Monday, May 24th

Hello my dear family and friends. We've had another really good week here in Laredo.

This last week we had zone conference. Elder Meservy and I performed a musical number for it. He sang while I played the piano. It was a very powerful song. We were also asked to sing for the English Ward yesterday. Several people thanked us afterward for the musical number.

Last night we had a really powerful lesson with a semi-active family. I won't go into too much detail for the sake of how spiritual it was, but, suffice it to say their 17 year old daughter who had been planning on getting married right after high school, is now thinking that she wants to serve a mission. It was a great lesson.

This week we have interviews. These will be the last interviews we'll have with President Miller. We'll still have one more zone conference. Anyway, I love the people here. They are an amazing family, and I know that I'm where I should be right now and that I'm doing what the Lord would have me do. I have definitely felt uplifted and strengthened in my day to day activities. I know that the Lord is able to heal us of all wounds.

I love you all!

Love,
Elder John H. Meservy

P.S. I also got my green papers at zone conference. My release date is September 8th.

Monday, May 17th

Hello, my dear family and friends.

I am doing well here in Laredo. I think I'm probably the happiest that I've been on my whole mission. It's hard to explain. I definitely feel that this is where the Lord wants me at this time.

We are going to teach a lady name Ana, and her kids. She came to church with her kids for the second week in a row. We met her husband Sunday night, and he is going to let us come by and talk with him as well. She really is THE most prepared investigator I think I've ever met. She was already living the word of wisdom, and the law of chastity. Which are probably the two biggest hurdles for anyone down here, and I'd imagine in most parts of the world.

We're also working with a partially less-active family (family is active, husband is not). Last night we went over and played on their piano, and sang songs. It is a blessing to have a musical companionship. I feel that that is part of why we're together as well. Basically, I know that the Lord's hand is at work it my life, and I'm so very grateful for that.

I have learned and grown SO much on my mission. I am nowhere near the person that I was when I left. I hope, and pray that I can maintain that progression, because that is what God expects of us, and what I expect of myself.

Today should be a pretty relaxing Preparation Day. I'm planning to go home and sleep. We also might go to some shops down town just to look around, and maybe to a bodega. A bodega is basically a used clothing place. Pretty much it's D.I. but for 35 cents per pound of clothes. I'm excited. I'll see what treasures I can find, if any. We may go back over to the less-active family that has the piano, and play the piano and sing some more, and just spend some time with them. We'll see.

Wow, this is turning into one of the longer weekly emails that I've sent home. That's pretty crazy. I hope you all enjoy it. For as you may know, I am not mighty in writing, like unto speaking. (2 Nephi 33:1) But I'd say that this letter was pretty mighty.

Well, I love you all, and I hope things are going well for you all.

With love,
Elder John H. Meservy

Monday, May10th

Well, I don't have much new to report today. Not since yesterday on the phone. I will give a quick update for those of you who weren't there for the phone call yesterday, which is probably like 2 of you.

Things are going well for me here in Laredo. Transfers were this last week, and I am now with my first cousin James Meservy. It's been pretty intense. It's fun to introduce ourselves to people. Most people don't even catch on. We've found that it's actually easier to explain to people that we're cousins than to try to explain how "Elder" is a title, and all of that.
We are working hard, and we had one of the best weeks number-wise that I've had my whole mission. We seem to work well together. He is really good at contacting everyone, and I keep us to our appointments on time. We're still working out small differences, and trying to find a better middle-ground to be the most effective and efficient that we can.

By the way, Elder James Meservy says hello.

Well, I love you all very much. I'll try to get a picture to you all next week of us as companions.
Take care, and write me letters. (There's not a WHOLE lot of time left to do so) "....do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end, for after this day of life....." Alma 34:32-34

I love you all,

Love,
Elder John Meservy

Elder Meservy #1 of our Meservy companion-ship....er...Meservy-ship.

Monday, May 3rd

Hello again from Laredo. This week is transfers, but it's pretty much a positive thing that I'll be staying here in Laredo. I guess we'll find out in a few hours.

We've had a decent week. We've been out working hard. It's been in the 100's this last week, and it's only going to get hotter. It's definitely quite the experience to bike around in the heat, and then tract once you lock up the bikes. But, it's been good.

So, something interesting to me this last week is that one of the less-actives that we contacted is really into magic. That's been a lot of fun for me. We had a nice long discussion about it, and I think that it will help him get back into church. The Lord works in very mysterious ways, right? He's in high school, but I think that this can lead to him coming back to church, and to his family joining the church. Again, strange, but the Lord knows what He's doing.

Other than that, nothing really sticks out to me about this last week. I'm really grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve as a missionary. I only have 3 transfers left, and that's a pretty scary thought.

Well, I have several more emails that I need to write. But, I love you all, and hope that things continue to go well for ya'll.

Love,

Elder John

Monday, April 26th

Hello family and friends,

I guess for a lot of you, you'll be on a cruise right now reading this. I must say, I am very jealous. For the rest of you, I'm sorry you're not on the cruise either.

Things are going well here in Laredo. I got the pictures to work this week I think, so....now you'll have to long awaited bear pictures that I've mentioned.

I can't believe we're already almost into May.

Well, we didn't have any investigators at church yesterday. We had a ride set up for one, but he didn't answer his door Sunday morning. It was a little bit frustrating, but what can you do, huh?

This last week it was 95+ degrees. This is more the weather I've been expecting....not really longing for, more of a loathing for, but nonetheless, expecting. Biking and walking around all day in it really starts to wear you out.

I look forward to a good week this week. I trust that everything will continue on in the best possible way. After all, this is the Lord's work. And when we're on the Lord's side, all things are possible.

I've been doing really well emotionally this last week, which has been really nice. It's been a big change. I am so grateful for this opportunity I have to serve.

Well, I love you all, and will talk to ya'll in a couple weeks on the phone!

Love,

Elder John