Teaching and Learning

On Monday morning Hermana Perez and I hurried with cleaning the house and washing our clothes, because in the afternoon we went to the Centro for the first time.  (I can now wash all my laundry by hand within 45 minutes!!)  It wasn’t a long bus ride to the Centro, and I realized how much I miss riding the bus every day in Fresnillo.  Here in Boulevares, Hermana Perez and I have never used the buses and don’t know the routes.  But, I also like all the exercise we get from walking everywhere.

Once we arrived in the Centro, we looked for the Calle Hospitalidad to encounter [find] Correos de Mexico so I could send my package.  It almost weighed 4 kilos!! I did not realize that it was so heavy, but I was so excited to send it off to my family.  I hope it arrives safely and quickly.  We stopped by the store to buy a couple of things and then headed back home around 3pm.  I ate my new favorite meal = tortillas with avocado and cheese with yogurt on the side and some popcorn for dessert.  :)  haha

In the evening we had a family home evening with Hermana Hernandez, her daughter, Teresita.  Hermana Chavez, and the elders, we taught about forgiveness and repentance.  Afterwards we played several really fun games.  :)  we all got a good laugh from the various games and it felt so great to spend time with them.

Here I am with a 4 (almost 5) year old little girl named Itzel. She is the daughter of the girl I took a photo with last week.  Her mom is 18 years old. There are SO many young pregnancies here!  She's adorable.

On Tuesday, we had a district meeting.  Our district gets along really well.  :)  We learned about the importance of talking with EVERYONE!  Contacting is actually pretty fun for me.  

Two people we visited on Tuesday were Hermana Luz and Jaime.  Hermana Luz has recently been reactivating and coming back to church.  She accompanied us for our lesson with Andrea Campos.  Andrea said that she feels good when we visit, but doesn’t think another baptism is necessary (she was baptized as a infant.)  We explained to her that babies and infants are innocent and pure and therefore they don’t need to be baptized because baptism is for the remission of one’s sins.  She said she’d pray to receive an answer.     Jaime has been advancing rely well with the lessons, but it is hard for him to come to church on Sundays.  When we taught him, we focussed on the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy and why attending church is so important.  He promised to attend this Sunday.

This week we ran into Finita.  She is known throughout the colonia, because she sews everyone’s clothes and sells her famous mangonadas.  Although she says she’ll never change from her family’s Catholic traditions, Finita loves to help all the Mormon missionaries.  She hems & sews for us for free, and always sends us on our way with a mangonada (it’s like a popsicle, but in a cup.  If it’s a fruity flavor and water based you add lemon juice and chili powder - and if it is milk or cream based, you add lechera and cinnamon)  I think they’re scrumptious.  And Finita knows a little english because she lived in Ohio for 6 months when she was 19 years old.  So sometimes she’ll remember a phrase and it makes me smile.  Today as we were walking into her kitchen to pick out our mangonadas, she said, “Come on, baby!”  I was dying with laughter.  She is about 58 years old and so friendly and funny. 

Food:  On Wednesday at lunch we were able to serve ourselves caldo (it’s a soup with vegetables & chicken)  I only served myself vegetables - cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, potato, onion, and corn.  But Hermana Perez picked through the stew to find the chicken liver, which she likes.  And Miguel was content with his pato (chicken leg - but the claw part).  Some food I miss from home:  my mom’s homemade wheat bread, my dad’s famous salmon and brussel sprouts, brownies & rice crispy treats, pesto (especially with my mom’s ravioli / green beans & bell pepper dish), peanut butter, Nutella, graham crackers, veggie straws, licorice, otter pops, V8 juice & smoothies (even my mom’s super healthy smoothies with kale and spinach), tomato basil soup, paninis, waffles, etc.  I could go on & on!!  haha  I miss my parents' cooking & our kitchen.

And this is a really cool slide we visited on our p-day.
It is a super fun park and I will send more pictures of it next week.

On Saturday we encountered a young mother of 5 who is in the process of moving to Fresnillo!  Her mom died in February and asked us questions in regards to what is going to happen to us after this life.  We shared a little about the plan of salvation that our Heavenly Father has for each of us.  She was so humble and hopeful, although she shared with us that she’s lived a very hard life.  My experiences with the people here have made me so much more grateful for all the many blessings I’ve received in my wonderful life.  I’ve realized that I haven’t really had any major challenges in my life and that I’ve always been surrounded by an incredible family and fantastic friends. 

In the afternoon, we taught Jose Manuel about the importance of baptism and why we need to be baptized.  He and one of our other investigators named Fahi both accepted the invitation to be baptized on August 23rd if they receive an answer that the things we are teaching them are true.  :)

This week we met a 15 year old girl named America.  She assisted [attends] church with her aunt, because she stays here in Boulevares every weekend & lives with her mom during the week in a town an hour away.  She was so sweet and is in a critical point in her life.  She was wearing a heavy metal band T-shirt with ripped up jeans, studded bracelets and had scars all up her arms.  But I could see a light in her young eyes and a soft spot in her heart that was very different from her outward image.  We talked with her and gave her a Book of Mormon (because she said she loves to read :)  )  and sent her on her way with some skirts and blouses that were too small for us.  She was so grateful and said she’d be coming to church next Sunday with her aunt again.

I love being a missionary because I have learned not to judge anyone based on their outward appearance.  Each person has so much potential.

After our visits we returned to the house and discovered that there was no “luz” or electricity.  So it was pitch black and 9:15 at night.  Hermana Perez and I actually had fun using two candles to finish our studies / planning and get ready for bed.  And luckily by morning we had light / electricity again.

I love my mission.  I love my companion.  I love learning and am so grateful for friends and family.  Thank you for your support.

Until next week!

Hermana Eliason