Rosita, Coahuila week 1

WEll we had transfers and Elder Leyva left. But I got basically the greatest blessing I could have received... my comp is Elder Andersen!!!!!!!!! My comp from the MTC! Monday night when they told us I just ran around the house screaming haha Its something I Ve wanted since I began my mission. The Lord has given me this great opportunity to grow, so I have to take advantage!
This week was great. We spent a good part of the whole week in the house making a map of the area and putting colored pins to indicate where the members live. their are 428 members so it took a good deal of time haha. But this way we see where an appointment is and we write down the 6 or 7 names closest so we can visit the inactives and ask for references and contact their neighbors. It was a sacrifice this week of literal proselyting time, but it will pay off greatly in the long run.
We had a wonderful baptism this week. Her name is liliana and she was simply prepared to receive the Gospel. I was kind of nervous though because she is a bit of a big lady and she chose me to baptize her haha. But at first she said she wanted us both to do it because shed feel bad just choosing one, so we decided to do it, the both of us. The ordinance was absolutely beautiful. Even being her size, she went in the water and came out wit no problems or difficulties whatsoever. Its like on the church movies where they re members who are actors so they've done it a million times so they know exactly how its going to happen. People usually panic a little when they feel their whole body go under and kick a little or something, but this one was absolutely beautiful.
Being with Elder Andersen had been a very humbling experience. Ive always wanted to work with him again because I knew there was so much I could learn from him, and now 19 months later theres even more to learn. Is just like working with a friend. Theres no tension or fights or anything, just equality. Its a great blessing for me.
Well, I know I said I was wanting to wait till fall to start school but I think its better if I just go ahead and start. But its still something Im thinking abut. but the most sure plan is that Ill start in January. But Ill do some more praying to see what the Lord thinks I should do.
I love you all and Ill try next week to put up my mail address so you can all write me letters. Im sure thats the only reason you haven't written me right? :)

Much Love
JAmes

Rosita, Coah. week 6

This week was great. We worked hard this week and the Lord blessed us. We havent had any baptisms this transfer, even though we've been working really hard, and we were beginning to get a little down, but we kept working and we had 2 people at church whoa re going to get baptized this Sunday. One is Liliana, a lady we just contacted who wants to change her life. The other is a11 year old son of an inactive lady. He really likes video games haha so we tole him getting baptized is like going up a level in a game and that the Holy Ghost is like a hardcore map that guides us in life haha. He also really liked the church and is ready to get baptized.
So the other day we scheduled divisions to do baptismal interviews I had to go to a place called Muzquiz which normally is about an hour away, but with the crazy rain and flooding, the bridges got taken out and we had to go a crazy route. I took one bus about 20 minutes to where trains cross the river. It was the only bridge that didnt get wiped out. We had to walk across this bridge to get to a bus on the other side. While I was crossing, I could see how high the water had risen. It almost reached to top of the bridge I was on about a week earlier. All the trees were bent to wads the flow of the current because it had been so strong. Al the houses on the banks were wiped out. I looked down at one of the posts and about 3 feet down there was a whole tree bet around the support beam, thats how strong and high it went. Then from the other side,IT was about 45 minutes to a place called Barroteran, and from there another hour to Muzquiz. From one hour to two and a half, and from 23 pesos to 50. It was a crazy journey haha.But they just popped up another bridge so its all back to normal.
I ran over a dog this week. This stupid little chihuahua thing started chasing my comp on his bike. When this happens i get ready to do a kamikaze from behind maneuver to catch the dog off guard, yell at it,and scare the crud out of it. Well, I positioned myself,but the dumb dog didnt see me, and ran under my tires haha. I didnt hurt it, just surprised it pretty good. I didnt feel bad because one, It was chasing my companion, and two, I hate chihuahuas haha.
Well thats all for this week. Tonight we have transfers but its almost 100 percent that Were both staying. But we'll see.

Much Love
JAmes

week 5 Rosita, Coahuila

This week was great. Another rainy one. It didnt rain like the last week, but we still got a good amount. We didnt have any ponchos so a member cut up a couple of trash bags and we threw those on haha it was great. We got completely wet, except our torsos haha.
The work here has been going all right, a lot different than in other areas. We havent had any baptisms yet, and my comp and I are figuring out new ways to better filter out the good from the bad. We had a few committed to go, but at the mera hora (at the exact hour) they simply dont come. They appear like they're going to progress really well, then simply dont come. So thats what were going to be working on this last week.
I had a pretty bad day of allergies on Saturday. My nose was running and I had a headache, the normal stuff. So, a member decides to take me to get a shot that supposedly would help me with allergies. So we go to the Pharmacist, and she takes my comp and I to the back. I sit down in a recliner and pull my shirtsleeve up. She says no, that I have to go to the table further back. Odd, I thought, but whatever. So I ask her if I need to sit down, she says no, I can do it standing up. THen she tells me to untuck my shirt.Then it hits me. This shot aint going to the arm. She grabs my pants haha and pulls them down a TEENY bit and throws that sucker into my right cheek. Never, in my life, has a shot hurt more than this. HAha but the pain went away after about 5 minutes. I can now officialy say that the first woman other than mom to see part of my tooshie was a 60 year old Mexican lady in a sketchy pharmacy while on my mission.
Well, 18 months without getting sick, then it hits me. Saturday night (the same night as the shot haha) we ate some lonches de barbacoa which are like sandwichy things with roast beef in them. Well, these bad boys did me damage. Sunday I had a bad stomachache and was tired all day. That same member took me to the doctor, and apparently I have a stomach infection haha. I got some medicine that should make me feel better here soon.
Sunday after church we went to a nearby town that the had been hit by the hurricane. The river runs through the city and flooded almost 100 percent of the city. We went and it was really sad seeing everything. Houses were totally ruined by the water. Al their belongings were destroyed, and the whole place smelled like an old basement. We went and helped a little bit there with the other missionaries in that area.
The Canicula, or the 40 hottest days in Northern Mexico, are about to start. IT starts the 15th I think and goes to the 31 of August. Its ridiculous how hot the sun can get!!!!! But well make it through haha.
Thats all from Mexico.

Much Love
JAmes

p.s. To logan- dont let your head get too big that Spain won the world cup. :) ¡FUE COMPRADO! haha!

week 4 Rosita, Coahuila

This week was WET!!! In case you hadn't heard, northern Mexico got plowed by a hurricane. We are inland so we still got the storm but not the full hit. But this week it has been raining a lot and has caused a lot of damage. Entire colonies have been wiped out, and I hear Monterrey is basically all underwater haha. But everything's fine here in Nueva Rosita, just good and muddy. I would much rather prefer the rain to baking in the 120 degree Mexican sun!!! Its a good chance and they say that all next week it will rain as well, so that will be fun :)

Well, on Thursday I completed 18 months in the mission. That means only 6 left. I have no idea where these last 6 months have gone. Everyone told me that the last year goes so much faster than the first,and I didnt understand how because my first year FLEW, but now I see that they dont call it downhill for nothing. Its gone SO ridiculously fast,and I imagine the last 6 will go even faster. Last night I was reflecting, and thinking about the last 18 months of my life. How much have I learned? How many people have I helped? How much have I grown, and how much have I changed? It was an amazing thought process, influenced and acted upon by the Holy Ghost. I received a feeling that I have done what the Lord has called me to do , and that mu service so far is acceptable to Him. That is the greatest blessing I could have received. Sometimes it just seems like Im walking in the streets talking to a bunch of people who do tn want to talk to me, and burning in the ridiculously strong sun, and I begin to loose the eternal aspect of things. Ya, maybe its hard, and at times seems like the progress is stunted, but I must go on. With each person I talk to, I am planting a seed, and that seed will grow. Someday they will remember that encounter with the guero (white guy) and thank him in their hearts. Its something that motivates me even when I just want to lay down and fall sleep under a nice big tree, that the Work must, and will go on. And I have to be there. I want to be there.
All right all right, thats enough crazy talk haha. A wonderful thing happened this week. We now have hot water to shower with. I almost cried. haha. We have this sweet liuttle shower head that plugs in and instantly heats the water. Its basically the greatest and most dangerous invention ever haha. Its such a stupid idea to plug in something DIRECTLY connected to water haha. No, really it is safe the way they made it haha dont worry I wont get shocked.
Mexico is eliminated from the World Cup. I dotn remember who thye lost to, bui Im just happy Argentina as well is out. They are like the stuck up preppies of soccer haha. Im surprised they dont pop their collars when they play haha!! No but the finals are like the 11th and we were going to be able to watch it but we cant not :( I really wanted to see it!!!

So thats all folks. Take care and I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Much Love
JAmes

week 3 Rosita, Coauhuila

This week was great. Man it has bees no hot here! I think we were above 110 degrees all week! The sun really gets to you.
We have made progress with Jorge and Denisse, but Denisse is having some family problems and wants to postpone the wedding and baptism. In one of the first visits we told them that the evil would put obstacles in the way to impede them from taking this step. A couple days later she began having problems with her dad. Weve explained it to her but she simply doesnt understand that whats happening is not a reason to stop things until its resolved, but a test to see if they really posses the faith necessary to go through and be members of the true church of Jesus Christ. She says that she knows God understands her situation and understands that they have to wait till all this is cleared up. I told her straight up that there is not one scripture in all the standard works that says God wants us to wait to obey the commandments. I think she understood when I said that. Jorge, however, is definitely a chosen and prepared person to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He says he koans that this is the true Church and that Joseph Smith really was a prophet. In one of the closing prayers he even asked for God to help Denisse understand that its something to do NOW and that they dont need to wait. Were still going to work with them this week but if they dont get baptized this week we will have to leave them and have faith that in time, Denisse will realize she should have done it before. But were going to do all we can so they can do it this week.
I got some great news,,, I got accepted at BYU Idaho!!!!! I thought they'd already assigned me the track, but Ill have to see which track will really be the best for me. Im really excited to go and meet a ton of new people, and better yet people who are members. ITs better to be surrounded by people with morals. Here ive seen a definite need of morals in the world and I want to be with those kind of people.
Well on Wednesday well have the zone conference, and were going to combine zones with Piedras NEgras, so Ill get to go back to my old zone! Im excited to see how it will all work out.

Thats about it. I love you all and am waiting for your letters!!!!!!

Much Love
JAmes