Semana 105 (Corn Milk and S'mores)

Buenas!!

This week was a lot of fun!

After Pday we went to a place called Boquete! It's kind of a harder area to work in, but the weather there feels sooooo good! Elder Pollock and I had a ton of fun together! We literally ran about 2 miles just contacting people and teaching lessons! The best part at the end of the day, we made smores with the electric stove! So yummy :)

Then we went back to Mountain Land! Good ol San Felix! It was fun to be back there and see a bunch of old friends and members! I was with Elder Aguilar, and we enjoyed the day up on the mountain. At night Elder Aguilar made us a special dish from Peru that was probably one of the best things I've ever tasted! Latinos are awesome! (Lomo Saltado)

I also got to go to my favorite bakery in David for the last time! I got a Costilla de Guayaba. So so good.

After our trip in Zona David, we headed on over to La Chorrera! About an 8 hour trip! There is 1 thing that I absolutely love about La Chorrera. CHICHEME!! It's so stinkin good!! It's a type of drink. It's corn milk, but it is very sweet. It sounds weird, but it's so good!

We had exchanges in La Chorrera, I was with Elder Vasquez.

Then in Las Mendozas, I went with Elder Rivas. It's a new area, so we spent the day just contacting every house we could find! It was a lot of fun though! We met some super awesome people!

Then in Biancheri with Elder Rees. He is new, so I had fun making him talk to people!

Some missionaries refused to do exchanges with us because "There isn't time to see miracles. And you don't see miracles on Sunday." I didn't say anything to them, but I got very. very angry. Come on, have a little faith here. Don't be saying that God can't create miracles.

So instead of going with them, we went to El Progreso. I went with my good friend Elder Richards! We have been in the mission pretty much the entire time together. And guess what? WE SAW MIRACLES ON SUNDAY! Lots actually! In the little time we had, we were able to contact a ton of people, and have a super spiritual lesson which resulted in the person wanting/agreeing to be baptized!

As for my thought, I'll share a scripture from Ether 12:12

"For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith."

I've really seen this in my mission! When we believe and trust that God is a God of miracles, and then work hard to see those miracles happen, God pours down His blessings! But when we doubt, or don't work to see miracles, they don't come. Just like our prophet has said, "Expect Miracles!" So, I invite you all to do so! Expect miracles and work hard to see them!

Anyways, I hope everyone has a good week! Keep praying for me and Panama! Until Next Week!

- E. Lutze

I ♥️ Chicheme!

Splits with E. Pollock in San Felix

Corrupting the Missionaries ~ The Smolder Look

Expect Miracles ~ Finding the ONE!

We love splits!

E. Aguilar's delicious Peruvian food!

Salchipapas

San Felix

We love the Book of Mormon!

Semana 105

Dear Elder Lutze,

I hope you’ve had another excellent week as a traveling AP! We pray for your safety and wellness. Life here has been crazy. I just got home tonight and dad comes home Tuesday from St. George. Papa decided to move in with Sonia and so dad is taking everything there and we turn around and leave again on Friday to go back and finish up. 

Rachael and Natalie are down visiting Hannah. They were able to participate in Foster‘s white coat ceremony. Have Hannah tell you about the tree!

We love you and pray for you! So proud of you!

Love,

 Mom 

Semana 104 (Life is a Highway!)

FYI Elder Lutze's homecoming talk will be Sunday, October 27th at 9 am (650 E. 3200 N. Lehi) and an open house will be held Saturday, September 28th from 4-6 pm (2978 N. Utah Highlands Dr Lehi).

Buenas!!

What a crazy week! So let's get into it!

On Tuesday we picked up all the new missionaries. It was so much fun! They were all so excited to be in Panamá and thought that we were superheroes. It was super funny! I literally have more time in my mission than all of them combined! jaja

Then my companion Elder Ixen and I planned a bit of what we are going to do, and how we are going to do it.

Our house is now two tiny suitcases... It's awesome! We just go around to different areas daily. The fun part is that we can go anywhere and at any time we want! And no one ever knows where we are... jajaja

Well, we started off our adventure by going on the good ol 12 hour bus ride to Banana Land! It was so good to be back! I love Changuinola so much. We had a really good time with the Elders there.

We had exchanges in Empalme with Elderes Per and Tamariz. Then in Changuinola with Elder Harry and my child Elder Keck. I love Elder Keck! He sure makes a dad proud.

Then we left for David. We got there at 12 AM. Slept till 4 AM, and left to go to Puerto Armuelles. Puerto is SO STINKIN HOT! It was like a furnace! But it was cool! I went with my New Zealand friend Elder Aguilar. He has the coolest accent!!

The Elders of Solano rejected us. They wouldn't let us come and do intercambios. So we went to their church on Sunday! jaja. They weren't happy to see us, but the members were! The members were super nice to us, and even gave us food!

Then exchanges in Bolivar with Elderes Pineda and Ramirez. Also a super fun day!

This is honestly a super crazy adventure! I'm loving every minute of it! Every day we have to give 110%. It doesn't matter how tired we are. I love getting to know the missionaries, and to help them feel loved and hyped up!

Anyways. I'll share more another week, but we have to travel to Boquete! Love y'all lots! Keep praying for mission Panamá! Until Next Week!

- E. Lutze

E. Ixen & Lutze on Splits

Welcoming the New Missionaries!

More Splits ~ E. Ixen & Lutze

Our Tiny Homes

E. Lutze & E. Ixen ~ All of Panama is our Mission!

I love E. Aguilar's New Zealand accent!

Semana 104

Elder Lutze,

Time is flying!  We pray this week was a great one! I’ve been super busy and still trying to get well! Rachael, Dad, and I went to see Twisters  on Tuesday. I literally thought I would be in one personally on the way home - pouring rain plus hail! They had to get the snow plows out on the freeway! Crazy! Rachael was late to the movie because of the plows. Wednesday we took the YW  . We all had a great time! Thursday Dad and I saw Arsenic & Old Lace. Funny! Saturday was date night. We bought about $1800 worth of plumbing fixtures for the SG basement and then ate Chinese…. Blindfolded! Hey they say love is blind!!! Elder Woodfield gave his Homecoming talk today. He did a nice job. He really enjoyed his service mission. On a sad note, Ray Robinson passed away on Wednesday. His funeral is next Saturday. 

Love you! 

Mom

True Always ~ Something to think about as you prepare to return home….

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed what it means to be true at all times: “That word true implies commitment, integrity, endurance, and courage. It reminds us of the Book of Mormon’s description of the 2,000 young warriors: “[Alma 53:20–21.] “In the spirit of that description I say to our returned missionaries—men and women who have made covenants to serve the Lord and who have already served Him in the great work of proclaiming the gospel and perfecting the Saints—are you being true to the faith? Do you have the faith and continuing commitment to demonstrate the principles of the gospel in your own lives, consistently? You have served well, but do you, like the pioneers, have the courage and the consistency to be true to the faith and to endure to the end?” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1997, 101–2; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 73; italics added). 20 ​  

And they were all young men, ​​and they were exceedingly valiant for ​​​courage​, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.   

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/53?id=p20&lang=eng#p20

Semana 103 (I'm Touring Panama!)

Buenas!!

Last week of the transfer flew by! It was a good end of the transfer tho!

We had exchanges on Monday which was super fun! I went with Elder Mendez. He is super awesome!

I aided a criminal... I helped a blind lady onto the metro train, and then helped her sit down. But 2 minutes later a police officer walked on and escorted her off. I'm curious what she did.

We had our interviews and Consejo de Distrito on Tuesday which was good!

We did a really fun service project as a district! Pancakes included! But I'm sure every service project that has Pancakes involved is a good service project!

We had another good exchange with some other Elders. While waiting to end the exchange Elder Parkinson and I kept going up and down the escalators to contact people. It was so funny!

SOLINKA GOT BAPTIZED!! FINALLY!! I'm super happy for her :)) And she just had the biggest smile on her face all day! It was super special! We went to her house later to eat cake with her family, so big success for sure.

Kelly also came to church! She's gonna get baptized next week! But the cool part was that her aunt, who is a member, but hasn't gone to church in 20 years, came to church on Sunday!! It was a huge miracle! Ministering works people!

Today we went to a Brazilian steak house! It was SO STINKIN GOOD. I haven't had good meat like that in 2 years. I just about cried.

Well here it is, my last transfer is coming up. Time just goes by too quickly. But I'm excited for my last transfer! It's going to be quite different.

I'm leaving Mañanitas which is sad, I'll definitely miss all my friends here. But, I've been given a new assignment that I'm excited for!

I'm going to be a traveling AP! Basically for my last transfer I'm going to be traveling around all of Panamá! Each day my companion and I will be with a new companionship, in a new area, doing exchanges! So basically I'm homeless. Six weeks of traveling, exchanges, and giving it my all. It's gonna be really exhausting, but I don't think there is any better way to end my mission than giving everything I have to a country and people I love! One last adventure!

As for my thought, I can't quite compare myself to Alma. But, I will say that I feel a little bit how he felt.

9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy. 

10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.

I'm so grateful to God for His love and mercy that he has shown me, and continues to show me. And I'm so grateful for the chance He has given me to be an instrument in His hands to bring people to Christ. This is true joy.

I love you all lots! Please pray lots for me, my people, and my mission!

Until Next Week!

- E. Lutze

Solinka's Baptism

Brazilian Steakhouse! I almost cried!

District service with pancakes

Sharing His gospel, His love, and His word ~ The Book of Mormon!

Semana 103

Dear Elder Lutze, 

I hope all is well and that you and your companion had a great last week together! 

Life here has been busy ~ recovering from probably COVID, yard work, work, and YW. Dad and I went to the temple on Friday and did an endowment session. It was so cool to have about 50 missionaries from the MTC with us in our session! We watched Twister with the girls last night. We’re going to see the new one on Tuesday this week. 

Keep working hard for the next 6 weeks. No regrets!

I love Elder Holland. This is from his 2013 General Conference talk “Like a Broken Vessel”

“So how do you best respond when mental or emotional challenges (any challenge) confront you or those you love? Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend. As President Monson said to the Relief Society sisters so movingly last Saturday evening: “That love never changes. … It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve [it]. It is simply always there.” Never, ever doubt that, and never harden your heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual well-being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week, and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If those miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead.”

I love this!

 Mom

Semana 102 (Green Tea Cake)

This week was really good! We started off by doing a CPEC. It was super far away. But it was super fun! In the morning we all played basketball, and it was a really good time!

We had exchanges this week too. I went with Elder Bowen! We started our missions together, so it was super fun! We also had 2 dinners...we were really full and sick after 

Tender Mercy moment! We kinda had a rough day on Thursday. And to make it worse, our light bill wasn't paid, so we were about to run out of electricity! The big issue there is that Panamá is super hot! Without a fan or something it's just impossible to sleep. We were trying to pay the bill, but everything was either broken or closed...

We decided to just turn the fan on and let the power go out. But by a tender mercy, the fan made it through the entire night! It was literally impossible. But it happened!

We ate some weird fruit called Mamon Chino. It was pretty good tho!

A member gave us a strange looking cake. My companion started eating it, then la hermana said, "This is a cake made with green tea."

Bruh. My companion then proceeded to eat the rest of it. I asked her if I could take it to go, then I punted it into the trash. And my companion then made himself throw it up. Bottom line, don't be scared to say no and live the commandments!

Something pretty cool that happened is that we saw some of our friends on their way to school. They were super excited to see us and were waving from the bus. Then we saw that in their hands they had the Book of Mormon we gave them! It was awesome!! It made me really happy :)

Today was super fun! We went as a zone to play paddle ball! I wasn't super great at it, but it was for sure a fun time!

Anyways. Love you all lots! Keep praying for my zone and my people! Until Next Week!

- E. Lutze 

A Little Friendly Basketball

Lunch

Mamon Chino

Share the Book of Mormon

CPECs or Splits

Zone Paddle Ball

Semana 102

Dear Elder Lutze,

I hope you’re feeling better! I’m better but still hacking my head off at times! Busy at work and at home! I scanned 6000 family history pictures since Thursday! Plus laundry, shopping, mowing the lawn, cleaning the filter, attending the temple and my annual physical. 

We helped Rachael moved on Wednesday to Millcreek! She’s mostly unpacked and went to her YSA ward today.

Bishop said you could choose to speak on Fall Break or the next week. He’s fine with either one.

I thought we could surprise Hannah and go out to see her and help her when you’re back. Thoughts?

You know this as a missionary and it can be frustrating… Lead Others to Christ Not Away 

President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) warned of the seriousness of leading people away from the truth: “I think the greatest crime in all this world is to lead men and women, the children of God, away from the true principles. We see in the world today philosophies of various kinds, tending to destroy faith, faith in God, faith in the principles of the gospel. What a dreadful thing that is. “The Lord says if we labor all our days and save but one soul, how great will be our joy with him; on the other hand how great will be our sorrow and our condemnation if through our acts we have led one soul away from this truth. “He who blinds one soul, he who spreads error, he who destroys, through his teachings, divine truth, truth that would lead a man to the kingdom of God and to its fulness, how great shall be his condemnation and his punishment in eternity. For the destruction of a soul is the destruction of the greatest thing that has ever been created” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 1:314).

Alma 39:12 ​And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: ​​​Command​ thy children to do good, lest they ​​​lead​ away the hearts of many people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye ​​​refrain​ from your iniquities;

Love,

Mom