My Story So Far: October 2012

Monday, October 29, 2012

October 29, 2012

On Tuesday I hit 20 months which is just MIND blowing! You don't even realize it and you slowly go from being one of the youngest people to one of the oldest and when you realize it you're going home.

At around 4 p.m. on Tuesday we ended up looking for a couple we had contaced and taught about a month ago and we found the house and contacted the woman's mother, Mari Carpio, and taught her a short lesson and set up plans to go back on Sunday evening. Hopefully things will turn out well there! At 5 we had our weekly mission correlation meeting and talked about how things are going in the work and the branch visits to try to reactivate and get more people to church. Hopefully we see results in the next couple of weeks!

I had a cold all last week that just wiped me out! I was just super exhausted on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but we still went out to do our work. On Wednesday afternoon our first visit was with Alicia. It was a little hard to focus because of our colds, but we had a good lesson and talked a little bit more about receiving an answer and baptism for the remission of sins. I truly believe that she will slowly come to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that this is the only true Church upon the face of the earth. We later passed by Dora, whom we met last week. Our visit with her was a little interesting, but it all turned out well as she has a true desire to receive and answer and has already asked to know if the Book of Mormon is true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet and is going to continue looking for an answer.

Thursday was Elder Flores's birthday. Friday morning whie Elder Bobadilla was sick, after studying for an hour and a half and I needed to take a break and I started to think about math, and I wanted to figure out the quadratic formula, I know I'm super weird, but I did. So, I was having trouble remembering one of the values, but I knew the majority of it which is x=-b + or - the squareroot of b squared -4ac all over 2a... Well, I couldn't remember the value "-b" but I created an equation and then solved as if I the variable "-b" were an unknown but I knew x, b, a and c and I just didn't know what to put in the location of "-b" if that makes sense.... the point is that I solved the equation and remembered the quadratic formula. Sweet, right? I guess. On Friday night while we were by the house there were some kids outside playing football where there is a trampoline, so I asked if I could do a backflip, and they said yes! But, it wasn't a spring trampoline, it was fabric, so I didn't jump a lot, but I was able to do it! Hooray!

Sunday was excellent! I'm just going to copy my journal entry!

"What an excellent Sunday! Brandon came to church by himself because familia Lemus is in Coban. We only had 39 people in sacrament meeting today and I shared my grandpa´s talk "Take Up Your Cross". I know at least one person liked it. I gave the lesson in priesthood from conference, "How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration in Your Life" by Elder Richard G. Scott. Interestingly we took a moment to talk about discerning whether or not a particular deram is a message from God or our own imagination. After Church was over we taught Brandon about the Law of Chastisty and the Sabbath Day with Nohemí. He is offically ready for a baptismal interview. After a quick lunch we went to see Luis and Seily and Nohemí came with us, but they weren't home. We ended up talking to her sister, Margarita, who lent us her phone and we taught her about the Book of Mormon and gave her a copy. We then went to see Norma as an idea that came to my mind and I asked her why she decided to read the Book of Mormon.... and I focused a little more to the Bible. Last we met familia Asevedo Carpio, Genaro, Mari, and Rolando. They seem extremely interested and we shared with them about the Book of Mormon and Hno Genaro was EXTREMELY interested in learning more about where it came from, why we have it, and wants to know if it is true! We're going back next Sunday!!"

Love you,

Elder Andrew A. LaPray

Thursday, October 25, 2012

October 22, 2012

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Andrew LaPray <andrew.lapray@myldsmail.net>
To: Brian LaPray <bjlapray@yahoo.com>; Brian LaPray <bjlapray@gmail.com>; Tom Duncan <teeduncan@gmail.com>; Emily Duncan <bowsbyduncan@gmail.com>; sblapray <sblapray@yahoo.com>; Alexis LaPray <alexismarie17@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2012 3:24 PM
Subject: 20 Months!

No, I'm really not baggy! But it's a HUGE number!!!! That's 5/6 of a mission! Elder Bobadilla is hitting a grand total of 2 months today! These last couple of months are just going to fly right away from me, and I know it! These last two changes here in Petén have felt like the blink of an eye, you have NO idea!!

On Tuesday morning we had our Zone Conference with Elder Kevin R. Duncan of the 1st quorum of the 70, second counselor in the Central America Area Presidency. It was an excellent conference! I was asked to play the prelude, hymns, and the interlude. I spent a LOT of time practice "Come, Oh Thou King of Kings" and it was the only hymn I was able to play with both hands, but I did alright. The rest was all with the top hand only, but way better than nothing. Elder Duncan took the time to get to know each one of us, and I was very last in line. I thought that might be an advantage... nope. I was the one who got "rushed" through... but what can you do. It was still cool. I know we shouldn't think like this, but later than night I was talking to Elder Vestal and we both said, "What if he became one of the next Apostles?"... just saying, it would be pretty cool.

One of the things he talked about that really called my attention was the process of calling a mission president. It had a lot of focus on the fact that the Lord has prepared mission presidents for His missionaries and missionaries for specific presidents. It was a cool experience to remind me, like I already know, that the Lord has a great plan for each and every one of His children and He knows ALL of our needs! Why else would I be in the same mission as Elder Llewelyn? I just have ENDLESS experiences and testimony to know that He is the Great Architect of this divine plan.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were all great days for our area! On Wednesday we talked to Alicia and later to Dora who both seem to have been prepared to hear and accept this Gospel. On Friday we visited Alicia again and we also visited Seily Paau, another person who seems to have been prepared to accept the Gospel!

Yesterday we went to Las Pozas. We have a familia in that aldeas(villages) named Familia Lemus who are AWESOME (members) and she always gives us lunch when we go out there, which is once a week. Yesterday's lunch was delicious! Rice and chicken... and then we taugth a lesson to our investigator Brandon, who is scheduled to be baptized on the 8th of November. When we were about to leave she asked if we wanted to try "ayote con leche"... which is like a tender green pumpkin/squash boiled in milk. It sounds super gross, right? Well, it actually wasn't too bad, but after a while I didn't like the texture too much, but it's Guatemala, you eat all sorts of stuff :)

Love,

Elder Andrew A. LaPray

Friday, October 19, 2012

October 15, 2012

Yesterday I hit 600 days in the mission! That seems like an eternity! but in a good way!

On Tuesday we got back to what I would call, "normal" missionary life. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were "abnormal" with General Conference and our Zone activity, and this week brings us back to "abnormal" since tomorrow we have a Zone Conference with a member of the 1st Quorum of the 70. Anyways...

I realized the other day, last Tuesday, that I have now been district leader for over 9 months. It's almost a mission record. Actually, it's a tie with the mission record I know of 7 straight changes. If I stay as DL one more change, I'll officially hold the mission record for straight time as District Leader. Nice. But, I'm happy to do it if that's what the Lord wants me to do. I mention this, because last Tuesday in my journal I was talking about preparing district meeting lessons and then I mentioned the amount of time I'd been DL. Tuesday was a great day for missionary work. When we went to visit a less-active 19 year old, he wasn't home, so we started talking to his sister-in-law outside and we had a nice lesson with her, gave her a Book of Mormon, and set up an appointment to go back on Thursday. Her name is Alicia, and she seems very positive.

"[Wednesday] was excellent", I wrote in my journal. Because it really was. We had an EXCELLENT district meeting and we all felt the Spirit and left edified and ready to put in practice what we had learned about setting goals and making plans. It was a really cool experience, and we have all seen some of the fruits and benefits of doing so. The afternoon was also neat. As we were going from one plan to the next, I felt like we needed to visit a specific family, so we went towards there. However, I got lost and we ended up contacting a family that was very receptive. I believe it was guidance from the Spirit in order to get us to them, and not necessarily to the family I thought I had intended to visit.

On Thursday we went back to visit Alicia from Tuesday and she read the chapter we left her, Moroni 10, and she had lots of great questions for us, but not about the Book of Mormon. Her biggest question was "Why are there so many churches?" which is the perfect question to ask a missionary! Like Elder Russell M. Nelson said in GC,"Ask the missionaries, they can help you!". So, we taught her about our Heavenly Father's love, gospel dispensations and apostasy through biblical history, Christ's ministry, the Great Apostasy, and the Restoration through Joseph Smith. I absolutely LOVE testifying about Lesson 1, and it helps me know every time that what I am teaching is true. I know it! And she seems like a GREAT possibility of someone prepared to receive the Gospel!

Yesterday, as you all know, was Fast Sunday. And once again, I gave the lesson in Priesthood. Luckily, I had time to plan it the day before, so it turned out alright. Elder Bobadilla improved the lesson in Sunday School. Gotta love it! But, it's really cool to be in a branch; it's a completely different experience to being in a ward in the capital!

I want you all to know that I know this Gospel is Christ's restored Gospel. We have the fulness of knowledge and truth, and all of the Priesthood authority necessary for salvation. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Through him, Jesus Christ restored His same Church upon the earth in these last days, and I have the honor of sharing that message with the world!

Love,

Elder Andrew A. LaPray

Monday, October 8, 2012

October 1, 20-12

[Attachment(s) from Brian LaPray included below]

It's crazy how fast time is flying!! We're already in week 4 of the change!!! That's almost half way of the change! Wednesday marks half of the change. Ridiculous! Sorry about not getting an email out last week, it was super quick of time flew. My bad. I'll try to make up for it this week if there were any cool stories.

Well.. it looks like there wasn't a whole lot to tell from the week I didn't write. I was just looking over my journal and not really many experiences to share. What an interesting blessing :) Looks like no one really missed out. The only thing I wanted to mention was Sunday. Rather interesting.

Since it is the 4th Sunday of the month we had to talk, which is nothing out of the ordinary, so I already had a nice talk planned about "Being Born Again" which, I thought was pretty decent. Nothing knock your socks off, but it's Sacrament meeting, not General Conference, right? Then Sunday School starts, and the teacher didn't come to church, nor the person she called to give the lesson... "Hey, Elder LaPray, could you give the Sunday School lesson?".... ummmmmmmmm guess so... So I gave a nice impromptu lesson of 3 Nephi 1-7. Not the finest hour. I had 0 preparation time. Not even a quick 2 minute glance over the manual. It was start and go. It came out alright, I hope. Priesthood rolls around and, guess what, Elder LaPray gives the lesson! Good news, I already knew I was giving that lesson. It was from April General Conference "Converted to His Gospel through the Church" by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom. EXCELLENT talk! However, I kind of felt like it was Elder LaPray day. But, we are the only ones with a General Conference edition of the Liahona so I prepared the class assuming I would have to give it. I really enjoyed giving that class, probably because I was prepared. It reminded me a little of Nevis... even though I never had to give a talk and 2 lessons in one Sunday, I did have to talk a LOT and every fast Sunday I HAD to share my testimony. It's a little different as a missionary. The good news is that I like teaching. I just like it a little more when I'm prepared.

I know that you guys probably don't care, but last Monday I was in a paca and I found a SICK Beatles shirt and a Tommy Boy shirt (see attachments)... Like, Q15 for both of them! Steal!

On Monday my hijo(son) Elder Hatch turned 20 and on Tuesday he hit 8 months in the mission. That's just super crazy because when I started training him he had 2 months. It CRAZY how fast time goes!!

On Wednesday Elder Barahona and I had divisions here in Sayaxché. It's always interesting to go on a division with a previous companion. There are a lot of little differences that you notice with each one, and some things you remember that were the same, but it's really easy to teach together. I remember when I did a division with Elder Nelson when he was AP that we taught super well together, even though it had been almost a year since we were companions! Wednesday with Elder Barahona was very similar. We fell right back into our old teaching groove and everything flowed really well. The biggest difference is that when we were companions, I was more of the leading force, and in our division he was more of the leading force for being ZL. It's just a natural tendency.

We met some great people in our division and got some new investigators. The goal was to put some fechas(baptismal dates) but it was good to get some new investigators as well. One of those new investigators is a 22 year old named Luis. We left him the Book of Mormon to read, 3 Nephi 11. On Friday Elder Bobadilla went back and he had read 3 Nephi 11 and really understood and had one of the most sincere desires to learn I have ever seen on my mission. He has true, honest doubts, but it doesn't put it out there that it can't be true. He really wants to know the truth about the Book of Mormon and is willing to read it to find out. It was an excellent lesson!!

The other day I wrote one of my grandpa's stories in my journal, that all of my family knows very well, but for those of you who do not, I would like to share it.

"It seems that once upon a time there was an Educated Cat. This cat was very smart - and he knew that there must be a better way to catch a mouse. He wanted to avoid the laborious and time consuming task of hunting, stalking, and pouncing - on a mouse. This was very hard work and the cat thought that with his education, he should be able to devise an easier way to do this essential task. He finally decided that the best thing to do would be to use a mouse trap. This seemed like the smart thing to do.

"The Educated Cat obtained an excellent trap, but found that he didn't have even a tiny bit of cheese to use as bait. He thought and thought and pawed through some magazines looking for ideas and finally he came upon the plan of simply clipping a picture of a yummy piece of cheese from the magazine. He set up the trap in this fashion and spent the rest of the evening in the warm and cozy comfort of his bed.

"THe next day he awakened and found that he had indeed been successful and had caught something in his trap - a picture of a mouse!"

I don't have time to go through the whole analysis, but in the words of my grandfather, the message is "as old as mankind. You get out of a task(life) what you put in." Now this applies to literally EVERYTHING in life, and most especially to a mission. I will get exactly out of my mission what I put in. If I put in a picture of a missionary, I will get out a picture of a mission. If I put in myself, my whole self, I will get out something much better. As the scriptures say, somewhat paraphrased, "He that loseth himself, shall find eternal life".

Love you all!

Elder Andrew A. LaPray

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Attachment(s) from Brian LaPray

2 of 2 Photo(s)