Be careful about turning the Lord's annoited away.

Bom Dia! Meu Familia! (e meus amigos tam bem)

Announcements: I am glad the package was recieved home. Mom, the reason I sent the belt home was because braded belts aren't allowed in this mission. Thank you for your e-mail and your letter this week. I was glad to hear about Mitch's homecoming talk and the lessons on miracles from sister Williams. I am also grateful to be expecting a package. I love you. Thank you Dad for your e-mail and your letter as well. You also mentioned the homecoming talk. Don't worry I will not sing at my homecoming. I hope you enjoy your semi-useful-semi-something-of-a-semi-calling. One of the things I am learning on my mission is that inspiration really is recieved, even if it is in weird ways. In fact I have a story about that a little later. Elizabeth, thank you for the many e-mails of Olivia and the short messages you shared. Those are truly beautiful videos. I still think you need to name your first boy Moroni, Alma, or... Zeniff? I learned a lot about Zeniff this week! Speaking of which I have a question! Who wrote the record of Zeniff's people after Zeniff passed away? I was researching that in personal study today and couldn't find it. I think that part begins in Mosiah.... 12, if anyone wants to look it up. My guess is its Mormon. And it cant be Alma because when it talks about Alma its still in narration form. Anyway, random. Erik, I loved your e-mail today!!!! I am sorry about your itchiness..... :). I was so excited to hear the update about your new classes and stuff, I had no idea you thought of CES. I loved hearing that you are going to TRC!!! Those were some of my favorite parts about the MTC. I want to go after my mission. Please go with me!!!! Thank you for giving me your real address by the way, I was thinking about that after I sent it. Sometimes I am just dumb with letter writing, I did that to Elizabeth too. Sorry about that.

I recieved a letter from Jeffrey Jeffries this week. That was cool. He's a great kid. I also got a letter from Elder Smethurst. That was fun! Sounds like the Vegas mission is doing well. It will always be in good hands with Elder Smethurst there.

Ok, funny story this week. Kind of. Well not funny for the guy it happened to. So we went to Rob's house. (the one that we challenged to be baptized who accepted who fell of date and has been hard to get in contact with ever since) and his son answered and yelled "My dad is finally here!" (the past couple of times we went, Rob has not been home. Or else they have been less than truthful about telling us if he is home.) So the wife answers the door and says she will go see if he is available. Turns out he doesnt want to talk with us. So we leave and pull around the corner to go to another appointment. So we pray in preparation for the next appointment and I just felt like asking Heavenly Father for something to happen to Rob that would make him need us in his life. LESS than ten minutes later he is backing out of his driveway when a car smashes into his back bumper crushing his trunk. (No worries he is totally fine). If he had just had a lesson with us, his car would not have been damaged.

That same day a lady walked into church, and then seeming frightened started walking back out. We quickly got her attention and spoke with her. She was looking for a church and had just moved into the area. She gave us her information, so we are going to go baptize her.

Well unfortunately, the time on this computer is running low. I love you all I hope you enjoyed hearing from me as much as I loved hearing from all of you. I love you all!

--

Elder William Lloyd Lovell
Washington, Seattle Mission
10675 NE 20th Street
Bellevue, Washington 98004

D&C 6:36 - "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not

September 17

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for the e-mails from Mom (plus last weeks that I didnt get until today!), Dad, Elizabeth and James, and Erik! Dad mentioned letters. I have not seen them and I am sorry to anyone else if you sent me a letter and I do not mention that I recieved it! ELIZABETH! YOU'RE HAVING THE FAMILY'S FIRST NEPHEW/GRANDSON!!!! YAY! Moroni is my vote for a name, or Alma. Or... William. Those ones are best. But then again whatever you choose is best. Esspecially if its one of those three. :) I also recieved a letter from Dallin Neilsen and Elder Alan Cox. Dallin is now in college in Texas A&M. Elder Cox was junior companion last transfer, but is now suddenly Senior/District Leader/Trainer. He mentioned that the Lord has a lot for him to Learn. (I'll include part of that in my spiritual thought today.)

We got a new counselor in the mission presidency this week. His name is President Akers. Apparently he has worked with many mission presidents and worked closely with the Quorum of the 12 apostles. That is pretty exciting for us. This last week, our mission put 100 people on date for baptism as challenged by president Larkin. Although Elder Fukuyasu did not add to that number, we were pretty excited because we worked really hard. Our ward mission aspect is getting better. The bishop is VERY supportive. I said to him yesterday in a meeting with him. "Our goal is to connect the dots the right way. We want Members to set up appointments for us, and to be excited and involved, rather than the dots being the opposite way where we are the ones calling, or even the ward mission leader." The bishop said "I know, that sounds like every missionary's dream! Have members doing missionary work." He always stands firmly behind us. He bends over backwards for us and it is wonderful. We have a fantastic ward.

I am going to speak at a baptism this weekend! Elder Fukuyasu and I are just as excited for this baptism as if it were a convert baptism. We've been visiting this inactive family for the last two transfers! The father had gradually become inactive, and therefore his wife and kids had too. The oldest child is quickly approaching the age of baptism. We worked with the father, taught lessons and built his faith. Finally, without any pressure from us, he went into the bishops office and asked for a recommend for the temple and permission to baptize his son! Bishop was so impressed that this man the ward had been working with so much, finally was committed to being active again. He has been to church dilligently since. And the son asked Elder Fukuyasu and I to speak at his baptism! I get to speak on baptism and Elder Fukuyasu gets to speak on the Holy Ghost. You can bet we'll have as many investigators there as possible! Hazzah!

Thats probably the most exciting thing that comes to mind this week. But I will keep picking my brain for anything else as I write.

Spiritual thought of the week:

As I was pondering a few days ago, I almost laughed to myself at some of the memories I had. Coming into the Seattle mission ready to really work. REALLY work, for what seemed to be the first time on my mission. Then we were hit with a bad infestation of bed bugs and were confined to the house. How frustrated I was. It was a very discouraging day in particular when I recieved a letter from Elder Cox in Brazil. I read his letter and quickly wrote back the frustration of everything that was going on (and many other good things). It was just last week that I recieved a response to that letter. He said "I know how you feel (or hopefully felt), my companion had kidney stones for the last three weeks of our last transfer which made it so that, unless we had two members (one to watch him and the other to go out with me), working was impossible." The next sentence kind of jumped out of the page at me: "It was a time of Reflection and Learning." There was nothing else mentioned but good things from that point on.

That phrase was still burned in my mind the next day during personal study, but rather forgotten as we left the appartment to go contact former investigators and tract. Door after door was slammed in my face, and it all culminated with one man, who at first seemed interested in hearing us out, but I quickly learned his desire was to simply argue. He told us there was no reason to call us "Elders," because we were not without reproof. He then asked me why I was there. "Are you here to redeem my soul from hell?" "No." I said, "We are here to share a message that will allow you to act and bring an added measure of happiness in your life." He looked taken back. "Really?" He asked. "Do you know what the difference between joy and happiness is?" He continued. "Joy is forever, Happiness is fleeting. What you have said sounds very fleeting. I don't feel like you are concerned with my soul at all. You only want me to be happy for a moment." I stood silent for a moment wondering "Who says that?" I got a little annoyed as he continued talking "You two should not be Elders. By the way, Im probably voting for Romney, you have a great day." I said to him as he stood up to walk away "You know. Next time missionaries knock on your door, there is really no need to argue. You can simply say 'I am not interested.' We prefer honesty." He then responded simply "I am not arguing." My companion jumped in before more could go wrong and said "Sir, you are right. We are bringing joy. We intend to make people's lives happier for much longer than just a moment. Thank you for sharing that with us, we will improve on our initial approach to people." The man simply responded to that with more criticisms about us, our positions, and the Book of Mormon. My companion and I left and sat in the car. I was so annoyed. "He's right," said my companion, "we will work on that." I was so impressed. Elder Fukuyasu sincerely learned to take something he learned from trials, even from someone who wanted nothing more than to argue. The phrase "It was a time of Reflection and Learning" rang in my mind again.

While I thought about that during lunch, I realized, first hand, why the Lord sends missionaries where they are. Its not just to simply and easily "flock them to the font" as Jeffrey Holland says, but also for us to grow spiritually. Sometimes we really diserve ourselves. We notice disapointments and harmful actions that come from others and savor the day when "all our loses will be made up if we are faithful." (Joseph Smith Movie) And we don't realize that the Lord intends to teach us in this state of probation. Trials happen for a reason. "And ye are to be taught from on high. Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, that ye may give even as I have spoken." - D&C 43:16. Sometimes our most important times of teaching from our Heavenly Father are those trying times. Times where we are required to stretch and grow. Instead of leaning to the habit of recieving compensation or restitution, we can look at the blessing of gratitude and instruction. Rejoicing in our trials probably helps the Lord know that we are ready to be "taught from on high."

I'm sure some people wondered what good came from Joseph Smith being in prison during the D&C 121-122 chapters. But it is important to note the blessings Joseph realized. Not only did we recieve two D&C chapters that, in my opinion, are two of the best chapters for dealing positively with trials, but here is what Joseph Smith said about that horrific experience. "Our suffering had not been in vain. Our hearts were made more tender." Wow. I love that. Learning is like fath. In fact probably an act of faith. Like faith, learning is a choice. We can choose to wait for the day that we will have no problems, or we can work through our problems and recieve the strength that everything can truly be made up. I am grateful for that blessing, and I leave that with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen,

--

Elder William Lloyd Lovell
Washington, Seattle Mission
10675 NE 20th Street
Bellevue, Washington 98004

D&C 6:36 - "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not"

Sept 4, week of miracles

Meu familia amada,

To start off, thank you for the e-mails sent this past week! They were wonderful! Elizabeth and james! Thank you for the beautiful pictures of olivia and chloe! Mom and Dad, thank you for your loving e-mails! They are fatastic. I love you all.

This week yeilded a plethura of miracles. Three weeks ago had been rough, little success, yet being as obedient as we could. To get into the miracles from this week, let me tell you about an experience three weeks ago. We were really discouraged, no one had been answering their doors. We're getting miracle texts and blasts from all over the mission, and we were sending as many miracles as our prideful eyes could see, but them seemed a far cry from those we were listening to from the rest of the mission. We decided to check on a former. A man who we felt would never change, he never kept commitments, he never did anything we asked him to. But he truely understood the need for repentence and that his life was not in harmony with Jesus Christ. But we went back none the less. So we knocked on his door, his neice answered and said she would get him, but never came back. We left. Walked down the street a little ways and saw a samoan lady. We spoke to her. She showed little interest but agreed to let us come over if we weren't too preachy. Well fast forward three weeks. Here we are - fearing that we would exceed our allotted mileage we parked our car and went about on foot. We decided to drop the samoan lady's house. She was home, she answered, she let us in! We taught the restoration! Cleared up a bunch of misunderstanding! And being a somoan family we recieved 8 new investigators from that. They were ASKING for a somoan Book of Mormon at the end. Beautiful! Of course we can get those to them!

Next, we walk again to another appointment that falls through, We start walking back home for lunch and see this woman sitting on her front porch, we greet her and she says "I already have my own church!" So we share a message anyway. She listens for a little then her husband comes out. We say a prayer to start a lesson off with them. We explain the restoration and they are totally loving it. When we finish the lady who had formally said "We already have a church," stated "do you have an extra copy of that book?" Hmmmm... I think we can manage to get you one. The husband wanted one too. He believed we were a sign sent to him because he was looking for a faith. They committed to read and pray together, and the lady prayed right there with us! Yay! We're coming back this week!

Oh but thats not all! A member brought an investigator to church! We're teaching her! She almost backed out before the first lesson because she read a book that said Mormonism is a cult and it scared her, but we resolved her concerns and made sure to explain that Joseph Smith did not find the plates through being a gold digger. She committed to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if its true.

Oh but it doesnt end there. We are in a meeting with bishop last Sunday and as we are talking we get a knock on the door. This girl from American Samoa enters and starts speaking to bishop. She explains she moved here with her brother for schooling. Her brother is inactive. She does not want to fall into that as well. She gives bishop her address and requests her records from American Samoa. As bishop is writing her information down we begin asking her questions. We find out, her brother is married. His wife is a nonmember but EXTREMELY interested in the church. We will meet with her this week! Yay!

Oh but it doesnt end there! I felt the spirit super strong at the most random time the other day! It was a good reminder after some trialsome weeks that God loves me. That was a wonderful miracle to feel the spirit that strong. I felt president Faust when he explains "I've felt the fleeting feeling of being foresaken, and the sweet agony in my present calling, but I have been reinforced one hundred fold in the arms of my savior. I feel like I have struggled up a spiritual mount Siani and been transformed at its peak." (That is not exactly quoted, but you can watch Special Witnesses of Christ and hear what he has to say.)

Dearest Family, I love you. You are in my prayers and I feel yours for me. I love you all!

Love,

Elder William Lloyd Lovell
Washington, Seattle Mission
10675 NE 20th Street
Bellevue, Washington 98004

D&C 6:36 - "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not

August 28

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING LOVELL FAMILY!.... And guest. (ha)

If you were wondering why it took so long to get an email out today, its because Elder Lovell was attending the temple! Our zone's day to attend was today, and yesterday's P-day was switched to today because of that. Other than that, some announcements are: Thanks to mom, dad, and elizabeth for e-mails, as well as my trainer, Elder Sparks, Who sent a little note to remind me this is his last transfer. Thanks to mom and dad for the mail I recieved yesterday! Those were truely wonderful, and I loved hearing from all of you. I also recieved a card from the Wylie family! That was pretty cool! Loved hearing from them!

Well, I'm guessing next monday will be another weird P-day because its transfer day. I do not know if I am getting transfered, although I have petitioned the Lord and President Larkin several times to stay here for my whole mission. I have a gut feeling I will get transfered though. We will see what happens.

This week, we put a man named Rob on date for baptism. Unfortunately he hasn't answered the door since. But we have faith he will come along. About three doors down from him, A grandmother answered who's husband had been in the church before he died, and she was very against the church and didn't want anything to do with the Book of Mormon... but she did appreciate us inviting her grandson to young men's night and consented. So we brought the Young Men's president over two days ago and taught a lesson to him and he is probably coming to Young Men's tommorrow evening.

I also taught Gospel Essentials with some pretty short notice. Hopefully I did okay. There was some pretty good discussion. It was about the fall of Adam and Eve and a great discussion stirred to talk about the difference between transgression and sin. It helped me understand some things I have never thought of before.

Ok, Gospel matter for today: That self same grandmother mentioned earlier told me that Joseph Smith denied everything he had done a couple years before he died, but then picked everything back up again. For this I am grateful that my e-mails are posted and available online to the world. I would like to take some time and bear my testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. As I sat in the temple today, I asked for an added witness of Joseph Smith's divine calling as prophet of the restoration. As mentioned before my companion and I have faced several criticisms this week about the Prophet Joseph Smith. Persecutions raise more here in Seattle than anywhere else I have been. After my prayer in the temple, I looked around for a book of mormon, however, there was only a Bible available. I simply let the book fall open on my lap, and my eyes jumped to the verse in Matthew "Blessed are they that are persecuted for my name's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." I testify of my ever quiet witness today, my pondering awe, and admiration to such a faithful servant of the Lord, Jesus Christ. A Prophetic witness of the Lord has ever been identified by the claim to priesthood power, service to other, wonderful fruits of labor, and, possibly most noticeable, persecution. I testify that Joseph Smith served his Master, Jesus Christ. I testify that he translated the Book of Mormon. I love the words of Elder Holland "He was, and still is faithful." I love my Savior. I am in awe at how he qualifies his otherwise weak servants for mighty tasks. I hope to be as his servants, both ancient and moderen, whose focus was and is on their Savior, who "when [their] body begs for rest, they remember this rallying cry: 'Remember Him!'" (President Eyring) I know Jesus Christ is my Savior. I am with sure with the most assurety I can muster in my soul that this is his restored Gospel, and these things I write in His name, even Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Elder William Lloyd Lovell
Washington, Seattle Mission
10675 NE 20th Street
Bellevue, Washington 98004

D&C 6:36 - "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not"

August 20

Dear Family,

To start off, I would like to say that this week was pretty crazy so I will try to remember who sent me mail this week and I'll also mention the emails that were sent! Mom, I did get the three packages over the last few weeks. Thank you. They have been exterhemeleay helpful. Dad, thank you also for the medicine and the note inside as well as one from Mom. Thank you Dad, Mom, and Erik, for shooting me some emails today. And thank you to Jonathan DeGraff and the Winwards for sending some post this past week. If I missed someone, let me know.

Oh boy. This week was so destroyed. We had all of our investigators, except two, fall off date. But we didn't get discouraged. We just knew summer was in and they left for vacation. We then redoubled our efforts to find, and ran into the most anti people throughout the week. Then Elder Fukuyasu got sick, then to be funny, he coughed on me, which I didn't think was funny because then I got sick, but I got better faster because I took some allergy medication the moment I could feel the symptoms coming on. He is still kind of sick. Ha. We still got more and more obedient and more obedient, and more obedient, and.... nothing happened. In fact, we found out why one of our investigators didn't want to learn anymore! Its because a less active from our ward was giving him dirty things, and encouraging him to look at pornographic magazines! We were so... Frustrated at that less active because we had just been in his house not even a week before, and he expressed desires to meet with the bishop. But this wasn't all for nothing... We had a bad week... But then! Our testimonies skyrocketed this morning. We had a great companionship study. My goodness it was wonderful. We had answers to our questions from our prayers and felt the Holy Ghost.

I have grown to love my ward so much. Wow. They are the best. Our bishop, I dont know if I told all of you this or not, served in Porto Alegre, Sul. Yes, the same exact mission that I was called to! I bronght him a can of Guanana and he loved it. It was the exact kind they have in Brazil. Bishop Dickson is so missionary minded. He is brand new, but he is learning, and he is excellent. He has a goal with the youth to get them outside more, holding more outdoor activities, and getting them involved with us in missionary work. Here in this climate, the sky is cloudy a lot. So often times, very few people are out on the streets. But the bishop sees that there are many things to do besides being inside and playing video games all the time. In fact, in Seattle, (as well as everywhere in the world, but in Seattle in particular) there are so many kids with addictions to video games. Ogh. How I have learned, and even been rebuked by the spirit in the amount of video games I played when I was at home. gross. As a missionary who hopes to speak to anyone, but members in particular today who may have an addiction to video, or computer games, television watching, or any other form of addictive media, let me talk about how this affects you in a spiritual way that is often not touched on.

The Sacrament, is indeed the reason we attend church. It is in essence an ordinance that is "laced throughout our lives" to help us come closer to the Savior and find something to change within the week. The Sacrament is probably one of, if not the most, significant ways we can endure to the end. You have heard it said by prophets both modern and ancient, that enduring to the end is not simply waiting around until the day you lose your testimony, but a way to "step strive, and never yeild." The repentance process, the perfecting process, is never complete in three hours on one day. Instead, it is very much a weekly process. How is it, that someone addicted to flashing lights of virtual muzzles and flying cuttlas can ever be as focused as they need to be to repent fully of their sins during the week.

How I wish that I had listened to my parents on this matter. I pray today that all people, young and old, male and female, who have become addicted to to what seems to be "harmless" media, will heed the counsel of a loving parent and not see it as prideful animadversion. But come to see these distractions as the viperous vainglory they really are. Realize how much time you waste on them. ESSPECIALLY, if you are preparing for a mission. I bear you my witness that the spirit will be more full in your life. You will have more answers to your prayers and direction that will help you. You will come to realize that "the best things in life are not things." And ultimately, the absence of video games, replaced with a fultime preparation for a fultime mission, will bring you closer to your Savior.

I leave that with all of you who read this, and hope it will reach someone that needs to understand this. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Elder William Lloyd Lovell
Washington, Seattle Mission
10675 NE 20th Street
Bellevue, Washington 98004

D&C 6:36 - "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not"

August 13

Mom told me that Jeremy had sent some letters. I have not recieved them yet, I am sorry for not recognizing you Jeremy, but THANK YOU FOR SENDING THEM AND HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Expect something in the mail this week. Thank you also to Ryan, Rachel, Mom, and Dad, who also sent letters! I thank you all also for the gifts that came in the packaging this past week. Also thank you this morning from the pictures and video from Elizabeth, Thanks for the emails from mom and dad. You are all the best!

Unfortunately, Jacobs baptism did not go through. His mom felt he needed a little more time. Oh well, no one can argue with that. The parents do recieve more revelation for their kids that we do.

But we did find yet another miracle this week. We had plans to visit a Former Investigator. We came to the door of this apparentment complex and knocked. A girl in her early 20's answered. "Oh..." We said, "is Joseph here?" She explained nobody by that name lived there anymore. She further explained that she was Catholic. (Those types of situations tend to make us want to hang our heads.) But we just began explaining about the Book of Mormon. We showed her the pictures in the front, spoke about Joseph Smith, how the Gospel path and preisthood are now restored, and she listened intently and answered our questions. She expkained to us that she was pregnant and had moved out of her parents house and is now living with her boyfriend. We talked with her a little more about that, and then showed her the promise in the front of the Book of Mormon and asked if she would say a standing prayer with us, to know if it was true. SHE DID! Wow, it was beautiful! In the prayer she said "Thank you for answering my prayers in knowing what route I should take in religion by sending these two men here today." Then we set her on date for September 15, and she is scheduled to meet us for a church tour this week! Woo hoo!

Plus there is a family really close to where we live who speak spanish. At first we just taught the daughter, now we are teaching the mom, the dad would have nothing to do with it until we brought our friend Danillo who spoke fluent spanish, and now the dad is the most-likely to be baptized in the whole home! That was exciting! Plus their friend also comes to meet with us. And now the Dad is trying to get that friend to come with him to church.

 

All my love,

Elder William Lloyd Lovell
Washington, Seattle Mission
10675 NE 20th Street
Bellevue, Washington 98004

D&C 6:36 - "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not"

August 6

Dear Family,

This week was a tough one. My companion and I fasted. He is still somewhat discouraged because of some things that happened a couple weeks ago, and to make a long story short, I am just stressed. But what can you do. Thats life. We all have our spiritual mount Si's to climb and so here we are climbing it together. All of our on dates fell off dates except for 2, and that also kind of made us scratch our heads in frustration.

This passed thursday we fasted for a miracle who could be baptized. We came accross our new found friend Jacob. He is an unbaptized child of record. His parents had divorced and made him live by a contract that he could not go to, or investigate, the religion of another parent while at that parents house. The contact lifted when he turned thirteen. As faith, guidance, and hope would have it, he turned thirteen about a month ago. We contacted him out, taught him a lesson, and he wanted to be baptized. He is getting baptized this weekend. Fortunately as well, it brought his less active mother back to church.

Then, right after that, we went accross the street to a couple of men sitting at their porch. We spoke to one who told us "Im a hard man to convert. Dont waste your time." We spoke to him for about an hour, answering question, after question he had. He asked us how we knew Thomas S. Monson is a prophet. :I said "The bible gives a great suggestion. It tells you to look at the results of their labors or 'by their fruits ye shall know them.'" He sat there for a moment. "okay" he said "I'll look into your prophet, and do some research." We smiled. "We have a book for you. It will answer every question you have about us." We gave it to him, gladly. As he walked away he said "Im going to read this. And Im going to ask questions. You better be prepared." "bring it on." I said.

So that was fun. Other than that, we were doubting, but felt promted to visit a former investigator. We went to his home, knocked, and no answer came. but later we found another lady who said we could come back and teach her. We then felt we needed to go see a member. We doubted again. We thought maybe we just wanted to go so we could hang out. But it turned out that that member had four referals for us. That was awesome. I guess I just need to trust in promptings more.

Well I love you. Sorry some of you had to hear about a lot of the negative stuff this week. I love all of you.

Thank you for the gifts everyone! I got them today! That was awesome! New shirt, belt, gift card, tie (FROM ITALY!) Tie pins, lots of awesome socks... did I miss anything? Hope not.

I love all of you. Have a great and blessed week!

--

Elder William Lloyd Lovell
Washington, Seattle Mission
10675 NE 20th Street
Bellevue, Washington 98004

D&C 6:36 - "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not"