Yeah because of the change with email its not letting me in or it goes suuuuper slow. Good things it forwards here.¡Feliz Cumpleaños Padre! Yeah I am doing fine. It got the other two in the pension later this week, it was something to do with the heat apparently. This week was good. We worked really hard and we have nothing to show for it. =P Its not as bad as it sounds, we went member hunting all week and found some great less actives. Yeah they didnt come, but it was the fact that all the hard work felt like hard work when we were working with the members. We had appointments with investigators, really cool and likely to progress investigators, but we didn´t get to meet with hardly any of them. Its funny how that works. I also had my first of many mistakes in front of a member. We had a FHE and I got to share a thought, completely unprepared. Ouch. It was not good, and I shared something without explaining hardly at all. I felt like crap afterwards, but it just is an example of Keeping It Simple. I am doing well here and I am with my new companion Elder Loader from Mapleton, UT. Hes cool considering I have only known him for 4 hours. Im still here in Villa dolores and working hard to get this Branch out of the pit its been in. I love you all but I am running low on time so I just ask that anyone who reads this sends me an email, with their favorite scripture and why. It should be fun, go for it.
Con Amor
Elder Ludlow
PERSONAL STUFF: First things first: my razor broke. It fell off my bedside table and the shaver foil is busted and inner blade foils are dented. I could use it, but I dont want to have to regrow my face along with my beard.
**insert long, boring description of replacement parts. blah blah blah**
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
February 8, 2010
Ben's letters tend to be in direct response to whatever Mom sent him the day before, so I apologize if any of you readers feel a bit lost...
That twit. =) Good girl Alyson. Wheres my letter in Spanish? maybe when you are done with this semester? Sad day. Oh well Ruby Sue was a beast(just like the Beast) and we have a couple of fun memories. Hello Zoo Car/windup toy. Yay money... Thats cool. Thats the thing about craigslist and ebay, its an electronic garage sale. Only people looking for a 4 dollar deal on a 200 dollar item come to check them out. Elder Robison said he didnt get his MTC forwards until his 3rd transfer. WOOH!!! dont worry I´m sure they will come eventually, but for now they havent. The Last Olympian is with Victor Fralof and I need to write him an email about that and when he is getting his butt on his mission. Him and Adam. =P I can take care of it Madame Librarian. This gumshoe is on the case. Sad Colts. Thats a cool win though. I guess... the problem with them winning is that everyone will attribute it to Obamas supernatural powers. =P(woops that can be edited out if its truly offensive, but it gets annoying to hear from all the silly latins "Hows the Negro doing?" )Yeah so this week we got in trouble. We werent keeping the wake-up go to bed rules 100% and an elder called President. awkward. But its good we needed to get in trouble, because we knew it and had been trying to keep things, and had gotten lax. Its unfortunate it came the way it did, but well things happen for a reason. I know its not what you want to hear mom, but really I am disappointed in myself too. It was fixed too, and then I got sick on Friday(not sure what but it was body aches and dizzy and just overall bad) and then Elder Robison and I were both sick Saturday with Food Poisoning. WOOH. So much fun. But if you can believe it I have been in Argentina for almost a transfer. Its been raining alot during the night and getting really humid and hot during the day now. Its like thunder lightning wind and rain at about 2am and then its about 96 degrees with 70%+ humidity during the day. Its definitely weird. oh well the work goes on and I have one more week this transfer. We shall see what happens next week, I could be writing to you from a different area or not at all(that would mean I was travelling all day)Well I leave you with a quote from President Hinckley that I found the other day. "Let us as Latter Day Saints cultivate a Spirit of Brotherhood in all of our associations. Let us be more charitable in our judgements, more sympathetic and understanding of those who err, more willing to forgive those who trespass against us. Let us not add to the measure of hatred that periodically sweps across the world. Let us reach out in kindness to all men, even toward those who speak evil of us and who would if they could, harm us."Love you all and miss you
Con Amor
Elder Ludlow
¡El Reino de Dios or Nada!
That twit. =) Good girl Alyson. Wheres my letter in Spanish? maybe when you are done with this semester? Sad day. Oh well Ruby Sue was a beast(just like the Beast) and we have a couple of fun memories. Hello Zoo Car/windup toy. Yay money... Thats cool. Thats the thing about craigslist and ebay, its an electronic garage sale. Only people looking for a 4 dollar deal on a 200 dollar item come to check them out. Elder Robison said he didnt get his MTC forwards until his 3rd transfer. WOOH!!! dont worry I´m sure they will come eventually, but for now they havent. The Last Olympian is with Victor Fralof and I need to write him an email about that and when he is getting his butt on his mission. Him and Adam. =P I can take care of it Madame Librarian. This gumshoe is on the case. Sad Colts. Thats a cool win though. I guess... the problem with them winning is that everyone will attribute it to Obamas supernatural powers. =P(woops that can be edited out if its truly offensive, but it gets annoying to hear from all the silly latins "Hows the Negro doing?" )Yeah so this week we got in trouble. We werent keeping the wake-up go to bed rules 100% and an elder called President. awkward. But its good we needed to get in trouble, because we knew it and had been trying to keep things, and had gotten lax. Its unfortunate it came the way it did, but well things happen for a reason. I know its not what you want to hear mom, but really I am disappointed in myself too. It was fixed too, and then I got sick on Friday(not sure what but it was body aches and dizzy and just overall bad) and then Elder Robison and I were both sick Saturday with Food Poisoning. WOOH. So much fun. But if you can believe it I have been in Argentina for almost a transfer. Its been raining alot during the night and getting really humid and hot during the day now. Its like thunder lightning wind and rain at about 2am and then its about 96 degrees with 70%+ humidity during the day. Its definitely weird. oh well the work goes on and I have one more week this transfer. We shall see what happens next week, I could be writing to you from a different area or not at all(that would mean I was travelling all day)Well I leave you with a quote from President Hinckley that I found the other day. "Let us as Latter Day Saints cultivate a Spirit of Brotherhood in all of our associations. Let us be more charitable in our judgements, more sympathetic and understanding of those who err, more willing to forgive those who trespass against us. Let us not add to the measure of hatred that periodically sweps across the world. Let us reach out in kindness to all men, even toward those who speak evil of us and who would if they could, harm us."Love you all and miss you
Con Amor
Elder Ludlow
¡El Reino de Dios or Nada!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
February 1, 2010
Dear Family and Friends: Ben's most recent letter was in "pigeon" Spanish and very hard to read, even for the Spanish speakers in our house. He does seem to be learning but needs more time to get so that he thinks in Spanish as well as he writes and speaks. It was mainly answering my questions and commenting on news (he said to congratulate Kristyn and Russell on the birth of Baby Steven).
Yup I know. JAJAJAJAJAJA. Hoppefully Sarah translated even if it was painfully incorrect gramatically, I basically talked about how weird things go on here and answered your questions. Well this week I have alot more to say about things happening. We didnt baptize our investigator. He just kind of disappeared. We hadnt seen him in at church and he was very hard to get ahold of and generally evasive. We talked about it with him after finally getting ahold of him, and he has been reading in the Book of Mormon. He found a part in Moroni(I dont remember where. I should find out shouldnt I? =P ) and it was talking about how we need to forgive others before we can ourselves be forgiven. Turns out that he has someone that he just cannot forgive. We challenged him to try really hard to do so, and to think really hard about it, if he can or even wants to be forgiven for the things he has done, he has to forgive this person. I don´t know about you but I thought about it and I realized how I never had it quite that bad, but that is something that can stop us from feeling the Spirit. We had a visit from President this week. He visited when the crazy Elders Quorum president and the branch president spoke. It was great because he dropped cane(when someone gets in trouble) on them in his talk. He then talked to us afterwards and was like yeah, so I noticed you dont have alot of numbers. I can see why. You are to work with the members and combat all the gossip and mistakes of others and build up this branch, and then you will find people. The missionaries are not supposed to be finding, the members are supposed to do that and we teach. So yeah thats basically all thats gone on. We will see how things like that work, because we have to see the effects of our work, and the work of getting this branch to a 50 person or more branch will be alot. I will have more to say on the subject later, but yeah Mom you should get Preach My Gospel out and read it a little. Ch 9 maybe.
(Mom told him that she has more opportunities to talk to people about the Church these days and maybe she should study the missionary manual.)
Bye Bye for now I love you all tons.
Yup I know. JAJAJAJAJAJA. Hoppefully Sarah translated even if it was painfully incorrect gramatically, I basically talked about how weird things go on here and answered your questions. Well this week I have alot more to say about things happening. We didnt baptize our investigator. He just kind of disappeared. We hadnt seen him in at church and he was very hard to get ahold of and generally evasive. We talked about it with him after finally getting ahold of him, and he has been reading in the Book of Mormon. He found a part in Moroni(I dont remember where. I should find out shouldnt I? =P ) and it was talking about how we need to forgive others before we can ourselves be forgiven. Turns out that he has someone that he just cannot forgive. We challenged him to try really hard to do so, and to think really hard about it, if he can or even wants to be forgiven for the things he has done, he has to forgive this person. I don´t know about you but I thought about it and I realized how I never had it quite that bad, but that is something that can stop us from feeling the Spirit. We had a visit from President this week. He visited when the crazy Elders Quorum president and the branch president spoke. It was great because he dropped cane(when someone gets in trouble) on them in his talk. He then talked to us afterwards and was like yeah, so I noticed you dont have alot of numbers. I can see why. You are to work with the members and combat all the gossip and mistakes of others and build up this branch, and then you will find people. The missionaries are not supposed to be finding, the members are supposed to do that and we teach. So yeah thats basically all thats gone on. We will see how things like that work, because we have to see the effects of our work, and the work of getting this branch to a 50 person or more branch will be alot. I will have more to say on the subject later, but yeah Mom you should get Preach My Gospel out and read it a little. Ch 9 maybe.
(Mom told him that she has more opportunities to talk to people about the Church these days and maybe she should study the missionary manual.)
Bye Bye for now I love you all tons.
Friday, January 29, 2010
January 25, 2011
[Ok, so to help in the translation from Benglish to normal English, I have included his mom's letter and his responses in more of a question-and-answer format. Ben's answers are indented and in italics (in case you couldn't figure that out...).]
Dear Elder Ben,
Not much to tell since the weather has been about the same all week. =D
Dad made me stay home today from church because when I woke up I had a lot of congestion and coughing. I've been fighting it for several days. I stressed because I didn't want to strand my counselors, but they came through as --really I knew--they would. That's what counselors are for; after all. I did have to miss my PPI, so haven't had a chance to get in my draft picks. I hope to be able to talk with Bro. M about that ASAP.
Please tell me what kind of dinner recipes you would like. I don't know what you have available. I'm guessing that you can get rice, maybe pasta, but what about other stuff like tomato sauce, cheese, soy sauce, etc., and the other thing I don't know is whether you want it so you can make a meal just for you and your comp, or if you want to make something for the members who have been so kind to you. (Tell Mabel thanks for me!)
I read a story to the older kids this week about the first moon landing, and no one was able to tell me the date. When someone started to guess sometime in the 1800's, I hollered, "NO! Hey, I can remember it!" Then Mrs. Lopez went off with, "we even had TV and electricity and indoor plumbing then!" Too bad the sarcasm was probably lost on the kids.
Kayla is back at BYU again, and says that her back is doing better. She has to do physical therapy exercises, but they seem to be helping, and she likes her classes.
I dont have much to write mum. Sorry. I had a lot of work this week. Just lots of work. mostly I am just tired. Its all the same but I am trying to find and write down the anomalies in my day. Things that are different. Thats what is important. Finding the special moments and enjoying them. I just gotta have a few more special moments. =)
Ok gotta go
Con Amor
Elder Ben
Dear Elder Ben,
Not much to tell since the weather has been about the same all week. =D
Well the weather is getting hotter =P
Dad made me stay home today from church because when I woke up I had a lot of congestion and coughing. I've been fighting it for several days. I stressed because I didn't want to strand my counselors, but they came through as --really I knew--they would. That's what counselors are for; after all. I did have to miss my PPI, so haven't had a chance to get in my draft picks. I hope to be able to talk with Bro. M about that ASAP.
Yes you do get a pass. its better than the excuses investigators give. at least you didnt stay home because you had to wash clothes, or because 1 member of your family is sick so all 20 of you stayed home. ugghhhh.
Please tell me what kind of dinner recipes you would like. I don't know what you have available. I'm guessing that you can get rice, maybe pasta, but what about other stuff like tomato sauce, cheese, soy sauce, etc., and the other thing I don't know is whether you want it so you can make a meal just for you and your comp, or if you want to make something for the members who have been so kind to you. (Tell Mabel thanks for me!)
Yeah I dont know what I want to do, the simple stuff is what I have every day. I had fideos (noodles in any form) 5 times this week. Ridonkulous. thats what I say ridonkulous.
I read a story to the older kids this week about the first moon landing, and no one was able to tell me the date. When someone started to guess sometime in the 1800's, I hollered, "NO! Hey, I can remember it!" Then Mrs. Lopez went off with, "we even had TV and electricity and indoor plumbing then!" Too bad the sarcasm was probably lost on the kids.
"We went to the moon in 1969, not 1968 but the year after..." thank you Even Stevens. tell them to stop watching Jonas and watch some more Sesame Street, or maybe........READ A BOOK!!! Will Smith a few years ago at the Kids Choice awards said. "Kids for all of you I have 2 things you have to do in your lives. READ AND RUN. there is nothing you are going through that someone hasnt written a book about, and besides that its fun. Running teaches you to push yourself. If you can conquer yourself physically you can do anything. " Something like that. Way cool.
Elder Lorimer told me the quote but yeah.
Kayla is back at BYU again, and says that her back is doing better. She has to do physical therapy exercises, but they seem to be helping, and she likes her classes.
well thats great to hear about Kayla. Glad she is doing better.[the rest should make sense on its own]
I dont have much to write mum. Sorry. I had a lot of work this week. Just lots of work. mostly I am just tired. Its all the same but I am trying to find and write down the anomalies in my day. Things that are different. Thats what is important. Finding the special moments and enjoying them. I just gotta have a few more special moments. =)
Ok gotta go
Con Amor
Elder Ben
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
January 25, 2010
¡Hola Flia y Amigos! Adivinen alguno. Voy a escribir todo en Castallankee. ¿Lluvia? Interestante. Esta semana pasada me dormie afuera cada noche por el calor. Las noticias. Jajajajaja que van a hacer siguiente. Alyson debe ser animado. PE es el peor, y Español es el mejor. Y su libro no va a ayudarle Mama. ¡Felicitaciones Sarah! Suerte en su trabajo nuevo ni importa cual es. Villa Dolores(the village of pain...) es un villa cerca de mendoza y Chile, el Oeste y Norte de mi misión. ¿Qué más quiere? No hay mucho aqui. Es un de 5 ramas independentas en la misión. Hay 300 miembros en esta rama y 30 asisten en un buen dia. ¡NO! No voy a golpar puertas durante la siesta por 2 razones. 1 Its gonna get me shot, and 2 I would die anyways from heat. Y personas no quieren hablar conmigo por que ellos son catolicos apostolicos romanos y voy a infierno. Mi favorita cosa es cuando compartimos una mensaje y decimos " Yo sé no quiere está mensaje de esperanza, pero sabe otras personas que quizas quieren está?" JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA ¡Mis Hermanas! Steven. Buen Nombre. Digales mis felicitaciones. Si puedo ver, pero enviar a mi Gmail. Puedo usar para leer cosas de mi LDS mail porque todos los filtros no me permiten como rapido que quiero. El podría... jajajajaja No. No recibio las cartas del CCM. Solamente recibo cosas y cartas cada 3 semanas. I don´t know how long it takes. Thanks you.Les amoVoy a escribir una carta para describir esta semana luego para porbar la sistema del correo. entonces necesito ir. Hasta la proxima semana! =)
Monday, January 18, 2010
January 18, 2010
Stake conference! Wha! Did someone take notes? HAHAHAHA Pres. Uchtdorf. He may be my favorite. That would have been awesome, and good point about CTR. Yes Preach my Gospel is amazing. Read chapters 4 and 6. Those are good places to start. My sisters... oh my. What can I say. I have to be careful when I get out my pictures to show families, cuz all the missionaries start getting shifty eyes. =P The cards are all with me. In theory I am gonna look for a cheaper digital camera, or maybe a film camera. It will depend on what I can find, but with the kioscos and random shops that sell children's books and lingerie I can eventually find something like what I need...
This week has been good. Its not been fantastic. Its been really hot and humid but of course its the middle of summer. the problems with that are not so much the hot muggy feeling, its that no one wants to come out to talk or even come out at all. Its been difficult to get stuff done, but this week has definitely been a week of missionary/home teacher/ high council work instead of missionary work. We had some amazing lessons with our soon to be baptized investigator Lucas. He is progressing really well, and is loving what he is learning. This week we talked about the Atonement really in depth with him, and what it really means to "cast all his burdens" upon Christ. I was really going on a role of scriptures that led up to baptism and Lucas even though he is already committed to be baptized was very excited. He was all "Baptize Me!" So Elder Robison started a mini baptismal interview. He answered yes and of course and sure to most of the questions. We got through it and got to the question about supporting or participating in an abortion. He got really quiet. He looked down and mumbled that one of his girlfriends had aborted a baby(hes a bit of a player and has had lots of girlfriends). It wasnt his decision, and we explained that to him, but he still didn't feel good. We bore testimony that he had to forgive himself before he could feel forgiveness and asked him to go home and think about it really hard and then pray to be forgiven and call us in the morning. He did. He was so happy. He is so much happier. He has found that happiness and knows what we know. He knows(or at least understands) that Jesus Christ is our Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and our best friend. We can go to Him and to our Heavenly Father and prayer and feel peace and comfort. I know it to be true. Its the truth. Its why I am here.
Um on less missionary notes... I had Ice Cream the other day. Its reeeeaaallly good. There is a reason that the Grido's(kinda like B&R here) delivery number is on every missionary cell phone. =P Yeah its also about 85ish here and its raining. I love it. We woke up to the most epic clouds and rain this morning from a 99 with 50% humidity last night. I love it(have a picture that I may send next week. I used Elder Robisons camera cuz he uses SD cards) Saturday movie night* was 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.' Its actually not half bad. Next week is race to witch mountain or Ratatouille. I wll have pictures next week. I love you all and miss you.
*The missionaries use American movies to teach English to the locals --V
This week has been good. Its not been fantastic. Its been really hot and humid but of course its the middle of summer. the problems with that are not so much the hot muggy feeling, its that no one wants to come out to talk or even come out at all. Its been difficult to get stuff done, but this week has definitely been a week of missionary/home teacher/ high council work instead of missionary work. We had some amazing lessons with our soon to be baptized investigator Lucas. He is progressing really well, and is loving what he is learning. This week we talked about the Atonement really in depth with him, and what it really means to "cast all his burdens" upon Christ. I was really going on a role of scriptures that led up to baptism and Lucas even though he is already committed to be baptized was very excited. He was all "Baptize Me!" So Elder Robison started a mini baptismal interview. He answered yes and of course and sure to most of the questions. We got through it and got to the question about supporting or participating in an abortion. He got really quiet. He looked down and mumbled that one of his girlfriends had aborted a baby(hes a bit of a player and has had lots of girlfriends). It wasnt his decision, and we explained that to him, but he still didn't feel good. We bore testimony that he had to forgive himself before he could feel forgiveness and asked him to go home and think about it really hard and then pray to be forgiven and call us in the morning. He did. He was so happy. He is so much happier. He has found that happiness and knows what we know. He knows(or at least understands) that Jesus Christ is our Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and our best friend. We can go to Him and to our Heavenly Father and prayer and feel peace and comfort. I know it to be true. Its the truth. Its why I am here.
Um on less missionary notes... I had Ice Cream the other day. Its reeeeaaallly good. There is a reason that the Grido's(kinda like B&R here) delivery number is on every missionary cell phone. =P Yeah its also about 85ish here and its raining. I love it. We woke up to the most epic clouds and rain this morning from a 99 with 50% humidity last night. I love it(have a picture that I may send next week. I used Elder Robisons camera cuz he uses SD cards) Saturday movie night* was 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.' Its actually not half bad. Next week is race to witch mountain or Ratatouille. I wll have pictures next week. I love you all and miss you.
*The missionaries use American movies to teach English to the locals --V
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
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