4 October 2016 - HOME TODAY

Just writing quick bits. I'll write a whole long thing if they give me time next week(doubtful) or when I'm home.

Life's amazing. I love it here and can't wait to finish strong. 

Ii got to go to temple last Friday and it was amazing.

I love you all.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my mission.  I have kept the faith.

12 Days left - 1 maybe 2 letters more - 22 Sept. 2016

( The title of the post came from his Mom.  She's not counting or anything though. :)​


I am doing so well:) We had the most wonderful week. My companion and I have been crushing it. We had amazing lessons and amazing moments everyday. I'm so happy here and people always ask me if I want to go home since I have so little left. I never know what to say. I want to see my family and home so bad but I never want to leave ya know? Maybe not but I really do love it here. I was so happy on Sunday we had an amazing district conference with President Robinson and the temple president present too. It was a successful week for missionary work to be honest. We were stoked when Abel was already inside sitting when we got there. He had woken up at 5:00 am to walk almost 2 hours to church he will be baptized the 8th of October. Then right as it was about to start the Arvizu family walks in. I was so happy. They are a less active family we have been teaching. They are changing so much. They have years of not going and it's amazing to see the difference just one assistance makes. We are preparing their 9 year old daughter to be baptized and their 13 year old son to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. Then to top it all off. President "se lo rifó" ("killed it" best translation?) he gave an amazing talk about how God loves all his children and how we are the means by which he ensures all have the chance to hear the gospel. 

Check out the classic scripture in Malaquias about turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and vice versa. I love the phrasing Moroni uses as he quotes it to Joseph Smith. "and he will plant the promises in the hearts of the children" or something like that but it reminds us that we have promised to help others find eternal joy starting with our family both living and dead. 

Its all true. All of it. Every facet of the gospel is real and veridical. 

I love you all so much!! Have the best week ever and enjoy the pics of the Mexican Independence Day!

Love 

Elder Smith

12 September 2016

Lifes been so great here. For real. 

We had another great zone meeting with president. We went in depth about the atonement. We talked about 4 major points.

1. Christ suffered our sins

2. Christ suffered our pains and sicknesses

3. Through the atonement all will resurrect

4. The enabling power of the atonement

I'll have to talk more in detail about everything soon because it was truly an amazing meeting.

The work has been great here too. We are teaching tons of people and so many are so close to progressing but struggle to get to church. Nonetheless, we will be working with that and I hope to leave several people ready for baptism.

I'm not going to write a big letter this week but I will next week. I love you all so much!!!

5 September 2016

What a week can I just say. It was amazing. We had an awesome time running like crazy everywhere trying to teach as much as we could between all we got to do. 

This past week was full of the most extraordinary meetings and trainings. I wish you all could have been there. Wednesday we left early in the morning and traveled to Caborca where we all met up to have a great multi zone meeting with Elder Pino of the area presidency. I think one of the best parts among many many many was when we talked about the importance of studying the words of Christ. He compared it to sharpening the ax. Most have heard the story of the man who spends all day cutting at a tree and his neighbor asks why he hasn't sharpened his ax and the man responds that he has had no time because he's too busy cutting at the tree. Do we see the irony?? We all have that happen to us sometimes. With a dull ax we won't make much progress. But as we all take the time to sharpen our minds in the things that matter most we will become sharp instruments the Lord can use in all facets of life. 

Later that night the zone leaders were  invited to the session with all the branch and district leaders in both Caborca and Peñasco.  We spoke of many things. How to better coordinate member and missionary work. Things specific to those areas and things generally applicable to all. But in the end what I most enjoyed was this. That the success of a meeting is not about what plans were made or what we learned. It's in what is accomplished afterwards. We can have meetings every day but if nothings changes it is essentially useless. So here we are trying to make these meetings a success. 

We got back to Peñasco around 2pm Thursday and worked till night time. Then Friday about noon we were on another bus headed to Hermosillo. Saturday we spent all day in another great meeting haha. Here we planned how to make the mission as a whole leap forward and reach new heights. We came down to 4 points of focus

1. obedience. 

                We know that we have to make sacrifice and invest someting to see results. God asks our obedience and the investment to see chancge and miracles. We all help to make our lives 100% obedient

2. look for a new angle.

                 We can't do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. That's insane haha. So we all need to look for God guidance to make things different and change things for the better.

3. Work with the members

                  We can't do everything alone. We need to work with others. We need to work as a team and then, only then will things happen.

4. Our mentality

                  The way we think is so important. We have to have a positive attitude and truly believe we can do it. The way is there. Divine help is there we just have to do our part and truly have the faith that it can happen.

I love you all and hope for the best week ever for everyone!!! 

Love,

Elder Smith

 The youth in Caborca

 With President Robinson and below the group with Elder and Sister Pino

29 August 2016

So I'm just loving it here with my new companion. We are definitely working our hardest and seeing the results. I wish I was able to explain well all that happens here. Trying to explain in a brief letter the miraculous events of just one week in the service of the Lord is an impossible task. We were blessed this week to find several new people to teach who I could see had been prepared. This week I could truly begin to see how the gospel helps people reach their potential. It cuts away sorrow and loss and replaces it with hope. It makes the future bright. It makes bad people good and good people better. There is no lost case and not one person who can't have a more full life through following the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Starting with ourselves. We had an amazing week and I hope the next to surpass the last. I love you all and hope for the best as always! 

Love,

Elder Smith

22 August 2016

So first off here I sent the pic of Emmauels baptism. Once again it was amazing. Last Saturday we had four baptisms in Peñasco. I was asked to help baptize a lady the sisters have been teaching. It was an awesome day. I'm so proud of the missionaries here, we are working like crazy and the Lord is helping us out so much.

Today we had transfers my new companion will get here tonight. He's awesome. I'll add a pic of him that I found in Nogales about a year ago. It's going to be an amazing transfer!

I'll write some more tomorrow when we come back to the server so my comp can write since he traveled all day today.

Love you all tons!!!

pics

baptisms

SUPER ZONA PEÑASCO

Elder Smith y Elder Rivero

Super pizza

the zone

You guys are so a cookie family haha. I dont know what they call them back home but the families here that are always there for you food and support wise we call mamas galleta. Cookie moms. It makes me really happy you guys are so awesome.

16 August 2016 - God Loves All His Children

We had the most wonderful of weeks. Emanuel was able to be baptized on Saturday and it may have been my favorite baptismal service yet. The Spirit was palpable. Everyone we hoped was able to make it:) my companion and i sang "I Like To Look For Rainbows" with guitar and it turned out super nice. Emanuel´s mom gave a great talk about faith. i loved how she talked about how the faith of her son was what was able to bring her back to the gospel, what helped her remember what she once knew. I'd add pics but I don't have my camera with me.. oops.. Next week I'll add it in. 

So I think the most memorable moment this week was Sunday evening while we were on splits with different members I went with Brother Morales to visit some less active families. The last visit we didn't find who we were looking for but we came across his son.  We had a long conversation about God. He is unable to believe in a God as we know him. Due to the evil and pain and unjust events in the world it becomes hard to believe in a Loving Heavenly Father and he's decided its better just to not believe and be a good person nonetheless. In life it's hard to see God's love at times. But I know without an inkling of doubt that God loves each and every one of his children. I feel that the plan of salvation, or plan of redemption, happiness, etc. should be known by one more name. The great plan of love. Understanding that God loves us so much he allows us to come to earth to gain bodies and experience is just a start. God sent Jesus Christ to save us from our sins and errors. Sadness, sickness, evil, everything! We just have to have faith and obey His laws and we have been promised that we can make it through everything and anything. The evil of today will be but a small moment. It doesn't stop there. God loves us so much that through Christ He has made it possible to live again even after death. We will all one day have perfect bodies without illness or pain. God doesn't stop there either. If we simply obey His command in this life He had promised us a place at His side for an eternity. When I think of it like that the sadness and evil of the world is insignificant no matter how big it seems. God loves all of His children and wants them all safely back with Him. He has prepared the way regardless of circumstance or person. He truly loves us. Let us not forget that. Ever.

I hope you all have the most amazing of weeks and take advantage of every moment to do good!

Love forever,

Elder Smith

Note from Elder Smith's Mom:  He received his travel plans and will be home on Oct. 4th!  11:30 pm is the scheduled landing time.  We are so excited!

8 August 2016

It feels like I just wrote yesterday, time flies like crazy here. Since Wednesday we've been rocking life. Emanuel decided to postpone his baptism one week since his oldest brother will then be in town so that will be fantastic! Now his mom is officially active again:) I'm super excited for this upcoming week. Tomorrow I travel to Sonoya for some exchanges it's an hour North of Peñasco. As a zone we have decided to make this week a week of legends. We want to crush it. All the vibes are top notch right now. 

This week was full of great moments. I really love a thing we've started doing here. At 5 pm Sunday a bunch of members meet up at the church and we all head out to visit as many people as we can until 9pm. We went and visited a less active family Hermano Martinez felt impressed to visit and we arrived at a really good moment. We were able to give words of comfort and guidance in the exact moment they needed it. That is one of the best feelings in life. I'll never forget one of the most important lessons my mother always teaches. That receiving and acting upon personal revelation is of utmost importance in this life. We can never let a good idea slip away. Responding to the whispers of the Spirit is how miracles are brought to pass. 

I'd love to attach tons of pics but I've been infected once again by a mad virus on the sd card so I'm trying to figure that out but I've attached some my comp has taken.

I love you all and hope you can take advantage of every moment this week and do lots of great things! Keep the vibes strong and remember the Lord is always there.

Love,

Elder Smith

8 August 2016

It feels like I just wrote yesterday, time flies like crazy here. Since Wednesday we've been rocking life. Emanuel decided to postpone his baptism one week since his oldest brother will then be in town so that will be fantastic! Now his mom is officially active again:) I'm super excited for this upcoming week. Tomorrow I travel to Sonoya for some exchanges it's an hour North of Peñasco. As a zone we have decided to make this week a week of legends. We want to crush it. All the vibes are top notch right now. 

This week was full of great moments. I really love a thing we've started doing here. At 5 pm Sunday a bunch of members meet up at the church and we all head out to visit as many people as we can until 9pm. We went and visited a less active family Hermano Martinez felt impressed to visit and we arrived at a really good moment. We were able to give words of comfort and guidance in the exact moment they needed it. That is one of the best feelings in life. I'll never forget one of the most important lessons my mother always teaches. That receiving and acting upon personal revelation is of utmost importance in this life. We can never let a good idea slip away. Responding to the whispers of the Spirit is how miracles are brought to pass. 

I'd love to attach tons of pics but I've been infected once again by a mad virus on the sd card so I'm trying to figure that out but I've attached some my comp has taken.

I love you all and hope you can take advantage of every moment this week and do lots of great things! Keep the vibes strong and remember the Lord is always there.

Love,

Elder Smith

4 August 2016

What an awesome week! I'm short on time but I'll try to express the most important parts. We had a really good week. as a zone we lead the mission goals that was really exciting. We've put some high goals and I'm excited to meet them. We should have a baptism this Saturday too! Emanuel is the son of a reactivated member. He is super excited about everything. He knows so much and is so ready. I just hope he can be a really good example for his older sister that doesn't really want anything to do with church or God etc. 

Monday we traveled all day to get to Hermosillo where we had a fantastic meeting with the mission president. I wish I could explain everything but there's just not time. Read and study Doctrine and Covenants 88:120-126 and send me your insights! I really liked a game plan that was presented at the meeting about miracles in our life, Especially in the mission. 

1. Believe you can- we have to believe we can do it and with faith we have to act

2. Look to the Savior- we can't do everything ourselves, the Lord will make up for what we can't do. He is the only way to truly succeed and reach potential.

3. Make the sacrifice- once again we have to put our part in, but more than minimum effort. We have to make a sacrifice of our time energy plans etc. #goodbetterbest

4. Wait for the miracle- wait and hope in Spanish have the same root so it could also say hope for the miracle. It may not be immediate but the Lord will help us in our just desires.

5. Receive the miracle with humility- we cannot "boast in our own strength" we have to be humble as we watch the Lord work wonders among us.

There's so much more I'd love to share but for now that'll have to suffice. 

God truly loves all of His children. He worries about his family, each and every one of us. He wants us to succeed. So how about we do exactly that. Let us be obedient and loving and we will see miracles. I love you all and hope for the best week of all!

Love,

Elder Smith

Pics of the zone Puerto Peñasco and the long ride to Hermosillo

PS - on the stuff I sent home ( first part of July)

The vanilla i knew would be a fav. that bottle costs about $2 so I will bring home plenty. Anything else you like let me know haha. 

One of the first things i want to do is climb a mountain. Maybe we could go camping somewhere.  I hate how soon that sounds. Life is just so good here. We had the best week ever. We had more than 30 lessons put 4 baptismal dates and 2 of them made it to church. We contacted over 100 different people like everything was gold this week. 

Then to top it off we've had a great p day. Well basically we had lots of time to play haha. We played soccer and basketball and capture the flag. My comp and I were on opposite teams and it got intense haha. He was chasing me down and we both end up face planting the fence at the church. He got a split lip and my arm is all bruised but it wasn't too bad at all. I'm actually getting better at soccer. Instead of being the worst on the field I'm useful haha.

Love you all:)

26 July 2016

Life is amazing here! Fear not. We are fed so well always. The people here are more open minded than anywhere else I've been. It's awesome. We had a bad week this week and only got about 23 lessons but this week is off 100% we had 6 Sunday afternoon before the assistants called for the numbers and all and hope to end the week with 40-50. Thanks for helping the missionaries back home so much. They appreciate it so much! Every once in a while we knock a door or talk to someone from the states and usually they are super closed and shove us away as fast as they can. It really makes me admire the testimony and strength of those who work with people like that every day. Here at least once a day we talk to some one and before we can even say we are missionaries they tell us to come in. I love working here and will keep it up for sure!

I'm super excited to go to the temple in a month or so. It'll probably be my last time in Mexico I can go.

PS, love the painting

Today at Flavios )the restaurant the less active owns) I had garlic octopus and shrimp quesadillas and a coconut encrusted shrimp. You'd love the food there I bet.

20 July 2016

Week one in Puerto Peñasco has been amazing. It feels very different from the rest of the places I've been. It's 100% more humid here. I sweat always but feel like I can breath again. There is lots of tourism here so a few times a day we end up talking to people in English not Spanish. And church feels a lot like home in some ways. It's super full here in the summer months because 100+ people are visiting from the states. The work has been great. We are basically starting from scratch because we have as of yet been unable to find any addresses the previous zone leaders had left us. But we are finding so many people. People here are really open. It's rare that someone straight up says "No I don't want to hear what you have to say". So good vibes all around. Hopefully for next week we can have some solid people in teaching.

One experience I enjoyed this week was when we knocked on a door and they were headed out but told us we could come back the next day. As we walked off we heard the guy's wife ask him why the heck he said we could come back. Nonetheless we stopped by the next day and his wife answered the door and invited us in and told us they had been waiting for us (we got there a titch late). She explained that she didn't originally want to talk to us because she had heard bad things about the church from friends of hers. We had a great lesson that cleared up doubts and confusion and we will continue teaching. She is actually in the search for the true church of Jesus Christ, I'm excited to keep teaching. A funny moment; She had been told by said friends that "Mormons" were a lot of rowdy drunks that partied all the time. That was unexpected to say the least. That's honestly the last thing most people think haha. We explained how it was that we didn't even drink alcohol. All in all, I continue to be amazed how the Lord leads and guides us. How He prepares people. I love it here and hope for a great few months here!

Go have the best of weeks and keep it real!
Love,
Elder Smith

pics,
so there's a less active member here that has a restaurant on the ocean and we can eat free there, it's great to say the least. I ordered a fish dish thinking it was a normal sized thing when to my surprise I'm given a tray loaded with goodness. I haven't eaten so much in ages.

12 July 2016

So I had the most wonderful time this past week and the past 6 really. Caborca has been one of my favorite areas so far. Sadly I have been transferred once again. I'm in Puerto Peñasco. It'll be a great place to finish off my last 3 months working harder than ever. I'm with Elder Borja.

This past week was so cool. Estela madeit to church again. She and her family are so ready. Im exited for Elder Larsen and his trainee that will be working that area now. I will truly miss Caborca.

I don't have too long to write but I want to finish with a great thought from the zone meeting we had today.

"And men are that they might have joy" The work of the lord is a work of joy! for both the laborers and recipients! 

Doctrine and Convenants 123

 17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

let us all work cheerfully and do everything we can for good! a tranquil mind and see as God places his hand in our lives.

I love you all and hope for a great week for all!!!

Elder Smith

4 July 2016!

We had the most amazing week! We were simply exhausted always but it feels great. Life is meant to work be it now before of after this time on earth am I right? The best part was surpassing our goal of 30 lessons. Hopefully we will have even more this week. I've been so blessed for the companion I have for the area I'm in for everything in my life. Estela was able to make it again to church! Her and her family have a baptism set for the end of July.  Hopefully I'll be here to see it through. Jackelyn and her family are progressing but a litter slower. We are hoping for the next transfer they can become a great family in the branch. A great moment in the week was when my comp told me that we should take a different route than the usual to get to an area we work. We start walking down the street and as usual talk with the people we see. We were able to find a family that had just moved the day before. She is a less active member and her husband has some knowledge of the church but plenty to learn :) I enjoyed seeing God's guiding hand in our life to find his children that need His help. 

I'm trying to re-read Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage before finishing the mission here in Sonora. I read of Christ as a baby child and adolescent. There is very little about his young years in the scriptures but the few verses teach us a lot. what really stood out to me was how cared for Christ was by God. His family was guided to the perfect locations at the perfect time to protect his young life and ensure an environment where he could learn and grow and come to understand his great mission. Pondering this I had a thought come to mind. the scriptures teach that God is no respecter of persons and that he loves each child as much as the next. sometimes we feel that maybe God loves others more than us but it is not so. God loves Christ so much and helped him so much in life but that isnt a right that Jesus alone had. we all have the right to have divine guidance and help in life. we all have the right to witness miracles. To have the constant company of the Holy Ghost. We are so very much loved by God. sometimes we forget that. especially when personal actions drive us away from His path for us. or when we simply have trials in life. remember that Christ too was not immune to trial and temptation. I forget too often that he was tempted much more than just the time after his 40 day fast. I forget that he was rejected by many. spat upon and hit. and probably not just in his last moments but all through his life. He had trials and hard times and was perfect! I loved something my aunt sent me in a letter. 

"Speaking of perfect…..in sacrament meeting a while ago, a sister spoke on gifts that Christ gives us.  She said something that really struck me so I wrote it in my journal.  She talked about the word PERFECT.  We think of it as being without flaw.  So we don't see how we can ever become perfect, as Christ and Heavenly Father are perfect.  But if you look at the word PERFECT in its definition in Christ’s day, the word meant complete or whole.  So if we should be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect, we should be complete or whole, which we can become in Christ.  With Him, we can be whole.  By joining ourselves with Christ, we can indeed be perfect.  Cool thought, huh?"

Christ was complete and whole and even as so He had a hard earth life. But he made it through. and we can too!. Through Him we can overcome all. we can become complete and whole and learn to love and accept every moment. Lifes too good to not enjoy. I love you all and hope for you to have the most amazing week ever!

Love,

Elder Smith

28 June 2016 - What. A. Week. ( That week with Ty)

Incredible Miracle:  Elder Gavin Smith and Elder Ty Smith serving together for a week!

What. A. Week. We started it off strong.  We had a great days work and found some great people we hope to keep teaching.. but the best part was when Ty got here. For all we tried we didn't get to sleep till past midnight. Nonetheless we got up nice and early and not too tired to head off to one of the best zone meetings I've ever been in. I'll hit you all up with details later in the letter. The whole week we had almost every appointment fall through but it gave us a great opportunity to contact a lot and find new people. I especially enjoyed how by the end of the week Ty was able to express himself well enough that the people understood what he wanted to say. For just a week in mexico, his spanish progressed miraculously. 

I really enjoyed a lesson we had with Estela and her family. She is progressing so well but due to a sudden case of the pox she was unable to come to church the past two weeks. Actually we almost couldn't find her. But one morning we found her in her brother's house and had the most wonderful lesson about why we have dfificulties in life and how to overcome them. We used a scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 122 that I love. verses7-9 it's a very comforting promise and advice

 7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

 8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

 9  Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

This life is to learn and progress. Trials are just a necessary part. All will be as a "small moment" Christ has passed through all we do and infinitely more. We cannot fear, for fear will lead us to doubt in God. We may have questions but we can never. never. doubt our faith nor God. 

Saturday evening we had a family home evening with Jackelyn and her family. It was a great night full of fun and learning. Part of the family even made it to church on Sunday! Hopefully they all can make it next week.

I wish to testify of the power of hymns. We were able to sing several with Jackelyn and fam and it was probably the best part of the night. Sunday we sang Nearer My God to Thee us three and it turned out beautiful. one could really feel the Spirit. And on a light note, my companion found comfort in singing children's hymns in the middle of the night as he was throwing up. (Hes much better now).

All in all it was a fantastic week. 

So zone conference I attempted to translate part of my notes to help explain. I hope its understandable.

 Alma 7:20 I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round.

What is a round? a circle. thats what was explained so well in the meeting. The circle of life. The great eternal round of God and Godship. 

First we must understand that we don't have just one Heavenly Parent but two. Father and Mother. We are all spirit children of said beings. This leads us to understand just why God cares so much about us. He cares for and worries abut his family. God has the infinite ability to create. To organize what is unorganized. To make beauty where perhaps there was not. I'd like you to refer to the drawing. 

We "begin" with out heavenly parents. We know we are created by them and lived with them before our time here. This is called pre-earth life. Our first estate. scripture explains that many rebelled against the plan of God and "kept not their first estate" these spirits were taken away from the eternal round of eternal progression by their own decision. #freeagency. We know we kept our first estate (that we followed God's plan of Christ being our Savior) because we are here on earth we were born. Here we are being tested and tried. To see if we "will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command" we then pass though death and enter the spirit world. There we will be in either paradise of spiritual prison. Note that there all people will have the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel of Christ. Also note those of us that fulfill our purpose here and make it in to paradise will yes rest from our worries but it never said that we would rest from all labors. For there is a great work yet to do. We must continue working to bring souls to Christ by preaching to those who don't know. We will then be resurrected and judged. To enter into a kingdom other then that of the Celestial puts an end to our progression but by entering into the celestial sealed to a spouse. in that state we will be able to learn from God until we know enough to be as He is. Then have offspring as he had us. "as man is, God once was. As God is, man may become" what a beautiful and fulfilling understanding! This is the watered down version of such an amazing meeting. I pray that we can all understand out truly divine potential and our eternal importance. Never give up because the central doctrine that makes our round possible is that of the atonement of Jesus Christ. He makes it possible we can do it! I love you all and hope you all have the best week ever!

Love forever,

Elder Smith 

20 June 2016

Thanks for being the best dad ever btw. I wish i could have called home as on Mother's Day but it's okay. Father's Day here is celebrated with lots of drinking and loud annoying music but then again that's how any and everything is celebrated here. Nonetheless in honor of my diligent father we tried to work extra hard. Every appointment fell though but we were still able to teach a few people. Thanks for being the best and for helping me better understand Heavenly Father because of who you are.

have the most amazing week planned for Ty. I hope to make it a pivotal moment for his entire misson. He will be worked hard and come home exhausted don't you worry. He's in good hands. haha

13 June 2016

Let me just begin to tell of the best week ever. I had the most wonderful time teaching and finding. We were thrilled to have Estela and her kids come with us to church. They loved it! They are such a great family and I love teaching them. Elias couldn't make it this week but is doing great. same with Jackelyn. but all in all everyone is progressing and doing well. I want to tell you about how amazing God's timing is. On the mission everything just works sometimes. It's amazing. Without even realizing it sometimes you are guided in the paths you need. I remember we were walking to church for a meeting and we pass by a taco stand where we find Carlos and Alejandra. Elder Hyatt had been teaching them before but hadn't been able to find them for weeks because Carlos left to work in the states for a while. We set an appointment but upon going we didn't find them. Instead we find a different family to teach. Then Sunday we are walking down the street and a truck rolls by and who but Carlos would be yelling at us to come over right then and there. So we go and it was a very good moment to go. He was with his cousin Arturo. We get talking. (for knowledge sake they are both less active members) Arturo had fallen into a bit of a drinking habit. We are talking and they basically make a deal with each other if Arturo starts going to church again Carlos will and they will both bring they whole family with them. member and nonmember. I'm down with that haha. I'm excited to see how this progresses. 

I'm going to throw in some pics this week.

So I had exchanges with the zone leaders and finally bought the now necessary hat and glasses. Not my favorite style but ill be rocking it hardcore haha

This week my comp turned 19. and one of the fantastic youth here, José surprised us with a dairy queen oreo cake to celebrate

This morning we climbed a small hill enjoy

Behold. Caborca.

It,s been a great week. The next will be even better. and the following of legend. (Ty, my favorite brother, is going to come out for a week!!!)

Go make this the best week ever! i love you all so much and know that God loves you even more!