Week 25 - Finding Nemo

Tag Pic with Mexican Coke

Finding Nemo - But instead of Nemo, It's investigators. Well, we really have just been doing that this week. We've had quite a bit of success, too. We've taught a bunch of lessons, and have a few with fecha. We even had a good Bible Bash.

We started teaching a lady from Oaxaca named Hermalinda. She lives with her brother, who is a member, and she wanted to hear about the church. When we got there she was very quiet, and her kids too. We we kind of confused why she would only say sì or no. but then her brother told us that in the part of Oaxaca in which she lives, they don't speak spanish.

They speak what's called Mixteco. when we realized that, we toned down the intensity of the lesson, and just taught the most basic principles. She is very receptive and humble about it all.

Week 24 - A Familiar Face

So, we had changes this week. We found out yesterday that Elder Contreras was getting bumped up as a zone leader somewhere, and I'd be getting a new companion. When we all met up for changes, we found out that Elder Contreras would be the Zone Leader for Zona Cuernavaca! So I'll be seeing him all transfer. My companion this change is actually someone I've done missionary work with before. Remember in my first change when I went on divisions because Elder Ortiz had Leadership Council? Well, the Elder who I went on divisions with, Elder Fernandez, is my new companion! He's from Veracruz Mexico, and he has five changes left in the mission. He and I have the same CCM date, Sept 12th. He was also Companions with Elder Murrane and Elder Contreras already. He's a cool guy, and I'm excited for this change.

Baptism this week with Leo and his family

Week 23 - Divisions, Sickness, and Investigators at church!

So, we didn't do a ton this week, but we did end up doing the three things listed above.

I've been sick for about a week and a half, and it's just now getting better. Luckily, they seel coughdrops as candy here, so it's actually pretty easy to find some when you need. Hopefully, I'll be better for next week.

We got haircuts AND I bought an awesome Mexico shirt.

We had divisions this week, and I was with Elder Murrane this time. He's going home next Wednesday. It was really cool for me to see how he works. He really knows what he's doing, and he's a really good missionary. He gave me some great tips on how to be a better missionary. 

We got haricuts and sat on a lot of busses, but we found 2 new investigators. We had a really good time. We actually went looking for an investigator, and It said the address was #20 Calle Otilio montaña. But the address led us to A collapsed lot with only rubble. We were super confused...until we turned around and saw that the house behind us was also #20 Calle Otilio montaña. We ended up finding out that there are about ten #20's in the same Calle. I guess you can just pick what house number you are, no matter what. That's just Mexico for you, I guess.

Week 22 - Directing the Ward Choir

We really didn't do much this week. We spent Tuesday and Wednesday moving our house, and we had to do a choir for the ward. 

If you ever thought Utah ward choir was rough, you're in for quite a treat when you find out that nobody in Mexico really knows how to sing, or cares to put in the  practice to learn. We have to sing two hymns, but If our Relief Society president gets her way, we'll have to sing 5. Not that fun for me, especially because the ward is only interested in the Idea of a choir, but no one wants to come to the practices. Shout out to Sister Shaw and Stevens, who have much more patience than I when it comes to ward choir.

We were only able to teach one lesson this week, and, though it was a really good lesson on the Plan of Salvation, the people we taught are just so involved in their religion that they only took what they wanted and left the rest. We tried to tell them the Church is kind of an all-or-none- kind of thing, but they didn't really get the point.

Sometimes, I just want to give people the answers I've received and share my experiences.  But I can't.  Everyone is here to learn for themselves and to make their own decisions. It's hard, but I hope they can have some kind of spiritual experience if they actually decide to take our invitation and pray about it. I hope that they approach it with a sincere heart,and a contrite spirit. We'll see, I guess.

On Saturday, a brother of a member said that if Elder Contreras played soccer with him, he'd go to church. So we went to play with him and won 7-3. And he did come to church on Sunday. Sadly, he was the only investigator at church on Sunday.

Today, I'm on splits with one of the Zone Leaders, because Elder Contreras went to Iguala with the other for today. We'll be back together for the district meeting tonight. That's pretty much it for the week. Hope you guys are doing alright back home.

~Elder Scott