Week 25: Well.... New area is interesting

So no photos this week because well it is a new area so it was more getting accustomed to everything and I am sure I misspelled that... But that is the problem with only using Spanish. But good news!

There are 2 other Americans in my district. And besides my companion and I, the rest of the missionaries in my district are Sister missionaries! It is different because in my old area, in the entire zone there is not 1 sister missionary.

Ok, actually there is 1 that is here with her husband because they both are old and so are their kids so they were like let's serve a mission in Mexico! I want to do that.  But at first it was really weird but then after like 5 minutes it was fun. Also tomorrow we will have a zone activity! On the beach again! How cool!

Ok, so I am learning how to relearn an area because I just got here and my area is big, so I hope I can get it quickly, but I might need a bit of prayer from yáll too because it is a bit difficult right now. I am starting to understand where a few people live.

So this week we focused on setting people up with baptismal dates to help them prepare because in the district we didn't have many, between my companion and myself we only had 2 when I got here, but now we have 6! And 3 for October! We had one for this week but we had to push it so that we could finish teaching her, but now her daughter will be baptized with her!

Other investigators are also really cool and progressing, well more or less. We only had 1 in Sacrament meeting but we are working really hard to get at least 6 to General conference! That will be good! I'm glad I know Spanish sufficient enough to understand the Liahona, so that means I can understand conference too!

Also... Well, actually that is about it. I'll send more pics next week of people and stuff and yeah.
But before I get off, just know that I know I am serving the Lord out here in Mexico, and I have seen miracles. When we trust in our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ they will never let us down. And I know that we will always be able to see the hand of God in our lives if we look.

Also, it is good to remember our baptismal covenants in Mosiah 18 we can find them and if you aren't a member of the church, well it is a really cool chapter to read and see what people a long time ago promised and how people today still promise to do the same!

So until then! Or in Spanish, ¡Hasta entonces!

Week 24: New Area! And Mexican Independance Day!

Well, right now I'm in my 2ND AREA! Almost have 6 months in my mission and I just barely got to my second area, but that is ok. I'll talk more about that later in this email.

PHOTOS! INDEPENDENCE DAY!
That means PARTY with the branch! Well for one night. Also, it meant we had to stay inside the house for a couple of hours because once it gets late, it is a bit dangerous to be out that night. But there are 2 photos of the branch activity. There were singing and dancing and me wearing a mustache... Oh wait, that is not part of the activity, but it happened during the party. It was fun. As missionaries, we just watched the dances that the members performed but it was fun.

me wearing a mustache

There were singing and dancing

new area means a new house

Also, PUPPIES! Yeah, I know I sent a photo of these puppies but who doesn't want more puppies ion their life? Really sad people is the answer to that question.

PUPPIES

And my new area means a new house, so here is a photo of the new house. It is small but nice. Well, it is inside the house. But I like it.

And so.... Well, Monday and Tuesday were good, normal, lots of visits to lots of people.

Wednesday I had a feeling that I would not have another transfer in Rio Grande, so I really tried to help everyone that I could and Wednesday was really good!

Thursday and Friday were independence days so we didn't have a lot to do because everyone was partying and we had to be in the house earlier than usual.

And Friday in the afternoon I got the information that I would be leaving Monday, but I didn't know where  I was going, so I started to get all my stuff ready to go.

Saturday I found out I would be going to Tehuantepec, in the zone of Salina Cruz, which is in the part of Oaxaca called Istmo. I have heard a lot of cool things about stuff in Istmo so I can't wait to experience it! Saturday was also the party for the branch and it was sad because I had to tell everyone that I was leaving but it was still fun.

Sunday was my last day in Rio Grande, and it was a lot of emotions that I was feeling. Sad because I was leaving, excited to get to my new area, happy to get to know more people and places, really sad to see some people for the last time, but I'll keep in contact with them after my mission so it is all good. Sunday night we went to Puerto to spend the night with other missionaries.

And today I left early and got to my new area Tehuantepec at about 1 in the afternoon. My zone leaders are Elder Flores, who is the old companion of Elder Zavala, my old companion, and Elder Seañez! (My old companion, and trainer)

And this week I have been reading in 3rd Nephi, and 3rd Nephi 8 through 10 are really good to read, but chapter 11 is wonderful because that is when Jesus Christ visited the Americas, and that is the best part of the Book of Mormon.

So with that, until next week! Or in Spanish, ¡Hasta la proxima semana!

Week 23: Well this week was much slower...

We were barely in our area this week because of all the meetings and stuff we had so it was really slow. But I learned that we should always learn from the meetings we have because they are great opportunities to learn from other people's experiences!

Photos! Well, let's hope that they finish because this computer is REALLY SLOW! DX
But there's a picture of a scorpion! We found it and then killed it with a frying pan... Well, I didn't kill it or really want to but the other missionaries (we were in their apartment) didn't think it was very fun to have around.

Also, 2 photos with my district and the Senior couple that is from the States serving their mission. They check our houses and live 3 and a half hours away in Huatulco.

And to show you how fun my days are, the other picture is a computer I was using last week to email! I get to see how the computer works from the inside!

But this week was a bit hard because I wasn't in my area.... I hope that this next week will be more fun because we hopefully have a baptism! And it might be my last week in Rio Grande!!!! Maybe, I talked to Hermana Madsen, President's wife, and she said that President is having a tough time knowing where I should go. Sometimes she lets elders know if they are leaving or not but she told me that neither of them knows as of Friday. But I'll know on Saturday night and you'll all know on Monday, and if I don't respond or send my weekly email it is because I went to the CITY! Or to past the city because that is like 15 hours or more of travel. Without blockades. Who knows what will happen if there  is one.

But everything is going great out here! I played soccer with the missionaries and got a few cuts, and then had a really bad migraine but now it is gone which is good because it is about time to get to work! So, well two really awesome sections of Doctrine and Covenants are 101 and 122. So read it and tell me what you learned. Yes, you all have homework just like my investigators here! Mwhahaha! I just hope that you do it unlike some of the investigators we have here....

But the investigators are really awesome. The baptism we have planned for this week is a girl who is 10 and for multiple months her parents wouldn't let her get baptized but she is ready and talked with her parents again and they said yes! It really was an answer to prayers.

Well, that was quick....

One of the quickest weeks I have had all my mission! Idk why.... But way fast... Which I actually don't like that much because I am enjoying it a lot. But that is why is is going by so fast.

PHOTOS!

it was raining SUPER hard on Saturday night! So I took a picture with my companion being super wet with my umbrella that a member let me use and his garbage bag XD  There was a really strong tropical storm that came through so it was raining.

First! PUPPIES! Or PERRITOS! (In spanish) But these are the puppies from one of recent converts.... Sadly they all have homes that they will move into in a little while so I can't keep any. And also there are those rules that I have to follow that say I can't have a pet... But it's all good! My favorite is the black one because she started growing and walking first.

Also it was raining SUPER hard on Saturday night! So I took a picture with my companion being super wet with my umbrella that a member let me use and his garbage bag XD  There was a really strong tropical storm that came through so it was raining.

But this week was really good! We have been trying really hard to reactive less active come back to the truth, because well someone here told me that eventually they will return because there is always a bit of truth they remember and when that little spark relights the fire, then they are ready to come back. And we just hope that they stay on the right track once they return XD

Also we found some really cool investigators that I really think they can progress and be really strong members to help the other members out here. We found them thanks to a reference that the old branch President! But they were taught by missionaries 4 years ago but I can't find their records so I don't know why the missionaries stopped.... I just hope that whatever the reason was won't happen again. And this is why we always are really trying to keep our teaching records up to date.

Also, WE ARE MOVING! Well, I am staying in my area, just moving houses. And the new house is nice, not to big, not to small, but it has flooring and a working toilet so there is a lot of improvement from the old house! Well we haven't moved in yet but probably on Tuesday.

Also, Friday we worked really hard because we weren't seeing the success we wanted and had 10 lessons in one day! We are trying to keep having at least 4 or 5 but when we have Pday, Zone conference, and District Conference this coming week, for half of the week we won't be in our area! XD  It will be fun.

So I hope you are all doing good, everyone reading this! Also email me if you haven't been, and yeah that is about it. Oh also, Idk why but chapter 5 in almost every book in the Book of Mormon is super awesome. Like, Jacob 5, Alma 5, and this week I read Helaman 5 and that is an amazing chapter. Helaman might be my favorite book in the Book of Mormon right now, just cuz Lehi and Nephi in Helaman are definitely how I want my brothers and I to be!