Another Email July 25, 2011

Hey family, This week went by pretty fast, I was sick for 2 days though. I still am a little sick, its so hard to stay healthy during all of the weather changes and on top of that have to be out working in it. This week we hit our goal as a zone.. yeah.. lol not.. Personally I love the mission and enjoy working and teaching and seeing people accept the restored gospel and their lives change, but this week I got pretty fed up with some of my leaders and myself. I'm just getting so tired of the stupid numbers and how your only an "effective missionary" if your baptizing! Well that's how missionaries see it. And I have tried really hard as the time being a leader to not become one of those missionaries. I caught other missionaries getting on a missionary about numbers, and I didn't do anything. So the next day I talked with the missionary and there are a lot of problems going on. And what came to my mind was the quote by President Monson, "Don't let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved."  So I tried to listen to him. I love listening. Man this week I have learned a lot we are getting a lot done here in the zone. I'm worried about cambios though, in 2 weeks I might be getting transfer. I am glad to hear everything is going OK back home. Its getting hard to email because the weeks just feel like they are mixing together. Its just all so quick and so repetitive. I want to stay who I am, Yes I want to learn and grow and serve. But I refuse to be changed into someone with the wrong desires, just to achieve. If the desire is right, go ahead change me. lol Well I'm not to exited to walk home, it just started pouring outside and I don't have an umbrella with me.!!!! I finished the temple book by Elder Packer, AWESOME! I learned a lot of really cool things. I cant wait to go to the temple. I love you all and cant wait to hear from you next week!!!
Love Elder Ward

Hey dad yeah this Thursday we have a mission conference I am excited because I hope I will be allowed to do nothing lol and just listen. It will my last conference so I will be giving my farewell testimony with 3 months left in the mission lol.. I really hope those cards come lol same with my mission card, I have been living off of nothing. lol... Dad help from the ward doesn't exist here! We do everything. We do all of the visits to all the new converts of the last 2 years, it usually takes about 6-9 months for someone to be assigned to visit them and on top of that see if the person actually does it. We did get a new ward mission leader this week and we are really excited for that. That's still way cool that your involved with the missionary work. I love you dad! Can't wait to see you in 14 weeks!!
Love Elder Ward

Quick Week

Hey family, that's super awesome that Jared now has a job! I was getting worried, how is he going to take me out to lunch when I get back with no money! no that's great news tell him I love him.. (since he doesn't email me) That's crazy to think you are all in summer and way hot weather and I'm here in cold rain. It rained for 5 days straight. One day was so hard, that I thought I was in a movie. I couldn't hear my comp and he was 2 feet from me. lol.. Also we got caught in Hail for about 2 hours on Saturday. That was the first time that I have ever done contacts in the hail. Man time is just flying by can you believe it. I mean some days are long but looking at the big picture its so fast. I tried really hard this week to slow down! And just listen learn and ponder. I learned some really cool things. Man I saw a preview for Harry Potter, I'm super jealous!!!! Kayman would win something ! lol .. I hope dad is taking some time to rest not working to hard on that car! I'm doing great I'm learning alot and working hard. Because I'm afraid if I stop working for one hour I will get distracted thinking about home. It has been quite a long time. I love you all and will email more next week!!!

Love Elder Ward

I'm Getting Tired!

Hey family this week was absolutely crazy! Talk about a fast week and a very exhausting week too. Well first off thanks so much for all the emails that you all sent me. I love hearing from all of you. And some of you I would die to hear from. So this week We did three mini cambios and I was able to get to know some of the missionaries better. Its amazing how different we all are and how sometimes people are struggling so much inside and no one knows it. I'm tired of missionaries comparing themselves. I am who I am. God called me, and I will progress different then others. Maybe faster, maybe slower. But when it comes down to it, It comes down to how devoted we are to God, and keeping our personal covenants. Other missionaries are having difficult times with their companions, and I had some good conversations with them. I love seeing people that are sad, leave being happy. I feel like that is what life is all about, or at least my life. Serving others and helping them become happy through Christ. On one mini cambio I did an interview for a woman who is about 25 I spoke with this woman for about 2 hours. Half way through the interview I felt like she was not being honest with me so I asked her and then she opened up and it came to be one of the most powerful interviews I have been able to experience. She had recently separated from her husband, because she being 4 months pregnant came home to him cheating on her. So they get in an argument and a fight. She loses the baby, next her desire to live. She already has a 3 year old daughter. And said that if it was not for her she would of done it. She would of killed her self. But she didn't, the weeks passed and the depression came. Next she found herself losing hair and every ounce of happiness was leaving her life. She told me that she decided to get down to pray, the first real time in her life.And she asks God if he exists and is she is loved by him. And if so to show her, and guide her to true happiness. She told me less than 2 minutes later two goofy gringo missionaries knocked her door. And that before she said anything a new fresh missionary who can barely speak said all he could. Good morning, we are missionaries sent from God. We share of the love that he has for you. Can we share with you? She never told them this, and didn't tell them why she let them in. But continued to listen. Even though she could not understand she said the whole time she could feel it. This woman needs the atonement of Jesus Christ. She still has more to do before being baptized but she knows she is going to do it. I had the privilege to feel the spirit work through me and guide her through the scriptures. Amazing experience. We also had a man come to church and he loved it! He said he wants to bring his family next week. Sunday night I was with Elder Hadfield. When the mission president called him to let him know that his grandmother had died. That was a tough 20 minutes me and Hadfield. I love him so much, we have been together in the mission for 7 months now as friends. Its amazing how when you become close to the savior, you can feel the pains of others. Or better said the pain that He feels for them. Or at least an ounce of it. All I know is that the atonement of Christ is real. Hadfield is amazing he went through it like a champ. Yes it was tough but he knows The plan of salvation. Today for pday we went out to the campo with a new convert family and had a bunch of fun! I even destroyed some wood! one swing I destroyed that log. And everyone said I couldn't because of the knot that was in it. !!lol I am learning a lot here on the mission and I am scared to think how little time I have left. Except I do know that Jessica does owe me 24 of her heavenly made cup cakes. One for every month that I have had to suffer with out them!! So tell her I will be expecting them when I get home!! lol I hope dad doesn't work to hard on the cars! and Jared I'm praying for you about the job! please email me! Emily get some rest!!!! I love you all the church is true!!!

Elder Matthew James Ward
PS. mom dad I finished Mosiah this week, totally going to beat you!
P-Day Fun and a Grave Yard they walk by daily

PS  mom dad I finished Mosiah this week, totally going to beat you!

It's Freezing!

Thanks for all of the emails this week! I loved the pictures Melissa thanks so much. Its weird to see how much your kids have changed I could almost smell the In and Out in the picture! This week the girl that I got to help teach and see baptized here in Independencia had her first interview with the bishop on wed and she got a calling and set a goal to be on a mission in 2 years when she turns 21. Awesome she also is almost completed reading the Book of Mormon. So things are doing great here, I couldn't be happier. At least here lol.. Yes I Lost my wallet in a collectivo or taxi thing racing to the terminal at 7 in the morning because I was in charge of all the missionaries that would pass through Talca. We also had consejo de lideres in Chillan that was a lot of fun. Its crazy to see all of my friends dying slowly these next few weeks. Today we threw a big party at our house because I remember how dang sucky my first 4th of July was in the mission and couldn't let that happen to the new Elders. It was a lot of fun all 20 of us sang the National Anthem together it was awesome!! But things are going great lately and I'm having a lot of fun, I'm healthy and learning a lot. Its so cold here though, you are so lucky to be in the best city in the whole world right now!!! I love you all and can't wait to see you soon, then I can just tell you stories in real life lol....

Love Elder Matthew James Ward