Blister, Ward Fast, and #Sheaves May 4,2015

This week was by far the best week of my entire mission so far so buckle up.

Monday- We played ultimate Frisbee and football. we had a member buy us 3 pizzas for dinner and a bunch of soda. 

Tuesday- We had a ton of errands to do because transfers. So half of our day was running errands for the district. We also got asked to go give a blessing at the hospital that was in our area. I love going to the hospital. There is a unique feel there. 

Wednesday- Some more errands to run this morning. Then we helped a member move some furniture because they were re-carpeting their floor. We taught 2 twins who are in a part member family. There favorite TV show was on so they wouldn't let us turn it off. the mom planned the lesson at 8 because her show was on at 9. Most unique teaching ever. We would go into the other room with the member we brought to the lesson and then teach during commercial break. Kinda annoying but i guess these girls were never interested. 

Thursday- we had to take another missionary and his companion to the dentist because he had a problem with his gum. We had to take him twice once at 8:00 and again at 12:30. When we got back we had two bomb lessons back to back with people we found. Set them both with baptism dates.We met with the son of a recent convert. We went to a park and played basketball with him. No one else was there so after we played a quick game we taught him the restoration and set him with the baptism date. So awesome.

Friday- had my first district meeting as district and it was awesome. Super spiritual experience. Today we had a recent convert lesson. We met with another less active/recent convert. We had coordination tonight with the ward mission leader. 

SERVICE Saturday- from 8 to 2:30 we dug about 70 holes about 3 feet deep each. it was just us four missionaries also so that's why it took so long. I have so many blisters from that. right after that we went to help a member in our ward move some boxes for about an hour. Then at 4 we had to go up to Ana Verde park and help set up for movie night at the park. That took forever to help set up we left at 8:00.

Sunday- We had church and taught a lesson after. We found 6 new investigators this week. 

Our ward is doing a 40 day fast where someone in the ward will be fasting at some point every second during the 40 days. Holy miracles. It is a great thing. 

have a great week. 

​setting up for the movie night. 

The Black Plague, Exchanges, and Transfer Calls April 27th 2015

Monday- We played basketball and went to eat at our bishops house

Tuesday- We went on exchanges with the District Leader. We had an awesome exchange. So something amazing happened. While we were out tracting this guy pulled up to us asking if we have seen his dogs. We told him no and asked if we could get his number to let him know if we saw them. As soon as he drove away i looked at Elder H (DL's companion) and said we should pray to find his dogs. We went on and went back to work. We found a man watering his lawn and talked with him. We taught his the restoration and set him as a new investigator. After we taught him it was time to go to dinner. As we were walking back to the car we heard some ruckus in an alley and we looked and saw two pit bulls like attacking these dogs through a fence. Guess what those were the ones were were looking for. I'm pretty sure that when i saw them i peed myself a little because people raise pits to fight out here. We walked up close and they were super calm with us being there after barking at all these dogs in fences so that was awesome. We called the guy and waited for him to get home while waiting with his dogs. when he got home he started crying and told us his life story and he told us he wanted to make it better and we told him that our message we share can help improve the quality of his life. We then taught him as well. It was awesome to see that prayer get answered. The down side to it was we were an hour and a half late to dinner.

Wednesday- We finished exchanges around two and then met with a less active. 

Thursday- we had weekly planning and then dinner at the coolest members house. 

Friday- we had district meeting but i couldn't go because i had to stay back at the apartment with the zone leaders because one of them was sick all night. So for exchanges today him and myself sat in their apartment. his companion in the day threw up while they were out working so him and my companion came back and we had a giant sick party. I got a call from the assistants to the president asking me to be a district leader so that was some exciting news.

Saturday- we did some service and ended our exchanges. We also met with our investigator and also had a lesson with a recent convert. 

So for transfers i will be staying in the same ward they just moved the district leader area to our ward. 

I hope you all have a great week 

Love,

Elder Loertscher

Wedding, Exchanges, and crazy kids April 20,2015

This week was pretty good. I hope yours was good as well. So here's the update from California.

Monday- it was PDAY. We went and emailed and shopped and then we went to a store called Charlie Browns which has so many different things to buy in there. Then we went to In-N-Out for dinner with a member. 

Tuesday- We got our apartment inspected for transfers. We went tracting a lot of today. Nothing interesting really happened. 

Wednesday- in the morning during studies we had three month interviews with president. We met with a less active. We had planned to meet with an investigator but they cancelled on us. So we tracted. 

Thursday- We did weekly planning. We got our carpets cleaned in the morning. We weekly planned and then went tracting we found the two girls just talking on the side of the road and talked with them for a while they seemed pretty interested so hopefully we will be able to get in contact with them. 

Friday- We had district meeting and exchanges with the district leader. They were super funny. I will just share the note worthy events. There was a couple that was making out on the side of the road and Elder B and I went over stopped there kissing and gave them a card the girlfriend got so mad but it was so funny. Then we went to a members house to get water. She filled up a glass and gave it to us. It had so many floaties. It looked like she got bread and broke it into tiny pieces and dropped it into our water. Then we had to help set up for our ZL's  investigators wedding. 

Saturday- finished the exchange and then went to the wedding at 1. It didn't start until 4:30 the bride and groom were super late but other than that it was super fun. Us 6 missionaries had to clean it up.  it was at the church building. We were cleaning up from 7:00-9:00. We made the church spotless after 70 people had a wedding. Our moms would have been proud of the job we did.

Sunday- our mission wide fast was today. We had the best dinner ever last night it was super funny. This ward is so awesome. 

Transfers are next Tuesday. I am not sure what is going to happen i hope i stay but there is only one way to find out. We get our phone calls Saturday morning. 

Here are some pics of the wedding

​

Have a great week. 

Love,

Elder Loertscher

#GETSHEAVES (D&C 75:5) April 13,2015

If you are wondering why the subject for the email is #getsheaves that is our mission motto right now. We are doing a mission wide fast with all the stakes in our mission for missionary work and for them to have missionary opportunities. In doing so we will have many (sheaves) on our back with people to teach so #GETSHEAVES

Anyways i will tell you about the week briefly because i want to focus on something at the end of the email. 

Monday- went on an incredible hike with our district it was so much fun. 

Tuesday- went on an exchange with the zone leaders that went really well

Wednesday-went on an exchange with the assistants and that was awesome we found so many people in their area.  

Thursday-weekly planning and a lesson with some less actives

Friday- district meeting and a service project for a non member

Saturday- elder J got super sick so we spent today inside

Sunday- we went to church and someone is our zone had a baptism so we went to that and gave the missionary moment during it. 

It was a good week of finding and some great exchanges. 

So now to what i want to focus on. 

In one of my personal studies this week i studies the saviors last sentences found in the four gospels. I want to point out how selfless he was. 

1) "Father forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34)

2) "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43)

3) "Woman, behold thy son; behold thy mother" (John 19:26)

4) "My god, my God why hast thouh forsaken me" (Matt 27:46)

5) "I thirst" (John 19:28)

6) "It is finished" (John 19:30)

7) "Father into thine hands i commend my spirit" (Luke 23:34)

It amazes me about how someone can be so selfless. He looked way beyond himself. His first sentence was to the guards who held him captive. His enemies were who he spoke about first. Then he spoke to the men on the cross with him. then he talked to his mother and then he worried about himself. I hope we can all gain this level of selflessness. 

​best hike ever. 

I hope you all have a good week. 

Love,

Elder Loertscher