October 21, 2008 -- Don´t worry! I´m OK!

You can relax now. I´m fine. I´m sorry for the worry that not recieving a letter from me yesterday must have caused. I spent all day yesterday in the mission offices. First for a conference (which was really good) and then waiting while my companion went to the doctor (don´t worry, he´s fine.) I was able to use the time in the office to write, study, and learn from some of the other missionaries who were there, which was wonderful. But we didn´t get home until 9:00 and so had no time for normal preparation day activities. President said that we could use today to write to our family, buy food, and wash our clothes, however.

I have some big news, but I think I´ll save the best for last...

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Now, for this week´s cultural moment: tiendas (stores). On almost every block here there is a house that part of which has been converted into a store of some type. Usually they just sell snacks and sodas. Sometimes they are ¨mini supers¨ (an oxymoron if I´ve ever heard one.) I like them. They make the neighborhood more friendly, everyone goes to the neighborhood tienda if you run out of one of the basics (including tortillas). It makes life a lot easier. There are also lots of traveling stores, as I call them. On foot, on bike, or in car, there are all sorts of things that people travel around selling. (Like icecream trucks back home). Usually, but not always, it is food. And usually it is great tasting but not so good for you. My favorite is la camionette de pan dulce (the sweet bread truck). The pastries here are different from the states, but every single one I´ve tried is delicious. If I didn´t have to worry about money or health I´d buy pan dulce every night.

This week has been wonderful, but also sad. We have lost a lot of investigators, which really hurts. One we lost because her husband beat here when he found out she was talking to other men (we are trying to get the relief society to help us--she is a wonderful woman who really needs the gospel light in her life.) Others we lost because they told us never to come back. And there are a few that we decided to drop because they will not read or pray or go to church. They all hurt for different reasons. I don´t understand why people don´t run up to us in the streets and beg us to teach them. It is even harder for me to understand why people refuse to change once we find them and share our message with them. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to happiness, in this life and the world to come. We have a fulness of truth, of love, of peace, of joy, of purpose, of happiness, of everything. Agency is precious, but it is hard for me to understand why more people don´t use it to accept our message. Maybe I don´t teach it very well.

Thankfully, we have also found lots of new people this week. Almost all of them have been found while working on updating the records. This week we updated more than 100 names, which we have to do for the next three weeks as well if we are to finish on time. We are going to do it.

In other news, changes (transfers) are next Monday (so if I don´t write again on Monday, don´t worry). I hope Elder Gonzalez and I stay together, but whatever happens will be the Lord´s will.

Now for the big news: I found out two things yesterday. On Sunday, the 16 of November the Mexico City Temple will be rededicated, which will be broadcasted throughout all of Mexico (like was done for Winter Quarters and Nauvoo.) The day before will be a huge cultural event in Mexico City, and President Monson will be there. This also will be broadcasted throughout Mexico and we will be allowed to go if we bring investigators. Finally, the day before the day before the dedication (November 14), two apostles are coming to Monterrey. There will be a special conference for all adult members, and there is speculation amoung the missionaries that there will also be a special conference for missionaries. That will be a great weekend.

Well, my time is up. Time to get back to work.