Mexico Week 69: Being a Positive Influence

Dear Family,

I cannot even believe that I will be with y’all in 2 weeks!  Seriously, it doesn’t even feel real. Kind of makes me nervous! It will be a whole new adventure at home.

Rain Season has officially begun in Mexico.  I am putting the boots to good use! It doesn’ t matter how sunny it is in the morning … you can never leave the house unprepared!

Okay story time!!

Hermana Claudia is precious. We visited her this week and she tells us that they’ve started praying as a family!!  We have like a month and a half inviting them to do it and they started!  She said that it brings them so much peace and how awesome is that?!  She also told us a story.  She said that she went to the market to buy cheese and other things and she asked for a tiny bit of cheese and paid her 5 pesos and went to the next stand.  She told us that when she got home, she realized that they had given her more than 5 pesos worth of cheese.  She said, “I just felt bad, usually this kind of thing doesn’t even bother me before, but I couldn´t get it out of my mind!  I went back and explained the situation and we worked it out.”  We talked to her about the Holy Ghost and how he is always going to guide her now that He’s her constant companion.  She really is changing!!  She also tells me, “Hermana Rawe, we’re going to talk on Skype after you go home!  We’re going to put you on the big screen here!”  Ha! Ha!  I was so excited and just love them too much.

This week her son left on a month long trip to Tijuana, but he’s been praying and he took his Book of Mormon with him. I told him I’d see his baptism pictures on Facebook.  Ha! Ha!  But really, I know he’s going to progress too!

We’ve also been working with an investigator named Teresa.  She is super shy, but so sweet.  Her prayers are always so sincere and right to the point.  We taught her this week about the Law of Chastity and she was eating it up, that same day she talked with her spouse and they made plans to save money and to get married within the next month and a half.  She loves to learn and she’s been reading the Book of Mormon too. She is one of those special people and she always asks me, “You’re not leaving yet right?”  I keep telling her no, not yet.  No worries!

Yesterday we visited a less active family. They have been wanting to come back to church.  They asked us to teach them how to do Family Home Evening. We took lots of pictures of temples to their home and talked about temples and eternal families. We played the game Headbandz but with church terms and everyone was laughing and having fun. They really opened up with us and they are even more excited to get back to church. They’ve only been members for a couple of years and they’ve been inactive for a year. They are too sweet!

So right now, the Elder that baptized them is living with them, but last night they started telling us that he’s not really the best influence for their kids and they’re worried. I was completely shocked.  I starting thinking about how important my example is for the people I have taught in Mexico.  I always want to be worthy of their trust and that they see that I live the gospel even after my mission!  It is not that different than being a Laurel, or being a Youth Camp Leader at Girls Camp.  The younger girls look up to us ... if we are negative, they will be negative.  If we break the rules, they will think it is okay for them to not follow the rules.  It is so important that we always try to be a positive influence on each other!

I’ve been thinking a lot about everyone that I’ve met on my mission. They are all so special to me and I just want to put them all in one big room and see all of them before I leave for home!  At the beginning of my mission, I missed my home and family in Texas.  Now, I miss my home and family in Tlaquepaque … my home and family in Cruz del Sur.  I still can’t believe I’m almost leaving here.

We need to move on to happier topics … this makes me cry!  Ha! Ha!  We had a Ward activity on Saturday for Father’s Day and it was a hit!  The Relief Society was dancing and the Young Women and it was just too funny!  Speaking of this ... Dad, Happy Father’s Day!  You know how much I love you and I can’t wait to hug you soon!  Thanks for teaching me what love is!

The Lozano family gave talks and their 15 year old talked about patience.  Poor thing starts sobbing saying how surprised she was that her parents were so patient with her because she’s done bad things and she’s made things so hard for them but they’re always there.  Her parents have expressed a few worries about her and we’ve written notes and given talks to them and I just love their family a lot and Jenny made me cry.  She came down from the pulpit and her dad gave her a huge hug and I just thought about Heavenly Father.  He also loves and forgives us and is so patient.

Hermana Ramírez asked us to help in Primary because none of the teachers showed up. We taught the older kids about the Good Shepherd and it was so fun. We helped them sing their song and pass out their notes to their dads in Elder’s Quorum.  I just love being with the kids.

I feel stronger and uplifted and I know that Heavenly Father is right there.  I feel uplifted and I KNOW that the sacrament is essential.  I would never survive without it!  I love this gospel.  I love the church. I love Jesus Christ.  I love my companion and I know she’s trying too.  I love those short few moments we have when I tell her I love her, or write her a note, or we talk about the Atonement.  I treasure those short moments and I’m trying to be more loving and patient and do what the Lord has asked me to do with the right attitude.  I love my President who is my hero and sends the most amazing emails.  Second only to my dad!  I love the Elders and Hermanas here in Uruapan. I love our investigators and I love our Ward. I’m happy, struggling, but happy and learning to dance in the storms.  Love you all to the moon and back!!

See y’all soon!!

Mexico Week 50 -- Ups and Downs

Buenas Tardes to my sweet family!  This week was filled with ups and downs! 

First things first, the pictures! 

This week yours truly, the sister missionaries of Tlaquepaque planned and hosted Ward FHE this week. We decided to talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ but made up some games. We split up into four teams and started out with faith. We decorated a box and filled it with lots of things and they had to have faith that the chosen object was in the box even though they couldn’t see it! The first team to find the object moved on to repentance. They had to completely cover one person with toilet paper! Get it .. white .. becoming a new person .. It was great!  Then they moved on to baptism and we renew our baptismal covenants by taking the sacrament. One person from their team had to eat a pretty large piece of bread and drink a whole bottle of water. Don’t ask me why one team chose the only girl on the team to do that challenge!  Ha! Ha!   Then we moved on to the Holy Ghost where they had to go back to back and walk from one side of the room to the other because we have to trust and lean on the Spirit’s guidance. Then we ended with endure to the end. We started out saying the first team with someone that could hula-hoop for 30 seconds.  After about 10 minutes of total failure and a lot of laughing, we said the first team with someone who lasted 3 seconds. Some of our recent converts went and we were all laughing too hard. It was a good night and although we were few in number, the Spirit was strong and little by little we can be more unified and help our investigators, less active members, and recent converts to progress. 

Speaking of hula-hoops ... this is our new exercise regime in the morning! Haha, the two of us laughing and hula hooping and it really does make you sore! 

This week we traveled to Cruz del Sur again because I had to sign Visa documents, but it was worth it when we found this painting waiting for the bus. I LOVED IT! 

Today we had a zone activity! We got there a little late but we decorated a paper for how we can increase our faith this week, played some minute to win it games and had a potluck.  Let me just say, potluck is so interesting when you’re all poor missionaries!

The older hermana is Hermana Tere. She has years in the church but for about two years hasn’t been going in order to take care of her husband. I have 6 months visiting her and seeing that she is so strong and so faithful, but she just missed going to church. One day she told us that things were going to change and that she had made some pretty big decisions. She now has two weeks going to church! She is too sweet. 

The little boy is Sammy! Ah, he’s one of our favorites. We’ve been working a lot so that his parents can become active again and this past weekend his mom went to the temple! His parents are taking the temple prep classes so that they can be sealed as an eternal family! 

This week we worked a lot with Hermano Victor! He has a couple living with him and well the husband is never there, but the wife is super sweet! This week we taught the restoration and about keeping the sabbath day holy. It has been so awesome to watch Hermano Victor share his testimony. I kind of felt guilty for not saying anything when we got here and the baptism was all planned and I kind of doubted how ready he was, but he is so great and so special. He needs a lot of help and we are right there with him in his conversion process. But wow, he does have a testimony! One day we were teaching and he says, “Hermanas, you bring the strongest Spirit here!  I don’t know if you feel it (he says to his friend) but I do and wow, y’all are strong.” It made us feel pretty great and we are going to keep working with them! 

Hermano Jose and Hermana Elsa went to the temple for the first time! Woo! Hoo! It’s a little frustrating as they felt lost and like no one was helping them out, but little by little they’ll get the groove down! It’s serious that we have to come in December because Hermana Elsa just tells me, All of the missionaries say they will come, but then you get back to your normal life and well, it just doesn’t happen!  We have to go to Hermano Oscar’s temple sealing. Oh and Hermana Elsa told us that the daughter of Hermano Oscar got baptized this past Saturday, she and I have the same age.  How awesome is that!

This week it was a little hard to find people at home and we got a little discouraged a few times, but decided to be productive in our long days in the street.  Let’s just say I almost know all of the Articles of Faith in Spanish.  Ha! Ha!  I know that the Lord tries us and patience will be my lifelong battle. I have been trying so hard as a missionary to be patient and humble because I know that they are major weaknesses of mine. I feel like the Lord is helping me to improve so much but also that I’m still lacking a lot!  Good thing we have a whole mortal life to be better and better and better. 

We’re going to end with the happiest news!! The other picture of me at church is with Hermana Judith! She is our golden investigator! We taught her about the importance of reading the scriptures and praying every day and she says, “Now I get it. The Lord kind of tests of right? We all have so much to do and are busy, but He wants to know if we take time for Him. I know I can find time every day to be reading.”  Wow, right?!  We started teaching her about the gospel of Jesus Christ and she really does just soak it all up! She has such a strong desire to repent and to keep learning. The bishop asked her in gospel principles how she’s felt in her time with the missionaries and she said that every day she was more and more convinced. We are so proud of her and absolutely love teaching her!

I love the Lord and I love what I’m doing. It tests and tries me every week but every week I feel like I’ve grown. I love y’all so much and you’re always in my prayers!

Mexico Week 29 -- No Cambios

To all of my favorites!

Well first things first...no changes this transfer! Hermana Malacara and I will be working our tails off here still in Tlaquepaque!

Also, did you know that I opened my mission call about a year ago? Where in the world is the time going?

For September 11^th this week we said a special prayer and we sang the Star Spangled Banner.  I taught my companion the song! :)

Also, we bought so much fruit today! I live off this stuff that we buy so cheap in the little markets! They’re called tianguis.

This is Hermana Zulem. She’s an ex missionary in the ward and she absolutely loves us!

Funny story ... so people actually think I’m talented!  What is that about?  One of our less active members asked me if I ever sang in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  Ha! Ha! Sometimes these people here really crack me up.

I hope you love this BEAUTIFUL shirt. One of the recent converts in the ward is from Pueblo. She is adorable and we eat with her a lot. Her mom makes these shirts and one of the ones she sent didn’t fit her so she gave it to me!

Oh and we also got SOAKED this week! Ahh! We were working with a member and it starts sprinkling a little bit. Sidebar, I’m the only one with an umbrella. We are visiting a family and they’re not home. All of the sudden it starts pouring. Us, the member, and her 4 year old daughter are all crowded under one umbrella just getting soaked. We decide to make a run for it and then the family shows up! We are all laughing and just soaking wet!  What a night!  Then it starts hailing and wow, just crazy for a couple hours!

Mom, I wanted to thank you for the talks you sent me about hymns. They truly are sacred and powerful and I have felt it in my life. I set a goal to begin every spiritual experience (family prayer and scripture study, FHE, visiting teaching visits, Sunday school, everything) with a hymn that focuses on the topic. I am also going to study music after the mission, maybe some easy classes in BYU or something! Sacred music has power and I am going to fill my home with it and sing to my kids and everything. I have already witnessed the power this week. We started planning hymns for our lessons and also sometimes we sing during the lesson if we feel it. We have had some amazing spiritual experiences in lessons this week with hymns.

We also went to the temple this week! YAY! I truly have missed the temple. I think I was teary eyed through the whole session, I felt the spirit so strong and Heavenly Father told me that I get to be a wife and mom so that was exciting! At the end we were in the celestial room. Well before that, I loved doing a session in Spanish and Heavenly Father helped me understand just about everything. I felt the most incredible spirit. It truly is a little piece of heaven. I started praying to my Heavenly Father and I made Him some promises. He testified to me where I can improve but He also told me He’s proud of me because I love people.  He’s proud of my desire to obey and do what’s right. He will always be by my side because He’s my Father. Everyone else from the session left and it was just our zone there. One of the temple workers tells us we have five more minutes and then we need to leave.  I wasn’t quite ready for that!  After the mission, I will be a regular temple attender.

Remember our single mom from last week?  Well she just keeps blowing us away! We taught the whole Restoration this week and she says ¨how beautiful, I just feel such a peace.¨ My testimony just flooded out about how much this was going to bless her family She is so incredible. She sleeps three hours a day and she just looks absolutely exhausted! She got the kids settled watching Frozen and Genes starts dancing around with a white blanket on her head singing, ¨Let it Go, Let it Go¨. We were all about dying laughing. As we were leaving, her husband called to say he’s bringing a pizza over. She starts telling the girls to clean up because he gets really mad and she gives me the saddest smile and says ¨Yayy, Daddy’s coming over¨. She just blows my mind. She has such a pure heart and I just want to help her. I want to help her find the blessings of the gospel.

This week ... more real talk with my companion.  The truth is, I wasn’t feeling so hot at the end of this week and the frustration came a little quicker than usual. We start talking it out and she said a few things basically that she thought I would get mad. I think it was the most sincere apology I think I have ever given in my life. I told that I was sorry if I ever made her feel like I would react like that. She gets really quiet for about 5-7 minutes and tells me that she feels like a burden for our mission. We started talking some more.  What a pep talk! We talked about confidence and trusting in the Lord and learning how to depend on Him now because we can’t start a pattern for our lives of giving up. I gave her the Heidi, “What can you learn from this?” and “How can you use this experience to become stronger?” talk. You would be so proud of me!

I felt flooded with so much love for her. She hasn’t always been treated the best at home, and she just needs so much love. My love has grown so much as I thought about this past transfer. Sometimes it’s really hard, but I know that my Heavenly Father is teaching me so much. We have to look forward and not backward, we have to have faith, we have to learn from everything that happens to us and keep moving forward. I thought I knew it, but I am learning even more how important it is that we watch how we talk to each other. We can either build a person up and help their confidence grow, or we can destroy them just by the words we use.  It starts when we are just kids.  We know when we are loved and we know when we are scared of the people who should love us.  I am learning how to help build confidence through showing love .. and more love .. and more love.  

I love my mission. I have never been more frustrated, tired, or happy in my entire life. It’s the hardest and the best thing I’ve ever done. I love my Father in Heaven and how much He teaches us every day. I want these changes I am making to be permanent. I love you all as my family. I thank my Father in Heaven every day for the blessing that you are and the way that I was raised.

Keep pushing forward! Don’t throw pity parties! Confide in the Lord and become stronger every day. I love you and I’m praying for you all!

Mexico Week 25 -- Go! Go! Go, Joseph!

To all of my favorite people in the world! 

In all honesty, this week was a little rougher. We are really struggling to find people to teach and visit.  We are walking .. walking .. walking for days! I have a great story that will make you all laugh! So I end up with these big blisters, one under each ball of my foot, right? One day we’re walking and they’re really killing me. All of the sudden POP! There goes one! Pus filled sock and I’m wimpering in the street, but we’re missionaries and so we keep going! About 10 minutes later POP! There goes the other one and I begin wimpering in the street again. Ha! Ha!  All I could think was que bueno que I wasn’t a pioneer!  Seriously, I think I would have died half way!

There is a WalMart in my area .. I have never been so excited to enter a WalMart in my life!!  Seriously, it is HEAVEN!!

My area is also so beautiful. The whole area isn’t like these pictures, but really, it’s beautiful! We also found some Mariachi band members today! 

Okay, now for the good stuff. This precious señora is the mom of one of our less active members we found this week. She has Alzheimer’s and is literally my favorite. She reminds me a lot of working in the nursing homes when I was in high school! She always holds my hand and is always talking. Sometimes during lessons, she just puts her head on my shoulder. Her daughter is a member and literally loves to learn. She’s also a nurse! She took care of her dad until he died and now she’s been taking care of her mom.  She’s starting to get worse as the disease progresses and can’t go to church. She says all is good, but she just has this look sometimes like she’s just sad. It stuck with me all week and we need to really work and pray so we can find out how to help her! 

We found another less active member that also just needs a lot of help. She wants to come back to church and I honestly love working with those that have stopped going. They have testimonies, sometimes they just help to repent, or they need someone to listen, or they just need representatives of the Lord to help them out. I love it. 

The Lord always has a purpose. I have started reading the Bible and remember how the Old Testament always put me to sleep? Well now I’m kind of loving it! I have been reading about Joseph this week.  True confessions, I’ve been singing the Donny Osmond songs from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! Ha! Ha!  It really helps my study when my brain breaks out in song part way through the scripture .. Go! Go! Go! Joseph, you know what they say! Go! Go! Go! Joseph, you’ll make it someday!

But really, there are some verses where we says to his brothers, you guys didn’t send me here (to Egypt). God sent me here, He had a purpose, you guys aren’t guilty of anything. God needed me here to interpret these dreams and prepare us for the famine. First things first, he spent two years (well probably more) in jail for something he didn’t even do. Can you imagine that type of patience? That type of long suffering? I feel like the Lord really worked on him there and helped him prepare for more of what was to come in his life. Then he’s face to face with brothers and completely forgives them, saying that they’re not guilty of anything. He looks for the hand of the Lord and eventually understood the plan. I think we should be more like that. He is my new hero! I really am going to accomplish my goal of reading the whole Bible in the mission! 

We visited another less active member. We have gone by there two or three times and they don’t receive us, or they’re not home or stuff like that. We had been walking for a long time and I just started praying.  Praying that they would open the door, praying that they would receive us. We knocked and after a long time, her son opened. Then about ten minutes later she came downstairs and was kind of mad because she had been resting and started telling us everything she didn’t like about the church. We started talking about our Heavenly Father and her whole face changed. She tells us that she felt hope like we had planted a little seed and told us when she would be home and everything. She tells us, it’s really a miracle you found me here today and even more of a miracle that we opened the door and I came downstairs. My son never answers the door, and I had no intention of getting up, but something made me get up. WOW! The Lord does work with us. 

I love you lots and you're always in my prayers!! Love you almost as much as the Lord does!