I'm 19 Now

 We put a party sign up in our house for my birthday, but no one came :(

This was a pretty average week so be prepared for a pretty average letter. 

For this week one of the big highlights for me was that our Bishop took us to visit the Menonitas!!! (the Germans who moved here and have farms and make the best cheese ever) They live like 45 minutes away from Dublan, but because there isnt any church closer they are all a part of my area! We pretty much just drove around and looked at everything and then went and visited some stores, also I got some of them to wave at me, which doesn't happen because they only wave to other Menonitas, so the bishop said they thought we were Germans... 

A house from the Menonita Camp.

Later that week, on Friday I turned 19 years old, which was pretty cool, but a very normal day. Me and Elder Riding had to celebrate in the house by eating pancakes for breakfast. But the coolest part about this birthday is that i get to spend the entire year being a missionary and that's the best present I got. 

This sunday our investigator, Angelica, came to church and that was such a blessing. She lives about 20+ minutes away by car from the church, and didn't know where it was. Elder Riding and I had about given up waiting for her to come, because it was about 2 min. till the services started. But then I got a text from her that said, "estoy perdido" which means I'm lost. Elder Riding and I sprinted out of the church called her and in about 10 short minutes she was at church. It was great to see her there! And it seemed like she really enjoyed it!. 

That's about it for this week! I hope you all have an awesome week this week!

Love, 

Elder St John

We watched a chicken fight at a member's house because its the closest thing to a Jackie Chan movie we can watch.

Milestones

Enjoying a delicious chicken.

This week has gone by soo fast, I feel like yesterday I wrote you guys about getting transfered to Lomas and I just finished a month and a half here! But i have just hit a few big milestones I´d like to tell you about. 

So I've seen 2 of my 4 sessions of general conference.

This Friday I will have my first of two birthdays. 

In a short month I will have used two of my four video calls to my family.

This Thursday will be one year from when I opened my mission call.

All these things and probably more are happening right now, and it feels like i just left the MTC. It really is crazy to believe how fast time is going here. I just thought those would be cool to share with you all this week to show you how much I've accomplished. 

This week was a very normal week, we are still trying to find more people to teach and still trying to bring them to church. But I know that soon the Lord will bless us here in Lomas and that it will all start getting better. 

This Sunday I had a cool experience, so I was feeling a little down yesterday because we had a really good investigator not show up to church and later cancel the appointment that we had later that day and I was feeling a little discouraged and started focusing on the negatives. Then I started feeling even more down, realizing that that was not ok I decided to say a prayer and try to change how I felt. A few seconds later we contacted an old man walking in the street.  He later let us into his house to talk to him, and even though he didn't really seem like someone who could progress or that even wanted to progress, visiting with him cheered me up a ton. Then right after we left his house we saw his neighbor (a member) watering her plants, and we talked to her for a little bit and she made me feel even better! I know this isn't that cool of a story but it was a HUGE blessing that I saw this week.  It was God giving me exactallly what I needed to help me keep going. 

I'm sorry this was a short letter, but I love you all tons and will try to have something even cooler happen this week to tell you about. 

Love,

Elder St John

A house I thought looked kind of cool. 

Another house I thought was cool, feat. Elder Riding.

Lomas Pt. 2, Featuring Elder Riding

The wind was really strong on Saturday.

This past week was awesome! We had a lot more work than usual and found some super awesome people! 

Monday was just a normal P-day. 

Tuesday we had a Family History activity as a district and we brought a lot of people to the Family History Center and it was super cool! 

Wednesday we did the contacting activity again in a different area. and we also contacted a few references we got from when we did it in our area and found some pretty good investigators.

Thursday we found another awesome person to teach and he is awesome.

Friday was just a normal day and we had pancakes for breakfast.

Saturday was super cool because we found two new investigators that are super cool. And the whole day was really good. In the morning we went to go contact the house for a reference but ended up contacting the wrong house. But it turns out that a member lived there and she gave us three references in the five minutes we were there. We decided that we might have been led to her house for a reason, so we went and contacted them right away. The first house there was no one, but the second house we found a really nice old woman whose husband had died about seven months ago. She let us in and we talked to her for a little, and Elder Riding and I both agreed that she was the reason that we had been lead to the wrong house. 

Sunday we contacted ANOTHER reference we had received. Do you guys remember how Section Hidalgo is like an hour and a half walking distance; this reference is about 3 km away from there.. so it's really far... But we got a ride, and had a member help us teach her, and she is AMAZING.  We think she is really, really ready. Even though she lives far away from the church she stilll wants to go and wants us to visit her EVERY Sunday (her only day off of work) and she is great. Her name is Angelica and i cant wait to see how it turns out. 

Also Sunday we found out that we DON'T have transfers so I will be in Lomas with Elder Riding for another cycle. What a relief.  

Also Sunday I got my Easter/birthday packages and have never seen so much candy in my life. And I am soooooo grateful for my family. I don't know how I got so lucky to have you guys. 

Love,

Elder St John

People use fires to kill their weeds. 

  

I ate candy till I passed out.

Weekly Letter #87819

We live by the Law of Moses out here still,

so we are looking for sinners so that we can wear this title.

This week was pretty good, we started off Monday with the regular writing, cleaning and shopping which went well. then Tuesday we walked a lot trying to contact people and visit people.. 

Wednesday we decided to do a district activity with the new initiative. #GraciasaqueÉlvive or #BecauseHeLives. We went to my area in Lomas and we went all over the place contacting people for 2 hours and we found about 16 new people! It was awesome, Im the best district leader ever.

Thursday we just had a normal day of contacting and visiting.

Friday we did the contacting again in another area in the district and finished the night with a visit to a less active who gave us MOLE.  I love mole with a passion so that was the highlight of the week for my stomach. 

Saturday we had Conference and that was 10/10. I especially loved the talk given by David A. Bednar in the afternoon. And Eyring's talk for the Preisthood session. Also this morning there was a parade by the Catholic church right by our house and they had a man dressed as Jesus. I didn't see the whole thing but I'm pretty sure that they hung him on a cross? It's a tradition here to do that I guess, but to me it sounds kind of scary... and painful... and I´m just glad that Jesus did that so I never have to suffer like that. 

Sunday we had MORE Conference and that was 11/10 It was awesome to hear about the new temples and all the cool things happening around the world in the Church. I took a TON of notes for all the talks and will try to apply them every day. I hope you all took at least one thing from Conference to use every day in your lives to change and get better. And I hope you all had a great Easter! 

This week was a blesing, and the week starting is the last week of the cycle, so pray that I get to stay here with Elder Riding for another six weeks! Love you all!

Love, 

Elder St. John

The long hour and a half trail to Seccion Hidalgo.

P.S.  Conference was amazing. I was able to listen to the English talks in English and the Spanish talks in Spanish and i understood all and learned a ton. It's always a huge blessing to watch Conference and hear from the Lord's apostles and Profet. 

March Madness

This week was super busy.  Monday I went back to Juarez for another meeting and got to stay in a HOTEL.  It was awesome.  Needless to say I showered twice and they were the best showers of my life, hot water and a lot of it. And I also slept super well on my own queen-sized bed. And I watched TV all night! (That last one was a joke I read the scriptures all night) but the next morning I woke up bright and early to go to the meeting and there I learned a lot about how to be a better leader, and how to not be afraid of finding new people. One thing I like that the President said was "el amor siempre quita el temor" which means love will always get rid of fear. And that’s one thing I’ve been working on this week was learning how to love EVERYONE.

I got home Tuesday and we shopped for the week and then visited a convert from the area named Liz.  She is marvelous.

Wednesday-Friday we contacted, taught and enjoyed increasingly hotter weather..

Saturday we taught a new investigator we have named Alejandra and her mom America. They are super awesome and seem super duper excited about the lessions!! Later that day we had interviews with the president and I passed with flying colors.

Sunday was super cool because I had the opportunity to give my first talk in sacrament meeting since I left home!! I was super nervous but my Elder Riding said I did a good job, so I feel pretty good about it. The topic was missionary work with members, and it was a super awesome topic because the ward I’m in (Lomas) is full of people that always help!

This week was really good and I’m extremly excited for Conference weekend! Thank you all for your emails, prayers and support, everyone is a huge help. I hope you all have an awesome week!!

Love,
Elder St John

Stayed in a hotel this week. 

The sunrise in Juarez from my window.

The front of the first LDS church in Mexico.

Feeling Like Rango

SECCION HIDALGO!!!!

Just another average week in Casas Grandes. This week we basically contacted and walked and taught. But there is one quote that came to my attention this week.  It's "de cierto de cierto te digo que estamos en un desierto" (ask Katelyn what that means): but that also explains the title if any of you have seen the movie Rango. Because I feel like Rango...

It's starting to get really pretty here in some parts, spring is starting so the trees are getting leaves and there are a few orchards here that are super pretty. They are full of peach trees and super pink, and I get to see them every day. Also in seccion hidalgo, the farming area of my mission, the fields are super green and the cows are all over the place. 

I don't really have much left to tell you guys.  Sorry. This week wasn't too eventfull.. But we are working harder here and having more success! So I think your prayers and mine are being answered! I love you all and think of you all the time! I hope you all have a phenomenal week! 

Love,

Elder St John

The wagon in front of the first LDS church in Mexico. 

Beautiful Hidalgo

The beautiful desert of Casas Grandes.

I'm Not Dead

First off I would like to apologize for the tardiness of this letter. it is one day and a few hours overdue.. but its because Sunday I went to Juarez for a DL training meeting and didn't come home till yesterday at like 5:00.... so I had no time to write...

This past week was super good. I'm starting to get the hang of all the stuff I'm doing right now a little better so it's getting a little easier. Monday I gave my first district meeting and it went pretty well. I tried my best and I think it all worked out.

This Tuesday I went down to a place called LeBaron to do some interviews for some baptisms we would have that Saturday, and it was super cool! It's like a 45 minute drive and when we got there it was crazy. Remember when I said Dublan was American, well LeBaron at least triples Dublan. EVERYONE speaks English and the houses are wayyy more American. But the only difference is that LeBaron is where all the polygamists live.. So that part was a little weird.. But I got the interviews done and we left that night, got ice cream and went home. 

All the other days went pretty normal. We contact every day, by knocking doors and giving out stuff like cards or Books of Mormon. We found a few new people that could work but things are still a little slow here. But even though we are getting rejected every once and a while we also are having some success and the little success makes all the rejections worth it. 

Sunday I left for Ciudad Juarez at like 11:00 o'clock by bus and got there at like 4:00 so that was pretty good! I just went to the mission offices and ate a salad then went on divisions with the assistants for the night. While i was there we found a family in their area and they gave us steak and were super nice and it gave me hope for the people here. Then we woke up Monday morning bright and early to go to the meeting at 8:00 a.m. The meeting was super good. We learned the 10 traits of a perfect missionary but the one I liked the most was where it said that we have to be social and that when we sent our papers in it was us agreeing to be social. After the meeting I went back to Casas Grandes by bus.. Again for 4 more hours... and got back at 5:00 and had my second district meeting, and that one was great! I basically just passed all the information that I got from the meeting earlier but it worked out pretty well.. 

Later Monday night we went with the sisters in my district to help them teach a lesson. This lession was cool because the girl we taught only spoke English and was from New Mexico. We taught her the gospel and it was really special. I highly reccomend you guys study it and memorize the 5 points of the gospel, because it really is perfect and will help you guys with everything. 

I'm so grateful for all you guys do and I hope you guys are all doing great! I love you all so much. 

Love,

Elder St John