June 24, 2013

OH MAN has this week been crazy!!!

 

So on Wednesday we had a specialized training which focused a lot on family history. I am really excited about that because I have been doing a lot of family history as much as I can!!! We also got to meet our new mission president. President Toombs and his wife are really cool. I am excited to be a part of their mission. Also our current mission president got to say good bye to us and we all got a CCSM pin (Colorado Colorado Springs Mission). Usually missionaries who go home get the pin but since we are leaving to a different mission we got one. We were told that we could only wear them until July 1st then we have to take them off!!! Sister Toombs said she would get one of those cub scout mother necklace to put the pins on them. She is GREAT!! President Toombs put it so well for the transferring of missions. He said when we received our call it said that we have been called to be a missionary of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. You are assigned to Colorado Colorado Springs mission. Then he continued to say our calling has not changed. We are just being reassigned!! I loved that! I am excited about being in the Denver North Mission. It probably is the smallest mission. It only is a hour drive from the top to the bottom!!!

 

Well this week we finished all of the discussion lesson with our investigator Caitlyn. She is progressing so much and all she needs to do is to get married to her boyfriend. They came to church and she loves it. So now its just a waiting game!!!

 

We have a new investigator Tom. He seems like he has little desire to find out for himself if this is true but by the end of the lesson and thanks to our awesome fellowship, he is curious now!!!!

 

Also this week we had a lesson with a our couple that we have been working with for a few months now. Dan's wife Anna was finally back in town and we were able to teach her. Sad part is that they are moving to Castle Rock on Thursday and they won't be here anymore... Also the other sad part is that I might not be able to attend their baptism because that will be a different mission than ours as of July 1st. So we will see if the mission president will allow me to leave the mission for that. I already asked him and he said that we will talk when it gets closer to the day.

 

On Saturday the Elders quorum had their annual rocket pine wood derby car race and Elder Goldade made a car and Elder Keliikoa and Harley made one too. So it was single elimination and we got 2nd place!!!! It was way fun. After that we helped a family move into our ward and only us 4 elders showed up and even better it was a second floor move!!!! It was hot too!!

 

Okay a little funny side note I fell off my bike. Here is what happened. So we were leaving our dinner and I got on my bike and started riding. I felt the phone ringing so I went to pull it out of my pocket and the curb was right in front of me. i didn't have enough time to grad the handle bars when the front tire turned and I flew over the bike! Thank goodness for a helmet because it cushioned the fall to the road and the bike falling on top of me. I was fine, I laughed about it when I got up. Hope that made some people laugh.

 

Well I love this work and wouldn't trade it for anything. I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I get to be a representative of him everyday. There are now over 70,000 missionaries around the world and it is exciting. I am one of those. I love my savior Jesus Christ and all that he has done for me. I love the Book of Mormon and how it brings people closer to Christ. I love all the support everyone gives me. Love and miss everyone!!

 

Love,

Elder Escudero

June 17th, 2013

Well I am safe first of all. The fire is down closer to springs which is a hour and a half south of where I am at. The smoke did travel to where I am at thought and we couldn't see that good. It burned down like 480 homes already and is only 65% contained as of yesterday... Very sad but you can't control these things sometimes. Well anyways this week has been mostly service!!

 

Elder Goldade and I pretty much parked the car this week and biked!! I love biking. My new bike is great until my pants got caught in the gears and tore them haha But I fixed the bike and it runs great. I can actually get to places with out pretty much dying with this thin air here.

 

Some of the service things we did was move people like always. People actually moved into to the ward though which hasn't happened in awhile. Also we went and built a chicken coop that we have been working on since I have been here pretty much. It looks way cool!!! Ya thats all I can think of right now but there is a lot more.

 

We had a couple lessons this week and couple lessons fell through but the ones we had were great. Our investigator Caitlyn is great!!! We finished all the lessons with her. So now until she gets married we go over and answer questions or go more in depth with her about things. Also our lesson with Dan was good, we answered more questions and that was all the lesson. We found out that him and his wife Anna will be moving before they get baptized... So on Wednesday I have to talk to my new mission president to get permission to leave the mission when they get baptized. Since it will be a new mission as of July 1st. Kinda upset that they are moving but can't stop them!!! Anna gets home today so now we can teach her!!!

 

I have seen myself grow a lot in the past week as I have taken lead and been trying to introduce Elder Goldade to people. Members really trust us in this ward. They say it a lot that they have the 4 best missionaries they have ever had. We aren't doing anything special here, we are just working and serving them. That is what we have been called to do is to serve the people in all the wards you serve in and that is what we do!!! It is that simple. I love being a representative of Jesus Christ and all the responsibilities that come with it!!! I love reading the scriptures and actually knowing them. Helps a lot when you go into lessons!!! I am excited for this mission transfer. The Denver North mission is going to be great!!! It is mostly Downtown Denver and really small. I can't wait!! I love serving and being a missionary. Best decision of my life!!! Love and miss everyone!!

 

Love,

Elder Escudero

June 10, 2013

Hello Everyone!!!!

 

Well this week was transfers week so it was slow at the begining because it consisted of people Elder Lemon wanted to say goodbye to!! So we used a lot of our miles this week soooo looks like Elder Goldade and I are biking all week!!!! Elder Goldade is a awesome companion. We get along so well its crazy!! I finally got unpacked into bishops house and we love the basement. We have pretty much our own set up!!!!

 

So the first 2 days so the weeks was mostly visiting people before Elder Lemon had to leave. Also the day before Elder Lemon left the bishop let us use his tandem bike!!! That was sooo much fun!!! We will be using that a lot more often!! Then on transfer day we went to Franktown, CO and I went on exchanges with Elder Waldorf for a few hours until transfer meeting was done down in the springs!! That was a lot of fun. I got to meet a lot of interesting people. I love going to a different area for a lil bit because it gives you a break from your own area.

 

Finally I got my new companion Elder Goldade. He is awesome, we have so much fun and when we had our first lesson together with Caitlyn. We taught so equally and taught really good. That lesson was way great but we found out that they are planning on getting married in the end of August... Which means she won't be baptized until after that... A little disappointed but at least she is getting married.

 

We also had a lesson with Dan. His wife is still in Ohio. But we just had a question and answer lesson and i was way surprised that I was able to back up all of my answers with scriptures. It was insane. I couldn't believe it but I was way happy. It tells me that my studies are very effective!! But now we have to wait for Anna to get home which will be next week!!!

 

We did quite a bit of service this week. We did a lot of dishes for this one family. It was pretty sad how much they don't take care of their house. I cleaned the counter and that was gross. I had to go home and take a shower... Also we moved a lady out, Cleaned the church (Which Dan was there helping clean), mowed a couple lawns, moved a lot of furniture around and ya stuff like that!!!

 

Well our district meeting we talked a lot about the Denver North Mission and we are all super excited. There is nothing to worry about because it is all gods work!! We are all doing the same thing so nothing will change besides my mission president. Love everything here, it really is the best thing anyone can do! Miss you all and thank you for all the support.

 

Love you all,

 

Elder Escudero