Silodaridad MTY week 12

this week, well like 4 days, have been great. Not a whole lot to report though... haha
Tonight we have transfers. My comp is leaving, and the zone leaders ere joking with me about being a trainer again which is what happened the first time I trained, so i PRAY im not training again haha. Its simply not my deal.
Anyway, I just finished recording my new n song, ''Its home'' and I really like it. The other Elders really liked it and said its powerful. I really hope the message gets across to whom it was meant for.
Sorry, not much new. Next week Ill have more to report. I love you all!!!!

Much Love
JAmes

Solidaridad, MTY Week 11

This week was great. Elder Henandez, the other missionary that was working with us, got transferred last Tuesday. IT was hard saying goodbye to him. We had just gotten into the swing of how to work in a trio, when the good ol APs called and took him. He was only with us 2 weeks, but wed barely adjusted. IT was weird only having one comp to talk to walking down the road haha. But were getting it.
We had a great baptism Sunday. I was the mom of the drunk guy who was supposed to get baptized a few weeks ago. The baptism and everything went fine, except the water was FREEZING!! The boiler doesnt work well and even when it heats water it heats it super slow so it takes literally like 9 hours to fill, so we just turned on the cold one, not really expecting it to be THAT cold. But she was a good sport about it and we had a good laugh afterwords. She was really happy. I tell her shes like our mom. She is so loving and makes us dinner to take home consecutively. Shes just in a bad situation. Her husband is a huge drinker, her son (well, the passed out guy we found), and her daughter whos 16 doesnt really appreciate her much either. But we make sure she knows we love hr and are thankful for what she does for us.
We went to the temple today and I saw Elder Andersen and Simpson, 2 of my brothers of generation. The are doing great and loving life. I was really happy to see both of them and we 3 went and did confirmations.
We got to the temple at 6, and didnt go in toll about 645 so we had some time to just hang out in the reverence of the temple grounds. I sat next to the waterfall, just thinking about my mission and trying to put myself in a spiritually receptive mood. IT was great to simply be able to sit and think for a minute. The first time in almost 15 months haha
Well, all is great. I hope all is doing well. Tell mason to write me! I want to hear whats up with that dude :)

I love you all and till Monday

Much Love
JAmes

Silodaridad, MTY week 10

This week was great. We worked even more diligently this week. It
was a great feeling knowing that true happiness comes from diligence.
What to report?... not a whole lot. We got in touch with the mom of
the guy we found a few weeks ago passed out on his floor, and she came
to church and wants to get baptized. So were excited about that. We
are really praying so we can help her son change his ways and be a
better person and husband so his family can be better.
Well today we went to an ice skating rink! I was sooo happy! Turns
out all those late nights with the dudes helped! It felt so weird
being in normal clothes ( not in church clothes like we area every
day). Of course, I rocked the Thrice shirt from my brother MAson
:):):):). Everyone was falling and I was just zooming past them haha
it was great, but eventually they got the hand of it. We played a game
where we threw a volleyball at a bilboard on the wall of the rink to
score a goal. Well, my team scored more haha. I was curving past them
and everything. The best part is I didnt feel bad about it. Now the
Mexicans know how we feel when we play soccer and they’re like doing
backflips and all that junk. One of the zone leaders got bugged, and
decided to stop playing haha! But we did play as a team. I dont think
I just took all the glory, we all had a great time.
After that, we went back to the church and I played the piano for
a good hour and a half. It felt so good to be playing! Espcially in
normal clothes! But it will feel good getting back into the normal
swing of things.
To Mason and Amy and Megan and Alayna- THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH FOR THE
PICTURES!!!! That made my week! Man they are so funny! PLEASE SEND
MORE, in the group or individually please!!!!
So this week on Sunday night I got a hold of a guitar. As an
inevitable chain reaction, I wrote a song. Its called "It´s Home" and
its my best and favorite song so far. Im going to record it in a
couple of weeks and send it home. (Ill go on a P-day to some members
of another area, Im not dying I swear…)

Well have a wonderful week all. I loves you’s!

Much Love
JAmes

P.S.Mason- Hows your new music coming along? im sure great. I was thinking about a band name for when I get back- The Beulah Brothers. haha Im sure youve got better ones.

Solidaridad, MTY week 9

Sorry, I dont have much time my beloved readers.
Great week. We had zone conference, and got some great new insights on how to change things up and be better.
We watched all 4 sessions of Conference... in english!! Its so much better in english! I loved Pres. Hollands ownage talk (i dont know how to say planchar or regañar). Hes bold even to begin with, then the words "but bold, ew will be" we all held our breath and were scared haha. But it really was amazing.
Had a great baptism this Sunday. The first baptism Ive had from a street contact, just randomly talking to a passer by walking. It was great and she and her son really were prepared by God.
Sorry this is so short, I just had to transfer all the districts baptisms from January till now to an Excel sheet to give to the Stake President. I guess the only bad thing about having a lot of baptisms haha.
I Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!


Elder Hawken

Solidaridad, MTY Week 8

What has happened in the course of 4 days...
Well, Saturday, the Zone Leaders called and had us go to the bus station to pick up a new comp thats going to work with us. We are now in a trio. He's Elder Hernfandez, and hes a cool guy. Hes a bit of a cook (pronounced "kewk" like cooky) but cool nonetheless. Weve got to figure out how to teach and everything in a trio so that will be fun.
We had a guy that originally was going to get baptized Sunday, but we didnt feel to sure about that so he was just committed to go to church. Well, he didnt show, so we went to his house after the services to see what happened. his mom answered and said, "hes here, but I dont think youll be able to talk to him." She let us in, to the glorious view of him, sprawled out on the floor, completely blasted and passed out. I felt kinda bad, but at the same time it was kinda funny. I mean just sprawled out there haha. But yes I did feel bad haha.
Well not much else. not much in 4 days.

Till next week

Much Love
JAmes

Solidaridad, Monterrey Week 7

This week was great. We didnt have Pday because today we went to the temple. Needless to say, a beautiful experience.
Sunday was great. The young men and young women did a special program, and my convert Daniel directed it all. And, he and another convert, Eric who's 16, blessed the sacrament for the first time. They were both dressed up in suits and everything. It was so amazing to see how much these kids have changed and how strong there testimony is. The program went on and was absolutely beautiful, but at the very end, Eric was chosen to give his testimony. He just said over and over how much he has changed and how much the church and Gospel have helped him in his life. IT was one of the best moments in my whole mission, simply seeing how through me, God works miracles and changes peoples hearts. Later, I went up to Eric, and told him in his suit he looked just like a missionary. He smiled and said, "only 2 years to go", because Mexicans leave at 18. I was so happy when he said that and told him when he went to the temple after getting his call I would come down to see him. He smiled and thanked me. HE then said, "te vamos a extrañar cuando te vayas." Were going to miss you when you leave. Then he gave me a hug. Yeah, that wasn't a heart wrencher. I was so intensely happy, I just couldn't wait to get that letter saying he was going on a mission. That will be one of the ultimate rewards of my mission.
This area is phenomenal. There are so many people prepared here. The members jsut become their best friends instantly and make sure they stay active. The president said that many missionaries would be staying in each area for 4 transfers, or 6 months. I would have no problem staying here. I'm on my second transfer right now, and I could easily go 2 more. Then, one more area, then home.
Okay now for the good stuff... across the street we have 2 neighbors- a raging alcoholic, and teenagers. The alcoholic decides to absolutely blare his music at 11 at night. And its banda, which is basically polka in Spanish. The most annoying thing Ive ever heard (disculpenme Mexicanos). So I finally go gout and ask him to turn it off. HE says OK sure, but COMPLETELY blasted. so we go back in, I lay down and the music turns back on, so we decide we have to start thinking tactfully. So for about another 45 minutes, were talking, trying to reason with a man with the mentality of a 3 year old, while another elder tries to takeoff the stereo face and give it to his son to hide. Well, he catches on and doesn't let us. So, after some beat boxing, speaking Chinese, and hearing the word "tranquiqui" ( a drunk dirivative of "tranquilo" which means "calm down") He finally decides to turn it off. We got to bed at midnight. But it was great fun and Im sure not the last time it will happen. Man I love Mexico!
That's all. Jake, anything on the BYUI papers? I REALLY want to get going on those. Thanks.
Love you all and hope you ll flipping write me FRIENDS. Dang. Masons the only one who really loves me haha.

Till next week
JAmes

p.s.- I want to learn American Sign Language, so in the next package could you send me a book?

Solideridad, MTY Week 6

Well this week was great. I had some crazy experiences.
The Zone leaders needed a baptismal interview, so they called me to
do it. The lady who I was going to interview had little to no desire
to get baptized. I am uncomfortable when missionaries set up a miracle
baptismal interview, especially without telling me beforehand how the
person is. So, I begin the interview, and she starts unraveling her
life, and sharing completely irrelevant things. So quite a while
later, I realized she was really stubborn and easily offended. She
explained about a certain sin she committed in August that she thought
was the worst thing in the world. Id learned to not jump to
conclusions. She began crying because of the horribleness (sp?) of
what she had done, but she wouldnt tell me or even hint as to what it
was. So I told her that upon getting baptized, God would forgive her
of that sin ,and all the others. She said that that wasnt possible. I
said if it was, would you like to know? She said yes, but that its not
possible. So after a few minutes of trying to get her to ask God in a
prayer, she finally decided to do it. During her prayer, she poured
out her whole soul. It was the first indication that she had a desire
to get baptized. She asked God, then ended the prayer. During the
prayer, the Spirit came, and I knew she was feeling it and had
received her answer. When she finished the prayer, I told her to take
a few moments and focus on her feelings. Then I read Galatians 5:22,
and asked if those were the things she was feeling, knowing it was.
She thought for a moment and said, no. I told her I knew she was,
because I was feeling it, and the Spirit testifies to all who are
listening. She again said no. Immediately, the feeling I had left. A
dead lingering feeling entered. The Holy Ghost, that had testified to
us both, left. She had felt it, then upon denying the feeling, He
retired His presence. I knew it, she knew it, and God knew it, but she
had openly decided to put aside all the answers I had given her, the
various Spiritual confirmations and signs that God had given her,
because for some miniscule reason that she did not want to put the
time nor effort into to overcome. I knew God answered her prayer. I
FELT it. And that is why I also know, without a doubt, SHE felt it,
and that upon denying it, the Spirit of God wholly left the room. IT
was a very sad experience, but also very interesting. Id witnessed
many good Spiritual experiences, but this was my first bad experience.
I am so grateful that I could experience it though, and that God
trusted me enough to give me one as such. This has done so much to
strengthen my testimony, that this IS His church, The Church of Jesus
Christ, that He does live, that the Holy Ghost manifests to us, and
that God will not take away our personal agency.
On a lighter note, we had a baptism! Yay! We baptized a family of
four that came to church last week with some of their family. We
taught them the plan of Salvation Sunday night, they accepted the
baptismal date, we taught them, and yesterday, they got baptized. God
really is preparing people. Many are looking without even knowing it,
until they find it. President and sister Romney came to the service
which was also amazing. All the young men wanted to take pictures with
the "Mission President" haha, it was great to see them so excited
about missionary work.