Alright,
So this week was a pretty nuts one. We had a loooot of
stuff that got a little in the way of working in our area, but we didn't
get frustrated, we just did our best with the time we had.
First,
on Tuesday we had a leadership training thingy in Mtz. (remember those
trips I talked about?), which was really cool and really crazy. I'll see
if I can help you all understand what happened a little bit. Well, as
you all know, in the mission we do things like knock doors and find
people and contact people in the street, right? Yeah, now that's all
changing in Mexico bit by bit, but our President is jumping ahead of
things to get us prepared. Thanks to some dangers that are rising and
some situations that have happened with missionaries in other missions,
the leadership here in Mexico is starting to prepare the missions here
to have ZERO contacts in the street and ZERO door knocking and ZERO
lessons without a member present for safety, unless it is a lesson in
the chapel.
So, even though they've only gone to that extreme with a few
missions so far, our President wants us to be ready when they change up
the rules on us, so our ''formula'' has changed. Every mission has
something that's called ''numbers of excellence'' or something like
that, I don't remember. But anyway, in our mission, before, it was the
general goal to report weekly 175 contacts, 15 lessons with member, 15
other lessons, 7 referrals received, 7 referrals contacted, etc. But now
all those numbers have changed. Now, it's: 70 contacts, 20 lessons with
member, 10 other lessons, 20 referrals received, 20 referrals
contacted, etc. So we'll be working a LOT more with members and a lot
less in the street. President said something about being in members
houses so much that the same pair of shoes we start the mission with
will look like new at the end. So yeah, it's a pretty big change for an
Elder who's been working about the same way almost 16 months in mexico.
Oh, that's me. =P
Buuut I'm really really excited, because they talked a lot about
the importance of members, and how much success we could have through
these changes, and well we're all pretty pumped. It'll just be hard to
get used to not getting home completely exhausted from walking all day.
Haha
But anyway, then from there, on Wednesday we changed houses
finally, and then in the afternoon I felt super sick, so we tried to
work the best we could, but it was pretty ineffective. Then, on Thursday
I went to the doctor not feeling much better and on the orders of
Sister Lopez (wife of President Lopez), they gave me lots of medicine,
and then it rained really hard all day and we tried to work by bits, it
was really interesting because in this little town place called San
Juan, the streets turn into rivers really fast, and seeing as how I
already had a cold and some infection as well, we weren't able to do
much there. Then, on Friday there were some interesting problems in the
district that I will restrict from mentioning, but the Zone Leaders had
to come and we had to do some good snooping and checking and talking and
such, which made us late to the food appointment, and then we had a
baptismal interview from there, and then the day was pretty much winding
down already. Then, on Saturday we had a baptism service to prepare and
hold succesfully. =D
But yeah, so it was a pretty full week of not working exactly as we
would've liked to, but this week we're looking forward to lots of sick
and rain free days. Hopefully. It's kept raining and today we woke up
and I was in the shower when the electricity went out. In the whole
town! So we'll also be seeing how we'll wash clothes today and all that,
seeing as how usually a family helps us with their washer, but without
electricity that won't work so well. =P Right now we're actually in
Teziutlán, because we can't get internet out there!
Anyway though, this week we're pretty excited. We finished our last
week well with the baptism and confirmation of Didier (Diddy-air for
pronunciation more or less) and we'll be seeing a few more things with
his family, seeing as how his aunt and 3 cousins came that aren't
members but are very interested.
The baptism, speaking of which, was really spiritual. Mom told me
in her email that I shouldn't think about how my time is starting to
come to a close here in the mission, seeing as how I'm about to start in
on my last 6 months, which go by so so fast. Well, in the baptism I
couldn't help but think about that. As I was listening to the talks and
enjoying my time there and thinking about how happy Didier and his
family seemed to be, I thought about how much I will miss those moments.
Well, as Didier and my companion changed into their normal clothes, I
took the time to explain some things of the gospel to Didier's
non-member family, and as I began to bear testimony of how much it would
bless there loves and how much it'd blessed mine, how much I'd come to
love and know God through the gospel, well I choked up. A lot. Haha for
those that know me, they know that I'm a bit of a cry baby, and this
time was no exception. I felt the spirit really strong and just
testified of the love of God that He has for each and every one of us,
and just how much He wants each of us to be happy, which is why He put
His gospel on the earth, to guide us to everlasting happiness. Well,
ending the testimony, Didier's mom, cousins, aunt, and dad (5 out of 6
of those being non-members) were all in tears as well, and there was a
really strong feeling of the spirit in the room.
Then, Didier and my companion arrived in their dry clothes and
Didier bore his testimony as well, which was really special, and
afterward we talked to the family and asked them how they felt in the
baptism and explained a bit about the Holy Ghost, and well we have some
more work to do here now. =D
It was a pretty special way to end the week, and I'm pretty happy
with the way things are going here in San Juan Xiutetelco (and
Altotonga, although it's far and we don't go often. =P)
As for
stuff back home, HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK BRADEN! Aaaand HOLY COW,
JORDAN IS GOING TO GET HIS CALL THIS WEEK! Let me know next week exactly
WHEN he'll be comin' on down to Mexico. Or at least somewhere spanish
speaking, I don't want to be the black sheep of the family!
Alright though, that's all for now, love you all. Shout-out as well
to Grandma Odekirk. Get well soon! I'll be sending prayers towards
Utah (bueno, hacia Dios, de hecho, porque Utah no contesta oraciones.
=P) for ya!
Love,
Elder DeFreese
Fotos!
1. Didier and his family at the baptism!
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