Week 98

Celebrating New Years with some sparking apple cider from France.

Alright, I have some BIG NEWS! Salt Lake called President Maucotel, asking about the return dates of missionaries, and they asked about my 2-week extension. After he explained why, they told him he can´t do that unless it´s some sort of emergency and they changed it back to the normal transfers...so I´ll be home in 3 weeks! 😁

Next I don´t know if anyone in the U.S. has heard, but the gas prices here in Mexico went up a bunch and caused protests, riots, and robberies all over the country! Here in Monterrey it happened too, but mostly in the downtown and the other mission. It started on Thursday night and President called Elder Sanders and me to inform the Zone to get to their homes immediately, which was about 8:15. Nothing serious happened, but there were a lot of rumors going around and so to be safe we only worked until dark the next few days, like 12-5, which basically meant go to the food, teach a lesson or two with a few contacts, and get back to the house. We then had from 5-9 to study, clean the house, and update our area book, which was actually refreshing. I´m reading a book called "La Iglesia Restaurada", which I found in this house and it´s super old, but talks in detail about the restauration of the church. I love it!

Despite the challenges faced with the commotion about the gas prices, we were able to see blessings in the mission. The members came together with the missionaries, to help them get home on time and also in making visits more. Our Zone went up in lessons with members, even with such short time! Also us missionaries learned to appreciate our time more since we had to do so much in so little time. I feel that´ll help us to use it even better when we get back to normal, which I think will be from now on since today we are on normal schedule again. Finally it gave us a good lesson topic because many investigators started asking why these type of things happen, which is where the Plan of Salvation comes in. 😊 The Lord has a purpose in all this and, when we take time to meditate and find the good out of everything, life becomes so much more peaceful and happy!

This week we had to drop several investigators, since no one went to church again and aren´t completing their commitments, but I know that means we are just getting closer to finding the chosen ones! My favorite part of the week though were the opportunities to heal the sick. I am grateful for the Priesthood I hold and the opportunity it gives me to bless God´s children 😇. There was a sick investigator, as well as a sick less active member, who asked for a blessing of health. (The investigator asked for a prayer, but we helped her understand that we hold the authority to give what is called a Priesthood blessing for the sick, which she asked for instead.) Both experiences were amazing and I especially liked the reaction of the investigator who told us after that when we gave her the blessing she felt as though a cool wave of numb came over her and calmed her back and lung pains instantly. Also that she had faith she would be healed even though she had been sick with the flu for over 3 weeks. Her faith astounds me!

It got really cold this weekend here in Monterrey, getting down to 1-3 degrees Celsius (32-37 Farenheit), which is dang cold for us here with all the heat we are used to. It was super cold this morning as well, but got up to 21 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, which felt super hot in comparison 😲. I am very grateful our air conditioner also works as a heater so we have slept nice and toasty in our room.  I can see that it´s been crazy cold in Oregon as well, enjoy the days off! Even though you´ll have a longer school year 😉.

Anyway, I´m super grateful to the Lord for each day of the mission he gives me, which are counting down, but I will do my best to use them to do his will and make it home with honor so that the Lord may say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." Matthew 25:21

Have a wonderful week everyone! Love you all!

Rosca de Reyes for "Dia de los Reyes". I bit into one of the little dolls ,
which means I have to make tamales in February.
Too bad I won´t be here for that though 😋.