November 20, 2012

Hey Guys,

This week went flying by, but we saw a little success. We are finally starting to find people that can get baptized before February, they are going to take some work but it can be done. It was Elder Myers last week, which was really trunky and as I am writing you I know he is just landing any minute now and will soon hug his family. We had an interesting week with 2 divisions in a row so Elder Myers didn´t work with me for 2 day in my area. Once with Elder Salgado and another with Elder Navarro. They were really good and brought peace to the stress and disappointment I was feeling. This end of the change was weird as well because Elder Myers went home yesterday and I don't get my new comp till tomorrow so I tried to find a Corto Plazo(Usually a Young Man form the ward to work with me for a few days) but there wasn't one available in my ward so I have been Zone Leader 2 with Elder Navarro for 2 days and tonight which has been lots of work. Not that I did a lot of what a ZL does but Lots of the stressful organizational parts I did like house checks, numbers changes etc. and tonight I will probably not sleep much because we have to stay in the bus terminal all night to help missionaries get on and off buses as they all change around, should be interesting. Anyway so my 8th comp or 9th if you count Navarro as two is Elder Muñoz. He was with of Elder Larson One of the coolest guys from my group.  I´m really excited to be with Elder Muñoz, he is a really good Elder. From what I have seen he is a super obedient Elder so I hope he can help me in my short comings and help the other companionship in our house. He is in his sixth Change so about 8 months in the mission. He has been in Cerro for 2 changes so I know him well, he is just changing areas. He is like 5' 5" I think.  I hope they don´t kill us and he's from Mexico, Pueblo I think but I will tell you better next week. Super Good guy.

Also more news about my change is I am a District Leader!! Super fun I cant wait! Things with Elder Myers just started clicking.  My teaching was getting a lot better and I could feel the spirit guiding me a lot more as I taught. I am a little nervous about the responsibility I have to feel but I know it should be alright. As DL I have to teach my district every week, do divisions as a teaching tool, numbers etc... Lots of things but I can't wait, the mission is flying by. 

Things that happened this week as well on divisions with Elder Salgado, they hit me with a rock again this time much harder but luckily my backpack again. When Elder Salgado heard it and I told him what it was he got really scared and asked if we should run I just laughed and said if you want. We didn´t. Then also they Spray Painted the Church all over with the word Nacional which is a big futbol team here one of the two biggest. If you ask anyone here what team they are they will either say Nacional of Peñarol. Anyway the missionaries spent time cleaning that this week. Then during a baptism on Saturday while talking to people with my back to kids playing soccer they hit me in the back with a rock again but this time I didn´t have a backpack. Thankfully it didn´t hurt. Also this weekend I have a talk in sacrament. Sacrifice is my topic should be a piece cake.  Anyway I have to go I hope this letter isn´t to choppy it is really late and we have to go teach the people. The mission is super great! I can't wait to get to work with my new comp. Pray for me. 

Love 
Elder Wray

P.S. Sorry I will send the Pick on Monday

November 12, 2012

Hey Guys,

This week has been about the same as the past few weeks. But I feel better, tired but we have found a couple more people. This Sunday a family that we have been working with came back to church, it was the first time back in 7 years. The ward was pretty happy. The ward seem pretty happy with the missionaries right now. I have really grown to love the Bishop here, he is really trying to help his ward as well as our investigators. Reading the Book of Mormon has really been great! I really love that book! I am finishing Alma in the next two days. 

I don´t know how this week is going to go. It is Elder Myers last week, he's super trunky. His group leaves early to make Thanksgiving. Which mean he leaves Monday Morning on the plane. So I will probably have to do divisions with someone for a few days I hope it is Elder Navarro since his comp also dies. I don´t know what is going to happen there have been a lot of rumors going around so I am just going to wait it out and not worry about it. Good news one of my converts and a convert from Elder Navarro went to the Temple this past Saturday.  I was super happy, Super Super Happy! Sadly that is about all the news I have. That's the problem about working a hard area not much to tell. They broke the windows in the church again this week.  Then threw in some fire crackers it looks like. They really should buy cameras.  Sorry, this is all I have this week. Anyway I have to do some paper work for our area it is kind of a new thing. Sorry again! I feel really bad about this letter. Pray for me.

Love 

Elder Wray  

P.S. Christmas package. Black Socks, Some ties a Black belt Maybe a pair of pants black. Elder Rivas also wants a thing of Skippy extra chunky Peanut butter he said he would pay me.  Other then that what ever your heart desires. I do NOT need more tooth brushes.

November 5, 2012

Hey Guys!

We are having a hard time. I fasted yesterday to know what our Heavenly Father wants us to do in this area, how we should work. But I still don´t know. We have a couple investigators but they all have to get married and they aren´t keeping commitments. The only things that come to my mind are diligence and charity. I really want to help Elder Myers finish strong. I don´t know if I ever told you but it is really hard to get people married here. It is a long process that can take up to 3 months I have heard. They can not be married through a church well I mean to be legally married the only way is through a judge and starting in December I think all judges go on vacation. After they are legally married then they can go to the temple. Other then my area being difficult the week was good. 

I saw success, Karen was baptized on Saturday and Matias on Sunday. I was able to baptize them both. There are some Pics. Now only the dad is the only non member in there family. They were really good baptisms. Also on Sunday the baby of a couple we are reactivating was blessed. I was able to stand in the circle as the grandfather blessed his grand daughter. The ward has drastically improve in the last 3 months. When I first got here church attentance was around 55-65, now in the last three Sundays we are getting between 90-105. The ward is also working a lot better. Elder Rivas has left with the President of The Relief Society three times this past week to visit recent converts and in actives. Elder Myers and I are working with the Elders Quorum Presidency to make a plan to reactivate 15 Elders. This Bishop has a lot of trust in us right now which is really nice. On Sunday as well two of my converts went up and bore their testimonies. I was a little nervous because they both went up at the same time and they were giggling. Some times they are not the most reverent, they are learning, in the end they bore prefect testimonies. I was very happy!  Also I don´t know if I told you but this week I got news the Luis the brother of one of my Converts Miguel from T-bo was baptized a few weeks ago. That was really cool to hear I tried to teach him but he never want to go to church. Well I guess after writing all of that I have a lot of reasons to be happy. I have truly been blessed. I just wish our area would get going. I guess I just need to be patient and have more faith. 

What else happened this week, Oh yea I was really excited to tell you this when it happened but I almost forgot. I was hit with a rock. I don´t know why but I just think that it was the coolest thing. It hit me right in the back, it was thrown by a couple teenagers but it didn't hurt that bad thanks to the strap of my backpack. People have thrown rocks at us before but they have always come short. Anyway don't worry. I feel bad for the church here in Cerro they have to put up with so much crap. All churches here have huge fences and bars over the windows but in this chapel I have seen they steel the gate to the fence 3 times in a month it isn't a small item it is more like a garage door. Spray painted the sidewalk and one wall with bad things. They have broken the window in the sacrament room 3 times as well. Cut the phone wire, Pooped in front of the doors (I got to pick that up) stolen lots of stuff.. the list goes on and on. And that is just in the time I have been here. I feel so bad for the members here they have to put up with so much. Anyway that's about all I have time for. Oh also I got a letter from sister Clark with almost all my friends letters on it. I was super good and inspiring. I also was able to listen to Matt's home coming talk last night it was super good and gave me some stuff to think about. Thanks for everything. Please pray for me and my comp. He goes home in 13 days! Love you.

Love 
Elder Wray

October 29, 2012

Hey Guys,

This week has been good. I still miss my old area more then I probably should but my new area is alright. Elder Myers is a really good missionary. We worked really hard this week seeing as we really don't know very many people. We have only a few investigators and most of them have to get married so we spent a lot of time visiting 24 months list people, menos activos, and doing contacts. Even though Elder Myers is going home in a few weeks I don't feel like it is affecting his work which is good. We just need to improve what time we go to bed and our comp studies but we are doing well. I have problems going to bed because of the three other Elders in the house none of them care about that rule so it is hard some days to be the example. I don't really have the most dangerous areas.  It is just that this area is more dangerous then the last. But I will tell you about that later. I got your package. Super good, all the candy got squished but its still good. My hockey stick is great! I still haven't bought a stick for it.  It will be better when I do that. Right now I am just using an old broom stick and it kind of wiggles abit. The flag was great too. The only thing I was missing was a letter from mom and dad, and instead of ankle socks I needed more church socks.  More stamps too. 

This week I feel like there is more to say then there is time so we will see how far I get. First of new area. Super Poor. The quality of life is really sad. There is one part of our area that is strait shacks made out of Tin roofing but all rusted with dirt floors. They are almost all filled with really dirty kids. In my area I saw for the first time in my life someone use drugs. We were walking by the famous corner where all the Churros sit. When they yelled at us to come over. So to be polite we walked over. There were three guys and a pregnant girl. One of the guys told us in slurred words that the girl had a tooth ace and wanted to be healed. What could we do. We explained a little about blessings and the priesthood but said we couldn't do anything on the street. They kept insisting saying things like ¨Solo el Rubio tiene que tocar su cara¨ The blondie just needs to touch her face. While this was all happening one of the guys pulls out a little bag with white powder in it and fills the end of an inhaler. While he was doing this I was like you have got to be kidding. Then he through a shirt over his head I saw a few sparks of a lighter then when he took off the shirt he breathed out this really white smoke. The drug is called pasta base which I have heard is like what is left over from crack. Anyway crazy experience. I have never even seen mary j in my life before. 

Anyway to something more spiritual.  Elder Oaks Conference.  It was super good! We got up to be there at 8. It was 400 Elders the two missions. We walked in and you just ran from one friend to another saying hi. It was great! Before it started I shook hands with Elder Oaks and his wife, Elder Hallstrom and his wife and Elder Viñas and his wife. It was sweet! Elder Hallstrom talked about our duty as missionaries/members in terms of meeting. The quality of training or talk is not really the speakers fault, he just has to create an environment for the spirit. Everyone else is then left to come to the meeting having fasted and prayed for what they need. It was really good. Then Elder Oaks talked about a lot of things he is kind of a funny guy he made a lot of jokes. But His center message was on Repentance. He said us as missionaries focus to much on Baptism. But of the 1000 times it says baptism in the Book of Mormon 950 of those times it will say repentance first. He said we need to help our investigators repent make changes not just get baptized. It is something the church is really worried about. In a lot of countries like Southern South America, Japan, the Philippines and Europe are baptizing a lot but they don't stay. It was a good talk.

One last thing. When I went to church I was surprised to see along with all of my converts, Matias, the brother of Eliana and Carolina Almada. We had worked so hard with him but he never came around. Well after church he came over to me and said hey you have a surprise next Sunday. When I asked him what it was he said he was getting baptized, and that he wanted me to baptize him. It was so sweet. I don't know if I wrote this in a letter back with Elder Navarro but I had a really spiritual lesson with him once where I felt this really strong love for him so much that I didn't want to lose him as an investigator. Well in the end he didn't want more but now he is getting baptized which is so cool. I can't wait for Sunday! Anyway that about it I have to go. Thanks for the Package. 

Love 

Elder Wray   

October 22, 2012

Hey Guys,

This week has been better then weeks past. We did divisions with Elder Pace and Elder Vargas. It was a good experience and I feel like I learned a lot and reanimated my desire to share the gospel and be better. We had the baptism of Belen, which was good her family came from all over Montevideo to support her. She was on the Bishops Action List, so almost her whole family is inactive besides an aunt and cousin which bring her to church. She is 9 but smart and has been going to church off and on her whole life, with her family. Her mom is inactive sadly and I don´t think she has plans to come back but she is happy for her daughter. Her Dad is an Ex-missionary that lives in another part of Deo and also is inactive. Yesterday was the Primary program which was good also the most full I have seen the chapel since I have been here. All my converts were there which was cool to see. 

This week has been strange. Like I said we had divisions with Elder Pace. He gave a lot of advice. He dies in 4 weeks. But I don´t know if you remember I told you about an Elder that was found in a closet with a girl during conference. Well we all figured he was going to get changed to another area and when he stayed we were all surprised. Well then on Wednesday he told us he was going, and he was going to meet his new comp during a zone training. This Elder is a good friend we shared a ward so I was kind of sad he was going to another area. We also were in the MTC together. Well when we got to the training Elder Nygard the AP pulled me aside just before it started and told me we didn't need to do Divisions, we were going to the airport. It was so sad. I couldn't believe it. So Elder Nygard and I got in the car with him took him to the mission home and then to the airport. He was really worried how his family would react seeing as his mom is an ex-missionary and his brother as well. It was a year since I arrived at the airport. Anyway it was super sad and I also missed the whole training which kind of stunk. Anyway now that that happened. We have had special changes. I am going to be taking this Elders place in Las torres bis. I will be in the same ward still I just wont be able to visit my converts till I leave but I guess I will see them in church on Sunday. My new comp is Elder Myers from Laton Cali. He goes home in 4 weeks as well and was a zone leader but I have heard he is really trunky. But I will be living in a house of four that is huge. It is called the mansion in the mission. It should be sweet when my stick gets here. I am excited but also kind of sad. I am going to miss my side of the ward. The other side is harder to work because it is really far from church and it is also way more dangerous but President said that's what God wants so here we go. I also will probably be in this ward a long time. At least till January but I think even more. Oh, also this week we see Elder Oaks which should be sweet on Saturday. Anyway that's about it. Thanks for the fotos. 

Love

Elder Wray  

October 15, 2012

Hey Guys,

We are really having a hard time. I feel like we have been obedient and diligent but we are not seeing the results we want. After working all week I was not expecting to see anyone in church. Thankfully an investigator we thought we lost showed up on her own. And another member brought a friend so we scheduled a lesson for this week. Two miracles but I still feel like we need to find more prepared investigators. I feel like Elder Rivas and I improving as a companionship, I just hope thing start improving this week, I am starting to get really tired. Oh before I forget my package is here. I haven´t seen it yet but Elder Navarro went to the offices this week and said I have to sign for it. Maybe for that reason it took so long. They have to send me the thing to sign in the mail then I have to send it back so one week from tomorrow I will finally have it. 

Something that I have been thinking about a lot over the past few weeks is the Scripture D&C 121 "many are called but few are chosen". And I have been thinking of this as I look at some of the great missionaries in the Mission, then at some of the not so great, and then just the regular ones. And I am trying to figure out what is  different and obviously there are huge difference between the great and the not so great. But between the great and the regular, what do I lack to be great missionary. Sometimes I wonder about the decisions I have made before the mission and maybe they had something to do with my preparation then I think about my desires.  There is a great talk by Elder Ballard called Creer Éxito(Believe Success) Maybe?. I am trying to find it.  It is super good. I gave up trying to find it and I lost my train of thought. 

Hey you should put money into my account. I really don´t have shoes for sports or p-day anymore they have kind of been destroyed after a year of soccer. Last time I looked I had like 100 bucks. Also Elder Oaks in 12 days it is going to be sweet. Also I had a cool experience on Sunday. First Elder Navarro called me Saturday night to tell my President was going to visit my ward. That kind of freaked me out a little because I didn´t know anyone who was going to church, and was about to do contacts in front of the church to get someone there. But anyway it was one of the most spiritual testimony meetings I have been in in a long time. I don´t really know why but it was super good. Anyway also The Crawfords were there. The Senior couple who is in charge of the offices and housing. They are from Elder Bradshaws ward in Utah no sabia.  Anyway Elder Crawford doesn´t know anything about Spanish.  After the final hour in priesthood he asked me to translate for him. It was super cool experience. The spirit was super strong as he expressed his feelings about the ward and the priesthood. Then I was able to say it in Spanish, was super cool.  But really that is about it form here. I hope your week goes well. 

Love Elder Wray