Whale 4-23-18

🐋, its been a good week. Mireya was finally baptized, after so many months of pleading in prayer that she would accept. She seems super happy and said in her testimony that she has never been so happy in her life!! The baptismal service was so special, her mom was beaming and I was sweating bullets because President Mecham and his wife were there. I thought we were gonna mess up and that he would destroy us (lol i even bought flowers to decorate the church) but it all went well, we even sung a special musical number with all the YSA and I didn't even mess up! but i was as red as a tomato 🍅 the whole time, thats for sure. all went well!! it was a cool moment to have. 6 years!!! after 6 years.

Speaking of 6, if it sounds like a lot, try 40! Fani and Elias, who were baptized 2 weeks ago have changed their grandmas heart! She has had an extensive histroy with the church. Her ENTIRE family is in the church. She is literally the only one not baptized. And she said she felt the Spirit for the first time in her life in the baptism of her grandkids, and decided she will be baptized too. We are teaching her the lessons. God works in amazing ways! 

This week on Thursday we celebrated the Mexico City official holiday, "Hide from the white guys day"🎊🎉. We successfully knocked over 50 doors and called and texted and visited and not a single person was home! We didn't even really see anyone in thestreet! Man they are so good at celebrating that holiday!! Thankfully it only lasts one day and on Friday everyone was around again. 

Then we met this dude who was super Catholic and he told us we were a waste of space and time and was telling us that love is the abscense of death or something like that and then when we tried to walk away he would follow us until he insulted me becausemy hands were cold and told us that he was only being nice to us because maybe we were Jesus Christ. And he was sober. good times. 

i hit 17 months yesterday

Other than that we are just teaching and loving everyone. Fernando, Fernanda, Samantha, etc. many people who are amazing and really changing. I am so happy to be here. I can testify that the Apostoles did in fact receive revelation when sending me here, and that President Mecham did indeed receive the revelation when he sent me here to open the area, even with a lack of missionaries. It is such a great feeling to be on the Lord's errand! 🤘👍

Thanks for all the prayers and support and love. I am so glad I know all of you! Now if you'll excuse me, a few members are going to take me to a shopping mall to buy me new shoes 😎

pics

mireya

president mecham

us

(No subject) [that is the subject] 4-16-18

Greetings fellow human life forms👽

This week was quaint👍 

Fani and Elias were baptized, the spirit was strong, I didn't mess up on our special musical number. Their grandma has known about the church for 40 years now, and decided that for the spirit she felt when her grandkids were baptized, she too will be baptized. 'Tis charming to see how the Lord works with everyone and never gives up, even after 40 years! Elias says he wants to go on a mission too. How cool would that be! 🌎󾓦󾓩

We worked hard and met a lot of good and prepared people this week too. The work never ceases. We met Erika, a teenager who is already convinced that this is the true church, and Miguel Angel, a returned missionary👬 (but for the Catholic church⛪ lol) who is also sure this is the true church. I am excited to work with them. 

We had a good leadership training with President Mecham. He talked about callings and stuff. He told us to be willing and stop looking. Satan 👿 can reveal things to us as well. We shouldn't be hoping or looking for a specific answer, just waiting for God to tell us what to do. The greatest revelations have always been unexpected. (Moses🔥, Joseph Smith, Pablo [haha i put pablo but i meant Paul], etc.)

I love Sundays. It's the Sabbath, we go to church and take the Sacrament, there are hundreds of bullet bikes 🏍 driving past us, church services are always great, we have to keep working but a normal member gets to rest, it really is a great day. 

A very neat experience that I have every now and then is the opportunity to teach people how to pray and listen to them pray to Heavenly Father for the first time. Such a powerful experience. For the Devil teacheth a man not to pray, but the Spirit teacheth a man to pray always. Even when you don't feel like praying (which is pretty much all the time cause Satan👿 is influencing us) we should pray even stronger. Prayer is the key to everything. Really. Pray often and faint not. 

Mireya will be getting baptized this Saturday. President Mecham will be attending the baptism cause he is so touched by her conversion. We are super pumped and are planning a super baptismal program. I'm sure I'll screw up on the musical number this timebut it's okay. We are very happy for her! 🛁🌊

Faith without works is dead. So alike is love without service. 💀

lol sorry for such a boring email its cause nothing happened this week it was so normal

Pics:

1. baptism

Hey April 9, 2018

Woohoo! This week we fasted and let me explain all the legit blessings He gave us. 

First, Ana was baptized. It was a great time, she was happy, we didn't mess up on our special musical number and even her mom gave a small testimony. We are going to baptize her next. She's just a little stubborn is all. 

Second, Jhadys was confirmed! She is officially a member of the best and most true church there is. 

We finally found Elias and Fani, and to my surprise? Fani, who said no no no the whole time, suddenly said yes. and not just a yes in general. A yes to next week. So we will also be baptizing them this Saturday. Which means another special musical number haha! I am so pumped for them! 

Side note: We had companion exchanges on Wednesday, and I went to Santo Tomas Ajusco. Elder Eastmond went to visit Elias and Fani but couldn't go in because their parents weren't around. I guess Elias asked if I was gone for good, and Elder Trasviña said yes! Elias took it a little too seriously and started crying, threw his Book of Mormon on the ground and screamed "IF WILSON WON'T BAPTIZE ME, THEN NO ONE CAN!" Maybe he didn't scream it, that was just to make the story better. but he was definitely heart broken. and was happy again when he saw me the next day haha. I am super surprised at Fani because she just started crying in the middle of the lesson and explained how she was scared of water. So we took her to the baptismal font and she went inside and everything went just great. She is excited to get baptized this Saturday :)

We visited Mireya again, she's just super. I told my old companion we were gonna baptize her and he said "No manche ella es la que menos pense que se iba a bautizar!" My testimony from last weeks message has once again been affirmed. Jesus Christ can trulychange anyone. Just let him in! I love the Hymn "Abide with me, 'tis eventide". He truly will abide with us if we let him in. Oh, Savior, stay this night with me. 

We received transfers this week, I am staying! I begged President to let me stay. I'm so glad he did. 

There is an awesome family out here too. We swing by and clean their kitchen every morning. We also found an 18 year old girl who hasn't been baptized and her mom is super faithful and everything and she said she doesn't really have a reason to why she isn't baptized. Pray that we can help Monica!  

Spiritual thought: Mosiah 2:41. We really are happy if we keep the commandments. We really are blessed if we keep the commandments. And I testify that one day if we keep the commandments we will be accepted into His prescence again. 

Other than that we are just happy to be working and having a good time! Thanks for all the prayers and support! Have a good week! 

Pics:

1. Ana's baptism

2. we had hamburgers

3. more hamburger stuff

4. my feet

5. tlalpan centro building thing idk but its cool

Solemn Assembly April 2, 2018

Never will I ever forget what I felt when Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, and Henry B. Eyring uplifted their hands as a First Presidency.

"We'll call in our solemn assemblies in spirit, that we through our faith may begin to inherit the visions and blessings and glories of God. - Hymnbook, page #2.

The feeling is so rigidly set that Russell M. Nelson is a prophet. The words of a living prophet are more important than those of a dead one. I urge everyone to take what President Nelson as serious as if it were Christ himself. I loved conference. I lovedBednar's talk on Meekness. I loved that success is failure after failure, not losing enthusiasm. I loved the counsel of doing everything in our power to receive the Holy Ghost! I loved it all. I hope you did too. An unforgettable moment was the following quote from Devin G. Durrant's dad: "You've got strong hands, son. I just hope those hands are strong enough to never touch a girl inappropriately." I hope to be a dad like this one day. 

I've spoken a little about Mireya, but this week was just wow. When I first met Mireya, I visited her house! haha, wow, no wonder. Her mom is Edith, the Relief Society President. Mireya had rejected missionaries for over 6 years. I went upstairs to knock on her door and invite her to visit with us. She told me she'd never get baptized and that if I didn't answer her doubts in that very moment, she would never let me talk to her again. I commented this to my ward who told me it was impossible to change her. "They had tried everything." This week, Mireya accepted a baptismal date for the 21st of April. I am eternally grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and how he can change us. Mireya didn't even believe in the Bible! Now she reads the Book of Mormon every single day. I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon, which contains the fulness of Christ's Gospel and divine mission. 

This Saturday Ana is getting baptized! She commented in her baptismal interview: "I have never felt a feeling like the one I feel in Sacrament meeting." What a strong convert. I am so happy for her because I remember contacting her and her mom outside of a small grocery store 2 months ago! This Saturday I'll be performing live again. This time, "Our Savior's Love". Stay tuned to know if I screw up or not.

This week we also moved from our garbage dump excuse for a living place and moved to a palace (for missionary standards). It even comes with a walk out balcony overlooking the smog filled view of Mexico City. It's awesome. As a result though, we didn'tactually get to do much this week because of General Conference, moving, and other things. 

This week we contacted over 6 stray dogs. Not one accepted a card. 

I had a cool interview with President Mecham about changing our perspectives. It actually works, you should try it sometime :) 

"Temple work seals and heals families" -Ronald A. Rasband

"We're not asking you to follow us, we're asking you to follow Jesus Christ." -Elder Rosales

To readers, lookers, hearers, anyone who sees this message: Jesus is the Christ, and Russell M. Nelson is His Prophet. 

Pictures:

1. Me and my comp, Elder Eastmond (in spanish, eh-asss-mohn-day)

Cowgirl family 2-26-18

We ate with the cowgirl family last week (cool name, right?) and we offered to wash their dishes.

Elder Rosales, the Zone leader, took the lead and carried all the plates up to the washingboard and began to wash plates. When he got to the glasses, he broke EVERY SINGLE ONE. Don't ask me how. Then he grabbed a towel that was hanging up on a rope attached to the wall by a nail and the nail fell out and all of their clean clothes fell on the floor. So he picked it all up and and then with a board, tried to nail the nail back into the concrete wall. And when he did that, the power went out. I don't think the power was his fault but it was so fun and I'm pretty sure they won't invite us to eat again. 

This week was almost awesome. Jhadys didn't show up to be confirmed :/ 

But it's good she will come next week. Ana and Elias need some prayers cause they are gonna get baptized next week!! I am super excited. Antonia and Diana came to church and loved it. It's cool seeing how people naturally accept the Gospel!! 

This lady told me she was gonna give us lunch money this week. So we showed up at the time and place where she would meet us and a huge storm blew in out of nowhere and we just waited there for her in the rain, and she never showed up. Positive side: I counted 78 lightning strikes in less than a minute while we were getting drenched out in the rain

This week we were learning more about Christ and His ministry in Jerusalem. He is so cool. Really. Study what He does in the New Testament. It will change your life. 

Elder Rosales: "There is no salvation in believing false things." We believe in the One True God, and in his Son, Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. Period. No hay mas.

Well it's a short email this week cause we are going to celebrate my companions birthday today by going back to my old area and going to an ice cream fair. Woo!! 

Mini donuts 3-19-18

Well, my saturday live ukulele performance was moved back to Sunday, with the hopes that Erick, Jhady's brother, could receive the priesthood at church and then baptize his sister later that day. SO we prepared Erick, taught him the prayer, how to baptize, and explained the blueprints of trajectories and the water-solid physics transitions necessary for a perfect immersion in exactly 3.2 feet of water. They agreed.

I will never forget how it happened. 3:56 PM, 4 minutes away from starting our baptismal program when Jhady's and her family arrive. They quickly walked towards me and the mom said "Oh, I have some bad news for you". Casually thinking that it was a joke, I responded with a smile. My smile quickly faded as she told me they hadn't gotten any white clothing for Erick. (Side note: WHY WOULDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT BEFORE THE BAPTISM?) Stress levels were high, tears were shed, and I had to kill my companion. Nah, we just ran around until we found a jumpsuit that only fit my companion. I felt bad, but I gave the responsibility of baptizing to Elder Eastmond! He was a boss and memorized the baptismal prayer in spanish in less than 5 minutes. I also, due to the insane amount of stress from my almost-wrecked baptism, screwed up on my live performance. What garbage, right? It's fine, at least she got baptized, right??!!

I'm almost positive I ate lunch today with a narco. (look up that word if you don't know what it means)

We were walking towards our house to eat on a beautiful Friday. The air was grey and contaminated, my feet hurt and someone had just insulted me in Spanish because I'm white. A black, very nice SUV pulled up next to me. "....... my car?" he asked. I didn't understand what he said in the beginning, so I said yes, and he sped around the corner I'm not kidding he was going like 45 miles an hour. He parked at a taco shop and got out, inviting us to lunch. I raised my suspiciones when he wasn't a member. He talked about the Elders from Santo Domingo, who I know personally because I was their District Leader 2 transfers ago. The missionaries he said don't exist in this mission. Hmm, right? He was very kind, made fun of us a little in the beginning and offered us whatever we wanted. Thinking ahead, I was humble and only got 2 tongue tacos. When he asked for the check he pulled out a wad of cash so freaking big that I think my jaw dropped in front of him. I've never seen so much money in one place (and mind you, this was in pesos, not dollars). He said thank you, got in his car and left. he was totally a narco. 

My stomach has been destroyed this week cause I bought some mini donuts and holy cow they wrecked me so hard. I've spent more time in the bathroom than I have with my companion, and we are together 24/7. So that means a lot. 

Fani doesn't want to be baptized, Edith and Cristopher are breeding annoying and don't come to church. We are holding out for Ana and Elias. I think they will be baptized in April. We will see. 

Last week I dreamed a dog got into our house at midnight, so I got up to let him out and then walked all the way to the end of our cul-de-sac and opened the gate for him to get out when I woke up and realized I was really far away from my companion, still asleep, and it was 12:30AM. Cool stuff, right? It's super believable that a dog would just let himself into our house at night, right??? 

This week at church I destroyed my ward cause they told me they wanted me to speak, the night before at 10pm. So I pulled out my scriptures and gave em a doozy. James 4:17 was the opening line. That scripture is also my spiritual thought for this week. Don't sin. 

The work is going strong, and my companion is a great missionary. Jesus Christ lives, and he loves us. 

Pics:

1. Baptism

Hi 3-12-18

Well, a quick email cause I started writing pages in my letter to President and forgot to write my weekly email here.

This week we are baptizing Jhadys, and it will be awesome. I was regalado a ukelele (thanks Elder Benson) so I'll get my first live concert perfomance chance this Saturday singing in her baptism. All are welcome to come. 

We also found Edith and Christofer this week, they came out of nowhere and really want to be baptized but for moving and other reasons they never could get baptized. Until now. And they are awesome. It's like teaching someone who already knows all the answers cause they've already received the visits from the missionaries! Woo! Christofer is the best. That 10 year old has a TESTIMONY. wow. 

We are also working with Ana, I contacted her mom and we met her and she had that thing where they revert to an earlier age in their brain development or something like that but she is regaining her abliity again and she wants to be baptized. Super cool stuff honestly. She has glasses like Harry Potter haha

We are also teaching Elias, a 12 year old we found one day. His parents said he would be lazy and wouldn't want anything and this week he did the opposite. He went to the mall on saturday and bought new shoes, a suit, a shirt, tie, and even a pocket square and showed up glistening like Edward from Twilight. it was so cool. he is gonna get baptized too in March. 

Antonia and Diana said they would be baptized! but then didnt come to church so ill work on that. 

But the biggest miracle is Mireya. She is the daughter of the Relief Society President who has been a member for 6 years. For 6 years she has said no, no, no to the missionaries and to the Gospel. She was rude, angry, and a real jerk to me haha. But this time I wouldn't take no for an answer and we started teaching her over 2 months ago. And this last week she came to church, when we visited her she was smiling, she read the Book of Mormon and accepted to be baptized. She just didn't accept a specific date. But the HUGE change that I've seen in her shows how powerful the teachings of Jesus Christ are!!!! I'm so happy for her. 

We had a zone conference which was awesome too

hmm what else happened.... 

-I ate subway. That was amazing. 

-I ate tongue tacos too. They weren't that bad until I looked at them and saw the cow taste buds haha. ew. 

-I went to Santo Tomas Ajusco on comp exchanges and its like UTAH THERE ARE MOUNTAINS WOW 

-I went to a Zone Conference and had chicken salad like a true red white and blue blooded american

-I cooked carne asade on an open fire with my bare hands, and then cut a lime in half with a massive axe mid-air. im such a lumberjack

-I saw an Audi R8 just casually strolling down the street in my dirt poor neighborhood. no respect for the poor i guess 

-I got this fork, but like the two side prongs are tiny and the one in the middle is giant and its for stabbing mangos i think

-thats it

sorry for a short email but i love you all and i hope you have a great day and a great week! 

Mosiah 3:19 - 3 Nephi 9:22 - 3 Nephi 11:38. Substitute the word 'baptism' for 'sacrament', because after all, thats what the sacrament is. its a mini baptism. 

Pics

my comp with his first subway sandwich in Mexico :')