Week 36 - No Regrets

So we have changes today. I'm staying in Burgos with Elder Rivas! And now I'm the District Leader. How cool!

We really didn't do hardly anything this week. Pretty much all our citas fell through, and we've been having the hardest time with finding new investigators, so it's been pretty slow. We're working with our Zone Leaders to improve our finding skills. I hope we can find some stronger investigators. Sometimes we just feel like we're burning up time.

Calling home was pretty sweet. It was a little hard because the camera died on the laptop I was using, but I got to talk to the family anyways, and that was really the most important part. I love being out here, and calling my family wasn't as distracting of an experience as I thought it would be. It was actually really enriching, and helped me remember why I'm out here.

Week 35 - I Hold the Mission Record for Being Robbed

We got robbed again, but this time, with a pistol.

I wish that was a Joke.

We were out with a member André again, and all of our citas fell through. We went looking for a reference in a colonia called "Las Cumbres" that if very ugly. (Before you think to yourself that I should avoid ugly colonia, you should remember that Pretty much all of México is ugly). We stopped to look at something. Next thing you know, a guy runs up to Elder Rivas, putsa pistol up against his back, and demands his money. Then he took my money, and searched my bag for a solid minute and a half. 

I'm very lucky that he didn't take my camera. He didn't even give André a second look. He left going one way, and told us to go down the other way. I forgot to pull the money we had pulled from the bank the day before, so I lost $1100 pesos ($55) and Elder Rivas lost about $200 pesos($10).

Week 34 - Finding and Service

This week was pretty awesome but also really hard.

The first 3 days of the week we taught very little and no one wanted to hear us. We had a cool lesson with our investigator Maritza and her family, and even planned a Family Home Evening with them. But then they canceled. And again, and again. Almost all of our investigators flaked on us in one form or another. But on Friday, we went on Divisions with Elder Fernández here in Burgos, and we had the bapismal interview for an investigator named Margarita. She's getting baptized on the 5th of May. We also put all of our investigators with a baptismal date, and they're all progressing really well.

On Friday, we went to teach a lesson to an investigator named Carlos. He owns a little shop and a tortillería.When we got there, he told us he didn't have time to meet with us because his workers didn't show up, and he had to figure out how to use the Tortilla machine he had. We spent the next 2 1/2 hours helping him figure out how to use it. Good thing Elder Rivas already has almost three years of studying to be and Industrial Engineer, because Carlos and I were learning as he spoke. After that, he gave us Queso de rancho to eat with some tortillas. Tortillas for me right now is more normal than bread. They eat them with everything. Even spaghetti. I'll probably never arrive to the point where i can't eat spaghetti without tortillas, but México is definitely having an affect on me.

Week 33 - Small Miracles

(NOTE:  Gabe and his companion reopened an area that had previously been closed, so they are starting from scratch finding people to teach.)

This week has been pretty bland, but with some nice touches. We spent almost every day contacting and looking for people, with no luck. Most people are pretty content being Catholic here. 

Our poorly rigged volleyball net

But while we were contacting, a lady passed by and asked us where the church was because she was visiting for a few weeks, and she was a member. She and her son invited us to their house to give someone a blessing. The person we gave the blessing to wasn't actually a member, and so we taught a lot about Priesthood authority. They came to a sports activity in the church later that day. Later, the owner of the little store we always go to for food asked us if we could teach him, so we went the next morning to teach him as well. It wasn't much, and none of them ended up going to church on Sunday, but it was definitely the Lord's hand in our work.

Elder Winegar and I during volleyball

We've also been helping out and eating a lot with one of our investigators. Her name is Maritza, and she has two kids. Rubi (20) and Gilberto(17) and they're super cool. They invite us to eat with them all the time, even though they aren't members. They say it's because we serve others, so they should serve us. I'm fine with it.

We went and played volleyball for P-day today, and It was super fun. The Elders in the district are a lot of fun to talk to and hang out with. We don't get to do a lot of hanging out here in the mission, so we enjoy what we get.

The life in México is going fine. It gets a little hot sometimes, but all in all, it's good. Make sure you're reading the book of Mormon often. It will change your life!

-Elder Scott

Action shot of Elder Rivas as goalie

Week 32 - This week was sick! Literally

Literally.

Chillin' at the hospital after the Tacos Al Pastor Incident

We had one day of work, on Tuesday. We went with this member named André Aguirre, who is preparing to leave for the Buenos Aires [quiensabe] and he's been helping us out a lot in finding and teaching investigators. Oh, and his dad is the bishop, so we do a lot with his family. 

But André took us out for tacos al pastor, and we ordered a kilo of meat for aur tacos. It was awesome. I ate probably 15 tacos with greasy salsa verde and it was great. But while we were walking home, I didn't feel so great. We stopped by the fire department to get my blood checked, and I had really low blood pressure. 

Week 31 - Getting free refills is not stealing

We have some great investigators in this area that are progressing. They missed some important stuff in the lessons, so we've been reteaching a lot of stuff this week. 

Like Father Like Son - we both love our Doritos and Yoli

We've been teaching someone named Fernando, and he's the state champion tennis player here in Morelos. He's progressing well, and we have a member named André that comes and teaches with us. André is preparing to head out on the mission. He leaves the 24th of May, I think, and he's going to Buenos Aires East. 

We've been having a lot of fun with these guys. Fernando taught us a little of how to slackline, and play tennis. I'll probably be a pro by the time I get transferred out of here.

Birthday lunch at Burger King on P-day

Things are going awesome with Elder Rivas. 

He plays guitar, and he's always talking about rock music. He's getting used to climbing hills and yelling, "Buenas Tardes" whenever we knock on a door. He's learning a lot every day, and I learn a lot from him. 

Week 30 - Al otro lado de la Autopista

So this week, I said bye to Elder Fernández, and Temixco in the same day.

It was kinda hard, but it was cool at the same time. We went to Cuernavaca and found out our areas and our companions. First, I'm going to Burgos. If that name sounds a little familiar, that's because that area has been in my district for the whole mission. It's right next to Temixco. I have not left the zone. I have not left the district. I have only left to the other side of the freeway. I literally see my old area everywhere I go. It's a cool area though, and the members work really well with the missionaries.

As for my companion, his name is Elder Rivas, and he's from Peru. He's pretty pumped to be out here and I'm excited for the change.

With Elder Fernández, we went and ate mojarras, which is fried fish. That was super fun and delicious. Shout out to the familia Germán García for taking us. It was delicious.

And conference was cool. I know that the prophets really guide the church, and by no other means than revelation do they do it. Its something special when we sustain a new prophet, and I wholeheartedly support Russell M. Nelson as the prophet of the church. I know that the direction he's taking the church is the direction that the Lord wants. I loved conference, and I can't wait to listen to/read it in English. Spanish is hard.

Love you guys. Sorry it's kinda short this week, but I'm still glad to be out here, no matter how hot it gets, or how much people think I'm Donald Trump's nephew or something like that. Every day is an adventure here.

-Elder Scott​