Wednesday, January 28, 2009
one last update this week.....
I forgot to tell everyone. I ate Chicharron this week. Its pig skin. I ate a football in a soup. Its gross. Don't try it.
1/27/09
Hello World!
Another week gone by. Its already been a month since Christmas. Pretty crazy. We tried to work good and hard this week. Some days it felt like nothing went right, and then all of a sudden we would teach a good lesson and get back on track. We found a few people who seem really interested in the message, so thats good. As for Sergio and Lucy. We had some great success, but some drawbacks too.
We taught them the other day, about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was actually the most ive taught in a lesson. I had to teach the part about Baptism, and our plan was to commit Sergio to be baptized, and change the date of his wifes baptism to his date, so that they could be baptized together. Sergio asked a few questions about the baptism, and so did Lucy, when all of a sudden Lucy said she didnt want to be baptized anymore. Right after, Sergio said that he still wanted to be baptized even though he knows that changing will be hard. We think that Lucy doesnt want to get baptized because of her family, so we are planning a lesson to see if we cant get her to see the importance of it.
Our area is HUGE. It should be 2 areas, but there are only me and my companion here. Yesterday, after church, we drove around with the Fauntos, a family, to find some colonies that we have Heard of,but that we didnt really know existed. I sat in the middle seat squooshed ( I think thats how its spelled) between everyone. It gets better though. We put in an Elton John CD, and listened to it the whole time. I just sat back and smiled, thinking, I'm in the middle of mexico, squooshed between a bunch of Mexicans, listening to Elton John. What can get better than this?
Yesterday, I gave another talk in Church. This one was 13 minutes long. Its pretty crazy to think that I can talk for that long in Spanish. Ok so i have to write down every Word, but still. I talked about how the members have a responsibility just as much as us, to do missionary work. I also told them that the opportunities they will have, wont necesarily be with nonmembers. In reality they are going to have many more chances to help reactivate less active members. I think it went over well.
With the Fuantos, who arent members because the husband cant get divorced with his previous wife (its complicated), we are studying the bible, and teaching them how to use the Book of Mormon, to help them enhance their studies. I think we are all learning a lot from it.
Thats pretty much it. We are pushing a long, trying to get are investigators to church, which is still the biggest struggle. Hopefully we will see the fruits of our labor soon.
Happy Birthday Grandma!
Kimmy, keep up the good writing.
I love you all, have a great week!
Con amor, Elder Turley
Another week gone by. Its already been a month since Christmas. Pretty crazy. We tried to work good and hard this week. Some days it felt like nothing went right, and then all of a sudden we would teach a good lesson and get back on track. We found a few people who seem really interested in the message, so thats good. As for Sergio and Lucy. We had some great success, but some drawbacks too.
We taught them the other day, about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was actually the most ive taught in a lesson. I had to teach the part about Baptism, and our plan was to commit Sergio to be baptized, and change the date of his wifes baptism to his date, so that they could be baptized together. Sergio asked a few questions about the baptism, and so did Lucy, when all of a sudden Lucy said she didnt want to be baptized anymore. Right after, Sergio said that he still wanted to be baptized even though he knows that changing will be hard. We think that Lucy doesnt want to get baptized because of her family, so we are planning a lesson to see if we cant get her to see the importance of it.
Our area is HUGE. It should be 2 areas, but there are only me and my companion here. Yesterday, after church, we drove around with the Fauntos, a family, to find some colonies that we have Heard of,but that we didnt really know existed. I sat in the middle seat squooshed ( I think thats how its spelled) between everyone. It gets better though. We put in an Elton John CD, and listened to it the whole time. I just sat back and smiled, thinking, I'm in the middle of mexico, squooshed between a bunch of Mexicans, listening to Elton John. What can get better than this?
Yesterday, I gave another talk in Church. This one was 13 minutes long. Its pretty crazy to think that I can talk for that long in Spanish. Ok so i have to write down every Word, but still. I talked about how the members have a responsibility just as much as us, to do missionary work. I also told them that the opportunities they will have, wont necesarily be with nonmembers. In reality they are going to have many more chances to help reactivate less active members. I think it went over well.
With the Fuantos, who arent members because the husband cant get divorced with his previous wife (its complicated), we are studying the bible, and teaching them how to use the Book of Mormon, to help them enhance their studies. I think we are all learning a lot from it.
Thats pretty much it. We are pushing a long, trying to get are investigators to church, which is still the biggest struggle. Hopefully we will see the fruits of our labor soon.
Happy Birthday Grandma!
Kimmy, keep up the good writing.
I love you all, have a great week!
Con amor, Elder Turley
Monday, January 19, 2009
Latest Pictures
El Sagrado Santo Madero en Parras de la Fuente
Elder Jung and I
My district
Elder de la Cruz
1/19/2009
Hello World!
I got some really great mail this week. Thanks everyone for writing.
Well…. They left me in Parras for at least another month and a half. They also decided to keep the same companionship here. Im not sad. Im really starting to build relationships with a lot of the members. On Saturday, we have a game night at the building with the members. This past Saturday, they practically forced me to play basketball with them. Elder De La Cruz gave me the OK so i went and played with everyone. Its rediculously funny how competitive everyone is. Its all in good fun, but a Little rough. The women more so. It felt like i was playing a game of smear the queer. We played Priesthood vs Relief Society + Elders, and I shined of course. Basically because im a foot taller than everyone else. All in all, it was great, and through stuff like that, I can build friendships easier, because i dont have to talk so much.
Ok back to the work. Thats why Im here right?
This week was the worst week of the transfer in numbers, but we did have 1 lesson that made the cake. We visited Sergio and Lucy one night, and read a Little in the scriptures. We gave Sergio a Book of Mormon of his own, and overall were just excited that he was there. We left them a chapter to read and set an appointment for 2 days later, to give them time to read. The night of our appointment, they both were home, and what more, Sergio had read the chapter. He not only read the chapter, he practically repeated it verbatum. Im not sure how many times he read it, but I almost started laughing when he told everything about it. We said, “Sergio, what do you remember about the Chapter” He related the whole story of Ammon teaching Lamoni, he even remember their names. To be honest it really surprised me. Ill goa head and give all the credit to the Lord on that one. We taught them the Plan of Salvation and that went great. We were also planning on teaching them 2 nights ago, but when we got there, we Heard them fighting, so we will prolly go back tomorrow night and teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So yeah, overall, numbers were bad, but that lesson went well.
What else. I wish i had a lint roller. Im teaching a lot of english, but just to individual members. No one showed up to my english class on Thursday.
Yesterday was District Conference. We went to a Rancho called Chavez and watched a Broadcast. It was really great. Elder Clate W. Mask, of the Seventy, who also spoke at the MTC, basically related the same story of his Grandpa being the first mexican missionary. The only difference is that he spoke in Spanish. Next, Sylvia Allred, a counselor in the Relief Society Presidency spoke. I didnt understand a Word. Then, Elder Richard G. Scott spoke. He speaks spanish, and its a lot easier to understand a White man speak spanish than a native, so i understood most of it. He talked to the Teenagers about chastity, and what we can do to stay clean before marriage. It was a good talk, doesnt really apply to me right now, but it was a good talk. And no mom i cant apply it to the work, because the President doesnt want us looking out Teenagers for baptisms. He wants us to focus on families. After Elder Scott came President Monson, but with a spanish Translator. He talked about the home, and what we need to make it. I cant say i understood a ton. I did understand a simple, powerful testimony that he bore at the end.
Questions
I havent been able to go on a ride yet, but we will prolly go next Monday. I really want to get out and do some exercising. Theres this Church called Santo Madero. It has literally like a 26% grade. I climbed it with my dinker bike. Ill send a picture of Santo Madero.
They call hitch hiking getting a ride. You can sit in the back of trucks all you want. Whats more is that its free. Also, apparantly if someone has a car, you can trust that they will go where they say they are going.
Shout out to Kimmy. Ive lost count on how many. Keep it up. I loved how you added a Little more depth in this last one.
Aunt Leslie and Aunt Laurie get shout outs. But Aunt Leslie needs to stop signing her letters “Your favorite Aunt”.
Bud hit me up too, and thats always good.
All in all, Im happy to stay in Parras, even though its in the Booneys. Im going to push my companion really hard. I let off a Little this week, and it took toll on our numbers. We are chugging a long with some investigators, so who knows what will happen in these six weeks.
I love you all. Have a great week and remember to smile!
Con amor, Elder Turley
I got some really great mail this week. Thanks everyone for writing.
Well…. They left me in Parras for at least another month and a half. They also decided to keep the same companionship here. Im not sad. Im really starting to build relationships with a lot of the members. On Saturday, we have a game night at the building with the members. This past Saturday, they practically forced me to play basketball with them. Elder De La Cruz gave me the OK so i went and played with everyone. Its rediculously funny how competitive everyone is. Its all in good fun, but a Little rough. The women more so. It felt like i was playing a game of smear the queer. We played Priesthood vs Relief Society + Elders, and I shined of course. Basically because im a foot taller than everyone else. All in all, it was great, and through stuff like that, I can build friendships easier, because i dont have to talk so much.
Ok back to the work. Thats why Im here right?
This week was the worst week of the transfer in numbers, but we did have 1 lesson that made the cake. We visited Sergio and Lucy one night, and read a Little in the scriptures. We gave Sergio a Book of Mormon of his own, and overall were just excited that he was there. We left them a chapter to read and set an appointment for 2 days later, to give them time to read. The night of our appointment, they both were home, and what more, Sergio had read the chapter. He not only read the chapter, he practically repeated it verbatum. Im not sure how many times he read it, but I almost started laughing when he told everything about it. We said, “Sergio, what do you remember about the Chapter” He related the whole story of Ammon teaching Lamoni, he even remember their names. To be honest it really surprised me. Ill goa head and give all the credit to the Lord on that one. We taught them the Plan of Salvation and that went great. We were also planning on teaching them 2 nights ago, but when we got there, we Heard them fighting, so we will prolly go back tomorrow night and teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So yeah, overall, numbers were bad, but that lesson went well.
What else. I wish i had a lint roller. Im teaching a lot of english, but just to individual members. No one showed up to my english class on Thursday.
Yesterday was District Conference. We went to a Rancho called Chavez and watched a Broadcast. It was really great. Elder Clate W. Mask, of the Seventy, who also spoke at the MTC, basically related the same story of his Grandpa being the first mexican missionary. The only difference is that he spoke in Spanish. Next, Sylvia Allred, a counselor in the Relief Society Presidency spoke. I didnt understand a Word. Then, Elder Richard G. Scott spoke. He speaks spanish, and its a lot easier to understand a White man speak spanish than a native, so i understood most of it. He talked to the Teenagers about chastity, and what we can do to stay clean before marriage. It was a good talk, doesnt really apply to me right now, but it was a good talk. And no mom i cant apply it to the work, because the President doesnt want us looking out Teenagers for baptisms. He wants us to focus on families. After Elder Scott came President Monson, but with a spanish Translator. He talked about the home, and what we need to make it. I cant say i understood a ton. I did understand a simple, powerful testimony that he bore at the end.
Questions
I havent been able to go on a ride yet, but we will prolly go next Monday. I really want to get out and do some exercising. Theres this Church called Santo Madero. It has literally like a 26% grade. I climbed it with my dinker bike. Ill send a picture of Santo Madero.
They call hitch hiking getting a ride. You can sit in the back of trucks all you want. Whats more is that its free. Also, apparantly if someone has a car, you can trust that they will go where they say they are going.
Shout out to Kimmy. Ive lost count on how many. Keep it up. I loved how you added a Little more depth in this last one.
Aunt Leslie and Aunt Laurie get shout outs. But Aunt Leslie needs to stop signing her letters “Your favorite Aunt”.
Bud hit me up too, and thats always good.
All in all, Im happy to stay in Parras, even though its in the Booneys. Im going to push my companion really hard. I let off a Little this week, and it took toll on our numbers. We are chugging a long with some investigators, so who knows what will happen in these six weeks.
I love you all. Have a great week and remember to smile!
Con amor, Elder Turley
Brandon would love some e-mails! He will only be able to e-mail back immediate family, but he would be glad to write you back and send you a letter when he has time.
brandonturley@myldsmail.net
Send me some letters!
Here is Brandon's address. He would LOVE pictures and letters!
*letters sent to this address will be sent to Brandon via pouch. It will get to him in about 3 weeks.
Elder Brandon Turley
Mexico Torreon Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT
84130-0150
USA
Mexico Torreon Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT
84130-0150
USA
*letters sent to this address will be sent to Brandon via pouch. It will get to him in about 3 weeks.
Elder Brandon Turley
Serving in the Torreon, Mexico Mission
for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
This blog will document Elder Brandon Turley's mission with weekly posts of his letters and e-mails he sends home as well as pictures that will be updated by his family on his behalf. We will try to keep this as up to date as possible. Feel free to leave comments, we can send them along to Brandon for you.
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