May 20, 2013

Hey Guys,

This week has been pretty good. I feel like I was all over the place. I did divisions with Elder Muñoz in Cardona, he is doing really well up there. But they have the worst bikes in the world. I also was disappointed to hear they were ride them with out helmets. I Droped the cain on him and he still didn´t use his helmet. I felt like an idot with a helmet since my comp didn´t have one but I was obedient. In the first lesson we went to I brought the helmet in so it wouldn´t be stolen and the investigator also dropped the cain on Elder Muñoz for not wearing one. I was super happy! He then promised to read the Book of Mormon Everyday Elder Muñoz used his helmet. That night and the next morning I went at fixing the bikes. They were destroyed one didn´t have pedals another had lost some parts. Neither could change the gears and one didn´t have breaks. Before I left each one had one pedal, they both had breaks they both could change into almost all the gears. And after all that they still were horrible. He then told me President had taken the bikes out of the area and they were just using them anyway. I was not to happy. But I enjoyed my time working on them I think I will have to learn more about bike mechanics when I get home.

 We also were in Juan Lacaze for the CVC(It is like the visitors center in Salt Lake or Washington). It was really cool. It starts sitting by a six foot picture of the Christos, while an audio plays. Then the sisters take everyone on a tour of the church while teaching. Then in the end they came to the font and Elder Arrionla and I were dressed in white talked about baptism. It was really cool.  

This week it is are turn on Friday, the Branch doesn´t look that excited. I wasn´t to happy with the way the Branch President announced it. He was like "well I forgot but I guess I should tell you this week is the CVC and if you want you can invites someone."  This week I hope to invite everyone we can, as well as visit every member to animate them to invite someone. We will see how it goes. We are also doing divisions with the zone leaders which will be good. We found a couple people this week that maybe can progress.That's really about it.

Oh I also forgot, after the cvc we ate dinner with the Binghams the couple in charge. They are from Idaho but I don´t know were. It was so good!! Roast beef, potatoes, pees, gravy, whip cream jello. I got to lick the beater haha it was so good, I felt like a little kid again! We then got a ride home. It was my comp and I and then 4 sisters. It was the strangest moment of my mission. They turned into little girls again. Singing and screaming and laughing. I was so happy we were dropped of first.  Anyway thats about it. 

Love you

Elder Wray 

May 13, 2013

Hey Guys,

 It was good to see you yesterday even though everyone looked a little tired. I hope you are doing well. This week was alright. We have been working hard but we are still looking for people to teach. We tried animating President Santucho (branch President) to let us do the church open house but he wasn´t that into the idea (something about the church being dirty and the members not animated enough to do it) two things that aren´t going to fix themselves. But I think we gained his confidence. But it looks like the Binghams(senor couple) got them to do it, so on the 24 it will happen. But that mean there is a lot to be done in a short amount of time, I think my comp and I will end up clean the church next week. This week we need to work on giving better commitments, we need to be more bold. This week we didn´t have the success we should have.  I did divisions this week with Elder Harrison(my last ZL), he is a little trunky(he goes home in 3 weeks) and had a weird neck problem he couldn´t move it. Thankfully his comp is Elder Durand, is really excited to work. To start divisions we showed up at his apartment to find his hot water heater was spraying hot water everywhere. He started screaming saying he wasn't going to have a hot shower the next day. Haha He is super funny when he gets mad. I told him to calm down. I turned off the water then that night I changed the hose that had burst, not really sure how it happened it looks like it got to hot but it is all good now. This week I am doing divisions with Elder Muñoz he is doing really good. I am proud of him! He is working really hard in a really hard area. I am a little worried about Hermana Zabala and Hermana Toone because of their baptism that fell through but they are doing divisions this week as well so I think they will be alright. They seemed excited after talking to there families.

Today I put together a district activity. We played some soccer then made chicken tacos they were really good. Then we played more soccer. I don´t think the hermanas liked soccer but there isn´t really anything else to do we can't play cards and they didn´t want to play ping pong so no se. They also didn´t want to help us cook or clean, just eat. I am trying to not let it bug me. There is one elder that has 6 hermanas in his district I feel so bad for him. His nick name is girls camp leader jaja poor elder Brown. Anyway that is about it not much else to say. Have a good week! Study hard for finals and say Hi to Mike if you see him. Tell him he can email me if he wants. 

Love you all!

Elder Wray 

May 6, 2013

Hey Guys,

Things are going a little slow here in Rosario. I am struggling a little. I imagine I just need to have a little more patience's. We have visited all the members in the branch asking for references as well as in every contact. I think Elder Arriola is a little desanimado as well. This Sunday was the first in my branch. It was really weird. In total 16 members came and one investigators. 6 priesthood holders including us. It was fast in testimony meeting. The priesthood that broke the bread did it in one verse of "On a green hill far away". I thought everyone was going to give there testimony and then we would end early but nope. It feels really weird since we meet in a strange building. It is kind of weird but kind of cool also everyone is so close. It is a lot like the branch we visited on the island with great grandma Fraser but less people. I was told at one time the branch was at 70 people but that was with 2 elders 2 sisters and a senor couple as branch president. I just have to find the faith to continue in the course I am working in my area. I know I won't have the results in 2 or three days or weeks for that matter but soon things will come together. 

We are working with the investigators we do have one of which is the aunt of Danny Rodas The best member in the branch. She is really good and will get baptized. Danny was a little upset we gave her fecha so soon but we explained why and he seemed alright. We just have to find a way to bring her to church because she has to take care of her husband who is in a wheel chair. On Sunday we had a miracle. The boyfriend of a member came to church with her. He seems really nice and we set up a time to meet with him, so we will see where that goes. 

The District is doing really well I think every one in the district had someone in church which was nice. My District meeting was probably the best I have had my example worked well but the hermanas might have felt a little left out since it was a physical example and they chose not to participate. Forgot about them. But I think I have the confidence of my district and they are working really hard. Today thankfully is the last time! I  completely have to clean a house. The bathroom was a disaster as well as the kitchen and back deck but it is all fairly clean now. It has been fairly cold here but I like this town. We did contacts in the pouring rain for about an hour and a half this past Friday night. We had visited all the people we could think of and were left with nothing to do. It was hard and no one let us in but this week should be better. We were drenched to the bone. 

We met a man in a contact that had lived in New York for 30 years his English was only alright. I thought it was pretty cool he is going back this year after 5 years. He doesn't like it here anymore. I thought he was pretty cool until he pulled out his Ipad and showed us his family and wife and then showed us all the women he met in the states. He's in his 60s. I lost all respect for him. 

Anyway that about it. 

Love you 

Elder Wray

P.S. It looks like we are going to Skype. Sunday 730 My time I just have to remember my password. 

Love you

April 29, 2013

Hey Guys, 

So I thought I would write this letter different, I got a letter from President then wrote him back so instead of writing everything again I thought I would copy and paste and then add when needed. First Presidents Letter

Elder Wray,

You have done an excellent job in Mercedes. Thank you for being such a great trainer. There is a lot to do in Colonia but we are not starting from scratch. I would like your report on how it is in Rosario. Did Elder Morales leave investigators and did they reactive? How is Elder Arriola doing at this point? Gracias, Pte H

President,

Thanks for your support. Things are alright here in Colonia but there is a lot of work to do. The members are pretty desanimado (Like depressed). They could use a big boost in faith. We do have one member that I have met that looks really good his name is Danny, he is a fairly recent convert(2 years). As for investigators we need more. From what I have been told by Elder Arriola and the Zone Leaders, Elder ? wasn´t that obedient. He left two investigators. I gave one of them fecha two days ago and they accepted (Elder Arriola said it was the first time he has given fecha in a long time). Elder Arriola seems to be doing well he is ready to work, but feels a little bad about this last change. I also have been animating Elder Muñoz, he told me he hasn´t been that obedient either but I told him he is senor comp now and he needs to be an example. He seems alright now. That's about it for now. I have learned already how precious your time is here in Colonia. I have only worked in my area two days do to zone meeting, baptismal interviews and District Conference, I also can´t work my area tonight because my comp is in Montevideo. Something I will have to work around. But I am excited and ready to work. Thank for everything.

Elder Wray 

It was kind of nice to hear President was happy with my work. I don´t know if I told you last week but I am in a district it isn´t even a stake. As a matter of fact it is the oldest District in the world. If I remember right it was the first district in south America and it is still a district. Super Sad.  I am the city of Rosario, a small town. We are the only elders there and about an hour from anyone else. Being district leader I have to travel a lot and it is really expensive here. But it isn´t that hard to help this area out because we are pretty much opening it. The last elder here just stopped working. When I gave my numbers to the zls they were so happy because it was such an increase in success. I feel kind of bad for my comp but we have to get moving. To tell you the truth I lied in my last letter. I said I didn´t know that much about Colonia but everyone knows Colonia as the hardest zone in the mission. I just didn´t want to desanimate myself. I think my branch has a total of 20 members active. We don´t have a chapel we meet in a rented room. And the members don´t want to work. I think I am going to start sharing the story the Spyglass with them. If you haven´t read it, read it. It is really good! By Richard Paul Evans. We have two investigators and older women, and then a family consisting of a single mom her 4 daughters and a son. They are all really good. But the last elder didn´t give them commitments just went to there houses to talk. I gave baptismal date the the older women and she accepted without a problem. The family I haven´t seen since my first day. This branch hasn´t had a baptism since August. Also Elder Navarro finished his mission here. 

Good things about Rosario and Colonina in general. Super Pretty, chilly, lots of Swiss immigrants and it is like a mix of T-bo and Mercedes. I have my first DL meeting tomorrow we will see how it goes. All the ZLS told me was animate the District. I think I am going to talk about overcoming weaknesses and how we psych ourselves out, using a physical activity maybe pull ups, but I don´t really know. I have to finish planning it. My district is pretty cool. I have the ZLS then Elder Muñoz (my old comp) and his comp, and Elder Harrison my last ZL and his kid. And Hermanas I don´t know how I feel about that. Hna Zabala and her daughter. 

In District Conference(Like Stake Conf) President Heaton spoke, he dropped the cain pretty hard. The attendance to the meeting was less then our ward at home, sad. But he told us of meeting an ex missionary that served in Italy. President began to tell him about his problems with Colonia when the Elder stopped him and said President Heaton when I was a missionary in Italy I was in a branch where the only people that were active were my comp and I and the branch presidents family. That made me feel better. 

Anyway that's about it I have to go. Pray for me. I am almost 21 what the heck. I haven't gotten the package yet. Maybe tomorrow. Also good jobs sisters in sports. Happy b day Elizabeth. I cant believe your 18 que cosa. 

Love you, 

Elder Wray

April 22, 2013

Letter is missing, can't find it anywhere?