Monday March 27th, 2017

Hey guys!

Since you both had the question of where we'll be watching conference, I'm gonna answer it in the main letter. We'll be watching it at the church. Almost all of the members go to the church building to watch it. There's another Elder that's from Arizona that'll be there, so hopefully we can go to the clerk's office and watch it in English so we can hear their voices.

On Tuesday we had a multi-zone meeting. These meetings have gotten a lot better. Probably because I now understand what they're saying haha but I enjoy them. There were a lot of talks on obedience, repentance, baptismal dates, and teaching people, not lessons. It was a really good meeting.

After the meeting, which lasted till 5:00 in the afternoon, we went to visit Mario.  With this visit and the last one we've had with him, he's become really contentious. We're not sure what's happening. This time I was really direct with him about what our purpose is, and how we need to teach. We have a lesson with him this week, so hopefully this one is better. If not, we'll most likely stop teaching him for a while.

Dinner with Rosa Maria and Elder Hernandez in Culiacan, Mexico.

On Thursday, Elder Meadows and Elder Calvo had four investigators ready for baptism interviews. Since Elder Hernandez is the District Leader, he had to do the interviewing. We had one at 4, one at 5, one at 6, and one at 7. So we didn't have a ton of time to work in our area. But in that little time we had, we made 3 contacts, taught a lesson in which we made a baptismal date, and the other lesson we had a member that was able to teach with us. For the time we had to work, it was a great day! The area that we had to go to for the interviews, is close enough that we can take a bus. After we were done with the interviews, we went to wait for the bus to go home. Well, after one hour of waiting, the bus hadn't passed by, nor a taxi. But, something quite funny happened haha. So there we were, standing on the side of the road, in the dark, waiting for the bus. And this older guys comes jogging up the road in sandals and smoking a cigarette. When he got to be in front of us, he stopped, dropped to his knees, put his hands together like he was praying, and said (in Spanish) "With your permission", then stood up and kept running. I looked at Elder Hernandez and said, "I didn't give you permission haha". It was one of the weirdest, and funniest moments of my mission.

Elder Hernandez messing around

This week I was also able to teach more in the way I would like to. I've had a hard time coming up with examples in Spanish to help people understand better, but this week for some reason, I was able to come up with them.
It was awesome!

So, for the scripture this week. I felt impressed to share this scripture, and when I read it, I had second thoughts about it, but then the prompting came again to share it. I think that it's something that is quite often difficult for us to do, but is necessary. So here it is: Doctrine and Covenants 64: 9-10: 

"Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.

"I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men."

I love you guys! Have an awesome week!

-Elder Radmall

Questions:

Dad: We can't drink it, but we can brush our teeth with it.  (How safe is the water at homes and your place?)

Mom: Probably just getting together with other Elders and playing basketball. It feels nice to put on shorts and run.  (What is the coolest/funnest/most embarrassing p-day experience that you have had so far?)

Holly: I really like the parable of the lost sheep.  (What is your favorite parable and why?)

Sam: One interesting concept that I've learned was in priesthood the other week, but isn't super spiritual. It was about planning for the future. The question was "should we ask ourselves what do we want to study? or what career do we want?" the answer is what career do we want. If we don't know what career we want to go into, then we won't know what to study.  (What is the coolest thing that you have learned in church while in Mexico?)

Dylan: Preach my Gospel, Missionary Gospel Library, and Teachings from the Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.   (What books do you read besides the scriptures?)

Monday March 20th, 2017

Hey guys! I can't believe that I've been out for 9 months tomorrow! That's crazy! It's gone by so fast!

Earlier this week, we went to visit Hector and Luis. Hector is 11 and Luis is 9. They're super smart, and have desires to learn more about the gospel. At the end of the lesson I felt prompted to invite them to be baptized, and they accepted. Now if we can only get them to church. We're gonna work on teaching their mom this week as well.

The steep steps going up towards the church

The Ward Mission Leader

We also went to teach Mario. He's a really good guy, but he was really contentious this week. It seemed like he was just trying to find ways to combat what we were saying. We invited him to pray and read the first pamphlet again this week.  We have an appointment with him on Wednesday, so hopefully he's cooled down by then, and actually prayed and read his pamphlet.  He's super smart, which is good, but can be hard because he reads with "Natural" eyes, and not "Spiritual", so he doesn't understand things completely, and often has questions from previous lessons, which is at times frustrating.

A little while ago, we had made a contact to a young couple named Jesus and Marivel. They're about 30 or so, and have two little kids, one being only 6 months. We passed by to teach them this week, and were joyfully accepted. They have their own juice business, and Jesus has another job, so we can only teach them together on Thursday and Friday, but they're awesome! Their business is closed on Sundays, and Jesus doesn't go in till 2 in the afternoon, so this week we're gonna invite them to go to church.

This morning we got together with Elder Meadows and his companion, and some of the members of the ward, and played Volleyball and Basketball. It was pretty fun, but it got super hot! Our feet got really hot with the concrete court!

Editor's note:  This video and photo were sent to Alisa on Facebook from Olga Raquel Arias Chong.  She is the Bishop's wife in the ward where Forest is serving in Culiacan, Mexico.  Raquel asked for the homemade pizza crust recipe that we use at home.  She had the missionaries over to make it on Monday March 20th, 2017.  They used hot dogs. mushrooms, and chile peppers as toppings.  She sent this video within a few hours of the missionaries being in their home.  Gotta love technology!

I don't just have one scripture for this week, but a story. For this week, I encourage you to read Matthew chapters 5-7. It's the Sermon on the Mount.

I love you guys! Have an awesome week!

-Elder Radmall

Questions:

Dad: I've really come to love reading and studying the gospel. It's something I look forward to every morning.  (How has your scripture study changed, since becoming a Missionary?)

Mom: My shoes are doing great. I felt like an idiot when I couldn't remember the word "Recipe" in the video that Raquel sent you haha and yes, the Restoration video is in you tube  (How are your shoes holding up with all your walking?  (We would love it if you answered the questions in our email too.  )

Holly: I love Enchiladas Suisas (if that's how you spell it haha) so I don't mind cooking those, but cereal is a lot easier haha  (What is your favorite thing to cook?)

Sam: Yes! We would die without one. Actually, for my first transfer, we didn't have one. We just used fans.  (Do you have an air conditioner?)

Dylan: hmmmmm This week we went through the old contacts we've made, and decided on which ones to go back and try to teach, and just about every one that we went back on, accepted us. So that was pretty cool.  (What spiritual thought have you had the most this week?)

Monday March 13th, 2017 

Hey guys!

This week was awesome! I had the best day of mission so far. That morning we went to teach Mary Magdalene, and her mom was there again, the lady we gave the Book of Mormon to. We found out that she was baptized when she was eight, but doesn't remember anything about the church, and that's what sparked her interest in the book. She is now reading it. Later in the day, we had an awesome lesson with Mario. The entire lesson was led by the Spirit. We were able to answer every question he had, and we had a scripture to back it up. It was awesome. Later in the evening, we passed by the store that Lucrecia has, and she had friends there, and they were talking about us. It was a family: the mom, two sons, and a daughter. The dad is working in the U.S. right now. They're awesome! Her sons are super smart, and she said that she's been looking for a church like this for her kids. They don't have anything on Sundays, so that means they can go to church! It was an awesome day!

Culiacan mission with visiting apostle President Russell M. Nelsen (Front row, center, red tie) .  Forest is the 7th from the left on the back row.

We also had interviews with President this week. We were told to go with a gospel question to ask him. I had more than one,and he was able  to answer most of them. He said he's gonna look for the answer to the ones he doesn't know. At the end of the interview, he asked this question: "Is it better to be loved by someone, or have their trust?" his answer: "Trust. God loves all of His children, but He doesn't trust all of them." It was a really awesome interview!

Before the interview, there were  quite a few other elders there, and President was matching them up to arm wrestle. I arm wrestled five times, and never lost both arms. The first two I beat with both arms, I beat Elder Mockbee with the left arm, Elder  Meadows and I tied with the left arm, and I beat President! It was  awesome!

Also this week, I got a Christmas package from the Stake Presidency. Thanks! I also got a letter from Grandpa Tucker dated 2/19/17, and three from Grandma Tucker dated  1/20/17, 2/1/17, and 2/17/17. Thanks for all the love and support!

We were shown a new Restoration video, it's pretty good! I also played the piano yesterday in Sacrament Meeting, and in Priesthood.

Here's the scripture for this week: "They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever." -Psalm 125:1

I love you guys! Have an awesome week!

-Elder Radmall

The Tomateros de Culiacán are a baseball team in the Mexican Pacific League. Based in Culiacán, the Tomateros have won ten domestic titles and two Caribbean World Series, in 1996 and in 2002

Questions:

Dad: It's hard to find investigators that don't work in the morning, so we don't have a whole lot to do in the mornings.  (What is the hardest part of your day?)

Mom: We have not had pizza yet...  :(  (Did you ever get your homemade pizza?  If so, how was it?)

Holly: We don't have any scheduled, but I'm pretty sure that this new family will progress pretty quick.  (Do you have any baptisms scheduled or any investigators that are close?)

Sam: I don't want to have a watch tan-line since I walk  in the sun all  day, so I hook it to my backpack strap.  (Do you wear your watch everyday?  (Samuel got a watch for his birthday.) )

Dylan: Ummm family, the cold, mountains, guns, haha a lot of stuff!  (What are you  most looking forward to for the hunt when you get home?)

Monday March 6th, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK DAD!!!

I keep forgetting to share the scripture, so it's going first this week.

It's in Doctrine and Covenants 31: 9,12 and 49:12

"Be patient in afflictions, revile not against those that revile. Govern your house in meekness, and be steadfast.

"Pray always, lest you enter into temptation and lose your reward.

"Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus, who was on the earth, and is to come, the beginning and the end."

Earlier this week, my companion had some chest pains, so we weren't able to work super hard earlier in the week which sucked! We had a pretty good  lesson with Rubén earlier in the week about Enduring to the end.  He told us that he wants to keep the commandments and go to church on Sunday till the day he dies.  It was pretty awesome!

  

  

On Tuesday, Elder Hernandez decided to get his hair cut. We had made the goal of handing out at least one Book of Mormon  a day, so we always carry one in our hands. While we were waiting, I had  a Book  of Mormon on my lap, and this lady walked up to me and just straight up asked me if she could look at my book. I willingly handed it to her and she went and sat down in her chair. From what I could see, she read the testimonies in the front, looked at the index a little, then read somewhere in the middle. Her husband pulled up outside the building, and on the way out, she went to hand it back to us. We told she could keep it if she wanted, so she said thanks and left. Turns out that she's the mother of the lady that cuts our hair, who's name is Mary Magdalene. She said that her mom would read it, so it'll be interesting to see what happens.

 

Cracker cake or Lemon cake

In one of the pictures I'm sending, it tells us that the Nephites had Hondas when they went to war.  It says that they had bows, arrows, and hondas. How is that fair for everybody else?? haha The actual translation of hondas in Spanish, is "slings". but it's still pretty funny haha

  

Don't be jealous, but Jesus contacted us the other day-

On Friday, we were walking in the street,  and this guy stopped his bicycle in front of us. We thought he must be a member since he stopped for us. He asked if we were missionaries, and we obviously told him yes. He was super excited and asked that we come visit  him. He told us his name is Jesús. It was awesome! We told him that we were the Elders, and he said that he's been wanting us to come visit him. It was an amazing experience!

I was asked to bless the sacrament yesterday. It's only the second time I've done it in Spanish. The first time was in the MTC, so it's been a little while, but all went well.

Have you guys figured out what hunts you're gonna put in for yet? 

The last two pictures are of five of us elders in the back of a small van. My companion was riding shotgun. We were  driving down the road with the side door open so  we could get some air.

  

I love you guys! Have an awesome week!

-Elder Radmall

Dad: Mom's homemade treats. :)  (What snacks do you miss the most?)  (Awe...)

Mom: The word that we liked to say in the MTC was averiguar. The program we used to study Spanish said that word funny, so  it  kinda became a joke for us. In the MTC we used it to say a lot of things just for fun, but it's meaning is "to find out"  (What is the funnest phrase to say in Spanish and what does it mean?)

Holly: Pastel de Galletas, también se llama Pastel de Limón  (What's your favorite Mexican Dessert?)

Sam: I miss being with family................ and my guns haha  (What do you miss the most from home?)

Dylan: Thick steak. It doesn't rally exist here.  (What meal do you miss the most?)