Zone Conference and Flu Shot!

 Another busy week has come and gone. This past week [week beginning, Nov. 25, 2019] we had to travel to Villahermosa which is about 4 hours away, to the East of Cotza for a Mission Conference and Zone Conference - we left the day/afternoon before and will stay the night. All the missionaries were asked to get flu shots while at the mission conference even though I got a flu shot before I left, haha. It was great to see many of the Elders that I got to know and that came to the mission with me from the CCM/MTC in México City. It is hard to believe that I have been here in México for over two months. Time goes by fast.

(Left to Right) - Elder McMasters, Elder Burr, Elder Wilde, Elder Smart, Elder Cicerone, Elder Beus, Elder Atwood

It was also great to see my companion for the CCM/MTC, Elder Cicerone to my left in the photo. This past Saturday we helped a family that we are teaching paint the roof of their home. México is an awesome place; I feel it is my second home and I love it here and people I have met. I have made some great friends while here. There are large Iguana lizards that will often live in trees here in Villahermosa. I took a photo of one near the Mission home where we had our Mission Conference this past week.

Iguana near mission home, Villahermosa, Tabasco, México.

We often see street vendors while making contacts; one was selling some neat Lego ® sets of Batman, Thor, and the Hulk and other Marvel Comic sets - reminded me of when I was young how I liked to play with Legos ®.
We will travel on a boat to get from where we live to the main part of the city of Coatzacoalcos. I think that I might of told you, I often hit my head on this railing - you would think that I would learn; all the locals just look at me and don't laugh, yet I think it is funny. A man that is dressed like a clown comes on the boat and will tell us jokes for money -   that is worth a laugh also.
This coming Friday, December 6th I will be on splits with a Zone leader to be with me for the day in Cotza so I will need to have the day's work planned.

Image by coombesy from Pixabay

The sister missionaries in our district made red t-shirts for our district with our names on them. That was nice of them. I ate at a members home cows head meat with cream cheese, and lettuce in a tortilla. I did not even know what it was - wasn't bad. 

We met a Yuli, a member who is the owner of a pizza cafe that asked me what snow was like - "is it soft like in the movies?"

My companion and I are working hard - I am focused on what is asked of us to do. Have a great week!

Lots of Rain and Our First Baptism!

Hope all is well with all of you. We have had lots of rain and have been wondering if I need to get a new umbrella that works a bit better. It is beautiful here when it rains; I actually like the rain.
[Week Beginning - Nov. 11 2019] We had our first baptism - a young boy in a part-member family was baptized; we recently taught this family! I think I sent a photo of where they live here in Cotza. An awesome family!

I had some habanero salsa the other day - very hot salsa, yet I liked it! Also, the stores here sell many different levels of hot chips - so I asked what "hot" is, the clerk says, well we have (sarcasm) single hot, double hot, mild hot, extra hot, super hot, super hot-hot, and extreme hot..okay, I said I will have the hot chips. Many types of food to eat here in the mission field. Apparently, I have been told many favorite dishes may include armadillo, cow brains, cow intestines, wild bore, and a "shark fish" called Peje - This area, in the Atlantic coast state of Tabasco, is famous for being home to the Pejelagarto or Peje, an ancient species that still swims slowly through the region's lakes and lagoons. The local fishermen sometimes call them "dinosaurs"  - due to a gene buried within the fish's genetic code that prevents it from mutating. I had cow brains the other day.  I often  wonder if there are laxatives in the tortillas here, haha. They hand make them here and are the best fire cooked tortillas.

Image by RociH from Pixabay

Also, I like this apple flavored yogurt that is really good - can't remember the name of it. As you may understand, the food is great and I am hungry more often than not, especially after a day of contacting and talking with many people. It seems that every day or so my companion and I have a run in with a dog. You also have to get good at dodging cars as we try and cross the streets in Cotza. Many street vendors on the street will sell fresh coconut juice and you can drink it out of the shell of the coconut; they will use a machete to cut it in halves and add a straw - fun to watch them do this with the machete as they are very good at it.
Many say that my Spanish is very good and believe that I have been here over a year and that I am much older. I have been blessed to have picked up the language well while here - I know I have had help with the language from the Savior doing his work.
Recently I taught an older lady on a division (when you have another companion for the day rather than your regular companion) - and even committed her to a baptismal date - I wrote it on my hand to remind me of the date - haha. I talked with a young man - he just said all religions are the same - in that they all talk of God. Many here are devoted to Catholicism. Often you will see a small shelf with a box made of iron around it on the iron fences surrounding many of the homes here. This shelf is used for placing crucifixes, and religious candles or Seven Day Candles and are used as a means for prayer, devotion, meditation, ritual, healing and protection. Often there is a depiction or images for Christ, Mary, Angels, Saints and others on the glass jar of the candle. We have a shelf for our home that contains two empty Coke bottles, haha. Evan always tells us it is better to drink Coca-Cola than Jumex juice or water, anyway, haha.
We have been asked to teach English each Tuesday night for an hour and half or so for members or anyone - It has been interesting to do this

Recently on a division, as we often do look for ways to serve others, I noticed an old man that what I thought might be his daughter with him that had a hard time walking as they were getting out of their car. I went and asked him if he wanted help, he said "si, gracias." It reminded me of a conference talk by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, I had recently read, "You Are My Hands“ - "Succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees." 

We talked with a man building a decorative wall in his yard that expressed some interest - we will see how that goes; we talk with many - the work presses on. I love my mission and are truly blessed to be here doing the Lord's work! Have a great week!

Image by Gabe Raggio from Pixabay

Conference Talk, April 2010, “You Are My Hands”, Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency.

Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He didn’t just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."

As disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master, we are called to support and heal rather than condemn.

When I think of the Savior, I often picture Him with hands outstretched, reaching out to comfort, heal, bless, and love. And He always talked with, never down to, people. He loved the humble and the meek and walked among them, ministering to them and offering hope and salvation.

That is what He did during His mortal life; it is what He would be doing if He were living among us today; and it is what we should be doing as His disciples and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” (D&C 81:5.)