WEEK 76 (ONE WEEK LEFT!)

No update this week, but Hermana Best only has A WEEK AND A HALF LEFT!!! So we should hear from her one more time before SHE'S HOME!!!

This week we had a little Halloween update from her :)

The zone leaders got a costume competition approved. District vs. district. Our district was mostly things from Nealtican (our zone). My comp and I became the think-tank for that, coming up with creative costumes.

"I'm the dog that's followed the Elders around for years, LA NEGRA. She always looks sad. She follows them around literally everywhere and is famous here. Literally even President knows about her..."

"Hermana Hymas, my bestie from the mission is 'the sleeping lady,' because the two volcanoes here have a legend, and its a warrior that comes back for his woman and she's sleeping (because the volcano literally looks like a woman laying down)."

"My companion is 'San Nicolas de los ranchos,' a small town here. San Nicolas is the top part, aka SAINT NICK and the bottom part is like being on a ranch with the belt buckle and cowboy boots. We won the competition."

"Our district: The mariachis in our Ward lent the Elders these tight suits. Hahaha, how are they so skinny?"

WEEK 75

This week was great. We had the movie night. It was awesome to see the sisters outside of the church making the tamales and atole (traditional drink here) since 11 in the morning! Wow they are awesome :) The only downside was that we got to the church at 6 to prepare for the activity. I thought...hmmm why is the ceiling black? Had the church gone with a new more gothic look? Was i about to black out? Nope. They were FLIES. Since 11 in the morning flies had been gathering in the church in one part. That was interesting. We had my comp, the bishop, another member, and I with brooms and mops swatting at all the flies like a horror movie. I'm pretty sure I said 'oh no' about a thousand times. 

The good news is the entire chapel filled to see the movie and we have 17 new referrals aka non members to go teach!!! :) :) :) This week in our other ward we're doing the same activity on Saturday. People here don't really care about Halloween :( 

We're working to the bone. My comp even got sick practically over night. She doesn't even care, she just keeps plowing away. Her work ethic is for real.  

There were no effects from the hurricane here, its been windy and rainy anyway. We're loving working in both areas and finding new people constantly. 

Sorry this is such a short update!!!! Here are pics of me by the volcano in Xalitzintla!!! 

Volcano!

WEEK 74 (3 WEEKS LEFT!!!)

OK I've been terrible at sending a good update with how things are actually going out here so I'm taking the time to explain it a little better.

We are HALFWAY THROUGH the transfer.... :(  It MIGHT be my last transfer...or I might stay on the mission forever. It's not confirmed yet. 

"The weather has been windier than anything I've ever seen!!! We saw President and his wife the other day. President's wife said that her phone's forecast says 'wind.' It's been howling for 2 days and nights straight without stopping. Kinda scary."

I'm with an American sister named Hermana Palmer (pic included), we were in the same district in Atlixco way back when (ok this past spring). She is SUPER EXCITED about our area which is awesome, I think I needed her energy and her drive, super grateful to have a companion like her. Also the pics are because her mom sent her stuff to make MARSHMALLOWS hahah of all the things you send in a package. So we did some homemade smores. Not too shabby. 

Hermana Palmer!

Yummy smores!

Investigator wise, as I've mentioned we've found many new people. But we are also seeing who can progress and who can't. There are some that just always promise they will go to church, or read scriptures, etc., and never do it, so with those people its best to just keep having the members visit them. I know in the future they could progress more, maybe right now isn't their time.

OOH! ONE REALLY COOL THING! We were with our ward mission leader in one of my wards and we planned a ward activity to watch MEET THE MORMONS on a projector and make food and all the works. Then we went up to our other ward that week and the bishop came to us and said 'I think i want to do a movie night in the ward' haha. Maybe he's spying on us from up by the volcano with one of those tin cans tied to a string? Or maybe its time for these wards to have an activity! They've gone months without one. And this movie was specifically designed so that people that don't know much about mormons can see more of what they're like. We are super duper excited about it all, made some shnazzy invitations, and all the members are on board for inviting their non-member friends. 

Also we gave talks in one of the wards about missionary work and it was just a really beautiful Sunday.  Everyone was paying attention and smiling at us and nodding. Then the bishop got up and said that he trusts in us and he wants all the members to know they can trust in us too, and he wants everyone to invite their nonmember friends to have an appointment with us, or come to the activity. That was a great feeling knowing we're all on the same page in the ward and that our bishop supports us- truly makes all the difference!!!!

"I only have a couple pairs of shoes left. The other day my foot felt weird and I wondered what was going on... literally had no idea my shoes were at this point. Had to toss em."

I find that being at the end of the mission is a little bit harder than i expected! I have all the tools I need as far as missionary work, but Heavenly Father is still molding me daily into a better person. I have experiences that test my patience, or that humble me, or situations that just stump me and sometimes its frustrating but I look back on all the progress I've made and its pretty unreal.

I'm absolutely committed to working like a maniac these last three weeks. Its been really cool feeling like despite how tired I am this transfer theres something that just keeps me moving and I can keep walking and teaching and laughing and enjoying the mission. What a blessing!!!! The Lord lives and he truly loves us. 

"Short hair?"

WEEKS 72-73

Long time, no update.

I find it so hard to summarize what's going on here! I think this time I'll make a list to make it easier. I love lists.

1) WE ARE FINDING TONS OF NEW PEOPLE TO TEACH. Way more than in the last transfer. My companion is like a lightning bolt, constantly in motion, there is no time to rest, just work work work! She keeps me focused.

2) I feel so at home in this area! At first in Nealtican I wasn't really sure where I fit in with everyone, but these last few weeks I've been able to realize what great friendships I have with them, it kind of feels like my first area, Mayorazgo. We've had some 'goodies', some laugh attacks, some awesome meals, and spiritual lessons. The other day an investigator was reading the scriptures and I thought there were some hairs floating around so i tried to get rid of them ...turns out they were attached to her head and ended up pulling her hair as she's reading the book of mormon hahahahahahah these are the moments in the mission you just can't plan. we were dead laughing. The members are so wonderful too.  I am getting really attached to this ward! oh no! They had the primary program yesterday and I felt like I was watching all my little cousins or something. We are also working way more with the bishops in each ward. HOW EXCITING

3) Surrounding wise....it is like a very warm spring day every day here now. i guess were done with that rainy season. the other week despite a small voice in my head telling me 3 times to put sunblock on i ignored it and got burnt to a crisp, the sun scorched me from the morning til night.  pictures NOT included. my current question is if donkeys get mad or if i can touch any donkey i see that might be in my path? There are a lot in one part of our area. they just look so sweet and sad , i want to pet them. don't worry, i'm not going to touch any animals despite how bad i want to. 

ok thats about it for now! I'm still listening to the conference talks i missed because sunday afternoon i got a fever and couldn't watch the last session! they're so inspiring. i'm loving it here on the mission and pretending its never going to end...

Hna best 

WEEK 71

Whew!!! I have time for a super quick update this week!!!! Several things happened this week...I lost my wallet with a bunch of really important stuff in it, a member found it later on the side of the road, it was a complete miracle that they found it, and no one took anything! I felt really grateful. 

"It's been raining a ton here!"

"A member showing up in the exact moment we are getting drenched!"

Dulce (investigator) got married. It was the event of the year pretty much the whole town went. Never seen anything like that in my life. 

But the best part is that she got BAPTIZED!!!! The Sunday after. And it was really beautiful. The room was full of people supporting her. She's been listening to the missionaries for a while now, her husband is less active. Hadn't gotten baptized yet because they weren't married. She was emotional after when she gave her testimony, said that she knew this is the true church, and that she wants to be sealed with her husband and baby for eternity. Her non-member parents came to the baptism and were crying as well, it was really emotional and something I won't forget! We are excited to keep working with their family so that they can get to the temple! 

Dulce's baptism- her husband is on the left

I absolutely loved general women's conference. As a missionary I just feel like I soak up every message and the conference flew by as if it were only 5 minutes. Got me really excited for this next weekend when we will watch general conference!!!  I feel like the messages the women gave us this past Saturday were so specific for our generation, i know they are inspired by God what they should say and how they should say it. 

I've been learning a lot and having a lot of great experiences but I'm struggling to put them into words right now...that's the mission in a nut shell ha. I've made a lot of changes on the mission but still have lots to work on. I'm really really thankful for the opportunity to have this calling. We are truly set apart from the world and its a beautiful feeling. I'm overwhelmed by how much Heavenly Father watches over all his children and knows whats best for each one of them. I know I needed this experience to help me be a better person. I will keep working hard until the end.

I so appreciate the emails I get from everyone encouraging me. I've been very blessed. Until next week! 

WEEK 70

Hermana Best promised some updates come October, but here are pictures to tide us over until then:

"We bought slingshots because they are wild dogs, and they bite haha."

"Puttin' on a show for us. Everyday something new."

"Loved these clouds."

"BEST VIEW EVER! We are so lucky to live in a tall building! Every night I see Puebla's city lights gleaming, and in the morning THIS!!! Those little figures are PUEBLA on the horizon. I love it here."

"Our last zone conference :( "

"Not a lot of food at the Ward Mexican Independence Day activity."

Maybe one more "pot" of corn?

"My first tortilla... ok a little ripped but it's OK!"

WEEK 69

Here are a few fun pics from our favorite Hermana:

"El Popo"

"In the boonies"

"Half pony half donkey :)"