8 Junio 2016

Well....I hit the one year mark this week. Good grief.

Here's a brief report of the past year:

Area 1: Aurora 2, Saltillo. Companions Elder Alcala, Elder Carpio. 5 Baptisms

Area 2: Aeropuerto 1, Monclova. Companions Elder Muñoz, Elder Vasquez, Elder Tamo, 2 Baptisms

Area 3: Frontera 1, Frontera. Companion Elder Stensrud. 2 Baptisms, 1 Pending

I'm going to hit 10 baptisms this next week (Lucy didn't want to do it this week for health problems) and I've baptized in every area up to this point, one goal that I had coming out on the mission. Woo!

This week was a little rattling because of a lot of things. We had another Leadership Conference in Saltillo and they went over a lot of things that they said basically "These are basic things that everybody should know and be doing." And I thought, "Oh crap, I don't do those things." So that was uncomfortable. Good news is I came back with a huge long list of things to work on.

But while I was down there I heard about something. Carlitos Alvarez is dying. Apparently the doctors told him and his family he has very little time left. We knew it was coming, but I don't think anyone thought it was going to be so soon. I wrote them a quick letter and asked Elder Alcala to take it to them (he's the Zone Leader down there in Valle de las Flores) reminding them about the resurrection, about faith, and about the promise that they will one day be an eternal family. And then I reminded them of an experience we had together in a lesson when we taught them about the Plan of Salvation. In that moment I felt prompted to have them close their eyes and imagine themselves, the whole family, dressed in white with perfect bodies that can't be harmed or get sick. The spirit filled the room and I remember asking Hermano Alvarez what he felt and he just smiled and said, "La gloria."

I hope Carlos gets better and can have the life that all the doctors said he would never have. But I know that that is probably not what God has planned for him. His sickness was what brought his family to the gospel. Now they're in and strong, and because of his sickness, he cannot progress anymore. It may be his time to go on to the next realm where he can progress and fulfill his eternal purposes, where he can have callings and serve the Lord without physical limitations. I just hope his family can understand that.

Speaking of them, I had a dream this week that was really weird. I dreamed that Hermano Alvarez ran into me and so we started talking. Then he says he met a friend of mine and says that his name was Michael Carpenter. Then I ask him which one because I know a few and he takes out a photo of his wife smiling and doing thumbs up with Michael Carpenter, the one that I was drum major with. And I thought, "That's strange" and then woke up. The weirdest thing of that dream was how REAL it felt. But I don't think anything like that is going to happen. That would be TOO weird.

A new investigator came to church this week. He was a guy we met in the Barboza family's home; actually the same day we met them. Turns out he'd been going to church earlier as a youth but never got baptized because his parents wouldn't let him. We hadn't gone back to visit him since then, but then this Saturday we were walking around trying to find people at home and unoccupied (which is always a struggle on Saturday) and the thought came to mind to go visit Luis, this guy that we met a couple weeks ago. We went and found his home (which is HUGE and he lives alone) and asked if we could come in and he said he hadn't cleaned up recently so it would be better if we came back later (which usually means people aren't interested). So then we just invited him to church and set an appointment to come back later on Sunday.

AND THEN HE SHOWED UP TO CHURCH! The best part (even though he came with about 10 minutes left of testimony meeting) was after the first hour when several people who remembered him from earlier came up and said hi to him (which was key I think because he's rather socially awkward). He started bawling. When my companion asked him about it, he said it was just because he felt so good.

And the heat is starting in earnest now. AAAAAAAAAHHHH! It reminds of a moment I had in Aeropuerto when i was talking with a family about where some of my other friends on missions in Mexico went. When I finished naming places like Guadalajara, Pachuca, Mexico City, and Cuernavaca, the hermana looked at me hard and asked "What did you do? You certainly landed in the ugliest place." Oh joy.

Other news: President Rodriguez gave us an hour and a half to write on mondays, starting this week. YAY! So I'll start being able to write a little more.

Family vacation sounds like fun this year with Grandma in Oregon. Diviertanse!

And at least dad's wearing shorts. That's a definite progress.

Of course I remember Elder Garcia! The poor kid that went through that 3 hour lesson with Sister Marcum with us!

Well, that should be all. Nos vemos en cachito menos de un año!

Elder Taylor