What to say...‏

April 9, 2012

Alright, where do I start! This was a pretty eventful week I suppose.

Firstly, we got to have a cool Leadership Traning meeting on Tuesday where we all learned a lot and did some really helpful practices and saw the results thereof throughout the week, so it was pretty sweet. We learned that we have to mention the Atonement more, that we have to contact EVERYONE to show our desire that we want to encounter people that are ready to learn and accept the gospel, and a few forms of teaching that are really helpful, stressing testifying always with your companion. 

After that, we had a District Class on Wednesday that included a ''pep talk'' from the zone leaders that went really well. There's a record in our zone of I think 42 baptisms in a month or something like that, but this month we want to break that record and baptize 55, which would be following the goal of the mission (and I think all the missions in Mexico, for that matter) of baptizing every week. 

Anyway, we had a cool experience to pray about that goal each individually and we all felt it was possible and that we should apply all our efforts to be able to reach that goal. Then we split up for our District Class, and even though I had a completely different class prepared, I felt that I should talk about a few things we learned from the Leadership Training, so we talked about testifying, which invites the presence of the Spirit, who testifies with us and brings the message to the heart of the investigator, and a few forms of teaching and good practices. So it went really well and we were able to see some sweet results in the week for our district.

Things are still a little tough in our area with people so ready to be baptized that just have so many trials that keep hitting them over and over, including a TON of rain on Sunday. We had about 5 or 6 investigators planning on being in church for sure, but on Sunday morning, for the first time in Poza Rica so far, and very much out of season, it rained really really hard until the afternoon. About 30 minutes after it started, the streets were already rivers and it was very difficult to get to the church for most people. But, miraculously we had an investigator that showed up, which we were very grateful for. We went to pick up others but they couldn't get through the rain, or had kids that didn't want to get sick, or in the case of Clara, an investigator with a date to be baptized the 14h (now the 21st), she's pregnant and can't be risking any sort of sickness catching and lives a little far from the church.

So that was tough, but we got someone that came, and we're ready to work this week as if it's our last, baptizing and helping people come unto Christ. That's the purpose, the goal, and the blessing we have as missionaries. I'm just pumped to still have a good 10 or 11 months to do it. Time is going so fast though. AH! It scares me, but I try not to think about it and make the most of the time I have. 

I do love you all a lot, and hope you enjoy my pictures this week, I now have been taking a few more. You're welcome! =P

Love,

Elder DeFreese

1. I FOUND MIRACLE WHIP! Wooooh! Almost a year in Mexico without any miracle whip, and I found it! Funny story though. We went to eat with the district last Monday at Burger King (yeeah! American stuff!), and afterward shopped right there at this place called Soriana. It's like Chedraui... Which... Is like a little Walmart or something. Anyway though, so we were there looking at stuff and I as we were by the mayonaise, I told Elder Thomson, ''Man, I've been without Miracle Whip for so long, someday if I find it, I'm going to go nuts.'' To which he responded by pointing to the MIRACLE WHIP on the shelf! Haha it is sooo rare here, but I found it! I bought both of those ones from the picture, who knows when I'll find it again! Even if it's there once at that store, sometimes once they run out of things like that, they don't show up again for a looong time. 

2. Elder Lyons and I for the last time in a Leadership Training thing that we had where the missionaries going home also bore their testimonies. Sad stuff, but my family will be seeing him sometime I'm sure!

3. Me, trying to see how close I can get my finger to a parrot without it biting me. Yeah, it bit me. =P