Conferencia de Estaca

January 26, 2015

Dear Family,

I can definitely say I have accomplished much in these wards. After working for months, I have regained the confidence of the mayor parte de los miembros y podemos trabajar juntos en apresurando la Obra de Salvación. El Presidente confirmed with me that they´ll open the other area to missionaries here really soon, so our goal right now is to capacitate the members of Palmeras while we adjust the main part of our attention to Los Altos (which is well needed, truly). We also had the chance to help a few members out with service, moving furniture and cleaning up a bit. This week we also have plans to help Julio receive his Patriarchal Blessing. Beto Arredondo, our very young Elder’s quorum president invited us to make visits with him, but as we already knew it is extremely difficult to reactivate the Priesthood Brethren who have lengthened themselves from the church. We are trying so hard to contact the families of the few new investigators we have, and we are seeing progress.

Monday a sister from Palmeras invited us to eat, so we challenged her to bring a friend who is not a member or someone who hasn’t been to church for a while. It turns out the sister invited a timid single adult who works a lot, and we invited her to stake conference. Ramon is crazy, he also showed up to the conference, along with a young women who really just lacks a baptism. Two other sisters brought references from other parts of Tijuana to see Elder Jesus Alfaro Ortiz Tirado, a gringo from D.F. Our presidente de misión tambien estuvo presente. Everyone there talked about the various things that any member can improve on, and we even had to chance to listen to the testimonies of a few recent converts in the Stake, one which I interviewed in the Sister’s sector. I expect to see greater enthusiasm and support from the ward in fulfilling their responsibilities. Oh! And guess what? My First convert and a member who I reactivated here both received the Melchizedec Priesthood Yesterday! That is truly conversion and growth of the church of God.

As for food, we’ve been eating the same stuff- everything really tasty. Rice, chicken, beans, Rice, spaghetti, beans, stir fry dishes, even hot dogs! Así es (So is) the typical food here, nothing strange but really good. Today I order sushi from the fast food joint where Cesar Valdez works, and he is still pumped four months after his baptism. I can’t use chopsticks to save my life, but that’s why I am on this end of the Pacific Ocean. We gave a bit of our leftovers to a new investigator, Jose, because the last thing missionaries’ need is more pizza.

Have Jake write me, now that his leg has recovered and he can serve with all his might, just remind him to use his mind too. He’s already got heart and strength. How many missionaries do we have out in the ward? Stake?

I know that this is the true organization that Jesus Christ established when he ministered unto us. I know that if we develop our hope in him, any one of our God-given abilities will improve and strengthen. I know that this is a very real and worthwhile cause which I am dedicated to and privileged to be a part of this great haste in these latter days. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of our Loving Heavenly Father. I will continue to labor beside the Lord here in Tijuana, and I shall wait and trust in the promises He has made us. 

Sincerely,

Elder Tobler

LAL

These were sent with no name or information - I'll update with such when I get that.

LORENA SE BAUTISÓ!

Jan 19, 2015

Dear Family,

Lorena Medina was baptized on Saturday! This week was awesome; we completed a lot, and even baptized someone without a Ward Mission Leader or Bishop. That was a bit of a show, but I am so glad that we can see how our efforts can bless the life of others. Lorena's boyfriend, Pedro, has plans to propose and get married soon, so in a year they can get married in the temple of Tijuana. He has been a member for a few years and has family that came to see the baptism that I recognized when I was in Reforma, Estaca La Mesa. Their little boy is so funny. After I performed the ordenance, their two year old Pedrito asked, "Te mojaste?" o "Did you get wet?" We taught a lot of people, and we have two other investigators who are almost there, Ramom y Fermin. They also gave me mews this week that with the 20(+) missionaries that we'll receive in February, they are making plans to re-open Palmeras, so the missionaries here only have to work in one ward! Our main goal these weeks is to capacitate the members in Palmeras, find a Ward Mission leader/Bishop for Los Altos, and Keep baptizing!

I am glad that Mom is keeping herself entertained with her wreath business, and I hope the weather... Normalizes? Here the people take notice of any little change, 

Alex Peacock? I am forgetting who I'm related to and how. That is so special to hear that Ryan and Liselle Had their baby, the role they have as parents is extremely important. I have the blessed responsibility to not only establish the church here, but to work with the families in order that they can recieve eternal blessings.

The work continues, it is difficult, they put higher restrictions on us missionaries and now it is even tougher to communicate with the Sisters in my district, and help them fulfill their goals. I see many new beginnings and many bases being build for a mighty armada of Righteous servants en this land between lands. I am proud to be a missionary, and I know that I represent the church of God. He talks to us through his Prophets, and will never cease to do so. I know hat we all can participate of the love, mercy, of our Savior, and receive eternal blessings from our Heavenly father, a just and loving God.

Well, as for the food, nothing new- everything mexican and scrumptious. We actually cancelled the lunch appointment yesterday, because we were at the church from about 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., so we decided to pack a lunch. We took a big notch out of the junk food that I received for Christmas/my birthday. I still have two boxes full. About the last package I received from Grandma Tobler, remind everyone that there is still an unnecessary quantity of packages being sent to the American Missionaries. I will write you when I need something. As for the moment, just ink for the wood pen, maybe a belt, ties and pants never hurt. I need better ideas to guard and keep papers and booklets that I plan to bring home.

Elder Esquinca, guaranteed is and will be my companion with the weirdest name that I'll have. His first name comes from Chiapas while his last name was jewish-italian, before it was adjusted when the Europeans settles in Central America. He teaches really well, has 5 months in the mission, but lacks the ability and natural urge to find new people to teach. He dedicated his High school life to American football (in Mexico) and has desires to play for BYU. He is really funny but really sucks at getting moving in the morning. He was born and raised in the state of Guanajuato, one of the very few missionaries that come from this part of Mexico. 

Send my love and well wishes to everyone else, to my close Friends and family members,

Sincerely,

Elder Tobler

Felix cumpleanños a mí

January 12, 2015

Dear Family,

This week we realized the importance of working with the members again, just when our Ward Mission Leader told us that he´s taking his family to Culican... Let´s see who we can reactivate in order to replace him. I didn´t have time to make the brownie mix you sent me Mom, so we ate pudding for my Birthday. Saterdays are always so full, inviting EVERYONE to just come to church.

I finally brought the package that Grandma y Grandpa Tobler sent to the apartment, and it has MORE TRAETS AND FOOD! I didn´t even buy food todfay, I have been given so many things from the Christmas season. 

I did get a pleasing telephone call from the wife of the President on Saterday. She told me that the Lord was very pleased of my dedicated service so far away from my own home and the I am truely helping His children, my brotheren, to return to His presence. The Lord has given me one more year to live, that I may have the joy here opn earth and continue serving my fellow man. I love the Lord, and I know that this work is real and true. I love my family, and I know that I will return and have years more to continue serving Heavenly Father´s Children. 

Sincerely, 

Elder Tobler

LOL

This is a picture of my companion who played American football before his mission and goes for the 49ERS and the Cougars. I was receiving numbers and data from the sisters on Thursday night.

Elder Tobler se queda

January 5, 2015

Dear Family,

This week was a nice week to end training Elder Ruiz, and to end me time in this sector- but the Lord has other Plans. Elder Tobler se queda, and so I stay here to continue establishing the church here in the wards Palmeras y Los Altos. I will continue working hard and I hope this week ends better. I don’t have a lot to say since Thursday...

We received the Translados really late, on Sunday at 9. The Zone Leaders told me that I’m staying here, my trainee left to San Quentin (Far, far away), and that the most part of the Zone stayed the same. It is not a bad stake to pass this time of year, but I’ll be here until about Valentine’s Day. The President mentioned that December was not a good month for us, and that we can better ourselves as a mission. I night train again in February, but for now I’ll just focus on the baptisms we have right now. We have several for January and February, and I hope to find the other 3 baptisms for February and all 4 for the month of March.

Good to here that life is back on track in Utah, I hope there is plenty of snow to enjoy there as you all return to your classes. Kenzie mentioned to me in a moment that she wants to go on a mission- I want to confirm that thought before it was made public. I hope Livi is doing well and that she stops growing until I come home! Wow, and Kenzie is going back to college, I heard that it is ABSOLUTELY FROZEN in Logan. 

As for me currently I have a frog in my throat, just the funnier to speak Spanish as an American, but enjoying the mission. I should have an awesome birthday, since I’m going to be in this same sector after all.

I love this mission. I am extremely grateful for my president, and I am grateful for our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ, and I hope to live in His kingdom aside our Heavenly Father. I love you all, and I hope you can continue perfecting yourselves ddia con dia.

Sincerely,

Elder Tobler

FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!

Dear Family,

January 1, 2015

This week we had an awesome time! We enjoyed navidad and today we organized another game of soccer, this time with the Zone leaders. The sisters in my zone had one baptism and two confirmaciones, and it looks like these wards are finally going to have a baptism! We have two baptisms that are extremely sure in January, and we are filling up February rapidly. We saw Ceaser Valdez twice this week, and although he hasn't been able to make it to church His family is still doing very well, and enjoying the holidays. They have plans to be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, and I offered them a room. I want to everything I can this week so that this holiday time they can go to church again.

The only downside- I don't know if I’ll be here to see all of this success. Translados are Monday, and odds are good that I'll be changed to another area. We had a hope that they would open Palmeras in order to ease the workload to something normal (if that even exists in the Service of the Lord), maybe spilling me and my trainee up to show the new companions the sector. They issue is that they are minimizing the number of missionaries in the mission to only about 200, and with two wards that don't take up a bunch of land and the minimal progressive results in the Work, it may be a long time before they re-open Palmeras. So, in short, odds are good that my newly trained son will stay here enjoying success in a tough part of the mission.

As for food, the only thing special about it was that there was A LOT!

We have found some really cool people to teach ultimately, and they appear to be receptive to our message.

I love this Fully Dedicated service to the Lord, and I am Grateful for the pains, the tiring days, and the heartache that passes in Mission Life. It gives me more joy only thinking in the success one could obtain, and the glory a soul can receive as they make their first covenant with our Heavenly Father. I know that he loves each and every one of us, and has given us this life to learn, experience, and prepare. I know that this is a real physical work that can bring families and influence the salvation of many Children of God. I hope that all is well at home, and I will write on Monday I believe.

Sincerely,

Elder Tobler