Mexcio Week 95: Final Week

Hey Everybody! 

Well I am entering into my last week in the Mission. It's gone by fast. I would like to mention some of my experiences and talk about how great of a Mission it has been and what I have learned. I hope that it might be of great worth to the boys since they all want to be going on a Mission. 

The Mission has been the best yet most difficult experience that I have had in my life. I think that because it was difficult it was great. I remember when I first came to Mexico I wanted to go home. I remember wanting to just give up but I was inspired to go on and finish. Hahaha, I remember hating the food and feeling lonely since my companion wasn't the best and the members were a little mean. I realized that it was just culture shock. Hahaha, since then I have had a lot of difficult times but I have put them behind trying to learn from them. I remember when I was a Branch President, things were really hard and I thought that I was losing faith. Afterwards I learned that my testimony grew and was strengthened from the trials that took place in Chignahuapan. I remember the members and the things that I learned from them as I tried to help them with the spiritual and temporal needs.

I learned alot in Castillotla about Missionary Work and how to really do it. Elder Escamilla and I had great times and a lot of success and I will always remember my time with him. I really enjoyed training Elder Escamilla and also learning from him. He is a great friend. I learned a lot about leadership in Loma Florida (Apizaco) when I was a DL and I had a struggling district with struggling wards. We ended up doing miracles for the Lord there in that district.

 

I remember that I learned the importance of working with members in Totolac (Tlaxcala). Wow, we did some great stuff there Elder Nuncio, Elder Lopez, and I with the members. We ended up having success for the members. They are great there.

 

Now as an AP I have learned a lot of everything. Having to run a Mission of over 100 Missionaries is not an easy task and I have so much respect for the President. He is a great man and has taught me a lot, especially about the future after the Mission and how to apply everything I have learned here, there in the real world. 

I have learned a lot in the Mission and I know that it will help me throughout my life, but I believe that the most valuable thing that I have learned here, that I will always treasure is understanding how and why to apply the Atonement in my life. I really understand that it is more than just repenting everyday. I have learned that it is essential for us to experiment it everyday. I have learned that to be able to experiment it each day we must be obedient. It's impossible to understand the Atonement or even experiment it if we are not obedient. Most people think that you must be a sinner and sin to understand it, but I believe that you must be obedient to understand it because the obedient repent....sinners might not. I have learned that the Atonement has a divine power that can set us apart from reaching our potential....yet it allows us to go beyond that if it is required, and more times than not, God needs us to go past our potential so that we may help Him establish His Kingdom and we do it through the atonement. 

I have learned that really we must understand the importance of the Atonement because it is the center of all we do. We could study the Book of Mormon and find that a lot of scriptures that maybe we don't see very well talk about the Atonement. The Bible actually only refers to the word Atonement one time were as the Book of Mormon refers to it 39 times. Besides the fact that it mentions the word more in the Book of Mormon, helps us understand at a broader view what the Atonement is through personal experiences of the Nephite and Lamanite people. 

I know that the Atonement is important. I know that it is essential for us to apply it to our lives each day. We must experiment at some point in our lives a little what He experienced. I testify as His representative that Christ lives! He loves us. He wants us to be like him and through His Atonement we can do it. 

With Love,

Elder Brady Lester

Mexico Week 89: Conferences, Learning and Spiritual Feeding

Hey Family, 

Well again I don't have much time to sit down and write a legit letter. I have been in and out of the offices all day everyday. Last night we didn't get home until 11:00pm. We are working hard getting ready for the changes that we have on Tuesday. We have sent two more Elders home too so it's been very crazy here. We have been working hard and we feel like we are behind but I believe that we are more ready for these changes than the last time. We have a lot of new things going down. We are splitting a Zone into two Zones. Now every Stake in the Mission will have their own Zone and Zone Leaders which makes things a lot easier. We have been working hard to think about how to do the changes for the next change because my generation is going home a week early. Things just have been really crazy. 

Last week though we really had a great week. A lot of Conferences but a lot of Learning and Spiritual feeding. My topics went great. In the Leadership Training meeting I talked about judging righteously in our callings and correcting disobedience. It went very well. I share the example of Lehi in 1 Nephi 8:37-38 and how we need to judge righteously like Lehi did to his sons. I shared another example in D&C 101:2-5 as well. In the regular Zone Conference I talked about the Atonement and Gossip. It went very well and I have learned a lot about the Atonement while studying my topic. It has been great. I have really looked into the Scriptures and notice that the Atonement is on every page of the BoM. One example would be 1 Nephi 3:31 when Nephi and Sam are beaten by his brothers and then the angel comes. It's very interesting to see how it is talking about the Atonement. 

The Conferences have been great and we have been able to teach the Elders a lot of things. We really hit the importance of being Obedient and Repenting because we need to get onto other things in the Mission and not always talk about the Obedience issue that we have. The President has said that if we are not willing to live in a Mission of Obedience, we can go home. 

Well we have started to talk about other things. On Friday we had our ZL conference and we talked about a lot of things. We talked about Numbers of Excellence that my companion and I have been wanting to have. They are great numbers and really high norms for us. It really is going to change the Mission. Yesterday we saw how excited the Mission is as we went to a couple Zone Training meetings. The new culture is being placed and everyone is excited! 

Well I don't have much time. Hope everyone is doing just great! Love you all and hope that you all have a great week! 

Con Amor,

Mexico Week 65: Branch and Missionary Work

Hey Family!!

Thank you for all your lovely letters of support and love. I love reading your letters each Monday. They inspire me and help me keep up with my English, hahahahaha.  Happy Birthday to Baliee...how old are you now?  Hahahaha, Grandma,  just to let you know you are allowed to send me pictures and I would love that very much!  

Things have been crazy here in Puebla...well I am far away from Puebla, but still. The volcano, Mom, is actually a volcano in Puebla.  My son, Elder Escamilla is actually working right under it hahahaha, and also Castillotla is about an hour and a half from it. It has been a little angry that volcano I have heard, but I am a good 3-4 hours away from that thing, so things here are tranquilo, hahaha.  Things are also crazy because in July Mexico will be voting for another president just like us in November.  By the way how is Mitt doing?  Is he winning?  The weather here is very nice. It’s a little warm but not too much...it’s like Utah summer, the sun just burns a lot, hahaha. Things are going great other than that. I hope that the Suns make the playoffs...we must pray for them, hahaha.


Well this past week we were able to get a lot done...well more than usual.  Elder Cano and I now have 3 Baptism dates for the 4th of May which is really awesome because it’s hard to Baptize here and usually the best Missionaries only Baptize like 1-2 in 3-4 months.  We have some great things going with some investigators. We don’t have a lot, only 10, but we are working with them and I believe that the majority of them will be Baptized.

This is the last week of the change though and I think next Tuesday I will have another companion. I love Elder Cano, but he has some time here and I think he will be going.  In this change we are going to have some weird things happening because the Mission will be splitting on the 1st of July.  The President is going to call 4 assistants next week in the changes so that they can start working and helping with the division. There are going to be 4-6 secretaries as well for the division. We still don’t know where we will be but if I stay here another 2 changes I will be in the North Mission...which means I would be with President Christensen.  Hahahahaha, if that happens, I will have 5 Mission Presidents in my Mission!! (counting the MTC).  I don’t think that happens a lot to many Missionaries.


Things are going great in the branch so far. We are really trying to get our auxiliary presidents working because we really are working to build up the assistance and strengthen the Faith of the members. We have called some Sunday school teachers and we started Mutual last Saturday :)  We have called a family history consultant (which I am really excited for) and we have called 1 leader of young single adults, and we will be calling another.  We are doing all of this to help the members understand how the Church really is and how much of a Blessing it is to be a member.  It’s also really going to help us have a plan to reactivate members who are inactive.  I am really excited for what is going on here in Chignahuapan, it’s just really hard to do, hahaha.  I have my respects for all the Bishops in the world. Their job is hard and they are really blessed for it.


One of my responsibilities is taking care of the branch budget and the tithing....basically all of the money.  If I steal or lose one peso I am done for, hahahaha.  Yesterday I had to deal with $20,000 pesos of Tithing!! It was a lot of cash, hahahaha.  I also had to make a 3 month budget for the branch. We decided to put in a lot of money in the new program of the young single adults.  Not a lot go and the program is new, but we are really expecting a lot.


Well things are going good. Hahaha, if I get a new comp the first thing we are going to do is clean our house because Elder Cano and his last comp were pigs, hahaha.  I am happy and time is just flying by.  It would be nice to get an extension on my Mission but I really doubt that will happen because they want me home for Christmas, hahaha.  I love the Mission and the things that I have learned.  It’s quite the experience.  It’s not how they say it is in Primary or the MTC, but it’s great.

Repentance is a lovely thing that I have learned about in the Mission. That has been my favorite part so far. Seeing how the Atonement of Christ works in the lives of my investigators and especially in my life. I am so grateful for Jesus Christ and what He did for us.  It’s something that really is beautiful. I help members every week go through the process of Repentance and although it’s hard...it’s worth it. I know from experience as well. I have made mistakes in the Mission...but I have seen how beautiful this Gospel really is.  Forgiveness really is a miracle.

I hope everything is going great.  Just to answer questions...I am in the middle of nowhere, hahaha. You guys can look this place up online...it’s famous.  We don’t shop and we have to eat a lot in the street because the members are really poor here so they don’t give us much food.  As President, I have to give them money for food and transport, and after I ask for a refund of my money.  It’s a beautiful thing to help the poor...even though I am poor as well, hahahaha.  The mountains are really pretty here. There are a lot of places to go camping and fishing and stuff.  I will send pictures very soon.  I love you all and hope that you have a great week!!

With Love,
Elder Brady Lester

Mexico Week 41: Changes and Miracles

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for all your wonderful letters. I love reading your letters each week because they always make me happy and ready for the week. Just want to let you know that I love you all even though I dont write much to each of you. I know that some of you are concerned about that, but I have 1 1/2 hours to write and I try to write everyone but never have the chance to. I am always busy writting letters to my converts as well, but please know that I love you all and hope that you all understand that you are in my prayers always.

Well this next Monday we might have transfers. I kinda feel like I am going but I hope not. I do have 6 months in this area but I would like 3 more. I have really fallen in love with this area. We are having alot of success and I just know that we will have more here pretty soon. I have grown to love Elder Escamilla like a brother, and really he is a great example and is the best Missionary in the Mission. I would love to continue working with him but we will see what the Lord wants from me. Some of my converts are sad and really don't want me to go. Hahahaha, Hermano Euloterio said that he doesn't want to go to Church and not see me, so he doesn't want to go, but I had to talk to him and let him know that I would see him again in one year and that he needs to stay strong in the Church. Hermana Cony opened up a hair cutting place and she wanted me to pick out the name (Cony`s Great Clips), and she dedicated the place to me hahahaha. So sweet. It made me cry.  

Well this past week on Wednesday, Elder Escamilla and I had the great opportunity of working with the Mission President in our area all day, hahaha!! How crazy!! It was a great experience and we learned alot. It was kinda scary at first but I loved the experience and the things that we learned. He really taught us the importance of working with the members. It really inspired me to keep working hard and with the members because that is how the investigators will progress more. Also we talked about how we could split the Ward and the importance of having Priesthood in the Ward. We took that to thought and we really want to start reactivating Priesthood and Baptizing men, hahaha so we are going to try and focus on that.

One lesson we taught with him was to one of our investigators, Hna Gabriela, and her family. We knocked on the door and the mom, Hna Gabriela, and her sister were all crying, yelling, and fighting. Well we started to just listen and it was about money and financial problems. We listened and listened and finally I opened my mouth and started talking about the Atonement and the importance of that in their lives. My companion testified of what I said, but Hna Gabriela said that she didn't want God in her life anymore and that He can't help her with her problems. Well when she said that the President spoked with power and really loud and testified as a Representative of Jesus Christ that they needed the Atonement, and that no one should put down that importance of Christ`s suffering in our lives. He started talking about happiness and the blessings that one can receive as they live according to the Atonement. When he spoke the Spirit was so strong. They all stopped crying, yelling, and fighting, and started listening. We ended with a prayer. The next day we talked with Hna Gabriela and she accepted a Baptism date. It was a great lesson. Today we have another lesson with her and we hope that all goes well with her and her family. 

This past week on Saturday, my companion started having stomach pains in the morning. In the afternoon we went and ate with a member and the pain was worse and he was screaming almost. He called the mission doctor and he told him to take medicine and only drink water and gatorade. Well he did that, and later the sister with whom we ate asked for a blessing. We gave her a blessing and when we left the house, my comp could hardly walk, so we walked quickly to a members house, Familia Ferrusca, because the sister is a nurse. We got there and he was screaming and crying with this pain, and so she sent him to a doctor in the pharmacy. They took us there in their car and the doctor said that it was really bad and gave him an oil shot in the butt, hahaha, and said that we needed to go to the hospital. I called the President and he told us which hospital to go. The good thing was that it was close to us. The members took us in their car and as we were driving I gave my companion a blessing and it was a wonderful experience. I knew that for his Faith, he would be alright. I also had a little mini vision of what he is going to do in the Mission. The Lord gave me that opportunity. Elder Escamilla really is going to do alot of good and work miracles here in Puebla. I just know it. Well we got to the hospital and we were there for 5 hours, and they would not let me in so I was all alone for 5 hours, hahaha. It was a little weird. I had to keep calling the President and my Bishop to let them know how things were. The doctors told me that we would have to spend the night and I was really worried for my comp and was crying for a bit for reals. I said a prayer and one hour later he walked out. I was so happy when I saw him and know that God really showed His hand in our lives.

I love my companion and really don't want anything to happen to him. After, we started walking around for a bit because my comp wanted to walk and I saw a Krispy Kreme!!!!!! In Puebla!!!!! I went running and bought myself 6 donuts and ate them all!!!! Hahahaha I love Krispy Kreme. 

Well I gotta go now! I love you all and hope you all have a great week!!   

Mexico Week 33: Marriages and Baptism plans and Baptism of Coni

Hey everyone!


Well this past week was a pretty good one!! Elder Escamilla and I worked really hard and we had a lot of success!! Thank you for your letters and it sounds like the week was a decent week for you all. I am jealous that you got to go to the Dbacks game but I loved the pictures that you sent Mom :) I hope you guys had fun. That is great boys that you are getting things done with your Eagle Project.


Well in this past week some interesting things happened. Slowly we are still working with Hna Sandra so that she gets married here soon, so that she gets Baptized. It looks like this week she will be taking her blood tests so that her husband and her can get married. I really hope that happens soon so that she gets married and Baptized next week. Also in the past week Hno Yazzer told us that now him and his wife want to get married, so it looks like this week that will happen or the next. Hno Yazzer is an investigator who has two years with the Elders and wants to get Baptized so bad but his wife, who is a member, didn't want to get married for some reason. Now they do!! So we will be helping them with that as well. I am getting really excited for them because it's been a long time teaching them.


On Tuesday, my Birthday hahaha, we had a crazy day! It started off really bad. We were walking to Hna Coni´s house to teach her and make sure she was ready for Baptism and stuff, and as we were walking a ton of members saw us in the street and started freaking out at us for no reason and wanted a ton of help. I had to tell them another day because it was a packed day! Well as we were walking we saw Hna Coni in her car with her daughter and she told us that she was coming back in 1 hour and that she wanted to talk to us about her Baptism. It made us worry a ton and so we changed plans and worked for awhile in her neighborhood for about an hour. Well we went to her house after and she still was not there so we went to wait with a sister in the ward at her house. She was worried too for Coni because she is her best friend. Well we waited and she made us some quesadillas for breakfast which was yummy! Later a brother from the ward that is right next to ours called us and asked if we could go to the hospital and give him a blessing. I was freaking out at this point because the members were wanting our help, Coni wants to talk about her being Baptized, we still had to fill up the Baptismal font which takes about 2 hours, and now a blessing in a hospital that is forever away. I was just thinking to myself, why is all this happening on my Bday?!! Hahaha well I called Elder Lamb and told him to give the brother a blessing because he is from his ward anyways and we still had to fill up the font. After all of that, Hna Coni still did not show up so we went to the church to fill up the font. As it was filling up, we went and studied in the church, and later on went to eat close to the church. We went to some tiny little restaurant close by and I got myself soup, rice, a salad, beans, salsa (really good salsa!), and breaded chicken breast and a dessert for only 35 pesos!! Three bucks for all of that!!! Plus tortillas of course hahaha! It was delicious! After we went back to the church and started to study again because the font was still filling up, and then the same sister who gave us breakfast called and said to come to see Hna Coni fast because it was an emergency! After settling down a bit I started to stress again hahahaha and we went almost running to her house. We got there and she started to explain a story that is really long but basically her husband got drunk at a party and flirted with another girl. She got upset and wanted to talk to him but he got mad and hit her. For that she drank 3 beers and smoked a cigarrete!! I was so sad and frustrating that she didn't call us and was telling all this on the day of her Baptism!! It was terrible. We were thinking that we were not going to Baptize! After listening to her for a while we talked about Repentence and later felt, after talking with our leaders, that she was Repentant and could get Baptized!! I was so happy. So we went to the church to finish things and then had her Baptismal service as planned. It was a sweet service and I felt the Spirit so strong but when I went to Baptize her she kept lifting her foot out of the water hahaha, and so we had to do it 4 times!! The 4th time I just shoved her under the water hard hahaha! It was fun! After a sister bought me a cake and they all sang Happy Birthday to me in Spanish hahaha, and then after they wanted me to bite the cake, so I went for it and guess what...Hna Coni shoved my face in the cake hahaha!! It was so funny and I was so grateful for the members and that day. It ended up being great and my testimony was strengthened about the power of the Atonement and how God will forgive anyone who is willing to "come and see." It was a great day!

 Baptism of Coni

The rest of the week went good! We have two Baptisms on Sunday so I can't wait for that and I really feel that we are going to have alot of success Elder Escamilla and I, as long as we are obedient. We gotta keep working hard! I am just really excited! Well I gotta go, but thank you for all your support! I love you all, especially my Family :)


Love,
Elder Brady Lester

P.S. Yes Mom, I am pretty much fluent in Spanish hahaha. I can understand 95% of what's being said and I talk a ton hahaha, but I still have a ton of words to learn :) 

Mexico Week 18: Cambios - Castillotla!

Hola Todos!

Well today we had transfers and I left Huacaltzingo.

 District Meeting

Special Family in Huacaltzingo

 It was a great time I had there and was extremely tough, but all that I learned I know will really really help me in the future in my mission. I also hope and pray for the best there in Huacaltzingo. Today, and for the next 6 weeks at least, I am in Castillotla, hahaha. It's half city and half village. My companion, Elder Rojas, has one year in the mission and is from Peru!! Sweet eh haha?

Elder Rojas

Well I will tell you about today and my new area first and then about the week. Well this area is huge and my comp tells me it's tough and the members don't really help us out. Sounds familiar haha :)  My house, well is tiny, we don't have a working toilet, we will shower in cold water, and there are cockroaches hahaha :) Sounds fun eh hahaha!! Well I will be fine don't worry about it. I am just excited to be here. My comp seems a little lazy and President Rex told me personally to take care of him hahaha, so we will see what happens, lol. I am just ready to work and am excited :)

This is Brady's apartment in Castillotla

Well in the past week we didn't have much success. It was another tough week in Huacaltzingo, but we did have some interesting experiences. Tuesday was a good day. We were out working and stuff and I had the impression to visit a specific Hermano and Hermana to ask them for a reference. Well my comp and I went and when we arrived the Hermano told us that his wife was really really sick and couldn't move or get up. Well we ended up giving him and her blessings. The spirit really directed our words and you could feel it's presence there. Well two days later she was up and walking :) It was sweet :) Well yesterday was a very strange day in the mission for me. We got up and headed for church and nobody was there. Everyone showed up late hahaha everyone! We finally found out why...apparently at 3 in the morning two young men killed a woman of 30 years with rocks not too far from the church on a hill. She happened to be an investigator that Elder Villalba and I taught. She was loved much by the members so it shook them up too. Yesterday we only had Sacrament meeting and I gave a talk on the Atonement and how Christ suffers with us and is always there calling, we just need to accept the call and come unto Him. I really hope that it helped.


Well thats all the news for this week. Brinkley CONGRATS on your graduation :) How do you feel? :)


Well I am excited to see what is going to happen in this change. I really think we will have success :) I am excited and ready to work! I hope the Lord blesses us :) I love you all and are all in my prayers everyday!


Love,
Elder Brady Lester

MTC Week 8: Teaching and Learning

Hey!!

Week 8 here at the MTC!! So I got some news the other day from my Branch President and the travel office here at the MTC. Our Visa's have not come yet, but they are working on them. They said we should have them between now and two months. So we will probably stay here until the 24th or the 30th of January, then get reassigned to Boise, Vegas, Seattle, and anywhere in Utah or Arizona. Crazy!! I really want to get to Mexico but I wouldn't mind going somewhere else for a bit in the states. I think it would be good practice for spanish and teaching :) I just want to go out and get started!! I am so excited!!

This week was another good week at the MTC. Elder Walker and I keep working harder everyday! We are trying really hard to speak Spanish all day but it is difficult. We can do better, and I have Faith that this week we will do great!


This week we got to be hosts for the new Missionaries again which was fun!! :)


So this week Elder Walker and I have been teaching, teaching, teaching, and teaching some more!! We keep teaching and we are getting better each time and learning so much everytime we teach!! It's amazing how much we learn. My favorite is when we have personal and companionship study. We learn so much and it helps us a ton with our teaching. This week Elder Walker and I had some really hard investigators. We had one who was gay, one who was 60 years old, and a 15 year old who has a  chastity problem, and a evil spirit problem. They were all true stories that our teachers had on their missions and they role played for us. It was insane!! Apparently in Mexico they have word of wisdom problems, chastity problems, and evil spirit problems often. It made me nervous but I am ready to help any of those people out!!

So today I had the most amazing experience in the temple today. I learned so much more and felt the spirit so much more than I ever have in the temple. 

So let me tell you about Elder Walker, my companion. He is from Pleasent Grove, Utah. He used to be in a band and used to do drugs and had that kind of life style. But he wanted to serve a mission. So for the past two years he has fixed his life up and repented for all his sins. He has had some wonderful experiences the past two years that have helped him get here today. I am so grateful for that because he is the best example of a man who knows his Savior Jesus Christ, and how He can help him. He knows what it is like to be at the lowest of lows and get back on top. He is the best example of a man who knows and uses the atonement effectively everyday. I hope I can take his example and be like him someday. :)

So let my tell you about my p-day schedule!! Every Friday I have p-day! We wake up at 6:30 AM and have personal study from 7-8:15. Then we have breakfast until 9:00, and from 9-10:00 we have companionship study. Then at 10:00 we go to the Temple until 1:00. Then from 1-3:30 we have prep time where we write letters and do whatever we need to do for the up coming week. Then at 3:30 we do laundry until 5:15ish, and the we e-mail home :)  That's how Elder Walker and I do things :)  We then have dinner from 6-6:45, and class from 7-9:00 and that's pretty much it!!

Well I love you all and miss you!! I love hearing from you and hope I can everyday if possible :)

Love, (Amor)

Elder Lester

MTC Week 2: The Temple, Service and Thanksgiving with Elder Holland

Hey there guys!!

First off I just wanted to say thank you for all the letters, treats, and prayers! I love you all :) Second, if possible if you could use just Dear Elder and not email me back because I only have 30 minutes to read and type and I know mom likes to type alot ;) So unless it's short and sweet, please use Dear Elder so I can use my time telling you everything.

Well the week has been great! Elder Walker and I have been working hard hard hard!! We have been trying as much as we can teaching the first lesson to investigators, teachers, and other missionaries here at the MTC. It's amazing to see how much we learn and grow by just teaching. It's also amazing to see how much we learn in one day here during study times. We have also tried contacting people in Spanish and testifying to them in Spanish as well. It's way fun.

Today I just got back from a session at the Provo Temple. The spirit was great there as my district was all in the same session together. I couldn't help but cry when they prayed for us missionaries, and also when I stood in the Celestial Room watching each member of my district walk in. It was amazing and I can't wait to go next week.

Yesterday, Thanksgiving, was AWESOME!!!! The food in not as good as Mom's Thanksgiving meal but it was good. During the day we had service projects going on. The whole MTC made over 33,000 kits and backpacks for kids around the world who don't have anything of their own. In the morning, Elder Holland and his family came to the MTC and spoke at the devotional. It was so amazing. I learned a ton! Sister Holland spoke of Luke 12:8 which I'll leave you to read :) Then the Holland grandchildren sang a beautiful primary song. Then Elder Holland gave an amazing sermon! I've never heard a more powerful testimony from an Apostle before. He spoke of how if there was a symbol for our church, it would be two elders and two sisters. He also gave an account of the Savior's ministry and the Atonement. He said that the only reason we should think we are on missions is that so the Savior doesn't have to do it alone like He did on the cross and in the garden. It is our duty as Elders to confess His name to the world. He also spake of giving to the poor and how it's our obligation as man to give to the needy. He also yelled at us and said that we must not turn down using the opportunity in our lives to use the Atonement. If so he declared, "good luck to you and to me in our mission who crucify Christ afresh!!" The devotional was amazing and I can't wait till the next one :)

Anyways, yes, the Elders in my room are going to my same mission and report the same day as me. I am not allowed to wear braclets or chew gum so don't send me any of that. I will have to give that to all the children in Mexico says my Branch President :) This week I taught the district on the power of our calling. I will later teach them on the doctrine of conversion. I also have been preparing a talk in Spanish on the Atonement for this Sunday. Each Sunday they randomly select an Elder to give a talk in Spanish haha. Scary!

My schedule is similar and yet different everyday. I will have to explain this to you in my next email.

I love you all and can't wait to hear from you!!

Love,