First Week in My New Area

Hola mama! How are you? Can you tell everyone sorry for me but I’m having technical issues and won’t be able to reply to anyone else this week. Things are going good with my companion in our new area. He is super nice and likes to walk fast so that helps me lose weight, unwillingly…. hahaha. Yeah I’ve lost a ton of weight here. I don’t know how much because no one has a scale but my pants and shirts are big on me.

Before we left our last area on Monday we would get messages or phone calls from members telling us how grateful they were for us being in the ward and helping them. That ward did have its’ difficulties but overall it was an awesome ward. And my companion was difficult to be with sometimes but overall he is an awesome Elder. He taught me a lot; and if I remember and apply his council, his good works, I know that I will be a great missionary and will help many people.

The morning we left Tepalcapa we went and met with the Tapia family to say goodbye and they were awesome enough to buy us breakfast and give us both a going away present. When we got to the mission office we found out that Elder Rojas is actually staying there for now in a trio with the other two elders. There are quite a few other elders in trios this time. Any who, I met my new companion, Elder Aguilar who is from Santiago Chile and he is super chill. We took a taxi to our area which cost $600 pesos and about an hour and a half of traveling. The office paid the pesos and I didn’t really mind the drive because we drove through the mountains. It was super awesome and beautiful. There are tons of super green trees and fresh air. 

When we finally got to the town, it is super cool as well. Our casa is pretty nice. It’s smaller than the other casa but really it’s the perfect size for 2 people. After I dropped my stuff off there, we went and visited a few investigators that they have here and a couple member families so I could get to know them a little bit. We had a couple other lessons that went pretty well too. I feel really good being in this area. I know for the first couple of weeks I’m going to be introducing myself and trying to get to know people, the investigators and members and adapt to the cooler temperature. I’m excited to be here. Oh and I also found out that Elder Martinez, my first trainer, is the District Leader for our area.

Sorry I was only able to send a few of my pictures, but I have to go now. I love you though! Have a great week!

For the pictures: the crepe had Nutella and bananas with a piece of cheesecake on top with ice cream and chocolate and strawberry sauce. It was sooo good! but it was a crap ton of sugar. It was worth it one time haha. 

Scary but Spiritual Experience!

<I just had to add this to his blog. I got it after I posted his email last week.>

I had a scary but spiritual experience. We took a bus like usual to church and the bus driver was driving like a mad man, barely stopping to let people get off. As we came to the church, he stopped so we could get off. We quickly hurried and got off but there is a clip on my bag that got caught on a handle on the bus. My first thought was oh crap I’m stuck and the bus driver is going to start driving off and I’m going to get dragged and run over and possibly killed. Quickly after that terrifying thought went through my head, I had another thought about what I needed to do to get unstuck. That thought was calm, clear, and I know it was the spirit helping me know what to do and how to do it. It all happened I swear within like 3 seconds but it felt like more. I quickly got myself unstuck before the bus driver started going again. I honestly think and feel like there was someone guiding my hands to do what needed to be done. It may not seem like a super crazy experience but living it is something I do not want to do again. I know God helped me.

Leaving Tepalcapa....

Hola Mama! Como estas? The week was good, Anaid got Baptized! And with cambios......more on both later…

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Wednesday was a pretty good day. In the afternoon we had an appointment with Anaid to go over the baptismal interview questions with her. It went really well! One part that was interesting though is that she told us she got into a fight with the father of her kids a while back, he was abusive and she has a hard time forgiving him. Luckily he isn’t in the picture with her anymore and she is much happier. That isn’t anything that will impede her from getting baptized. She is super funny because she didn’t want a lot of people to be at her baptism or to see her be confirmed because she has a fear of being in front of large groups of people. We can’t do anything for her confirmation because it has to be during sacrament meeting, but for the baptism that doesn’t have to be in front of a lot of people. The rest of the day was good because we were able to find some good contacts and also talk and laugh about a bunch of different things like food, our families, experiences we’ve had in the mission, etc. It was good!

Thursday we went to see a new investigator, an 18 year old boy named Marco. He went to church the previous Sunday but unfortunately, he was busy, but he told us to come back on Saturday to talk/teach him, his little sister and his mom too! We were able to find a few people that told us we could come back another day and talk with them more. Elder Call and Elder Madden also came to interview Anaid for her baptism and it went really well. She is ready to be baptized now! Her parents didn’t really want her to join the church but at the same time they know she is free to make her own choices, so they are respectful and are going to support her and love her no matter what.

Friday we had intercambios with Elder Call and Elder Madden in their area again. Elder Madden and I played baseball with our time we went contacting. It’s actually really fun and goes like this: A single is if someone answers the door and we set an appointment with them for another day. A double is if we set an appointment and get their phone number as well. A triple is if we have a lesson and make them a new investigator, and a homerun is if they accept a baptismal invitation. There’s also a strike if no one answers and an out if we get rejected. That part isn’t very fun but we both agreed that whoever won, the other missionary had to buy something like ice cream or a drink. We made it through I think 4 innings the whole day and no one actually scored. We did find 9 new contacts for them to go back and visit and a few of them are super solid. My legs were on fire by the time we got home.

Saturday was baptism day. After we headed to the church to start the boiler and start filling the font we left to go visit a couple other investigators. We were only able to find one who we invited to church on Sunday. His name is Luis Hernandez and he is really awesome, humble and wants to learn more about the gospel. He has been through some hard times with his family but he believes if he starts coming to church with us and taking our lessons that he will find the help and peace he needs and wants in his life. For Anaid’s baptism we had a short program, then the baptism. Although it was short, it was super powerful with the spirit and just overall amazing. Anaid has been an investigator for around 5 years and it has been awesome teaching her and seeing her grow spiritually during my time here. I’m grateful for the help of the Elders in the past because they planted the seeds and I feel very grateful and privileged to be here with my companion and baptize her.

Now back to the news, hahaha. I’m getting transferred to an area called Villa del Carbón with Elder Aguilar who is from Chile! Elder Rojas told me it’s really beautiful there. I think that area has lots of trees. Tomorrow at 1 we head to the offices. We have been washing clothes and packing up today. Elder Rojas is going to another area and 2 new elders are coming to this area. It’s sad cause we just barely found a couple awesome investigators, and have a couple others as well who we were planning to baptize May 26th. God will take care of them though, I’m just worried about them I guess. I actually have a really good feeling about cambios.

I have to go now. I love you so much mama! Be safe traveling and have a great week! I love you so much!

Anaid's Baptism

Her daughter Yaretzy!

Crazy storm that sent a river of hail and water down the street

Finding Awesome New Investigators!

Sorry about yesterday, but at least I get to talk to you today! We had to go to the offices yesterday and then didn’t get a chance to write because we were there but President told us we could write today.

This past week went pretty well. The camera crew was at church again on Sunday and I’m not sure if they were filming or not during my talk but there were cameras in the chapel during my talk haha. I really think and feel like it went super well! and also luckily, I forgot about the cameras being there during my talk so that was good too.

Also this past week we worked a lot in other colonies of our area we haven’t been in, and we were able to make a bunch of good contacts and find a couple really awesome new investigators so that’s been good! One of our investigators went to see and stay with her son for a month so we have to wait till she gets back to baptize her. Another had a change in jobs so we need to wait till she gets her house changes to baptize her and this Saturday we are planning to baptize Anaid!

I’m trying to think if I’ve had the drink Mate and I don’t think I’ve had it. That’s good Shawn’s sharing the culture and food with you guys though. How awesome and funny.

I gotta go! Love you so much! Have a great week!

P.S. Pictures are from our district meeting today and some funny vandalism I found.