3 Agosto 2015

This last weekend I was going between super happy and super bummed. Super happy because the BALLESTEROS GARZA FAMILY GOT BAPTIZED and bummed because I was leaving. I talked with my companion about it and he said basically "Well, it's no use getting down about it." And I told him "Shut up, let me be miserable." But I knew he was right.

Then we woke up without water this morning and had to go to the house of the Bellavista elders about 15 minutes away and while Elder Briggs was in the shower, Elder Resendiz from the offices called his best friend Elder Vielma (one of the Bellavista elders) to tell him about the transfers ahead of time (no rules were technically broken). So this is what's going to happen this transfer:

I'M STAYING HERE! WOOOOOO!

I spent the last week taking my camera around to take photos with all the members and investigators that I was going to miss, but it turns out I'm not even leaving. SWEET! So now I really have no reason to get bummed. Even better, one of our troublesome elders is leaving and getting replaced by someone whose nickname is "the next bednar" because he's an awesome missionary (I knew him since the last time he was in Monclova, I haven't left yet...) and kinda looks like a really short Elder Bednar. Downside, our really troublesome companionship is not leaving and they're going for their third transfer together. One of them is just about to finish up one year in the mission, he's in his second area with his third companion. For anyone who doesn't speak mission language, that's super unusual and unfortunately his companions have not exactly been exemplary.

But oh well. We're super happy about this transfer.

So yeah, the Mayela and her kids got baptized! She, true to form, had an out-of-this-world spiritual manifestation in her baptism, came up weeping out of the water. And Pedro had to be baptized twice--something we thought he might try to do but he swears it wasn't on purpose--and Rocio only had to be dunked once--something we were worried about because she's deathly afraid of the water. I'll send pictures today of the baptism. Mayela's mother-in-law came to the baptism because she's an investigator from Guadalupe, the other zone leaders in Monclova and she's really super interested as well.

Then the next day in church was awesome, her father came and LOVED the church (he lives in our area and is just about the same as Mayela as far as temperament and openness) and then we went to their house and watched the video of the Restoration with them and he LOVED it and we gave him a book of mormon and he LOVED it and promised to read it. Basically, speaking just in terms of numbers, I think we struck a gold mine when my companion decided to knock Mayela's door. Speaking about the people, I love them so much and leaving that house last night thinking I wasn't coming back was the ugliest feeling I've had in a long time.

Maribel didn't come to church this week. We're going to have to talk really sternly to her about htat.

Also Antonio didn't come to church again, which that's going on five weeks. He's so just awesome, but if he wants to progress, he has to come. He's got to figure something out with his work to be able to come to church.

Maricela also didn't come. She had a commitment at her own church, but she is fully intending to come this week. Every time we think maybe she's not too interested, she invites friends over to listen to us and rants about just how awesome she feels in the Mormon church. She just feels committed into doing things in her programs at the other one. Interesting note, we mentioned in a lesson about the restoration that the church of Christ has been restored (go figure) but she mentioned something: this Christian church that she goes to preaches that the restoration is real, it just hasn't happened yet. They're waiting for a restoration the same way the Pharisees were waiting for the Messiah.

Funny story from the week: after the baptism we went to empty the font which included turning on an electric pump. We went, turned it on and waited for the water to start coming out. We walked back and forth a little just seeing why the water didn't start. Then Elder Briggs mentioned that he thought he remembered one like this and that we just needed to pour a little water in the little spigot on top. So we tried it. At first nothing, then just a little sputter out of the spigot (we wanted it to come out through the hose on the bottom), then it started gurgling more and then suddenly GEYSER! I was right next to it and got pretty soaked. I even tried turning the knob on the spigot one direction then the other and then back again when neither direction worked. Finally I figured out that if I put in in the middle the water stopped. Sweet, I'm wet but at least the water's going down. "Do you want to wait until it's done draining, or do you want to come back after an hour to turn it off, or do you just want to ask Bellavista to turn it off (they live right by the church)?" "Hm...I dunno." Awkward silence. "Didn't Bellavista want us to leave the font full?" "....Oh yeah." So we went back and stopped it. Oh well. It was fun.

We started teaching a lady who was kicked out of the Catholic church and left the Jehovah's Witnesses. Let me leave very clear how uncommon it is to be kicked out of the Catholic church here: I've never heard of it happening before. I didn't realize it was possible. Turns out she had too many questions and they got tired of her puzzling the priest and kicked her out. Then she was with the Jehovah's Witnesses until the woman that brought her to the church in the first place suddenly renounced God completely. So yep. She accepted the baptismal invitation and says she wants to come to church. We'll see what happens this week.

That's what I have for this week! And six more weeks to go here in Frontierrita! (that's the nickname for Frontera.)

Elder Taylor

Bautismo de la Familia Ballesteros Garza!

Mexican "in case of fire"

Maribel, her friend whose I name escapes me, my companion, and Naité. It looks awkward how my companion is standing, but we promise no rules were broken while taking this photo.

The Cathedral of San Buenaventura, a BEAUTIFUL little Mexican village outside of Frontera. The angle is kinda wonky with the sun and everything, but it couldn't be helped. If I go back I'll get a better one.

from left to right: me, Mayela's dad, Angela (the little one and she's a terror), Rocío, Pedro Alonso (they are twins), Mayela, Emiliano, Elder Briggs