Pics 4

January 27, 2014

 

 

1-me and adolfo again

2-random goofball in dc :)

3-whitehouse

 

Pics 3

January 27, 2014

 

 

 

1-me and elder olivo in dc

2-again

3-me and elder alfaro in front of the whitehouse

4-me and clandi (he's in the old town ward, from gautamala and a great friend)

Pics 2

January 27, 2014

 

 

1-me and adolfo (he's the one who had the stroke this past week)

2-me and hermana panteleon

3-me and elder farns 

4-me and elder ruiz-leon

5-me and caleb earnshaw (rm who came to visit)

Elder Nielson

January 27, 2014

hey family! this week was really great!

on tuesday it decided to snow a pretty good amount! so we couldn't drive so we walked and because theres no work here (or anything really, everythiing closes for snow) we had a great day and found a lot of people at home!!! which was great! we taught 5 lessons that day it felt so good haha

we have been working really hard and saw some cool fruits that took place this week! we got this super solid family referral and went to go see them and had a great lesson only to find out after they are just outside of our boundary haha so we passed them! but we went to church yesterday and a golden investigator just showed up and we were super excited about that! 

the work here and the ward here is all moving forward! its crazy to see and literally feel that the work is hastening! i can feel it in me too! it feels like my head is traveling 100mph haha and almost as if everything is a sprint! its crazy! just so many things happening and so many things to do! i'm loving it!

on friday i had a really good interview with President Riggs, he's great! i really look up to him a ton, just like it says in my setting apart blessing. 

then on saturday we had a great whole mission conference and elder s. gifford nielson came to talk with us. he's 6'5" so tall, president riggs is really big and tall but elder nielson made him look small haha! elder nielson is the one who gave the lord's game plan talk this past general conference! then after wards we had a small meeting with him and all the stake presidents in the mission, i really enjoyed that a lot! especially because it was such a small group of us with him! one thing i really enjoyed about the things he shared were just some of the simple ways that everyone can share the gospel with friends and neighbors and family. he shared a couple different stories of just how sitting by someone on an airplane and simply by starting a normal conversation then bringing up the gospel, it was really great. 

as i mentioned the ward here is doing really great, on saturday the ward had 3 baptisms and another one on tuesday and we just put 2 people on date in the next couple weeks so it really is hastening at a fast pace!

it was so good to read your emails and see the pictures! i've been thinking i should probably start getting a small plan of school and work so i don't decide at the last minute, i just have no clue still! so maybe you can help me out haha! thats one thing that has been crazy is that it feels that each month that comes goes even faster i told that to president and he was like oh yeah. 

but i sure love you all! and pray for you daily! hope all is well, let me know if there is anything i can do!!! 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

ps lots of picts coming your way!

1-me bowling

2-me and the castaneda's

3-me and juan and teri Castaneda

 

 

Hola

January 20, 2014

hey family! this week was really good! it was pretty busy!

 

on tuesday i went on an exchange to my old area with elder muellor. he is a really good missionary and has severe allergies to nuts and dairy! he's been out about 7 months now and he has only had one serious problem with his allergies which is good. while we were there i got see a couple of my old investigators who still aren't baptized but one is really close!!! i'm excited for her! then the following morning i saw a coupon on the table in their apartment for a pancake place and that they just now started selling gluten free pankcakes so we went and while we were there we ran into another one of my old investigadors who hasn't been visited by missionaries in awhile and while we were there we set up an appointment for that saturday! haha.

 

on wednesday our ward has started doing this program type thing to get members more excited for missionary work. all of us missionaries and as many members as can we meet at the church at 7 and go visit our investigatros, less-actives or we go tracting, its been really fun. the first wednesday that we did it only about 4 people showed up...haha so its getting a little bit better!

 

then on thursday i went on another exchange to my old ward but to a different area. it was really fun. i went with elder sepulveda, he's colombian. we had a couple good lessons and got to see one of the members who is from brazil and we also clandi came out with us that night to help us. he is a good guy! we got really close while i served there!

 

one thing that is really sad is that adolfo one of my old investigators had a stroke and is really bad...he's in a coma right now. the good thing is that the hospital he's in is close to me. so we are going to visit him tomorrow. then i was thinking about it how it might be a good thing if he was to pass on now becuase right now he can't be baptized because of his situation he is in, but he could go to the spirit world and accept it there! adolfo is the older guy who is just the nicest guy ever! please pray for him :)

 

on saturday we did a lot of tracting and we found a couple new potentials. one of them we had a really good lesson with and invited him to church and he was like yeah i'll come (he's 18) and we really didn't think he'd come but he came! and he said he loved it there! we have another lesson with him tonight! we are hoping for good things for him!

 

then we went to go check up on a potential so he lets us in and we get to talking and then he tells us that he is a member and that he got baptized back in argentina but hasn't been since and how he wants us to teach his kids, one is 5 and the other is 14 and the kids aren't baptized! so the plan is to baptize the 14 year old daughter! 

 

we have been really working hard and trying to have more miracles and have more faith! its been really fun! this friday we have interviews with president, which i'm looking forward to! its always a treat! haha.

 

i had a weird dream the other night that my mission ended and i think dad and michael picked me up and took me home to where mom and amanda was and they started crying haha. it was sad and funny! i've been kinda missing you all lately haha! but don't worry its not distracting from the work! :) i just love you all so much!!!

 

this week is going to be very crazy again. i'll have exchanges tue, thur, and fri, then on sat we have a whole mission conference. its going to be a great week though filled with miracles!!!

 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

 

ps so i wasn't at home when the package was delivered so i have to wait til it the postoffice opens on tuesay to get it! but it is here safe and sound!

Happy B-day Mom!

January 13, 2013

yay!!! happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear mother, happy birthday to you!!!  love you mom hope you have a great day!!!

this week was really great and very busy! i went on 3 exchanges this week and i was exhuasted! one of them was in my old area so that was really great to see old members and investigators! we had dinner with the castaneda's! which was so good to see them, the mom was just pretty much adoring me and thanking me for everything i did. it was a very humbling and pleasant experience. i really do love that family! 

one of the other exchanges i went on was with elder olvio (my "son") and that was very fun! he is doing good. we had a really good lesson with this guy from honduras who is looking for a church to join! 

the other exchange was with elder macias and his area is all the way up in leesburg! so it was a travel haha. we had 2 really good lessons that the spirit was really strong! 

my comp has been doing some weird stuff lately and i am trying really hard to love him and be patient! haha! its pretty ridiculous though...

today i turn 19 months out here. it feels like each month just goes faster and faster. i have really enjoyed every day. its very hard at times and you always feel like you could have done more but i love it. i love helping people see their potential as children of God, and seeing them change their lives because of it! a lot lately i have been really trying to change my teaching to just teach 'the why' it is so much more powerful and the people really catch on! 

our trip to dc last week was really fun and cold! haha i have pics but my cord is officially lost. so maybe mom you can send me a usb drive thing where i can insert my sd card and send you pics that way!? 

i love you all so much and miss you too! 

Elder Lifferth

New Years

January 6, 2014

Hey family!

 

Mom, my synthroids are running low and I will need some new ones in the next couple weeks! same with the inhaler!

 

This week was really good. we have been working really hard trying to find new investigators here. we don't have too many right now but are working really hard to find some! we have a lot of potentials that we feel have great potential! one is this single mom with 3 kids and she is very interested!

 

I went on another exchange this past week back to bella vista and that was really fun. then we went to cafe rio there and picked up a new potential there as well in my current area. she is a worker there and her best friends live in utah and they are members and she is very interested!!! it should be great!

 

The other day I got a card from charley and his fam of a gift card....(too much money...) just showing again how generous he is! he is a great example of giving!

 

That's crazy that stephen is now an official college student! thats pretty weird haha! everyone is getting old!!! 

 

For new years we visited some members and investigators. we were suppose to have dinner with this one member so we go and she just answers the door and she tells us her husband is home so we go in and are waiting and we ask her and she says oh he'll be here in a couple minutes! I was like .....oh man! members lying to us now...whats the big idea haha! so we did the best we could to get out of there as quickly and nicely as possible.

 

yesterday at church somehow we had 5 investigators at church! it was awesome! we were so excited! 

 

I still can't find my cord to my camara....

 

Today we are going to dc even though its pretty cold! haha should be really fun.

 

I love you! 

ELder Lifferth 

Yeah!

December 30, 2013
December 30, 2013

hey family!!!!

 

First off I really enjoyed skyping with you!!!! it was sooo nice! it brought me so much peace and comfort and love! haha :)

 

This week was pretty good. we have been working hard but not having any success. we decided to really put an emphasis on working with the members and the bishop. so we've been really working on that and trying to build their faith and trust in us and hopefully in return great miracles and a lot of baptisms happen!

 

One of our investigators who is a youth was going to get baptized this coming sunday but now wants to wait til after her birthday which is in about 2 weeks! but we were thinking how that would be better because the hour we have church gets changed to 1 and now her whole family can come and hopefully all get baptized together that day!

 

Yesterday at church elder ritchie came to give a lesson on how to manage money and elder olivo translated for us. a lot of the things he talked about were really good and i feel like thats what I've been doing. then that opened some ideas about different job possibilities in the future!

 

I don't feel like there is a whole lot to talk about because I told you everything on skype! I am very grateful for all of you and love you! really words can't explain how I feel for all of you!

 

I brought my camara today but not the cord...I hope it's not lost...oh well!!!

 

love you!

 

Elder Lifferth

Transferred

December 23, 2013

Hey family! love you all!

 

As you saw I got transfered! I am now living in annandale in the little river ward. its a nice ward, relatively small and young (a lot of converts of less than 5 years or so) but it has a good missionary mentality. It's exciting.

 

Before I forget mom one on my last purple inhaler and I'm on about 45 left so still have some time :)

 

My new companion is elder alfaro. his dad his from el salvador and his mom is a gringa. he is a really nice guy! So far hasn't been too hard to work with. But I love him a lot and I feel pretty protective of him ha. he really loves classic rock and is always singing pink floyd and other artists of that time haha and he loves classic movies star wars and stuff like that. so its pretty entertaining. I think  this will be a good growing experience for me!

 

Yesterday night we went to the temple visitor center with a member and some less actives (well inactives, they haven't been to church in 20 years haha) and it was really good! the performance was by the temple orchestra there and it was really nice, the funny thing is that while we were there I saw a family from my last area the escobars! and the mom (who reminds me a lot of grandma shirley) ran up to me and gave me a big hug in front of everyone haha I was like....uhhhh... haha it was funny because I've only been away for since thursday so only a couple days and she was like ahhhh we miss you so much! haha

 

Its really cool here, our ward missionary leader use to play professional soccer back in bolivia! I really want to play with him so we will see!

 

Yesterday we had a baptism (not mine because I just got here) but the man who got baptized is soo great! he's an older gentleman and so loving and just so prepared! I also found out that one of the people I was working with back in springlake got baptized this past week! so that was great to hear! haha.

 

So for Christmas we are planning on hopefully skyping around 1 o clock here so 11 ish your time. I have mom's account to use and I will skype to dad's account. we only have 45 mins to skype so lets try to not go over too much! :) haha.

 

I've been getting to know a couple members over here so far and they are really nice. I know a couple members who go here from different exchanges I've been on and they were really happy to see I am here now! so so far its been a nice comfortable transition.

 

I did get that package, I am saving to open it on wednesday! thank you!

 

That's exciting that aaron is going on a mission! I see that michael still hasn't dumped his girlfreind....

 

Well I love you all so much and we will talk more this wednesday!!! Merry Christmas!

 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

 

ps i have pictures but forgot my camara....sorry...

 

 

WOOOO

December 9, 2013

WOOOO!!! Big news of the week i actually just got an email from Emili A. (the venezualen family that I taught that moved away to florida) emailed me to tell me that her dad E. got baptized yesterday!!!! I'm freaking out over here with so much happiness!!! that is sooo great!!!! wow I'm speechless! haha :D

 

that's too bad for rsl...oh well better luck next year!

 

this week was good! we had lots of mtgs and this week I will have lots of mtgs too! oh man...takes up a lot of time... but thats ok!

 

so dad mentioned how he saw the blizzard from the redskins game...yesterday it snowed here (not too much) and they cancelled church...we were going to have for sure 2 investigators come but we had to let them know it was cancelled...me and elder ruiz-leon were so confused because it wasn't bad at all really...haha. then the mission sent us a text to stay in. once again a little confused because it wasn't terrible and I feel like we could have worked in it...oh well safety first I guess. so we played some board games yesterday with the other elders. it was fun. it was sad because the hermanas were going to have a baptism but they had to cancel it too...they were really  sad.

 

everything else is going really good out here! I am told to tell the family and friends to send all christmas packages to my apartment now before the 19 otherwise we won't be able to get it before christmas because the the 19th is transfers already, so if you want to give me anything for christmas you might want to get on that :) haha.

 

I am really happy with everything right now, especially my mission. I absolutely love it. I was thinking this week how much Stephen will miss out on if he doesn't go, it literally brings tears to my eyes as I type this..I really hope he considers going. it will be the BEST THING HE CAN EVER DO. its worth the sacrifice of everything to go on one.

 

well I sure love you all so much and am so grateful for all of you! please keep sending me pictures of the family and weather :)

 

con amor,

ELder Lifferth

 

 

Thanksgiving

December 2, 2013

Hey family!

 

This week was really great! Lots of good stuff happened!

 

We had some really great lessons with our investigators this week! the spirit truly guided us this week! one thing I've been trying to focus on is the number or quality lessons and daily contact instead of quantity...there are a lot missionaries who focus too much on the numbers and looking good with how many they teach lessons that they forget the why we teach. so that has been going good for us!

 

for thanksgiving 2 members invited us over and one of our investigators did as well! it was all really good! and in the mean time when we weren't eating we went through different ward members and investigators to pass out thank you cards! that was really fun to do! I felt really good doing that.

 

then on Saturday the ward had a thanksgiving dinner and we had a lot of our investigators come!!!! it was great!!! and a member who I had just gotten to know this past week who they are a great family!!! she brought me chicken and gluten free spaghetti to eat since there was turkey! it was so nice!!!! honestly having celiac out here has been a huge blessing being able to connect with people! same with my other infirmities! so I see them as blessings!

 

at church we had 2 investigators come! we were so excited!!!! one was her first time since we've been teaching her! she has progressed soo much! the only down side it that she is going back to el Salvador for the holiday season and we are going to see if we baptize her before she goes or pray nothing bad happens while she is gone!!

 

also yesterday we helped out with 3 different blessings! we've been giving a lot of blessings lately! which is so great that we get to use the priesthood to bless the lives of others!!!

 

so now we won't be getting the ipads until January because the missionary department has had some delays... but I'm ok with that! haha!

 

in those pictures I don't know if it was an optical illusion or what but Michael looks huge haha! especially in the one when ya'll are in front of the fence haha!

 

we are working really hard, and I feel like we are so close to getting some more baptisms! just if we keep pushing I know that our work will get paid off!

 

I sure love you all!!!! hope everything goes great for you!!!

Con amor,

Elder Lifferth

Heeya

November 25, 2013

hey family! this week was really good! it was busy and good stuff happened.

 

this past Friday we had a mission conference with Elder Teh from the 70, its really cool that he is young than president riggs, and president riggs is younger than dad! so he's pretty young to be in there! it was really great. he taught a lot of great stuff! it was very spiritual. he talked a lot of "getting out of the 'current' in the mission field" and compared it to the current in finding nemo and how its easier to be there, a lot of friends are there but you don't go too far. that's one thing I've thought a lot about. I see that all the time. just how that's the easy path to take and it will always be the easy path to take, but we need to walk the path Jesucristo set for us. its not always easy, but it is the most rewarding and as we walk the path He walked we can grow and become the person we need to be!

 

I went on 2 exchanges this week. I felt a little bad for Elder ruiz-leon who had to go, I was always way nervous to go on them when I was new! but he did well! I really enjoy them now!

 

we have this investigator from argentina who is so great! we've been seeing him for the past 3 weeks now and this past Wednesday we go over there and he had bought me gluten free chips and gluten free cookies. I was blown away that he would do that for me!

 

we have been working really hard with this less-active who reminds me a lot of charley! and the other day we had such a powerful lesson with him and his mom! and on sunday he came to church! I was honestly so happy! and also we had 2 other investigators come to church!! so we were pumped! haha! we  were jumping around reverently haha! church was really exciting because we got a new bishopric! I think it will be really good and very focused on mission work! so we are excited about that!

 

I did get that package! I was really happy!!! I thought it was funny how you gave me lots of sweets and a toothbrush! I don't know if that was intentional haha!! I love you all so much! i'm excited for Amanda!!! the baby laira (I don't know how to pronounce that how its spelled? haha) is it like "l + air + a"? or "la + ee + a"? i can't read English super well now ... ha.

 

it has been getting pretty cold here! yesterday was really cold plus wind chill! elder ruiz-leon thought he was going to die! haha. but no snow! i really hope it doesn't snow this winter!

 

love you all!!!!

Elder Lifferth

 

the last one his my companion

 

 

New Comp

November 18. 2013

 

Hey family!!! sure love you all!

 

this week was pretty good. I have a new companion named elder ruiz-leon and despite his Hispanic last name doesn't speak Spanish haha! but he's doing good!

 

a lot of  our investigators are doing really good, but super busy! we've had a really hard time contacting them and getting lessons with them! elder ruiz-leon has been pretty frustrated haha but that's just how the mission life is, sometimes we just don't have lessons...the important thing is to keep working hard and being obedient and things will work out and be ok!

 

this Friday we are having a special mission conference, Elder Teh of the seventy is coming to visit us and train us! President told us that Elder Teh is younger than him! and from the Philippines. I am looking forward to it.

 

I'm not sure if its just because I've been out here for a year and a half but I am exhausted...I wake up, exhausted...work out, exhausted....eat food, exhausted...study, exhausted... teach, exhausted... hahah! I guess there is no rest for the weary.. :) but some how God keeps blessing me with strength to keep on keepin on.

 

this upcoming transfer is going to be a 5 week transfer plus a ton of meetings so it should go by really fast! its 5 weeks so all the departing missionaries cam make it home the week before Christmas! which I bet the families will be super grateful!

 

yesterday at church , Raymond V. and his mom maria came to visit me!!! (I worked with them a lot in springlake) it was so good to see them! i'm not sure if it was against any rules but I didn't invite them so my hands are clean! haha. maria on her way out shook my hand and left a piece of paper in my hand and smiled! late I looked at  what it was and it was a lot of money! too much money! haha.

 

also yesterday at church juan C. and his wife came (he is about 22 and less-active, he's the one who reminds me a lot of charley and cassie) but it was so good to see them come with there little baby!

 

has Michael dumped his girlfriend yet? I keep on writing rough drafts but I don't want to sound to mean haha!

 

time sure is going fast! too fast, especially with the holiday season! please let me know of Amanda's baby goes! i'm excited for her!

 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

Hey

November 13, 1013

Hey family!

 

Sorry for not being able to email Monday (veteran day) or yesterday (mtgs..) but here I am!

 

this will be brief! so this week is transfers and I will be staying and elder peacock will be leaving! its been fun being with him!

 

Tomorrow I will get my new comp! i'm excited, it will be fun.

 

I enjoyed all the pics you all sent and as well super pumped for rsl! haha

 

this past week we had a lot of really good stuff happening! and also last minute we ended up not going to dc sorry for the disappointment! 

 

being on facebook is still pretty weird but it has been such a huge tool! having lessons and working with investigators, recent converts and less actives! its useful! the real life work is also going really good! this past sunday we went to one of our investigators to make pancakes and then we all went to church together afterwards! that was fun and effective to get them there haha :) the hermanas tell us how great it works so we tried it and bam the whole family came!

 

is it just me or is it pretty crazy its almost Christmas!? next time we Skype i'm pretty sure it'll be from my ipad! we get them dec11!

 

i'm pretty tired right now and can't really think of what else happened and with transfers and mtgs I didn't make the normal list to remind me! sorry!

 

sure love you all! and I will write more on Monday!!!

 

con amor,

elder lifferth

Holaa

November 4, 2013

Hey family!

 

THis week was pretty good. lots of good stuff happened.

 

I started using facebook! I have no idea how to use it still!! its pretty scary! haha I feel like an old person trying to use it haha! but its getting a little bit better! I will say though that it is really weird being on it! I almost feel like I am being disobedient! I think if I had the choice I wouldn't use it during my mission, but God knows what He's doing!

 

Halloween was pretty fun. we as a zone all got together to have a dinner then we watch monsters inc university and rise of the gaurdians I thought both were pretty good, m.u. was really funny ha.

 

this past week I went on 2 exchanges. one was to my last area and in the night we went to check up on one of their investigators and as we were walking we ran into my old investigator Brenda! and she is doing soo good! she is still getting taught and going to church weekly! it was so great to see her!!! the other one was with elder boucher who came to my area so we could plan some stuff! both went really good.

 

then yesterday was the first time on my mission I was able to do a full fast!!!! I was so pumped! haha, I've been slowly building up my mind and body to do it! and it happened and I still don't have a migraine so that wa a huge miracle for me!!!

 

so yesterday night we got a call that sara (Julie and chris' neighbor) was back in town for something and wanted to meet with us again! so we went over and had a really good visit with her and that family. we went over pretty much everything we teach as missionaries briefly! I felt like it went really well. she's a really nice lady.

 

one of our investigators named vilma is really nice to us! she is doing really good still, but she didn't come to church yesterday! but now every time we go over she always feeds us a lot haha! she is so nice to us! all of our other investigators are doing really well too! we honestly have so many solid investigators that it is really hard to see them all consistently!!!haha! its crazy! and all have the potential to baptized before the end of the year!  we are blessed that we have a car every day now!! we don't share anymore, so that helps us a ton!!!!

 

but yes I got the package and thanks so much!!! it was so great! those cookies were those same cookies I ate in the mtc! they are soo good haha.

 

today we are planning on going up to DC, it should be fun!

 

not this Thursday but the 14 is transfers. i'll let you know when I know where I will be!!

 

sure love ya'll!!! let me know if there is anything I can do for you!

 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

 

ps picture of us and sara and the price family! (it is weird teaching lessons in English now haha)

 

pss...oh man! the computer isn't letting me upload the pic...til next week! :)

 

Crazy Week

October 28, 2013

 
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  Elder Andrew Lifferth
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• Elder Andrew Lifferth
  andrew.lifferth@myldsmail.net
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Hey family!

 

Well to start off, lots of crazy stuff/announcements were made!

 

First the other day I went to a sports dr to check my knee! and it is well! just need to do some physical therapy, but I think I'll just wait til I get home! they want me to do it 3 times a week for 28 times! sister riggs said that I can just go to the first three and take their exercises and then just do them on my own! (don't get worried or anything, its not bad. just tweeked it or so last October then I realized it was still bothering me and then I realized it that was a year ago, so I thought I'd better get it checked) so I hope the charge isn't too much for you! if so I'm sorry.

 

On Friday I had a meeting and they announced that all the missionaries in this mission in middle November will be on facebook and the internet(Skype, emails etc) to proselyte! but I am having to use it now to test it, it scares me haha. We need to focus on our assigned area of labor but we can also do work with family or friends who are less-active or non-members! its great to be able to use these tools to bless literally everyone! the other big announcement is that in December we will be getting ipads and iphones to be able to help us more with this purpose! each missionary will have their own ipad! I'm excited for that haha!

 

Wilbert and Natalia have been progressing a lot! the sad thing is that they have to move by the end of the month! we have been praying and fasting and yesterday at stake conference (I'll explain more about stake conference) we met a new member who just moved here and is single but lives in a bigger house and we got to talking and he is looking to rent it the beginning of November! and it is still in the limits of their daughter's school!!! it is such a huge miracle!!!!! God has been putting huge miracles in our path! and I'm not sure why! haha but I'm not complaining ;)

 

Last week we helped a man late at night with his groceries and we introduced ourselves and asked if we could come back and he said yes! so we go back and meet his wife and just get to know them all a bit better when the wife tells us that she is a member but hasn't been in 6 years since she moved here! and that they were previously getting taught by missionaries but that they just moved in to that apartment! Javier (the husband) is really interested! yet again another huge miracle!

 

So stake conference here was really nice. we had Elder Falabela and Elder Gerard of the seventy come! and on sunday after it finished our old town ward got to have a special lunch with them and then a special meeting as well! it was so cool! Elder Falabela is from Gautamala! he talked to the ward a lot about tithing and keeping the Sabbath day holy! and our bishop, Obispo matos got called into the Stake presidency (for good reason, he's awesome!)  so right now we are "sin Obispo"

 

This past Tuesday I went on an exchange with an elder who is newish and is with a native companion and has been having some depression because his companion controls and does all the talking in the lessons. I hope I was able to help him out. and at night he had a meeting with President , and at the end President gave him a blessing and I got to anoint and stand in for the blessing! and man, it was a very powerful blessing! President is such a good man!

 

This weekend we helped a family move! only 2 men from the elders quorum came to help...so we were there for awhile! ha here in the Spanish wards we as missionaries take the place of the elders quoroms...its great to serve just that is takes longer and we could use more of that time for other purposes! but oh well!

 

We went over to give yasir our recent convert a visit when his parents opened to the door and said he wasn't there. so we came in and talked with them. usually how our lessons go with them is almost just a battle and we actually almost dropped them until this lesson! it went super good! we feel that with yasir's baptism it has soften their hearts! so hopefully they keep doing better! it was really crazy to see that change in them! it was a spirit filled lesson and they both felt it!

 

I also called the crest people to complain and they are sending me a coupon for a whitener mouth wash and if I want to get the free clean I have to fill out some paperwork! so if it doesn't take too much time I'll do it haha!

 

Everything else is going really good! transfers are nov 14 so you still have time to send stuff to that same address!

 

Its really great to be able to see how fast the work is truly hastening as we are getting ready for the Second Coming! It's great!

 

sure love ya'll

Con amor,

Elder Lifferth

Love ya'll

October 21, 2013

Hey family!!!

 

I sure love you! you are great :)

 

This week went by fast, its starting to make me a little sad haha.

 

This past Tuesday I had an exchange with a trio. it was fun but nothing turned out...haha. I remember thinking to myself what? what is going on? haha. then to make it worse, in the morning I talked to them to make sure to set the alarm for 6 so we can all have a good work out. in the morning I kinda wake my self up because I felt for some reason it has been a long night, so I look at my watch and its almost 7!!!! I get up and turn on the lights and tell them all to wake up. after talking with them I found out they both heard the alarm but went back to sleep! I was really disappointed because that was the first time I didn't wake up before 6:30....

 

We had a really good lesson this week with a lady we talked to in the street. she is from Honduras and we feel she has a lot of potential, especially because her "husband" (not married yet) was baptized back in Honduras about 16 years ago, but moved here and didn't know where to find the church and then got lost...so we are working with them both and its been really good! except they didn't come to church yesterday... oh man!

 

This really was a good week, one of the things we are still struggling with is finding our investigators regularly...its been hard. they all work so much and get paid so little...good thing with winter coming is that they won't work as much. most of our investigators now probably work over 40 hours a week and only make 20,000 a year, plus they have families and rent. I don't know how they do it. It's sad and hard to see. but one thing I have learned from that is that in order to be happy you don't have to have much and yet you can still be happy because of the gospel!!! woohoo!!!

 

On a bright note, we found a restaurant close by us that has a sweet lunch special for pupusas! $.99 for one! haha and they are really good! 

 

To answers dad's question because I keep forgetting: for june, I don't really mind anything I just don't want to finish early. I wouldn't mind flying to the airport or if you want to pick me up, either is fine! and I still need to ask president his thoughts on that idea I had! but I'll let you know!

 

Thanks for all you do! thanks for all the prayers and the love! <3 we sure are all blessed!

 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

Familia!

October 15, 2013

Hey family!!

 

I love you all!

 

On Wednesday morning I got a text from President with the information for the funeral and also the email! and it just so happened that that is the stake center we in meet every sunday! so that was really cool. but yeah, we showed up and she was only able to talk to me for a couple minutes because of how many people were trying to talk to her.

 

This week has been good. lots of hard work, its going really fast and I am having a hard time remembering everything! haha...

 

We have been meeting with one of our investigators and she was baptized into another church when she was 20 or so and so she didn't see the need to be baptized again, but last night we had a really good lesson with her and the spirit guided it all and she accepted a date to be baptized! nov 2!!! coming up quick! so we will be really busy to get everything done in time!!

 

Yesterday we went to the temple because it was p-day and columbus day so it was open. unfortunately they only show the new video on the hour...and we went to the 8:30 session....I was really disappointed.......hahaha but then I got over it and had a really good spiritual experience!

 

On saturday night our ward had our noche de hispanidad! it was really good and a ton of people came! 3 of our investigators came and really enjoyed it! there was a lot of good food ;)

 

Last Tuesday I went on exchange to bella vista! It was fun to be back for a day. We were out tracking and trying to talk with people but no one was home! we were thinking what is going on! then we walk by a taco truck and the guy inside told us that there was an immigration march and that a lot of people went! haha. that explained a lot .

 

Michael said he has a girl friend? If that's true, dump her. I'm glad Matt returned safely! is he still looking muscular? haha. I'm glad Stephen gets to visit for a couple days!!!

 

For that upcoming package just the journal, meds, and maybe some more revel bars or sunflower seed butter. maybe some pictures of everyone? nothing too much! pretty crazy how fast time is going!It's almost halloween!

 

Well I sure love you all! sorry for the sloppy email, didn't have a lot of time. all the libraries were full long line and wait ha...

 

let me know if I can do anything for ya'll.

 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

 

ps, hermana weenig is in my district right now, there is an elder smith in my zone, there might be more than one elder smith though.

GC

October 7, 2013

 

Hey familia!!! What a great general conference huh? :)

 

This week was pretty crazy and good!

 

On Tuesday we had the baptism for yasir! it was supposed to start at 5....I looked at my watch and it said 5:10 and yet it was just me and my comp...yikes! hhaha. but of course with God some how everything turned out great. the ward really helped a lot! haha. even though yasir is really shy haha he was trying really hard to not smile after his baptism but he just couldn't completely hide it haha, it was funny!

 

But yeah with transfers I stayed. but there was a lot of changes in the mission. three new zones opened up so now we have 10 small zones. Before we had 7 and about 30-40 missionaries in each zone, but that was just too big so now we have more zones with less missionaries in each!

 

This week we had a real hard time finding people home haha....people were just not cooperating with us ;) one of our families we are working with might have to move because they are really struggling financial and he even broke down and started crying...that was really hard to see. he has 2 young children with another on the way...I wish I could help them financial but as a missionary we can only offer salvation, which is much better than money ;) ha. it really had me thinking about the sacrifices parents make and the struggles they go through in order to help out their children. and of course it hasn't been easy for my parents, I know that you have really struggled in the past, and even though I'm not a parent yet seeing Wilbert go through that made me appreciate even more you two :) so thanks for all  you have done for me mom and dad.  we have a lesson with Wilbert tonight and we are looking forward to it. we are praying that they move in the area :)

 

We are still working really hard with our people, its just been hard to see them consistently lately...which makes it hard for them to progress...but they are all awesome!

 

The other day we got a coupon for a buffet and so we went and it was actually a really good deal! and we made sure to EAT haha, unfortunately when we got back one of the member families we are working with called us and said they made a lot of food for us...uh-oh haha. so right after having a nice buffet meal we had another huge meal! hahah I'm proud to say that we held it all down! :) I just burped up beans every so often haha!

 

I sure love you all and hope you all are doing great! we brought adolfo to general conference and he really liked it haha, I asked him what he thought afterwards and he said he didn't understand much but that he felt really good! haha.

 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth 

 

 

General Conference

September 30, 2013

hey everyone!!! Love you!!!

 

This week was pretty good with a lot of meetings and trainings, some how we were still able to proselyte!!!

 

The first big news for this week is that yasir is getting baptized tomorrow evening!!!!!! we have been working with him. we were working with his parents but they read some anti-Mormon stuff on the computer and have gone down hill... but yasir is awesome! we were never really sure on his level of interest because he is really quiet but he always finishes his commitments. then on sunday we went over to get him ready to go around 12:30 so that he'd be ready for his ride. we thought we were going to have to get him out of bed because he forgot but no! he opened the door in his suit and tie! completely ready to go! it was so awesome! the craziest part of it all was getting permission from his parents...we talked with them for just over an hour but they finally gave permission, the dad was trying really hard to convince him of not getting baptized..one of his techniques was that he'd say "if you get baptized no more xbox, tv, or computer" and yasir held up like a champion and said "ok" that really touched me to see that a 12 year old was willing to give up everything he has for the gospel. I think we all need to check ourselves and ask if we could do that. it really taught me a big lesson and I am really grateful for him and his example!

 

Adolfo is still doing really good! just waiting and praying that his wife's heart will be softened! he is such a great man. I love working with him. and he came to church with 2 of his kids! it was so great!

 

Then the other night as I was praying about all of our investigators the thought came to my mind that I'll make a list for all of you so you can all prayer for them too!

-yasir: so that he can stay active after his baptism

-adolfo: so that he can get a divorce with his wife so that he can get baptized and live the law of chastity

-beni: that he can find a job and that we can meet with him more

-luis: that we can meet with him more and that he can understand authority

-Wilbert and Natalia: that they can have time to meet with us and come to church

-juan: that his wife's heart will be softened and that he can meet more with us and come to church

-vilma: that she can understand this message and be able to come to church

-juan (less-active): that he can come back to church and become worthy to baptize his nephew who just turned 8

 

that's about our most solid people now. I'll add some to the list as needed. I sure love all of these people so much, and I really feel like your prayers will help them!

 

On the way to one of our appointments this gangster looking guy stopped us and asked who we were. we started talking and then he asked if we believe in Christ or if we were Mormons ha, we explained that we were both and he looked really surprised and we had a really great conversation, and then some of his punk friends showed up and started laughing at him because he was talking with Mormons, and he really defended us! haha it was pretty awesome, he threatened to really "hurt them" and he apologized a ton towards us. but we called him sunday morning to remind/invite him to church and he said "i'll be there baby!" haha we kept laughing and laughing! haha. unfortunately he didn't make it!... haha but he still made us happy by his remark! haha.

 

Also vincente liddiard's parents are a senior couple in this mission. they inspected our apartment and we got to talking, which was pretty cool!

 

Also madre, i'll be needing a new one of those journals you make, i'm running low again ha! thanks so much!!!

 

This past week I went on an exchange with a new elder, elder Sheffield. he's a good guy. he has had 4 open heart surgeries... and almost wasn't able to come out on a mission. we got to talking about health problems and I guess I forgot all the stuff that has happened to me and my health problems until we got to talking ha! I forgot how bad some of that stuff I went through was. blessedly all is well now!

 

I am super excited for general conference!!! I can't wait, I've been counting down the days to hear the prophets and apostles speak to us and reveal God's will for us now!!! whoooooo!!!!!! haha :D

 

love you all so much! If you ever want to mail  me revel bars again feel free ;) mom-were you able to find anything of those scripture cases?

 

Con amor,

Elder Lifferth

Hola

September 23, 2013

Hey familia!

 

This week was pretty crazy! last week as soon as we finished emailing you we went outside to get our bikes and bike home only to see that our bikes had been stolen....it's too bad to because we locked them up really good, it was pretty impressive to see that whoever did it did a good job! haha. we talked with the police and filed a report so they can keep their eyes out for them! its all good though!

 

Then on Tuesday I went on another exchange this time with elder olivo and it was really good. I took him to a super good authentic Mexican restaurant! yum!  He is doing good.

 

Then on Wednesday as we were walking we talked with this super awesome open Baptist (kinda rare haha) and she was telling us her story of her conversion to the gospel and how she's changed so much. she told us her beliefs and that she is always disagreeing with what her pastor says and she will straight up tell him that is wrong! haha. she pretty much believed all the stuff we believe she's just in that church...so because of that we were super excited, especially elder peacock. we texted her Saturday to see if we could stop by and she pretty much told us NO....I felt really bad for elder peacock ha...I still haven't told him because he is just so pumped about her...I didn't wanna rain on his parade yet...

 

Then we left our apartment complex on foot to go work when a gringo waved us over and yelled come in here! at first I was like...no lets get walking haha, but we went in. place smelt like a casino...cigarette smoke...its a mess etc etc...I thought to myself uh-oh...haha. he introduced him self as liam and how he has talked to missionaries before and really likes our church he's just super "catholic" and then just to be funny/prove a point he started to smoke and drink in front of us...I was like you're kidding?! haha. even though he was weird and crazy he was super nice too nice, kind of creepily nice haha.

 

Then another time when we were walking and working a member walked by us and talked to us for awhile about his mission and how he just moved here from Utah. he told us some stories from his mission etc. then at the end he looked at us and just really testified how important and great the mission is. haha then to put the icing in the caking he described it as being "really bad a**" me and elder peacock looked at each other kinda confused haha! good guy though.

 

Then late Friday night we just left an appointmet to go home and on the way a black guy stopped us and looked really concerned and told us how there was a shooting in that complex the night before and told us to be careful. He was super nice! covered in tats and piercings but super nice. I think dad asked about that the other week how do the "thugs" respond to us, well so far in my experiences they look out for us.  even though this area is sketchy I have never felt un-safe! I always feel secure and protected, which is a huge blessing!

 

Then on sunday we had 2 investigators come to church! Wilbert and Natalia! it was incredible! they came late and left early because of scheduling/work but he somehow fit coming to church  in his schedule haha. we were really excited! the work is going really good. just trying to work hard!

 

This week we have lots of stuff going on! its going to be crazy as well! but it should be good!!!

 

Well, I sure love you all! I saw that picture of elder moodie on the new era, awww he's so cute hahaha jk! :)

 

let me know if there is anything I can do for ya'll!

 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

Nats

September 16, 2013

Hey family!

 

This week was really good and really busy, we had a lot of stuff going on and some how were still able to find time to proselyte :)

 

On Tuesday we had a zone training which went good then after wards I had an exchange with a new missionary from Colombia, it was really fun. he's a good guy. I gave him my arepa mix so he felt at home haha.

 

But man oh man how about that sunflower seed butter?!?! can I find that at any store, like walmart? its so good with raspberry jam on my arepas :D hehe. thanks for that package! that was a little bit of heaven haha. everything in it was wonderful!!!! <3

 

On this past Friday we all went to the nats baseball game. we had to go by metro and since I hadn't ridden on the metro a ton of times (I'm still a rookie) but there was a nice oldish couple that were also on their way to the game and they said we could follow them. We talked a little and they have family who are members and a nephew on a mission in Argentina! They aren't members still but I think it was great exposure! I think that was really the point of all us missionaries to go to the game for exposure. I enjoyed the game, it was fun a little boring but I enjoyed it. I still think rsl has better fans!! haha elder peacock...he found a suduko on the metro and just did that the whole time....party pooper! haha. afterwards he was like that wasn't fun at all..I told him just the like mission it is what you make it :) he's kinda negative but I'm trying really hard to help him be optimistic and happy, its working a little ;) but on the way home from the game it was a mess!! we lived right off the yellow line by the Huntington stop but it was all closed...so we had to all take the bus down, but our bus driver got lost (this is around 11:30 at night haha I don't blame him) but with everyone's help on the bus we found our way. I was actually really surprised how well everyone responded and helped out it was cool. luckily we were asleep by 1. lets just say that next morning was quite early... haha but I prayed that even with the lack of sleep we could function and we both woke up and were surprised to notice we weren't tired! haha.

 

Our investigators are doing really well. we are trying really hard to help them progress the best we can. one investigator was watching a Spanish judge show and she told us how she saw there was a guy with 2 wives and was Mormon, she was really confused and told us to come over to talk about it. it went really well, and we thanked her for talking to us about it and not searching some weird website haha. none of them came to church yesterday which was sad because 2 of them called the morning of church and told us they'd see us there and another said the night before that he'd be there...oh well :)

 

Everything else is going good as well! that's pretty crazy about Stephen buying that car ha! I'm glad everyone else is doing great as well. oh yeah at the game I saw elder schoemig! the one from lone peak. got a pic with him.

 

love ya'll so much!

 

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

 

 

Miami

September 9, 2013

 Hey family!!! Hope all is well!

This week was good. it went pretty quick tho...

First off.....some sad news for us ha...the A. family had to move to Miami....they moved yesterday :( they had tried so hard to stay in the area. they had one apartment they were going to move into where there lives a ton of members (we were pushing for that one so they had more member support (; hehe) but the people there never got back to them/didn't work with them...then they had a house that they were going to move into but at the last minute they realized the guy selling it was trying to fraud/trick them...then by this point in time they had to move out of the place they were currently living... and they have a cousin in Miami so that's the only place they could go. I was really sad. but they told us that no matter what they are gonna find the missionaries there!! that was a huge relief that they didn't just fall in love with us (because they loved us) but also with the church! they will get baptized soon, I know it!

Adolfo (the one who is married but living with his girlfriend came to church yesterday!!!! he honestly is super solid. probably our most solid guy right now. we get along so well. even though he's 63 we are great friends haha! its kinda funny. he gave us a ride home from church! so we are still praying for a miracle that things get worked out soon so he can get baptized.

We have been biking a lot! and I really enjoy it! it makes me feel like a "real missionary" haha! jk,

We got a referral from the English elders this past week (usually the English missionaries just pass over to us any one who speaks Spanish....so normally not very solid referrals..) but we checked this one out and this family had been taught by missionaries a year ago or so and they still have the Bom and have been reading it! we are really hoping to get somewhere with them!!

Now we are teaching a 12 year old. he is good, just really quiet. we are still unsure of how much he understands and his desire haha. he completes all of his commitments which gives us hope. we put him on date to be baptized so we'll see what happens haha. its kinda  strange just how he is so shy....

mom a couple things:

-I have one advair left I just started

-probably just under a month for my synthroid

-you need to start practicing to make arepas (google it) I have 2 every morning with jam and a fruit, I really love them :)

-lately my mouth has been dry even though I'm drinking a lot of water, I don't know if that's a symptom of thyroid or anything else?

I'm glad that you went to Orbil's funeral, it makes me sad. he was such a great guy and out here I look back at the memories from him and all the things I learned, he has helped me so much. what he did for me went way beyond the soccer field.

Everything else is going good. I look forward to receiving that package!! :D its been awhile now.... ;) I think that's about it for now!

con amor,

Elder Lifferth

 

Labor Day

September 3, 2013

Family!

As I'm sure you are aware libraries are closed on labor day so here I am today!

That's really sad about Orbil...But we are blessed with peace and comfort to know about the plan of salvation. its weird but I was thinking that one of my friends would pass away...hmmm. I pray that his family and friends all doing ok.

This week was really good. E. and his family are still doing so great!! still progressing, and loving it! our struggle with them is putting him on date ha! but we prayed and fasted (I partial fasted because the cabeza is still affected by that :( ....) so we'll see what will happen!

Our other solid investigator Beni is doing good! I feel bad for him ha, he is a really good guy. On Sunday he didn't come to church and he hadn't been home or answering our calls so we tried again sunday night and he answered and was soo happy to hear from us and told us he was in the beach! haha

We've recently been teaching Berando. he's Mexican and has a drinking problem and really wants to change! he is so nice and open with us! we have a lesson with him today. he has 2 really young daughters.

One of the families we have been teaching has been really going against us now....they have been doing research on the internet and found a lot of anti stuff...its really sad because they were doing so good! but now when we go over its just a lot of questions about why can't we go in the temple, stuff about the bom, polygamy, just a lot of basura...

We have been working really hard! and we don't have a lot going on for us but we are sure trying to! haha. its been fun though. elder peacock is doing good and I have been really focusing on having him doing a lot of the stuff, and its helped him open up and talk more! I had him do all of our correlation mtg over the phone in Spanish and he was so nervous but he did it! haha.

We have another cool investigator who is so solid but is in a complicated situation! haha! he is currently living with his girlfriend and his 3 kids with her, BUT he is married to another person. I don't know all the details just that his wife won't have the divorce... its sad because he really wants to get baptized...but can't until all that gets arranged and fixed. I emailed president about it so we'll see.

Today school started over here! summer went really quick here! its pretty crazy its already September and dad's birthday!!!! how old are you pops, 84? hahah jk! I hope you have a great birthday and eat some good food!!!

Mother dear, in my pantry we have oatmeal and chocolate chips, and it got me craving 2 things: no bake cookies and revel bars!!! maybe if you could send me the recipe for no-bake cookies and then maybe send me some revel bars?? that would be incredible!

Well I sure love you!!! hope all is well. hope all are reading the scriptures daily and growing in their conversion! :) daily might I add. I think I have some pics but the computers here won't let me email them.... oh man... I sure do love being out here. and speaking of my end here would it be possible if I could fly to the Tennessee airport and ya'll pick me up from there. I really want to come home from the airport. and then another idea I had was (i'll need to talk with president) that dad serves with me out here for my last week or last couple days? I think that would be really cool to end with my dad being "my last" comp :) but that's plenty of time away!!!!

con amor,

Elder Lifferth