WEEK 18

Que ha habido!!!!!!

Still working on trying to finish the Book of Mormon in spanish before the end of this Transfer! i started somewhere towards the beginning of the transfer and am getting close!!! 

I was reading in Helaman 9:25-35, and it turns out that Nefi is the best detective in the world! haha I was reading these verses and picturing what was happening like the sherlock holmes movies that have Robert Downy jr!!! remember how he plays out in his head everything exactly how it is gonna happen and he knows how people will react? Well Nefi did it first! Look up these verses and youll know what i mean! He tells all of the responses and how the situation is gonna play out exactly, and its super cool! haha i guess when the prophet is a detective also, bad guys dont stand a chance!

Another cool scripture is in 3 nephi 12:13. Talks about how salt isnt worth anything if it loses its savor. I took that to mean as missionaries, we cant just be robots who teach doctrine. We gotta be ourselves! So many missionaries are kinda boring! haha Have some fun, and help people see that our message is a message of happiness! I sure as heck think it is!!

This week, we had exchanges with the Zone Leaders and i went over to their area. Its called La Pastora, and its really big, and has more of the City in it. They have the huge stadium for the "rayados de Monterrey" the big soccer team and its just a pretty up and coming area. Some of the richest people in mexico live there. It was really cool to see a different part of the city, and realize that its not just really old people like we have here in Sada Vidrio! haha 

Elder teliz and i were returning from this exchange and as soon as we left their house, it started pouring... literally pouring so hard... we had all of our stuff, and we just got super soaked...we tried to get a taxi cause our area is about 20 minutes away but none of the taxis wanted wet people in their cars! we ended up walking for like 20 minutes in the pouring rain and just accepted the fact that we were gonna have to walk the whole way! Finally, a taxi honked his horn at us and we got in, and he took us home! I sat up front and was talking to him and made the contact and bore testimony about families and all that good stuff, and took his info down to give the reference to other missionaries where he lives! Pretty fun experience over all!!! 

A week or so ago, our bishop helped us order some small sized quadruple combinations. They came this week, and its the best thing i have ever seen.... we werent expecting them to be this small and they are so perfect for proselyting! my bag is like 10 pounds lighter! haha (photos attached) 

Currently working on marking these scriptures in a way that is super beneficial for proselyting and teaching specific lessons, and now i can mark the heck out of my normal big scriptures in my personal studies!  

We had a super hilarious lesson this week.... it was the first time we have talked with this family. They were on their porch, and we started talking to them, and they invited us to sit down and chat for a while. Both parents are super old, and their daughter is like 32 and living at home. anyways, we were talking about the "prince of peace" video the church had for easter, and out of knowwhere, the grandma starts telling us that none of her daughters have ever been fat, except for the one who lives here, i mean look at her! (gesturing at wendi sitting with us) Me and teliz were focusing so hard on not laughing, and looking for a way to get back into the lesson, when her dad piped in and started slamming her too! "she sneaks out at 2am to go eat food!" She needs to be less fat and start doing something" at this point, me and my comp both knew that we couldnt look at eachother or we were both gonna bust up laughing...

We transitioned back into the lesson, and not even 5 minutes later, they went back at it again! Roasting their daughter right there in front ofthe elders! As soon as we left, we both lost it laughing! Good Times.

Awesome news yall!!!! Remember the sweet VW beetle we helped decorate with flowers and stuff? The owners are our investigator family (Damariz, Pepe, Jorge, Gisele) We have been having awesome lessons withthem, and we were able to set a date for them to be baptised! May 13! This transfer ends on April 23rd, so who knows if me and Elder Teliz will still be here in this area to baptise them! I realized that these arent "our investigators" they are the lords, and it doesnt matter what elders are here to baptise them! We did our part, and helped them find the gospel:)

This week was "semana santa" (Holy week) here in mexico. The week leading up to easter! All of the catholics here are super crazy about semana santa. Only problem is that they use it as an excuse to get super drunk everyday cause there isnt work, and make bad decisions! Pretty sad.... WE have been trying to help people realize why this week is so special. BECAUSE OF JESUS GUYS, COME ON! haha not so you can drink extra! 

Jesus came here and did the most important thing that has ever happened in the history of the world. He died for our sins so we can return to heaven again. We at least have a chance to accept his sacrifice, and thank him by trying to do our best every day. Little by little, we will improve, and that is true repepntance. not just a switch that flips and yeah we repented!
We gotta have the desire to change, and act on that desire! 

(other email has a small video of a catholic parade on easter sunday)

We have gotten a few more less active members activated, and now have 6 kids in the primary! enough that they called a primary president!! woo hoo! Its so awesome to have little "chamacos" running around being noisy! Also, damariz and pepe have a daughter named gisele who is 5 and she loves me:) haha she always wants us to come over, and she draws me pictures and stuff. Super awesome:)

All is good here in Mexico:) I have gotten a little bit taller, and put on a little bit of weight! (and gotten way darker....) Started the MTC at 6'1" and 175lbs and clocked in at 6'2" 195 a few days ago! (Dont worry, its not fat, i have been doing tons of push ups every morning and eating beans everyday and i guess beans and rice are good protein!)

Stay strong yall!

Till next week

Elder Jones

picture explanation:Im staring to get super dark... haha i think being in mexico is turning me into a lamanite.... yikes!

Awesome small quadruple combination (kissing it cause it weighs nothing, and is saving my back from dying) 

 

Group picture at a ward night! This was just the set up crew (bishop is inbetween me and my comp) We had a really good turn out! like 60 people came! so amazing!