Monday, August 29, 2016

Life of a missionary...

Well my life is really interesting. Sometimes we go days without a solid meal, sometimes days without electricity, sometimes it is in the same time period. Sometimes we get really wet in the rain and sometimes it's because we are sweating in the hot sun with 100 percent humidity. But always we are happy to be out here! I'll get to why in a minute.

First! PHOTOS! 



My district, with our zone leaders. The larger one is new as our zone leader and he is cool. Mexican and doesn't know a lot of English. The American is cool too and he knows a lot of spanish, and so we were only talking in spanish because well we are in Mexico. 

Perritos! Or PUPPIES! One of our investigators dogs just had puppies and also one of our recent converts dogs also. But I'll send that photo later.

Also I found a praying mantis with one of our investigators and well in spanish it is called differently so I couldn't use it to teach her to pray always but it was fun. 


Also chicken! Well she had a chicken that her family was about to kill and eat so I had to take a picture with it so it will always be remembered. Or at least so that I could have more pictures on my camera.



Ok, so this week was pretty normal. Well not really... We are starting to look for a new house because the house we have is the worst house in the mission according to my companion. And I believe him... It is pretty bad. But it is good because it means all my other houses in my mission will be super great in comparison!

Also we went a few days without a solid meal, yeah we had a sandwich here and there and chips but not a meal because the members who give us food were busy and just gave us a bit of money. We also have been losing the electricity many times this week. It has been interesting, and normally it comes back on within one or 2 hours, but this week it was like every day at least once we didn't have electricity for 2 hours and one night for the entire night until early afternoon the next day. I can now say that I have showered in darkness. I prefer with light.

But I tell you all of this because I want it to be clear that there is quite a few things that many people would not like. But I wouldn't have it any other way. This week we taught the Book of Mormon to one of our investigators and she really started to understand the reality of the restoration. She asked us if we sold copies in the church, and when we told her that we give them out for free she started to tear up because she doesn't have much. And she recognizes that everything she has is because of God's mercy. And she really wants to change her life. That experience was one of the best in my life, not just in my mission.

Anyways. Besides that... well this week was mostly normal. I am trying to talk to people more because I can learn more spanish and I like talking to people, I just sometimes am worried that they will respond with something I don't know...

Friday, August 26, 2016

Well new branch president

So this week we had a branch conference. And we got a new branch president. He lives in Puerto so it will be interesting. We had interviews with President Madsen today(Mission President) and he told me I need to reactivate or baptize someone that can be the new branch president in a year because this is only a temporary thing XD

But photos! First, my district. Then pretty sky and then the BEACH! Yeah we can't swim but we can visit the beach in Pday when we have interviews with President!

This week was a lot of introducing my companion to all the members and investigators so not much to say, but I do feel like I can be myself in spanish now! That means that I can speak without having to think a lot and I can talk to a bunch of people much easier!

It's raining really hard right now and I am a bit afraid that the power will go out in the middle of this email so I'll end it quick!

This week has been really good for me and I am really starting to see the blessings of a mission in my life and others. I know I have been called here for a reason and I am doing the work of the Lord!







ps I forgot to mention one photo!!! It is of a chawka-chawka. It is how I wash my laundry now super freaking pilas. But, I'll try and send a video next week

Monday, August 15, 2016

I have my new companion!

So first with photos. One is of my companion, Elder Martinez sleeping. He was only my companion for 3 days in Puerto. Then, BAPTISM AGAIN! 3 of that. And my new companion Elder Zavala is in them as well. Also Elder Pelayo, Elder Martinez and I eating. We were in a trio for 3 days. And for half of one day Elder Pelayo was sick so I was bored and took some photos of a clock.  This is what happens when your companion is sick..








So, last Monday thru Thursday I was in Puerto and it was super cool! Very hot as well but I'm grateful because I know Puerto a bit more now! So on Monday Elder Martinez arrived and it was cool.

Tuesday was fun. We found some super cool people in Puerto that I think are ready for the gospel.

Wednesday was super cool cuz we had a lesson in English!!! What!?! Yeah it was to Jehovah's witness that were a bit mad when we finished the lesson because when we started the lesson they didn't realize we were Mormons! XD Because their Spanish is really rough... But it was cool. I helped them realize that it gets better with time, but my Spanish is a lot better than theirs was.... And they have been in Mexico for almost 6 months. I am very grateful that God has helped me learn Spanish as quickly as I have so that I can help people here in Mexico. I know that if I was trying to learn on my own I'd be way lost. It was an experience that I am very grateful for to be able to have that lesson in English because it also helped me understand a bit better their beliefs which is good.

Thursday I returned to Puerto to have a baptismal interview for Valeria, the girl who was baptized, with my district leader. My companion was supposed to arrive in Puerto Thursday night but there was a blockade so he had to spend the night with Elder Seañez in Salina Cruz! Kinda funny.

Friday there was a baptism of 2 teenagers for my district leader and I had to leave right before it started to get my new companion. He is from Monterrey Mexico. He is cool. After that we rushed to Rio Grande to get everything ready for the baptism the next day.

Saturday we had the baptism of Valeria! She is the second that I baptized but my 4th baptism! Also the 5th this month for our district! She is cool, and is 10 years old.

Sunday she was confirmed and that is about it... We had a good appointment with new investigators that are super cool.

And today is fun, very laid back because it is Pday but fun.

But gtg out of time, I'll share a super awesome scripture next week!

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

My companion is gone! And my new companion isn't here!

No worries, my companion got transferred to Salina Cruz to be a Zone Leader! How cool!

Oh and my new companion won't be here for a week because he is the secretary right now and has to train the new secretary. So, I am in Puerto Escondido for one week in a trio! The other elders are both Mexican and so is my new companion. But I won't see him for a week.

Photos! Well I hope they work because they are slow.... Well this computer is slow. But that is ok. I had my first (and second and third) baptism because I baptized a young man named Carlos, his family is less active and Elder Seañez baptized his brother Aram. Carlos is a bit younger and shorter. I sure hope you can figure out which is me and which is my companion. And so a few photos are of that.






Then in Puerto this morning the sunrise is really pretty right outside of the house so one picture of that. And one picture of Hna Elvira(a member in Rio Grande) and her daughter Valeria. That photo is there because there is a sad story...

sunrise is really pretty right outside of the house
So, Valeria is not baptised but we set her baptismal date for the 13th of this month, this Saturday. But with these weird circumstances and me in Puerto, we can't do it. Her mom goes out of town next week for her work for about 6 months so we have to postpone the baptism until she gets back... Kind of sad but it's ok because it isn't 8 years or something like that. Or an unclear amount of time that could be years or could be decades. Because we have investigators like that too... XD

But the biggest thing that happened last week besides transfers and baptisms was a tropical storm came through! SUPER AWESOME! It rained for days straight, and super hard for hours straight and all night one night. It caused our baptism on Saturday to be postponed for 2 hours but by a miracle the family was able to make it through the flooded road!

Besides that not much else to say. I am about out of time so I'll just close with a scripture that helped me a lot recently. I've been trying to finish the Book of Mormon in Spanish to help my Spanish improve and when Alma is giving his sons counsel in the middle of Alma (30's) it is a good reminder of how we need to live.







Monday, August 1, 2016

Well... It's August.

So, I've been out in the field for almost 2 transfers now and I'm probably going to receive a new companion next Monday... Super Fun!

The photos are just of my investigators and me and my companion... if they load because the internet is SUPER SLOW... Today more than normal. Well it is the computer as a whole. So if there are no photos I'm sorry. Please forgive me. But if you don't, well I won't know for at least a week and I'm in another country... XD

But this week was very much similar to other weeks... We are trying to find new investigators.... But we have 3 that will be baptized in the next 3 weeks! ¡QUE PILAS! ( That means like how awesome. But in Missionary Spanish... If you google translate that you'll be confused.)

So last Monday we had a couple lessons but in both they were the last lessons my companion will have with these people probably so we took some photos and he told them his first name, because that is a huge thing here that everyone wants to know... Not to friend you on facebook well yes, that too, but more of just to know.

Tuesday was good. Lots of walking, but that is almost always... I am not sure how much we walk every day but in Rio Grande because it is bigger that most other areas... So quite a bit. Don't have a way to measure it but it's good.

Wednesday was good too. I started feeling a bit sick, but nothing bad. I can still work just fine. Just a bit of an upset stomach sometimes. But we went to San Jose on Wednesday and talking with one investigator I felt like I was able to understand everything that she was saying and questioning even though it was in Spanish! But the spirit really can help me and I can feel it.

Thursday we talked with President for a few questions that we had. Because he was in Puerto and so he stopped by Rio Grande.

Friday was good. We talked with Rolando, and it's really hard to figure out how we can help him because he doesn't feel ready to commit to baptism.

Saturday the best thing is we had a great lesson with a less active who really wants to come back but his wife is holding him back so he's trying to get her to open up to the church again.

Sunday was great! We got to meet with a member that moved to Pinotepa (different mission) but she still comes back sometimes to visit. She is really cool. There are a lot of really great people here in Rio Grande. OH and there were over 50 people at church! Because of vacations this hasn't happened in a couple of months.

Ok that is all. So no photos... Sorry!

Oh, but a really good scripture is Helaman 5:12. For this week it was able to help.