Hola todos!
It's exciting here, because it's finally cooling down!! Last week it was over 100 degrees every day, but it took a massive jump and has been in the 70's the past couple days! People were talking about how cold they were and putting on jackets and I just had to smile and laugh a little bit. People here have absolutely no concept of snow. I asked someone if it has ever snowed here in Yuma and they told me it did once a long time ago, but basically they only know of one time in history. So it looks like I'm in for a weird warm winter...probably about like an Alaskan summer. It's fun though - I enjoy teasing people down here about not being able to handle the weather. It's been a little rainy and cloudy the past couple days - something that doesn't happen terribly often. So I totally loved it! I wanted to stand outside and get drenched in the rain, but I decided I should probably do missionary work instead.
It's been a good week, our first in a while that we haven't had any baptisms, so that's been kind of sad. We did pick up some new investigators which is awesome, and totally what we need right now. We've been hurting for people to teach and we finally have some more so that's exciting. But it's kind of funny because every single one of them was connected to a recent converts. They seriously aer the best missionaries ever. We taught Maria Hernandez's two teenagers, and they both came to Church. They were both open and pretty interested (well for teenagers), and they're just super good kids. Maria has raised them good and they have a definite sense of right and wrong. We'll see what happens, but I'm excited and I love that Maria has this incredible desire to share the Gospel with her family.
It is a little different right now because we're teaching quite a few teenagers. Cesar brought a couple friends to his confirmation whenever that was, and we've talked to them (they're both girls and teaching them is taking a little getting used to). They're both way interested and loved going to Church! So many people that we've met it's so hard to get them to Church so when this happens it's just totally sweet.
One thing that we've been kind of working on and got trained on in a district meeting recently is the importance of opening your mouth to talk to everyone. We discussed D&C 61:3 and talked about how we shouldn't be rushing from appointment to appointment and miss the people on the streets and all around us. It's so true that there are a lot of people that are looking for the truth, but they just don't know where to find it. Well, we have it! There are so many people that are prepared and so many blessings that come from talking to everyone we see. There are missionaries in our district that recently baptized a couple that they found from just walking on the streets a few weeks before. They came up to talk to him and the first thing he said to them literally was, "How long does it take to become a Mormon?" We have no idea how many people are out there ready to here the Gospel and we have no idea who they will be.
So Cesar's parents, Cesar and Maria, are probably going to get baptized this next week! It was funny going over there and talking to Cesar Sr., because he said that now his wife is more convinced and excited to get baptized than he is! He said before that he'll get baptized whenever she does and now she's way into it, and sharing the Gospel with her Catholic family!! It's so incredibly cool, and they are just an awesome family. I talked for a long time with Cesar about the Church and responsibilities as a parent. He loves the emphasis on being good parents and teaching kids responsibilities. He says that we are more mature than most guys our age and he wants that for his son, so he's that much more excited to get him on a mission.
Oh, and it's been kind of crazy having 6 missionaries here in our branch! We're not 100% sure still how exactly it is going to work out with what the area boundaries for each set of missionaries and if the others will go to our Church or the San Luis one (San Luis is seriously halfway in the US and half in Mexico - on the border). We've been going to our dinners with all six of us though, so it's always a big party wherever we go and we feel kind of bad that they have to feed all of us. But the members love it so we do too!One thing that really stuck out to me this week in my personal study was a scripture that I read - Helaman 3:35 - and I liked how it talks about waxing stronger and stronger in humility. It's so incredibly important that as missionaries we are absolutely humble and rely on the Lord for everything we do. We are nothing without Him and cannot teach without His spirit so it's so important that especially when you're having success you acknowledge that everything comes from the Lord and as to ourselves we are nothing. Which is why I want to be an instrument in His hands and make His will my will.
So yeah, I'm doing great here and going on exchanges again tonight so I'm taking the lead again! It can be kind of nerve-racking sometimes but I'm excited. I'm loving the cooler weather and everything about my mission.
Que les vayan bien! (that's what I hear approximately a thousand times every day :)
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