E-Mail #59: We babtized Miguel Angel!!!

Whats up Mamma

What a good week! We babtized Miguel Angel!!! It was so good! We went back on Wednesday to see if he was ready. He said no. So we told him to pray and we would come back tomorrow. So we went back. He still didnt feel ready. So I told him okay well come back tomorrow to teach you more. I asked him if he could say the closing prayer he said..."I.... its just I know this Book is true and I ...I want to get babtized on Saturday." Wow! It was sweet!!! The power of the Book of Mormon is powerful!!! So he got babtized on Saturday! We sang that primary song "I like to look for rainbows" It was a really good babtismal service. Miguel Angel is really happy. The Branch President said that he wasnt going to go. So we planned it all on our own. Then he showed up 10 mins late and tried to run the whole show. I really dont like him! He told us EVERY little detail that we did wrong that wasnt in the book. It was stupid. But the point is is that he is got babtized and he's happy! Federico and Amalia went to the babtizm. So that was good! :)

Thats crazy about Dad! Thats good he is okay! Its cause Jesus is with you guys cause he is with me. :) Are you going to go to the temple when Adam goes? You should. I miss him. Well everyone.

I took my shoes to a bad place. The guy put a sole that is HUGE!!!!!!!!!!! They look so ugly!!! But the good part is that he only did the brown pair. So I will get the other pair done this week hopefully! I was so mad at that guy. I asked especially what sole he would put on. He did the wrong one. UGH! But they will work :)

I dont have that much time. But I love ya lots! Ill send pics :)

Baptism of Miguel Angel

January 28, 2012

We almost broke the font

Iri, Sugey, Hector, Miguel Angel, Xaltepec,

me, and Enrique

My branch

E-mail #58: We just have to work hard and love the people.

Whats up Mama!

So anyway back to the real world! Giants and the Patriots!!! Go giants!! I hate the patriots! I miss football so much!! Im a little disapointed in you. your going to go play tea party with your mom for super bowl sunday. Haha! I love ya moma! Just because Im not there. Haha!

So this week we have plans for 2 babtizm. We anncounced it in church and everything. For saturday. Then last night we went to check up an everyone. They both dont feel ready. Amalia. She is a widow. She is like 50. She said "Im going to get babtized in your church just not this saturday." She cant read so she doesnt have a testimony of the BOM. So were going to work on that this weeek. Then Migel Angel. He is 18. But very strange, nerdy and uptight kinda of guy. He wants to know EVERYTHING before he gets babtized. It was hard last night. But I was thinking and I said from the get go that im not here to babtize. Specially if there not ready. So were going to help them feel ready. I could presure them into doing it but thats stupid. Yuri dosnt want to get babtized. Her dad is HARDCORE catholic and said that if she gets babtized in the mormon church he will deny her as his daughter. Yuri is like 40 years old and can make her own decisions. Im so grateful that I have loving parents and if I want to change my religion you guys wouldnt deny me from the family. So its hard. Also Federico, the old guy that lived in the states for 26 years. He is married to a lady over there in Cali. So we first have to get him divorced and then married to the woman he is now with. Its very complicated! Elder Xaltepec was really depressed last night because, everyone is kinda of falling away. I told him that this happens alot. That we just have to work hard and love the people. Were doing good! But its hard!

So moma, I love ya lots! I miss ya tons! Its time to work now! I only have 9 months left! :) Tell Binny I said hi and I love her :)

Love, Mo

Good old missionary shoes --

well worn

Xaltepec, Migel Angel (the kid we want to babtize this saturday)

Me, and Enrique

Enrique, me, and Xaltepac

E-mail #57: The work is going!

Football! I watched like 1 min of the Broncos/Patriots! :) haha! It was the beginning and looked like a good game. Im sooooo glad there gone! I want it to be Ravens/Giants. That would be good! :) UGH!!!!! I miss football!!!!!!!!!!!!

So Jacob Bentz!!!! Sweet! Im gonna speak spanish for the rest of my life! I need to write Bentz! I miss that guy!

Elder Sedgwick. I dont know him. But he is brand new. Puerto Mortelos is the other side of Cancun. There is the Zona Playa del Carmen. I might meet him on Feb 1. There is a conference.

So we have this old guy. His name is Federico. He is 71. He is the mechanic. Hes so cool. I love his stories. He lived in LA and in Texas for 16 years. He speaks pretty good english. He is gonna get babtized on 28 of Jan. Im so excited for him! We are also teaching this kid that is 18. Its a friend of enrique. He is progressing really good! The work is going! Hopefully were going to babtize some people in the next few weeks! :) I dont have that much time. Sorry.

I love ya lots. Tell the old man I love him and want a letter soon. Tell binny that I love her :) Love ya lots moma! :)

Love, MO

This means

Eternal life, Jesus Christ

Xaltepac, me, and Hmo. Juan

This is Enrique

I'm trying to get him on a mission.

Chucho, Xaltepac, and me

Messing around.....

E-mail #56: Fabian got babtized on Oct 30, 2011.

I saw the paper this morning! I was pretty pissed that Broncos beat the steelers! Sounded like a good game!!! Ugh!!!! I hate the Broncos!!! I want the super bowl to be Ravens and Giants! :) That would be good!

We had 2 people come to church this Sunday. An old guy that knows how to speak English. He lived in Cali and Texas. He is a Mechanic. He is a really cool old guy. Chucho and Enrique are teenagers in my Branch. Chucho is a convert of Palacios. Their good kids! They come to appointments with us all the time! I love them. Chucho has a sister that is pretty cute. But thats a no no HAHA! We also had a friend of Enrique that we're teaching come to church. He is progressing really well. He has a date to be babtized on the 28th. The work is going good! Elder Xaltepec is doing good too. Its a lil hard for him. He needs to have more confidence in himself. He thinks he doesnt know anything. Then he freezes up and dosnt know what to say. Were learning though. I think I need to be more strict with him. But you know me Im not like that. Im going to try to me a lilttle more strict. He is also having a hard time sleeping in his hammock. I feel kinda bad for him LOl!

Today Im sending off letters for Grandmas and Tom and Uncle Jimmy and Haji. I need some money to get my shoes re done. There falling apart. It cost like 150 peso ($15-$20) Im gonna do 2 pairs. My brown and my black. Please send some money. That 20 bucks from Kirby and Kathy will work :)

So I have a change of plans....
The Xoocs came to visit me. Ugh! It was sooo nice. They love me!!! :) Fabian got babtized on Oct 30, 2011. They are going to the temple Oct 30, 2012. The day that Im supposed to go home is 19 of October. I really want to go to the sealing. Fabian told me that when the missionaries asked who he wanted to babtize him, he said Elder Mayberry. But the elders said I was to far. I think I could have gotten permission from Pres to go babtize him. But they didnt even try! :( But they are going to the temple in Oct. So what I was thinking is if I come home first. Which would be cool to do the whole airport thing. Then come back with you, me, and dad. We'll go to all my areas and go to the temple with the Xoocs. Tell me what you think. I REALLYYYYY want to go to this sealing! :) So I learned alot tho. That really Im not here to babtize. Im here to change lives. I changed Fabians life. Because I was who I was and loved him. The gospel is true. But it works when it wants to not when we want it to.

Ahh Momma. Your wonderful! Thats why everyone loves me. Its because they love you first! Just keep that smile on and work hard. There are people here that would die to have your job! Your lucky that you have one. Be happy. You make a differnce in there lives. Pretty soon, all these kids will be graduating high schiool. Crzy! Dont worry Be happy! Or as missionaries say. Be happy be mormon. :) I love ya lots momma! I am thinking about how much time I have left. Thats not good. I still have so much time left! But before you know it I'll be home :) Let me know what you and dad think about me coming home first and then us coming back.. :) Love ya Mom

Love, MO

Fabian and me

The Xooc's

We helped someone move some dirt.

They were like...

The White boy can work !!!

Amilia

one of our investigators

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A note from Mom:
Now that is really something. Fabian is the son in law of the Xooc family -- which was Chad's first area. I pulled this up from our first phone call in December 2010.

* The Xooc family that he spoke about -- the son in law, father of the 7 year old, has been investigating the church since the girl was born. But - he has not liked the way the missionaries push him. So - Chad told him that he just wanted to be his friend, didn't care if he set a baptism date, just wanted to help him and his family. The guy really likes Chad, and wants him to teach him. Chad told Elder Ortiz that they are going to have to try a different approach with him. This is perfect for him. I can't wait to see what happens.

Later Chad wrote that Fabian wasn't interested in the gospel -- but they were still friends and he really loved him. Chad's style made a difference with this guy -- and that is REALLY cool !!Love it Love it Love it !!!

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E-Mail #55: We taught LOTS! We had 5 people go to church!!!

Whats up Momma!

Wow what a crazy GOOD week! This whole training thing is a big deal! Its a little different than I thought! But its fun! Elder Xaltepec (Shaltepec) is a good kid. He doesnt talk that much. Yesterday he cried a little bit. He is stressed cause he doesnt think he knows enough info to teach or talk to people. Haha! I gave him a little bit of my testimony about that one. He'll be alright tho! I really miss Elder Palacios. Life goes on.

This week was really good! We taught LOTS! We had 5 people go to church!!! We had to speak in church on sunday. The 2nd counselor told us saturday night that he needed us to speak. No biggie. My talks now are all free talk. Maybe I can do it when I get back in english...probably not haha! This week I had a super cool experience. Tuesday night we taught a lady and her husband about the sabbath day. We gave her Mosiah 13 to read for her homework. We went back the next day. She said she read but that she was mad. Because it says you cant have false images. She said "I believe in the virgin. I have soooo much faith in her" I told her well sister it says right here in YOUR bible, that you cant have them. She said I just cant let her go. I told her to pray about it. So the next morning in my personal study, I started with a prayer and asked for some help to find a scripture about the virgin! Haha! ...i didnt find one! I read Mosiah 3. I was sharing what I read in the morning with my companion, like every morning. There is a scripture that talks about repenting and having faith. Because nobody can save children caus there already saved. So.... we went back the next day. I shared a scripture from 3 nephi that just says you can only pray to god in the name of christ. She didnt get it yet. But then! It came to my mind that scripture in mosiah 3. The sister started to cry and said im confused. Because it makes sense to me that we need to be babtized NOT as children. I told her that the spirt is telling you that this is true! I shared my experience with her. It was so cool!!! She came to church for the first time on sunday! She has known the missionaries for 3 months and has NEVER went! I learned a lot that day! That we can receive revelations. I used to not really believe in that stuff! But its true! It was cool!

New Years was good! I bought fire works and chucho and enrique and me lit some off!! We had to be in the house at 8 in the night time. There was a fight outside of our house. Some guy got his hand cut off with a machete! Haha CRAZY!!!

Football!!!! I want the ravens to win the super bowl. That sucks that the freaken broncos are still going! For the first time in my life I want the steelers to win! Haha! Good ol dolphins. Tell bryan congrats! Haha!

So I guess im only like 15 min from my first area in Puerto Morelos. The Xooc familia are coming to visit me tomorrow! Im soo excited!!!!

We have lots of people to teach right now. Im very grateful! :)

I miss steak! Itailian food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is none here!ª!!!!! Other than those 2 things Im good!ª O and monster! Cant wait to drink one with you on the beach here in cancun! :)

I gotta go! Love ya!!!

All "Chargered" up

with my socks, tie, and football.

A true miracle

Chad singing.......

Christmas tree in Merida

I was Santa .....

Passing out Book of Mormons

on the street

It was so hot.....

I melted