May 29, 2018 The Assassin VS The Son of Satan

"y si no le agarras bien, te va a dar pero bien saboroso" -Chalio

Hey rooster fans! We are coming at you live from "Chalio's cockfighting store" in Sur 116, Delegacion Iztacalco. i guess the Elders before me became Chalio's friend, and he started teaching them about rooster fights. I'm pretty sure it is illegal in the United States but out here I'm not sure. he has like 10 Roosters and he professionally trains them to fight. I dont know how, or why, but he does. I don't know if they just flap their wings at each other or what but I know they put blades on their feet in the real battles and go until the other one is dead.... 

Chalio pulled out "The Assassin", who is Mexico City South famous for having 3 kills without a scratch, and put him against the "Son of Satan", a notorious red rooster known for being crazy. I got to hold one and it pecked me in the arm and really hurt but it was all part of the legendary experience that I got to have. Chalio is hilarious. 😂

Last Tuesday we went to Olive Garden with Elder May and Elder Hansen, the assistants! It was super fun and the waiter tried ripping us off time after time but we were too smart for him, then some guy from Serbia came in speaking English. He did not want anything to do with the Gospel but he was cool cause he was a Jazz fan!👍 

It is so cool being out here because I get to see people that I said goodbye to over a year ago! Seeing new people and new faces and everything is so fun. I am so happy to get to see all my new friends. I got to see Brother Castro!!! I know none of you know him but he is the best and I was so happy to see him 😁

We had a great leadership training, new missionary evaluations and a missionary leadership council. I am super new to all of it and didn't know anything but I was still happy haha, I got to learn SO much from President this last week, it was crazy! It's also really sad because today we had Zone Conference (which scared me to death cause I had to train my zone and have never done it before but it went well) and it is President's last time with us. He goes home this transfer! I don't know what I will do without him. He has taught me so much and helped me change in ways I never even knew were possible. He will be missed. 

Some cool things and quotes I learned this week:

"If you want to know Christ, you have to participate in the Sacrament. If you don't understand the Sacrament, everything else you do won't really help you" 

We will find what we seek, whether it be good or bad. 

There are more instructions about the Sabbath day than any other commandment in the 10 commandments. We need to take it seriously. It's a commandment

SEARCH. PONDER. PRAY. 

Don't let the adversary get in the way of the plan God has for you. If you don't know what your plan is, then look ahead and realize all the important things God still needs you to do! 

Read JSH. 

We can't recieve Christ if we are talking bad about others. 

If there is not obedience, then there is no faith. 

"7 days with prayer makes one week.

7 days without prayer makes one weak."

My area is doing great, we are going to flip around this area. I have a really specific way that I like to work, because that's where I always find success. I am ready to get this area moving and baptizing! Honestly the key to everything, not just in the mission, is knowing you can do it. I have all the confidence in the world that Christ can and will help me. And I know He can help you too. 

pics

1. mexican me

2. jardin de olivos

3. roosters

4. elder sensano and elder gile

5. the bonilla family from rosal

I got the sweetest email from the bishop in the last area Elder Wilson served in ❤️❤️❤️ I'm so grateful for people who help take care of the missionaries, and I'm so grateful for such a wonderful son and missionary ❤️❤️❤️

"Hello

I have had the pleasure of knowing your children, I want to congratulate you for having such special children, so obedient and faithful to the Lord. 

We have spent great moments serving the Lord together. I am Bishop Marco Morales, my family and I send greetings. We love missionary work. We are in contact.

________________________

He tenido el placer de conocer a sus hijos, les quiero felicitar por tener unos hijos tan especiales, tan obedientes y fieles al Señor. Hemos pasado grandes momentos sirviendo al Señor juntos. Soy el Obispo Marco Morales, mi familia y yo les mandamos saludos.Amamos la obra misional. Estamos en contacto."

ALSO, I forgot to post the email I got from kyle on Tuesday, cuz it's his new p-day, so here it is :

I''m not here breaking rules, yesterday the transfers were announced and I was sent to Iztacalco, Ermita stake. I am now a Zone Leader so that is why I have my pday on Tuesday and not Monday.

I am so excited to be here in Iztacalco! When I first arrived to Nativitas, my first area, the Zone Leaders were in Iztacalco and I went on companion exchanges with them many times. I loved going there and always wanted it to be my area. While in Nativitas, President assigned me both the area Nativitas and Escuadron, well, I didn't like Escuadron and honestly hated it when I left. But, now i am in Iztacalco and we also can work in Escuadron! I am ready to give that area another shot and this time win haha. 

My new companion is Elder Vincent, he's from Utah too haha. I am excited to work with him and be here in Ermita again. So much nostalgia here, so many old faces to see and I'm just ready to work. 

Anyway, just wanted to give an update on the situation. Don't email me on Monday, you won't get an answer haha :)

Goodbye Rosal May 21, 2018

This week I was told I will be leaving Rosal. How sad! I wish I didn't have to leave. This area has been home to the hardest transfer of my mission, and the best 3 months of my entire life. I'll be leaving with just under 5 months here. I will for sure miss all of my dear friends, and now family who I won't be seeing any time soon. I have been touched by the Holy Ghost in this area, bringing to pass "a mighty change of heart". I will never forget what I have learned here. 

I am sad to leave my 3rd son, Elder Eastmond, but I know how ready he is!! He will see many miracles that I have not. I am happy that I can leave this area in good hands. 

Out here in Rosal, the first transfer was a nightmare, really. My companion was shy and timid and never spoke, I basically opened an area that didn't have work in it for over 2 years. But when Eastmond arrived we got into a groove. The miracles arrived, and the stories behind those we taught are so touching. 

Ana was fallen, sad, lost, and even athiest when we first met her. And because of the way she felt when she came to church, she changed, gave a 180 degree turn and now loves her life. 

I went to look for Claudia, a less active member. She had serious problems and was suicidal. I reactivated her and Eastmond arrived in time to see her nephews get baptized. We reactivated her sister, and baptized her mom, Soledad. Her dad, Fransisco Coronel, is also now reactivated and are on their way to a Temple Sealing. 

We found Angel at church one day, a little confused. I guess Rosalba brought him cause her son Erik wanted to go to Seminary. I met them and baptized her daughter, Jhadys. Also perfect timing with them, might I add. God's timing is perfect. 

Antonia and Diana weren't baptized with me. But they will be baptized in June. Monse hasn't accepted yet, but I know she will. I can feel it. I am so blessed to be able to partake in God's work and be the instrument by which He calls unto His children in love. I loved being here, I am sure God had prepared this area, this time, these people, for me! 

This week was fast, just saying goodbye to everyone and trying to find new investigators for Elder Eastmond when I'm gone. The Bishop invited us to McDonald's to say goodbye to me, because he was very happy that we supported his Ward in a time of need.Miguel Angel came to church. He is so prepared. He is also getting baptized in June. I'm sad to leave, but that's how the mission is, happy or sad, I'm leaving so I might as well be happy and not let it get to me! 

I hope you all have a great week! 

"And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, and after I prayed, the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm." 1 Nephi 18:21

Photos:

1. Monserrat (on the right) and her mom

2. Bishop and his family (the Morales)

3. Rosalba and Angel and kids

4. Mireya and Edith

5. Antonia and Diana

6. I was gonna take a pic with Soledad and Elias and Fani but they were all crying too much, so here is a pic of Elder Eastmond

Soledad! May 14, 2018

Hey folks

This week was short, simple but special. 

Soledad was baptized. I got to meet her nephew Jorge who had been trying to convert her for 55 years. he was sooo happy. 

It was really special in the baptismal service because Lupe, Soledad's deaf sister was there and she loved it, even though my Spanish Sign Language sucked and I don't think she understood I word I signed. We sung "When love is spoken here" on the ukulele as a musical number and it was great. I baptized Soledad and she said she would stay faithful in the church till the day she died! 

I forgot my camera on Saturday so I didn't get any pics but I'll ask her family to send me them and hopefully you'll get the pics next week! 

Other than that..... I got to talk to my family, that was cool but I mean I'll be seeing them in person soon anyway so it was whatever. 

"I don't get what all the rage is about heel clicks" - Elder Eastmond

I saw an orange lamborghini yesterday that was cool

That is all for this week honestly, We are working alot with Miguel Angel and Antonia and Diana and Ana's mom, Alejandra and we will see how things go this week. I hope all the moms that read this had a great mothers day!! 

Bye!!

Week #?? May 7, 2018

I have no clue what week I'm on now. But I don't feel super old as a missionary cause I still have 6 months left. I remember when I hit my year mark. How fast time flew by!

This week was cool. We visited Miguel Angel, and we felt impressed to leave Mormon 9 as his homework. What we have been doing for 3 weeks now is: show up, read a chapter of the BoM, and leave him another as homework. When we returned to our next visit, Miguel said that through Mormon 9 he received his answer. With tears in his eyes, he joyfully said: "I found it". What a privilege and a blessing it is to help someone, after a lifetime of looking, find the truth. Miguel is so happy. We are too. 

Soledad passed her baptismal interview with flying colors, like I knew she would. She will be baptized this Saturday! She invited her deaf sister and brother in-law to visit and meet us. Being a deaf member of the Church in Mexico is difficult because no one speaks SSL (spanish sign language). They don't often go to church because they can't hear, they don't receive visits or blessings, or anything. The immense joy Lupe (Soledad's deaf sister) had when she us was quite an impression. She asked for a blessing, which Soledad translated to her. We gave another blessing to her Husband and ended the visit trying to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in sign language. It didn't work out too well but it was a super cool experience. The look on Lupe's face when she heard the news that her sister after 55 years was getting baptized, what a priceless moment. 

Someone in our ward made a 5ft tall Book of Mormon. So I decided to bring it to the area of the Sister Missionaries in my district and have a contacting activity. It was pretty fun, I was waving a giant BoM around and everyone was trying to avoid us but we were too good for them in our contacting skills. Although not everyone accepted, it was pretty refreshing to do something different than the normal routine, and help out some other missionaries! 

After the BoM activty, I went up to Topilejo and had comp exchanges with my old friend Elder Ogden!!! it was great being with him again, and then the next day I went to Parres with Elder Nuñez. He is from the Dominican Republic and it was so fun to be with him because I am super white and he is super black. We were laughing the whole day because NO one could believe a tall blonde white guy with blue eyes was next to a tall black guy, being the best of friends! I had a great time up in Topilejo. 

On Sunday we got to attend an 8 year old boy's baptism with Soledad. I can't imagine how proud the dad was of his son. I can't imagine how proud God is of us. 

Scripture: "12 Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.

37 And may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that their prayers may be answered according to their faith; and may God the Father remember the covenant which he hath made with the house of Israel; and may he bless them forever, through faith on the name of JesusChrist. Amen"

no pics this week, sorry

Have a snazzy week!

** I added some old pics, because I like posts better with pictures haha ~mom

No one hid from us this week, that holiday was last week. This week was yell-at-white-guys-week. I was walking and tossed a fruit peel in a plant to help it grow, you know? and this dude like freaking crazy came up to me screaming his head off about the 1933 constitution and how he can *beep* *beep* *beep* me cause im a *beep* white guy and *beep* *beep* etc. cool, right? youd think it ends there but oh it doesn't. besides hearing all the time "wuerro!" from passing cars and drunk teens, this 75 year old man started yelling in public about how the world is bad because it revolves around illicit and inappropriate relations.... if you can catch my drift. but he didn't say it like that. he was pointing and other peoples private parts as they walked by and screaming and i didnt understand why he was telling us all of that but it was just a wierd week talking to people haha.

This week was pretty much a pile of poop cause we worked and worked and nothing happened at all. At the beginning of my mission I would have said the week sucked, but it wasn't too bad now actually. I feel like I've hit the missionary groove and I'm justchugging along on the 2 year train. 

We had Zone Conference on Wednesday and it is President Mecham's 2nd to last conference with us and it was super spiritual. I liked this quote by him: "If you don't act, you'll never know what the Lord has prepared for you". He talked about how acting over 25 years ago on some spiritual promptings helped him become a mission president, and how acting on promptings helped him marry Sister Mecham. A spiritual conference for sure! 

Read, pray, follow the Prophet. 

I have discovered the secret to pure joy in the field: just act like a little kid! 

That doesn't mean I'm immature....kinda... We make jokes and say things kids would say and annoy each other like brothers do. On Wednesday we ate pozole, a delicious Mexican tradition, and there was sour cream, guava flavored water, apple soda, lettuce,cheese, raddish, and lime on the table. And me being a little kid, mixed it all together and made my companion drink it. I drank it too lol don't worry. I wish I got a picture of his face when he tried that haha

This week we got on the most stereotypical decked out bus, with the most stereotypical bus driver honking his stereotypical horn super loud in a quiet neighborhood, listening to the stereotypical american rave dance music. "what a stereotypical email" you're probably thinking right now. 

We have been visiting Miguel Angel, a 55 year old returned Catholic missionary who is reading the Book of Mormon. This week I explained that the Book of Mormon is set in the Americas, not in Jerusalem and he now is super interested in the book and believes it's true. Elder Eastmond would have talked but he didn't understand what we were saying (geographical terms, dates, ancient Jewish law debates, etc lol) 

Brother Coro, an 83 year old dear friend of mine, took me to the store last week and bought me some brand spankin new shoes! What a guy! We are best friends with him actually haha, and that is good because we visited his wife, Soledad and she told us shehad fasted and prayed to know her path from God and God sent her 3 dreams about us and she knows now that she needs to get baptized. Guys, she has been closely related to the church for 55 years. Her nephew who she raised was born in the church and went on a mission. Every sibling she has is an active member. Her husband, Coro, her daughters and grandkids are members. And after 55 years, she is getting baptized in May! Ain't it neat? 

We be good in the hood. Just enjoyin. Im going to the center of Coyoacan now cause I've heard it's cool. I hope you all have a darling week. 

1. haha