Home on Monday November 9, 2015
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Last Letter Home
Saturday October 31, 2015
Hello friends and family!
Well I guess this is it... I`m going into my last week as a missionary!! It`s a weird feeling but I feel so happy, so blessed, and also so excited to see my family.
My mission just keeps getting better and better. Last week we were teaching a recent convert and her daughter came in and started listening. Her name is Monse and she almost got baptized about 4 or 5 months ago but wasn't ready yet. We stopped teaching her after that because she wasn't very interested in it and we hadn't really taught her since. When she came and started listening the other day she started asking us a lot of questions and has gotten to a point in her life where she has to make a lot of big decisions. We taught her about reading scriptures and praying and the next time we went over there we taught the plan of salvation and then on Sunday she came to church and then this Tuesday while we were over there we sat down and she started to cry. She said she prayed until 3 in the morning and had the overwhelming feeling that she needs to be baptized and that Heavenly Father wants her to serve a mission. Nine months ago Monse didn't believe in God and felt she had no purpose in this life. A week from today she is going to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am overwhelmed with joy to be able to see this miracle. This is why Heavenly Father needed me to stay just a little longer; to show me that He is a God of miracles.
I have been reading my journal a lot this week and reflecting on my mission. I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity to serve the Lord. I have met so many amazing people, learned so much, and have grown closer to my Savior.
I thank everyone who has supported me during these two years. They have been the best two years of my life and I have felt the prayers of friends and family that have carried me all the way through. I will be eternally grateful for the support of my family, friends, and church leaders.
I know that this is Christ`s church that has been restored by a modern day prophet. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. I know that our Savior lives. I know he paid a price for us that we will never be able to repay Him. I know that families can be forever and I am so excited to be back with mine.
See you soon everybody :)
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello friends and family!
Well I guess this is it... I`m going into my last week as a missionary!! It`s a weird feeling but I feel so happy, so blessed, and also so excited to see my family.
My mission just keeps getting better and better. Last week we were teaching a recent convert and her daughter came in and started listening. Her name is Monse and she almost got baptized about 4 or 5 months ago but wasn't ready yet. We stopped teaching her after that because she wasn't very interested in it and we hadn't really taught her since. When she came and started listening the other day she started asking us a lot of questions and has gotten to a point in her life where she has to make a lot of big decisions. We taught her about reading scriptures and praying and the next time we went over there we taught the plan of salvation and then on Sunday she came to church and then this Tuesday while we were over there we sat down and she started to cry. She said she prayed until 3 in the morning and had the overwhelming feeling that she needs to be baptized and that Heavenly Father wants her to serve a mission. Nine months ago Monse didn't believe in God and felt she had no purpose in this life. A week from today she is going to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am overwhelmed with joy to be able to see this miracle. This is why Heavenly Father needed me to stay just a little longer; to show me that He is a God of miracles.
I have been reading my journal a lot this week and reflecting on my mission. I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity to serve the Lord. I have met so many amazing people, learned so much, and have grown closer to my Savior.
I thank everyone who has supported me during these two years. They have been the best two years of my life and I have felt the prayers of friends and family that have carried me all the way through. I will be eternally grateful for the support of my family, friends, and church leaders.
I know that this is Christ`s church that has been restored by a modern day prophet. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. I know that our Savior lives. I know he paid a price for us that we will never be able to repay Him. I know that families can be forever and I am so excited to be back with mine.
See you soon everybody :)
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Patricia
Saturday October 24, 2015
Hello Friends and Family!
All is well here in Guadalajara! We gave Hurricane Patricia a run for her money! :) It was actually pretty funny because we have a zone on the coast that was supposed to be the only zone hit by the storm and so they were preparing and everything and Patricia threw a curve ball and started heading up our way. I´m not going to lie, we were all jumping for joy when we heard we were going to get a piece of Patricia. I thought it would have made the perfect end of the mission story! Yesterday morning we went and bought food and water for two days and buckled down ready for the storm in the afternoon. It just rained and that was about it. There are a couple fallen down trees in the city but nothing major.
Besides that, this week was pretty normal. We worked a lot and have been having a good time with our good friends Elder Conrad and Elder Gonzalez. They have an appointment in the embassy on Monday. We don't know if we should pray that they get everything figured out or that they have more problems so they can stay with us!
Being with the new missionaries has made me remember when I first got to the mission. I have been telling them all sorts of mission stories and funny experiences and it has helped me realize how many amazing experiences I have had here. I have enjoyed some funny experiences, some scary ones, lots of spiritual experiences, challenging, sad, faith building... So many experiences that have helped me learn and grow. Sorry in advance if all you hear from me when I get home is mission experiences. I know that not a day will go by when I do not either think of something from my mission or use a skill that I have learned on my mission. I feel like this experience of serving the Lord has become a foundation that I will always be able to rely on when times get tough. I can truly say that the Lord has become my rock and foundation.
I love you all! Have a great week :)
Elder Del Toro
Hello Friends and Family!
All is well here in Guadalajara! We gave Hurricane Patricia a run for her money! :) It was actually pretty funny because we have a zone on the coast that was supposed to be the only zone hit by the storm and so they were preparing and everything and Patricia threw a curve ball and started heading up our way. I´m not going to lie, we were all jumping for joy when we heard we were going to get a piece of Patricia. I thought it would have made the perfect end of the mission story! Yesterday morning we went and bought food and water for two days and buckled down ready for the storm in the afternoon. It just rained and that was about it. There are a couple fallen down trees in the city but nothing major.
Besides that, this week was pretty normal. We worked a lot and have been having a good time with our good friends Elder Conrad and Elder Gonzalez. They have an appointment in the embassy on Monday. We don't know if we should pray that they get everything figured out or that they have more problems so they can stay with us!
Being with the new missionaries has made me remember when I first got to the mission. I have been telling them all sorts of mission stories and funny experiences and it has helped me realize how many amazing experiences I have had here. I have enjoyed some funny experiences, some scary ones, lots of spiritual experiences, challenging, sad, faith building... So many experiences that have helped me learn and grow. Sorry in advance if all you hear from me when I get home is mission experiences. I know that not a day will go by when I do not either think of something from my mission or use a skill that I have learned on my mission. I feel like this experience of serving the Lord has become a foundation that I will always be able to rely on when times get tough. I can truly say that the Lord has become my rock and foundation.
I love you all! Have a great week :)
Elder Del Toro
On the Lord's Errand
Saturday October 17, 2015
Another good week in Guadalajara!
I have been learning so much lately! The Lord has been teaching me so many things during my whole mission but I think I am becoming a better learner or something. Life is just full of little lessons to learn from.
I have good and bad news about the stolen suit case boys...
The good news is that they were able to go to the area that they were originally assigned to! The not so great news is that they had to come back the next day because they found out their passport and visa things still aren't in line. And that´s not even really bad news because that means they will be with us another couple weeks!!
Elder Gonzalez and I had a really sweet experience teaching a family who still hasn't been sealed in the temple. The husband was baptized just over a year ago and so they can be sealed whenever they are ready but they haven't really shown interest about it. The bishop asked us to visit them so we did and we had a 15 minute lesson with them but it was one of my favorite lessons I have been in during my mission. We talked about covenants and the reason why we make them with our Heavenly Father. We then talked about the new and everlasting covenant, which is eternal marriage. We both shared a spiritual experience that we have had with our families in the temple and shared our testimonies. The spirit was so strong! We felt impressed to invite them, as representatives of Jesus Christ, to not procrastinate any longer their temple marriage. They were both crying and it was clear to see that the spirit was telling them that that is exactly what they need to do. As missionaries we always teach in the name of Christ but every once in a while, you get a special feeling that our Heavenly Father is speaking directly through you. It is a great privilege to be a worthy representative of Jesus Christ and to help Him bring to pass His work and His glory. I love being a missionary. It´s the best thing I´ve ever done.
Have a great week everyone!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Another good week in Guadalajara!
I have been learning so much lately! The Lord has been teaching me so many things during my whole mission but I think I am becoming a better learner or something. Life is just full of little lessons to learn from.
I have good and bad news about the stolen suit case boys...
The good news is that they were able to go to the area that they were originally assigned to! The not so great news is that they had to come back the next day because they found out their passport and visa things still aren't in line. And that´s not even really bad news because that means they will be with us another couple weeks!!
Elder Gonzalez and I had a really sweet experience teaching a family who still hasn't been sealed in the temple. The husband was baptized just over a year ago and so they can be sealed whenever they are ready but they haven't really shown interest about it. The bishop asked us to visit them so we did and we had a 15 minute lesson with them but it was one of my favorite lessons I have been in during my mission. We talked about covenants and the reason why we make them with our Heavenly Father. We then talked about the new and everlasting covenant, which is eternal marriage. We both shared a spiritual experience that we have had with our families in the temple and shared our testimonies. The spirit was so strong! We felt impressed to invite them, as representatives of Jesus Christ, to not procrastinate any longer their temple marriage. They were both crying and it was clear to see that the spirit was telling them that that is exactly what they need to do. As missionaries we always teach in the name of Christ but every once in a while, you get a special feeling that our Heavenly Father is speaking directly through you. It is a great privilege to be a worthy representative of Jesus Christ and to help Him bring to pass His work and His glory. I love being a missionary. It´s the best thing I´ve ever done.
Have a great week everyone!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
A Convert from Stolen Suitcases
Saturday October 10, 2015
Hello Friends and Family,
It`s been a great week! I am still a trainer! Elder Gonzalez and Elder Conrad still don't have their passport and visa stuff worked out so they are still staying with us. It`s been so fun. The missionaries that were supposed to train them called us this morning wondering if Elder Gonzalez and Elder Conrad are ever going to make it down to Zamora. Poor guys! We robbed their sons!! They should be on their way down there sometime this week though.
This is kind of a cool story about their suitcases getting stolen... A policeman came to do the report that day of the accident and we were all talking to him a little bit. A few days later he stopped by the mission office to drop off some paperwork for President Egginton and told him that while he was talking to us four missionaries he felt something that he has never felt before and wanted to know more and also wanted his brother to know more about the message we share. President Egginton took down the info and sent the missionaries to visit them. The brother of that policeman received the missionaries and accepted a baptismal date and the policeman is receiving the missionaries in his home with his family. If those two Elders` things never wouldn't have gotten stolen, those people never would have been able to hear this message. Who would have thought that so much happiness would come out of stolen suitcases? Elder Conrad and Elder Gonzalez have had a rough start to their mission but they said that getting all their stuff stolen is all worth it if through it all someone comes to know of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and is able to make sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father.
It`s amazing to me how our Heavenly Father works. The experiences that he gives us help to shape us and become what He knows we can become. I love being a missionary because I feel closer to my Heavenly Father than I have ever felt in my life. I am so happy :)
Have a great week everyone!
Elder Del Toro
Hello Friends and Family,
It`s been a great week! I am still a trainer! Elder Gonzalez and Elder Conrad still don't have their passport and visa stuff worked out so they are still staying with us. It`s been so fun. The missionaries that were supposed to train them called us this morning wondering if Elder Gonzalez and Elder Conrad are ever going to make it down to Zamora. Poor guys! We robbed their sons!! They should be on their way down there sometime this week though.
This is kind of a cool story about their suitcases getting stolen... A policeman came to do the report that day of the accident and we were all talking to him a little bit. A few days later he stopped by the mission office to drop off some paperwork for President Egginton and told him that while he was talking to us four missionaries he felt something that he has never felt before and wanted to know more and also wanted his brother to know more about the message we share. President Egginton took down the info and sent the missionaries to visit them. The brother of that policeman received the missionaries and accepted a baptismal date and the policeman is receiving the missionaries in his home with his family. If those two Elders` things never wouldn't have gotten stolen, those people never would have been able to hear this message. Who would have thought that so much happiness would come out of stolen suitcases? Elder Conrad and Elder Gonzalez have had a rough start to their mission but they said that getting all their stuff stolen is all worth it if through it all someone comes to know of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and is able to make sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father.
It`s amazing to me how our Heavenly Father works. The experiences that he gives us help to shape us and become what He knows we can become. I love being a missionary because I feel closer to my Heavenly Father than I have ever felt in my life. I am so happy :)
Have a great week everyone!
Elder Del Toro
Another Gonzalez
Monday October 5, 2015
Hello Family!
This week has been crazy! We sent off all the old missionaries and got in all the new missionaries on Monday. Something kind of funny happened.... We went and picked up two american elders who got here on a later flight and then went back to the mission home for them to be interviewed by President and when we came out a couple hours later, we jumped in the van and started driving and one of the new elders said "has this glass always been like this?". We turned around and the back window was smashed in and all of the suitcases were gone. EVERYTHING they brought to the mission was gone. They both took it like men. We went to the mall and bought them new everything and had to go report the crime so they could get new passports and it was just a big hassle. They were supposed to go work in Zamora but they have to stay here in Guadalajara until they get their paperwork in to be legal here in Mexico so I was very quick to volunteer Elder Raya and I to be their temporary trainers. I´m a trainer!!!! I am training Elder Gonzalez from Mesa Arizona and Elder Raya is training Elder Conrad from Provo. They will probably be heading to their new areas sometime this week but it has been a lot of fun to be showing them the ropes this week. The first missionary I trained was also Elder Gonzalez! I´m two for two on Gonzalezes!
Conference weekend was awesome!!! I loved a bunch of the talks but one that really stuck out to me was President Eyring´s about his great great grandfather who was called to be a missionary after being a member for 7 months and then during his mission his President passed away and he became the new mission president. Later in his mission he had a dream that he needed to find Brigham Young so he went and found him and when he got there he told him he had not been called but he felt he needed to leave to find the prophet and he was willing to go right back if that was what the Lord wanted. Brigham told him that he was needed and they were looking for him. President Eyring said that there are many times when we feel inadequate but whom the Lord calls the Lord qualifies.
There have been many times when I have felt inadequete during my mission and maybe right at first of all those times I was inadequete, but looking back now, I can see how the Lord has blessed me and has helped me grow to be able to accomplish the different tasks that he has had me do.
I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ! :)
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello Family!
This week has been crazy! We sent off all the old missionaries and got in all the new missionaries on Monday. Something kind of funny happened.... We went and picked up two american elders who got here on a later flight and then went back to the mission home for them to be interviewed by President and when we came out a couple hours later, we jumped in the van and started driving and one of the new elders said "has this glass always been like this?". We turned around and the back window was smashed in and all of the suitcases were gone. EVERYTHING they brought to the mission was gone. They both took it like men. We went to the mall and bought them new everything and had to go report the crime so they could get new passports and it was just a big hassle. They were supposed to go work in Zamora but they have to stay here in Guadalajara until they get their paperwork in to be legal here in Mexico so I was very quick to volunteer Elder Raya and I to be their temporary trainers. I´m a trainer!!!! I am training Elder Gonzalez from Mesa Arizona and Elder Raya is training Elder Conrad from Provo. They will probably be heading to their new areas sometime this week but it has been a lot of fun to be showing them the ropes this week. The first missionary I trained was also Elder Gonzalez! I´m two for two on Gonzalezes!
Conference weekend was awesome!!! I loved a bunch of the talks but one that really stuck out to me was President Eyring´s about his great great grandfather who was called to be a missionary after being a member for 7 months and then during his mission his President passed away and he became the new mission president. Later in his mission he had a dream that he needed to find Brigham Young so he went and found him and when he got there he told him he had not been called but he felt he needed to leave to find the prophet and he was willing to go right back if that was what the Lord wanted. Brigham told him that he was needed and they were looking for him. President Eyring said that there are many times when we feel inadequate but whom the Lord calls the Lord qualifies.
There have been many times when I have felt inadequete during my mission and maybe right at first of all those times I was inadequete, but looking back now, I can see how the Lord has blessed me and has helped me grow to be able to accomplish the different tasks that he has had me do.
I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ! :)
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Iguana
Saturday September 26, 2015
Hello Jello..
Another week down! This week was pretty sweet. We had zone conferences in Lazaro Cardenas and Uruapan and stopped by Morelia for a couple of interviews. We have been busy with transfers lately and then next week is leadership conference but after that things should be a little less crazy. I will be spending my last 6 weeks here in my same area with Elder Raya. At the end of this transfer it will be 10 months in this area :P That´s a long time!!! But I love the ward and Elder Raya so it´s ok.
This week I tried iguana for the first time. We were in Lazaro Cardenas and a family had given the zone leaders some iguana so they shared it with us. I know they say this about everything, but it tastes like chicken.
I love being a missionary. These past few months have been a little hard because it´s been different not working in an area a whole bunch but I have realized that the Lord calls us all for different purposes and no matter what the purpose might be, he expects us to serve with all of our heart, might, and strength. It doesn't matter if we are a stake president, missionary, nursery leader, or whatever else. What matters most is that we serve with a willing heart with all that we have.
I love being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am learning so much. I am so grateful for this opportunity and blessing.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello Jello..
Another week down! This week was pretty sweet. We had zone conferences in Lazaro Cardenas and Uruapan and stopped by Morelia for a couple of interviews. We have been busy with transfers lately and then next week is leadership conference but after that things should be a little less crazy. I will be spending my last 6 weeks here in my same area with Elder Raya. At the end of this transfer it will be 10 months in this area :P That´s a long time!!! But I love the ward and Elder Raya so it´s ok.
This week I tried iguana for the first time. We were in Lazaro Cardenas and a family had given the zone leaders some iguana so they shared it with us. I know they say this about everything, but it tastes like chicken.
I love being a missionary. These past few months have been a little hard because it´s been different not working in an area a whole bunch but I have realized that the Lord calls us all for different purposes and no matter what the purpose might be, he expects us to serve with all of our heart, might, and strength. It doesn't matter if we are a stake president, missionary, nursery leader, or whatever else. What matters most is that we serve with a willing heart with all that we have.
I love being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am learning so much. I am so grateful for this opportunity and blessing.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
This is in a little town called Paracho. They make a lot of guitars there.
Love and Charity
Saturday September 12, 2015
Hello family!
This week was a great one. We got through 3 zone conferences and had to postpone the other two in Michoacàn because there was a family emergency with a missionary in our mission and he decided to go home to support his family.
I learned a great lesson this week about charity and love. Sometimes we get so caught up with how WE feel and what WE want that we forget about others. I was having a tough day the other day and thought that what I was going through was something that just wasn't fair. Almost at the same time while I was having those thoughts, the mission president got a phone call from a stake president of a missionary here in our mission telling him that this missionary`s mom had passed away in a hiking accident. I immediately realized that what I was going through was nothing compared to what this missionary and his family would be going through. We drove to his house and this missionary walked out with a great big smile on his face to see all of us. I started to cry thinking about how this news about his mom would hurt him. My worries about myself immediately went away and I felt love and charity for this missionary. We were able to spend the next day with him and talk with him and at night when we were in bed he thanked us for the love and support we gave him. I felt overwhelming happiness knowing that my companion and I could help another son of God that was in need of our help.
That which will help us most in our times of need is serving others. I love my mission. I am learning more than I ever thought I would learn on my mission. I am so grateful for my friends, my family, my religion, and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Make it a great week this week :)
Elder Del Toro
Hello family!
This week was a great one. We got through 3 zone conferences and had to postpone the other two in Michoacàn because there was a family emergency with a missionary in our mission and he decided to go home to support his family.
I learned a great lesson this week about charity and love. Sometimes we get so caught up with how WE feel and what WE want that we forget about others. I was having a tough day the other day and thought that what I was going through was something that just wasn't fair. Almost at the same time while I was having those thoughts, the mission president got a phone call from a stake president of a missionary here in our mission telling him that this missionary`s mom had passed away in a hiking accident. I immediately realized that what I was going through was nothing compared to what this missionary and his family would be going through. We drove to his house and this missionary walked out with a great big smile on his face to see all of us. I started to cry thinking about how this news about his mom would hurt him. My worries about myself immediately went away and I felt love and charity for this missionary. We were able to spend the next day with him and talk with him and at night when we were in bed he thanked us for the love and support we gave him. I felt overwhelming happiness knowing that my companion and I could help another son of God that was in need of our help.
That which will help us most in our times of need is serving others. I love my mission. I am learning more than I ever thought I would learn on my mission. I am so grateful for my friends, my family, my religion, and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Make it a great week this week :)
Elder Del Toro
Zions Camp
Saturday September 5, 2015
Hello family!
All is well here in the mother land. This week flew by and we are currently in Zamora. We forgot that we were coming with President and sister Egginton starting today so we kind of scrambled to get laundry washed real quick and came on our way. We will be here in Zamora for three days and then continue on to Uruapan, Morelia, and Lazaro Cardenas. We will get home a week from today and continue on with the zone conferences in Guadalajara. The bad part is that I forgot my socks.. Just kidding, I remembered them :)
This week I have been studying a little bit of the teachings of Joseph Smith. I was reading about how a group of men were called to be part of "Zions camp" and had to travel 1600 kilometers to get to the place where they thought they were going to fight a battle. When they arrived the prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation that it was not necessary to fight and that they could turn back. The Lord revealed that it was necessary to get to that point to show their faith and devotion. Many of the men complained and criticized the prophet, but that trip also shaped and formed many of the first leaders of the church. When the church was later organized, nine of the first twelve apostles and all the first quorum of the 70 were men who had been part of "Zions camp". On that trip they took, those men learned what they needed to learn about leadership in the church and showed the Lord their faith and devotion no matter the circumstances. We may never know why we must go through what we do, but we do know that if we are obedient and endure it well, the Lord will shape us into who we must become to be able to serve Him.
I love our Savior and I am learning so much as I try to become a better tool in His hands. Whatever trial you are going through, endure it well :)
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Hello family!
All is well here in the mother land. This week flew by and we are currently in Zamora. We forgot that we were coming with President and sister Egginton starting today so we kind of scrambled to get laundry washed real quick and came on our way. We will be here in Zamora for three days and then continue on to Uruapan, Morelia, and Lazaro Cardenas. We will get home a week from today and continue on with the zone conferences in Guadalajara. The bad part is that I forgot my socks.. Just kidding, I remembered them :)
This week I have been studying a little bit of the teachings of Joseph Smith. I was reading about how a group of men were called to be part of "Zions camp" and had to travel 1600 kilometers to get to the place where they thought they were going to fight a battle. When they arrived the prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation that it was not necessary to fight and that they could turn back. The Lord revealed that it was necessary to get to that point to show their faith and devotion. Many of the men complained and criticized the prophet, but that trip also shaped and formed many of the first leaders of the church. When the church was later organized, nine of the first twelve apostles and all the first quorum of the 70 were men who had been part of "Zions camp". On that trip they took, those men learned what they needed to learn about leadership in the church and showed the Lord their faith and devotion no matter the circumstances. We may never know why we must go through what we do, but we do know that if we are obedient and endure it well, the Lord will shape us into who we must become to be able to serve Him.
I love our Savior and I am learning so much as I try to become a better tool in His hands. Whatever trial you are going through, endure it well :)
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Blessings Follow Faith
Saturday August 22, 2015
Hello family!
This week has been wonderful. The temple trip went great with the missionaries who finished their missions. The Sunday night before they go home there is always a testimony meeting and I always love hearing their strong testimonies as they end their missionary service. It is going to be my turn before I know it.. I got my flight plans this week :P What a scary/exciting time to be at the end of your mission. I feel like the Lord is blessing me with more joy than I have ever felt in my life. I feel so blessed to be a missionary at this time.
We found two awesome families this week! We found both of them after the trial of our faith. We found one of the families while it was raining cats and dogs. We were thinking there was no point in continuing to look for people to teach because everyone would be inside but we kept working and then the rain stopped almost right away and we found a lady who needed help carrying a big water jug to her house. As we talked to her we found out that her husband died a few months ago and her and her two kids have been having a tough time understanding why God did that to them. We were able to teach the plan of salvation and it brought them peace and happiness knowing that they could see their father again. Another day it was really hot and we weren`t having any success and hadn`t had any lessons that day. We were walking down a street and passed a house that had the door open and there was a family inside. We got half way down the block and decided we needed to go back and talk to them. We went back and they let us right in and we taught them about the restored gospel and invited them to be baptized. They accepted everything and are planning on coming to church this week. The blessing always come after the trial of our faith. We are very exciting to help these two families learn more about the restored gospel and to come unto Christ.
We are doing awesome. I love being a missionary. I`ve never been so happy in my life.
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Hello family!
This week has been wonderful. The temple trip went great with the missionaries who finished their missions. The Sunday night before they go home there is always a testimony meeting and I always love hearing their strong testimonies as they end their missionary service. It is going to be my turn before I know it.. I got my flight plans this week :P What a scary/exciting time to be at the end of your mission. I feel like the Lord is blessing me with more joy than I have ever felt in my life. I feel so blessed to be a missionary at this time.
We found two awesome families this week! We found both of them after the trial of our faith. We found one of the families while it was raining cats and dogs. We were thinking there was no point in continuing to look for people to teach because everyone would be inside but we kept working and then the rain stopped almost right away and we found a lady who needed help carrying a big water jug to her house. As we talked to her we found out that her husband died a few months ago and her and her two kids have been having a tough time understanding why God did that to them. We were able to teach the plan of salvation and it brought them peace and happiness knowing that they could see their father again. Another day it was really hot and we weren`t having any success and hadn`t had any lessons that day. We were walking down a street and passed a house that had the door open and there was a family inside. We got half way down the block and decided we needed to go back and talk to them. We went back and they let us right in and we taught them about the restored gospel and invited them to be baptized. They accepted everything and are planning on coming to church this week. The blessing always come after the trial of our faith. We are very exciting to help these two families learn more about the restored gospel and to come unto Christ.
We are doing awesome. I love being a missionary. I`ve never been so happy in my life.
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Good times in Morelia
Saturday August 15, 2015
Hello!
This week was another good one! At stake conference in Morelia I found the Arredondo family!! Elder Ormeño and I taught them over a year ago! I was so excited to see them! They are all doing well and sister Arredondo says she has been relief society president for almost the whole year she has been baptized!
Elder Raya and I took President and Sister Egginton on the downtown Morelia tour on Saturday night! Here is a picture of the Cathedral. There were fireworks and everything! While we were walking through the crowed I heard "Kadyn!!!" and when I turned around I saw a family that I taught while I was in Morelia. They were a pretty unusual family and they thought that I had finished my mission and come back with my parents. I have no idea how they know my name.. They were so excited to see my "family" hahaha. The dad bowed to President Egginton. We only taught them 3 or 4 times about a year ago and then stopped teaching them because they weren't progressing. When I saw them last week I told them to go find the missionaries and get baptized! The dad then bowed to me and said he would do it. That made a pretty good journal entry.
We are saying goodbye to 26 missionaries on Sunday who finish their missions and are welcoming in 10 new ones on Monday. I´m going to be here in Bugambilias for at least another 6 weeks so I'm pretty happy about that.
Have a great week everyone!
Elder Del Toro
Hello!
This week was another good one! At stake conference in Morelia I found the Arredondo family!! Elder Ormeño and I taught them over a year ago! I was so excited to see them! They are all doing well and sister Arredondo says she has been relief society president for almost the whole year she has been baptized!
Elder Raya and I took President and Sister Egginton on the downtown Morelia tour on Saturday night! Here is a picture of the Cathedral. There were fireworks and everything! While we were walking through the crowed I heard "Kadyn!!!" and when I turned around I saw a family that I taught while I was in Morelia. They were a pretty unusual family and they thought that I had finished my mission and come back with my parents. I have no idea how they know my name.. They were so excited to see my "family" hahaha. The dad bowed to President Egginton. We only taught them 3 or 4 times about a year ago and then stopped teaching them because they weren't progressing. When I saw them last week I told them to go find the missionaries and get baptized! The dad then bowed to me and said he would do it. That made a pretty good journal entry.
We are saying goodbye to 26 missionaries on Sunday who finish their missions and are welcoming in 10 new ones on Monday. I´m going to be here in Bugambilias for at least another 6 weeks so I'm pretty happy about that.
Have a great week everyone!
Elder Del Toro
I love to see the Temple
Saturday August 8, 2015
Hello!
The temple trip went great! All of the converts since january were there and all of them brought names of their ancestors to be baptized for. We were able to watch the baptisms and confirm some of them. It was such a sweet experience. Rosa had to head our early but here are the rest of them!
Other than that we have been working more in our area and have found a few great new investigators. Our ward has a bunch of young men and we are starting to work a lot more with them. We are going to have an activity this next week where a few young men come and work with us for 3 days straight. It`s going to be kind of like a mission prep crash course. haha. Today we are headed to Morelia for the weekend because President and Sister Egginton are speaking in a stake conference there.
Things are going great! I`m still loving being a missionary :)
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello!
The temple trip went great! All of the converts since january were there and all of them brought names of their ancestors to be baptized for. We were able to watch the baptisms and confirm some of them. It was such a sweet experience. Rosa had to head our early but here are the rest of them!
Other than that we have been working more in our area and have found a few great new investigators. Our ward has a bunch of young men and we are starting to work a lot more with them. We are going to have an activity this next week where a few young men come and work with us for 3 days straight. It`s going to be kind of like a mission prep crash course. haha. Today we are headed to Morelia for the weekend because President and Sister Egginton are speaking in a stake conference there.
Things are going great! I`m still loving being a missionary :)
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Temple Prep
Saturday August 1, 2015
Hello again!
Another great week. This week we worked a lot with our recent converts. This afternoon we are going to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. All of the people I have baptized here in this area have their temple recommend and have names of their ancestors to bring to the temple to be baptized for them. I don't think I`ve ever been so excited in my mission! We did more family history research this week than I have done in my whole life. It`s such a great feeling helping new converts continue faithful in the gospel.
That was pretty much our week! Next week I`ll send pictures of the temple trip :) Have an excellent week!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello again!
Another great week. This week we worked a lot with our recent converts. This afternoon we are going to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. All of the people I have baptized here in this area have their temple recommend and have names of their ancestors to bring to the temple to be baptized for them. I don't think I`ve ever been so excited in my mission! We did more family history research this week than I have done in my whole life. It`s such a great feeling helping new converts continue faithful in the gospel.
That was pretty much our week! Next week I`ll send pictures of the temple trip :) Have an excellent week!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Puras Ccosas Buenas
Saturday July 25, 2015
Hello Family!
This week was one of my favorite weeks of my mission! The Murillo family`s baptism was last saturday! It went really well. Sister Murillo`s niece, who is a member, also came and she is the one that passed us the reference of the Murillo family so that made it very special. We were 8 people all dressed up in white! Two members who helped us with the teaching baptized brother and sister Murillo and Elder Raya and I baptized the two girls, Fatima and Sandra. It was one of the most spiritual baptismal services I have been in.
FSY was also a blast. There were almost 800 kids there participating and on tuesday we got to teach four groups of 90. We kind of felt like rock stars after. EVERYONE wanted to take selfies with us haha. And the next day we went back with 50 missionaries to teach them how to share the gospel with their friends. It was a blast.
Other than that we have been trying to find people to teach and working a lot with our investigator Francisco. He is preparing to be baptized in August.
This whole mission thing is awesome. I love it. Even though there are a lot of hard times, it`s all worth it.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello Family!
This week was one of my favorite weeks of my mission! The Murillo family`s baptism was last saturday! It went really well. Sister Murillo`s niece, who is a member, also came and she is the one that passed us the reference of the Murillo family so that made it very special. We were 8 people all dressed up in white! Two members who helped us with the teaching baptized brother and sister Murillo and Elder Raya and I baptized the two girls, Fatima and Sandra. It was one of the most spiritual baptismal services I have been in.
FSY was also a blast. There were almost 800 kids there participating and on tuesday we got to teach four groups of 90. We kind of felt like rock stars after. EVERYONE wanted to take selfies with us haha. And the next day we went back with 50 missionaries to teach them how to share the gospel with their friends. It was a blast.
Other than that we have been trying to find people to teach and working a lot with our investigator Francisco. He is preparing to be baptized in August.
This whole mission thing is awesome. I love it. Even though there are a lot of hard times, it`s all worth it.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
God's Love
July 18, 2015
Hola familia :)
This week has been great. Tonight is the baptismal service of the Murillo family!! We are very excited. Jaime, Araceli, Sandra, and Fatima will all be baptized. Our dear friend Abel Tovar leaves for his mission to Monterrey this next week. He has had such a sweet conversion in the past 8 months and has helped us out so much here in our area. His family was the family that was sealed just a couple months ago. The whole ward is very excited for him.
We got back from Michoacán on Wednesday afternoon and have been getting back to the work here in our area. It was a long trip!! We were half dead when we pulled back in to Guadalajara but the Lord continues to bless us with strength :)
This week will be pretty fun. We are going to EFY with President Egginton on Tuesday to speak and teach some classes and on Wednesday we are also going with a bunch of missionaries from our mission to teach the youth how to teach the restoration.
I have felt so close to my Savior during my mission. I am growing closer to him and have been able to see and feel how much our Father in Heaven loves each and everyone one of us. As we drove through some tiny little towns in the middle of nowhere this week I thought about how our Heavenly Father knows and loves each person, no matter where they live or what they are going through. Its amazing to me how personal of a relationship each one of us can have with the same God that created us all. He love us all :)
Be happy and have a great week!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hola familia :)
This week has been great. Tonight is the baptismal service of the Murillo family!! We are very excited. Jaime, Araceli, Sandra, and Fatima will all be baptized. Our dear friend Abel Tovar leaves for his mission to Monterrey this next week. He has had such a sweet conversion in the past 8 months and has helped us out so much here in our area. His family was the family that was sealed just a couple months ago. The whole ward is very excited for him.
We got back from Michoacán on Wednesday afternoon and have been getting back to the work here in our area. It was a long trip!! We were half dead when we pulled back in to Guadalajara but the Lord continues to bless us with strength :)
This week will be pretty fun. We are going to EFY with President Egginton on Tuesday to speak and teach some classes and on Wednesday we are also going with a bunch of missionaries from our mission to teach the youth how to teach the restoration.
I have felt so close to my Savior during my mission. I am growing closer to him and have been able to see and feel how much our Father in Heaven loves each and everyone one of us. As we drove through some tiny little towns in the middle of nowhere this week I thought about how our Heavenly Father knows and loves each person, no matter where they live or what they are going through. Its amazing to me how personal of a relationship each one of us can have with the same God that created us all. He love us all :)
Be happy and have a great week!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Lupinta's Revenge
Saturday July 11, 2015
Hello Family!
Today I am writing from a city called Uruapan. Its in the state of Michocán and it is so beautiful! Its very green and rains like washington. We were in morelia wednesday, thursday, and part of yesterday. In a few hours we are headed to Lazaro Cardenas and Zihuatanejo. We will be there sunday and monday and make the trip back to Guadalajara on tuesday. Its been a lot of fun to be with President and Sister Egginton. They kept complaining that we never to them out to real mexican food so while we were in Morelia we took them to Lupita´s. That did them in. They absolutely loved it but the next morning they both woke up pretty sick. We all got Lupita´s revenge pretty bad. haha.
Transfers went well last weekend. We sent off 21 and got 10 new missionaries. All of the new missionaries are Spanish speakers! We have been getting very few american missionaries in our mission lately.
The sister missionaries in our ward picked up where we left off with the Murillo family. If everything goes well their baptism will be next Saturday! :)
Sister Egginton runs a facebook page for our mission and posts a bunch of photos if you would like to see what´s going on here. She is a lot better about remembering to take photos than I am. The facebook page is called 2015-2018 Mision Mexico Guadalajara Este.
Everything is going great. I love being a missionary.
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Hello Family!
Today I am writing from a city called Uruapan. Its in the state of Michocán and it is so beautiful! Its very green and rains like washington. We were in morelia wednesday, thursday, and part of yesterday. In a few hours we are headed to Lazaro Cardenas and Zihuatanejo. We will be there sunday and monday and make the trip back to Guadalajara on tuesday. Its been a lot of fun to be with President and Sister Egginton. They kept complaining that we never to them out to real mexican food so while we were in Morelia we took them to Lupita´s. That did them in. They absolutely loved it but the next morning they both woke up pretty sick. We all got Lupita´s revenge pretty bad. haha.
Transfers went well last weekend. We sent off 21 and got 10 new missionaries. All of the new missionaries are Spanish speakers! We have been getting very few american missionaries in our mission lately.
The sister missionaries in our ward picked up where we left off with the Murillo family. If everything goes well their baptism will be next Saturday! :)
Sister Egginton runs a facebook page for our mission and posts a bunch of photos if you would like to see what´s going on here. She is a lot better about remembering to take photos than I am. The facebook page is called 2015-2018 Mision Mexico Guadalajara Este.
Everything is going great. I love being a missionary.
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
God's Army
Saturday July 4, 2015
Hello Family!
Things are going great here! President and Sister Egginton are moved in and have thrown themselves right into the fire. This week has been very busy and a ton of fun. We have been showing President and Sister Egginton around and taking them to some of the zones to meet missionaries and planning a bunch and just staying really busy. I hope they are still up to this whole mission thing after these next few weeks! This weekend is transfers so it´s super hectic with missionaries going home and new missionaries getting here and starting this Tuesday we are going to travel to all the zones in Michocán for interviews. It will be a week long trip!
President Egginton served his mission in Uruguay so he knows some Spanish and it´s starting to come back to him. He speaks spanglish better than about anyone I have ever met. He is super funny and he came to work! He wears short sleeve dress shirts and is planning to come proselyting with us once all the interviews are done. His wife is so sweet. She speaks zero Spanish but is trying to learn so hard! She wrote out her testimony in Spanish and every time she reads it the spirit is so strong. They are hilarious together. President tells the jokes, Sister Egginton laughs at them and we all have a good time. They are always full of lots of tears during meetings but are so in tune with the spirit. They treat us like their kids and every time they drop us off somewhere they tell us that they love us. They are dying to try some authentic Mexican food but for whatever reason we have only made it to Chilis and Chinese food. haha.
I am loving serving with them. I know that they have been called by a prophet of God just as we have and that we are doing the Lord´s work. President Egginton says that he retired from the US army but he will never ever retire from the Lord´s army. I loved that!! General Egginton is in the real war now! :)
Have a great week everyone!
Elder Del Toro
Hello Family!
Things are going great here! President and Sister Egginton are moved in and have thrown themselves right into the fire. This week has been very busy and a ton of fun. We have been showing President and Sister Egginton around and taking them to some of the zones to meet missionaries and planning a bunch and just staying really busy. I hope they are still up to this whole mission thing after these next few weeks! This weekend is transfers so it´s super hectic with missionaries going home and new missionaries getting here and starting this Tuesday we are going to travel to all the zones in Michocán for interviews. It will be a week long trip!
President Egginton served his mission in Uruguay so he knows some Spanish and it´s starting to come back to him. He speaks spanglish better than about anyone I have ever met. He is super funny and he came to work! He wears short sleeve dress shirts and is planning to come proselyting with us once all the interviews are done. His wife is so sweet. She speaks zero Spanish but is trying to learn so hard! She wrote out her testimony in Spanish and every time she reads it the spirit is so strong. They are hilarious together. President tells the jokes, Sister Egginton laughs at them and we all have a good time. They are always full of lots of tears during meetings but are so in tune with the spirit. They treat us like their kids and every time they drop us off somewhere they tell us that they love us. They are dying to try some authentic Mexican food but for whatever reason we have only made it to Chilis and Chinese food. haha.
I am loving serving with them. I know that they have been called by a prophet of God just as we have and that we are doing the Lord´s work. President Egginton says that he retired from the US army but he will never ever retire from the Lord´s army. I loved that!! General Egginton is in the real war now! :)
Have a great week everyone!
Elder Del Toro
A God of Miracles
Saturday June 27, 2015
Hola Familia,
Another week in the books! Time really is flying by..
It seems like things are all ready for the transition of mission presidents this week. This week has been filled with a lot of prep work but we have also been able to help our investigators progress toward their baptisms. The Murillo family is doing awesome. Sandra and Fatima LOVE the primary. They also LOVE my magic tricks :) I don't think I have mentioned it before but I've turned into quite the magician. I'm not going to lie, my magic tricks are pretty sweet. Sandra and Fatima`s parents, Jaime and Araceli, are also doing great. Jaime has a lot of health problems so we went to pick them up with members the first two times they came to church but then they told us that they wanted to make the sacrifice and come alone. Even though they are passing through tough times as far as money goes, they took two busses and showed up to stake conference last week early in the morning. They are reading the Book of Mormon every day as a family and are experimenting an awesome conversion.
Francisco and his son Javier are also loving the church. Every time we read the Book of Mormon with Francisco he is absolutely shocked by the stories and says he knows that the book is true like a million times.
Alejandra and her two sons Noel and Nicolas are new investigators that we found last week. Alejandra is a single mom that has been going through a lot of trials lately and when we talked to her in the street about our message she immediately wanted to know more. And that`s what its like every time we visit her and her family. She has a ton of questions every time we visit and just wants to know everything already. She quit her job after the second visit because we taught her about the Sabbath Day.
We have a God of miracles! He is guiding us to His children that are ready to accept the restored gospel. I am so thankful for this opportunity to share the gospel with these people of Mexico :)
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Hola Familia,
Another week in the books! Time really is flying by..
It seems like things are all ready for the transition of mission presidents this week. This week has been filled with a lot of prep work but we have also been able to help our investigators progress toward their baptisms. The Murillo family is doing awesome. Sandra and Fatima LOVE the primary. They also LOVE my magic tricks :) I don't think I have mentioned it before but I've turned into quite the magician. I'm not going to lie, my magic tricks are pretty sweet. Sandra and Fatima`s parents, Jaime and Araceli, are also doing great. Jaime has a lot of health problems so we went to pick them up with members the first two times they came to church but then they told us that they wanted to make the sacrifice and come alone. Even though they are passing through tough times as far as money goes, they took two busses and showed up to stake conference last week early in the morning. They are reading the Book of Mormon every day as a family and are experimenting an awesome conversion.
Francisco and his son Javier are also loving the church. Every time we read the Book of Mormon with Francisco he is absolutely shocked by the stories and says he knows that the book is true like a million times.
Alejandra and her two sons Noel and Nicolas are new investigators that we found last week. Alejandra is a single mom that has been going through a lot of trials lately and when we talked to her in the street about our message she immediately wanted to know more. And that`s what its like every time we visit her and her family. She has a ton of questions every time we visit and just wants to know everything already. She quit her job after the second visit because we taught her about the Sabbath Day.
We have a God of miracles! He is guiding us to His children that are ready to accept the restored gospel. I am so thankful for this opportunity to share the gospel with these people of Mexico :)
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
After our last zone conference with President and Sister Camarillo
Loving the rain!
Ready to wrestle!!
The last zone conference with President and Sister Camarillo
The Last Supper
Saturday June 20, 2015
Hello family!
This week was great! We are starting to get some nice rain storms! These next few months here in Guadalajara usually are full of rain. We have been staying busy with the work and are now starting to really get ready for President Egginton to get her. He arrives next monday (June 19). Its hard to believe! President Camarillo invited us over today to his house and surprised us with a BBQ! It was the last supper with President Camarillo. It was a lot of fun. Elder Raya and I were also his grill assistants. He even let us flip a couple of steaks while he was on the phone ;) haha.
The Murillo family is doing great!! They came to church again last week and the whole ward is super excited to have another strong family. Francisco and his son Javier also came to the church and loved it. Francisco even talked his wife into coming to stake conference tomorrow so we are excited about that too. We are hoping that July will be a month full of baptisms!
Things are going great here in Guadalajara. Couldn`t be happier :)
Elder Del Toro
Hello family!
This week was great! We are starting to get some nice rain storms! These next few months here in Guadalajara usually are full of rain. We have been staying busy with the work and are now starting to really get ready for President Egginton to get her. He arrives next monday (June 19). Its hard to believe! President Camarillo invited us over today to his house and surprised us with a BBQ! It was the last supper with President Camarillo. It was a lot of fun. Elder Raya and I were also his grill assistants. He even let us flip a couple of steaks while he was on the phone ;) haha.
The Murillo family is doing great!! They came to church again last week and the whole ward is super excited to have another strong family. Francisco and his son Javier also came to the church and loved it. Francisco even talked his wife into coming to stake conference tomorrow so we are excited about that too. We are hoping that July will be a month full of baptisms!
Things are going great here in Guadalajara. Couldn`t be happier :)
Elder Del Toro
Monday, July 6, 2015
Funny Accents
Saturday June 13, 2015
Hey there!
This week was an awesome week. I think it was one of the most successful weeks of my mission. We have been able to find a ton of people to teach lately. We got another family from English classes too! Last Sunday the Murillo family came to church!! And so did another girl name Katia. The lady who was baptized a few weeks ago shared the gospel with Katia and she loved it and is preparing to be baptized in July.
This week has been super hot! I´ve been getting a nice tan lately. But it also rained super hard the other day and we got soaked.
I had a pretty funny experience this week. We went to a Chinese restaurant. But a real one with chop sticks and real Chinese chefs and everything. We started talking to the workers in their broken Spanish and one of them one of them told me I have a funny accent. I took that one to heart. Mostly because they speak Spanish so funny and the Chinese guy told me that I have a funny accent. Haha. It was sweet though, we taught them a lesson and it was such much different. They had only heard of God before so that was kind of hard, but we gave them a pamphlet and we are going to see if we can get them a Chinese Book of Mormon.
Im super excited to see my sister and her husband married! I told all of Mexico about it this week. They look great. I´m a proud brother. Congrats to the new Poulson family!
Have a great week this week everyone!
Elder Del Toro
Hey there!
This week was an awesome week. I think it was one of the most successful weeks of my mission. We have been able to find a ton of people to teach lately. We got another family from English classes too! Last Sunday the Murillo family came to church!! And so did another girl name Katia. The lady who was baptized a few weeks ago shared the gospel with Katia and she loved it and is preparing to be baptized in July.
This week has been super hot! I´ve been getting a nice tan lately. But it also rained super hard the other day and we got soaked.
I had a pretty funny experience this week. We went to a Chinese restaurant. But a real one with chop sticks and real Chinese chefs and everything. We started talking to the workers in their broken Spanish and one of them one of them told me I have a funny accent. I took that one to heart. Mostly because they speak Spanish so funny and the Chinese guy told me that I have a funny accent. Haha. It was sweet though, we taught them a lesson and it was such much different. They had only heard of God before so that was kind of hard, but we gave them a pamphlet and we are going to see if we can get them a Chinese Book of Mormon.
Im super excited to see my sister and her husband married! I told all of Mexico about it this week. They look great. I´m a proud brother. Congrats to the new Poulson family!
Have a great week this week everyone!
Elder Del Toro
Another one down
Hello Fam!!
Saturday June 6, 2015
Another great week!
This week we were pretty busy planning and organizing the leadership council that was on wednesday but we got it done and on thursday we finally worked in our area for the first time this week. We have had some great lessons this week. We found a sweet family the other day. They have some family members that are also members of the church here another stake in Guadalajara and they went to an activity a couple weeks, the missionaries contacted them, and we received their adress during the week and went and visited them. They have a son that is 20. Sounds like a future missionary to me!! :)
The other day Elder Raya and I were in the mission offices late at night and sent President and Sister Camarillo a selfy with a little thank you note because it was after their last leadership council. They really liked it!! Elder Raya`s mom said that they put it on facebook and tagged us. Their facebook is LuisLetyCamarillo. Momma, can you send them a friend request for me? thanks! They are in their last month in their calling!! Their are rumors that the first few meetings we have with President Egginton will be in English. The hispanics in the mission are practicing their english a bunch. It will be a very interesting transition.
Congratulations Jordan and Spencer!! Save me a piece of cake please! ;)
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Saturday June 6, 2015
Another great week!
This week we were pretty busy planning and organizing the leadership council that was on wednesday but we got it done and on thursday we finally worked in our area for the first time this week. We have had some great lessons this week. We found a sweet family the other day. They have some family members that are also members of the church here another stake in Guadalajara and they went to an activity a couple weeks, the missionaries contacted them, and we received their adress during the week and went and visited them. They have a son that is 20. Sounds like a future missionary to me!! :)
The other day Elder Raya and I were in the mission offices late at night and sent President and Sister Camarillo a selfy with a little thank you note because it was after their last leadership council. They really liked it!! Elder Raya`s mom said that they put it on facebook and tagged us. Their facebook is LuisLetyCamarillo. Momma, can you send them a friend request for me? thanks! They are in their last month in their calling!! Their are rumors that the first few meetings we have with President Egginton will be in English. The hispanics in the mission are practicing their english a bunch. It will be a very interesting transition.
Congratulations Jordan and Spencer!! Save me a piece of cake please! ;)
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Highlight Week
Saturday May 30, 2015
Hello Family,
This week was the best week of my mission. I am so grateful to be here and to have the opportunity to be serving.
We had our baptism last Saturday. There was a special musical number right before the baptism and almost everyone was crying. Andrea said that her baptismal service was the most spiritual experience of her life.
We said goodbye a great group of missionaries this week. Elder Bowen and Elder Ormeño were part of that group. Elder Ormeño`s dad pulled me aside before the left and just started to cry. He told me how grateful he was that his son had me as his companion because that was a tough time for Elder Ormeño and he was thinking about ending his mission early. Brother Ormeño told me that I will always be part of their family and then grabbed my face and gave me a kiss on the forehead. hahaha. He said that`s what he always does to his son.
We also had a lesson with a family that came to English classes. Its a single mom with three kids. The dad left a few months ago for problems with alcohol and it has been tough for them to get by. Hearing this message was exactly what they needed. The mom and her two oldest kids accepted a baptismal date in July. We are excited to continue to teach them.
The best part for last... This week we got to go to the temple!! About 5 months ago Elder Balbuena and I had a baptism of Karen and Moises Tovar who were the kids of a family that had been less active for about 10 years. The family has since been reactivated and was sealed in the temple yesterday. It was such a great experience.
I know that I am so blessed to be able to be a missionary. It is crazy to think I never would have had these amazing experiences if I would have ended with the other missionaries that I started with. I know that the Lord has many more experiences and plans for me these last few months of my mission. I know that God loves us and knows us perfectly. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and paid for our sins so we can live happy lives and return to Him one day.
Have a wonderful week!
Elder Del Toro
A missionary gave me this shirt!
Brother Ormeño, Elder Oremeño, and I
These are the guys I started the mission with
Andrea's Baptism
The Glory Days
Saturday May 23, 2015
Hello Family!
This week was another great week. I got to go back to my first area on divisions with some missionaries and I found one of my converts when we went to the church! His name is Cosme and he was baptized about a year and a half ago. I was super excited to see him. He is the ward secretary right now and since his baptism his brother and sister in law have been baptized. I was in that area (Prados Verdes) for two days this week and it was so fun to see a bunch of members from the ward and see that all is well. I felt like I was reliving the glory days.
Our English class went great this week!! We had more people come this time and some people came and left because there were no more chairs. Full house baby ;) We are thinking about having two different classes next week.. One for those who have been there and one for the new students. We are getting serious about it now. We are considering blocking off the street and having the other class outside in the street while the other one is inside the little place we are using as the classroom.
Andrea`s baptism is tonight at 7:00 PM. She is sooo excited. We are really excited for her too. We were also able to find a few sweet investigators this week.
Transfers are this week! Its going to be a really busy week with that going on and we are also going to help President Camarillo with a training in Guadalajara and one in Michoacàn this week. Its his last training!!
I'm very happy. It made my week seeing Cosme doing well. It made me feel like this is all worth it.
Have a great week!!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello Family!
This week was another great week. I got to go back to my first area on divisions with some missionaries and I found one of my converts when we went to the church! His name is Cosme and he was baptized about a year and a half ago. I was super excited to see him. He is the ward secretary right now and since his baptism his brother and sister in law have been baptized. I was in that area (Prados Verdes) for two days this week and it was so fun to see a bunch of members from the ward and see that all is well. I felt like I was reliving the glory days.
Our English class went great this week!! We had more people come this time and some people came and left because there were no more chairs. Full house baby ;) We are thinking about having two different classes next week.. One for those who have been there and one for the new students. We are getting serious about it now. We are considering blocking off the street and having the other class outside in the street while the other one is inside the little place we are using as the classroom.
Andrea`s baptism is tonight at 7:00 PM. She is sooo excited. We are really excited for her too. We were also able to find a few sweet investigators this week.
Transfers are this week! Its going to be a really busy week with that going on and we are also going to help President Camarillo with a training in Guadalajara and one in Michoacàn this week. Its his last training!!
I'm very happy. It made my week seeing Cosme doing well. It made me feel like this is all worth it.
Have a great week!!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Cosme and I in Prados Verdes
English Class!
Monday, May 18, 2015
Jolly good fellow
Saturday May 16, 2015
Hello family!!
This week was another good one. It seems like forever ago but I got to talk to my family! It was great to wish my momma a happy mothers day and everything and to get caught up on how everyone is doing. The best part was hearing them sing "jolly good fellow" again. I could really use that sometimes walking into the house tired at the end of the day. haha. Note to family, when I get home, wait until we get to the house to sing jolly good fellow.. It might look a little strange in the airport.
We had our first English class! We had 13 students. We were imagining like 100 but hey, you gotta start somewhere!! We are going to keep spreading the word and see if we can have more students this next week.
We had a sweet family home evening this week with Andrea and a family in our ward. They had a piano and a guitar so Elder Raya threw together a special number and it was sweet!! He played the guitar and I played the piano and we both sang and everyone loved it. Andrea is super excited for her baptism next Saturday.
Other than that we have been staying busy finding new people to teach and going on divisions and stuff. We have also been helping president out with transfers that are coming up next on May 25. Time is flying by!! Elder Bowen, my first companion finishes his mission this transfer! :P How scary! good thing I`ve still got a few more months left!! :)
All is well. Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Hello family!!
This week was another good one. It seems like forever ago but I got to talk to my family! It was great to wish my momma a happy mothers day and everything and to get caught up on how everyone is doing. The best part was hearing them sing "jolly good fellow" again. I could really use that sometimes walking into the house tired at the end of the day. haha. Note to family, when I get home, wait until we get to the house to sing jolly good fellow.. It might look a little strange in the airport.
We had our first English class! We had 13 students. We were imagining like 100 but hey, you gotta start somewhere!! We are going to keep spreading the word and see if we can have more students this next week.
We had a sweet family home evening this week with Andrea and a family in our ward. They had a piano and a guitar so Elder Raya threw together a special number and it was sweet!! He played the guitar and I played the piano and we both sang and everyone loved it. Andrea is super excited for her baptism next Saturday.
Other than that we have been staying busy finding new people to teach and going on divisions and stuff. We have also been helping president out with transfers that are coming up next on May 25. Time is flying by!! Elder Bowen, my first companion finishes his mission this transfer! :P How scary! good thing I`ve still got a few more months left!! :)
All is well. Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Pioneer Children
Saturday May 9, 2015
Hello Everyone!
This week was a week of straight WORK!! Our investigators haven`t been progressing and we felt that the Lord is preparing a lot of other people who are really willing to act to come to know this message is true. So we kept one of our investigators and started from scratch. We have been walking all over our area talking with everything that moves to find new investigators who want to change their lives. Its been tough!! We have had very few lessons but we have been seeing miracles of how the Lord puts the people He is preparing in our path. My collars are nasty when we get home at night from sweat but it feels great to be completely drained of energy. This week I felt like one of the pioneer children that walked and walked and walked and walked. haha. I know we dont have it as tough as the pioneer children but it sure is a lot of walking that we are doing.
I love this work. I know this is Christ`s church. I`ve never been so happy in my life. I never thought that walking under the son all day would bring me such joy. But it`s all because Ive got the name Jesus Christ on my nametag underneath Elder Del Toro and I am preaching His gospel. There`s nothing like it!
Have a great week!! Happy Mother`s day!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello Everyone!
This week was a week of straight WORK!! Our investigators haven`t been progressing and we felt that the Lord is preparing a lot of other people who are really willing to act to come to know this message is true. So we kept one of our investigators and started from scratch. We have been walking all over our area talking with everything that moves to find new investigators who want to change their lives. Its been tough!! We have had very few lessons but we have been seeing miracles of how the Lord puts the people He is preparing in our path. My collars are nasty when we get home at night from sweat but it feels great to be completely drained of energy. This week I felt like one of the pioneer children that walked and walked and walked and walked. haha. I know we dont have it as tough as the pioneer children but it sure is a lot of walking that we are doing.
I love this work. I know this is Christ`s church. I`ve never been so happy in my life. I never thought that walking under the son all day would bring me such joy. But it`s all because Ive got the name Jesus Christ on my nametag underneath Elder Del Toro and I am preaching His gospel. There`s nothing like it!
Have a great week!! Happy Mother`s day!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Good lookin Brother Joseph
Saturday May 2, 2015
Hello everyone!
Another good one! We were pretty busy this week planning and having the leadership counsel. It`s nice to have that over with for the month.. We have that meeting every month with all the zone leaders and sister training leaders. President and Sister Camarillo only have one left and then the next one will be with President and Sister Egginton. They get here in less than two months! :P
This week we didnt have much time to work in our area. A total of 4 hours! But we`ll have a couple hours tonight to work and tomorrow after church. Our investigators are doing great. Andrea is one of our investigators that we found a few weeks ago and she is planning on being baptized during this month. She is 36 years old and has a bunch of sisters and one brother and they all live in their mom`s house. We taught them the message of the restoration and gave them a pamphlet that has Joseph Smith`s testimony in it and one of the sisters said "Wow, this prophet is one good looking guy!" hahaha and then the mom that is kind of older looked at the photo of Joseph Smith and then looked at me and said "seriously?? that`s really you brother Del Toro?!" oh my gosh we all burst out laughing. They are a sweet family and they always feed us dinner every time we visit them.
Elder Raya and I are doing great. Our favorite preparation day activity has turned into going to the farmers market to buy food for the week. We are gettin good at bargaining for fruits and vegtables!!
Have a great week!!
Elder Del Toro
Hello everyone!
Another good one! We were pretty busy this week planning and having the leadership counsel. It`s nice to have that over with for the month.. We have that meeting every month with all the zone leaders and sister training leaders. President and Sister Camarillo only have one left and then the next one will be with President and Sister Egginton. They get here in less than two months! :P
This week we didnt have much time to work in our area. A total of 4 hours! But we`ll have a couple hours tonight to work and tomorrow after church. Our investigators are doing great. Andrea is one of our investigators that we found a few weeks ago and she is planning on being baptized during this month. She is 36 years old and has a bunch of sisters and one brother and they all live in their mom`s house. We taught them the message of the restoration and gave them a pamphlet that has Joseph Smith`s testimony in it and one of the sisters said "Wow, this prophet is one good looking guy!" hahaha and then the mom that is kind of older looked at the photo of Joseph Smith and then looked at me and said "seriously?? that`s really you brother Del Toro?!" oh my gosh we all burst out laughing. They are a sweet family and they always feed us dinner every time we visit them.
Elder Raya and I are doing great. Our favorite preparation day activity has turned into going to the farmers market to buy food for the week. We are gettin good at bargaining for fruits and vegtables!!
Have a great week!!
Elder Del Toro
Shrimp Tostadas
Saturday April 25, 2015
Hey Everyone!!
This week was another busy week. The baptism went great last week! There were a lot of people who came to support brother Cortez. We had to have the baptismal service in the chapel and then walk into the room where the baptismal font is for the ordinance because there wasnt enough room to have it there. Brother Cortes seems happy.
Elder Raya and I are having a blast. We are working great together and are really good friends. This week was super tough, we had 3 mornings that we had to wake up at 2:30am but we are ending the week right. We went to play pool with a couple members in our ward for our preparation day today we ate with one of our investigators. His name is Fernando, he is 22, he makes some mean shrimp tostadas, and he is soon to be a mormon :) He told us that they were super spicy and I kind of let my pride get in the way and told him I could eat more chili than him. I did eat more chili than him but it feels like I have a fire burning in my stomach right now. I think Fernando is going to have the last laugh.
I`m loving my mission. Its difinitely the best two years for my life. Thanks for all the support!
Elder Del Toro
Hey Everyone!!
This week was another busy week. The baptism went great last week! There were a lot of people who came to support brother Cortez. We had to have the baptismal service in the chapel and then walk into the room where the baptismal font is for the ordinance because there wasnt enough room to have it there. Brother Cortes seems happy.
Elder Raya and I are having a blast. We are working great together and are really good friends. This week was super tough, we had 3 mornings that we had to wake up at 2:30am but we are ending the week right. We went to play pool with a couple members in our ward for our preparation day today we ate with one of our investigators. His name is Fernando, he is 22, he makes some mean shrimp tostadas, and he is soon to be a mormon :) He told us that they were super spicy and I kind of let my pride get in the way and told him I could eat more chili than him. I did eat more chili than him but it feels like I have a fire burning in my stomach right now. I think Fernando is going to have the last laugh.
I`m loving my mission. Its difinitely the best two years for my life. Thanks for all the support!
Elder Del Toro
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Hello Elder Potter!!
April 18, 2015
Hello family! This week was a great week. We picked up the new missionaries and got them all sent off to their new areas, went on divisions with the zone leaders in Morelia for a couple days, and found quite a few people to teach! AND on top of all that, we have a baptism tonight. Not a bad week!
So I always love going to pick up the new missionaries when they get here. Its always pretty exciting and its kind of cool to be the first impression that they have of the mission. This time I felt like a rock star. There was one Elder in particular who looked like he had just won the lottery when he walked through the airport doors. His name is Elder Potter. He walked right past President Camarillo and with a big ol smile on his face handed me an envelope and a wadded up t-shirt and said "wow, you look just like your brother" hahahaha. There were a few other missionaries that arrived that also told me that I looked just like my brother. Elder Potter was in the missionary training center with Ethan and Ethie sent me a little note in spanish with a sweet t-shirt from the MTC with Elder Potter. I forgot to take a picture of it but I´ll try to remember this week. Elder Potter got a great trainer. My last companion, Elder Balbuena, will be training Elder Potter for the last three months of his mission.
Our baptism tonight is for Luiz Cortez. He has been investigating the church for about the last 20 years. His wife served a mission and their son is currently serving a mission and finally last week Brother Cortez decided to be baptized. We are thinking there are going to be a lot of people in the baptismal service because nobody is going to believe it unless they see it. We are really excited for the Cortez family. Their son gets home from his mission in a year and they are planning on getting sealed as a family a year from now.
My mom would be so proud of me today. We went shopping in the market today and I got some sweet prices with my bargaining skills I have developed. I bought 6 pounds of oatmeal, 6 pounds of bananas, 4 pounds of papaya, a cantaloupe, a pineapple, a half pound of raisins, a pound of cereal, a pound of strawberries, 2 liters of milk, and a pound of cucumbers all for less than twenty dollars. My arms just about fell off carrying it back to the house but I am very content with my purchases :)
Have a great week, everybody!
Elder Del Toro
Hello family! This week was a great week. We picked up the new missionaries and got them all sent off to their new areas, went on divisions with the zone leaders in Morelia for a couple days, and found quite a few people to teach! AND on top of all that, we have a baptism tonight. Not a bad week!
So I always love going to pick up the new missionaries when they get here. Its always pretty exciting and its kind of cool to be the first impression that they have of the mission. This time I felt like a rock star. There was one Elder in particular who looked like he had just won the lottery when he walked through the airport doors. His name is Elder Potter. He walked right past President Camarillo and with a big ol smile on his face handed me an envelope and a wadded up t-shirt and said "wow, you look just like your brother" hahahaha. There were a few other missionaries that arrived that also told me that I looked just like my brother. Elder Potter was in the missionary training center with Ethan and Ethie sent me a little note in spanish with a sweet t-shirt from the MTC with Elder Potter. I forgot to take a picture of it but I´ll try to remember this week. Elder Potter got a great trainer. My last companion, Elder Balbuena, will be training Elder Potter for the last three months of his mission.
Our baptism tonight is for Luiz Cortez. He has been investigating the church for about the last 20 years. His wife served a mission and their son is currently serving a mission and finally last week Brother Cortez decided to be baptized. We are thinking there are going to be a lot of people in the baptismal service because nobody is going to believe it unless they see it. We are really excited for the Cortez family. Their son gets home from his mission in a year and they are planning on getting sealed as a family a year from now.
My mom would be so proud of me today. We went shopping in the market today and I got some sweet prices with my bargaining skills I have developed. I bought 6 pounds of oatmeal, 6 pounds of bananas, 4 pounds of papaya, a cantaloupe, a pineapple, a half pound of raisins, a pound of cereal, a pound of strawberries, 2 liters of milk, and a pound of cucumbers all for less than twenty dollars. My arms just about fell off carrying it back to the house but I am very content with my purchases :)
Have a great week, everybody!
Elder Del Toro
Locked out Abroad
April 11, 2015
Yoohoo! Hello family :)
Another week in the books. This week was a pretty crazy week, we were all over the mission, but it was a lot of fun. We worked with three diferent companionships of zone leaders this week. I worked with Elder Mar, Elder Berret, and Elder Hogge. We were here in Guadalajara, Morelia, and Zamora.
When we go on divisions with other Elders one of us usually stays in the area with one missionary and the other goes and works in the area of the other. I was in Morelia on thursday and we met up on friday morning in a city between Morelia and Guadalajara to meet up with another companionship to work with and so I came back to Guadalajara and when we got into the city I realized that my companion had the keys to our house!! So we just decided to tough it out without soare clothes or anything. We ate china food and had a sweet day of work and then went and stayed with some other missionaries at night but they were also in divisions and didnt have a phone so we kind of got lost. We eventually found it though. This week was full of a lot of days waking up at 3:30am. We were able to find some sweet investigators this week though so everything was all worth it. We are back now and ready for the new transfer that starts on monday. My new companion will be Elder Raya (who was my last companion in Lazaro Cardenas). He will get here tomorrow and tomorrow and monday will send off the missionaries who are ending their missions and pick up the new missionaries at the airport. I`m loving the mission!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Yoohoo! Hello family :)
Another week in the books. This week was a pretty crazy week, we were all over the mission, but it was a lot of fun. We worked with three diferent companionships of zone leaders this week. I worked with Elder Mar, Elder Berret, and Elder Hogge. We were here in Guadalajara, Morelia, and Zamora.
When we go on divisions with other Elders one of us usually stays in the area with one missionary and the other goes and works in the area of the other. I was in Morelia on thursday and we met up on friday morning in a city between Morelia and Guadalajara to meet up with another companionship to work with and so I came back to Guadalajara and when we got into the city I realized that my companion had the keys to our house!! So we just decided to tough it out without soare clothes or anything. We ate china food and had a sweet day of work and then went and stayed with some other missionaries at night but they were also in divisions and didnt have a phone so we kind of got lost. We eventually found it though. This week was full of a lot of days waking up at 3:30am. We were able to find some sweet investigators this week though so everything was all worth it. We are back now and ready for the new transfer that starts on monday. My new companion will be Elder Raya (who was my last companion in Lazaro Cardenas). He will get here tomorrow and tomorrow and monday will send off the missionaries who are ending their missions and pick up the new missionaries at the airport. I`m loving the mission!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Monday, April 6, 2015
Cinnamon Roll Sunday
April 6, 2015
Hello family!!
This week was a good one. I don't know how it could be a bad one after hearing 10 hours of general conference! I loved the talks that were given. I don't think I could say that I had a favorite talk but I loved that so many talks were about the family. In a world where the standards and ideals of the family are being lost, it is so important for the world to hear how our Heavenly Father wants the family to be like. Something that I also loved was when one of the speakers said that the Church of Jesus Christ has never been so strong. Man, that runs shivers down my back!! I'm so glad to be apart of bringing the gospel to all nations.
This week we stayed pretty busy. We had a leadership council meeting in Morelia this week so that was fun to see the city where I started my mission. We even drove through my old area and passed by the church. I was amazed how well I still knew the streets! I think after walking them every day for 6 months Ill never be able to forget them. I hope its like that for my whole mission.
On the way back from Morelia the bus stopped and we bought some corn. We were three very happy Americans. It reminded me of when Nacho says, "Get that corn outta my face!!". The corn was to die for.
On Sunday after the first session we went to eat with a family and the mom had made cinnamon rolls!! It made my day. But like Ethie, it made me miss my mommy!! The picture is of the Fonseca family. She is from Washington and he is from Africa. Their kids speak English, Spanish, and Portugues. It is so fun to visit them!
I hope all is well back in the states!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello family!!
This week was a good one. I don't know how it could be a bad one after hearing 10 hours of general conference! I loved the talks that were given. I don't think I could say that I had a favorite talk but I loved that so many talks were about the family. In a world where the standards and ideals of the family are being lost, it is so important for the world to hear how our Heavenly Father wants the family to be like. Something that I also loved was when one of the speakers said that the Church of Jesus Christ has never been so strong. Man, that runs shivers down my back!! I'm so glad to be apart of bringing the gospel to all nations.
This week we stayed pretty busy. We had a leadership council meeting in Morelia this week so that was fun to see the city where I started my mission. We even drove through my old area and passed by the church. I was amazed how well I still knew the streets! I think after walking them every day for 6 months Ill never be able to forget them. I hope its like that for my whole mission.
On the way back from Morelia the bus stopped and we bought some corn. We were three very happy Americans. It reminded me of when Nacho says, "Get that corn outta my face!!". The corn was to die for.
On Sunday after the first session we went to eat with a family and the mom had made cinnamon rolls!! It made my day. But like Ethie, it made me miss my mommy!! The picture is of the Fonseca family. She is from Washington and he is from Africa. Their kids speak English, Spanish, and Portugues. It is so fun to visit them!
I hope all is well back in the states!
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Chapala "Riconcito de Amor"
March 28, 2015
Hola mis queridos :)
This week went great. Last Saturday we showed up to the baptism a little bit late but we did get to see the ordinance and got to share their food with them afterwords ;) The kid who got baptized is in the blue. His name is Jesus. It was so much fun to get to see the Gutierrez family again!
This week we stayed busy with exchanges with some zone leaders. I went to work with Elder Hernandez in the city of Chapala. Its beautiful there. It is a very popular place for Americans to retire. Their ward is about half Americans and half Mexicans. We went for a run in the morning to the lake before studies. I think I`m going to try to talk grandma Allen into retiring there so I can go visit after the mission!! :)
I also went on exchanges with Elder Creason. We had some sweet lessons and the best part is that he is a harmonica player too!! We played some sweet harmonica duets.
The work is going alright here in our area. Monserrat is still pretty unsure about being baptized so we are going to give her some space and wait until she tells us she is ready. The five people we found have kind of lost their excitement and aren't progressing but we found a few more people to teach this week and we just keep on a workin' our little hearts out. I keep losing weight! I`m down to 178 pounds. Looks like I`ll be either a 165 pounder or 174 pounder after the mission!!
The mission is great :) I`m loving it.
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Hola mis queridos :)
This week went great. Last Saturday we showed up to the baptism a little bit late but we did get to see the ordinance and got to share their food with them afterwords ;) The kid who got baptized is in the blue. His name is Jesus. It was so much fun to get to see the Gutierrez family again!
This week we stayed busy with exchanges with some zone leaders. I went to work with Elder Hernandez in the city of Chapala. Its beautiful there. It is a very popular place for Americans to retire. Their ward is about half Americans and half Mexicans. We went for a run in the morning to the lake before studies. I think I`m going to try to talk grandma Allen into retiring there so I can go visit after the mission!! :)
I also went on exchanges with Elder Creason. We had some sweet lessons and the best part is that he is a harmonica player too!! We played some sweet harmonica duets.
The work is going alright here in our area. Monserrat is still pretty unsure about being baptized so we are going to give her some space and wait until she tells us she is ready. The five people we found have kind of lost their excitement and aren't progressing but we found a few more people to teach this week and we just keep on a workin' our little hearts out. I keep losing weight! I`m down to 178 pounds. Looks like I`ll be either a 165 pounder or 174 pounder after the mission!!
The mission is great :) I`m loving it.
Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
a little sicky
March 21, 2015
Hello amigos and familia :)
This week flew by. We got back from Michoacán last night from the zone conferences and it sure is a relief to have those over with. I got a little sick earlier this week :P we ate same chicken in Lazaro Cardenas on our way to Uruapan and that night I felt sick and in the morning I felt a little worse and during the conference President Camarillo told me I looked miserable and then about half way through while I was writing on the white board while my companion was talking I just ran out of the room and barely made it to the sink before I threw up. A couple of Elders came in and rubbed my back while I threw up some more and then I walked out and kept on writing on the white board :)
Monse is still preparing for her baptism. She is doing good. The Elders from one of my old areas here in Guadalajara called me earlier this week and said that one of the sons of a lady I taught is getting baptized today and he had asked if I could come back to baptize him. Elder Gonzalez (who was my second companion) is there in that area right now. I said I wasnt going to be able to make it but we are going to show up there tonight for the baptism for a surprise!
I finished reading the Book of Mormon again this week. BEST BOOK EVER!!! It strengthened my testimony that this is Christ´s church. I know without any doubt that He has restored His Gospel in its fulness and that this is His work. I love preaching this Gospel. Its the best.
Love you all!! Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Hello amigos and familia :)
This week flew by. We got back from Michoacán last night from the zone conferences and it sure is a relief to have those over with. I got a little sick earlier this week :P we ate same chicken in Lazaro Cardenas on our way to Uruapan and that night I felt sick and in the morning I felt a little worse and during the conference President Camarillo told me I looked miserable and then about half way through while I was writing on the white board while my companion was talking I just ran out of the room and barely made it to the sink before I threw up. A couple of Elders came in and rubbed my back while I threw up some more and then I walked out and kept on writing on the white board :)
Monse is still preparing for her baptism. She is doing good. The Elders from one of my old areas here in Guadalajara called me earlier this week and said that one of the sons of a lady I taught is getting baptized today and he had asked if I could come back to baptize him. Elder Gonzalez (who was my second companion) is there in that area right now. I said I wasnt going to be able to make it but we are going to show up there tonight for the baptism for a surprise!
I finished reading the Book of Mormon again this week. BEST BOOK EVER!!! It strengthened my testimony that this is Christ´s church. I know without any doubt that He has restored His Gospel in its fulness and that this is His work. I love preaching this Gospel. Its the best.
Love you all!! Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Saturday, March 21, 2015
BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!
March 14, 2015
Hello Everyone!
This week went great! Last Saturday was crazy busy but we ended the day with Rosa`s baptism. It was a great baptismal service and she has been super excited to share the gospel with all of her friends. Her daughter, Monserat is planning on being baptized next Saturday.
We finished up the zone conferences here in Guadalajara and on Monday we will be headed to Lazaro Cardenas to start the zone conferences in Michoacàn.
We had a sweet lesson the other day. We went to visit a lady we had talked to earlier in the week and when we got there there were 7 other people visiting her and they were all religious so we were excited to share a message. We taught the message of the restoration and WOW it was a very powerful lesson. After the lesson we were saying that we felt like some of the first missionaries of the church gathering a bunch of people in a house and testifying with such power. There was a point in the lesson when it was dead silent and I swear their jaws were to the floor and we were borderline yelling "BROTHERS AND SISTERS... THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE WORD OF GOD!!" It was one of my favorite lessons l have taught in my mission. At the end of the lesson there were only five of them but they all accepted to be baptized.
In two of the zone conferences this week we had visiting with us the director of the MTC in Mexico City. He was soo excited when I told him my brother was there. I wrote Elder Del Toro a little note and sent it with the director and he said he would find Ethan and give it to him.
Love you all!! Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Hello Everyone!
This week went great! Last Saturday was crazy busy but we ended the day with Rosa`s baptism. It was a great baptismal service and she has been super excited to share the gospel with all of her friends. Her daughter, Monserat is planning on being baptized next Saturday.
We finished up the zone conferences here in Guadalajara and on Monday we will be headed to Lazaro Cardenas to start the zone conferences in Michoacàn.
We had a sweet lesson the other day. We went to visit a lady we had talked to earlier in the week and when we got there there were 7 other people visiting her and they were all religious so we were excited to share a message. We taught the message of the restoration and WOW it was a very powerful lesson. After the lesson we were saying that we felt like some of the first missionaries of the church gathering a bunch of people in a house and testifying with such power. There was a point in the lesson when it was dead silent and I swear their jaws were to the floor and we were borderline yelling "BROTHERS AND SISTERS... THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE WORD OF GOD!!" It was one of my favorite lessons l have taught in my mission. At the end of the lesson there were only five of them but they all accepted to be baptized.
In two of the zone conferences this week we had visiting with us the director of the MTC in Mexico City. He was soo excited when I told him my brother was there. I wrote Elder Del Toro a little note and sent it with the director and he said he would find Ethan and give it to him.
Love you all!! Have a great week!
Elder Del Toro
Double Del Toro
March 7, 2015
Hello Friends and Family!!
I´m still alive, working hard, and having the best time of my life. We have a baptism in an hour! Rosa Arellano is being baptized and hopefully her daughter Monserat the next week. Zone conferences start here in Guadalajara next week and the week after in Michoacán. You can definitely tell the difference here in Mexico now that there are two Del Toro boys doing the work of the Lord ;)
Have a great week!! Love you all!
Elder Del Toro (The Older)
Hello Friends and Family!!
I´m still alive, working hard, and having the best time of my life. We have a baptism in an hour! Rosa Arellano is being baptized and hopefully her daughter Monserat the next week. Zone conferences start here in Guadalajara next week and the week after in Michoacán. You can definitely tell the difference here in Mexico now that there are two Del Toro boys doing the work of the Lord ;)
Have a great week!! Love you all!
Elder Del Toro (The Older)
Face Plant
February 28, 2015
Hello friends and family!
What a busy couple of weeks!! Last week on our preparation day President Camarillo sent us a text at 6:30am that said he was going to Morelia and that he would pick us up in an our. So we hurried and got ready and headed to Morelia for the day. We went to show the movie "Meet the Mormons" with all of the missionaries of Morelia and then got back to Guadalajara late at night. We planned on writing on monday but a ton of stuff came up this week and didnt have to chance to write home. But everything is ok, Mom :)
I loved the movie "meet the mormons". Its showing in movie theaters here in Guadalajara and in Morelia this week. We have had a lot of meetings and have been doing divisions with a lot of zone leaders.
Today we went mountain-biking!! There is a brother in our ward who really likes mountain biking and when I told him I like it too he invited us. My companion said he had ridden a bike before so we took him up on the offer. When Elder Balbuena said he had ridden a bike before I think he meant he had ridden a bike once in his life. We got up there and had no idea how to work the gears. He couldn´t get up the little hill to get out of the parking lot either. I dont know why we thought it was a good idea but we said he would learn along the way. A little while into the trip he got going down a hill and fell of his bike, face planting into the ground. It looked aweful. The first thing that went through my mind was that President was going to kill me. haha. But we brushed him off luckily there are no scrapes. I think that will be the last bike trip we take.
We have got some great investigators right now. They have been having some tough family problems but the Arellano family is preparing to be baptized in a couple weeks.
Things are great! Im loving my mission.
Good luck to Ethan, who is starting his mission next week. I pulled up his mormon.org profile while we were in the mission offices this week and took a picture with him. Welcome to the war, Eth :)
Love you all!
Elder Del Toro
Hello friends and family!
What a busy couple of weeks!! Last week on our preparation day President Camarillo sent us a text at 6:30am that said he was going to Morelia and that he would pick us up in an our. So we hurried and got ready and headed to Morelia for the day. We went to show the movie "Meet the Mormons" with all of the missionaries of Morelia and then got back to Guadalajara late at night. We planned on writing on monday but a ton of stuff came up this week and didnt have to chance to write home. But everything is ok, Mom :)
I loved the movie "meet the mormons". Its showing in movie theaters here in Guadalajara and in Morelia this week. We have had a lot of meetings and have been doing divisions with a lot of zone leaders.
Today we went mountain-biking!! There is a brother in our ward who really likes mountain biking and when I told him I like it too he invited us. My companion said he had ridden a bike before so we took him up on the offer. When Elder Balbuena said he had ridden a bike before I think he meant he had ridden a bike once in his life. We got up there and had no idea how to work the gears. He couldn´t get up the little hill to get out of the parking lot either. I dont know why we thought it was a good idea but we said he would learn along the way. A little while into the trip he got going down a hill and fell of his bike, face planting into the ground. It looked aweful. The first thing that went through my mind was that President was going to kill me. haha. But we brushed him off luckily there are no scrapes. I think that will be the last bike trip we take.
We have got some great investigators right now. They have been having some tough family problems but the Arellano family is preparing to be baptized in a couple weeks.
Things are great! Im loving my mission.
Good luck to Ethan, who is starting his mission next week. I pulled up his mormon.org profile while we were in the mission offices this week and took a picture with him. Welcome to the war, Eth :)
Love you all!
Elder Del Toro
"That we should waste and wear out our lives"
February 14, 2015
Hello friends and family!!
I'm back in Guadalajara! And I am absolutely drained. It was one of the best weeks of my mission but also one of the hardest. Monday through Saturday we traveled and gave trainings, sat through a lot of meetings with President Camarillo, and worked with a lot of other missionaries. It was a blast. We took the bus ride home last night at 10:30pm and the bus broke down halfway to Guadalajara and they had to send another bus to take us the rest of the way. We got to our house at 9:00 this morning and layed down and woke up 5 hours later :P
Yesterday during the training in Lazaro Cardenas I was reading this scripture in Doctrine and Covenants and it made me think that I am exactly where I should be right now..
D&C 123
13 Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—
14 These should then be attended to with great earnestness.
I read it in spanish and the way it says "waste and wear out our lives" is just awesome. It made me think how tough the mission is sometimes but that is exactly the way it should be. Teaching the message of the restored gospel is the most important duty of this dispensation. I feel so blessed to be able spend every ounce of energy on bringing to light this message and I everyday I feel the confirmation that this really is Christ´s church.
Did I mention I love being a missionary? :)
Love you all!! And thanks for all your love and support.
Elder Del Toro
Hello friends and family!!
I'm back in Guadalajara! And I am absolutely drained. It was one of the best weeks of my mission but also one of the hardest. Monday through Saturday we traveled and gave trainings, sat through a lot of meetings with President Camarillo, and worked with a lot of other missionaries. It was a blast. We took the bus ride home last night at 10:30pm and the bus broke down halfway to Guadalajara and they had to send another bus to take us the rest of the way. We got to our house at 9:00 this morning and layed down and woke up 5 hours later :P
Yesterday during the training in Lazaro Cardenas I was reading this scripture in Doctrine and Covenants and it made me think that I am exactly where I should be right now..
D&C 123
13 Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—
14 These should then be attended to with great earnestness.
I read it in spanish and the way it says "waste and wear out our lives" is just awesome. It made me think how tough the mission is sometimes but that is exactly the way it should be. Teaching the message of the restored gospel is the most important duty of this dispensation. I feel so blessed to be able spend every ounce of energy on bringing to light this message and I everyday I feel the confirmation that this really is Christ´s church.
Did I mention I love being a missionary? :)
Love you all!! And thanks for all your love and support.
Elder Del Toro
Monday, February 9, 2015
Fire-hose Baptism
February 7, 2015
Hello everyone!!
I know i´m a little late, but that's too bad that the hawks lost.. I got a phone call last Sunday night from a member telling me that the Seahawks blew it. That´s all right though!
Today we moved! Our new house is a lot bigger, nicer, and its not pink like our last house :) haha. It was a lot of work cleaning the new house and moving everything but a member helped us and we have everything inside the house now and just need to clean the old one! It was kind of a tough day because while we in the new house, we left the washing machine running in the old house and the washing machines aren't really the same here and to make a long story short, when we got back to the old house it was flooded!! Thats alright though, we are going to go figure that our here in a little bit.
This week was pretty normal.. It was the calm before the storm I think because next week we will be traveling with the President to each of the zones in Michoacán for special trainings. There are 5 zones in Michoacan so Monday through Friday we will be over there helping with the trainings and working with the zone leaders in the afternoons.
Our investigators are great here. We have a family of four. Rosa is the mom, Monserat is the daughter who is 17, Luis is the son who is 13, and Paco is the youngest son who is 5. Rosa Monserat, and Luis are preparing to be baptized the 21st of this month. They go to all the church activities and Rosa read half the Book of Mormon in the past two weeks!
Elder Raya called me last weekend and told me Pedro got baptized!! It turns out my idea of leaving the water in the font wasn't such a bad one! there was no water in the church when they went to fill the font. Elder Raya said they didn't know what to do so they prayed and then walked outside and waved down a fire truck. They asked the firemen if they wouldn't mind filling up the font and they agreed! so they ran the hose through the church and filled up the baptismal font! Wish I could have been there to see it!
Well, my loved ones, I sure do love you. Hope you all have a great week!
Love Elder Del Toro
Hello everyone!!
I know i´m a little late, but that's too bad that the hawks lost.. I got a phone call last Sunday night from a member telling me that the Seahawks blew it. That´s all right though!
Today we moved! Our new house is a lot bigger, nicer, and its not pink like our last house :) haha. It was a lot of work cleaning the new house and moving everything but a member helped us and we have everything inside the house now and just need to clean the old one! It was kind of a tough day because while we in the new house, we left the washing machine running in the old house and the washing machines aren't really the same here and to make a long story short, when we got back to the old house it was flooded!! Thats alright though, we are going to go figure that our here in a little bit.
This week was pretty normal.. It was the calm before the storm I think because next week we will be traveling with the President to each of the zones in Michoacán for special trainings. There are 5 zones in Michoacan so Monday through Friday we will be over there helping with the trainings and working with the zone leaders in the afternoons.
Our investigators are great here. We have a family of four. Rosa is the mom, Monserat is the daughter who is 17, Luis is the son who is 13, and Paco is the youngest son who is 5. Rosa Monserat, and Luis are preparing to be baptized the 21st of this month. They go to all the church activities and Rosa read half the Book of Mormon in the past two weeks!
Elder Raya called me last weekend and told me Pedro got baptized!! It turns out my idea of leaving the water in the font wasn't such a bad one! there was no water in the church when they went to fill the font. Elder Raya said they didn't know what to do so they prayed and then walked outside and waved down a fire truck. They asked the firemen if they wouldn't mind filling up the font and they agreed! so they ran the hose through the church and filled up the baptismal font! Wish I could have been there to see it!
Well, my loved ones, I sure do love you. Hope you all have a great week!
Love Elder Del Toro
Seed Planting
January 31, 2015
Hello friends and family!! how is everyone doing??
This week was a great one. It started off last weekend with a baptism! Karen and Moises were baptized last weekend by their older brother and dad who were baptized 11 years ago but just recently returned to the church. Able (the older brother) is 25 years old and is working on his mission papers right now. He received his patriachal blessing this week and loves to come work with us. We are away from our area a lot but when we do work here in our area we see miracles happening all the time. I cant say I did much for Karen and Moises, they were already taught and ready for baptism, but what I did love hearing is that in my last area, Alicia was baptized last weekend, her husband Pedro is being baptized today, and Josefina is being baptized next weekend. I talked to Elder Raya and he said they decided not to leave the same water there for 3 weeks haha.
I have learned how important it is to plant seeds. These past few months have been so rewarding to hear how the people I have taught earlier in my mission have progressed. I received an email a few months ago from the Arredondo family saying that Paty is the relief society President and that her brother in law´s family of 5 were baptized. I also heard that Ramon is doing great in the church and is preparing to go to the temple. I heard that Brother Cruz is the young men´s president in his ward. And one of the biggest miracles I have seen is that a couple from the first ward I served in are now serving full time missions in this mission as secretaries. This couple was so stubborn!! I had to remind the husband the other day of when we visited them in their home and invited them to share the gospel with their friends. That day he said he would not do it and when we invited him to pray for the strength to do it he also refused. He and his wife now wear little black name tags that say "Elder Guillen" and "Hermana Guillen". Elder Guillen says that Elder Gonzalez and I are the reason he knew he needed to share the gospel and he repented and sent in his mission papers. We are in the mission offices at least once a week and I always have to give him a hard time about that. This gospel is amazing. It truly changes the lives of so many and has definitely changed mine. This is the most rewarding thing I have ever done. Seeing what the seeds we plant turn into makes me want to continue working hard every day because we never know what those people can become in the future.
Thank you all for the love and support.
Love,
Elder Del Toro
Hello friends and family!! how is everyone doing??
This week was a great one. It started off last weekend with a baptism! Karen and Moises were baptized last weekend by their older brother and dad who were baptized 11 years ago but just recently returned to the church. Able (the older brother) is 25 years old and is working on his mission papers right now. He received his patriachal blessing this week and loves to come work with us. We are away from our area a lot but when we do work here in our area we see miracles happening all the time. I cant say I did much for Karen and Moises, they were already taught and ready for baptism, but what I did love hearing is that in my last area, Alicia was baptized last weekend, her husband Pedro is being baptized today, and Josefina is being baptized next weekend. I talked to Elder Raya and he said they decided not to leave the same water there for 3 weeks haha.
I have learned how important it is to plant seeds. These past few months have been so rewarding to hear how the people I have taught earlier in my mission have progressed. I received an email a few months ago from the Arredondo family saying that Paty is the relief society President and that her brother in law´s family of 5 were baptized. I also heard that Ramon is doing great in the church and is preparing to go to the temple. I heard that Brother Cruz is the young men´s president in his ward. And one of the biggest miracles I have seen is that a couple from the first ward I served in are now serving full time missions in this mission as secretaries. This couple was so stubborn!! I had to remind the husband the other day of when we visited them in their home and invited them to share the gospel with their friends. That day he said he would not do it and when we invited him to pray for the strength to do it he also refused. He and his wife now wear little black name tags that say "Elder Guillen" and "Hermana Guillen". Elder Guillen says that Elder Gonzalez and I are the reason he knew he needed to share the gospel and he repented and sent in his mission papers. We are in the mission offices at least once a week and I always have to give him a hard time about that. This gospel is amazing. It truly changes the lives of so many and has definitely changed mine. This is the most rewarding thing I have ever done. Seeing what the seeds we plant turn into makes me want to continue working hard every day because we never know what those people can become in the future.
Thank you all for the love and support.
Love,
Elder Del Toro
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