http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewletter/204579 June 17, 2013 FAMILY- Okay first things first….HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD! I would have loved to have been there, but this is probably better because now I don’t have to use a lame excuse as to why I forgot to get a gift. Just know I love you and am so thankful for the example and impact you have had on my life. This week I got the best package from the Smith family…it even came with socks that had mustaches on them. They are a hit in Bolivia and will for sure help me with my dating life in six months. Thank them profusely for me. Okay well this week has been PRETTY DARN NUTS. We have been doing cambios because the mission splits and some of our area will be going to the new mission that will be created on July 1st. We have been in a trio. Elder Espina is going to go train in sucre and I am going to be with Elder A. He is from Guatamala (zona 18) and is a cool kid. He has two cambios more than me but it will be fun to work together. He talks a ton though. I am serious, I think he is recounting his entire journal to me-- telling me every experience that has happened his whole mission….my ears hurt from listening so much. Okay so tomorrow, 37 missionaries get here (4go home) we are opening 16 areas, there are 14 sisters coming, the mission splits on the first of July but everything is starting to calm down. Being part of the cambios was soo cool to watch the spirit and the lord work through us to organize them on how He wants it to be done. We would get to a point, and then realize we had made a mistake and have to backtrack, start over until we got what the spirit was saying to us. It has been interesting, as we have had to decide who will stay in this mission. It kills president having to do it, but the work is growing much faster than we think. On Monday we went to one of the best restaurants in Cochabamba with the Dyers, the secretaries, and us. It was delicious, it was fun to be with them, and I will take you there to eat in six months. On Thursday we go to Tarija to have a special capacitation for the last time before the split. I love Tarija and it will be my last time there before December. We share our ward with sisters and this week at 11PM they called us in a panic to go give a blessing to them. One of them was realllly sick. I am just so grateful for the priesthood and the opportunity and privilege it is to be able to stand in the place of Christ, acting in His name, to call down the blessings of heaven exactly as he would if he were here. It was also a great reminder of the need to be worthy at ALL times because we don’t know when the call will come. I love DyC 3 when the Lord is talking to Jospeh Smith about losing the 115 pgs. He says that unless he repents he will lose the gift and become as others…now that isn’t to say that we are better than others because of the priesthood (apply scripture to priesthood/ser member of the church) but rather we are required to live differently-. We are men of the Priesthood of God, we need to live on a higher plane. We are called to serve Gods children at all times and all moments. ¨The infinite powers of the atonement will purify, cleanse, and refine our spirits and our characters until we become the men we are supposed to become.¨-Dieter F Uctdorf…Rise up and BE MEN. I love Nephi from Helaman. In Helaman 6:36 it says, ¨And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his spirit upon the lamanites BECAUSE OF THEIR EASINESS AND WILLINGNESS TO BELIEVE IN HIS WORDS.¨ why cant we be like that? We don’t we have full trust in the Lord and see that when he acts it is for our good. I testify that if we are easy to believe the words of God he will pour out his spirit on us. In the next verse it teaches that the lamanites HUNTED downt he gadianton robbers to teach them the word of God…thus getting rid of all evil from them. So I have started the New testament again, but first I am studying the context of the books, who the authors were etc.As I studied, I read in the Bible dictionary about the Pauline Epistles o sea pauls espistles. IT is incredible to gain a little more perspective on how he wrote and why. I don’t know why but in my head there was always a difference between paul peter etc and Holland Monson etc. I always put a barrier between old and modern prophets. But as I studied it, I realized that these men were called of God as well…They too expressed gratitude and love for the saints and counseled them on the problems of that day. GO STUDY IT. By gaining more information about mark, luke, john etc opens the door to understand the bible in a muich better way,. As I am sure you know by now I love the word remember and the significance that It has in the scriptures (mosiah 4 30). Anyways, In Helaman 11 36-37 it teaches that they began to forget &#8594;iniquity&#8594; ripening for destruction. As we forget the other bad things quickly follow. Ive thought a lot about this, remember is a decision and an active approach to things, while forgetting is a passive approach to things. The Lord asks us that we REMEMBER HIM always, that we REMEMEBR our covenants. If we do that, everything else will fall into place. ¨with Gods help, I cannot fail, without it I cannot succeed.¨ Harold B Lee With the assignment that I have right now we are constantly teaching (it is fantastic). This week Elder Espina and I gave an impromptu class about D&C100. Verse 15 Is the coolest promise. Its says that if we are living uprightly before God, all things will be for our good. That is one thing I have seen while reading the book of Mormon. Christ has such an active part in our lives that everything that happens is for a greater purpose. For example, court cases, bad companions, bad days etc are preparing us to for something greater. For example, my time with Elder N. was tough and I murmured quite a bit about it…..but since that time I have literally never disagreed or fought with a companion…that is November until almost july. Though I suffered, I learned patience, love, how to submit my will to his, and just about all the bad words in Spanish (that’s what happens when Your comp is from Argentina.) Family, I want you all to know how much I just love you. I thank the Lord everyday for giving me you all and for the opportunity ot be in this work. God lives. What greater news its there? The Church of Jesus Christ is restored on the Earth today, the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and revelation is real. God hears our prayers, he answers them, and we are but instruments int eh hands of God. Love you all Elder Eyre I know this is kind of weird but can you send me via email a step by step recipe for guacamole....remember that sadie has more cooking experience than I do, so write it is if I were a five year old. Mom- there are some missionaries that come with almost nothing. Last cambio a missionary came with only two ties because he could not afford anything else. The good news is that the elders are really generous in helping and giving away stuff Last night we ate with the Dyers and it was pancakes eggs bacon etc...DELICOUS. we still have our pensionista but sometimes we eat with them. Yes, the majority of new missionaries are shocked when I start speaking English, and my english is going down the crapper...I had to ask my latino companions how to say consuelo today (comfort) DAD! Happy fathers day a day late. I am so grateful for you and the influence that you have had on my life. Words cannot express how thankful I am for a worthy dad, who loves my mom, who loves us, and who has set an incredible example. I found this quote this week and I can testify that it is true...one of the things that has changed my eternities, the type of husband, father, employer, disciple of CHrist etc has been the way you have magnified your priesthood and the example that you have set. Though it will break my heart to leave bolivia, I am so excited just to talk with you. I love you more than you know, I miss you, I dont know why this is in italics now, and I am forever grateful that the Lord blessed me with a dad like you. I’ve heard it said by joseph b worthlin “that before he hears the words ¨well done my good and faithful servant¨ from my heavenly father, I want to hear it from my earthly father.” I am so happy you always express your love for me. I love you and miss yoU! "Nothing is more important for future missionaries than to feel the righteous influence of the priesthood in their homes and to experience its blessings in their lives." —Russell M. Nelson http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewletter/204146 June 10, 2013 Family- Wow, what a week. I hit complete exhausting this week, as we got home on Monday from Potosi. Tuesday we had a 7hr leadership council, and then Thursday we had the last of five zone conferences. It was cool though, because Elder Cabrera (4th quorum of the 70) came and spoke to us and challenged us to have 1000 baptisms in the next five months. After some much needed sleep I feel much better….but this week we start doing the cambios and next week we go to Tarija….but I am loving it. Okay so on Friday night, we ate dinner at 7 because we had an appointment at 8 (That was going to be our first appointment in three weeks). Well we were at dinner when we got a call from the Zone Leaders telling us that we all had to go to our houses because three missionaries had been kidnapped about five min away from our house. We freaked out obviously and flew to the place of the crime. We got there and there was a town meeting going on to talk about it. Supposedly three missionaries were in a park, a car pulled up and grabbed them (kicking and punching them etc) and forced them into the car. The bad news is that the only witnesses were a 50 yr old lady that didn’t speak Spanish (quechua) and a 10 yr old girl. We got in contact with the missionaries from that area, as well as the only trio in cocha. By this point Espina and I were counseling together trying to figure out what to do and we realized that no one else was talking and the entire town was encircled around us trying to hear our plan. Elder Espina said ¨We are in charge of all the missionaries in Cochabamba¨ to the town leader and it hit me that WE were responsible for these missionaries. Long story short, we had to contact every missionary in cocha and everyone is okay. People were kidnapped but they were not missionaries. Thank goodness. It created quite the scare, I was freaked out, we missed our only appointment, but everything turned out well……so don’t get kidnapped. One of the coolest things that has been happening this week comes from my study of the Book of Mormon. I have reflected a lot on my focus of reading it as coming to better know my Savior. As I have reflected on this, I read my patriarchal blessing which promises me that ¨through the scriptures, I will come to know the Savior.¨ W. Ronn Ladd said, ¨the most important thing we can do, old or young, is develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.¨ I have thought a lot about Acts 17 and Paul teaching about the ¨Unknown God.¨ I feel like for these last 20 years I’ve been dedicating myself to an unknown god…or A Savior that I haven’t taken the time to develop a personal relationship with. I am so grateful for the power of prayer as well as the Book of Mormon which literally allows us to come to know our Savior. Something I have found in these past couple of days is how the Savior prepares the way for us to have success. Everything He does is to help us achieve our potential, be better, and achieve His purposes. A failure to us may be exactly what we need so that later on the road we can be successful. I am grateful for a Savior that is anxiously engaged in my life and loves me enough to allow me to come to know Him. As I studied Acts 17, verse 2 had an impact on me. It teaches, ¨And Paul, as his manner was….¨ testified and taught. As members and as missionaries it should be part of our manner to testify of Christ in all places. It is a somewhat easy task to do as missionaries, but it needs to happen as members too. We have covenanted to take upon our selfs the name of Christ and to be witnesses of Him at ALL times and ALL places….it should be part of who we are to act and testify of Him. Last night we had a lesson with the only member that lives in our area. Her name is Zulema, and she is a single mom with two kids ages nine and two. He house is about the size of a minivan and there is just enough space to put two small mattresses inside. She has literally nothing and she is trying so hard just to keep her family going. She goes to the temple every week. She and her son are reading the Book of Mormon together and she is doing everything she can to help her family. As we taught, we had the incredible opportunity to testify of the hope that comes through Jesus Christ. We had the privilege to testify of God´s love for her and how through the atonement of Christ, she could have the hope to press on. In the leadership council that we had (all zone leaders and the Sister training leaders (sister leadership position)) we gave a class on the gospel of Jesus Christ. We literally had had no time to plan the class and we planned it during lunch at the conference but it turned out well. We taught the principle that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to make bad men good and good men better. We used the example of Luis XIV (or something like that) when he was kidnapped and subjected to all type of temptation so that he would lose the right to be the king…but month after month he stayed true to his believes. When asked why he said, ¨I cannot do what you ask…because I was born to be King.¨ the gospel of Jesus Christ allows us to achieve the potential that we have to inherit tha kingdoms of God and to become like him. It allows us to make progress every day. Something I have learned is that The Lord does not care where we are at right now, he only cares that we are heading in the right direction…progressing towards becoming more like him. We too were born to be KINGS. Neil L Anderson said, ¨Discipleship is believing in Him in seasons of peace and believing in Him in seasons of difficulty, when our pain and fear are calmed only be the convictions that He loves us and keeps His promises.¨ One of my favorite scriptures is in 1Nefi 21:16. Jesus Christ has engraved us on His hands. Think about what that means….The marks on His hands show is absolute love for us, His complete Obedience to the Father, the tangible evidence of the Atonement, the painful price he paid as our redeemer, and much more. I am so grateful that he invites us to feel the marks on His hands (3nephi 11: 14) through the sacrament each week. He Loves us so much and bears the marks on his hands as a witness of that love. Family, I love you all so much. The experiences that I am having here in Bolivia are incredible and I am forever thankful for the opportunity to be here. We are working hard, doing are best, and the Lord is blessing us like crazy. Be good, read your scriptures, and let the Lord bless you. It is an incredible privilege to be a member of this church, to be a disciple of Christ, and to be in His service. Be happy, smile more, serve more, and do what the Lord wants of you. I love you all! And don’t get kidnapped Elder Eyre Tara is going to girls state?!?!?! why didnt anyone tell me that?! Heavens. Tell her to write speeches now and go prepared if she wins she gets like 15,000 dollars paid to her university. IF she takes advantage of this this will save her at BYU. I’m telling you, get her prepared with fun talks etc welp family, I hope you have a fantastic week. Mother enjoy girls camp....that’s pretty much what I do now. Love you , be good, dont do hoodrat stuff, and let the lord bless you... also I hope you are reading those five pages every day!!!!!! &#8232; http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewpicture/347752 <img src='http://www.missionsite.net/pictures/5677/img1370398037.jpg' /> http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewpicture/347748 <img src='http://www.missionsite.net/pictures/5677/img1370397701.jpg' /> http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewletter/202958 June 3, 2013 Family- Man, two weeks of nonstop travel, but its over now. Whew. We just got back from potosi and sucre, we have a training tomorrow, and a conference on Thursday. Life is crazy, but I am getting used to being stressed out. I love teaching, and in the last week I have spent over 18 hrs in the car with President….considering his mission president was Richard G Scott, we get to hear some pretty sweet stories. We flew to Sucre on Thursday and immediately took the three hour taxi ride to Potosi. It felt good to get back to over 12000 ft altitude and also to be cold. We stayed in the smallest hotel room ever ( I’m not exaggerating, the ceilings were 7 ft and sometime dropped to 5ft ish. …My back is finally starting to feel better from being stooped over the whole week). It was fun to be back there. We saw my old pensionista and she almost cried. She said ¨my adopted son has returned home!¨ (Mom, you have competition!) We ate K´alapurka (the soup with the lava rock in it) and had a conference with the elders there. It was also stake conference so I got to see all those that we had baptized. I saw Rina Balanza’s sister and mom (convert who had brain cancer). Rina passed away a couple months ago. It was a tender moment to be standing in the stake center crying with these two women as we talked about the tender mercies that we saw. It’s interesting, in these past two weeks or so we have had four zone conferences, with our fifth being on Thursday (Cochabamba, Tarija, tupiza, potosi). We teach two 20-30 min long classes in these things and we have the same class prepared for all of them….yet every class is completely different. By being prepared and by being in tune with the spirit, the Lord has us teach exactly what those zones need. For some we taught about obedience, some love, some animo etc…One of the coolest parts about the mission ( and most important) is learning how to hear the voice of the Lord and then follow it trusting in him…by doing that we learn to bless his children as they hear exactly the will of the Lord in their lives. As a mission, we have the challenge to read the Book of Mormon in 120 days. Its about 5 pages a day. I am excited that we are starting the Book of Mormon again. I am studying it, with a focus on the scriptures that relate to Christ. The end goal is that through the Book of Mormon, I will be able to come to know my Savior in a better way. I know that the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ, and that by really studying it I will come to be able to literally know my Savior…and thus, I can strive to become like Him. One of the most amazing things that I have already seen is how the Lord prepares the way for us to succeed. Every action, thought, or commandment is made for us and our success. I am grateful for a Savior that is actively engaged in my life. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon and the opportunity it gives me to literally come to KNOW Him. I want you all to do it as well (invitation directed to allllllllll….). Even if you are in the middle of it, start where you are and finish where you are. Five pages everyday, but do it with a focus and I promise that the blessings of the Lord will open up to you….and if you don’t have time to read five pages….I would kindly suggest that you rearrange your life. Then write me the things you are learning. While in Potosi, we did intercambios with some elders that are having some problems in their companionship. I had the opportunity to teach with Elder Martinez, and we taught a sister named Almania. She is preparing to be baptized, but feels like the things the has done in her life are too big to receive forgiveness. It was a sacred privilege to be able to testify about the atonement, the Savior, and the incredible love for each one of us. She voiced that she feels like her life is without direction…like a ship lost at sea. I am so grateful for the direction that this gospel gives in our lives. We have a purpose, we have a plan, and we have the Christ to guide us through this voyage. Working more in the offices, I have come to treasure teaching moments…I am so grateful that I get to spend this time in Bolivia, and strive to help His children. I am sorry this letter is all over the place…I have had a pretty crazy couple of weeks. Just know a couple of Things…1. I testify that Christ lives, He wants to forgive us and is literally our savior. 2. The Book of Mormon is literally the word of God. Please read it with me. I love this work, I love you all, I pray for you all daily, and I love the savior. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve His children, for the opportunity to learn to hear His voice, and to be His servant. This week a man told us that we didn’t have to pay tithing because he is a friend of Christ and not His servant. I thank the Lord that I am both. I love you all dearly, be good. Elder Eyre President Dyer LOVES Elder Nash. He said he has never met someone that radiates love as much as him... Well family I’m off. We have 11 missionaries coming in the middle of the camio tomorrow and e need to go figure out where we are going to put them. I love you all dearly. (Papits! what wards did you serve in while you were in Zona 18 in Guatemala?) LOVE YOU! be good http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewpicture/346273 <img src='http://www.missionsite.net/pictures/5677/img1369849702.jpg' /> http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewpicture/346272 <img src='http://www.missionsite.net/pictures/5677/img1369849677.jpg' /> http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewpicture/346271 <img src='http://www.missionsite.net/pictures/5677/img1369849651.jpg' /> http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewletter/201992 May 27,2013 Family- WHAT A WEEKEND. I wish I could put into words everything we went through this weekend. This has been one of my favorite weeks of my life…and I am NOT exaggerating. First off—The rules have changed and we can now email anyone we want and we get 1.5 hours to write! Next thing…I was talking to President during our 6 hour car ride to tupiza and he said that I should DEFINETLY go to Machu Picchu with you in December, so plan that for after Bolivia. I pretty much take anything he says as law, so I AM GOING!!! I am pumped. He said I should look for as much time as I can with you guys before I get home. He also wants dad to speak in one of our Christmas devotionals when you guys come! That is like my dream come true…the mission, the family, Spanish, Christmas all in one. Wow. SO don’t buy tickets until I can get a calendar that has the dates of all the devotionals yo! Also the Dyers were very excited to hear you met Elder Nash (they love him) and are excited for Dad and his calling. I got a hair cut this week and I said no sideburns and she took it REALLY seriously. See the photos. The good news is I am sure that is the style in the rest of the world and all of Bolivia is just wayyyy behind. It’s cool that we are getting close to the split in the mission. President Calderon (just called to the 70…old president of SANTA CRUZ mission) called me and I asked about Elder Ure. It sounds like he is representing the stake well over there in Santa Cruz. Sister Dyer has an instagram (not really sure what that means) But I think she puts a bunch of photos on it. Look for it. The Dyers have such an incredible love for the missionaries. Whenever we would talk about the mission dividing, the start to cry thinking about losing so many missionaries. They are incredible and love the missionaries so much. This week the secretaries made a mistake and put us in the same hotel as the Dyers which was a 5 star hotel in Tarija…without a doubt the nicest place I have stayed in 17 months (holy Hannah I have 17 months in the mission). The bed was a little bigger than normal, we ordered room service, and we were giddy being in a place so nice. It was so fun being able to see my pensionista in Tarija. I bawled leaving her and her family and I am so excited for you to meet her. It is incredible how much I just love them. While driving to tupiza we found a cholita hitchhiker that we took for like 1.5 hours. We were dying laughing because she spoke ZERO Spanish. We love all cholita hitchhikers and it was fun to hang out with them. Man I love the Dyers soooo much. Being able to spend so much time with them was an incredible experience. They are so funny, goofy, and just fun. It is like constant revelation when we are with them. Well after driving we had a flat tire (that may or may not have been my fault), but it was fun to get out and change it with president. He said, elders, it looks like the Lord needs you to learn some things today! Oops. I blame elder espina. It is also sweet because in the car we listened to the mission president conferences (those are incredible. And are only available for them I think…man it was just like spiritual goodness all week!) Okay…lets see If I can cram a week of incredibleness into a couple of pages. Our travels started on Thursday when we flew to Tarija and had a conference there. It was good…but nothing great. On Friday we drove to Tupiza and that’s when it started. It was the Tupiza District Conference and we also had a zone conference in tupiza. One of my favorite moments this weekend came when we had the opportunity to sustain our leaders in the Tupiza district conference. It is always a sacred privilege that we have to be able to sustain our Prophet. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to sustain him, and receive the confirmation from the spirit that there is indeed a prophet in today´s day. It was cool…because it is a district President Dyer is in charge of it and therefor, for the first time in my mission I had the opportunity to sustain him as my president. I feel so blessed to be able to work with him and see the keys of the priesthood at work. While in Tupiza we went to Quirza, which is where president dyer served as the first missionaries in Bolivia. It is a little pueblo and without a doubt they are the lamanites. The story is this…The president of mission at this time (mission argentina north) was president Richard G Scott (you should recognize that name!). He came to quiriza to see if he should missionaries there. He secluded himself from the pueblo and went to a ravine and found a tree with a rock under it. There he knelt and asked the lord if he should start missionary work in Bolivia…there he received an answer. He then contacted President Kimball (president of the 12 at this time) who came to dedicate Bolivia in quiriza. We as a group of 18 knelt in that spot, and elder espina prayed to rededicate ourselves to this work and to rededicate Bolivia. Though no angels were seen, I do not doubt (their presence was close) that they were there. I felt it, president felt it, Elder Espina felt it etc…Very few times in my life have I been apart of something so sacred and special. The Lords spirit was there, the angels were rejoicing, and this work will go forth in BOLIVIA! Having the opportunity to kneel where Elder Kimball knelt to dedicate Bolivia was another sacred experience that we had this week. I will never forget that spirit that was felt, and the privilege that we had to dedicate ourselves to this work again. For these past 17 months, every day I have thanked the Lord for sending me to this country…and every day for an eternity more I will continue doing it. Now I do it with even more gratitude in my heart, as I was able to feel the spirit of the early saints in Bolivia. We then went to the first chapel in Boliva, built by Dan Dyer, and heard about even more miracles that happened in that time. The conference in Tupiza was an incredibly spiritual experience. We felt inspired to completely change our class and to teach the missionaries about the Love of God and the animos that they should have as missionaries. Man the Lords love is incredible. I am so grateful for the experiences that we have had in this week. It truly was full of the spirit and my love for Boliva has grown immensely in these past couple of days. I thank the Lord repeatedly for sending me here to Bolivia, for sending me to be with the Dyers, and for the privilege it is to wear that little black nametag. Elder Espina and I were talking about how blessed we feel to have been able to visit Tupiza. It isn’t ever day in the mission that we learn how to drive stick-shift, kneel to dedicate ourselves to the Lord, and feel the spirit of Quiriza. I am sorry I haven’t put any scriptures in this. Just know how much I just LOVE this work. I love this country, my mission president, my prophet, the savior etc. I know that this is the true church, I know that Christ lives, and I know that the work will go forth in Bolivia until The Savior himself says that it is done. I thank the Lord every day for the blessing to be in Bolivia. My eternities have been changed because of this time I have here…it does not automatically give exaltation, but it does help me to understand what I have to do it. I love you all more than you know. Gosh I wish I could express better my thoughts and feelings. I pray for you all continually and I love you all more than you know! Elder Eyre &#8232; Ky- I am 17 months done with my mission! HOw crazy right? I feel like just yesterday we were watching Guardian in the basement while you and S. W. flirted..... Mom- hahaha your spanish inspires me. I love you dearly. I seriously just went through the best week of my life. I am not kidding. Words cannot describe how tired I am and how incredible it was. Right now we are in Cochabamba (just got home) tomorrow we have a conference and on thursday we are heading to sucre and potosi for a couple of days....I AM Exhausted...and the bad thing is I have to run home and wash all my clothes so they can dry tomorrow for our trip. welp I’ve got to get going. Just know I love you all so muchy and I am grateful for your example. Keep reading your scrips- you have no idea how much it helps me. be good, don’t do drugs, pray for the prophet, pray for me, and be good. I probably won’t write until next Tuesday because we are heading to potosi! love you http://www.missionsite.net/elderlandoneyre/viewpicture/345048 <img src='http://www.missionsite.net/pictures/5677/img1369444318.jpg' />