Hey feliz navidad a todos!

 

Como estan! I am doing great this last week was awesome. I forgot my journal today so this might be a short one but ya. So Last P day was decent. We email at a college and it is kinda fun to be in that environment again. I actually kinda miss it a little. But today everyone is gone. Anyway what happened this week...Ha shoot ya this is going to be a short one. All I remember is what is going on with my peoples which I guess is good but that is not as interesting for you guys. Well I got to see my last three baptisms this last week. We are teaching one of their cousins so they all came up for the lesson to say hi. Unfortunately someone scared her off by mentioning she has to get married before she can get baptized ha. But it is ok she will have plenty of opportunities to find the gospel. I will probably go back in a bit as well. But it was really fun I miss them. Anyway we found quite a few of super prepared people thru some members this week and things are going great with them. Finding thru members makes a massive difference so help out your missionaries. This area has a million part member families that are less active so we are going to have to fix that ha. But we are really focusing on strengthening our members right now. That will bring a lot more opportunities and it will be good to build some strong relationships too. We have lots of members asking for us to come over so it will be hectic but I am excited. We have lots of cool people so ya. Sorry I really don't remember any of the things that happened this week and I know there were atleast a couple note worthy things sorry. But ya the work is great I love being out here so much. Actually I had a nightmare that I was home one night. I woke up and was super happy it was a dream ha. No offense to everyone I really want to come home just in another 18 months not now. The mission is where it is at and it is going by super fast. But I love you all and thanks so much for everything and all the Christmas support :) Love ya'll and have a great week!!! Cant wait to Skype!!!  

transferred

Hey!

 

Ok so I got some news I actually ended up getting transferred! Monday night we went out to work and we got a call. They told me to start packing my bags and that I was leaving in the morning. It was a heart breaker I was in shock. They never do that idk what happened but ya. So we said bye to everyone then I packed up all my stuff. I got done at like 3 ha. It was insane. I am now in Donna and Wes Laco. We have all of donna and the southern part of Wes Laco it is a huge area! We actually took over another area so ya. We have a car which is nice but we don't have many miles. Hopefully I don't get too fat since I wont be using my bike much ha. Which is good cuz it has some problems. But my new address is 2011 Bridge Ln. Unit #7 Donna, TX 78537. Still send stuff to the office but just so you all know. Our apartment is brand new pretty much and it is super nice. Probably the nicest in the mission. It is a two man now cuz we have both areas so it is huge for us. I love it tho it is great. Having a two man is super weird and not has fun for sure but I got a cool comp so it is all good. His name is Elder Rodriquez and he was born in Peru but grew up in SLC. He speaks good Spanish and has a good accent. So hopefully mine gets better. But this week was kinda hard with it being my first transfer and all. But I all ready love the people here so much and we are going to have a great transfer for sure. I have a lady in my ward who lives in Evanston in the summers so that is super cool. You will have to meet and talk to her. Also there is a member here that has a missionary out and she would do anything you want as far as pictures and videos and stuff. Actually we will probably Skype at her house so start coordinating that now with her please cuz im not allowed to. Her last name is Jess and she lives in Wes Laco. Idk her first name but her husbands name is Rob Jess so ya find them and get ahold of them por favor. But ya the work is great and I couldn't be happier. I love it out here! I love you all too thanks for everything. Enjoy the Christmas season and Christmas break!

happy thanksgiving and christmas season

Hey!

Happy thanksgiving and christmas season everyone! Gosh this is such a great time of the year i love it. We can finally listen to christmas music so we have been bumping to Michael Buble christmas all day ha. I will have that whole CD memorized in two days i love it ha. So thanksgiving was super great but at the same time it really sucked. Going into the day we had 5 food appointments set up with our favorite members and we were super scarred. That morning we all drank a gallon of water in less than an hour to stretch our stomachs out and it worked. My stomach was massive and i felt like dying. I cannot describe the pain i had it was horrible and Ya our whole apartment just layed around moaning haha. But after a couple hours we were fine. I cant describe how much we ate either it was insane. The members down here always feed us too much and we only ended up eating at four places but still it was incredible how much food i had. We felt terrible that night ha it was just a really tough day. But it was super fun too. I only took pics at one house cuz i always forget but ill send em. We had a talent show this last friday at the stake center and it was super cool. Again i forgot about my camera. I was mad i didnt record some stuff cuz it was super cool and super mexican ha. But ya we loved it. Also it is a new transfer today and i am still stickin around with my step papi. We are super excited to be here the city is going hard on this massive christmas show and stuff it is awesome! Idk there is so much going on with that you will just have to wait and see. But this transfer goes to my birthday so ya like all the main holidays are here in my greenie area. I am pretty surprised i stayed but super excited for sure. As far as the work goes we have been having a harder time. People are not progressing as well but we got plans to change that so we will be getting a baptism soon. We have really been focusing on strengthening our members more and it has payed off. They are all doing super good and they love us so much. Like it is crazy how close we are with them and we have to fight daily to not get fed from all of them. Ha i love it but there are consequences... the food is incredible but super bad for you here. But ya this week has been on of the best ones of the mish for sure. We got some new exciting things happening with the work and all this great stuff it is just awesome i am definitely at a high point. Thanks everyone for the emails and for supporting me out here. It is nice not being forgotten yet. I am super stoked to call on christmas. Dont know how it will work out yet but ya. Anyway i love you all so much and enjoy the christmas season!

share the gospel

Hey que dicen!

          How is everyone doing!? Gosh this last week went by so fast I feel like i just barely emailed ha. But it was a really good week for sure. It was really hot we have been getting into the 80's so that has been nice for sure. Thanks mom for the christmas package all the elders were freaking out cuz how big it was. I just thought it was my clothes but you hooked me up fat. Thank you so much I cant tell you enough how happy it made me. I opened the jacket and ear muffs cuz i need those but i am saving the rest for when i am supposed to open them. It was a super hard decision but ya ha. This last wednesday we had mission tour which is where someone comes and evaluates our mission and tells us how to be better. We had Elder Foster of the 70 come and man that guy is full of power. He changed so much stuff up and was calling out president to change all this stuff. We were all shocked ha. But he taught us some really good stuff especially about working with members and who we actually are. It was awesome. This last friday we had our ward thanksgiving party and that was super fun. Our church is tiny so it was rediculous trying to get everyone in there but it was awesome and the food was incredible. Those are like the only two major things that happened this week. We found tons of new investigators so that was nice. We kinda started over in our area because tons of bad stuff had been happening. Just lots of bad luck so we are just steping back and starting again. This is the last week of transfers and i think i am going to be shipped out next week. I wont know for sure till next week but idk i probably am going. We will see but i am super nervous. I kinda want to but i love the people here. We have the greatest members but ya we will see what happens.

Just real quick i want to let you all know the lords vision of the work. Right now when people think of missionary work they think of the missionaries and the members help out every so often. That is how it is but that is not how the lord wants it done. He want it to be the other way around. The members do all the work and the missionaries just help them out. That means that members need to take control. Start praying for strength and opportunites to share the gospel. Ask the missionaries how to do it they would love to help you and do some role plays. We do those everyday ha. But ya just wanted you all to know that that is how Christ wants it so get going on that. But i love you all so much. Have a great thanksgiving and enjoy the football and nap! Love ya'll

getting cold

Que dicen!

So it was another super crazy week down here. It is oficially freezing. It has been getting below 32 and we are out on the bikes man it is crazy. I didnt bring anything for this weather so i have been freezing really bad. Thanks mom for sending my stuff tho I didnt think i would need boarding gear in texas ha. O and congrats of the wedding! Glad everything is working out. But this last week we went to the pulga aka the flee market but hispanics. It was pretty cool and really big. But i guess it was nothing compared to the one one sundays. Like we have a hard time getting people to keep the sabbath because of it. Our baptism didnt happen. Like it is a massively long story but satan is working really hard against us. He even came in the flesh for these people ha. I got to work in a trio like all week which was super weird. I feel like we are jumping people and they got kinda freaked out when we bike up to them and surround them ha. But it was fun to learn from each other and all. Like this week was insane and so much stuff happened i cannot even begin. But ya it was just insane stuff like we were getting knocked back on our heels all the time, freezing, and lots of food. We have been getting fed like crazy recently our fridge is stacked! I love it but i gained quite a bit of weight this week ha. The some total in two years is going to be gorgeous. Ya sorry not much to say i can explain it all but with all the stuff that has been happening and the weather i still am having a great time and love just about every second of it. When it rains is probably the only time i am not happy ha it is terrible. But thanks for all the prayers and emails i love hearning from everyone. Sorry i never really get to respond to anyone i am a really slow typer and it is hard in an hour. Especially right now cuz i cant feel my fingers ha. But I cant wait to hear back from everyone and have a great week!

enjoy life

Man so this week was insane! We had lots of stuff happen it was really fun but kinda tough. So one of our favorite members is really into making cakes and decorating them. She is in classes like Kylie did. But she is super proud of it so she always hooks us up with cake. It is super dope we love it. This week was pretty cold. It is nice but i have absolutely zero cold gear so t has been kinda rough. What really sucks is when it rains! Like I can handle being cold but being soaking wet on bikes all day in the cold is not too pleasant. Idk for some reason it is fun tho. You just learn to enjoy everything. So we were supposed to have a baptism this weekend but some things happened. Like we tried to get the boyfriend to move out and he got super mad and caused a million problems. Like it is a mess now and it has been insane and ya. But we have faith it will workout. We rode in a members truck and he had two subs in there and showed them off to us. He was bumping to some techno for a bit. It definitely took me back to days before the mish haha. It was just one of those trunky moments. Lets see what else. Today we went to a pulga which is just like a flee market but hispanics ha. It was fun for sure. I bought one of those return balls that you throw and it is on a string and comes back. I loved having that has a kid throwing down the hall. I remember the day it broke i was super sad so i am stoked to have one again ha. But ya I am having a great time down here. The work is going super good we have too many investigators to handle which they say is a good problem. I am really embracing the culture too which makes it funner. I am turning into a little mexican. I love sketchy little taco shops and i put hot sauce on stuff all the time now ha. But ya it is great.

I am going to do a super short little lecture this time but just learn to enjoy life. Just be positive no matter what and you just look at life and the world differently. It is definitely a process and i am just starting but it is great and I love it. Just be happy! Love you all and have a great week, Enjoy the snow jajaja

Que tal!

How is everyone doing? Hope you all had a good week. Mine was great! It was super fun but kinda stressful as well. On wednesday the ward did a trunk or treat and it was great. Tons of people came and we got lots of investigators, less actives, and a family who just moved into our area there. It was like perfect. But they also had mexican corn there which was a big hit. It is corn on the cob and just loaded with tons of stuff. It was really good actually i liked it a lot. But everyone down here is obsessed with the stuff its funny ha. There are like ice cream trucks down here but they are Helote (corn) trucks ha. And they are EVERYWHERE!!! They all play this same annoying song too but now i think i might stop one and buy some ha. Halloween was kinda lame. We had to be back at our place at 6 and they wouldnt let us go chill at a members house or anything. So we worked till six and planned for the next week for three hours instead. We made it fun but still it was a bummer. Our investigators are progressing great and we should have a baptism this weekend actually. Well we hit a road bump that is pretty big, she lives with her boyfriend ha. But hopefully we can take care of it and get her down. Also, last night we received a miracle referral about just like the most prepared person ever. So we are pretty stoked for that. O and we are teaching a guy who speaks English and he is smart. He is a chiropractor. But it is totally different because most the people we talk to are not educated. It is super fun tho we are excited about it. But ya everything is going great! I love being out here it is an absolute blast and this month is going to be awesome.

So this week the lesson I learned was about getting lost in the service of others. Everyone says that on your mission you need to forget yourself and just serve with everything. Well I had been praying for this and this week I really saw a big change. Like nothing super great happened this week but it was probably one of my favorite weeks. Looking back i was just so concerned about our members and investigators and i really didnt think about anything or anyone else. It is crazy how much happiness that brought. So i guess the lesson I can pass on is get lost in serving others. Get lost in serving your family, coworkers, friends, people in church, etc... It brings so much happiness and personal satisfaction as we do it. Also, we ourselves grow a lot. I definitely became a better missionary this week. It is super cool how it works and it is like a little secret to being happy. I am so excited to continue to grow that and just serve others as much as I can. I love this gospel and this church so much. The direction it gives us and happiness that comes as we follow it is incredible. Serve and you will be happy. Love you all and have a great week!