August 12, 2013

Hey Guys,

This week went by so fast. Before I knew it, it was Sunday already. Zone Conference was really good, I learned so much. It is a bummer that I will only be able to use it for a short time as a missionary. But it can be applied to my life after. I gave my Dieing Testimony. I was kind of nervous. When I got up to the pulpit I forgot everything I thought about saying and just kind of stood there for a moment. Thankfully I could get a few words out. It turned out well I think. The two Latino Elders dieing took up an hour between the both of them. Which is ridicules. Between the other 5 of us that bore testimony, it was maybe 20 minutes in total less then 5 minutes a each. I guess in the next conference the next day president was not to happy and said he only wanted pure testimony. I didn´t share any experiences that I can remember I made reference to a few but I felt like it was pretty focused. I talked about relying on the Lord in all aspects, and then Testifying at all times. I got to see a lot of old friends, Elder Larson, Crawford, Simpson from my CCM group. As well as Elder Geschwandner from my days in Cerro. It was a lot of fun! Also if you happen to see the Walkers(I forgot there names) tell them that Elder and Sister Bingham say hi! They are a senior couple here close by that is from Burley I think and they know the Walkers well.  

This past Sunday we had two less active members come to church which was exciting, as well as an Investigator. I guess he is what you could call an eternal investigator but the members tell us that he has come more often to church these past few months(2 to 3 times a month) then in years past. The Branch President wants to work with him so we are going to start teaching him the lessons this week with the branch president. He has problems with the word of wisdom, tithing, and the law of chastity but we have faith he can change. 

It is hard to believe it is coming to an end the mission. I admit I am excited to come home and see you guys and get back into school but I am going to miss the mission. I have learned so much and met so many great people. President told us the other day. "You are not going home to Rest!" The work must go on, the Lord is hurrying his work and we need to be a part of it. He told us after his mission, he helped bring at least 1 family a year into the gospel many years more then 1. Share the Gospel always. Remember Today is the Day "I jump from my bed every day and work with strength and faith, knowing through inspired prophecy that Today is the Day in which the Lord is hurrying his Work!"(DyC 88:73)

Part of our knew mission motto I guess. I really like it. I have learned so much from President Smith I wish I could stay and learn more from him. He teaches with so much power and authority it is crazy. Anyway that is about it for now. I have to write a goodbye letter to Uruguay, I will send you a copy. Send me a letter next week even if it is short and I will send you one as well. I go to Deo Tuesday Morning early to have an interview with president before going to the temple with him and Elder Pyeatt(the one that wrote Elizabeth)We go home on the same plane. Then we wait till the plane leaves I guess. It should be really good. I got my flight planes they changed them from what I knew. I get home now at 12:39pm that's cool . Love You

Elder Wray

August 5, 2013

Hey Guys,

First off. Sister Davis is in your ward that is so cool! Elder Davis was such a stud. I shared a ward with him back in Salto, and was with his kid(Elder Camejo). He was super obedient and worked really hard. I was also with him in the CCM. That is really cool! I will have to tell Elder Davis when I get home.  

This week went much better. We had a bunch of lessons. We are still looking for new families to teach but thing are going a little better. Our branch president really enjoyed a training he had with the mission president on Saturday. He talked about it every moment he could with the members on Sunday. He said he hadn´t felt the spirit so strong since he went to the temple. President Smith is such an awesome guy. I'm so glad I got to meet him. Our recent convert is going strong and showing us a lot of love. Almost every time we go to her house she gives us cake or pastries. The other day the closest thing I have ever had to Donut holes here. They were so good! We have seen some good progress with some less active members. Can´t wait for zone conference this week will be my last which means my dieing testimony. Kind of nervous we will see how it goes. It is kind of weird I am in the stage of my mission were it is my last of everything. On Sunday was my last fast and testimony meeting. Kind of weird. On Thursday I get my "super trunky papers". I really don´t know what to tell you guys. I would tell you find me something to do at the house but I don´t really know how much time I have before I go again. I have found it hard to sleep the past few days but I feel like I am dieing strong.

In other news I have been doing P90X for the last 2 weeks. It has been a lot of fun! And  a lot more motivating to do my exercises in the morning. I can already feel the results. Well, really that's all I have to tell you not much else has happened. Love you, talk to you next week.

Love,

Elder Wray

July 29, 2013

Hey Guys!

This week was pretty good. We had a couple of good lessons but I really feel like I´m below my potential. We have been struggling the last few weeks and I find myself thinking about home more and more. I feel bad for my comp we should be working harder but I don´t feel like he is helping me. Yesterday he didn´t get out of bed till 8. I feel like he is deader then I am and he doesn´t even have a year yet. A few changes ago I would have gotten him out of bed. I have always forced my junior comps to be as obedient as me but with him I just kind of stopped worrying about it. If he doesn´t want to whatever.  This week I am doing divisions with the Zone Leaders so I hope that helps keep me more focused. I never thought dieing would be so hard. But I find I have to push myself a lot to do a lot of things. Like the other night we got out of a lesson late really far from home like 18 blocks. As soon as they shut the door I started running we had 8 minutes to make it. An any change of my mission I would have spirited it out, but after 4 blocks, thoughts came into my head like "Why am I running, this is stupid. I don´t want to run anymore it is way to far we will probably make it home anyway." So I stopped and my comp stopped and we walked a block. I was really hoping deep down my comp would be like come on lets go dale Vamos but he didn´t say a word. So I had to dig really hard and I started running again. We made it home at 1032ish. If we hadn´t walked we would have made it. Your probably thinking he is worried about 2 minutes that's stupid (but as I have always said those 2 minutes were the difference between being obedient and disobedient). But really that wasn´t what bothered me. It was more the fact that I felt inside like a Dead Missionary. I really scared me I and discouraged me a little that had almost let my self stop caring. I really want to finish strong! Like I said this week I'm doing divisions with the ZLs and I really hope that encourages me. But I am struggling, I have never been with a comp for so long, more then 3 months when it is all said and done it will have been 4 1/2 months.   

Anyway time to talk about something else. Today we played fútbol it was a lot of fun as always. One of the Sisters left a few weeks ago and we have a new one. So now the sisters participate which is good but it is still hard. Like a few weeks ago. I called the sisters on Monday to tell them about district meeting on Tuesday. One sister said Elder can we eat with you. I don´t know if I was distracted or what but I said sure thinking they wanted to eat in the church with everyone since in changes pasted they always went strait home to eat. The next day after DM everyone was making there own lunch while the sisters read there letters. We finished and just sat down to eat and I remember thinking what are the sisters going to make. When they come in and say Elder Wray is there enough food for us? One elder thought it was a joke and started laughing when no one else laughed he stopped and it got really quite. I looked around and said yea there is some Fideos over there and the other elders have some hamburgers. But they realized we didn´t make food for them and went home. I felt so bad but apologized a couple times and they forgave me. Then Last Tuesday I guess I didn´t learn my lesson. I figured they would have learned that everyone brings there own food but after the meeting they just left. I had to go to the store to buy milk when the Sisters call me. Elder Wray do you have enough food for us? I was like are you kidding me?? They were lucky I was in the store so I bought some more noodles and milk to make a cream or they would have been out of lunch again. That lunch was really gross though so I hope the same thing doesn´t happen tomorrow, we will see. Mainly because I only have like 2 bucks left till the first and I have the take the bus tomorrow which cost two bucks we will see what happens. I don´t know how I will get home. 

Speaking of money could you guys send me some money to buy a couple more souvenirs. Also dad we get about 3300 pesos a month which is about 165 dollars I think. Not that much but it is kind of complicated because the reimburse some things like 200 pesos of fruit a month and most buses. Next week I am going to Colonia and wanted to buy a couple things I also am going to Deo the 8 and maybe will buy something there. 

I rode for an hour yesterday on bus home from a leadership meeting with the Zone Leaders. I was with Elder Millan. They just finished having there ZL meeting with president this past week and he gave me the inside info. The whole mission is going to change and it makes me sad to go home I love this work and can see the changes will make things a whole lot better just wish i could see it all. They haven´t announced anything till zone conference the 8th so I will let you know then what happens.  

Anyway I have to wrap things up. I'm trying to finish strong!

Love You All

Love 

Elder Wray

P.S. Say hi to everyone and I got my return time 4:00 P.M. Spokane airport the 21st of august. They couldn´t get me home with Ben. It was that time or 10:30 pm to Lewiston. Love you

July 23, 2013

Hey Guys,

Things are going alright here in Rosario. The branch is excited and they have made changes and the new auxiliary presidents are ready to work. Things are going a little slow in terms of Missionary work. After our baptism we kind of found ourselves at square one again. We have a couple investigators but we couldn´t see them that much this week. I am hoping to find more this week. But we will see what this week has in store. We weren´t in our area much this week due to changes. We were with Elder Draper till his comp got there.  Church on Sunday I gave a talk on La Obra Misional. It was one of my better talks. One I prepared for and even more Practiced. I could really feel the spirit especially as I made a few changes in what I was saying. The truth I learned a lot in church for the first time in a while. So I get home the 21st! Like how I just threw that in there. haha!! So I called president yesterday and we talked really quick about it. I didn´t tell him about flying home with Ben it just didn´t feel right but maybe I will call the office elders and see what I can do. If I do it, it will only be the flight from Salt Lake to Lewiston but president told me to fly to Spokane so I will see what happens. If it doesn´t happen, its all good. It would be fun though. So that means I have just a little time left. My comp is super trunky. He is counting down the days in like 6 different ways pie graph percents days and I think he wants to make a paper ring thingy haha. It hasn´t really set in yet but I definitely find myself thinking about home more. The home dreams are the worst. Haha in one dream I had I got off the plane and walked to you guys and mom didn´t want to give me a hug. I guess the girls were fighting and she was upset. haha! So I got upset and said Me voy! (I'm going) and turned around and walked back toward the plane. Haha!  It is kind of a funny dream to think about. But don´t let it happen.

Also in other news why didn´t you tell me Brother Dalton was a new Mission President in Chile. I saw it in the Liahona. That is really cool. Remember when we almost burned down his field. He property is sweet.

Lastly I didn´t get the chance to tell you last week due to the traveling and such but. This Baptism that we had was probably the most meaningful and I have never relied more on the Lord in my life then the weeks leading up to it(besides maybe only the stuff I put up with in Cerro). I fasted for 6 or 7 weeks leading up to it. At first my fasts were not very specific they didn´t include names I really only ask the Lord if I did my part he would bless me with a baptism. As things moved farther along I was fasting for two people one of which stopped listening but the other was Olga. As she started having all those trials(Husband dieing, being robed) my fasts grew more meaningful. I was able to feel a deep love for her like no other investigator I have had. The interesting thing is that Olga and I don´t... it is kind of hard to explain... don´t connect like I have with other converts or investigators. Meaning I have been better friends with lots of other people but I have a lot more love and respect for her then the majority of the people I have met here. The Lord truly helped. I did really nothing to have that baptism. I mean I left everyday on time just to knock doors because we didn´t have anyone else to visit and I did it just to be obedient. But the lord really had prepared her and the way for her to be baptized. I just watched it all happen. A lot of missionaries were like fa Elder Wray your a Capo you baptized someone in Rosario but I can't really accept credit for anything I don´t feel like I did anything special for her. But it has truly been a learning experience. I have loved my mission and am so grateful for everything I have learned.  

   

But the Secretaries just called me to arrange my travel plans maybe I will be able to get in with Ben. But I have to go.

Love you guys!

Elder Wray

Don´t be trunky, I´m Not!