To the Deacons

Hola! 

I am excited about this week! I have pictures, but pictures are limited...I can't go crazy with pictures for two reasons...ONE, I look like a tourist, and that is not good when you are a missionary, haha. And also, my camera could be stolen. So I don't have it with me often. But yes, I can try getting pictures of investigators. It is hard because we are so focused on working, but I will try. 

We get about 1,800 pesos every month. But, you have to realize something...dollars are extremely different than pesos. To understand the difference (according to my mission president), take the number of pesos, and times it by 8, then move the decimal over twice. This is about the dollar value. So 1,800 pesos is about 144 dollars. Weird huh?  They are quite different. Our budget is for laundry, shopping, food, and whatever else we need, as well as fast offerings. 

Junue: Still has the desire to be baptized but is not keeping her commitments. We are shooting for this weekend for baptism. She is adamant about how she wants us as the missionaries to baptize and confirm her...no one else! She has a member in the family, but she wants us to do it! Exciting! 

Ishmael: I was on divisions with our district leader (for those who don't know, divisions means that two companionships split up for one day so that different companions can go to new areas and learn to work with another person in the district). Well Elder Ceballos is our district leader and he is intense. We went to a recent convert's house and he just drenched their grandchild, Ishmael, in the gospel. My companion and I will follow up with him for baptism. 

Victor and Rosio: Continue to struggle with recognizing answers to questions. 

Spiritual experience: One day I was praying about something. During personal study I was looking for the answer. I received one and it was very confusing, unusual, and scary. I went to my bed and prayed for help to understand. Why was God doing this to me? I want a straight answer!! Well a thought came to my head..."How do you feel?" I thought to myself "Horrible. Confused. I don't understand what you are trying to tell me." And then another thought passed through my head. "It wasn't me that answered." BOOOM. Holy cow that hit me so hard. I later had another thought that clarified this "I allowed Satan to answer first so that you could understand the difference between how he answers you and how I answer you". That day was filled with peace once I got past Satan's confusing answers. God truly knows what is best for us.

To all Deacons Quorum Presidents in the stake: As you all probably know, there was a General Conference talk addressed to all of you. DO GOOD. Your role is one of the most important roles in the church, in my opinion. A faithful and loving Deacons Quorum President can really help young men. Because if a young man is inactive in the church as a 12 year old, you can rescue him early so that he can live the rest of his life in activity. I promise all of you that you can receive revelation on how to help the people in your quorum. HELP THEM! They need you! Find every single young man, or at least do all that you possibly can, and help them! I have seen what happens when young men go there life without good friends...and the result is devastating. God will guide you as you strive to help everyone in your quorum, active or not. I love all of you and invite you to live in greater adherence to the principles of THE PURPOSE OF THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD. These will help you prepare for a mission and more! God loves you and will help you. Have no fear. If you seek to call for the ministering of angels, they really will surround you. God will help you know that you are doing what he wants you to do.

Poems I made up...I know poems are a little weird but I love them so here ya go!

Though dark be your room
And shadowed be your sight
The fear only lasts
Until you flip on the light.

Though your Troubles invite the frown,
It will only hang around
Until you flip it upside down. 

One last interesting tidbit about Mexico... Dora the Explorer is the opposite! Instead of being in English and teaching Spanish every once in a while, it is in Spanish and teaches English!! haha! I thought that was interesting.  I'll write next week!

Elder Anderson