Lotts of emails from Elder Lott

4-20-15

 

Hello everyone!  This week is transfer week!  That cycle went by really fast.  And I am....not transferring.  Thank goodness.  I don't want to pack 3 cycles in a row.  That would really stink.  My companion is transferring though, Elder Sefita.  It is kind of a bummer because we were only together for one cycle.  Which is 6 weeks.  That is 3 companions in a row that I have only been with them for one cycle each.  I will get my new companion on wednseday.  We received a referral a couple of weeks ago but the investigator can only be taught on sundays.  He has been to church 3 weeks in a row and he went to like a session of conference.  We taught him yesterday after church for the first time.  He is a really solid investigator.  We will most likely extend a baptismal date for him the next time we teach him.  It is nice to finally have a good investigator.  Pretty much all of our investigators haven't even went to church.  That is a big problem for us.  Just getting our investigators to attend church.  We also have this investigator that is on the 3rd lesson and he won't even pray in our lessons.  So it is nice to get a solid investigator that wants to learn more about the gospel.  So last night me and elder sefita went to the hospital in our area to visit a member there.  I didn't get a picture of it because I didn't want to be rude, but I was pretty surprised.  So in one room they had 8 beds with patients and then if they had visitors or something, the room was just pretty full.  I am glad that when I was in the hospital I had my own room to myself.  Yesterday night me and elder sefita were walking back to our apartment in the middle of a storm.  It wasn't raining but it was cool looking at all the lightning and the wind felt way nice because it was so hot.  This morning our zone had a zone activity.  We went to some caves that are in our area.  My area is huge!!  The caves were really cool.  The was some small little holes we had to crawl through.  I really liked it.  I liked them much more than the caves that I already went to. Then we went to this little restaurant in someones area.  I got a piece of cheesecake.  Dang it was good.  I haven't had cheesecake in at least 9 months.  It was only 50 pesos to for a slice.  I ate that thing so fast...mmm good!  Well I love you all have a great week!  Enjoy the pics!!

Love Elder Lott

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4-27-15

 

Hello everyone.  This past week was transfer week.  My new companions name is Elder Williams.  He is from california.  I was really, really surprised when I found out who my new companion was.  He is obviously an american.  So I have had 3 american companions in a row.  I actually wanted a filipino companion so my tagalog can improve more and if you have a filipino comp it will help it a lot.  So all I have had 3 american companions and only 2 filipino companions during my mission.  And I am in the philippines!  Well it is the last cycle.  He was supposed to go home last week but he extended so he goes home in june.  So I will kill my first companion in the mission.  Which means I am his companion when he goes home.  Which means I will be in my area for another cycle after this cycle and have a new companion...again.  Then I will have only had 2 areas in a year.  Six months in both areas.  This past week of work went really good.  We got quite a few referrals from the members.  We have 2 new investigators and the way it is looking we should have like 3 baptisms this cycle.  I guess this past saturday was national service day.  So in the morning we went to an elementary school and like swept the pathways and pulled weeds.  Me and my companion went and then some members of the ward.  After we had some lunch.  Yesterday we went to teach a referral out in an area that I haven't even been to because before there were 4 elders and now there is just 2.  Our area is massive!  I think that every companionship should get a tricey, if your area is big enough.  Which ours is, that's why I want one.  So since I am in the philippines we obviously don't have an oven in our apartment.  So you have to get a little creative how you cook food.  So that picture is a potato inside a toaster oven.  I wondered if I could cook a baked potato in it.  It worked, I just had to turn the knob again after it finished.  It also helped because it wasn't a very big potato.  It was really good though.  It has been a long time since I have a had a baked potato.  I also made some corn to.  It was good, but their corn here isn't that good.  It is definitely not as good has home grown garden sweet corn!  This morning...got up at 5 so we could make it to basketball this morning.  We played a little ball and then afterwards we went to the gym.  It was really good to lift.  Hah I miss that a lot.  I also weighed myself.  I am at about 172 lbs.  I got 200 lbs on my bench today so I am pretty happy with that...benching 30 lbs over my weight.  Especially since I am not really able to lift that often.  I am really excited to be able to skype on mothers day.  That is a sunday for you guys and a p day for us.  So it is in 2 weeks.  I am really looking forward to it.  Till next week.  I love you guys!!

Love Elder Lott

 

 

5-4-15

 

Well me and my companion had one busy week.  Now we are one week closer to being able to skype.  I am really looking forward to it.  I can't believe that it has already been like  months since the last one.  I am not sure if my tagalog has gotten any better though.  I hope it has.  So there is this little place to eat in our area.  I ordered this chicken carbonara one day.  I wasn't sure what to expect because it was only 80 pesos.  It was actually really good.  We went back a couple days in a row and I got the same thing.  It was pretty much like fettuccine.  It is so crazy.  Our area is so big.  I wish that we had bikes.  We actually could get bikes but you have to buy your own, I don't really want to do that.  So we have 3 investigators with a baptismal date.  Two of them we will have to move back, but the other one with hopefully be on may 30th.  The kid in that picture is the one that will hopefully be on the 30th.  His name is samuel fransico.  I baptized his mom on march 7th.  He is a really smart kid.  He asked who will baptize him in our last lesson, we told him whoever he wants.  He said that he wants me to do it.  It may have something to do with me baptizing his mom.  I think it will be really cool though.  He is a really cool kid and I am glad that he is deciding follow Jesus Christ.  His mom is our recent convert and she is really good.  She comes to church every week and she brings her son with her and she has a son on a mission.  So I told you that our mission has a standards of excellence.  That is what missionaries try to reach every week in their work.  So the standards of excellence in one week for lessons is 35.  This week me and elder williams had a great week.  It was also a very tiring week...but we got 38 lessons.  Yeah.  That is the most that I have gotten in a week for my whole mission.  I think we got 9 on saturday!  It is pretty hard to reach, so I am pretty happy with how many we got this week.  So a couple of days ago...we had a brown out.  A brown out is when the power goes out.  That is what they call it here.  It went out at 1:30 in the morning.  As soon as my fans turned off I woke up.  We also didn't have any water so I couldn't get in the shower to cool off.  So I tried to sleep on my bed for like 20 minutes...that wasn't happening.  I was just sweating buckets.  So then I moved to my hammock.  No luck there.  So we are on the 2nd floor.  We hop across a little gap to the other roof to do our laundry.  It is flat and cement.  So I took my mattress and moved it outside on to that roof.  The bad thing was it was pretty much like a full moon so it was bright, it also didn't help that some dogs right next to our apartment were going crazy.  That is what woke my comp up.  Then he went out to go to the bathroom and he's like where's elder lott.  He looked in the other room and I wasn't there and then he looked outside and since it was so bright he saw me just layin out on the roof on my mattress.  He told me when he saw that it was pretty funny.  Me and him talked for a bit and then tried to fall asleep again.  Then the fans finally came back on at probably 4.  So I moved back into the apartment.  Then maybe 20-30 minutes later I fell asleep.  So that was a pretty bad night.  Maybe only like 4 or 5 hours of sleep.  Then this morning we had to get up at like 4:45 to get ready and catch a van to make it to santiago on time so we could play basketball.  We play basketball in santiago like every monday morning and they have started playing at like 6 because it has started getting so hot.  So that means that we just have to get up even earlier to get there on time.  Then after that we hit up the gym.  I got a hair cut so now I am just freaken guapo!!  By the way that is spanish.  Some of the words in the tagalog language are just spanish.  Got some pizza.  It was good    I am so stuffed.  I am really excited for next week though.  Trunky time...haha just kidding.  I love you all have a great week.  Can't wait to skype!!

Love Elder Lott

 

(look who's in the window watching.  funny)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Mother's Day !!

May 10, 2015

 

We had a wonderful time skyping with Alex.  We were so glad the weather didn't mess it up.  He had a cat 5 typhoon headed towards him.  Thank goodness it changed course.  We also found out in the following e-mail that all Internet service went down about an hour after we talked.  I am so thankful we were blessed to be able to skpye with him and for the tender mercies from above.  It was fun to see him.  He looked great.  He sounded great.  At one point we got him to bear his testimony in Tagalog.  It was wonderful.  He is so happy and it's such a wonderful blessing to have a missionary out.  We had family scripture study and family prayer together before we finished.  It was very special.  We are so proud of you Alex and the sacrifices you are making to serve our Heavenly Father by serving the people of the Philippines.  We can't believe you have almost been gone a year.

 

 

 

 

 

5-12-15

 

Wow I really enjoyed the skype.  I can't believe that it is over already.  It went by so fast.  You guys are all getting bigger and I am getting smaller.  I am pretty jealous of that pizza...mmm some chicken alfredo pizza!  Don't have that here.  Well me and my companion will go get some pizza for lunch.  It won't be as good as that stuff though.  But its good.  So our week of work went really good.  We had splits on tuesday with our district leader and his comp.  It was alright     the guy who I went with is pretty weird.  He bought me some rice.  It was called chop suey.  I wasn't going to eat but he bought it for me.  It was nasty.   Then about an hour later my eyes started to swell up.  It looked like a bee stung me.  I got some medicine and put some ice on it.  It didn't go down all the way but by that night or the next morning it was mostly gone.  I told you guys in the Skype that we were just walking to our next appointment and we saw a guy scraping the fur off a dog.  We thought he was just giving it a haircut but then we went closer and realized that it was already dead.  And they were preparing to cook it.  Anyone want adoboed dog?  I think i'll pass.  I also saw my first pineapple plant.  It is pretty cool.  I wish it would have been ripe because then I would have picked it.  So I said that we had 3 investigators with their baptismal date set for may 30th.  Well one of them went somewhere for a couple weeks so we weren't able to to him.  So we have to push his date back.  Then one hasn't been to church which is really weird because he is the only one who is not a member in his family and his older brother just got home from his mission and he is the assistant mission leader in our ward.  Then one is the son of our recent convert.  He has been going to church.  His lessons are doing good      he just decided to sleep in rather than to go to church with is mom.  Hopefully he comes next week so he doesn't have to start his 4 weeks over.  So now we have no baptisms this cycle, but I will have high hopes for next cycle.  So a couple of days ago I made some spaghetti.  It turned out pretty good.  It was good to finally be able to eat something that was not pancit canton.  Yesterday we went to a less actives house and taught and they have some pretty cool lizards.  They say that they were imported from the u.s.  I don't know if that is true, but I got to hold one.  It was pretty cool.  Both our fellow shippers were pretty freaked out, but its just a lizard.  So after the skype the internet went out in like the whole mission.  I don't know why.  I am glad that we got to finish skyping.  I also got sick yesterday.  It came out of no where.  I just started getting sick in the net shop.  I am feeling alright now, but it was just weird.  It came out of no where.  It was awesome to be able to skype. 2 down 2 to go!  Have a great week I love you all

Love Elder Lott

Ps- Happy mothers day mom!!

 

 

 lunch anyone ???

 

 

 

 

 

 

5-18-15

 

I really enjoyed skyping last week.  Happy mothers day mom.  So this past week we had splits with our zone leaders.  It went pretty good.  We went to their bishops house for dinner and he showed me some of his guns.  It reminded me of back home.  Like the trap shoots and stuff.  Then on saturday we had a one day mission with our ward.  We met at the church and we all split into groups.  Then we were assigned areas in our area and then we went out and taught less actives and like invited them to church and stuff.  We had a fhe at a members and then we went and worked after that. The one day mission started at 8 am and then we got back to our apartment at like 8 or 8 30. So it was a really long day.  This morning we played some ball.  It was really fun I got a little tan.  I am glad that you guys enjoyed the 12th.  I wish I could have been there with you to remember the 3 years.  I love and miss ryan, more than I can describe in words.  He was my best friend.  I am grateful for this gospel and the blessing of eternal families.  So I know we will be able to see him again.  I can wait to give him a huge hug.  Love and miss you ryan, you will always be my little brother. You will always be in our hearts!:)  I love you all have a great week.

Love Elder Lott

 

 

 

 

 

 

5-25-15

 

Well that week went by pretty fast.  Last week on wednseday we had a csp.  A service project.  It was pretty easy.  There wasn't a whole lot to do.  The next day on thursday though we had another one.  There is a widow in our ward and she is a school teacher so we helped her at her class room.  We moved some of her stuff to her new room and then we painted some of her desks for awhile.  It was like the paint was getting me high...haha just kidding.  On saturday we were out at work and it started pouring.  We got soaked.  I didn't have a dry place on my whole body.  It felt way nice though.  It has been so hot and the rain was just so awesome.  It happened at maybe 5 or 5 30 so it was a little uncomfortable to walk around with soggy feet for a couple hours.  It was nice to get the wet clothes off though when we got back to the apartment.  So a man in our ward passed away last sunday.  Yesterday we had a little funeral service at their house for him.  The main funeral service was this morning though.  Anyways last night they had this huge pig that they were going to kill for today.  So one guy was hitting it on the head with an ax.  The back end.  So it was pretty much just a hammer.  It wasn't doing anything to the pig.  As I was watching I was thinkin to myself.  Can't they kill it a little faster.  That is like the worst possible way.  So that wasn't working so they tied its feet together.  Then they stabbed it in the throat.  Man boy was there a lot of blood.  A guy caught all of the blood in a pan.  They were probably going to make a blood dish with it...ugh I'll pass.  So me and my companion were asked to each give a 10 minute talk at the funeral service this morning.  I was really mad when I found out because we only have 1 day a week to do what we want and it was going to make us miss basketball.  I was talking to my companion that we should just ask if someone else can do it, then he told me that bishop told him that the family personally asked for us to be the ones to speak.  So I didn't really want to do it, but since they requested it I was like alright.  The funeral service was at 7 am this morning.  It started at 7 30.  Nothing starts on time here..haha.  Anyways our topics was obviously the plan of salvation.  So my companion covered where we came from, what our purpose is here on earth and he hit a little on the atonement.  Then I hit a little on the atonement and where we go after this life.  I shared a very short experience of what happened with ryan and that I know I will be able to see him again.  I thought I did pretty good.  I took like 12-15 minutes and it was mostly in tagalog.  I was proud of myself after!  I am so grateful for this gospel and the comfort that we be able to see ryan again and grandpa stan and other family members and be able to live with them forever.  I love you all.  Have a fun time in Cali.

Elder Lott

 

 baby water buffalo

 

 

 cooling off in the rain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love you Alex!!!!  We are so proud of you !!!

 

April showers brings May flowers

3-23-15

Wow the days are just flying by!  This week went by pretty quick.  This morning we just went to the gym because it was raining so we didn't get to play basketball...dang!  Maybe we should just have p day tomorrow!  This week wasn't to busy I was sick for a couple of days so we didn't do a whole lot because I felt like bad!  We have started to reteach our recent convert though.  She is a nice lady.  All our other investigators are slacking a little.  Like we are teaching them and they want us to keep teaching them but they won't come to church.  It is just a bummer. Our area is pretty big now so we have to have like 1 day a week in each part of our area.  This past saturday and sunday we had stake conference. President Rahlf and Sister Rahlf spoke at the one on sunday.  It was pretty good.  I did set up a hammock in our apartment.  I bought it like 2 months ago and I haven't even been able to set it up yet, but I just did a couple of days ago and it is pretty cool.  It denver colors, oh ya.  You may think that those fries and chicken nuggets look good, but that is not entirely true.  The fries are amazing but the chicken nuggets are a different story.  I looked at the ingredients and the number 1 ingredient is chicken lean and fat!!  It ain't even real chicken!  I guess that is what you get for buying a 38 peso bag of chicken nuggets!!  Well have a great week.  Hopefully my next email will be more interesting!  Love ya

Love Elder Lott

 

 (I just realized this is his bed.  I wonder if they even have a kitchen table??)

 

 

 

 

       (Boy he's looking skinny, but still great.)

 

 

 

 

3-30-15

Hey everyone.  Well that week went by fast.  This past week I went on splits with an elder in my district.  It went alright.  It has been raining a lot this past week.  It is nice.  I am just glad it wasn't raining this morning, so we could play ball.  We have just been teaching the investigators that we have now and like reteaching and stuff.  So conference is for you guys this weekend.  It is the week after for us.  This past week I have had like no money.  I was out of support.  I have been living off of pancit  for like the whole week.  I am happy that my support came.  Sorry my companion wants to leave.  So hopefully I will finish later or maybe I could finish tomorrow.  I love you guys

Love Elder Lott

Sorry I don't have any pictures this week.  I need to take some pictures of my new apartment and send them to you.

 

 

	4-6-15

Hey mom.  I bet you are wondering if I am ok because of that typhoon.  I am fine.  It was really weak.  It only rained a little bit during church.  That is it.  We didn't get anything.  I wish that it would have rained because then it would make it not so hot.  That is cool that you guys got to go to the redwood forest.  Those trees are big.   I wish I could have been home for that easter egg hunt.  I really wanted to eat some of that candy.  I really enjoyed that.  We haven't watched conference yet.  It is this next weekend.  So it will be past easter for us.  So how many missionaries are out in our ward right now?  I just hit my 9 month mark a couple of days ago.  That is crazy that taylor is coming home already.  When I came out she was just nine months in.  That went fast before you know it I will be home.  Have a great week love you mom

Love Elder Lott

Hey everyone.  You all are probably wondering how I am doing since you saw the weather.  I am fine.  It wasn't even that bad.  It only rained a little bit during church and that was it.  I was hoping that there would have been more rain and wind because then it wouldn't be so hot!  I included some pictures of my new apartment.  I really don't like it.  It is all on the second floor so it gets really hot.  There is not much in it and our bathroom is disgusting.  It  stinks.  I also have to shower using a bucket.  Our shower head doesn't work!  It takes about 30 minutes to fill up a 2 liter bottle with water because our water pressure is really low...I could keep going haha.  The work is going really good.  Nothing super interesting happened this week.  I am just trying to get better at tagalog and stuff.  I feel like I am doing better, but when I talk to people I feel like I am not!  I just hope I know it before I come home...haha just kidding.  So with conference.  I know that you all watched it this past weekend.  For us it is this upcoming weekend.  I wish that I could have went to the priesthood session though with dad. About that pizzookie...do you think you could send one in a package to me, that looked  good.  Seriously!!  Well I love you guys.  Have a great week

Love Elder Lott

pics of my new apartment

nothin special.  Its like living in a cement box

Gross !!!

 This is where he sleeps.  The poor guy doesn't even have a real bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4-13-15

Hey mom.  The answer to those questions that you asked me.  I have no idea watch is on our toilet, but when I use it it stinks.  It is really gross.  As for the rats I haven't caught another rat.  I haven't noticed any.  Any big ones at least.   I have seen some small ones but that was in my last apartment.  I haven't seen anything in the apartment that I am in now.  Dang dogs.  I miss them.  All the dogs here are imbreds and they are all gross.  So we watched conference this past weekend.  One of my favorite talks was the one by Jeffrey R. Holland in the sunday afternoon session.  I realized that they talked a lot about families and marriage and stuff.  An answer to your question in the letter you sent me.  Have I thought about the future?  I think about it a lot.  I have thought about school, work, and getting married.  I know I have a year left out here, but before I know it I will be home.  So yes I think about it a lot.  Cool you and jaime are doing riding lessons.  Keep up the good work.  You will get comfortable with it.  Have a great week mom    love ya

Love Elder Lott

 

Hey family.  I just want to say happy birthday adam.  I am glad that you got my card.  I love you man.  Can't wait to play some football and madden with you guys.  As for this week...well It hasn't been that good for me.  On wednseday we went on splits with our zone leaders.  I have some bad news and some funny news.  So I guess I will give you the bad news first.  So our recent convert that has the monkey...well now they don't have the monkey.  Darn it was pretty cool.  Later that night we oymed (open your mouth) a lady.  We were talking to her and gave her an articles of faith paper.  We were talking and the lady was like alam ko lahat.  Which means like I know everything.  It was just pretty funny.  I wanted to laugh.  The rest of the week went downhill.  I have been sick since thursday!!  So not much happened this week since I was sick.  We did go to general conference though.  Someone must have downloaded conference or something because we just had it in our chapel so the members didn't have to go to santiago.  In the saturday afternoon session there was only 5 people in that session...including me and my companion.  The bishop also.  Great showing...haha.  One of the talks that I liked was by Jeffrey R Holland and how all of us need the savior to be able to return to heavenly father.  I also like the talk by Renlund??  I can't remember his whole name.  I realized throughout this conference that they talked a lot about families and marriage.  I am so grateful for eternal families.  I love you all     have a great week.  I guess right now it is the 12th there right now.  Have a good 12th.  Miss you ryan

Love Elder Lott 

Happy Spring Break

 

Mike worked in northern California over the kid's spring break.  We tagged alone and enjoyed a week of sleeping in and relaxing.  Mike still doesn't consider weeks like this a vacation.  But he did get to do a few fun things with the fam while he wasn't working. Thanks for being a great sport and bringing us along.

 

(redwood forest)

relaxing in the room

 

 

 

 

We made a quick trip to the beach.  It was freezing.  The boys still had a blast and didn't let it stop them.

There was a bowling alley behind our hotel.  We went and had dinner there one night and bowled as a family.

 

 

 

Our little dolphins

 

 

The beautiful Oakland, California Temple

 

 

 

 

worn out from all the swimming

Silly boys.  My aunt gave Jaime these hats.

 

We enjoyed a yummy pazookie (a pizza sized fresh warm cookie topped with ice cream) after dinner.  We were stuffed and weren't able to finish it.  A few extra mouths would have come in handy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Easter Every Bunny 

 

 

 

Jaime helping fill and sort 10.000 eggs for the Hooper Easter Egg hunt (we had other helpers as well).

 

 

 

Ethan and the Easter Bunny, aka Jaime.

 We love you Ryan !!!

 

 April 12, 2015

we rode our bikes to the cemetery to visit Ryan

 

 

 

 

We ate cookies and listened to church music with Ryan.  It was a beautiful Sunday day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sent Ethan to his room to be in time out for not listening.  He was mad and apparently hid under his bed.  When Jaime went to get him a few minutes later for dinner this is where she found him.  Poor tired guy.

 

 

 

We went to Get Aire in Kaysville.  The kids had a blast.

 

 

Ethan needs a shave.  We let him sleep with it on, but I wouldn't let him to wear it to school.  Yes, I am a party pooper.

Happy 9th Birthday Adam

 4-13-15

Alex and Ryan would both have been proud of him in his new cowboy hat.

 Our little cowboy in training

   

We celebrated Adam's birthday at Chuck E Cheese.

 

 

 

 

"Pure religion is more than a declaration of belief; it is a demonstration of belief.  As we seek to become even as He is, with a sincere desire to bless our fellow travelers, we will be provided opportunities to forget self and lift others.  These opportunities may often be inconvenient, testing our true desire to become more like the Master, whose greatest service of all, His infinite Atonement, was anything but convenient.  When you are in the service of you fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

 

   Pure Religion  

  April 2015 Ensign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oh bats...

  

March 9, 2015

So this week is transfer week.  Wow that cycle flew by really fast.  Are apartment is shutting down

for sure, but I have to pack...again!!  I just packed and now I have to did it again!  This week was just a really interesting week.  On monday we found out that Elder thayn was going to manila on friday to do some finger printing.  He wasn't the only one, there was a ton of missionaries that had to go get it done.  Then on Wednesday I went on splits with Elder Sefita who is going to be my companion.  It is pretty cool I will have 2 american companions right in a row.  Most likely, it is not guaranteed that I will be his companion, but we got the transfer list today and elder thayn will be transferring.  Then on thursday we went to the zl's at like 5 because elder thayn had to go to cauayan the next morning.  So on friday I was in a threesome with the zl's.  I liked it.  At one point in the day me and elder young played a pick up game.  Someone videoed it, I just wish that I could send videos.  Then on saturday morning we went to diffun and I baptized the sisters investigator there because he asked me to do it.  Man that picture is priceless.  When I went to the zl's on thursday night I didn't think to bring my baptismal clothes because I thought that we would just go back to our apartment and get them and then go the baptism in diffun.  I didn't realize though until saturday morning that if we did that we would go to cabarroguis to get my clothes, go back to diffun for the baptism, and then go back to cabarroguis for the next baptism.  So we ended up not going to get my clothes.  So I had to use the ones that they had at the church.  They are the ones they have at the temple, kind of, but they were all to small for me.  That was the biggest one that they had and as you can see it is like 5 or 6 inches short!!!  The baptism went really good though and then after they had some very interesting food!!  We walk out and I smell something, it didn't smell to bad though.  We walked over to where the guy was cooking and look in the pot and it is bats!!  Not the whole bat just the wings!!  Who would eat just bat wings, they say that they are really good.  We were late for our next baptism, which I am really happy about because that means that we didn't have to eat there.  But we all decided to try them.  I was a little bit hesitant at first, boy that's a shocker, but who can say that they have tried bat wings!  So we each grabbed one.  It was just a bat wing.  It was super thin, but I tried it and it was disgusting.  The other elders didn't like it either, but  what is the point of eating bat wings.  There isn't even any nutrition in it anyway!!  Then after that we went to our baptism.  Before that though we went to our apartment and go my baptismal clothes.  So we were at the baptismal service and then it was time for the baptism.  We go to walk into the font and the water was green!!  They must not have drained it or something the last baptism.  It looked like the color of the river or something.  I was really happy that those people got baptized.  Sure I was happy that I got to baptize them, but it is not about the numbers it is about helping people come unto Christ.  Then at about 6 we went back the zl's area.  Then Elder Thayn got back at around 8 or 9 with some of the elders that went to manila.  I gave elder thayn 1000 pesos and elder young gave him 500 because we wanted him to buy us some stuff in mania.  So I told him that I wanted some arby's but he said that he didn't see that.  We did get some good stuff though.  He brought us back a baconator and a dozen krispy kreme donuts each!!  I still have 6 donuts and the baconator, but those krispy kreme donuts are delicious!!  So I will still be in the same area this next week, but I will have a new companion.  I love you guys have a great week!

Love Elder Lott

 Wings anyone ???

My niece who is on a mission included this story in her last email.  I loved it and wanted to share it.  It's a wonderful message that we all need to hear sometimes.  She is on a mission in New York City and says...

At a food place, they have stories on the takeout bags and I found this story which I thought was amazing: "A legend tells of a man who used to carry water every day to his village, using two large pitchers tied on either end of a piece of wood, which he placed across his shoulders. One of the pitchers was older than the other and was full of small cracks; every time the man came back along the path to his house, half of the water was lost. For two years, the man made the same journey. The younger pitcher was always very proud of the way it did it's work and was sure that it was up to the task for which it had been created, while the other pitcher was mortally ashamed that it could carry out only half it's task, even though it knew that the cracks were the result of long years of work. So ashamed was the old pitcher that, one day, while the man was preparing to fill it up with water from the well, it decided to speak to him. 'I wish to apologize because, due to my age, you only manage to take home half the water you fill me with, and thus quench only half the thirst awaiting you in your house.' The man smiled and said: 'when we go back, be sure to take a careful look at the path.' The pitcher did as the man asked and noticed many flowers and plants growing along one side of the path. 'Do you see how much more beautiful nature is on your side of the road?' The man remarked. 'I knew you had cracks, but I decided to take advantage of them. I sowed vegetables and flowers there, and you always watered them. I've picked dozens of roses to decorate my house, and my children have had lettuce, cabbage, and onions to eat. If you were not the way you are, I could never have done this..." A lot of the times, we focus on our weaknesses and our imperfections. It's ok to acknowledge that we have them, but never think that our Heavenly Father cannot use us because of them. If we are willing to do His will, He will be able to work with our weaknesses.

Adam has started reading the Bible on his own for the last few months.  He has been using an old copy of mine that is falling apart.  He recently asked me to please get him a new one.  I picked up a cheap pocket sized one for him.  When I gave it to him he gave me the biggest hug ever.  It's moments like this that make the not so great days worth it.  He is already on page 100 and we are so proud of him.  He has such a sweet testimony and teaches me so much through his little example.

Our cute pioneer

Trek is coming up and so we did a little shopping.  Jaime looked very stylish in her pioneer clothes.  She was a little disappointed I didn't buy her the entire outfit.  I only got her the bonnet and bloomers because I don't feel like making them.  We hit the DI and got a good deal on the rest of  her clothes.

I was recently doing family history work and was searching on the site findagrave.  I wasn't having luck finding the person I was looking for and figured I would type in Ryan's name and see what came up.  Sure enough there he was there.  I admit it made me sad.  But then I remembered that he is doing a great work up there and that we are actually working as a team as I do family history down here.  That makes me happy to know we are still connected in many ways and someday it will be wonderful to meet all the people he has influenced for good on the other side.  It gives me a big push to work on my family history because I know that he is counting on me to do my part down here.  I don't want to let him down. 

Here is another quote I recently came across and liked.

March 15, 2015

The boys have been having so much fun filling Easter eggs for the Hooper Easter egg hunt.  They got up early Sunday morning and quietly filled these before church. 

Silly Ethan on clearance for 22 cents. 

 Any takers??  Just kidding.  He's at least worth a dollar. 

Happy 17th Birthday Ryan !!! 

March 16, 2015

  So as you all know this past week was transfer week.  My new companion is Elder Sefita he is from hurricane utah.  He was born in somaoa though but he moved to utah in 2007.  He goes home in october.  It is pretty crazy that I have 2 american companions right in a row though.  I didn't get pictures of my new apartment, but I will have them for next week.  It is nothing special it is just like 3 big rooms.  I did take my first bucket shower of my mission though in this apartment.  The shower head doesn't work.  Apparently there is a new york in the philippines.  On the way to Cauayan we passed a little statue of liberty it is really small.  Now that there is only 2 elders in Caborrogusis our area is huge.  I wish that we had a bike, but we just have to walk or take a tricy.  The work is going good and I hope that we can be able to handle our area, because now it is big, but it alright.  I love all you guys have a great week!

Love Elder Lott

PS- Sorry my email is so short this week.  It was transfer week

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!!!!

LOVE YOU BRO!!!!!  I WISH YOU WERE STILL HERE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!         I MISS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Remembering Ryan

March 16, 2012

 He was so excited to get these boots.  He was also so sweet and let his little brothers open all of his presents for him.

 March 16, 2015

It reads, Ryan from Ethan and you are fun and you are a brother.   He wrote this all by himself.

We went to the cemetery and ate pizza and cupcakes.  Then we wrote a little note or the services we and others had done this week on the balloons. 

Thank you for all those who reached out to our family yesterday and also to those who participated in doing acts of service in honor of Ryan this week.  It really touched our hearts and I know many things were done that we don't even know about.  I know our family wouldn't have been able to make it through this difficult journey without all the love and support we continue to receive.  But most of all, thank you to my Heavenly Father and his Son.   Because of His great plan and the sacrifice of His Son, I can be with mine again someday.  I love my Savior and all He has done for me and my family.  Because He loves me, He sacrificed His life so we may all live again someday.  I can't wait to fall down and worship Him someday and wash His feet with my tears of joy.

The Plan of Happiness does bring true Happiness !!!