WEEKS 48-49

OK this was one of the best weeks of my mission! My comp and I have been working like CRAZY. But not just working to work, we've been working efficiently. You could say its been efficiently fast and furious. Things are also literally heating up here in Atlixco, about 90 degrees every day. Needless to say, the novelty has worn off of walking on the cobblestone streets, were dyin here, but its worth it!!! We have been contacting a ton of people through referrals and its so cool when we go to contact said person and they say something like 'actually i was listening to the missionaries when i lived in the U.S. 5 years ago, i think i have my book of mormon around here somewhere'. coincidence? DEFINITELY NOT. 

We have two investigators progressing, they blow me away! Its a mom and her son, he's 13. The young men are really including her son Brian in everything, 'me da mucho gusto' (makes me super happy) when we popped into the chapel the other day and we saw him there being included in the young mens activity!!!! (he also goes to church on his own, not a lot of 13 year old boys doing that) The mom couldn't come to our ward but she made plans to come to the earlier ward. Let me tell you thats another thing that doesn't happen as often as we would like, usually people just say 'sorry i cant make it'. And she went! She has told us with tears in her eyes that she wants her family to be more united, and us along with the members that have visited with us have assured her that THE GOSPEL will absolutely help her family with that goal. She devotes every single day to taking care of her mom who is crippled with arthritis and cant move, its so inspiring. She never complains, she just wants to do what's best for her family. Please pray for Brian and his mom! 

You can see here some cool photos from our zone training. Our leaders prepared a cool activity where our district leader lead us around blindfolded!!! It was really interesting because our district has been having lots of success and working on being more unified and my companion pointed out to me that in our district we all followed our district leaders instructions without hesitating ! Other groups varied in how much they could or couldn't follow their leader. It really gave me a testimony of how we can all work together to achieve these goals! How we should see peoples potential, and trust in the leaders that are in the church to help us.

Blindfold activity

Hermana Best's Zone!

I read something in my personal study that brought tears to my eyes that I would like to share really quick. Its an article called Christlike Mercy, and it mentions all the ways Christ showed compassion on people. one is when he talked to the woman at the well. In this time the jews absolutely did not talk with the Samaritans. It says that Christ talked to her and that "He overlooked the traditions that devalued her in others' eyes."

Is there something that you feel devalues you in others' eyes? Something about the way you are... something in your past... anything? I promise you that Christ does not care about these things. He sees us not only as we are, but what we can come to be. I am overwhelmed by the mercy he has on us. His love has no conditions.

I am so happy here in the mission! My mission Mom went home!! :( Hna Seegmiller. And I was reflecting on how far I'd come since she trained me. SHe was always an example of love and patience. I love how much I can learn from everyone here on the mission. Thank you so much for your prayers!! Until next week!

WEEK 47

I'm so happy! I don't have transfers! Going to complete half a year here in Atlixco, and with my same companion!!! We were so happy! There is so much work to do here and I'm really really excited!

We finally have some new investigators that are progressing but in general we're really working hard and i'm trying to be positive even when we cant see the results of our work.

One experience that really hit me this week is we found a little old lady in our ward that no one has been visiting for a while, somehow she slipped through the cracks. She's 92 years old and wants to go to church but she can't because she can barely walk. When we visit she tells us to sit down and we have to wait several minutes for her to make the journey with her walker into the room. She doesn't want us to help her because she wants to feel independent. She is so sweet and every time I smile at her she smiles so big at me! The first time we went over I told her 'Hermana Im so sorry we haven't visited you, we are going to come visit you and sing hymns and share a message with you every week is that ok?' and she just slowly said ' i really need you girls'.  when i'm in her house i want to cry, she is so humble. she lives with her disabled son who can't talk or hear, and its really hard for him to walk. he's really smiley and we communicate by using a book of sign language in spanish. (whew, sometimes its a little confusing in my head with english, spanish, American Sign language, and spanish sign language) He wants to learn more about God and we are excited to visit this family more.

Another wonderful thing is we had been praying because we need more support for this family from the ward, and Sunday two young women came up to us and said for Personal Progress they need to do service, and how they can we help? We told them Alicia and her family need help!!! That was a miracle. 

Im so excited the conference talks are available in print, im going to be reviewing them and seeing what I need to work on. Understanding the Atonement more and more has been the most important thing on my mission. Its such a deep concept I dont know if ill ever fully understand it, but im trying to apply it in my life, as well as be able to teach others about its healing power. 

Im enjoying every day here, life as a missionary is great, it just flies by even though were busy working!!! I love you all and hope you can review the conference talks, i know youll find new things every time!!!! Atlixco forever!!!

Xoxo

Hna Best

WEEK 46

No time for a letter this week, but we still get to see some great new pictures...

"On P Day we went to see this beautiful display of flowers in the Zocalo (town center). They formed the flowers to represent different parts of Mexican or Atlixquense culture. It was so beautiful!" 

"We cleaned the church and painted the basketball court for conference because our ward is the stake center. It was BLAZING hot- midday in Mexican sun on asphalt... but we still had a good time. I put an umbrella in my shirt in the back so the umbrella was like a built-in hat."

WEEK 45

Don't have a ton of time this week but I wanted to share a cool experience we had!!!  Our ward had a ward mission activity and we had several meetings leading up to it but I wasn't sure how it would turn out...

The purpose of the activity was that members of the ward invite everyone they know to see more about what we do in church, and specifically about Family Home Evening and Sunday School classes. We got there and everyone was setting up but not a ton of people had showed up and we were a little hesitant but we started the activity.

We watched the video "The Touch of the Master's Hand" and we got up in front of everyone after (this was part of the Family Home Evening) and everyone was in tears. My comp and I spoke briefly about the movie and the worth that we all have. Then another member had organized fun games for everyone to integrate. Later, I was blown away by how each Sunday School teacher had prepared a super interactive and spiritual short message at their own table, so that people could rotate and see what we learn about in each class (gospel principles, new testament, etc). I was overwhelmed at how strong the Spirit was the entire time, literally everyone was beaming the ENTIRE activity, getting to know each other, and seeing more about how what we focus on is the Savior and his Atonement. At the end we asked if anyone wanted to share a comment about the activity and to my surprise, an investigator sprang out of her seat to tell everyone how much she loved the activity and how much peace she feels in our church. Several others shared. Then more sisters in the ward brought out these hand made treats and everyone was smiling and talking and we literally just walked out of the church SO happy. We even have a couple new people to teach now!

I was so impacted by how the ward came together to make this a special night. Maybe it wasn't flooded with investigators, but for the few that came, as well as less actives that hadn't been to church in years, it was worth it. The Lord directs our church and I am sure of that. I am so happy to be in this area and in this ward, and on the MISSION! :) Love you all! Watch the easter video from the church :) Mucho amor de Atlixco.

"Me and my comp. We have a lot of fun :) "

"My shower this week. We have no gas :( Just heating up water in pots hahaha but luckily we'll have money to buy gas tomorrow."

Happy companions!

WEEK 44

Hello all! Its been a couple weeks. Things are going well here. My new comp (ok not so new, we're halfway through the transfer-eek!) is from El Salvador, her name is Hermana Hererra and she's really funny. We share a similar sense of humor so every day is really fun. She has a great energy about her, super pumped about missionary work, and its infectious. Its really cool when a new companion comes to the area because they bring new ideas. Like sometimes I get stuck thinking 'ah, this person will never show up' but she doesn't have words like 'no' or 'never' in her vocab, so we work with everyone and what do you know...the people respond!!

My comp has also taught me a lot about communication. We've had some great Family Home Evenings and seen that a lot of families struggle with communication. Sometimes its hard to express how we feel, or to feel understood, even by our loved ones. I  have seen how when we have the Spirit in our house how it becomes a 'part of heaven, where we want to be'. Its so amazing the changes the gospel can make in our life.

There's still not a lot of investigators progressing, Iv'e never experienced this so much on my mission until now. Hna Hererra is so energized about getting referrals and contacting them, we've literally been hitting the pavement searching far and wide for people that are prepared for the message.

The other day we walked SO much. I can honestly say it was the first time my feet just killed me on the mission. Every part of my body was sore. I was thinking about the pioneers and how brave and strong they were for all their sacrifices. Its sometimes hard when we cant see right away the results of what were doing, but i know were planting the seeds and being obedient, and that our labors aren't in vain.

"The volcano. The weather right now is really hot with the occasional dark clouds that don't give any rain :("

One thing I have seen so much on the mission is the power of the priesthood. Its something i didnt necesarily understand or appreciate too extensively before the mission, but now i really can. My comp and i have both been sick this week, im not sure why every day one of us wakes up with something new, headache, sore throat, swollen tonsils, evreything. the zone leaders have given us blessings and it was such a spiritual experience. I think its amazing how men on the earth who live worthy can have the priesthood power, the same power that Christ used to raise Lazarus from the dead. It is so real and so important. Men use the priesthood to act in Gods name, what he would do or say if He could be here with us. That is just unbelievable.

I am so happy to be on the mission. Its a lot of work but im learning so much every day. i love the experiences i have here. This week we were reading a sign outside of a business and the owner walked up to me and said HERMNA BEST! haha sometimes on the mission you forget you have a nametag on. I told him thats me! We started talkng about religion and he told us about his life, he was really funny. We invited him to church and he said how does he need to dress? We told him however he comes is ok, and he asked if he could wear a swimsuit hahahaha. I was dying.

Feeding a stray

Anyway, Im really enjoying every day here because its flying by so fast. I have seen peoples hearts be softened by the gospel. I have seen the ATonement change the lives of people who used to doubt , or even be against the church. Thank you for all of your prayers and support! Hasta luego

WEEK 42-43

Still no email from the lovely Lauren, but she did send a couple pictures. They are from one of her zone conferences!

WEEK 41

I don't mean to alarm you but:

LOOK AT THIS PICTURE OF THE VOLCANO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This picture was taken this past THURSDAY in CHOLULA, another zone in my mission. I completely freaked out when I saw it.  Of course this happened super early in the morning and we missed it. Everyone we went to teach that day asked us if we saw the lava. How is it possible everyone was up that early, earlier than the missionaries? I was totally disappointed. All we saw was thick gray smoke in our area later (pic attached), scared me a little bit. But DONT WORRY, they all say that its better for it to 'breathe' like this every once in a while rather than explode all at once. We aren't in any danger, it just looks crazy!!!!

Gray smoke from the volcano

This past Monday was another super fun P Day! A new convert thats our friend in the ward, Kathia took us to another area in our zone called Cabrera where there are a zillion flowers. As someone that is genuinely not interested in plants I was super excited, it was all really beautiful and also really relaxing to do something other than wash clothes by hand haha. One of the greenhouses (er...not sure what to call it?) was super cheap and I bought a cute little plant for 5 pesos. I named it Mark Anthony hahaha and put him in the sun in our house. I also attached a pic of Kathia making the 'Shakira ' plant dance. 

Marc Anthony

Shakira plant dance

While we were there Kathia was talking about climbing up this huge hill that everyone here in Atlixco can see called Cerro de San Miguel (Saint Michaels hill) and I thought it was a joke and told her 'oh yeah haha lets go climb up the hill!' when we left Cabrera, got off the bus, and started going up steep, historic streets  I started realizing it wasn't a joke. But it was worth it! The view from the hill was amazing!!!! It was so beautiful to look out over all of our Heavenly Father's creations. It felt amazing after the long hike to be in the shade feel the wind and see all the beautiful hills and houses below us.

I assume this is Saint Michael's hill

Happy companions

My comp is going home tomorrow! We got the call last night that I will be staying in the area. There seems to be a pattern for my mission: long chunks of time in each area. It doesn't bother me at all, I feel less stressed when I know who people are and where to go. Were currently working on a project of contacting a bunch of less actives. A lot of our investigators weren't progressing :( so were looking to find new ones and praying a lot to find people that are prepared to hear our message. The easter season is coming up and people are pretty set in their catholic beliefs so its going to be interesting.

Cool chapel

I've been really enjoying reading the book of mormon and helping others to understand it. I feel that sometimes missionaries forget that this is all new info for other people and i like to slow down and explain things with them, make them charts, bring them my kids book of mormon, or whatever it takes for them to learn to love and understand the stories. I know that the book of mormon is the truest book on earth, and it helps me in my life daily. I love you all! keep those emails coming!

View from a big clock in Alixco

Beautiful girls and quaint streets

"A big pole where expert people climb up and then fling themselves off flying around. Never seen it in person haha, it's only once a year."