my account on monday it's because I will need some more money for baggage, i still have some stuff leftover that you gave me when I came in here, but I will be taking out extra just in case. And, I did get your pictures, I thought I mentioned that it was great to see all you, but I'm sorry if I didn't, I did get them and they were so great to have! Also mom, as I head to CR I realize that I wont be receiving dear elders like I have here, and that's okay, but one thing that has helped me this far is a part from that song "You'll be in my heart" that I had you listen to prior to my mission that I sing in my head from time to time: "when destiny calls you, you must be strong, I may not be with you, but you got to hold on"..I am exactly where I am supposed to be right now, and we are both away from each other which has never been the case in the last 20 years, but we've got to hold on, God has many blessings in store for us and he's just waiting for us to receive them. Stay strong, and remember you're always in my heart. :) P.s. Tell Kristie that i really enjoyed her letter and gift, give her a big thank you and a hug!
Holli, I'm sorry I dont have my address book with your e-mail on it, but I want you to know that I appreciate your letter, it was so great to hear from you, I'm glad you're doing better, I pray for you every single time I pray and you are always thought of. I hope that you continue to do well and stay strong! You will make an excellent mommy, I just know it and I can't wait for you to experience that. Stay strong and remember that I love you so much. Good luck!
So family, I made it a whole big 8 weeks here at the MTC, it's been tough to say goodbye to previous elders and it will be hard to say goodbye to half my district who leave tomorrow. We made our last temple trip today, we had our last choir practice, our last devotional last night, and our last TRC is tonight. It's crazy how fast time flies, and before we know it, I'll be going down that escalator and we will see each other again. I'm doing absolutly great, I can't even fathom how much I have learned while being here, It's insane and I have so much to learn. So my comp and I just got finished giving a blessing to one of the HErmanas in our zone, and I gave the blessing. It was so amazing! The spirit worked through me and I felt that she was comforted in her hard time. See, look at that! Look how much different I am now, 15 months ago, I would have never dared do that, not if my life depended on it. The Lord really has power to change us, for the better, I love who I am now as a Disciple of Jesus Christ, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere than here, learning how to spread the good news of the gospel in SPANISH to the people of Costa Rica. We had a great week here at the MTC last wednesday me and my companion welcomed the new district in and we are doing it again tonight as Zone Leaders. It's a lot of responsibility but I'm glad for the opportunity to serve. I am so thrilled to get to costa rica, even though tengo un poco miedo, but all will be well! I know the Lord knows me, I know I am his son, I know I was called of Him to declare his word to the People of Costa Rica, as if he were there Himself.
So this is my last p-day at the MTC, next time I write you I will be in Costa Rica, thank you all for the blessings you have given me and that I feel DAILY here at the MTC. I love my family. I love my God, and My Savior Jesus Christ. I know they live, I know they love me, and they love you, and all of the people on earth.
God be with you till we meet again, I love you family and friends :) stay strong
Elder Falor
I hope this letter finds you all doing well! So I got my travel plans last Thursday! I will be leaving the MTC this coming Monday the 20th. And Mom, don't worry, not only will I be with the 4 elders from my district going to CR but we are traveling in a group of 16 missionaries all going to CR! So I will be plenty safe, guided, and protected. We leave our dorms at 2:45 in the morning so as to get to the travel offices here at 3 and our first flight leaves SLC at 5:30 AM, I don't know how much time I will have to call, but my Branch President said since it's so close to Christmast it will only be about 10 minutes depending on the layover, which mine is really short. So I will call at SLC anywhere from 4:00 to 5:00 AM, I'm sorry, I know it's early but I will be glad to talk to you all for a little while and then again on Saturday. I land in Houston at 9:32 aprox. and we leave there at 10:20 and should land in Costa Rica around 2:00 PM on monday. So should I call 7643170 on monday or the house phone or what? I'm so excited to hear from you!
Mom, I got your package, AH! thanks so much! The krantz were amazing as always, and thanks for sending me the dictionary that will be really helpful. The krantz were really good and reminded me of some good home cooking just before I have to get used to rice and beans for two years, YUM. But I am really excited because I'm growing sicker and sicker of the MTC food as the days pass. Also, I will be sending a package home full of things I will not need in CR (my 2nd suit, sweats, sweatshirt, etc..) So just keep an eye out for that. Also, mom if some money comes out of my account on monday it's because I will need some more money for baggage, i still have some stuff leftover that you gave me when I came in here, but I will be taking out extra just in case. And, I did get your pictures, I thought I mentioned that it was great to see all you, but I'm sorry if I didn't, I did get them and they were so great to have! Also mom, as I head to CR I realize that I wont be receiving dear elders like I have here, and that's okay, but one thing that has helped me this far is a part from that song "You'll be in my heart" that I had you listen to prior to my mission that I sing in my head from time to time: "when destiny calls you, you must be strong, I may not be with you, but you got to hold on"..I am exactly where I am supposed to be right now, and we are both away from each other which has never been the case in the last 20 years, but we've got to hold on, God has many blessings in store for us and he's just waiting for us to receive them. Stay strong, and remember you're always in my heart. :) P.s. Tell Kristie that i really enjoyed her letter and gift, give her a big thank you and a hug!
Holli, I'm sorry I dont have my address book with your e-mail on it, but I want you to know that I appreciate your letter, it was so great to hear from you, I'm glad you're doing better, I pray for you every single time I pray and you are always thought of. I hope that you continue to do well and stay strong! You will make an excellent mommy, I just know it and I can't wait for you to experience that. Stay strong and remember that I love you so much. Good luck!
So family, I made it a whole big 8 weeks here at the MTC, it's been tough to say goodbye to previous elders and it will be hard to say goodbye to half my district who leave tomorrow. We made our last temple trip today, we had our last choir practice, our last devotional last night, and our last TRC is tonight. It's crazy how fast time flies, and before we know it, I'll be going down that escalator and we will see each other again. I'm doing absolutly great, I can't even fathom how much I have learned while being here, It's insane and I have so much to learn. So my comp and I just got finished giving a blessing to one of the HErmanas in our zone, and I gave the blessing. It was so amazing! The spirit worked through me and I felt that she was comforted in her hard time. See, look at that! Look how much different I am now, 15 months ago, I would have never dared do that, not if my life depended on it. The Lord really has power to change us, for the better, I love who I am now as a Disciple of Jesus Christ, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere than here, learning how to spread the good news of the gospel in SPANISH to the people of Costa Rica. We had a great week here at the MTC last wednesday me and my companion welcomed the new district in and we are doing it again tonight as Zone Leaders. It's a lot of responsibility but I'm glad for the opportunity to serve. I am so thrilled to get to costa rica, even though tengo un poco miedo, but all will be well! I know the Lord knows me, I know I am his son, I know I was called of Him to declare his word to the People of Costa Rica, as if he were there Himself.
So this is my last p-day at the MTC, next time I write you I will be in Costa Rica, thank you all for the blessings you have given me and that I feel DAILY here at the MTC. I love my family. I love my God, and My Savior Jesus Christ. I know they live, I know they love me, and they love you, and all of the people on earth.
God be with you till we meet again, I love you family and friends :) stay strong
Elder Falor
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
7 weeks
Hello Family,
Mom to answer your questions, I don't mind getting my package here at the MTC, I was actually going to say that anyway, becasue this is the only SURE place that I will receive it, but the last day to send packages is the 22nd to the MTC so I should be out of here by then but we'll see, so send it and that would be wonderful :) And yes, I did try that licorice, and it was amazing! I knew I would love it, because we have similar tastes, haha. And I will be keeping this e-mail throughout my entire mission so if people want it they can have it, just remind them that I might not respond by e-mail, it will be handwritten if possible, but i willl do all I can to write back.
Well family, I really enjoyed hearing from you all this week as usual. It was a great week here, I can't believe its been 7 already and I'm beginning my LAST WEEK HERE! It's scary to think about beign in Costa Rica soon because my spanish is no where near where I want it to be, but I know the Lord will lift me up and strengthen me. I haven't received my flight plans yet, but some elders in my district have, the Costa Rican elderes and the Spain elder are still waiting for Visas and flight plans. But mostly likely I should get them today and I will write you if I do. I can only call home in one airport, so if I have a layover in somewhere other than Salt Lake do you want me to call there or at Salt Lake? This question is directed more at mom, but I would just want to know which one you would prefer. Just let me know and I will give you the details of what will be happening and where you should be when I call. Well now I am beginning my 8th week here, and the work doesn't stop, we keep pushing harder and harder, our entire days are filled with spanish and gospel study, our teachers don't even speak english to us anymore it's really amazing the things I can understand. Of course our teachers speak slower for us, but we still understand, what an amazing gift!
We had our usual Tues Devo last night and it was spectacular! I learned so much to help me become a better missionary and better serve the Lord. I have a lot of work but I know I can do it. On Fast sunday, I bore my testimony, I was the first one up because after last month I decided to NEVER EVER miss an opportunity to bear my testimony. So from now on if the spirit directs me I WILL bear my testimony. My testimony went surprisingly well, my spanish just flowed from my mouth and I felt the spirit working through me.
We're saying goodbye to 4 elders tomorrow who are going to the Dominican Republic, then 5 more next tuesday going to Boise and then 4 from my distrito going to Nicaragua. But good news! We are getting a new district today and me and elder Bagley have to introduce them and take them on a tour of MTC as their Zone Leaders. It's hard being a zone leader and having so much responsibility, people don't like to listen to us sometimes when we have to get them in their rooms for bed, but all is going well.
I'm so grateful to be on a mission, honestly I don't want to be anywhere else than where I am now. The rest of my life depends on how I use these next two years, everything will stem off of these moments at the MTC and the rest in Costa Rica, how I choose to obey and how I choose to learn and teach determines EVERYTHING and it's so crucial to be a missionary at this time where the Gospel is needed even more. I'm doing excellent, I almost got sick but drank almost 2 gallons of water a day and washed it all away, so I'm doing better now.
I love you all very much and I want you to know how much I truly appreciate each and every one of you. I printed some pictures of the day I entered the MTC and I look back at that day and see you all and how special you are to me. I also see myself and can't believe how much I've changed, I'm a completely different person. And I hope that you are all doing well, I pray for you everynight as much as I can in my broken spanish and I hope you can feel the Lord's hand in your lives, he's waiting for you to grab hold and he will take you to a height that is unattainable alone. I couldn't do this journey without him, not only my mission, but this life is incredibly hard without him. I encourage each of you to grab a hold, and don't let go. I know its corny but it's something I've definitely come to realize since coming here, I'm nothing without him, I'm nothing without my family, and it's truly a humbling experience.
Never foget how much your loved, and how much influence you are making on me each and everyday, I'm truly inspired because of all of you, you life me up by your love and support, I am who I am thanks to you. I owe everything I could possibly give to the amazing people in my life.
I love you all more than life itself, I pray you will find his hand, and that he can help you as he's helped me.
Stay strong! Don't forget who you are, children of God, that's the greatest lineage we could ask for :)
Love, Elder Falor
Mom to answer your questions, I don't mind getting my package here at the MTC, I was actually going to say that anyway, becasue this is the only SURE place that I will receive it, but the last day to send packages is the 22nd to the MTC so I should be out of here by then but we'll see, so send it and that would be wonderful :) And yes, I did try that licorice, and it was amazing! I knew I would love it, because we have similar tastes, haha. And I will be keeping this e-mail throughout my entire mission so if people want it they can have it, just remind them that I might not respond by e-mail, it will be handwritten if possible, but i willl do all I can to write back.
Well family, I really enjoyed hearing from you all this week as usual. It was a great week here, I can't believe its been 7 already and I'm beginning my LAST WEEK HERE! It's scary to think about beign in Costa Rica soon because my spanish is no where near where I want it to be, but I know the Lord will lift me up and strengthen me. I haven't received my flight plans yet, but some elders in my district have, the Costa Rican elderes and the Spain elder are still waiting for Visas and flight plans. But mostly likely I should get them today and I will write you if I do. I can only call home in one airport, so if I have a layover in somewhere other than Salt Lake do you want me to call there or at Salt Lake? This question is directed more at mom, but I would just want to know which one you would prefer. Just let me know and I will give you the details of what will be happening and where you should be when I call. Well now I am beginning my 8th week here, and the work doesn't stop, we keep pushing harder and harder, our entire days are filled with spanish and gospel study, our teachers don't even speak english to us anymore it's really amazing the things I can understand. Of course our teachers speak slower for us, but we still understand, what an amazing gift!
We had our usual Tues Devo last night and it was spectacular! I learned so much to help me become a better missionary and better serve the Lord. I have a lot of work but I know I can do it. On Fast sunday, I bore my testimony, I was the first one up because after last month I decided to NEVER EVER miss an opportunity to bear my testimony. So from now on if the spirit directs me I WILL bear my testimony. My testimony went surprisingly well, my spanish just flowed from my mouth and I felt the spirit working through me.
We're saying goodbye to 4 elders tomorrow who are going to the Dominican Republic, then 5 more next tuesday going to Boise and then 4 from my distrito going to Nicaragua. But good news! We are getting a new district today and me and elder Bagley have to introduce them and take them on a tour of MTC as their Zone Leaders. It's hard being a zone leader and having so much responsibility, people don't like to listen to us sometimes when we have to get them in their rooms for bed, but all is going well.
I'm so grateful to be on a mission, honestly I don't want to be anywhere else than where I am now. The rest of my life depends on how I use these next two years, everything will stem off of these moments at the MTC and the rest in Costa Rica, how I choose to obey and how I choose to learn and teach determines EVERYTHING and it's so crucial to be a missionary at this time where the Gospel is needed even more. I'm doing excellent, I almost got sick but drank almost 2 gallons of water a day and washed it all away, so I'm doing better now.
I love you all very much and I want you to know how much I truly appreciate each and every one of you. I printed some pictures of the day I entered the MTC and I look back at that day and see you all and how special you are to me. I also see myself and can't believe how much I've changed, I'm a completely different person. And I hope that you are all doing well, I pray for you everynight as much as I can in my broken spanish and I hope you can feel the Lord's hand in your lives, he's waiting for you to grab hold and he will take you to a height that is unattainable alone. I couldn't do this journey without him, not only my mission, but this life is incredibly hard without him. I encourage each of you to grab a hold, and don't let go. I know its corny but it's something I've definitely come to realize since coming here, I'm nothing without him, I'm nothing without my family, and it's truly a humbling experience.
Never foget how much your loved, and how much influence you are making on me each and everyday, I'm truly inspired because of all of you, you life me up by your love and support, I am who I am thanks to you. I owe everything I could possibly give to the amazing people in my life.
I love you all more than life itself, I pray you will find his hand, and that he can help you as he's helped me.
Stay strong! Don't forget who you are, children of God, that's the greatest lineage we could ask for :)
Love, Elder Falor
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
I love you family!
Hola mi querido familia!
How are you all doing this week? How was thanksgiving? I'm sure it was great as always. I love you all so much and I think about each of you daily and am reminded of the great love I have from my family back at home. My thanksgiving in the MTC was interesting but very good. We had a bunch of firesides and meetings, our first Devotional was with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve, It is so amazing to see all these apostles at the MTC that was my 4th apostle since I've been here, and that NEVER happens. The Lord is trying to tell his missionaries something, He is preparing us for His work which is no small task as I've came to find out here. After the Devo we did some humanitarian aid where we as missionaries traced, cut out, sewed together and stocked with school supplies 33,788 backpacks for kids in the US who need school supplies. It was such a special feeling to know that the backpack you were working on would soon bless the life of some child who desperately needed it, and they can be reminded how much the Lord loves them, and that we are aware of them and are doing all we can to help. It was a special day, it was different than any other thanksgiving I've ever had, but it was something special that I will never forget. It makes me want to do humanitarian stuff with the Church when I get older and off my mission.
Mom - Thanks so much for your support with my clothes, it's been a long week but after some dry cleaning and many times through the wash a few of my garments made it through, but I lost 4 shirts, which they will be replacing asap, I bought two extra pairs of garments which hopefullly the laundry facility will reimburse me for. So no worries, all is well. I'm doing great here, I'm learning more and more about myself and each and everyday I shed a little more off of my old self and am being made new in this great work. The Lord has blessed me IMMENSELY this week, my spanish has really picked up, my companion and I went from teaching 5 lessons in spanish to 14 in one week, and I know it's because of the Lord that this has come to pass. My first week as zone leader was a success, It's a lot of pressure, a lot of responsibility but I know that the Lord has great things in store for me, andt his is just another one of those layers that will be taken off sooner or later. I love you more than words can describe :)
Dad - I think about you so much while here at the MTC, you are always on my mind I can see this gospel blessing my life and I know it will bless yours, I think of the struggles we've experienced and the hard times, and I wonder how any of us survived without the Gospel, God truly hears His children's prayers, He answers them. I KNOW that if you call on God, He will reply. I know when you place your burdens on the Savior, He will boost you up and make you strong enough to carry it. I want you to know I have a strong testimony of this Gospel and of OUR Heavenly Father, He's aware of you Dad, He knows you better than you know yourself, and He's waiting anxiously for you to ask Him for help, He's waiting to bless you, He has many blessings in store for you and for our family. I know this, and I've seen the amazing different and impact my life has had since bringing my life closer to my Heavenly Father. I care about you a ton, and I love you, I think about you and talk about you everyday, you inspire me and you have blessed my life so much! I love you, don't forget it.
Also, Mom, I don't know whether or not I have my Visa, odds are it's not yet, but usually they give flight plans before you get your visa, so I should get the plans soon. So this week we said goodbye to another District in our Zone and It was sad, I felt like I was saying goodbye to more family, they (Elder Wixom, Bourgeous, Johnston and McClleland) Became my brothers, It was sad, but I know that they are going to the place where the Lord needs them. I'm gaining so many great friendships here and I am having the time of my life, I honestly wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now (Except, maybe Costa Rica :))
I'm safe I'm blessed and the Lord knows me, don't worry about me when I head to Costa Rica, I know it will be tough to not understand exactly where I am or where I am going but know this, The Lord truly blesses His missionaries, Read Doctrine and Covenants 84:88. God is all around me and he is lifting me and boosting me each and everyday. Please don't worry about me, just know that I am doing His work, serving His children and I will be blessed for it.
I love you family! So much, I know this gospel is true and I love it as well. I thank each and everyone of you for your example and for your love. I know that if we come unto Christ and come unto God we will be blessed. I know that after we have done all we absolutely can do, God will pick up the slack and perfect us a little more each day, until we reach the point where we walk back into His presence and His embrace once again. (2 Nephi 25:23 one of my new favorite scriptures) I shouldn't apologize for sounding like a preacher, because that is what I've been called to do, I've been called to spread this glorious message to the people who DESERVE it, you all deserve it, you deserve to witness God's great love for His children, and you deserve to feel the happiness that I am feeling now. Don't forget you are loved, don't ever forget that you are in my prayers and that every little tender mercy, everything that is meant to make you grow and progress is from God, and depending on how we take it and use if for our benefit will depend on our success in life. I know all this are possible with God, I know I can accomplish miracles with his help, I know once again that this work is true.
Keep up the letters! They mean the world!
I love you tons!
Elder Falor
How are you all doing this week? How was thanksgiving? I'm sure it was great as always. I love you all so much and I think about each of you daily and am reminded of the great love I have from my family back at home. My thanksgiving in the MTC was interesting but very good. We had a bunch of firesides and meetings, our first Devotional was with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve, It is so amazing to see all these apostles at the MTC that was my 4th apostle since I've been here, and that NEVER happens. The Lord is trying to tell his missionaries something, He is preparing us for His work which is no small task as I've came to find out here. After the Devo we did some humanitarian aid where we as missionaries traced, cut out, sewed together and stocked with school supplies 33,788 backpacks for kids in the US who need school supplies. It was such a special feeling to know that the backpack you were working on would soon bless the life of some child who desperately needed it, and they can be reminded how much the Lord loves them, and that we are aware of them and are doing all we can to help. It was a special day, it was different than any other thanksgiving I've ever had, but it was something special that I will never forget. It makes me want to do humanitarian stuff with the Church when I get older and off my mission.
Mom - Thanks so much for your support with my clothes, it's been a long week but after some dry cleaning and many times through the wash a few of my garments made it through, but I lost 4 shirts, which they will be replacing asap, I bought two extra pairs of garments which hopefullly the laundry facility will reimburse me for. So no worries, all is well. I'm doing great here, I'm learning more and more about myself and each and everyday I shed a little more off of my old self and am being made new in this great work. The Lord has blessed me IMMENSELY this week, my spanish has really picked up, my companion and I went from teaching 5 lessons in spanish to 14 in one week, and I know it's because of the Lord that this has come to pass. My first week as zone leader was a success, It's a lot of pressure, a lot of responsibility but I know that the Lord has great things in store for me, andt his is just another one of those layers that will be taken off sooner or later. I love you more than words can describe :)
Dad - I think about you so much while here at the MTC, you are always on my mind I can see this gospel blessing my life and I know it will bless yours, I think of the struggles we've experienced and the hard times, and I wonder how any of us survived without the Gospel, God truly hears His children's prayers, He answers them. I KNOW that if you call on God, He will reply. I know when you place your burdens on the Savior, He will boost you up and make you strong enough to carry it. I want you to know I have a strong testimony of this Gospel and of OUR Heavenly Father, He's aware of you Dad, He knows you better than you know yourself, and He's waiting anxiously for you to ask Him for help, He's waiting to bless you, He has many blessings in store for you and for our family. I know this, and I've seen the amazing different and impact my life has had since bringing my life closer to my Heavenly Father. I care about you a ton, and I love you, I think about you and talk about you everyday, you inspire me and you have blessed my life so much! I love you, don't forget it.
Also, Mom, I don't know whether or not I have my Visa, odds are it's not yet, but usually they give flight plans before you get your visa, so I should get the plans soon. So this week we said goodbye to another District in our Zone and It was sad, I felt like I was saying goodbye to more family, they (Elder Wixom, Bourgeous, Johnston and McClleland) Became my brothers, It was sad, but I know that they are going to the place where the Lord needs them. I'm gaining so many great friendships here and I am having the time of my life, I honestly wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now (Except, maybe Costa Rica :))
I'm safe I'm blessed and the Lord knows me, don't worry about me when I head to Costa Rica, I know it will be tough to not understand exactly where I am or where I am going but know this, The Lord truly blesses His missionaries, Read Doctrine and Covenants 84:88. God is all around me and he is lifting me and boosting me each and everyday. Please don't worry about me, just know that I am doing His work, serving His children and I will be blessed for it.
I love you family! So much, I know this gospel is true and I love it as well. I thank each and everyone of you for your example and for your love. I know that if we come unto Christ and come unto God we will be blessed. I know that after we have done all we absolutely can do, God will pick up the slack and perfect us a little more each day, until we reach the point where we walk back into His presence and His embrace once again. (2 Nephi 25:23 one of my new favorite scriptures) I shouldn't apologize for sounding like a preacher, because that is what I've been called to do, I've been called to spread this glorious message to the people who DESERVE it, you all deserve it, you deserve to witness God's great love for His children, and you deserve to feel the happiness that I am feeling now. Don't forget you are loved, don't ever forget that you are in my prayers and that every little tender mercy, everything that is meant to make you grow and progress is from God, and depending on how we take it and use if for our benefit will depend on our success in life. I know all this are possible with God, I know I can accomplish miracles with his help, I know once again that this work is true.
Keep up the letters! They mean the world!
I love you tons!
Elder Falor
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Zone Leader
Hola Familia!
How is everyone doing? Once again, it's so great to hear from you all each day, I love your letters and all the support I feel from you. I just got back from another session at the Provo Temple and it's FREEZING outside! Which makes the walk even longer. It snowed only a little here, members of the MTC presidency have warned us to be careful because of the big storm coming and so far its been a wimpy storm here, I hope and pray you are all safe and well. Well this week has been super interesting, so many amazing things have happened I don't quite know where to start. First off I guess I can start off with sunday, My companion (Elder Bagley) and i have been called as Zone Leaders for our branch, It's a big responsibility but I'm happy and willing to serve as a leader of the Zone. Our first night as zone leaders we were having some problems with the Russian missionaries on the floor upstairs, and we went up there with the other zone leaders (Bourgeous y Wixom) and the whole floor of russian and other european missionaries wanted to start a fight with us, I was so scared and worried, but luckily Elder Bourgeous is a big man and he is super tough, luckily nothing happened and all is well, that was just my first scary experience being a zone leader. The Lord definitely wants to make a change inside of me, and It's time for me to step up and make that change for him.
Also, on Sunday my distrito sang MY FAVORITE hymn, in spanish in front of the zone. Come Thou Found in Espanol, it was a great experience, also, I blessed the sacrament in spanish! Crazy because I had only blessed it once in english and now I'm doing it in spanish, the Lord truly blesses my life and I can feel it every single day.
With Thanksgiving I have SO MUCH to be thankful for, I think about you all everyday and I'm so glad to have that support system back home, thanks for the package! And all the letters, everything arrived safe and I can say I am truly spoiled! I loved your turkey letters! They almost made me cry, It was great to hear from all my grandparents, my parents, siblings, cousin and my beautiful little niece! I also got a package from the allens on the same day, man, am I one lucky missionary to have all this support back home. I love you all! And I am so thankful for you! Have a great thanksgiving! Remember I love you, never forget it.
So mom, to answer your questions my days at the MTC are all pretty much the same, my companion and I go to bed at 1030 and wake up super early at 6 to get a shower before everyone else wakes up at 630 and then depending on the day we might do service, go to gym, go to class or go to the temple. It's so fun here, and I'm really enjoying all my amazing experiences. And yes, I see zayn and jana ALL the time, we always greet each other in spanish it's so good to see some familiar faces from home. Also, my district and I have lots of time to talk, we are always getting to know each other, and they are seriously my good friends now, I enjoy their company and their strong testimonies. Thanks for the quote book mom, an Elder in my distrito and I love quotes and we are always sharing them with each other, so that is good that I have that.
So yesterday, we had our usual tuesday Devo and Elder Per G. Malm from the Seventy came and it was so spiritual as always. What was special about this meeting was It was my first time singing in the choir, I sang come thou fount (if you couldn't tell its my absolute favorite song :)) And it was so special, I love that song so much, it has such a great meaning, and it made me realize that I need to give my heart to the Lord, so he can seal it for me, and make me a stronger person, missionary, friend, and disciple of Jesus Christ.
My spanish is coming, I struggle often with it because I want to express myself the same way I do in English, I love talking and bearing testimony in spanish, and I do it as often as I can. We've been teaching in Spanish all week in preparation for today where we teach an investigator in Spanish. I don't feel as ready as i want but I know the Lord and the Spirit will fill in the gaps. I love being a tool in the hands of my Father in Heaven and I cannot wait to get out of this cold and go to the warm tropics to serve the people of Costa Rica!
Dad! I love you a lot, thanks for your letter it was so good to hear from you, It's alright that you get emotional, I talk about you often here and I get really emotional, I miss you, stay strong and give mom a hug for me!
Mom! I am so grateful for you, you mean the WORLD to me. The other night I walked out of class and looked at the sky and the song that says "When I look to the sky, something tells me you're here with me, and I can ALWAYS find my way where you are here" And I immediately thought of you, how you're with me now, we're having this journey together, and no matter the circumstances with you by my side I can ALWAYS find my way, and now every night after class walking back to the dorms, I sing that song and think of you, not only as my amazing mother, but as a daugher of our Heavenly Father, I have so much love for you, I can't imagine the love our Father in Heaven has for you. It's truly amazing. Thanks for all your support in writing me, It really makes it easier to carry on with you there.
Grandma and Grandpa Long! Thanks so much for your letter! Take it easy on thanksgiving and remember I love you and am so thankful for you both! Stay safe and strong! Love you Lots!
Grandma and Grandpa Falor! You have no idea how grateful I am to hear from you, It is so special to have those little turkey hands with me, I've read them several times since I got them. Grandpa, stay safe and in good health and remember I love you a lot! Grandma, I know you're doing a great job taking care of grandpa, you're an amazing woman and I love you as well.
Chelsey and Mason! I love you both! I can't wait to get your pictures, thanks for being so awesome, keep writing me I love to hear from you. P.s Chels! your spanish sounds great :)
Holli and Andrew! You two are so awesome! Thanks tons for all you do! It's great to hear from you, please keep me updated on the baby and all thats going on, good luck! Have a great thanksgiving! i'm so thankful for you and I love you a lot!
Kory, Amy, and Parkie! You are all so amazing! Thanks for setting such a great example to me and being great siblings, thanks for having parker, haah, she is so cute, i brag to everyone about her, because she is probably the cutest child anyone will ever meet. Haha, but really, I love you all, stay safe!
And all others who are supporting me, remember I love you, remember you're Father in Heaven Loves you, remember that, and don't ever forget it. It's what keeps me going each and everyday.
I love you all, beyond my capability to express, and I pray for you (in spanish :)) And I am constantly thinking of you, you are the reason I'm here, you're the reason I am who I am, and I'm so thankful for that.
Love you all,
Your favorite Elder (jk)
Elder Falor
How is everyone doing? Once again, it's so great to hear from you all each day, I love your letters and all the support I feel from you. I just got back from another session at the Provo Temple and it's FREEZING outside! Which makes the walk even longer. It snowed only a little here, members of the MTC presidency have warned us to be careful because of the big storm coming and so far its been a wimpy storm here, I hope and pray you are all safe and well. Well this week has been super interesting, so many amazing things have happened I don't quite know where to start. First off I guess I can start off with sunday, My companion (Elder Bagley) and i have been called as Zone Leaders for our branch, It's a big responsibility but I'm happy and willing to serve as a leader of the Zone. Our first night as zone leaders we were having some problems with the Russian missionaries on the floor upstairs, and we went up there with the other zone leaders (Bourgeous y Wixom) and the whole floor of russian and other european missionaries wanted to start a fight with us, I was so scared and worried, but luckily Elder Bourgeous is a big man and he is super tough, luckily nothing happened and all is well, that was just my first scary experience being a zone leader. The Lord definitely wants to make a change inside of me, and It's time for me to step up and make that change for him.
Also, on Sunday my distrito sang MY FAVORITE hymn, in spanish in front of the zone. Come Thou Found in Espanol, it was a great experience, also, I blessed the sacrament in spanish! Crazy because I had only blessed it once in english and now I'm doing it in spanish, the Lord truly blesses my life and I can feel it every single day.
With Thanksgiving I have SO MUCH to be thankful for, I think about you all everyday and I'm so glad to have that support system back home, thanks for the package! And all the letters, everything arrived safe and I can say I am truly spoiled! I loved your turkey letters! They almost made me cry, It was great to hear from all my grandparents, my parents, siblings, cousin and my beautiful little niece! I also got a package from the allens on the same day, man, am I one lucky missionary to have all this support back home. I love you all! And I am so thankful for you! Have a great thanksgiving! Remember I love you, never forget it.
So mom, to answer your questions my days at the MTC are all pretty much the same, my companion and I go to bed at 1030 and wake up super early at 6 to get a shower before everyone else wakes up at 630 and then depending on the day we might do service, go to gym, go to class or go to the temple. It's so fun here, and I'm really enjoying all my amazing experiences. And yes, I see zayn and jana ALL the time, we always greet each other in spanish it's so good to see some familiar faces from home. Also, my district and I have lots of time to talk, we are always getting to know each other, and they are seriously my good friends now, I enjoy their company and their strong testimonies. Thanks for the quote book mom, an Elder in my distrito and I love quotes and we are always sharing them with each other, so that is good that I have that.
So yesterday, we had our usual tuesday Devo and Elder Per G. Malm from the Seventy came and it was so spiritual as always. What was special about this meeting was It was my first time singing in the choir, I sang come thou fount (if you couldn't tell its my absolute favorite song :)) And it was so special, I love that song so much, it has such a great meaning, and it made me realize that I need to give my heart to the Lord, so he can seal it for me, and make me a stronger person, missionary, friend, and disciple of Jesus Christ.
My spanish is coming, I struggle often with it because I want to express myself the same way I do in English, I love talking and bearing testimony in spanish, and I do it as often as I can. We've been teaching in Spanish all week in preparation for today where we teach an investigator in Spanish. I don't feel as ready as i want but I know the Lord and the Spirit will fill in the gaps. I love being a tool in the hands of my Father in Heaven and I cannot wait to get out of this cold and go to the warm tropics to serve the people of Costa Rica!
Dad! I love you a lot, thanks for your letter it was so good to hear from you, It's alright that you get emotional, I talk about you often here and I get really emotional, I miss you, stay strong and give mom a hug for me!
Mom! I am so grateful for you, you mean the WORLD to me. The other night I walked out of class and looked at the sky and the song that says "When I look to the sky, something tells me you're here with me, and I can ALWAYS find my way where you are here" And I immediately thought of you, how you're with me now, we're having this journey together, and no matter the circumstances with you by my side I can ALWAYS find my way, and now every night after class walking back to the dorms, I sing that song and think of you, not only as my amazing mother, but as a daugher of our Heavenly Father, I have so much love for you, I can't imagine the love our Father in Heaven has for you. It's truly amazing. Thanks for all your support in writing me, It really makes it easier to carry on with you there.
Grandma and Grandpa Long! Thanks so much for your letter! Take it easy on thanksgiving and remember I love you and am so thankful for you both! Stay safe and strong! Love you Lots!
Grandma and Grandpa Falor! You have no idea how grateful I am to hear from you, It is so special to have those little turkey hands with me, I've read them several times since I got them. Grandpa, stay safe and in good health and remember I love you a lot! Grandma, I know you're doing a great job taking care of grandpa, you're an amazing woman and I love you as well.
Chelsey and Mason! I love you both! I can't wait to get your pictures, thanks for being so awesome, keep writing me I love to hear from you. P.s Chels! your spanish sounds great :)
Holli and Andrew! You two are so awesome! Thanks tons for all you do! It's great to hear from you, please keep me updated on the baby and all thats going on, good luck! Have a great thanksgiving! i'm so thankful for you and I love you a lot!
Kory, Amy, and Parkie! You are all so amazing! Thanks for setting such a great example to me and being great siblings, thanks for having parker, haah, she is so cute, i brag to everyone about her, because she is probably the cutest child anyone will ever meet. Haha, but really, I love you all, stay safe!
And all others who are supporting me, remember I love you, remember you're Father in Heaven Loves you, remember that, and don't ever forget it. It's what keeps me going each and everyday.
I love you all, beyond my capability to express, and I pray for you (in spanish :)) And I am constantly thinking of you, you are the reason I'm here, you're the reason I am who I am, and I'm so thankful for that.
Love you all,
Your favorite Elder (jk)
Elder Falor
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Half way through the MTC!
Dear Family,
I love you all so much! I can feel your love and prayers each and everyday, and what a blessing that is. It was amazing to hear from you all this week, I absolutely love getting your letters, it brings a little piece of home with me on my mission. I am doing fantastic! The work here is going great, I am now at my happy halfway mark! The MTC is great, but I am so excited to be on the field in four weeks. Mom, thanks so much for the ties, they are awesome! I'm wearing one now actually :) and thanks for the banana bread that tastes amazing! The MTC is so empty now but today we will be getting 700 new missionaries! Crazy! And we will be getting 8 new Elders and 4 new Hermanas in our zone to make up for the loss of so many missionaries. I love my life as a missionary, I'm really getting used to the schedule and loving it. The blessings the Lord has in store for his worthy servants are unimaginable, he has blessed me so immensely I can't even explain it. I think about each of you every second of everyday and how important this gospel is in my life and how important it is in the lives of many. Dad, I thought about you a lot this week, and I just want you to know I love you so very much! You are such a great dad, I am constantly telling the Elderes in my district about how funny you are and your jokes are always being told by me. They think you're really funny, and I tell them that your awesome! :) This week has been splendid, my spanish is coming so much easier and I can really feel the Lord blessing me in my studies and in all I do. We are teaching a lesson today, our last lesson in ENGLISH! and next week the whole lesson will be in spanish. We will be teaching about the plan of salvation, and how lucky we are to know of this great plan and to have it. I often think forward to the time that we will all step back into the presence of our heavenly father and how excited we will all be! It's truly a great blessing. Yesterday at our Tues. Devotional we had Elder Pearson come and talk to us from the Seventy. He had many great things to say and I learned so much, and I feel much more fully prepared to go forth and serve my heavenly father from his words. So this week I have thought a lot about you all as i have said, my district and I watched a mormon message video about thanksgiving and it was so good, a quote that I got from it said this: "Because we see things so often, we SEE them less and less." That quote hit me like a ton of bricks, because that is exactly how i've felt since I've been here, I see things around me, I have loving people around me so often that too often I take no time to thank them and express gratitude for them and REALLY SEE them. I'm so thankful for each and everyone of you. You are all such a blessing, and I cannot emphasize that enough, you are my family, that my loving father in heaven sent me to earth with, you are children of our heavenly father, and He along with my self LOVE YOU! So much, it's undescribable. We should live in thanksgiving everyday, and I believe that if we do we will be SO blessed. I really realized how much I love to teach this amazing Gospel, I've felt the spirit in such great abundance I wonder how I ever went without it for so long in my life, I love carrying this message of happiness even though our investigators in the MTC are all mormon :) it still brings happiness. So I've recently began playing four square at gym, let me just tell you that is amazing, haha, I enjoy it so much and our zone pretty much dominates it. Don't worry about me, I am having the time of my life, and I am truly so thankful for this opportunity to serve.
Holli -
Sorry I didnt bring your email with me to the temple so I dont have it with me now, I just want to tell you CONGRATULATIONS! FELICITACIONES! I am sooooooo happy for you, I KNOW this is a blessing from the Lord, I know it! From the bottom of my heart! You will make an amazing mom, I love you so much and am so happy for you! I almost cried right then and there when I read your letter, we're not supposed to open our letters until 9:30 but something told me I should peak at it and when I did I was overwhelmed with happiness for you and Andrew. I've never prayed harder for you two (as well as the rest of my great familia!) as I have now. I have a feeling we will have a new baby boy in our family. And he (or she) is so lucky! I'm so happy for you Holli! I'm sorry to hear about the sickness, but like you said, on the brightside its a sign of a healthy pregnancy! Oh man, I am just so excited and happy to hear about that, please keep me informed and up to date! I Love you both so very much!
Well Familia, I know i said it a lot but I can't stress it enough, I LOVE YOU! So much! You all are the reason I keep pushing everyday, the reason I go through the bad, because in my head I see your loving smiling faces pushing me along.
Well I am about to begin my 5th week here in the MTC and its only been a month here and I feel as though I've learned more than ever before at my time here. I have learned more about myself, my relationships with people, the gospel and my Savior Jesus Christ. As a representative of Him, I feel so blessed to carry his name, to have his message and to be able to spread the amazing news of the gospel and His atonement to everyone. If we truly put our faith, our trust and our EVERYTHING onto the savior, he will handle it. He might not take it from us right away, he might just strenghthen us so that we can be able to carry our burdens. I have a solid testimony of our savior's atoning sacrifice on our behalf. As He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and Hung on the Cross of Calvary, he had US in mind, every single one of us. He knew the sacrifice he was making, and he did it for us, as long as we would trust and believe on his name. I urge you to trust and believe our savior. If you do, I have NO DOUBT whatsoever in my mind that your lives will be enriched with happiness and love towards all.
Keep staying strong family! Remember I love you, remember the Lord loves you,
Love forever and for always, Elder Falor
P.S. Grandma Long! Happy Birthday! I love you so much! Are you keeping an eye on grandpa? You better because he's a troublemaker :) I love you both! I hope you have an amazing day grandma! You are such an inspiration and example to me! Keep staying faithful and close to our Heavenly Father! I love you both! Give each other a hug for me!
P.S.S Mom you mentioned something about a thanksgiving box eh? Haha, that sounds amazing, I don't know of anything I would want specifically, I trust you that you know what I like, and I would LOVE anything you put in it. Also, If you could send me that Articles of Faith book in it, and in my christmas package could you send me that other journal just in case? That would be splendid! I love you so much! You are a wonderful mother! Keep staying strong, you sound like you are doing it already but I know you can keep it up!
I love you all so much! I can feel your love and prayers each and everyday, and what a blessing that is. It was amazing to hear from you all this week, I absolutely love getting your letters, it brings a little piece of home with me on my mission. I am doing fantastic! The work here is going great, I am now at my happy halfway mark! The MTC is great, but I am so excited to be on the field in four weeks. Mom, thanks so much for the ties, they are awesome! I'm wearing one now actually :) and thanks for the banana bread that tastes amazing! The MTC is so empty now but today we will be getting 700 new missionaries! Crazy! And we will be getting 8 new Elders and 4 new Hermanas in our zone to make up for the loss of so many missionaries. I love my life as a missionary, I'm really getting used to the schedule and loving it. The blessings the Lord has in store for his worthy servants are unimaginable, he has blessed me so immensely I can't even explain it. I think about each of you every second of everyday and how important this gospel is in my life and how important it is in the lives of many. Dad, I thought about you a lot this week, and I just want you to know I love you so very much! You are such a great dad, I am constantly telling the Elderes in my district about how funny you are and your jokes are always being told by me. They think you're really funny, and I tell them that your awesome! :) This week has been splendid, my spanish is coming so much easier and I can really feel the Lord blessing me in my studies and in all I do. We are teaching a lesson today, our last lesson in ENGLISH! and next week the whole lesson will be in spanish. We will be teaching about the plan of salvation, and how lucky we are to know of this great plan and to have it. I often think forward to the time that we will all step back into the presence of our heavenly father and how excited we will all be! It's truly a great blessing. Yesterday at our Tues. Devotional we had Elder Pearson come and talk to us from the Seventy. He had many great things to say and I learned so much, and I feel much more fully prepared to go forth and serve my heavenly father from his words. So this week I have thought a lot about you all as i have said, my district and I watched a mormon message video about thanksgiving and it was so good, a quote that I got from it said this: "Because we see things so often, we SEE them less and less." That quote hit me like a ton of bricks, because that is exactly how i've felt since I've been here, I see things around me, I have loving people around me so often that too often I take no time to thank them and express gratitude for them and REALLY SEE them. I'm so thankful for each and everyone of you. You are all such a blessing, and I cannot emphasize that enough, you are my family, that my loving father in heaven sent me to earth with, you are children of our heavenly father, and He along with my self LOVE YOU! So much, it's undescribable. We should live in thanksgiving everyday, and I believe that if we do we will be SO blessed. I really realized how much I love to teach this amazing Gospel, I've felt the spirit in such great abundance I wonder how I ever went without it for so long in my life, I love carrying this message of happiness even though our investigators in the MTC are all mormon :) it still brings happiness. So I've recently began playing four square at gym, let me just tell you that is amazing, haha, I enjoy it so much and our zone pretty much dominates it. Don't worry about me, I am having the time of my life, and I am truly so thankful for this opportunity to serve.
Holli -
Sorry I didnt bring your email with me to the temple so I dont have it with me now, I just want to tell you CONGRATULATIONS! FELICITACIONES! I am sooooooo happy for you, I KNOW this is a blessing from the Lord, I know it! From the bottom of my heart! You will make an amazing mom, I love you so much and am so happy for you! I almost cried right then and there when I read your letter, we're not supposed to open our letters until 9:30 but something told me I should peak at it and when I did I was overwhelmed with happiness for you and Andrew. I've never prayed harder for you two (as well as the rest of my great familia!) as I have now. I have a feeling we will have a new baby boy in our family. And he (or she) is so lucky! I'm so happy for you Holli! I'm sorry to hear about the sickness, but like you said, on the brightside its a sign of a healthy pregnancy! Oh man, I am just so excited and happy to hear about that, please keep me informed and up to date! I Love you both so very much!
Well Familia, I know i said it a lot but I can't stress it enough, I LOVE YOU! So much! You all are the reason I keep pushing everyday, the reason I go through the bad, because in my head I see your loving smiling faces pushing me along.
Well I am about to begin my 5th week here in the MTC and its only been a month here and I feel as though I've learned more than ever before at my time here. I have learned more about myself, my relationships with people, the gospel and my Savior Jesus Christ. As a representative of Him, I feel so blessed to carry his name, to have his message and to be able to spread the amazing news of the gospel and His atonement to everyone. If we truly put our faith, our trust and our EVERYTHING onto the savior, he will handle it. He might not take it from us right away, he might just strenghthen us so that we can be able to carry our burdens. I have a solid testimony of our savior's atoning sacrifice on our behalf. As He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and Hung on the Cross of Calvary, he had US in mind, every single one of us. He knew the sacrifice he was making, and he did it for us, as long as we would trust and believe on his name. I urge you to trust and believe our savior. If you do, I have NO DOUBT whatsoever in my mind that your lives will be enriched with happiness and love towards all.
Keep staying strong family! Remember I love you, remember the Lord loves you,
Love forever and for always, Elder Falor
P.S. Grandma Long! Happy Birthday! I love you so much! Are you keeping an eye on grandpa? You better because he's a troublemaker :) I love you both! I hope you have an amazing day grandma! You are such an inspiration and example to me! Keep staying faithful and close to our Heavenly Father! I love you both! Give each other a hug for me!
P.S.S Mom you mentioned something about a thanksgiving box eh? Haha, that sounds amazing, I don't know of anything I would want specifically, I trust you that you know what I like, and I would LOVE anything you put in it. Also, If you could send me that Articles of Faith book in it, and in my christmas package could you send me that other journal just in case? That would be splendid! I love you so much! You are a wonderful mother! Keep staying strong, you sound like you are doing it already but I know you can keep it up!
Good Morning
Hola mi querido familia!
It was so great to hear from all of you this week and I can seriously feel your love from all the way over here. Mom, thanks so much for the packages of candy, fruit snacks and cards, that is so great to get a little card to pick me up at the end of a long hard day. It sounds like things went well with parker, I enjoyed getting the pictures, she is so funny and has such a cute personality. I can't imagine how much cuter she will get in two years.
It sounds like the usual fun stuff for Holli's birthday, I'm glad you all got to celebrate it for her. Well, I love you all very much each and everyone of you, and I really enjoy all your letters and support. I have days here where I feel so inadequate like I was just baptized 2 days ago and how on earth can I ever know enough about the gospel to carry the message to the people of Costa Rica, let alone in Espanol! But i know without a doubt that in the strenght of the Lord, I can accomplish many things.
This week here was great at the MTC, it was full of tough days but rewarding days just the same. Every wednesday we get to have our P-day and go to the temple, do our laundry, write our families, and then at the end of the day we go to what is called the TRC where we teach investigators in spanish and english the lessons we learn. Last week was so powerful, my companion and I taught the message of the Restoration and the spirit was so strong, testifying to me, and hopefully them, of the truthfullness of this message. Sunday was special too, it was my first fast sunday in the MTC and it's amazing, everyone is fasting for a purpose and the spirit is so strong all throughout campus. We had mission conference and got some great advice, afterwards we went to fast and testimony meetings for our zones (which are in spanish!) and I was so close to getting up and bearing my small testimony in Spanish, but I didn't find enough nerve inside me to do it. It really upset me and I felt like it was a change wasted to get out of my comfort zone. The spirit was definitely with me all day though and the Lord truly blessed me in my fast. We had a fireside that evening with Sister Sheri Dew and she spoke about missionary work (obviously) and she said one thing in particular that really struck me, she said as she quoted Pres. Packer "We as children of today have it much harder than the pioneers" and that was such a shock, I always thought that I could never be a pioneer or endure the trials they endured, but she made a good point. She said that as spirit sons and daughters in the pre-existance we showed some amazing spiritual strenght which made us able to come to the earth in the Latter end of these Latter-days. It gave me such confidence to know that I had showed enough strength to be counted as one strong enough to come down here where the adversary is stronger than ever and that the gospel is needed more and more. It was very powerful. Also on sunday we got to go and walk around the temple and just enjoy the sabbath and feel the spirit at the provo temple. It's hard to go to the temple grounds and think about the day i said goodbye to my amazing family. But I am ever reminded of the purpose of why I am here, that's part of making a sacrifice, and I'm starting to realize that I haven't really made a sacrifice at all. I love being a missionary, and I love my Savior. On Tuesday (yesterday) to back up Sister Dew's comments, we had our 4th apostle in a row come and talk to us on Tuesday devotional. That NEVER happens, people are thinking that we must need to hear from these prophets, seers and revelators for the work we are embarking on. And not only that, but the Apostle (Elder David A. Bednar) gave an amazing talk and gave me and the other missionaries our SECOND apostolic blessing! What a blessing it is to receive a promise and a blessing from an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was so spiritual and it left me feeling able to conquer the world and to be able to preach this gospel where it is definitely needed.
Each day I think about my family and how truly blessed I am to have all of you, I think about families in the Gospel and I understand how truly important having a family is, our Heavenly Father must of loved us and still does love us enough to send us to the earth with each other. I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for you my family. I love you all, from the bottom of my heart. I would do anything for all of you.
Mom, I get on the computer around 10 am on Wednesdays but only for a half an hour, after that time the computer logs me off and I can't get on for the rest of the week to answer your question.
Well, I love you all, you all mean the absolute world to me.
I know this work I am doing is right and true, I know that I have been blessed and am continually being blessed each day. I know the Lord will bless and strengthen you as you come to him. He's waiting to receive you, to listen to you, and to love you. I know this.
With all the love I could ever give,
Elder Falor
It was so great to hear from all of you this week and I can seriously feel your love from all the way over here. Mom, thanks so much for the packages of candy, fruit snacks and cards, that is so great to get a little card to pick me up at the end of a long hard day. It sounds like things went well with parker, I enjoyed getting the pictures, she is so funny and has such a cute personality. I can't imagine how much cuter she will get in two years.
It sounds like the usual fun stuff for Holli's birthday, I'm glad you all got to celebrate it for her. Well, I love you all very much each and everyone of you, and I really enjoy all your letters and support. I have days here where I feel so inadequate like I was just baptized 2 days ago and how on earth can I ever know enough about the gospel to carry the message to the people of Costa Rica, let alone in Espanol! But i know without a doubt that in the strenght of the Lord, I can accomplish many things.
This week here was great at the MTC, it was full of tough days but rewarding days just the same. Every wednesday we get to have our P-day and go to the temple, do our laundry, write our families, and then at the end of the day we go to what is called the TRC where we teach investigators in spanish and english the lessons we learn. Last week was so powerful, my companion and I taught the message of the Restoration and the spirit was so strong, testifying to me, and hopefully them, of the truthfullness of this message. Sunday was special too, it was my first fast sunday in the MTC and it's amazing, everyone is fasting for a purpose and the spirit is so strong all throughout campus. We had mission conference and got some great advice, afterwards we went to fast and testimony meetings for our zones (which are in spanish!) and I was so close to getting up and bearing my small testimony in Spanish, but I didn't find enough nerve inside me to do it. It really upset me and I felt like it was a change wasted to get out of my comfort zone. The spirit was definitely with me all day though and the Lord truly blessed me in my fast. We had a fireside that evening with Sister Sheri Dew and she spoke about missionary work (obviously) and she said one thing in particular that really struck me, she said as she quoted Pres. Packer "We as children of today have it much harder than the pioneers" and that was such a shock, I always thought that I could never be a pioneer or endure the trials they endured, but she made a good point. She said that as spirit sons and daughters in the pre-existance we showed some amazing spiritual strenght which made us able to come to the earth in the Latter end of these Latter-days. It gave me such confidence to know that I had showed enough strength to be counted as one strong enough to come down here where the adversary is stronger than ever and that the gospel is needed more and more. It was very powerful. Also on sunday we got to go and walk around the temple and just enjoy the sabbath and feel the spirit at the provo temple. It's hard to go to the temple grounds and think about the day i said goodbye to my amazing family. But I am ever reminded of the purpose of why I am here, that's part of making a sacrifice, and I'm starting to realize that I haven't really made a sacrifice at all. I love being a missionary, and I love my Savior. On Tuesday (yesterday) to back up Sister Dew's comments, we had our 4th apostle in a row come and talk to us on Tuesday devotional. That NEVER happens, people are thinking that we must need to hear from these prophets, seers and revelators for the work we are embarking on. And not only that, but the Apostle (Elder David A. Bednar) gave an amazing talk and gave me and the other missionaries our SECOND apostolic blessing! What a blessing it is to receive a promise and a blessing from an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was so spiritual and it left me feeling able to conquer the world and to be able to preach this gospel where it is definitely needed.
Each day I think about my family and how truly blessed I am to have all of you, I think about families in the Gospel and I understand how truly important having a family is, our Heavenly Father must of loved us and still does love us enough to send us to the earth with each other. I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for you my family. I love you all, from the bottom of my heart. I would do anything for all of you.
Mom, I get on the computer around 10 am on Wednesdays but only for a half an hour, after that time the computer logs me off and I can't get on for the rest of the week to answer your question.
Well, I love you all, you all mean the absolute world to me.
I know this work I am doing is right and true, I know that I have been blessed and am continually being blessed each day. I know the Lord will bless and strengthen you as you come to him. He's waiting to receive you, to listen to you, and to love you. I know this.
With all the love I could ever give,
Elder Falor
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Hola!
Dear Allen Family,
It is so great to hear from you all and to receive such great strength from you. I can feel your prayers and love for me each and everyday. The MTC is hard, the schedule is hard, the spanish is hard, but, I know that with the Lord's help I can accomplish great things. I have grown such a deep love for the Savior in my short time here, I can really sense his presence in all I do here at the MTC. This week was great, we watched all the new missionaries come in and it felt great to not be the newbie's anymore. I love my district, they are all great Elders, and they have a sincere and deep desire to serve the Lord. Today we went to the temple and I didn't want to leave, the spirit in the Lord's house is PALPABLE! I felt so at peace, and I feel safe from everything when I am in there. I heard about all your new renovations and remodeling, congrats, I'm sure the house looks beautiful! How are the puppies, haha, this sounds dumb but I started missing them the other day, (you all as well) but I hope everything is going good and I'm sure you all haven't changed. I miss your sense of humor and your love in my life, but each day I am reminded of the great experiences I;ve had with you and i wouldnt trade them for the world. Jeff - thanks for the quotes you wrote, when I open up yours it always leads to an intense scripture study and I learn so much, thank you! Also, thanks for your dearelder letter, those things are gold each night when i get them, I get butterflies, so thanks.
Jeff, Anneli, and Family,
thanks so much for the dear elder letters, they mean more than you know. I saw Ben and he looks like he's doing great, he has helped me a lot when i see him around he always makes sure that i am doing okay. He is really a great Elder and I can tell he will do a lot of good in Puebla. The MTC is difficult and thus far the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but it will all be worth it. I'm so thankful to have you all in my life, you bring such a joy and happiness into my day when I think of all the fun memories we've had together. Keep staying strong and active in the Gospel, it is the greatest thing we have in our lives and it's so important that we treasure it everyday.
i miss you guys a ton! you are all in my prayers specifically everynight (lets just hope heavenly father understands really broken spanglish prayers :))
I love you all, I love this gospel, and I love my savior.
Love, Elder Falor
PS. Give Alicia a non-missionary hug for me and stay safe in guatemala!
It is so great to hear from you all and to receive such great strength from you. I can feel your prayers and love for me each and everyday. The MTC is hard, the schedule is hard, the spanish is hard, but, I know that with the Lord's help I can accomplish great things. I have grown such a deep love for the Savior in my short time here, I can really sense his presence in all I do here at the MTC. This week was great, we watched all the new missionaries come in and it felt great to not be the newbie's anymore. I love my district, they are all great Elders, and they have a sincere and deep desire to serve the Lord. Today we went to the temple and I didn't want to leave, the spirit in the Lord's house is PALPABLE! I felt so at peace, and I feel safe from everything when I am in there. I heard about all your new renovations and remodeling, congrats, I'm sure the house looks beautiful! How are the puppies, haha, this sounds dumb but I started missing them the other day, (you all as well) but I hope everything is going good and I'm sure you all haven't changed. I miss your sense of humor and your love in my life, but each day I am reminded of the great experiences I;ve had with you and i wouldnt trade them for the world. Jeff - thanks for the quotes you wrote, when I open up yours it always leads to an intense scripture study and I learn so much, thank you! Also, thanks for your dearelder letter, those things are gold each night when i get them, I get butterflies, so thanks.
Jeff, Anneli, and Family,
thanks so much for the dear elder letters, they mean more than you know. I saw Ben and he looks like he's doing great, he has helped me a lot when i see him around he always makes sure that i am doing okay. He is really a great Elder and I can tell he will do a lot of good in Puebla. The MTC is difficult and thus far the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but it will all be worth it. I'm so thankful to have you all in my life, you bring such a joy and happiness into my day when I think of all the fun memories we've had together. Keep staying strong and active in the Gospel, it is the greatest thing we have in our lives and it's so important that we treasure it everyday.
i miss you guys a ton! you are all in my prayers specifically everynight (lets just hope heavenly father understands really broken spanglish prayers :))
I love you all, I love this gospel, and I love my savior.
Love, Elder Falor
PS. Give Alicia a non-missionary hug for me and stay safe in guatemala!
Week 2
Mom, Dad and Family,
Thanks so much for all your love and support you've given me this past week and both weeks I've been here. Honestly it would be so tough to not here from you all the time, but it's such a blessing to be able to get a letter each night from you. I read it and I don't get distracted, I get more focused and am reminded each time as to why I am here. Being away from you guys has really made me appreciate the importance of a family. It's such a blessing to carry the message of the restored gospel and to be able to have my Savior's name attached to my heart. Mom, your letter after I told you about my confidence was JUST what I needed to go on that day. That day I got your letter I was really having a hard time, I was struggling with just about everything and really considered just giving up. But the Lord has other plans becaue he had you send me that amazing letter that reminded me to just keep pressing on, to keep going even though it was tough. After I read your letter I did exactly as you told me in your poem, I called upon my Heavenly Father and received the reassurance to keep going. And FYI I haven't had a single headache since I've been here, I've been feeling fine, I run about 3 miles a day at gym and I'm keeping myself as healthy as possible. I'm also sleeping really well. I'm one of the few elders in my district who loves the beds and thinks their comfy, I don't know why but I sleep like a baby in it. Dad - thanks for your letter! Your letters are good medicine to me and I love to hear from you, thanks for taking the time about of your day to let me know that you love me. I think about you a lot out here and how happy I am to have a Dad like you. You bring so much joy and happiness in to my life and I apologize for the times i failed to tell you that.
Oh, about my extra stuff you sent, don't worry I will probably just mail those home befor i leave like my suit, my sweats and other things that will be unnecessary for Costa Rica, but i can also take my carry on as well as my backpack so that should take up less space. Thanks so much for all you do, you are the reason I'm out here, you are the reason I am the way I am.
So this week was great, it was rough in some parts but that is part of the Sacrifice. I can feel satan pressuring me to think negatively about myself and about why I'm out here, but without fail the spirit of the Lord steps in and reminds me of my purpose, to Invite others to come unto Christ and to experience the love that this gospel brings to us. We had yet ANOTHER apostle come and talk to us last night at our Devotional, Elder M. Russel Ballard came and spoke to us and gave us some great advice about missionary work. On Monday night some of the elders in our zone were leaving so we got the entire zone together in one dorm room and sang God Be With You Till We Meet again in spanish. It was so powerful! The spirit is so strong and it comes through music a lot of the time. The rest of the week was just lots of studying and practicing teaching. I've never studied so hard in my entire life but it will be worth it.
Well I love you all so very much and I am so thankful for you. I want you to know that I know the work and reason to why I'm out here is so important to me and all of you. I know it's true and it's right, it's what I'm meant to do at this point in my life. I know that OUR Savior Jesus Christ lives and he is our redeemer and he is welcoming us all with open arms if only we will come to him. I love you all never forget that!
Love, Elder Falor
Thanks so much for all your love and support you've given me this past week and both weeks I've been here. Honestly it would be so tough to not here from you all the time, but it's such a blessing to be able to get a letter each night from you. I read it and I don't get distracted, I get more focused and am reminded each time as to why I am here. Being away from you guys has really made me appreciate the importance of a family. It's such a blessing to carry the message of the restored gospel and to be able to have my Savior's name attached to my heart. Mom, your letter after I told you about my confidence was JUST what I needed to go on that day. That day I got your letter I was really having a hard time, I was struggling with just about everything and really considered just giving up. But the Lord has other plans becaue he had you send me that amazing letter that reminded me to just keep pressing on, to keep going even though it was tough. After I read your letter I did exactly as you told me in your poem, I called upon my Heavenly Father and received the reassurance to keep going. And FYI I haven't had a single headache since I've been here, I've been feeling fine, I run about 3 miles a day at gym and I'm keeping myself as healthy as possible. I'm also sleeping really well. I'm one of the few elders in my district who loves the beds and thinks their comfy, I don't know why but I sleep like a baby in it. Dad - thanks for your letter! Your letters are good medicine to me and I love to hear from you, thanks for taking the time about of your day to let me know that you love me. I think about you a lot out here and how happy I am to have a Dad like you. You bring so much joy and happiness in to my life and I apologize for the times i failed to tell you that.
Oh, about my extra stuff you sent, don't worry I will probably just mail those home befor i leave like my suit, my sweats and other things that will be unnecessary for Costa Rica, but i can also take my carry on as well as my backpack so that should take up less space. Thanks so much for all you do, you are the reason I'm out here, you are the reason I am the way I am.
So this week was great, it was rough in some parts but that is part of the Sacrifice. I can feel satan pressuring me to think negatively about myself and about why I'm out here, but without fail the spirit of the Lord steps in and reminds me of my purpose, to Invite others to come unto Christ and to experience the love that this gospel brings to us. We had yet ANOTHER apostle come and talk to us last night at our Devotional, Elder M. Russel Ballard came and spoke to us and gave us some great advice about missionary work. On Monday night some of the elders in our zone were leaving so we got the entire zone together in one dorm room and sang God Be With You Till We Meet again in spanish. It was so powerful! The spirit is so strong and it comes through music a lot of the time. The rest of the week was just lots of studying and practicing teaching. I've never studied so hard in my entire life but it will be worth it.
Well I love you all so very much and I am so thankful for you. I want you to know that I know the work and reason to why I'm out here is so important to me and all of you. I know it's true and it's right, it's what I'm meant to do at this point in my life. I know that OUR Savior Jesus Christ lives and he is our redeemer and he is welcoming us all with open arms if only we will come to him. I love you all never forget that!
Love, Elder Falor
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Hola mi querido familia!
Hello my dear family,
It has been so great to hear from you all this week, I have definitely felt your prayers and love all the way here in provo. I kept thinking all week long about how lucky I am to have such amazing support back at home and how much love i feel from each and everyone of you. I have realized being away how much family is important, I want you all to know how much I truly love you from the bottom of my heart, you mean the world to me, and I wouldn't be here without a single one of you.
Mom - Man, it was so great to find those little surprises for me in my scriptures, everytime I'm struggling or something I stumble upon them and feel so grateful to have a loving mom at home who is pushing me along and making sure I know I can do it. Thanks for being on my shoulder! I couldn't do it if it weren't for you there, people probably think I'm crazy always looking at my shoulder but I just keep checking to see if you're there, and you always are, I love you so much! Thanks a ton for the package, it was well wanted, some other elders in my district got packages and I kept thinking, "All i want is candy" And you answered my prayers! Thanks for writing me on DearElder, don't worry you're not embarrassing me, I love getting a letter, even if it's just a Hi. It is so great! Tell Dad I love him a lot and I think about him everyday and the amazing example he is to me. Tell all my siblings and everyone how much I love them! I'm so grateful to everyone!
Maddy - Oh my goodness, thanks so much for the quotes, I don't know how I could go through my day without a little piece of you in it. We are best friends forever, and you mean the world to me. I can feel your support and strength each and everyday. I really appreciate the DearElder letters, they mean so much, I can't even express my gratitude. Poppy, thanks for your letter, it was so great to hear from you, thank you for your prayers and all the support I feel from you, I love you all!
Well this week has been crazy, I know everyone says this but I truly understand the statement that here at the MTC the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. The first week was long, but full of learning, laughing, getting to know people, getting to know more about myself, and my Savior Jesus Christ. The spirit at the MTC is PALPABLE! It's so strong and so uplifting to see thousands of people just like me, embarking on the service of our God. We all have one thing in common and that is to Invite others to come unto Christ. How important is that message and I'm so grateful that I am able to carry it. I love the elders in my district as well as in my branch they are all so great and so nice. My companions name is Elder Bagley from Star Valley, Wyoming, and the other elders in my district are Elder Kemp, Larsen, Hall, Thorum, Shelley, Ricks and Brown, they are all so awesome and I have 8 new friends now. Me and my comp have a room to ourselves so we are really lucky it's not too crazy. 4 Elders in my district are going to my mission, 4 are going to Nicaragua and 1 is going to Spain, they are awesome. My zone leaders, Elder Sewell and Phelps have been awesome! I feel like i've known them for years they help me out so much. So this week was a lot of class, a lot of studying, a lot of eating (the food here makes legacy house food taste like a delicacy), we had a fireside on sunday after church and that was so inspiring, and yesterday we had an Apostle of Jesus Christ come to the MTC for the 2nd week in a row, Elder Richard G. Scott came and gave a marvelous speech on seeking to bring the spirit. The cool thing was that he gave each and everyone of us an Apostolic blessing, which is equivalent to him laying his hands right on my head, he said that we will have the gift of tongues, confidence and constant guidance of the spirit. Which is a huge blessing, I need each and everyone of those blessings, my Heavenly Father was definitely aware of me last night, because i'm nothing without the spirit. Today we went to the Provo Temple and just got back IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL! I love the temple, and even though I don't understand it all I know the meaning is divine and that it is perfect. They keep us spiritually well fed here at the MTC and it is so great. Spanish is coming a long, it's more difficult than I thought but I know I will get it down. We sing all our hymns in spanish and all our prayers are said in spanish as well as all our meetings on sunday are in spanish. Today is my p-day and will be for the next 8 weeks until I leave the MTC. I'll admit i've been a little homesick this week but it always helps to think about the people back at home constantly supporting and loving me each step of the way, and as soon as I remember my purpose as a representative of Jesus Christ, my soul settles and all is well again.
Before I go I want each and every one reading this letter to know that I love you more than life itself, you are all so crucial to me, and i'd surely be lost without you. Each of you hold a spot dear to me in my heart as well as you Mom on my shoulder. I love you all, and I love this gospel, I know without a doubt this is where I am supposed to be, this is the place I'm meant to be and Costa Rica is where I'm meant to serve. I love my savior, Jesus Christ and I know He lives because I can feel it in my heart, I know God knows me and each of you and He is aware of all that is going on in our lives, I know this gospel can bless us beyond measure as long as we come unto Christ and allow Him and His atonement to heal us.
I love you soooooooooo much!
Good luck,
Con amor, your son, grandson, brother, adopted son, and forever friend,
Elder Falor
It has been so great to hear from you all this week, I have definitely felt your prayers and love all the way here in provo. I kept thinking all week long about how lucky I am to have such amazing support back at home and how much love i feel from each and everyone of you. I have realized being away how much family is important, I want you all to know how much I truly love you from the bottom of my heart, you mean the world to me, and I wouldn't be here without a single one of you.
Mom - Man, it was so great to find those little surprises for me in my scriptures, everytime I'm struggling or something I stumble upon them and feel so grateful to have a loving mom at home who is pushing me along and making sure I know I can do it. Thanks for being on my shoulder! I couldn't do it if it weren't for you there, people probably think I'm crazy always looking at my shoulder but I just keep checking to see if you're there, and you always are, I love you so much! Thanks a ton for the package, it was well wanted, some other elders in my district got packages and I kept thinking, "All i want is candy" And you answered my prayers! Thanks for writing me on DearElder, don't worry you're not embarrassing me, I love getting a letter, even if it's just a Hi. It is so great! Tell Dad I love him a lot and I think about him everyday and the amazing example he is to me. Tell all my siblings and everyone how much I love them! I'm so grateful to everyone!
Maddy - Oh my goodness, thanks so much for the quotes, I don't know how I could go through my day without a little piece of you in it. We are best friends forever, and you mean the world to me. I can feel your support and strength each and everyday. I really appreciate the DearElder letters, they mean so much, I can't even express my gratitude. Poppy, thanks for your letter, it was so great to hear from you, thank you for your prayers and all the support I feel from you, I love you all!
Well this week has been crazy, I know everyone says this but I truly understand the statement that here at the MTC the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. The first week was long, but full of learning, laughing, getting to know people, getting to know more about myself, and my Savior Jesus Christ. The spirit at the MTC is PALPABLE! It's so strong and so uplifting to see thousands of people just like me, embarking on the service of our God. We all have one thing in common and that is to Invite others to come unto Christ. How important is that message and I'm so grateful that I am able to carry it. I love the elders in my district as well as in my branch they are all so great and so nice. My companions name is Elder Bagley from Star Valley, Wyoming, and the other elders in my district are Elder Kemp, Larsen, Hall, Thorum, Shelley, Ricks and Brown, they are all so awesome and I have 8 new friends now. Me and my comp have a room to ourselves so we are really lucky it's not too crazy. 4 Elders in my district are going to my mission, 4 are going to Nicaragua and 1 is going to Spain, they are awesome. My zone leaders, Elder Sewell and Phelps have been awesome! I feel like i've known them for years they help me out so much. So this week was a lot of class, a lot of studying, a lot of eating (the food here makes legacy house food taste like a delicacy), we had a fireside on sunday after church and that was so inspiring, and yesterday we had an Apostle of Jesus Christ come to the MTC for the 2nd week in a row, Elder Richard G. Scott came and gave a marvelous speech on seeking to bring the spirit. The cool thing was that he gave each and everyone of us an Apostolic blessing, which is equivalent to him laying his hands right on my head, he said that we will have the gift of tongues, confidence and constant guidance of the spirit. Which is a huge blessing, I need each and everyone of those blessings, my Heavenly Father was definitely aware of me last night, because i'm nothing without the spirit. Today we went to the Provo Temple and just got back IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL! I love the temple, and even though I don't understand it all I know the meaning is divine and that it is perfect. They keep us spiritually well fed here at the MTC and it is so great. Spanish is coming a long, it's more difficult than I thought but I know I will get it down. We sing all our hymns in spanish and all our prayers are said in spanish as well as all our meetings on sunday are in spanish. Today is my p-day and will be for the next 8 weeks until I leave the MTC. I'll admit i've been a little homesick this week but it always helps to think about the people back at home constantly supporting and loving me each step of the way, and as soon as I remember my purpose as a representative of Jesus Christ, my soul settles and all is well again.
Before I go I want each and every one reading this letter to know that I love you more than life itself, you are all so crucial to me, and i'd surely be lost without you. Each of you hold a spot dear to me in my heart as well as you Mom on my shoulder. I love you all, and I love this gospel, I know without a doubt this is where I am supposed to be, this is the place I'm meant to be and Costa Rica is where I'm meant to serve. I love my savior, Jesus Christ and I know He lives because I can feel it in my heart, I know God knows me and each of you and He is aware of all that is going on in our lives, I know this gospel can bless us beyond measure as long as we come unto Christ and allow Him and His atonement to heal us.
I love you soooooooooo much!
Good luck,
Con amor, your son, grandson, brother, adopted son, and forever friend,
Elder Falor
Thursday, October 7, 2010
"It's like walking in sunlight, when the whole world is covered in rain clouds"
Well, I've got just under two weeks before I say goodbye to ol' CV for 2 years...
It's a weird feeling, knowing the place that has been a home to you for twenty long years will be far out of my sight for 24 months, 730 days...
But lately, I have had a question roaming through my mind: "Why do I want to serve a mission?"
I have thought long and hard about this. Why would I, someone who is such a homebody and hates leaving home, is super shy, and hates change, want to leave for 2 years to a foreign land and Preach to people who may not even understand me. why would I submit myself to many hours of walking in torrential downpours of Costa Rica, or face the dangers of many poisonous critters that creep and crawl practically EVERYWHERE?
Because I KNOW...beyond a shadow of a doubt that what I'm about to embark on, IS the Lord's work. This is HIS church, and He needs people like me everywhere to sacrifice their time, their everything to serve Him.
But not only that, it's because I also know that this Gospel, has brought me more happiness, more joy, more courage, more strength and more everything, and I believe everyone should have that same opportunity.
It's because I am shy and scared of change that I want to serve a mission. I want to experience real true service, real true heartache and sadness, so I can grow, and progress.
I want to because I want to be a better husband to my future wife.
It's because I know in God's eyes I am a part of the bigger picture.
"there's so much more to me, he helps me see that I have so much to offer"
Choosing to follow this path was THE best decision I've ever made, and will probably ever make, it will lead to future decisions that will lead me to happiness that I can't quite comprehend.
THAT'S why I want to serve a mission. To bring others BACK to where they know, deep down inside of them, that they should be. So they can live this life here on earth with true happiness and self-worth.
Yeah..
Friday, July 16, 2010
Called to Serve!
I have officially received my mission call! As of Wednesday July, 14, 2010 at 1:30 PM. Mom and Dad were waiting for me at home and we all stood in the street as I opened the mail box and we all screamed a bit and rejoiced while still in the street. My mom began crying even before I opened the mail box, we are a pretty emotional family, cause my dad and I cried after we got inside.
It was a strange feeling holding the envelope that holds the place and information of where I will spend the next 2 years! Even worse, I couldn't open it until 8:30 that night because my sister (Chelsey) wouldn't be off work until then. So in an attempt to take my mind off it, I hid it in my sock drawer and went over to Maddy's.
Later with all my family and friends and people I care about I opened it at about 8:45 PM..
I have been Called to Serve as a Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Costa Rica San Jose Mission. I will be preaching the Gospel in the Spanish language and I report to the MTC on October 20th, 2010.
GAH! I cried like a baby through the whole thing but it was such a spiritual experience, and I have never felt so happy and so full of love and gratitude. I literally felt as though Heavenly Father picked this mission JUST for me. It couldn't be more perfect for me! Everything falls into place the right way, and opening my call made it all more real and definitely strengthened my testimony of the Savior, My Heavenly Father and the surety that I KNOW that this is the true church on the Earth today! :)
The past two days I've been frantically searching the internet for more information about Costa Rica and reading all I can about it, it seems like a BEAUTIFUL place with beautiful scenery and people. I am absolutely THRILLED to spread the gospel and give people the hope, peace, and happiness that I feel through the gospel.
I will miss my family and friends more than any of them will ever know, but I know the work I will be doing is divine, and it will be a huge blessing to them and me.
Throughout my process I will keep updating all this information and let you all know whats going on :)
It was a strange feeling holding the envelope that holds the place and information of where I will spend the next 2 years! Even worse, I couldn't open it until 8:30 that night because my sister (Chelsey) wouldn't be off work until then. So in an attempt to take my mind off it, I hid it in my sock drawer and went over to Maddy's.
Later with all my family and friends and people I care about I opened it at about 8:45 PM..
I have been Called to Serve as a Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Costa Rica San Jose Mission. I will be preaching the Gospel in the Spanish language and I report to the MTC on October 20th, 2010.
GAH! I cried like a baby through the whole thing but it was such a spiritual experience, and I have never felt so happy and so full of love and gratitude. I literally felt as though Heavenly Father picked this mission JUST for me. It couldn't be more perfect for me! Everything falls into place the right way, and opening my call made it all more real and definitely strengthened my testimony of the Savior, My Heavenly Father and the surety that I KNOW that this is the true church on the Earth today! :)
The past two days I've been frantically searching the internet for more information about Costa Rica and reading all I can about it, it seems like a BEAUTIFUL place with beautiful scenery and people. I am absolutely THRILLED to spread the gospel and give people the hope, peace, and happiness that I feel through the gospel.
I will miss my family and friends more than any of them will ever know, but I know the work I will be doing is divine, and it will be a huge blessing to them and me.
Throughout my process I will keep updating all this information and let you all know whats going on :)
Friday, June 4, 2010
10 Songs that Changed my Life!
1. Bigger Than Love - My Favorite Highway
- This song pulled me out of some deep spots, and helped me through the roughest trial of my life I have ever had to endure. My choices in life led me down a dark and scary path, and with the help of a few things and this song I was off that path and on a new one, where I am now. This song helped me realize that nothing. NOTHING. Is bigger than love. Love trumps all. And when we realize that, loving and being loved is a lot easier.
2. I Will Rest in You - Mindy Gledhill
- When my friends were trying to slowly tilt my stubborn attitude towards the Church this song was one that stuck out to me. And it was one that eventually led me to my baptism. This song will always be remembered by me cause I found it amazing that my Heavenly Father provides a place for me to be safe, and to rest. And even after my dark and scary road, he knows how many hairs are on my head. He never forgot me, he didn't lose sight of me, he was always there.
3. September - Daughtry
- Kolby, Maddy, Cydne, and Garrett. The most INSEPARABLE group of four people you could ever meet. We were the best of friends. And one day Cydne decided to step out of that situation and choose another that led her to her dark and scary path *which she is still on BTW* and this song really represented life after high school. We knew we had to leave this town, and after all our memories, spend by the pool, summers never looking the same, and all our changes, people move on, they change, they make wrong choices, they come back and some never do. But in the end we have the memories, and they make the whole journey worth it. No matter the path we each find in life, we should cherish our memories for what they are.
4. Time & Confusion - Anberlin
- 2 words. Bill Betz. The man who changed my life along with 49 other kids. This song is another memory song of my Sophomore year in swimming. Bill taught us that we can do anything we put our minds to. Nothing is insurmountable. Even when Bill had to go and we all couldn't be together all the time like we would have hoped, life moved on. But his teachings his mottos and his words of inspiration stuck and gave us hope for our futures and the shaping of us into great human beings.
5. Brat Pack - The Rocket Summer
- Oh the Brat Pack. We were definitely one, this song gave me hope in friendships. That no matter the number or who's involved in it. There IS a Brat Pack, and my Brat Pack was always there to turn to, even when i went through my crazy non-conformist, skinny jean, looong black hair stage.
6. Never Knew - The Rocket Summer
- Sometimes, you think you know people. And you realize you never do. You never know the secret hardships that person has gone through. You never know the dark secrets they keep tucked in tightly under their bed. You have this mind set that things are perfect and shiny and golden. But you find out you don't know someone or something, and you realize how small and insignificant you really are in the whole scheme of things. You think you have everything "oh so figured out". This song helped me realize where I was in the "Scheme of things".
7. Called To Serve - MoTab Choir
- This song I first heard when tons of missionaries and their families sang it together at the MTC in April 2009. And it struck me so deep and it made me realize the importance of a mission and what we are called to do as God's children. The words and the way we sang it was so triumphant. It's a great song, my absolute favorite.
8. Greatest Story Ever Told - Oliver James
- This song goes out to my future wife whoever she may be. This song changed my life because it gave importance to the special someone that everyone hopefully has in their lives. I want my wife to be all my hopes and dreams, and I want our story to be the greatest ever told.
9. Miracle - Paramore
- This song has to be on here for a couple reasons 1. it's PARAMORE! duh and 2. it's a really great song, with a really great meaning. It means to me that miracles happen. We shouldn't give up on miracles and things that can change us for the better. Don't walk away and don't give up because for too long people live their lives running away from something that could change them. Which is what I did for a very long time.
10. I Didn't Know My Own Strenghth - Whitney Houston (Ha, this one's a keeper)
- Haha I had to put this one on because it had an awesome meaning, and it put so much perspective on an aspect of my life that I went through where I thought I was down and I was out. But I didn't realize, (especially now looking back) at the amount of strength I portrayed, I got back on my feet, I faced those who knew my secret and I challenged the opposition for the light in my life. I did tumble, for a long time, but I didn't crumble. And I'm proud to say that. I didn't know my own strength.
- This song pulled me out of some deep spots, and helped me through the roughest trial of my life I have ever had to endure. My choices in life led me down a dark and scary path, and with the help of a few things and this song I was off that path and on a new one, where I am now. This song helped me realize that nothing. NOTHING. Is bigger than love. Love trumps all. And when we realize that, loving and being loved is a lot easier.
2. I Will Rest in You - Mindy Gledhill
- When my friends were trying to slowly tilt my stubborn attitude towards the Church this song was one that stuck out to me. And it was one that eventually led me to my baptism. This song will always be remembered by me cause I found it amazing that my Heavenly Father provides a place for me to be safe, and to rest. And even after my dark and scary road, he knows how many hairs are on my head. He never forgot me, he didn't lose sight of me, he was always there.
3. September - Daughtry
- Kolby, Maddy, Cydne, and Garrett. The most INSEPARABLE group of four people you could ever meet. We were the best of friends. And one day Cydne decided to step out of that situation and choose another that led her to her dark and scary path *which she is still on BTW* and this song really represented life after high school. We knew we had to leave this town, and after all our memories, spend by the pool, summers never looking the same, and all our changes, people move on, they change, they make wrong choices, they come back and some never do. But in the end we have the memories, and they make the whole journey worth it. No matter the path we each find in life, we should cherish our memories for what they are.
4. Time & Confusion - Anberlin
- 2 words. Bill Betz. The man who changed my life along with 49 other kids. This song is another memory song of my Sophomore year in swimming. Bill taught us that we can do anything we put our minds to. Nothing is insurmountable. Even when Bill had to go and we all couldn't be together all the time like we would have hoped, life moved on. But his teachings his mottos and his words of inspiration stuck and gave us hope for our futures and the shaping of us into great human beings.
5. Brat Pack - The Rocket Summer
- Oh the Brat Pack. We were definitely one, this song gave me hope in friendships. That no matter the number or who's involved in it. There IS a Brat Pack, and my Brat Pack was always there to turn to, even when i went through my crazy non-conformist, skinny jean, looong black hair stage.
6. Never Knew - The Rocket Summer
- Sometimes, you think you know people. And you realize you never do. You never know the secret hardships that person has gone through. You never know the dark secrets they keep tucked in tightly under their bed. You have this mind set that things are perfect and shiny and golden. But you find out you don't know someone or something, and you realize how small and insignificant you really are in the whole scheme of things. You think you have everything "oh so figured out". This song helped me realize where I was in the "Scheme of things".
7. Called To Serve - MoTab Choir
- This song I first heard when tons of missionaries and their families sang it together at the MTC in April 2009. And it struck me so deep and it made me realize the importance of a mission and what we are called to do as God's children. The words and the way we sang it was so triumphant. It's a great song, my absolute favorite.
8. Greatest Story Ever Told - Oliver James
- This song goes out to my future wife whoever she may be. This song changed my life because it gave importance to the special someone that everyone hopefully has in their lives. I want my wife to be all my hopes and dreams, and I want our story to be the greatest ever told.
9. Miracle - Paramore
- This song has to be on here for a couple reasons 1. it's PARAMORE! duh and 2. it's a really great song, with a really great meaning. It means to me that miracles happen. We shouldn't give up on miracles and things that can change us for the better. Don't walk away and don't give up because for too long people live their lives running away from something that could change them. Which is what I did for a very long time.
10. I Didn't Know My Own Strenghth - Whitney Houston (Ha, this one's a keeper)
- Haha I had to put this one on because it had an awesome meaning, and it put so much perspective on an aspect of my life that I went through where I thought I was down and I was out. But I didn't realize, (especially now looking back) at the amount of strength I portrayed, I got back on my feet, I faced those who knew my secret and I challenged the opposition for the light in my life. I did tumble, for a long time, but I didn't crumble. And I'm proud to say that. I didn't know my own strength.
90s kid.
HA! This is awesome, I TOTALLY remember all of this. :D
you’re a 90’s kid if you remember watching:
--Ren & Stimpy
-Pinky and the Brain
-AAAAAAAH Real Monsters!
-Animaniacs
-Gargoyles
-Tom and Jerry [when they didnt talk]
-Hey Arnold
-Out of the Box
-Bear in the
Big Blue House
-Step by Step
-Family Matters
-Dinosaurs
-Boy Meets World
-The Magic School Bus
-Wishbone
-The 1st Batman
-Aladdin
-Ninja Turtles
-Ghost Busters
-Rugrats
-Wild Thornberry’s
-Power Rangers
-Rocket Power.
You just cant resist finishing this . . . “In west Philadelphia born and raised...”
(opening to fresh prince in case you were unaware)
You remember when it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
When everything was settled by:
-rock paper scissors or
-bubble gum bubble gum in a dish or
-miss mary mack
You remember when Super Nintendos and Sega Genisis became popular.
You always wanted to send in a tape to America’s Funniest Home Videos . . . but never taped anything.
You remember when Yo-Yos were cool.
You played with Silly Puddy and Sticky Tac that you stole from the teacher’s walls.
You remember those Where’s Waldo books.
Those awsome buzz lightyear shoes that light up.
You remember eating Warheads and Splashers Gum.
If you remember when every thing was “da BOMB!”
You remember boom boxes .vs. cd players
You played and/or collected “Pogs”
You had at least one Tamagotchi, GigaPet, or Nano and brought it everywhere you went
If you collected those:
-Beanie Babies
-Yu Gi Oh and Pokemon cards
-Coins with the states on them
-Carebears
-Silver dollars, which were cool to have
If you even know what an original walkman is..
You know the Macarena by heart
“Talk to the hand” . . .enough said.
You went to McDonald’s to play in the playplace
Before the MySpace frenzy.....
Before the Internet & text messaging ......
Before Sidekicks & iPods .
Before PlayStation3 or X-BOX 360
Before Spongebob . ..
When light up sneakers were cool and you had spiral spring shoelaces
When you rented VHS tapes, not DVDs
When we recorded stuff on VCR
You had slap bracelets!
You Actually played outside until it was dark
Way back-Before we realized all this would eventually disappear
you’re a 90’s kid if you remember watching:
--Ren & Stimpy
-Pinky and the Brain
-AAAAAAAH Real Monsters!
-Animaniacs
-Gargoyles
-Tom and Jerry [when they didnt talk]
-Hey Arnold
-Out of the Box
-Bear in the
Big Blue House
-Step by Step
-Family Matters
-Dinosaurs
-Boy Meets World
-The Magic School Bus
-Wishbone
-The 1st Batman
-Aladdin
-Ninja Turtles
-Ghost Busters
-Rugrats
-Wild Thornberry’s
-Power Rangers
-Rocket Power.
You just cant resist finishing this . . . “In west Philadelphia born and raised...”
(opening to fresh prince in case you were unaware)
You remember when it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
When everything was settled by:
-rock paper scissors or
-bubble gum bubble gum in a dish or
-miss mary mack
You remember when Super Nintendos and Sega Genisis became popular.
You always wanted to send in a tape to America’s Funniest Home Videos . . . but never taped anything.
You remember when Yo-Yos were cool.
You played with Silly Puddy and Sticky Tac that you stole from the teacher’s walls.
You remember those Where’s Waldo books.
Those awsome buzz lightyear shoes that light up.
You remember eating Warheads and Splashers Gum.
If you remember when every thing was “da BOMB!”
You remember boom boxes .vs. cd players
You played and/or collected “Pogs”
You had at least one Tamagotchi, GigaPet, or Nano and brought it everywhere you went
If you collected those:
-Beanie Babies
-Yu Gi Oh and Pokemon cards
-Coins with the states on them
-Carebears
-Silver dollars, which were cool to have
If you even know what an original walkman is..
You know the Macarena by heart
“Talk to the hand” . . .enough said.
You went to McDonald’s to play in the playplace
Before the MySpace frenzy.....
Before the Internet & text messaging ......
Before Sidekicks & iPods .
Before PlayStation3 or X-BOX 360
Before Spongebob . ..
When light up sneakers were cool and you had spiral spring shoelaces
When you rented VHS tapes, not DVDs
When we recorded stuff on VCR
You had slap bracelets!
You Actually played outside until it was dark
Way back-Before we realized all this would eventually disappear
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Maddison :)
This is Maddison.
She's my best friend in the whole entire world.
I can spend every minute with her and never get sick of it.
She's who I run to.
She's my teacher, my lesson, my hope, my belief, my cutie,
& I love her will all that I am.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
September
Wooww...this song couldn't be more perfect for the situation that has transpired over the last year between me and my three best friends...
Half the time passed away
All the trouble that we gave
And all those days we spent out by the lake
Has it all gone to waste?
All the promises we made
One by one they vanished just the same
All the things I still remember
Summers never looked the same
Years go by and time just seems to fly
But the memories remain
In the middle of September
We still play out in the rain
Nothing to lose but everything to gain
Reflecting now how things could've been
It was worth it in the end
Now it all seems so clear
There's nothing left to fear
So we made our way by finding what was real
Now the days are so long
That summer's moving on
Reach for something that's already gone
All the things I still remember
Summers never looked the same
Years go by and time just seems to fly
But the memories remain
In the middle of September
We still play out in the rain
Nothing to lose but everything to gain
Reflecting now how things could've been
It was worth it in the end
Yeah we knew we had to lose this time
But we never knew when, and we never knew how
We would end up where we are
Yeah we knew we had to leave this town
But we never knew when, and we never knew how
Never knew anything
KMGC 4 ev. It was worth it in the end.
Half the time passed away
All the trouble that we gave
And all those days we spent out by the lake
Has it all gone to waste?
All the promises we made
One by one they vanished just the same
All the things I still remember
Summers never looked the same
Years go by and time just seems to fly
But the memories remain
In the middle of September
We still play out in the rain
Nothing to lose but everything to gain
Reflecting now how things could've been
It was worth it in the end
Now it all seems so clear
There's nothing left to fear
So we made our way by finding what was real
Now the days are so long
That summer's moving on
Reach for something that's already gone
All the things I still remember
Summers never looked the same
Years go by and time just seems to fly
But the memories remain
In the middle of September
We still play out in the rain
Nothing to lose but everything to gain
Reflecting now how things could've been
It was worth it in the end
Yeah we knew we had to lose this time
But we never knew when, and we never knew how
We would end up where we are
Yeah we knew we had to leave this town
But we never knew when, and we never knew how
Never knew anything
KMGC 4 ev. It was worth it in the end.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Nothing's bigger than love.
I can't even begin to try and comprehend how true this statement really is.
Many can argue that there are bigger things in life than love. And I beg to differ.
Love is the foundation upon which everything can be built. It all depends on whether you let it be. Some would argue that God is bigger than love, but who will agree that God IS love. Cheesy, yeah I know.
But imagine any scenario or certain aspect of your life and imagine how it would be with or without love...
Love heeds faith and belief. It begins friendships, it builds confidence. It allows for change and it accepts it. Love never ends unless you let it, and when you do, that could be a sad situation.
Love decides what's truly important, it can be blind, but only based on love of the wrong things.
It goes where you want it to go and it stops when you stop.
It's never too late to love, nor too early. Love is patient and it is kind...
My all-time favorite song is by one of my all-time favorite bands. It's "Bigger Than Love" by My Favorite Highway. Every time I listen to it my brain goes somewhere else. Because it helped me realize that while most of us are here on earth trying to figure out what we need to make us who we are, and this song helped me find out that all you need is love. With love, anything is possible. And with love, everything falls into place.
So...like the song goes..."If there's a hole in your heart, you gotta pull it together, it takes the courage to start, but now it's better than ever, it takes a push and a shove, somehow it's never enough, and it's alarming how quick you could forget that, nothing's bigger than love."
A lot of the times a push and a shove is more than we can handle, but I promise you that with a push and a shove, love can make miracles happen. It can mend the hole in your heart, and it can complete your soul. Once love is let in, anything, and I mean ANYTHING, can happen.
Peace ya'll.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I'm ready to be amazed...
So today was a very good day... :) I absolutely love days like today.
Those moments that my heart gets to feel of the spirit are those that I cherish so much. I crave that feeling. Like a fat kid loves cake...I'm serious...I hunger over it.
So today I had the opportunity to go to the Logan Temple and perform Baptisms and Confirmations for members of my friend's family, who had passed on. It was such a spiritual experience I will never forget it...
Maddy's sister-in-law was getting these names temple-ready and when she was she said she had a feeling one of them was ready, and they were greatly appreciating the work she had done down here.
I was being baptized in proxy by Maddy's dad and he said a name that just struck me and felt like it had made a home in my stomach, I had an overwhelming feeling of joy as I was dunked under the water. It was all I could do to hold back my tears. I knew that this man was waiting for me to do his work down here. And after, when I was being confirmed by proxy I felt the spirit even stronger proving to me that there are MILLIONS of those that have passed on that NEED us to do their work...it showed me how close the veil really is, and it strengthened my testimony in family history work and temple ordinances.
What an important aspect of life, to save those who can't save themselves anymore. wow...it was so amazing. I knew Alvin Stamps was looking down on me and smiling the largest grin he could pull off...And my heart was happy, and I felt TRUE joy and peace being in God's house for a day.
I love the temples. Absolutely love them! They make me want to stay worthy at all times to enter into them and perform saving ordinances for those who are dead.
Anyway, just thought I'd share. :D
Saturday, February 20, 2010
History...
Always repeats itself...
But somehow I keep preventing ways to stop it from it's constant repetition.
Am I holding on because of what we had, or am I doing it because we had something? That something which is completely absent, and has been for awhile now.
But the void is filled.
So what is keeping me from cutting the ties?
I honestly don't know. Maybe it's because we live across the street from each other. But we are worlds apart. And I mean worlds. We can barely relate to each other anymore.
What do I do when that person and I basically shared the same brain?
Yeah, so what I changed, you changed too...and for the worst...
But now you're alone and I'm supposed to feel bad? When you dumped ME in the gutter like a little sewage cat? Yeah..okay.
Okay now I'm done venting...I just don't see the point in always preventing the change that so inevitably needs to come with us. I will never understand why I do...But maybe it's time I step up and make the change myself.
Maybe for once, history won't repeat itself, and I will no longer be the smelly sewage cat.
But, I guess for now, my only option is to give into some of the repetition. I'll always live in the past, I'll forever be comfortable with hand-me-downs, I'll bang my hands on the steering wheel while listening to my music, I'll spend every waking minute with the one person who makes me feel whole, I'll constantly be engrossed by random, weird, and awkward moments, I'll still listen to church music. And I can still handle coming home alone on a saturday night, and falling asleep in an empty rental house, and I can deal with my "family" issues.
But I won't fall for the thing that tricked me so much in the past.
But somehow I keep preventing ways to stop it from it's constant repetition.
Am I holding on because of what we had, or am I doing it because we had something? That something which is completely absent, and has been for awhile now.
But the void is filled.
So what is keeping me from cutting the ties?
I honestly don't know. Maybe it's because we live across the street from each other. But we are worlds apart. And I mean worlds. We can barely relate to each other anymore.
What do I do when that person and I basically shared the same brain?
Yeah, so what I changed, you changed too...and for the worst...
But now you're alone and I'm supposed to feel bad? When you dumped ME in the gutter like a little sewage cat? Yeah..okay.
Okay now I'm done venting...I just don't see the point in always preventing the change that so inevitably needs to come with us. I will never understand why I do...But maybe it's time I step up and make the change myself.
Maybe for once, history won't repeat itself, and I will no longer be the smelly sewage cat.
But, I guess for now, my only option is to give into some of the repetition. I'll always live in the past, I'll forever be comfortable with hand-me-downs, I'll bang my hands on the steering wheel while listening to my music, I'll spend every waking minute with the one person who makes me feel whole, I'll constantly be engrossed by random, weird, and awkward moments, I'll still listen to church music. And I can still handle coming home alone on a saturday night, and falling asleep in an empty rental house, and I can deal with my "family" issues.
But I won't fall for the thing that tricked me so much in the past.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
