Thoughts from my journal

Today I mailed a package home for my sister, Miranda's, birthday in a few weeks - so I didn't have a chance to really put a good Blog entry together.  Here are some random facts from my journal.

*     This week, we got our hair cut on Monday by our investigator, Andrea Campos, because we knew she could use the money (60 pesos = less than 6 dollars)  I am going to have such a shock with U.S. prices when I return.   
*     In the evening on Monday, we had a Family Home Evening with Nayeli and the Arrondondo family.  We talked about love, charity and forgiveness.  Afterwards we had a simple and quick dinner together (tortas).  It was good bonding time and I can tell that Nayeli is feeling more comfortable with us, the lessons, and the church in general. 

Here is a cool mural on the wall!

*     On Tuesday we taught Mariel Cadena.  She’s a single Mom, 22 years old and a less active member.  We read Helaman 5 with her and talked about repentance, and how we could apply the story in our lives.  She was really interested, and it was awesome to see her face light up.  She understood more and felt the Spirit.  I love reading the Book of Mormon and learning/connecting everything together.  :)

*     We taught the first lesson to a lady named Ime.  She lives solo (never got married or had any children) and hasn’t been working for 14 years!  She’s about 75 years old and loves to talk.  She’s receptive, but hasn’t been taking us too seriously - for example, she’s been calling us "Hermanitas" and has intended on teaching us a thing or two about the Catholics.

*     We had lunch this week with the Gaggini family (the mom & dad of Hermana Jaqualine from France)  This is their last week here & I’m really going to miss them.  They’re such great people, and I love that in their older age they are still traveling together & learning things  :)

These are the parents of Hermana Jaqualine who had been living here in Mexico
for 6 months and are returning to France this week! They were so awesome!

*     We had our district meeting on Wednesday and have two new members to our district.  I love that we are from all over the world!  I want to travel the world some day, and especially more of Mexico, Central America, and South America, because I can use my Spanish.

I love the young women here and they love me!

Here I am with two of them :)

*     A great thing about a mission is our weekly planning time.  I love it!    I learn so much from Hermana Perez and I love the advice she gives me.  I am incredibly happy in this companionship with her and I know I was called to be her trainer for a specific reason.  I love knowing that we have each other’s trust and only want to help one another progress and become better.  I can tell that she is a true and sincere friend.

*     Another family we taught this week was the Cadena family.  They are each individually great people and are striving for more unity in their home.  We talked about 8 ways in which we can strengthen our families:  

1.  have family prayers in the mornings and nights.  

2.  Have family home evenings each week.  

3.  Study the scriptures together.  

4.  Do things together like walks, card games, dinner, etc.  

5.  Learn to be kind, patient, and charitable.  

6.  Go to church each week together.  

7.  Follow the counsel given in D&C 88:119  

8.  Do temple work for your ancestors and be sealed together.   :)

*     This week we also taught a new investigator named Blanca.  She is a mother of 5 young boys and cleans houses during the day (she must be exhausted all the time!)  But she was really receptive and open.  We are also visiting her sister who lives below her, and one of her brothers who is also living in an apartment on the floor below.  (She has 14 siblings in total!)

*     Church this Sunday was SO awesome!  In the morning, we passed by for Hermana Velasco and she opened up her door all dressed up and ready!!  I am so so happy for the progress she has made!  She has stopped drinking her coffee and took the first step today in coming back to church.  We then passed by for our investigator Imelda.  She too was all dressed up and ready to go!  Wahoo!!  Best feeling ever.  Then, in the first hour for sacrament meeting, Leonardo showed up!  He has been less active for years, and he lives alone so we haven’t  officially taught him a lesson yet.  But we encountered him the other day when we were looking for Blanca’s apartment.  He is her neighbor and told us he had been baptized.  We invited him to attend church this Sunday, but that was all.  Our encounter with him lasted only 4 minutes or so, and I honestly didn’t think he’d actually attend.  So, I was pleasantly surprised!

Here is a photo of Miguel in his cute little remote car ;)

*     Funny story:  While practicing Hermana Perez’s English, we passed by 5 little girls, all playing together.  And when they heard me speak, they looked at me like a celebrity and asked me, 

       “Do you know a lot of English?”  to which I replied, 

       “Yes.  Do you girls know any English?”  

They all looked at one another, and then one of them said, 

       “Hello!”  to which the remaining little girls repeated, 

       “Hello!  Hello!  Hello!  Hello!”  haha.  It was really cute :)  

As I walked away I said 

       “Bye!”  and they all started repeating and shouting  

       “Bye!  Bye!  Bye!  Bye!”

Oh, I'm out of time.  Until next week!  Thank you for your love and support!

Hermana Eliason