Week 13 (Best Team In Baseball...)

Well, this week was way fun as all of them are! They fly by pretty fast to be honest. On saturday, Henry was baptized which was awesome. I spoke in english because half of the people there were english people who know henry so half of the program was in english. it was nice. On monday we had interviews with President Craig. I enjoyed that. He's a really kind man and has lots of good insight. We have another baptism this saturday, so that will be fun! The work is progressing. We get a lot of people who have interest just out of the blue sometimes. Ok, a few funny things. One day we were having lunch at a families house and they were telling us about some nephews who were having a little argument one time. They were having an exchange of disses that were pretty funny. The one that I remembered was this, he said, "What if you fell asleep and I put you on a train and you woke up and said, 'Hey, where am I?' " haha. that was his diss. it was funny. also, we were teaching a lesson one night this week, and we asked this lady if she would set a goal for a day to be baptized. My companion suggested Feb. 28th to which she responded, how bout the 29th? and then her husband said, or the 30th? all the while, I was thinking, "what the?" but my companion didn't even get it. He was like, "really, the 29th? really, the 30th?" forgetting that they weren't real days. When I realized that he wasn't catching on, I pointed it out and everybody started laughing at him. He just looked flustered. haha. I think it was funniest because the gringo (me) figured it out and they expected him, if anyone, to catch on, not me. haha. Anyways, the work is exciting, and I think my language skills are improving. I think. haha. Thanks for all the letters of support, I appreciate it! Take care, and good luck in everything!

-Elder LaPorte =)

Week 12 (Forever -C.B....)

Hey! well, I went to the Temple in Mesa today. It was really nice. It's interesting how being away from it makes you wanna go so badly. I really enjoyed it. My District wanted to go way early so as to not waste their "P-day" time. They seem to be a lil self-entitled when it comes to p-days, so they're very picky about what they do. I wouldn't have minded going at 9:00 with the rest of our Zone, but that's ok. I guess I'll have more time to write letters. I've been slacking on that the past couple of weeks as I've tried to get used to the whole routine of things. I kind of get caught up playing sports and such. Today I will do it though, because I really want to. The weather is crazy. Last night, it was about 70 degrees until 8:00. It's already hitting the 80's. It will be interesting to see where I get sent during the summer time. If I go up by Snowflake in Show Low, then it will be a nice summer. That is in what they call the White Mountains. If I'm in the valley though, it will be a hot summer. Either way, it's all good. Since my companion is a District Leader I've been on 3 exchanges in the past two weeks and I should be going on one more tomorrow. It's kinda crazy packin up so much. I feel like a nomad. Hehe, it's also crazy because I've been doing a lot of english work because I go to their areas. It's interesting to see the difference in the way people revceive you. The white people are more honest with their disinterest and more frequent as well, but sometimes that's better because with the hispanics, they'll be gracious but not interested and they won't tell you. I'm still working on trying to read them and whether they're just being nice or not. Some of it is the language, but a lot of it is the Spirit. You just have to go with your feeling. Hehe, I was reading an e-mail from Elder Faulk that my Dad sent to me, and his weekly reports are crazy! If we were that busy it would be amazing. The work is a little different here for the Spanish Elders because the people are spread out in different neighborhoods among predominantly white neighborhoods. Atleast in this area, there aren't too many places where you can go and know that you'll find spanish speakers. I believe that Elder Brereton went to Colorado this week. It will be interesting to see what the Spanish work is like over there. Depending on how close he is to the big city will probably determine how concentrated the groups of hispanic residents will be. I've ridden my bike on a number of the exchanges that I've gone on and I like it. It's nice to have the wind in my face. I enjoy sundays because I get a good full-dose of spanish. Since there are a lot of bilingual families it is hard to engulf myself in the language. My companion and I have made a goal, (now that Elder Johnston is gone) to speak a lot more spanish. It is going to be necessary if I am to pick it up fast enough. Next week Elder L. Tom Perry is coming to speak to us, so that will be great. This work is very exciting and rewarding. I feel myself changing each day. One quick story that I've been forgetting to tell. It was my first day here and we went to this house where the wife was a member but her husband wasn't. They had two kids. We were talking to the husband about different questions that he had, and they had me try and answer a lot of his questions. Eventually it got to the point where we were talking about baptism and my companion leans in and says, "Commit him to be baptized." That scared everything out of me, but I was like, ok. So I did. It turns out that he was the Elder's Quorum President and had been a member of the Church for about 15 years. hehe, they made me feel ridiculous and I know that I will never do that to someone new that I get. Haha, o well. It was very strange because his boys were named Helaman and Moroni (people from the Book of Mormon) so I guess I should have guessed. Ok, well I have to go! Take care!

-Elder LaPorte =)

Week 63 (Do Believe I Told You So... Jet)

Hey! Hehe, my e-mail comes a day late due to the recent transfers. I have left Tempe to go on to new adventures. The delay in writing comes because of the fact that I was transfered to Show Low, AZ. Perhaps, better-named Snow Low, because it is still snowing. Show Low, a quaint town, is nestled in what is known as "The White Mountains." The ride here is beautiful filled with a view to the left and right of valleys filled with pines without end. Preceding the ascent into the mountains said traveler is favored with a scenic view of the more preferable style of desert; red-rock, tons of cactus speckled with sagebrush and mesquite for miles. All in all, the ride was beautiful. There is a half-frozen pond outside of where I live which is cool to look at when I wake up. We have a cozy gas-stove to heat the guest house that we stay in and my mattress is a lot fluffier. I was overjoyed to see that I would be able to taste a bit of the snow before it is too late. It is likely that I will either be here for 3 months or 6 months (2 or 4 transfers) depending on whether President wants me to go to Mesa in 3. We shall see. For the mean time I will enjoy being here, thickening my blood and getting ready for another summer in the valley. I have had too many experiences out here to ever let me deny that the Lord's hand is in all of this. I will go forward with happiness and faith and seek out the Lord's desires for me here in the White Mountains. I love you all and pray for you. Come closer to Christ. It is the key to lasting happiness in this life.

-Elder LaPorte =)

Week 11 (Fithos Lusec...)

Well for starters, hello and sorry for my absence of an e-mail last week. I spent so much time sending pictures that by the time that I was ready to write an e-mail, everyone was ready to go. We still don't have much time to write so I ran out of it. Hehe, anyways, it has been interesting being out here. For starters, this is a very rural place. Everybody loves horses and has stables in their yards. Not EVERYONE, but more than I have ever seen. Since I have gotten here I have had spicier things than I ever would have imagined, and my first Sunday I ate a cow tongue taco. It was really good. I believe I will be having menudo some time soon which is cow stomach. I was suprised at how much hot stuff I could handle. I've had all kinds of hot salsas and spicy peper hamburgers and everything. For those who know my ability to digest things spicier than the traditional europeans cuisines have to offer, you know that this is quite a feat. It's exciting, I really like hot stuff now. haha. Anyways, just yesterday our third-wheel companion left to go home. It has been interesting having him around because he was thinking and talking a lot about home. In a way that could have been bad, considering that I just got out here, but I have tried to make the most of a challenging situation such as that. Some thoughts have come to my mind and feelings to my heart that I would like to share. Having this Elder who was all about going home, and couldn't stop talking about it, it led my mind to think about that day when I go home as well, just a little more often. It was a challenge as I tried to keep my thoughts positive, but this is what I got out of it. As my thoughts turned to a lot of things that I cannot have right now, and will not have for a while, such as family and friends and the luxuries that make life special in a way that I didn't always realize before, I realized something...since those sources of comfort (family and friends) could only come a week or a letter at a time, my mind was taken to the only other place that I turn to for comfort. I found my prayers to be more meaningful because of the constant connection I am able to have with my Heavenly Father through it. I came to the realization that even when all things dear are gone, there is one constant source of strength, comfort, and peace that we can turn to, no matter what. I have always known this, but have felt it more literally applied to myself in these past two weeks. My appreciation for the gift of prayer and the realtionship that I can have with my Heavenly Father and my Savior has grown immensly. Heavenly Father is always there for us and will never abandon us. He has given us prayer, and the Holy Ghost to act as sources of comfort at all times. I have felt the love of Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father greatly in these past two weeks, and I am grateful for the way in which I have personally felt it. Last week in my e-mail I also would have mentioned a baptism that was going to take place for a man named Henry last saturday. It ended up not happening because someone very close to the person being baptized was going to be sick and not able to make it. He will get baptized on the 24th instead. The work is very exciting. We have another baptisimal date scheduled for a lady by the name of Sylvia whom we commited to baptsim last night for the 31st. People are ready if we look for them. The joy that comes into their lives is an irreplaceble memory and testimony to me that true joy and happiness can only come throught the ordinances and blessings that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has to offer. The people that we teach all speak spanish, but about half of them can speak english aswell; especially the children/teenagers. So sometimes we go somewhere and they will suddenly start speaking english. The language is coming slowly. Now that our trunkie companion has left, I believe that Elder Suarez and I will be able to do a lot more. Hopefully we can speak spanish more too. We had a Zone Conference on Monday and it was really nice to see president Craig. I have to go, so I'll send a few more pictures and be off. This work is exciting and rewarding with the right attitude and intentions. Take care!

-Elder LaPorte =)

Week 10 (Hello Queen Creek...)

We're in the queen creek arizona stake and yes, we have a ward. Our area is bigger than our zone because we're spanish speaking. it's kinda funny. the breakdown is an area as the smallest, then district (several areas in a district) and a zone (several districts in a zone) that's why it's funny. our area is bigger than our zone. haha. Ummm, well in the southwest U.S. region we are the highest baptizing. I don't know about worldwide. but this last year we just topped off at a little over 1000 baptisms. There is a big push for work in this area. In a matter of transfers we will increase to 200 missionaries. They taking them away from the east and bringing them here because this area is ready. Elder L. Tom Perry will be coming to speak more on the subject. Things are pretty exciting here.