Opening a New Area!

Things are swinging!

Hey everybody. Well, today is tranfers y I’m leaving my area, but I’m going to be in the same zone . Y I’m going to open a new area named Los Lomas where the elders before got sick y left. My companion is Elder Runyan. He has be out the same time as me in the mission. So that is the big news!!!!!!!

investigator Fernando

 Well yesterday we had a new, very crazy, investigator in church named Fernando. Well, we saw him in the street on Wednesday. Then we visited him on Friday. First off, he has all the books of all the churches you can think of, y second, he said he has a bag of drugs in his head y he got stabbed by a sword 4 times y he died y came back to life. He has a long beard y long hair y we said, “if you want to get baptized, you need to cut it.”  He said it is fine, but after cutting it he’ll get all of his cut hair y tie it on a long rope with his other hair that he cut because he said it got blessed y he got baptize 4 times: 2 times in the same church y the other times in others. He went to church yesterday y everybody thought he was the Mexican Jesus!  He wants to be baptized on October 20, so let’s see what happens.

investigators Hernan y Arturo 

We had the member yesterday go y get Hernan y Arturo, but they were very, very sick. But we taught them on Wednesday on the plan of happiness y on Saturday on the word of wisdom.  We gave them a date to be baptized on the 20th of October also. So we have 3 dates for baptisms. Let’s see what happens. We were about to finish the goals the president wants us to do, but we didn’t have enough investigators in church. We are trying to help Hna. Rosio have this faith y wanting to visit church again. She hasn’t gone for a few weeks.

Well that is it. I love you all y thanks for everything!  Enjoy conference weekend y love you all!

ADIOSS!!!!!!!

Hey Mom, I got some news. Guess? Yep, transfers! Well, I’m in the same zone y my companion is Elder Runyan. He is a gringo from Utah. We have the same amount of time here because we got here together.  I don’t know him because he was in the other district in the MTC. No say who is the senior comp because me and my companion have been the same time in the mission.  But the big news is we are going to open an area. But the bad part y the hard part is to open a new area. I am a bit happy to be done with my last comp.

Thanks for the package. I got it in a month. Not too bad. Did you send my Halloween package?  So what is in my package? Halloween candy of course! Gracias! How are you?  Is the family all good?

Can’t wait for conference and to know who are the three new apostles. I never have answers for conference, because I just don’t have questions.  But I will ask for guidance on how to go about opening this new area. 

No say if I can see the baptisms from my last area. We’ll see.

I love you!  So how is Nate with the mission? That is so good that he was made an elder. You should look at the mission book with him and make sure he is ready. ha ha.  I got to go in a few.

Thanks mom for everything y give all my love! Thanks.

Hermano Hidlago y his wife 

with member Ivan 

Investigator Roberto y his broken arm 

me with a kid named Ju y his grandma 

thumbs up with Rachel 

Elder Estrada and I with Rachel's sister, Diana  

playing around 

Duros - chips a member gave me

Good Things

Well the first good thing was on Monday night we visited investigators Hernan and Arturo on the Book of Mormon. And they told us if Hna. Paquita, who is a member and a friend with their mom for about 8 years, said if she comes y picks them up y takes them to church y back they can go. So yesterday for only two hours they were there y they said they liked it y said it was beautiful. We were so happy for them to come to church y for their mom on giving them permission. Then for the last few weeks we have been teaching a man named Rafear who works on Sunday, but we decided to go y get him to church so yesterday he was in church for a hour. We are so happy. Y we taught him about the Plan of Happiness. He is like 70 years old. Then we are trying to work with Hermana Karina’s daughter, Carolina, who was ready to get baptized but her husband won’t let her y so we taught her the first lesson y after that she dosen’t want any more because she is afraid of her husband. We talked to Rosio y she told us her y her husband put a goal for next month to be done with it all y get baptized. Let’s see what happens.

Mi with the flag someone gave me for my one year.

On Thursday was my one year!  It was a great day.  Member Ivan bought me a Mexico flag for my one year. It was just a great day.

On Sunday I gave a 5 minute talk on the missionary work. After a lot of people said I did great. This week we are going to work on giving dates for baptism for our investigators. This week was very slow because it was their Independence Day so not a lot of people were in their houses, but we got our numbers higher with lessons with member - 5 more than the week before.

Love you all y thanks for all the wishes for my one year. ADIOSS!!!!!!!!

Thanks mom! Less than a year left y it will go by so fast! ha 

I know you will, Mom. Thanks for everything! I don’t need anything. I’m just happy y good. All I need is your love.  Thanks.  Love you. Thanks.

So everything is good? I had a better week.  How is the family?

One more year until you get my cookies again!

Wow, have fun in Big Bear.

You must love me sending me packages all the time! Mom, I’m fine. I don’t need anything. Ok ok. For Halloween I love candy corn y skittles y Mike y Ikes. I love the pumpkins that are in the candy corn. What is the candy that tastes like peanut butter in the black or orange wrappers?  I lost the USD, the blue one you sent me. but I can buy another.

Do you know if anybody else is sending me stuff so i can look for it?

Okay so how is dad y work?  How is Nate? How is it coming getting ready for his mission? How does he feel about it?

I’ve got to go but you say hi to all y give them my love. I’m going out to eat with one member who lives in Comitan but goes to school here, so we are going out to eat.  Love you y say hi to all y give them my love y thanks for all the packages.

 Xoxo  Love you xoxoxo‬

Hermano Wood drew these in our meeting with the ward mission leader.   

My house. We want to find another one.

 It is too small and a lot of money and pink!

Family history names I found.   

On Trials and Tender Mercies

Well this week has been really a trial of my faith y Elder Estrada’s. On Monday we taught investigator Hernan age 15 y his younger brother Arturo age 13.  We taught them about tithing because they had questions on it y everything was good. Then on Thursday we had an appointment with them at 7 but when we knocked at the door their mom Nancy came out y she said she read the Book of Mormon, but she said it can’t be true because nobody can talk to God by revelation. Y then she asked us if we knew the member who gave them the Book of Mormon y we said no. Then she said so “you guys are fake missionaries for the Mormons” because he is an active member, but we didn’t know him because he is in the other ward.  She told us she has no trust in letting her kids go to church. She said you can teach them but for now no church. So we were a bit sad but one of her neighbors is a member y so we took to her y the next day we visited but they were sick so only the dad was there. But the member said I’m willing to take them to church y home again. We just want the member to talk to Hna. Nancy.  They are friends, but not to good friends, so lets see what happens.

Then on Tuesday we were in the church for a meeting, then investigator Roberto’s son David’s wife told us some very, very sad news. Investigator Roberto is not married after about 20 years. He was to afraid to tell us. So we visited him at night y he told us that his wife y her husband got separated, but not divorced. Then her y Roberto were living together for about 20 years. He said thanks for the lessons, I learned a lot y we told him we will continue to visit him y he needs to read the pamphlets y the Book of Mormon y pray to see what God wants you to do. Then he said he will talk to his wife y see what they can do. So we were so sad.

 Then we tried to visit Roscio, but was not there all week.  We are going to find new investigators y continue having faith in God.

The white hankie they gave us for the dedication.
This is the second rededication I got to see while
on my mission!

 But on Saturday we watched the cultural event in Mexico MTC.  It was about the Book of Mormon y the church in Mexico where it all started out like a seed of faith. Now it has 13 temples y a lot of members. Then yesterday we were able to go to two sessions of the rededication of the Mexico City Temple. It was so great y beautiful y the spirit was there. Henry B. Eyring was there y Jeffery R Holland was there y he gave such a great talk on the spirit of Elijah.

So that was our week. We know that God gives us hard weeks for a reason. I hope we can see some good things this week. I will have 1 year on Thursday since I walked into the MTC. Love you all y thanks for the prayers y love.

ADIOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hola mom. How are you?

The temple dedication was the only good of our week. Well Roberto is no more y problems with Hern y Arturo.  But the temple dedication did help a lot. You know that song you sang to me all the time when I was small, “Heavenly Father Loves Me”? When I sat down y waited for it to start they played it y I felt the spirit y more importantly I felt your love for me! I love you Mom.  I know it was a tender mercy. Don’t cry.

Did you ever watch that video of the “missionary work and the atonement”? It is about how missionary work has to be hard to because the Atonement was hard.‬ It is a 5 minute video.

Hey, it’s been more than two weeks y no package.  I wanted it for my one year.  Did caleb gave Ms. Cercone my email address?  How’s Nathan?  Wow, Adam is going in the army? Wow!

‪Hey, did you ever tell my old scout leader thanks for the letter y that I love her?

Do you hear anything from Joy? I hope she will let you in. I pray for her all the time.  I hope all is well with Joy.‬

Hey, tell Nate I want him to think of and give me a gift a special gift for you to give to me when I get home, okay?  No say what.  I want Nathan to think of something.

I’m almost out of time. Hey tell Dad that I’m going to take out 20 dollars for pizza for my one year!  

‪Okay thanks. Tell Dad I will take out money for something special for my one year anniversary.

I love you so y give everybody my love y I miss them y they are always in my prayers and heart! Xoxoxo

More cows in our area

Me and my companion playing the marimba.

Elder Estrada playing the marimba

Ivan, a new member here

It was Great to Go to the Templo!

I put that thing on my head for you, Mom, to be the girl you always wanted. haha

Well it will be 10 days from today when I entered the MTC. That is so crazy. Time does really fly by.

Well, we started the week teaching two new investigators, Arturo (15) and his brother Hernan (14) who didn’t visit church because they had a family thing. But we taught them on Monday about the first lesson y then on Saturday y finished the first lesson. Then they had a lot of questions for us. They are so good. They want to visit church but they are having a hard time praying to see it is true because they fall asleep. But they are very good investigators. Well, yesterday at church we had Roscio in church who her y her husband. They are waiting for the divorce papers y then they can get married y then baptized. Then we had Karina. Her daughters are members but her y her husband no, because the husband doesn’t want to get married y he doesn’t like the church. Then we have one investigator named Robert who visited church 2 or 3 times. He lives in another stake but wants to visit our ward with his friend.  Then there is a member who has a girlfriend that studies in the other stake but lives with him y his family on Saturday y Sunday y both of them want to be baptized so we are working on what we can do.

Well on Thursday we visit the templo y had a meeting from 9 am to 3 pm about using the Book of Mormon with our investigators y using it more in are lessons.  It was also about teaching the day of rest y reading D&C 59:9-10 y then ask them what is there job? Like some will say school or being a teacher, so it means no homework y no teaching or whatever is your work. Then we went to the templo y we were able to ask special questions to the templo president y we sang a himno. The spirit was so strong. It was great to go to the templo y feel the spirit y love y peace in there.

 Roberto didn’t visit church because he cant leave his house y get his screws in his arm dirty, but we taught him about the law of chastity.

Next Sunday there is no church for all of Mexico because the re-dedication of the Mexico City Templo.  It is only is for members, so that will be cool. That will be my second one on my mission.

I cant wait. So that was my week. I love you all y thanks for everything. ADIOSS!!!!!!!!

Hola mom. So is the LA fair is it free again this year? Say hi to all!  So are you in the car or are you there?

So how was the baptism? Grandma said you gave a good talk like always.

That is crazy about Schryver’s mission call!  He wrote me and he also send a video but it didn’t work.

It is just hard. Our investigators are not progressing, but we are working hard.  Yes, I’m happy.

It is cloudy here.

The thing over my bed is a hammock. This was hand made. It is so big, but awesome.  The hammock is a king size but there is no where to put it here in our house so I put it away. It holds two people‬. What doe you think of it? Does dad like it?  Guess how much money in dollars?   It was $58.  Did you know that the dollar is 17 pesos, the most ever, y they say it keeps going higher.  It is not good for them, but it is good for us. If I bought a camera for 3million pesos it is only 178 dollars. That is good.

 Well, my comp is pretty serious like my president says, y not very loving, but the president said I need to help him be more loving. We have some hard days, but we are working on it‬.  I tell him I love him every night. Thanks for the prayers. I can feel them.

Thanks mom. I will. I got to go. Love you. Say hi to all.

I think my hour is up. Love you all y have a great week.

So I’m leaving. Say hi to all y give them my love. Thanks xoxoxo

Love you more. haha I will pray for all of you. Adioss y thankssssssss

One Year Left!!!

Well, this week we visited investigator Roberto. We taught him about the word of wisdom y he said it will be hard, but he says it makes sense y he knows it came from God.  He had an operation on Thursday y they put screws in his arm y we ate at his house on Friday.  He said “I think we need to change my date for baptism to 2 to 3 months” y he didn’t visit church because he was in a lot of pain. Well, we have an investigator named Flor who works on Sunday y she dosen’t like to pray.  Her brother Evan is a member y he his helping us out. We taught her about the plan of happiness. Well Roscio y her husband, with the help of the bishop, found a way to help them get money to get married y divorced y if everything works out they will be baptized in a month or so. Well there is a women named Karina who is not married because her husband dosen’t like the church so we are doing a lot of visits y she always visits church. We are trying to work with a teenager named Jordy were only he is a member y his mom y dad aren’t. So last night we had a family home evening with them y another active family. It was so great. We taught Maria, an investigator who just wants to listen, but we are working on it.

In this area it is very hard to find new people to teach y our investigators are not progressing so our numbers are going down, but we are working hard.

Well I understand if people pay attention to my Spanish they will understand y if they don’t they think I’m speaking English. But little by little my English accent will go away y I will speak better.

Love you all y thanks for everything!!!!!

ADIOSS!!!!!!

This is the news in comitan:

the investigators are good. Gina, David, Kenya, Samantha, and Maria Antonieta came to church! it was pretty awesome. Kenya and Samantha want to get baptized, they just need to talk to their dad for permission but they’re scared.. David is more excited and he's going to talk to his dad again about the permission. Maria is great, but she still doesn't know what to do.. but we've seen a few miracles too :)

My week was all right - a lot of our setas (appointments) were not home so are numbers went down.

Last Saturday was August 29, so that means I have one year left!

Hey did you send my package?  How was it talking about me in church?  I’m going to the temple on Thursday.  Do you have names for me?‬

Did you send the letters to Joy?  Mr Burns emailed me.  Can you give my email and some photos to Caleb for Ms. Cercone y tell Caleb to tell her these exact words “I love her from her science fair king.”

Did you find the church on google earth? Our area starts at the boulevard two streets before the church and everything from three to the air base is all ours. We live in a house in an area called the presedentes number 21.

I will write in a few. We’ve got to buy our food. Talk to you later.

Hi mom. I don’t have a lot of time. Sorry. There is a big thunder storm so we couldn’t leave.

I love you. No, I love you more than you know!

It is 6pm y it is time to get back to work. Give all my love to my brothers y dad y tell them I said hi y I love them a lot y miss them too.  Wish them luck in water polo y school. You guys are always in my prayers. Love you mom y thanks for everything you do for me.  You guys will be blessed a lot, you don’t even know it! Adiosss!!!!!

The airport where our area ends but is for the military now.

Muy caliente!

The avocado that big is only found here in Chiapas.