Profound Cartography Lesson

Ok, for those of you who know me even at a pretty surface level you probably know that I have a surface level interest and knowledge in just about everything I see, and a vocabulary to back it up. 

The number one focus in MY LIFE right now is doing things PROFOUNDLY.

Jesus got to know everyone around him and really ministered to the one. According to the spirit, we are to do the same with friends and family. In my efforts to get to know people better and to build their relationships I have found that there is a common Spanish word for kin that I like: "pareja."  Pareja also means bird and means any sort of intergender relationship from best friend to temple sealed couple. Cool right? Helping people understand that Jesus Christ helps them profoundly grow closer to each other has been such a blessing because now we don't have to find as much, just teach.😅

My profound study of the scriptures has also helped me grow closer with my companion. Together we mapped out Mosiah 26 to Alma 28 (the missions and conversions of Alma the Younger and the Sons of Mosiah) it has been AWFUL, so confusing, and often times FRUSTRATING, but upon finishing mapping it out like professional cartographers we grew much closer as a companionship, so naturally we wanted to be doc heads and we are on pace to finish revelations by next week (i'll keep you updated) 

Love you all! Sorry the emails have been longer, but these have been such good transformational weeks!

Sincerely,

Elder Lucas Witte

Mom this us you don't even know🤣

Crashed yet another birthday party... This one was a 70s theme?

Can you believe I like the green goo now?

Got to go to the temple and do some Salvadoran sealings, 4 generations back for this one family!!! (Extra good geography and voseo practice😂) Add that to my list of different countries/dialects I encounter in the very exotic Washington Vancouver Mission.

Won cleanest car, I know mom, so proud right?

"Change" Ft. Elder Aiono and Elder Witte

We had interviews. It was fire and of course, I pushed for more leeway with the spanish learning tools we have available to us. My companion was doing great too, we are working so hard here!

I had a very special moment this last week, a truly inspired moment. A previous trainee of mine is ward sharing and we spent 10 minutes remembering old moments when we were together, it took a lot of faith and trust when I was told to not back down when it comes to my internal sense of obedience, and although he apologized for much of the confliction that he caused, one of top things that I have learned, is to be more loving.  It is not easy for me, but I am a work in progress.

Jesus Christ expects SO MUCH out of us, and I've been studying lately how his perfect love and sacrifice JUSTIFY his high, perfect expectations of us. He knows of our potential and I have had a glimpse of that with this trainee, but without showing the high love. I was extremely at fault too, it was so tender talking with him and I'm so excited to see the changes he has made and the changes that I have made. We watched videos and I remembered how frustrated or angry I once was. But now I don't even see the point in why I was so hard headed or strong willed, I am learning this transfer to meet people where they are. I am so grateful for the mission, and the impossibly better person it is helping me become.

Sincerely,

Elder Lucas Witte

Of course, tomfoolery happened this week. I'm still a teenager. 

TEQUEÑOS: essentially cornmeal homemade mozzarella sticks, we got taught to make them and I CHEFFED (yes all the cheesy goodness... (I just KNOW my sisters are rolling over this one))

AREPAS: Ok I was on a roll and am in my baking arch on the mission so ofc I had to make (essentially corn meal english muffins? Idk how to describe them but they are SO FIRE) this one is uncooked but LOOK AT THAT CONE TOP SHAPE SO FIRE!!!

I may have won the BIGGEST Bible I've ever seen in a Bible bash (we shared a scripture and bro said that's a dumb book try this, and he let us keep it...)

New Area, New Companion - Like Alma

 Well, our area was closed but then I left and opened a new area where Elders haven't been for almost 2 years, so naturally we went straight to all the bros that the hermanas that have not taught or visited because they were solo at home or didn't understand. Oh yeah, and that's a plus because my companion is fluent in Spanish so we can help SOOO many more people!!!  This is going to bring up my Spanish even more than it already is and that is exciting. (for me)

Elder Maile-Stites is from Tonga/Samoa but lived in Las Vegas and his Spanish is SO good! It's been such a pleasure to finally be with a companion that's older than me (in mission time, I'm still mad young in for real time)

I have been reading about Alma Younger this week and realized he followed the spirit SO MUCH as to where to go and where not to go. We have to do the same here because it is the land of the apartment complexes and we have tried hard to return to those places that accept us and our message and... ahem* leave the places that don't. (deep doctrine, iykyk (jk)) 

Word to the Wise: Do the same in your life! Cut unnecessary places, people, and things out of your life and focus on those with which you will be accepted into God's arms! Love you all goodbye!

Sincerely,

Elder Lucas Witte

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Trainee in our apt got to talk in front of the whole mission!!! He's so great (mom not all those soda cans are mine, promise)

Yalibeth got baptized!!!  a year and a half ago she was found, there are like 20 missionaries that taught her, she is AWESOME!!! Glad to be a part of her story.

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Dang it, you've got me tearing up.

 The top thing I've learned on my mission is to look for deeper needs and problems in people's lives, whether that is being patient and picking apart subtle jabs instead of verbally fighting back, or just point blank trauma dumping to you. Usually, I'm not a fan of either of those but this transfer I had to grow my empathy, patience and humility to better understand my companion and help our companionship. This was a challenge for me and through Jesus Christ I have been so changed for the better and been able to heal and help others.

My mission has meant everything to me and I will do whatever it takes to protect this opportunity that I have been given to learn and grow. It has been the biggest, fattest, greatest spiritual experience of my entire life (so far). My testimony is at an all time high in conjunction with my thorough understanding of the gospel, restoration, and plan that God has for each and every one of us. I was sent HERE to help people, and will not stop until they make me. 

Well, unfortunately this transfer we just got the call and my companion and I are both leaving... As per usual we will have 24 hours to pack then we will get on the transfer van and head out to somewhere new that we are needed. Peace out Camas.

Sincerely,

Elder Lucas Witte

Leo was found right as I got to this area, and got baptized yesterday... how perfect his conversion is is insane, his confirmations was SO POWERFUL

W Recent Convert (as per usual)

 The Spanish zone conference was excellent. I have made it my goal to really grow close with the youth/young/prospective elders in this beautiful branch we've got here in Camas Washington, and one of my best friends came to Zone Conference by invitation and in one of the breakout rooms you could interview him about his experience on being baptized and retained. It was so epic and SO spiritual as he testified to us about prayer. What I got out of it is to pray more WITH not just FOR your friends, families, spouses etc. It will grow you so close to Heavenly Father.

I was able to go on exchanges the exact same day that the other companionship had a temple tour! So we drove down with one of my favorite members from when I was in that area and we listened to some INSANE music, from "Despacito" to "gangnam style."  It was HILARIOUS. I hope the best for those elders in the near future.

Have a great week and pray more.

Sincerely,

Elder Lucas Witte

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Portland BBQ that took FOREVER to make but was so delicious (do not tell the assistants)

W temple trip with these folks!!!! The temple Hermana was from el salvador too!!!

Candelaria is gonna get baptized!!! (Before she goes back to Argentina hopefully)​

The field is white and ready to harvest.

​Our new sun block blanket (our poor neighbors)

365 Down, 368 to Go...

 Howdy y'all we got another week that has unfortunately flown by: here are the highlights:

CAMAS DAYS was hype, the local stake had a tent and we went like 5 times to contact in public: we went tent to tent and low key got bashed but then I always hit them with, "hey we bruthas out here," and then to disarm we asked how much the Jesus shirts cost? And eventually we got the brotha in christ discount (20$ off a 20$ shirt) (pictured below)

We had a zone exchange where we all exchange with everyone in the zone, for instance, I got put with Elder Averett from the complete opposite side of the zone and different districts, to whitewash (for the day) into the Spanish Hermanas area, kind of confusing but we found SO MANY PEOPLE. It was pretty great.

Zone exchange + Jesus shirt I won after Bashing (don't bash y'all you usually don't win a shirt)

Jaime got baptized!!! (WWWwwWWww) She is great. We have been working with her for 3 months and watching her progress from a fairly musty house to glowing at her baptism was so cool to watch.  She is such a neat lady.

Curious George Camas Days

Camas days parade

Ducky at camas days

Elder Averett and I zone exchange

Have a good Week,

Read Alma 7:14 - It has been on my mind.

Sincerely, 

Elder Lucas Witte

A Stroll with the MP

 We had a zone conference. It was good. President Pulsipher's first ZC, so naturally it wasn't as doccy but that's alright.

First round of interviews too, turns out he wants to lose weight so we walk around the building and this time it was just getting to know me, and it was perfect because I love talking about myself (joke-not really)

President Pulsipher was reading this week in Alma 5. He LOVES asking questions in order to teach, the Savior did too, so I'm going to be teaching more by asking questions, like some of my favorite teachers. 

17 Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord on that day, and say—Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth—and that he will save you?" 

Do good works! SHOW you are faithful and I promise you Heavenly Father will show you just how perfectly powerful and knowledgeable of your situation he is 

Sincerely, 

Elder Lucas Witte

Fogata: bonfire (we roasted marshmallows)

For my birthday we got lifted free jerseys from our good friends (the latino in the black guillermo, and we are pretty sure Mohammad on the right isn't spanish)

Turns out - I shared a birthday with a good friend and member Rebecca, we celebrated together and ate SO MUCH FOOD. she is the best (and we got double cake)