Monday, April 28, 2014

I'm a Father!

What’s up Family! 

Wow, what a week these last two weeks have been. Mega Hectic.
With my old district leaving and a new one coming in there was lots of prep work, even more because two are newbie’s. 
That’s right everyone, I am a Father. 
I’m training a Chilean named Elder Rebolledo, he is from Santiago Chile and he knows the Wright’s, crazy huh?
We’ve been having a good time.
Elder Miranda was in the mission office and now after 6 long months he is ready to work. He is training an Argentine from Córdava. So far we’ve had a blast. It is always good when work becomes fun.
Our first appointment you could say was with a great investigator named Abner Ramirez, ha-ha, aka the member that helps us everyday. It was a very interesting lesson in which we asked him to pray and he spread out his arms and starting praying/singing/chanting. Ha-ha-ha-ha, oh my gosh I was dying. Then the new missionaries started the lesson and asked  him who did he live with. He said my wife, and my daughter. He then told them my wife’s not here right now cause she is still working in the family business. They then asked what is the family business thinking he would say baker, or some kind of store but instead he said, "oh we own a stripper bar on 7th street. My wife is making a trip to Medellín right now because we are in the process of changing the girls out." The poor new missionaries really had no idea what to do or say. So funny.

The mission in Cali Colombia is very different from any part of the world. President Prince told me that if you are going to serve here you are going to go home a marine. It’s true. 

The poor things were in shock. Elder Miranda and I were laughing so hard we were on the floor already knowing how Colombia is. We are going to train the best missionaries here. They are SUPER young, ha-ha, well the same age that I was when I got here but they look like they are deacons honestly, no more than 12. 

We did an experiment with the assistants of the mission and with President Prince. Jamundí was an area super low and has been that way for a little while. So we developed a plan. Bring two newbie’s in and tell them they are in the best area of the mission. When they arrived to the office Tuesday the assistants only talked about how awesome Jamundí is and how it is the best area in the mission. When they got here Elder Miranda and I continued with the same excitement and last week in 3 days we had the best week ever. 5 people getting ready to be baptized, a ton attending sacrament meeting and an infectious environment that even the members feel. 
This has made me think with what kind of attitude do wake up in the morning. Do we wake up with and attitude of I’m going to kill it today or I don't know how I’m going to make it through today.
Excitment in the sciptures is the same as cheer, think about the following scriptures:

D&C 123:17
17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. (Therefore, dearly beloved bretheren, lets do all things with excitement that lie in our power…)
Powerful right? Well here’s another

D&C 61:36
36 And now, verily I say unto you, and what I say unto one I say unto all, be of good cheer (BE EXCITED), little children; for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you;

 How bout that? Even better

2 Nephi 10:23
23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts (AND BE EXCITED), and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves – to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

I want to be more excited everyday.
I'm ready to rock it. 
The last written words I have from my father were: 
"BRING THE RAIN"
I now have his dog tags...
There’s no more time to sit still and wait for the excitement to magically appear. 
I have now brought the "rain" to Jamundí and I plan to keep it coming!

In the name of Jesus Christ 

AMEN
Elder Rawly Lyle

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Pictures of Elder Lyle's first trainee, Elder Rebolledo

Rawly coming in to meet his new companion

Elder Rebolledo from Chile
waiting to meet Elder Lyle

The new companions having lunch

Missionaries doing what they do best
eating...

Then the training begins

Elder Lyle & Elder Rebolledo

These two are going to do GREAT things!

Monday, April 14, 2014

What's been happening

Well Family, 

It’s been a very interesting week. We have had lots of work. We have found some incredible families. One family we found is from Buenaventura. They are awesome, however we are really worried that they won’t progress too much. 

The apartment is clean, finally, and we officially are no longer on the floor. It’s a milagro (miracle). We’ve been doing exercises regularly with a family that is truly amazing here, 
The Ramirez Family. 
They are honestly incredible, they help us so much. Families like the Ramirez Family that truly accept the missionaries into their home is what makes our day. 

This week we have interviews with the Princes’ however the best part is....

This week I will receive my Father’s dog tags

I would now like to talk a little about what we teach. 
We have taught too many people who have suffered from the passing away of a close family member. Everyone has their own way of dealing with things, some people go into deep depression, others act as if it never happened, and others just continue one with their life with an incredible sense of faith and purpose here in this life. However every single person that I have met has some sort of memory of that person because unfortunately, our loved ones pass on to a better place but we are still here left without them.

My memory of my Father gets here to Cali Colombia this Friday, something that I have waited over 4 months to get, and something that I will cherish. 

Things are just things while we are living, many people say that and that it is not important, the temporal things, because one day we will not have them. In one aspect I agree and another I don’t agree. One day I will not have the physical things that I have now, however while I am here, these things mean something to me. We use things to help our mortal minds keep in contact with those that we love when we no longer have them in our lives. 

Please appreciate what you have in your lives, and who you have in your life.

I challenge you all to think of one person that you appreciate this week and thank them for all that they have done for you

I love you all 

Elder Lyle