I'm going to load the pictures first, because I really want to send some!
Alright, now as they load I can start writing! (I love uselessly narrorating things I'm doing^^)
So yeah, this week has been another bit of a rollercoaster sort of thing. Lots of possibilities falling through, but thus is life in the mission, we can do everything in our power and sometimes success will still just slip through our fingers. What we learn is how to react to it. Like Lehi when he had the vision of his own city being destroyed, and what does he do? Praises God. I kind of planched myself with that scripture when I was teaching someone the other day and realized it applied to me too. Heh.
Oh, have I explained 'planch' yet? There's a verb, planchar, which means 'to iron' like ironing a shirt. But here in mission slang in Mexico, it basically means... Um, I don't know, scold with the scriptures. Because the scriptures are from 'planchas de bronce' (bronze plates), so with planchas we planch, right? So when we say, 'Quiero planchar un TJ hoy', that means, 'I want to... Scold with the scriptures/bible bash this Testigo de Jehová (Jehova's Witness) today.' Haha which of COURSE I don't do. But I get tempted at times.
Anyway though, with that long explanation that you probably still don't understand, I'll move along.
So this week was a little up and down until another awesome experience Saturday. Elder Lyons and I were knocking doors and generally trying to be led by the Spirit in this super rich neighborhood here in our area, but it was door after door of 'oh, the owner of the house isn't home' or, 'I don't have time' or, in one case with a guy with a Mercedes, 'if it's about anything religious, I really don't care'. Which is nice, because we get sick of excuses, but yeah. I mean, we had felt to go to this rich neighborhood, but we didn't understand why! Everyone was so caught up in all the money and things they had, and nobody wanted anything with us. Well, I was a little discouraged, but instead of getting down, I joked around with my comp.
Which, as it turns out, also took from the spirit. We were about ready to give up, and we went to the last door. I rang the doorbell once, and nobody answered. Then, I just bowed my head and shut my eyes right there and told God I was sorry for joking around and not really focusing on the Spirit, but I promised Him that I would turn things around right there and focus on the Spiritual side of things, and say what He wanted me to say. I rang the doorbell again, and immediately we got an answer. We testified, and he immediately let us in. He told us how he had been growing farther away from God, but that he had wanted to change and wanted his family to be more united and happy, and that he knew we were sent from God. My companion and I just looked at each other and smiled, and began to teach with the Spirit.
Needless to say, he came to church on Sunday and he liked it. We know it'll be challenging to figure things out with him because he's only home on weekends, he has family difficulties, and he drinks, but I just say bring it on! I'm loving this mission and I'm having experiences I'll never forget.
On a side note, this will probably be my last week with Elder Lyons, and we've been through lots of stuff this change together, so it'll be sad to see him go, but we'll be friends for a long time to come. We'll find out what's going on with these changes by next Monday.
Speaking of which, SO excited for General Conference! Woooh! It's going to be awesome for investigators. I've really grown to appreciate just how amazing it is to have a living Prophet on this earth today and to have the opportunity to listen to him every six months! It's crazy that it's already been that long since I was in the MTC, and I've already completed 7 months in the mission, going for 8, but I'm just way excited to listen to our Prophet again!
I don't think I've ever been as excited for it as now. To be honest, I did not pay enough attention before my mission, and even in the MTC, but I'm so ready to be spiritually lifted (and maybe planched a bit^^) this weekend. Everybody reading this should plan to watch at the very least one session on Saturday and one on Sunday. Do it! And pay attention, and apply things.
I love you all! Time to explain my pictures.
Er, I'll send explanations with a seperate email, because I already don't remember in what order I put them in. Or which ones I uploaded^^
Again, I love you all and pray for you all, que sigan fieles!
1. Our baptism with Ivonne! She is SUCH a strong convert. Going through a little rough patch right now with her family, but as far as the church goes, she is staying strong.
2. Elder Lyons and I found CHRISTMAS STUFF in a store here! So we had to buy little snowglobes of course. Remember The Santa Clause? Well yeah, we've decided that when he shakes his snowglobe, I magically appear, and vice versa. Of course, that is a given, being companions that are ALWAYS together. But it's still cool. Haha
3. La Noche Mexicana, which is like July 4th here, we got jumped by the ward girls who put the Mexican flag stripe on our face. Triste piñas... Which nobody will understand except probably Adam^^ Gotta love Mexican missionary slang!
4. Reading my BoM on some colorful benches.
5. A blurry picture of my companion pointing at that blue house I told you all about last week, from the view point of the road.
Well, that's all, folks!
Loooooove,
Elder DeFreese
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