Week 71

Hello!! Well this week was good... we had an amazing christmas:) and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! I cant believe that 2014 ends this week... this year went by sooo fast. I can't believe that we are already going to be in 2015! That sounded imposible when I started my mission... and now its actually here! 

I'm glad to hear that everyone had a good christmas, and that everyone is doing great! It sounds like everyone had a great christmas. I loved talking to you guys!! It was amazing to hear your voices and see your faces, everyone looks sooo much older!! Dad looks like he has lost weight and grown a beard and mom still looks the same:) and all of my brothers and haley I feel like have changed a lot!! Just a lot older and deeper voices! 

I'm also glad to hear that everyone still has plans to go snowboarding! I'm happy for all of you and I'm happy to hear how it goes and to see pictures!! 

As for how christmas day went it was amazing! I loved singing in the hospital!! We could see how the people enjoyed it! Some had their eyes filled with tears, and they just thanked us a lot! The little kids were amazing. They liked it too:) It was an experience that I will never forget... and it helped me remember what christmas is really about! 

This week we had a baptism!! Her name is Emma Gonzalez! She loved it! At the baptism we sang a musical number for everyone (I don't remember what it is called in English, but in Spanish it is Oh Mi Padre)!! Lots of people came.. we couldnt even fit everyone in the room! haha 

Well thanks for the email:) I am glad everyone is doing good. Have a great week!! and I love you. adios!! 

Week 70--Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!:)) 

I can't believe that it is Christmas again... this year went by soooo fast!! I cannot wait to talk to you guys. I feel like it has been so long since I have talked to you guys... but it kinda has been a long time!! So that will be nice:) Me, Elder Lopez,  Elder Griffin and his comp are skyping at the same place so we can meet all of the families!! So I hope thats ok with you guys:) 

Anyway, this week was good! We found an amazing family!! Their names are Juan, Eva and Rebecca! The Fam. Avila... it was such a miracle that we found them.. were were walking down the street and my comp just said "Why don't we walk down this street??" So, we start walking down it and out of the corner of my eye I saw a husband and wife sitting on some stair steps outside of their house, and we started to talk to them!! Saturday they went to the ward christmas party, Sunday they went to church and to see a baptism!! They are amazing. So that was something good:) 

We also went and sang christmas carols outside of peoples houses with some members last night and it was super fun!! ...and we had lots of success! This week was the mission christmas activity!! It was lots of fun... we ate lots of good food! They gave us some presents, we watched a short little christmas movie and on the way there us and our zone sang christmas hymns on the bus the entire ride to the activity!! haha I hope the people liked it and didnt get too mad! haha;) 

Well, thanks for everything and the emails! I'll talk to on thursday:) I love you all so much! ...and I'm so very thankful for this tme of year and the spirit it brings!! Merry Christmas!!!!

Week 69

Hey mom! Look I'm not sure if I'.m going to be able to write today.. I think they are turning off all of the power in Santa Ana for the day! So if its not true, and later on there is power, I will write you! ...but if not President Spjut will be writting you saying why. 

Yes, I got the package! ...and I'm doing great. ...and I'm pretty sure I will be calling you guys on Christmas Day at 10 am! Well mom I love you so much... and they are going to be turning off the power in like 5 minutes!! haha they will be working on a power plant.. but we will be fine!:) so i will talk to you soon.

Week 68

Hey!!:) 

 Well, it sounds like everyone had another great week!! I can't believe that Gage broke his arm again... How did he break it!? ...and will he still be able to go snowboarding!? haha Being my little brother he probably won't even listen to the doctors and if he he feels like snowboarding he will do it;) haha 

Anyway that is awesome that Haley is going to be in school full time!! It makes her sound so much older. But, I'm sure she will do great! How is jaces elbow doing?? Will he be able to pitch for baseball season!? 

Well... I'm doing good! We had a good week. My new comp is awesome and we get along great!! We now have 4 baptism dates for this month, Jackoline and Joana Campos, Irvin Cerna, and Rosa Elena! I feel good here in this area because its big and we are always finding new people to teach!! The ward is awesome and they help us a lot. I can't even describe to you how excited I am for Christmas... obviously its because I get to talk to you guys because other than that it's pretty much like any other day... just with lots of food and fireworks!! 

Well I am doing great!! We were blessed so much this week after the fast we did!! This Sunday, after we finished our fast, some members took us to contact some people and we found a family Hernandez.. and they are so positive!! It's like they have been ready to be Mormon for a while and they just didnt know it yet!! So that was something good.. and to answer the question mom the family of 5 is familia Lopez! 

As for the question about inner changes... yes we do lots of inner changes! This week we didn't do too many because we have been soooo busy!! But normaly we do lots. But, I like it because I get to learn from other missionaries in the zone! Well thanks for the email. I love you all so much!!! ...and will talk to you soon:) adios. 

elder baker

Week 67

Hello!! Well, this week was amazing. I will start off by saying I love my comp!!! He is not the Elder I am standing by in the picture... I'm not sure where my comp is in the picture, so maybe if you could send it to me i could tell youi!:) Anyways, his name is Elder Lopez from Guatemala! When I got to the mission he was the secretary to President Cordon! Since then he has been the Assistant to President. I have literally learned so much from him just from the meetings we have have in the office throughout my mission and now he is my comp! We get along great, and we have been working really well together! I have learned a lot from him! 

In our area this week we found and have been teaching a family of 5 people!! And they are so positive. They all went to church on Sunday and that was probably the best thing I could have received on my b day...that and the Lord telling them this is true because the same night that they went to church we went and visited them and they accepted to be baptized!! I was so happy. They had a couple of doubts going to church Sunday morning but Sunday night it was like the doubts had just been taken away!! 

As for my birthday it was fun:) the lady that cooks for us asked me what I wanted to eat and she made me fish tacos, and by the end of the night my face, hair, and clothes were covered in cake, eggs, flour, glitter... I was very dirty but it was lots of fun!! I will send you pictures but i wont be able to till next week... I'm really sorry about that! But, I did have a good birthday:) Thanks for all of the emails, letters, and presents!! Mom I loved all of the stuff you sent me! I have the picture on my desk. I'm going to give the cake to the hermana that cooks for us so she can make it. I loved all of it!! Even the old spice swagger because they dont sell that here! So thank you!! 

I'm also glad to hear that everyone is doing so good!! That Riggs b-day went well and that now he is a deacon!! and that the christmas tree is up:)) I'm glad you are all excited for christmas and so am I!! 

Have you seen the "he is the gift" video?? its amazing!! we watch it with lots of investigadores. well i love you all so much! thanks for everything. and have a great week!! adios.

ps...I thought you might like this.. its a christmas tree ornament!!:)  We made them as a mission to put on the mission Christmas Tree! :)