MEXICO VILLAHERMOSA MISSION -- JULY 2012 - 2014
"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." 2 Nephi 31:20

Monday, December 9, 2013

La Guadalupana

Happy Birthday first and foremost to my parents. Dad. Mom. I always remember them both, but write inbetween the actual dates. It's hard to forget my mother's birthday since it is a HUGE Mexican holiday--the day that the Virgin Mary supposedly appeared to Juan Diego (a catholic priest). From what I understand it is just a Mexican Catholic tradition, but since those are all the people I talk to all day it is quite interesting that they believe that but not that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith, or even less that Jesus Christ also visited the Americas. They don't seem to see the connection, but surprisingly I've never gotten in a fight with someone about it. Many Mexicans realize that commercial interests change holidays because they even have a song that says that the Virgin Mary was Mexican. Things can get interesting.

Candelaria is where the last Aztec Emperor was killed. Some have it said that he died in El Tigre (the ruins I sent a couple weeks past). That is kind of cool. Also is attached a picture of me on the Nacho Libre tricycles. Here they have shade roofs. How cool, right? I have not had ... since easterz. That is right. Happy day.

Elder Rime got sick for the first time and so I got him to the doctor (luckily for him I had experience with doctors and knew what was going on). The doctor asked if we should give him a shot to get him feeling better quicker, so I translated it to him in English to see what he wanted and "forgot" :P to mention that here in Mexico they don't put the shots in your arm. Haha. But he is a good sport.

He is progressing really well and we are seeing a bit of success from our work. We got to the area and had nothing, but we are slowly increasing the amount of people we are teaching. Right now we are teaching really just youth (practically). The first time that this has happened to me in the mission.

We are going to start teaching a 13 year old girl named Yanet (Janet) for the first time tonight. She is the daughter of a part member family. Her dad is a member but drinks a lot and her mom has always received the missionaries once a week but has never gone to Church. All this while Yanet has hid in the house refusing to come out. Including while we have taught her mother a few times. But, we stopped by to remind her mom about the Christmas Dinner we were having and said she was too sick to go, but that she would send her kids. Honestly it didn't sound likely, but we made arrangments for the Branch President's wife to pass by for them and she came! And not only that, but she came the next day, Sunday, to church! And then she came to the Christmas devotional that night! 3 times in a row all by herself. She is very mature for her age, so she actually is able to take it a little more seriously, and is even helping to activate the young men a little bit... Haha. I don't see us taking them with us to teach her any time soon.

Then, Brando and Lorenzo. Yes, just like that. They are relatives of the guy who owns the House of Prayer (Church that is rented). The owner is not a member, but always goes every week. He just doesn't want to get marrie because everyone tells him to. But their dad died a few years ago and they came to Church this last week too. They are progressing quite nicely, but it never seems like we have much time to teach anyone. But Brando always does his homework we leave him. He is 22 and Lorenzo, his little brother, is 10. They both like coming to Church, after all, it basically is a family reunion for them.

Guadalupe. He is about 40 and is a great investigator. But he has complicated problems with his marriage papers. He is married, but not to the lady he lives with. He used to be a very messed up person from what it sounds like and so he separated from his wife. Since then, he has cleaned up his act and found a new woman and they have 4 great kids (all very young). But, the other lady he was married to doesn't want to give him the divorce and he has had troubles with that. So, I made some calls to Cancun and it looks like we are going to have some advances in the legal department and in the mean time, I figured, why not, I'll work from both angles. So, I sent the mean lady's address to the other mission so that the other missionaries would go and try to teach her. Haha.

My mission is a cross-bread of The Other Side of Heaven and Nacho Libre. And yes, It's a Wonderful Life.

May you all enjoy your week and Christmas Season,
Elder Andrews
Elder Andrews riding a "Nacho Libre" tricycle.
Elders Andrews and Rime entering Candelaria. "Welcome to Candelaria. The final resting place of the last Aztec emperor."
Elder Andrews and Cuauhtémoc, the final Aztec emperor.

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