Wow, the boys look big! [mom sent pictures of the London's birthday party hike.] All growing up. Brighton looks basically the same. Goofball with his stupid hats. Brigg’s face looks all grown up and as always “se cree mucho”. I hardly recognized Sheldon and Dad… I love you. Roylance looked at the pictures and said “your Dad is a stud!” And as always mom never sends pictures of herself… Well sounds like the football program needs a real nice makeover. It’s sad to see such a tradition drizzle away, I’m sorry that it’s your generation that suffers it Brigg. But learn what you can and don’t worry about it anyway. Soon your Friday “night lights” turn into Sunday morning meetings and losing and winning could mean the salvation of other people (and your own)… that’s a bit worrying. The good thing is that if you do all in your power you will not lose. It doesn’t depend on the o-line.
Um, about the memory drive, mom. Last week I noticed something… I have a usb drive deal that I transfer all my pictures onto. Its 4 gigs so it’s big enough to hold it all. But the beloved virus ridden Mexican computers seemed to have erased all the pictures and flixs I have ever taken. The only ones I have is from when I got to this area (2 months ago) and the ones I’ve sent home… good thing I’ve learned so much about patience and hope cuz that’s a wall puncher if not. I’ve got a Costco in the zone so we go eat every now and then on Mondays. It’s a lot of food and cheap but if you want I’ll send it home. It’s all the same. Ha I’ve got a good story about that card.
So Cruz took off. He had a goodbye party on Saturday and Sunday afternoon we took him to the offices and stayed with him. He’s a really absent minded kid and packed his suitcase like I imagine Brighton would. Shove it all in and try to shut it. We woke up at 330 to take him to the airport. The secretaries and Elder Acosta went with us. When we got there he realized that he couldn’t find his wallet. He convinced them to give him his ticket. But without identification he couldn’t get past security. We looked frantically through his messy suitcase with shirts books and garments all over the place but nothing. It wasn’t in the van and the elder that was in the office said he couldn’t find it either. Then I found his Costco card that has his face on the back. Lucky guy it worked. They let him through and he is now with his family in Tampico. It sucked coming back to sinful Molinito. Here the center is going to burn so bad. I estimate there are about 25 bars within a square mile or less. And I live in the middle of it all without fear. Fetching sinners... ok off track. Cruz was an awesome missionary. He had an intense love for everyone but that didn’t prevent him from saying things how they are. I still struggle with that but he helped me so much. I was hard to see him leave but I was happy for the guy to get on with his life.
We had an awesome week meeting the nation wide goal of 20 lessons a week. And that was with 16 new investigators. We found some pretty incredible families. First, the family Marcos. It was a reference of a girl named Juana. We went looking for the address and ended up going way down into some canyon and while looking for the house number a guy, who was cleaning his little house they put the virgin of Guadalupe and all that stuff, he asked what number are you looking for. We told him and he said, who are you looking for. We told him Juana and he said “come on in!” it was Juana’s dad. We met her mom and two little sisters. One of her little sisters Dolores, 17, has a baby. We found out that she is still living with the guy, but the weird part is that they are married! That never happens here. So they started out asking one of the typical questions. “Why does God permit so much suffering and wickedness” we answered it and shared about the Restoration. When we asked for another appointment the shouted out, “Tomorrow!” So we visited them Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The only big bummer is that they didn’t go to church on Sunday cuz they went out of town. On Saturday we talked about the 10 commandments. Well, actually only the first two. They got pretty hung up on the whole virgin deal. Its hard pulling out those roots that run so deep. But we applied love, encouragement, and a lot of conversion process and they half way accepted it. They are an incredible family and I pray they will progress, to the temple.
Another family we found on Saturday. It was another reference and in fact a lady that had been to church a week ago but wouldn’t give us her address cuz she said her husband would get upset and throw us out. When we saw it was her we just asked to present ourselves at the door with him. He finally came out and it was great. “Hermano, como esta!!!??, que dice? Como le ha ido” we hugged him and in those first crucial, crucial 30 seconds we got the confidence enough to get in the home. They have three kids, and he told us right away that he doesn’t really believe in God for the things he’s seen in his life. We just acted like its ok, and started teaching about prayer. After explaining, I asked him what things he could thank God for in his life and he said nothing. So I asked him just to put an example for us, and so he did. After Elder Roylance prayed he started talking about families. After a bit he asked the sister to tell us what her family means to her, and then asked the brother. With moist eyes he described the love for his family and said “I know I don’t say it enough but I love them.” The kids all looked shocked and they also began to feel it. I’m pretty sure that’s the first time out loud he has told his kids that he loves them. His teenage girl also shared her feeling and she also had moist eyes. It was a wonderful short lesson but the thing was getting in the house and gaining confidence with them. We are having a wonderful time and seeing miracles. The body isn’t keeping up as good. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I had killerheadaches but kept pushing.
One last story, about a month and a half ago a man arrived to the chapel during a weekday and we happened to be there. Everyone looked at him weird cuz he had a beard with out a mustache and one of those little Jewish hats. Cruz immediately said to me, “yes! I wanna baptize another Jew.” We talked to him and it turned out that his wife had just been diagnosed with influenza, the swine flu deal, and he was there looking for spiritual support. So we went into a room and talked a bit and I gave him a priesthood blessing. On Sunday he showed up to church and Cruz interrogated him cuz he said he was a member with the Aaronic priesthood. He even knew his member number! He turns out to be one of the most service giving persons here. He always is cleaning and helping- something only Elders do. Yes, he is weird. With the beard and yamaka (is that how you say it?) and every week he brings more stuff. Suitcasesfull of who knows what. And a couple of weeks ago a little black dog (he ties it up outside during sacrament). Well, he even received the Melchesideck priesthood on Saturday. But before heading off to the stake center he left all his stuff, including the dog in the bishop’s office. In Cruz’s goodbye party we were going to do a little program so me and Roylance opened the office to get hymn books and we scared the dog and it took off. Out the door and out the gate into the street! We took of after it. We ran until we couldn’t run anymore (not that far) and we lost it. I started feeling sick we lost the poor guy’s best friend in the middle of Mexico City!!! After looking for like 20 minutes we returned to the chapel feeling sick to the stomach. When he returned he just laughed and said” ha-ha don’t worry. He’s trained!” sure enough he returned and was there on Sunday. Entering every chance he could into sacrament until the brother finally tied it up… hahaha retards. Everyone had a good laugh about that one.
Well, I think I’ve talked enough. This is a long letter. Please say hi to everyone for me. I love them all. I heard Jenna Stradling is engaged. She was my last hope… it looks like I’ll be opening a new area in 6 months! Oh well. God has greater plans for me. He’s that boss we should pry let him be in charge and not look for advice. If we ask him what to do that means we are going to do it 100 %. Take care, you guys are incredible. Keep on pushing. Brighton make sure you are reading Preach My Gospel. Mostly chapters, 2, 3, 4, and 6. Study the doctrine and know how to explain it in a simple and understandable way. If you want practice teach a 7 year old ;) that’s always a cool experience.
I love you all so much.
-ELDER SOLOMON
PS. WHY DID THE GIRL FALL OFF THE SWING?
CUZ SHE DIDN’T HAVE ANY ARMS!!
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