Week 2

Hi everyone

 It's crazy that I've only been gone for about 2 weeks it seems like it's been so much longer. Well the MTC has been keeping me really busy I barely have free time so whenever we get P-Day and I get to relax it's always really nice. So much has happened this week, I must have given at least 5 blessings this week because people have been either sick or they have been just having a hard time adjusting to the MTC which is understandable. It was cool though giving all those blessing because each one was a spiritual experience for me, every time that I gave a blessing I let the spirit just flow through me and words came out of my mouth and I had no idea after I finished what I said, so pretty much the same thing that you told me the other day Dad. Thanks so very much for sending me all the dear elder letters they really brighten up my day and it's nice to know what's going on at home!

 This week at our weekly devotional that we have every Tuesday an Apostle came and spoke to all the missionaries. It was Jeffery R. Holland and it was a really powerful spiritual talk. As soon as he walked into the room you we're able to just feel his presence it was amazing! Just that feeling of him walking into the room really strengthened my testimony that this is in fact an apostle of God. He talked about alot of things but really the main points of his talk was that we should give it our all in our missions so that when we come home we have no regrets. He said he spoke to some missionaries who had regrets from their mission and he said that they seemed so sad and disappointed in themselves. So I feel that I have been giving it my all but I can always do better.

 I got an invitation to go to temple square and to attend an endowment session in the Salt Lake Temple on Friday which is tomorrow! So I'm super excited for that, it will be nice to get out and go back to Salt Lake for a bit! So I will be taking lost of pictures as I go there tomorrow. Speaking of pictures Mom I can't send any pictures from this computer so I will have to wait until I get out into the mission field to send pictures because these computers allow you to do absolutely nothing on them. We can only go on LDS web sites, so good thing this e-mail is one of them.

 It's crazy because it seems as if I just got to the MTC yesterday but time flies by so quick, I'm already leaving on Monday so August 30th, and my flight leaves from SLC at 11:00 and I arrive in Vancouver at 12:15 so it's basically around a 2 hour flight because of the time change. I'm really excited to go out and finally start teaching people but at the same time I'm nervous because I know that I'm going to miss my companions Elder Garcia and Elder Reynolds, I'll have to take a picture of all our us together maybe at the temple today or Sunday because Sunday we have a temple walk.

 I'm getting tired of the food, it was good the first few days but now it's just seems like the same food everyday and I don't really feel it's the most good tasting food, so Dad I'm going to need some recipes for some of your recipes so I'll be able to cook good when I get into the mission field.

 I've been reading my Patriarchal blessing lately and it's amazing because I'm seeing many of the blessings that I was promised coming true just from going on my mission. And I know that as I continue to serve diligently that the Lord will continue to bless me and everyone at home too. That's another thing is that I really do miss everyone! I don't have much time to think about it because I'm always so busy because whatever free time we would have I don't because I'm District Leader and I have a bunch of meetings and paper work to fill out. But I'm doing my best to serve my fellow missionaries!

 Hey Cody what is your e-mail address so I can start e-mail you too? I think I remember it but I just want to be sure.

 It's so crazy but awesome to think that this time next week I will be in Vancouver.

I know that going on a mission isn't the easiest thing in the world but I feel that I get alot

 Anyway I have to go because my time on this computer is about to expire. But thank you Mom and Dad and Doda and Cody and everyone else who has written me. It's nice to hear how everyone is doing. And I want everyone to know that I love and miss them. And I'm doing my best for you and for me too!

Talk to you next week!

Love
Elder Lahache

Week 1

Hi Mom and Dad!

 So today is my p-day so Thursdays, we skipped our first one because they thought that we wouldn't need it. But yeah right now I'm doing the laundry and both of my companions Elder Reynolds and Elder Garcia both didn't know how to do the laundry so I had to teach both of them!

  My mission mailbox number is 214 so let everyone know so everyone can start sending dear Elders! It's crazy I got one from Ben and that was really great to read because I miss him too.I got called to be the district leader for our district. So now I have alot of paper work to fill out and alot of papers to collect too. 

 This week in the MTC was awesome! I was sick for pretty much all of it but I'm finally starting to feel better now. I Had the most amazing experience with feeling the spirit. So we have a teacher named Brother Gannoway and he made us teach on of the other elders or sisters in our class. And he said that we would only be able to teach with what the spirit tells you. So you actually had to sit and listen for an inspired question, I mean I know that when I got out with the missionaries before my mission I would teach with the spirit too but not only rely on that. But I sat there and prayed for Heavenly Father to have his spirit inpire me that I might know the needs and questions that I needed to ask. It was the most amazing experience in the world because I would sit and listen and then questions just started popping out in my mind. Some questions I thought why should I even ask this it didn't make sense to me. I started to ask questions about family and then that led to asking questions about how this investigator felt about their brother.

  When I was finished asking all the questions Brother Gannoway told us to go outside and prepare a spiritual message that we could share based on their needs. I had NO idea what I was going to teach. So I went outside of the room and prayed and this voice inside my head told me. Tell her about her brother Jesus Christ and share with her what he did for us. I mean I know that seems like a simple thing but I truly believe that I was inspired by the spirit to teach that.

 Here we are encouraged to called everyone Elders, instead of guys and dudes, so sometimes I would be yo guys ready to go without realizing it and I would be like OHH I forgot sorry...elders. But yeah time is really starting to fly now, not so much last week because they try to jam so many classes and activits in your first week so it makes it really seem longer than it is. But now things are alot more relaxed. I hope everyone is doing well. Anyway I have to go because my laundry just finished.

 LOVE YOU ALLL!!!!!!!!

Elder Lahache

MTC Day 2

Hi Everyone.

  I'm in the MTC and our branch president wanted us to e-mail our families and tell you that I'm okay. So I am. But one of the things I really noticed being here is the spirit never leaves. At home I would feel the spirit once in a while and then it would go away and the same thing at church. But this feeling it here is incredible and completely unexpected. Even when I walked into the MTC I was feeling a little scared and nervous, but as soon as I stepped into the doors those feelings just dissapeared and I felt good and peaceful and confident. So I know that God's spirit is here, and it's really been helping me alot so far.

 Today we had to memorize alot of things and I had no idea how I was going to do it. But then I just thought in my mind to use the cards that we use in seminary and I had all the things I needed memorized in less that 20 mins which is amazing! I know that I was able to do this with help from the spirit and that I probably would have been able to on my own but this constant companionship of the spirit really gives you this extra boost that I've never had before.
 
 Speaking of companions I have two, because we are a threesome, my companions names are Elder Reynolds and Elder Garcia and I call Elder Garcia Cherry Garcia some times. Elder Reynolds is from Holliday Utah which is pretty close to Shawn's house, and Elder Garcia is from West Valley. But I'm not really sure where that is, I don't think I've ever been there. But they are both fantastic guys with strong testimonies, so I'm grateful to have them as companions.

 The MTC has been pretty tiring yesterday it was about only 6 and I felt completely exhausted, but today I'm doing great. The food here is actually pretty good, and I'm trying my best to eat healthy. Yesterday we had a meeting were we met the MTC president their companions and their wives, they all gave really great talks but I really felt the spirit when we were singing the Hymns, I felt it like when we sang Armies of Helamen at youth conference. So our destrict is about 9 missionaries usually it's 10-12 but a few missionaries in our group never showed up.

 Our teachers are Brother Galloway he served his mission in Washington D.C. and Brother Mehr who served in Russia! It's crazy because I miss everyone so much already I didn't really think I would at least this quick, I guess it's because I finally accepted that I won't be seeing you guys for two years. But I've been prayer alot and asking God to help me to be okay so that I can concentrate on the work. So my feelings have gone completely away but they less intense I guess. I was reading a scripture today that stood out to me, it's 3 Nephi 12: 43-44 it says " And behold it is written also that thou shalt love they neighbor and hate thine enemy. But Behold I say unto you, Love you enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you."

 Tell Cody that the MTC is actually a pretty fun place and they have a gym to use! FOR FREE! I love you mom and dad, and let everyone know that I love them and miss them and that I think of everyone alot. I hope your all having a nice relaxing time in Myrtle Beach.

Alright that's it LOVE YOU GUYS! I'll talk to you all soon

Elder Lahache

Arriving at the MTC, The DROP OFF !!!!!!

Arriving at MTC.... it was very fast too fast

See you in 2 years 

Last Goodbye

Only Minutes allowed for the drop off

One last HUG from Mom 

Shawn H Come here BIC BOY !!!