Savior of the World

How sad is it that I never knew this existed? It's a huge gift from the Church and what is more appropriate to listen to during this holiday season? Take a moment to look at and download the soundtrack from Savior of the World:

https://www.lds.org/callings/music/savior-of-the-world/download-material?lang=eng

Way sweet. The first time I heard of this play was from my landlord back in Minatitlan. He was a funny guy. His name was Nabor.

But, just to share with you briefly, I love being a trainer. And my companion couldn't be greater. Sure, he hardly knows what he is doing at times and sometimes it feels like you are talking to a wall, but I wouldn't trade it for the world! I am learning so much from what I came here to do. Which brings me to the only question I want to address in this email.

Why do you go on a mission when you are 18 (formerly 19)? Wouldn't it make more sense and wouldn't I have had more success had I finished my psychology career before I came?

The answer is, Yes, I would have had much more tools in how to relate to people and help them overcome their challenges to come to a full conversion of this gospel. Yes, but the mission isn't the final test, it's the preparation. 

I am convinced that I have learned more things in this year and a half of my mission much more quickly than I would have been able to learn them in 4-8 years of psychology classes in college. 

What does that mean then? Well, it means that now when I go through the years to come I will have alread learned and applied some of the things that will come at me. The key is the experience that I have gained. Because I have lived the things I have been able to apply them and will be able to keep doing so in the future.

One of my favorite quotes is from Preach My Gospel is from Chapter 5 when it says:

"Application is the mental bridge between comprehension and obedience."

It all makes sense. You can read the scriptures, you can study all the books, but until you actually do something you haven't done anything. It's as easy as that!

During my mission I have been able to help drug addicts, orphans, wife-abusers, people contemplating suicide, murderers, and much more. I hope you realize that missionaries actually help people! All of these disorders or behaviors of misconduct can be brought down to some simple events in their past. Whether it happened to them or they simply let hate and anger grow inside of them sin is always influenced in why they became this way, by themselves or by others. And that is where we can help. If any of you are thinking about IF you should serve a mission or when you should serve a mission, I hope I have been some help. But after all, part of psychology is helping the person you are talking to come to the decision themselves. 

Repentance is putting your will with God's. It's trading good decisions for better ones. 

Just like I learned many years ago playing chess, "When you see a good move, wait -- look for a better one."

And that's how you win.

Elder Andrews

P.S. Elder Rime got his first baptism. I normally don't send you guys pictures of my baptisms any more, but, this one was in a river!

Baptism photo. Take note of Elder Andrews' tie. All three brothers have worn this tie in our missions to Latin America (Ecuador, Chile, and Mexico)!

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.

To Obey is Better than Sacrifice

To respond to a few general questions first. Yes, you can email me directly to my email. I just had everyone email my mom before because I only had 30 minutes to write in the MTC and was still struggling to find out how to best use the time. The pressure gets to you after a while. But, since we have progressively gotten more and more time, it's fine to email me directly. As long as you don't live inside the limits of my mission and are female. And you can even get around that one if you just ask permission from President first. The point of writing each week is to share your testimony, so there aren't many restrictions on who you should share it with.

A lot of people also ask about my health a lot. I haven't been sick since my first Sunday in Mina. So about 5 months ago. All except for losing my voice once and a slight cold, but that was more fun than getting sick. So don't worry about my health. I eat a lot of Raisin Bran and Wheat Bread. I know mother, I have changed.

This week has been interesting. I have followed up in my Old Testament reading which I had set aside for a while but now I am in 2 Samuel. It is kind of a personal goal to read the Standard Works in Spanish before I finish my mission. I have already read all the others, so the goal should be pretty easy. It is kind of interesting that I learn more from the scriptures in Spanish. Maybe I'll always study my scriptures in Spanish, who knows. I just like reading more in a different language. But, this week I was reading about Samuel the Prophet, Saul the King of Israel, and the annointing of who would soon become King David. While reading through this section one scripture hit me really hard when talking about the downfall of King Saul. (1 Samuel 15:21)

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

The Lord had instructed Saul to destroy an entire people and Saul seemed to change his mind just a little bit and think of a way to -- what I think he may have thought-- do it better. But we see very clearly that when it comes to the Lord's commandments and covenants to us there are only two choices we can make. Just like my father always quoted from the Star Wars master Yoda,

"Do, or do not, there is no try."

There is no half way. When it comes to things of the Lord you either do them, or you do not. You either keep the commandments or you do not.

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10)

You cannot pick which commandments are convenient for you and which promises you choose to keep. Remember that covenants with God will always be set on His terms.

Actually, I'd invite each of you to just read James 2. Think about it and let the Spirit testify to you what you need to do. No one is perfect in this life save Jesus Christ. Let us not fall for the one point in which we offend. 

Make the Change.

No day comes faster than today.

With much love,

Elder Andrews

Life of a [Missionary]

The mission never gets boing. There is always something new happening. For instance, this week we got called to a Zone Class on Saturday and we went with our district. Which made me realize that our district has the oldest missionaries in the whole Zone. I'm the third oldest in the Zone in terms of time in the mission! Whoops. Its a bit scary to see it that way. But, we got up early so that we could run down to the bus station to catch the 6 AM bus to make the what turned out to be 3 hour trip to Tenosique (where the Zone Leaders live). I say turned out to be because no one knew how long it would take since they just divided the Zone and no one had ever made that trip before. We simply left at 6 because it was the only bus that left. And when I say bus, I mean, Mexican super-mini-van. When we left the bus station we had 5 people inside, but while picking up random people along the way I think we had 30 people inside at one point. It amazes me how it is not ilegal, but I have learned to love it.

So, with that in mind, I will tell you another story where we can see that by not complaining, something was learned, and someone was blessed. My mom was always right about "Your attitude makes the difference" and all that nonesense.

While riding in very crammed space the Zone Leaders called my District Leader who was traveling with me and asked to talk to me (since I still did not have a phone). At about 7:30 they asked me to speak in the Zone class at 9. Normally I would have said no and hung up, especially since I actually had a rule before my mission about denying desperate last second appointments to do something. But, both my Zone Leaders are Brand new so I figured I would help them out and accepted, although I did make sure they knew that they could do better. :P So, I wrote up an instruction class there in the bus. It's a funny thing to imagine, but just imagine how you would study with your books all over a table, well that's what I did in the bus, but my table were random people. It was difficult to write since it was one of the bumpiest roads I think I have ever been on, but somehow I managed to get a few things written down.

When we showed up, we turned out to be the first ones to arrive, which was interesting because we live the farthest away. By a lot. But eventually we got started with the class. Eventually it came my time to talk and I shared a story that I normally always share in: The North Wind and the Sun with DyC 121. It is probably my favorite thing to share, especially since both my Stake Presidents shared it with me before I left on the mission. For the most part, I already shared it with you. But I hope you take from it that in the mission you learn to love on a different level.

The impact of that class I can't really share with you yet, but it was a change you could feel in the room, and things to come in the Zone.

Which brings me to another point. When talking to one Elder a few months ago he told me that when he gets a new companion he usually stays quiet for a few days to try and gage what his new companion is like and adapts to how his companion is. It was a good thought to be able to endure the mission, but to me it didn't seem like quite the right idea to enjoy your mission. When you serve a mission you should never give up on who you and or shape yourself to others, but rather let yourself grow into what the Lord has planned for you. This Elder is one of my good friends, but people that adapt to their surroundings are very boring. You need to be set on who you are. But do not think you are avoiding conformity by denying truth. Otherwise you are conforming with Satan. It may sound odd, but it is true. There are only so many options, and each one has its opposite.

May we all allow the Lord to shape us, and develop the humility to show love to all while on our journey.

Elder Andrews

Transfers: A Journey Through Life

There will never be enough time to type everything you should know about what has happened in the last week of transfers. So many stories with so many twists I could never get them all in. But we'll start somewhere as to give my mother an explanation of why in the world I would have taken out so much money from the ATM at 2 AM. I'm actually surprised she didn't ask.

So, Tuesday morning Elder Rangel and I get up early at 5 to head out early to Villahermosa and pick up our brand-new companions and make a few packing adjustments to put away the clothes that were still drying. It rained the previous day and so they never got the chance even with our fans blowing on them all day. Sadly, not much changed with out fans blowing on them all night either due to the continuing rain. But, it was time to go so I packed all my clothes wet. And so we make our way outside our second story apartment to find a taxi to get to the bus station. Still raining harder than ever I thought little of it all because, well, the inside of my suitcase was already wet from the suitcase, no? So we made our way down and set all my stuff under a rooftop out front. When to our surprise the streets were flooded. Our new Zone Leader called us to inform us that everyone could stay home until the rain passed, except for us two because we had to be in Villahermosa for a special meeting. How nice, right? So we crossed the river of water to our knees in search of some car that might take us to the bus station. All to no avail. Long story short, we were hopeless with abandoned cars with flooded-engines all around us. So, we decided to ask a huge favor from a member. We ended up waking him up to get him to take us to the bus station (commonly known here as ADO). But when he finally arrived with his brand new truck he had a surprised expression to see that we were wet. Haha. He had just bought his truck so he is still babying it a bit--not too hard to understand. So, we bought some garbage bags to cover the luggage and stuffed two other missionaries in the house across from us in his truck and Elder Rangel and I rode in the back making sure the luggage didn't fall out into the flooded streets. 30 minutes later we arrive to catch what happens the be one of the last buses that ever made it out of Mina that day.

So we made it to the meeting and that is a whole other story that I don't have time to share, so maybe we'll share it later. My new companion is Elder Rime from Huntingdon Beach, California. He is having a pretty rough time, but doing a lot better than I did. He gets down on himself a bit, but not without cause with what we would go through next. My eagerness towards Psycology has come in handy a lot.

Fast forward and President Morales told me to take my companion to Emiliano Zapata and stay there for the night and continue my journey to Candelaria the next day. Because we were opening a new area and there were so many missionaries they just didn't have more cell phones to give out. So we made our way there, and in Villahermosa before I left I made sure that multiple people called ahead to let them know we were coming and to make sure they would wait for us there. But, after the 3 hour bus ride to Zapata, we arrived around 10:30 and found no one. I asked one of the workers and they said the Mormons had just left not even thirty minutes earlier. So, not knowing where were were or telefphone numbers of any missionaries there, we were stuck. After trying to use the phone in the bus station that didn't get to Villahermosa for long-distance reasons we got kicked out because they were going to close. And thus, you see our picture below. What made it worse, it started to rain again and my shoes were already still wet. So, we found ourselves outside, alone, lost, and wet. But, we are in Mexico so at least I wasn't cold. 

Finding myself with a missionary on his first day who clearly didn't speak Spanish, I told him to wait near the building with the bags and to scream if someone tried to come near him as I crossed the street to the hotel to see what help we could get. I felt like Joseph looking for the Inn, except for the Inn was empty and no one really wanted to even tell me that they weren't going to help. Finally I convinced some guy to let me send a message from his phone. I sent a message to Elder Rangel saying, "We need help. We are stuck. Don't respond. Call President. E. Andrews" Given the hour, he had gone to bed and the ringtones for messages are almost silent. So, we were left to ourselves until the morning. I went to the ATM at 2 AM because I realized I was out of money to even buy a drink of water, even less for our tickets for the next half of the journey. Eventually Elder Rangel saw the message when he woke up in the morning and was able to send some other missionaries to come get us at around 7 AM. They said no one ever called. 

There is much more to say in this story, but these are the parts you need to know to really see the point I wish to make. I had been pondering much about the Gift of the Holy Ghost, how do you explain something that supposedly someone can feel and that they can't see? I have seen and lived through this experience that the Gift of the Holy Ghost is like when someone gives you a cell phone. It's yours and you see people tend to use theirs all day long. Have you ever seen what happens when you take away a cell phone from a teenager? They can't handle themselves, they go insane, they can't stay still. Take it away and they will act exactly how you would expect someone who once had the Spirit and then had it taken away from them. When I did not have a cell phone I was abandoned and left to sleep outside, alone, in the rain. The same happens when you do not have the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Just as sometimes you can borrow a cell phone and see how it is and use it sometimes, it is NOT the same as having the security and assurance that brings when you always have one with you. 

I share not these things to complain, but to show that I am learning. I am happy. I am growing.

My prayer is that each person will be willing and worthy to have the Gift of the Holy Ghost with them constantly. Do whatever it takes to have that assurance with you always. You never know when you might need it most.

My love to you all,

Elder Andrews

P.S. After all the bumps here and there we made it to "El Tigre" some ruins here in my area. Enjoy some more photos from there.

Translation: El Tigre = The Tiger

Elders Rime and Andrews spending the night at the bus stop with their luggage.

Elder Andrews at the ruins in "El Tigre."

The ruins in "El Tigre."

Transfers

So, after three transfers here in Mina with Elder Rangel we thought for sure he was gone. But late last night we got the call that they were kicking ME out! But, not without their reasons. Elder Rangel and I will now be training, making me, finally, after 16 months, a dad in the mission for the first time. Dad as in, trainer, so don't get that mixed up.

I'm headed to Candelaria, Campeche. Going in with a new missionary will be interesting, but we'll see how it goes. I'll be right on the border of Guatemala and pretty far away from everyone and everything. But I'm excited. I know that where I'm going it is just a tiny branch, but it'll be a blast being there. No chapel, lots of work.

But, since my thoughts are looking forward to my Firstborn Son and have a few things to finish up still here in Mina, I'll call it good here. 

To not make it a message without the Spirit, here is one of my favorite Mormon Messages:

Lessons I Learned As A Boy

Learn charity that you might be a true disciple of Christ.

May God bless all,

Elder Andrews

Convenient Story: The Sun

So, it is convenient that I shared that story about the North Wind and the Sun the last week, because this week we spent a LOT of time outside in the sun.

Taking advantage of the huge holiday here of The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) Which is actually two days (November 1st and 2nd) every missionary in the whole mission was camped out in where? The public cemetaries. It was a pretty good chance to teach the Plan of Salvation and help people understand where their loved ones had gone and what happens. It was a packed day. Looked more like fairgrounds than a graveyard. But we had a great time talking to the many people that were there. 

This morning we had a baseball game against the other Zone here in Mina. President Morales even drove the 4 hours out here to spend some time with all the missionaries. We won 11-8. Even though I got out in the first inning on a double-play--all my fault. Whoops. Then the other team got 5 runs right after that in the first inning still. But we held it all together and used it as a great learning experience for all the missionaries. We all had a great time.

Through the whole week I kept on thinking about your state of mind. My mom would always say something like: "Your attitude makes the difference" or something like that. And in sports I was always told to imagine myself doing a move or scoring or whatever may be the case, and after visualizing yourself doing it, you really can do it. I figure that is part of your faith. It really is everything about your state of mind. Keep your hopes high and make your dreams come true. For the mean time, check out the dream team in these photos.

Love ya'll,

Elder Andrews

Dream Team pose 1.

Dream Team pose 2.