¿Qué pasa, calabaza?

 Hola amigos! 

I am glad to say that I made it through a very long and very challenging week! Here are some of the highlights and tender mercies that happened along the way. 

GOOD:

- We finally got a picture with the Hidalgo pirate so our work here is done. Haha, not really but we bike past this giant school mascot at least 3 times a week and finally decided it was worth it to stop for a few moments and take a picture with him. 

- Gave a dog a haircut this week. Poor Max was in need of some help desperately. Max is the dog of a humble family that lives here and are active members! We stopped by one night and finally told them that we wanted to give Max a haircut. Hermana Melchor went into her home and came out with a single pair of scissors and just handed them to us. 30 minutes later, this dog was literally reborn. I wish I had a before and after picture of Max but the difference is incredible.

- FACEBOOK continues to be an incredible tool that the Lord has given us. This week I shared a post from one of our mission pages into a local group, which is most definitely a simple thing any of us can do. This post literally popped off, people commented, liked and messaged me! I then got to send off some referrals to others here in the TMM! I share this because I want to encourage ALL of you at home to share the gospel through social media, it is so convenient and normal. The Lord will bless you for your efforts.

BETTER:

- Fun little miracle story for you all. One evening this week Elder Roylance and I popped into a little corner street bakery to grab some empanadas. We selected our pastries, paid for them and started to walk towards the door when the cashier called out and said "de dónde viene?" (Where do you come from). We turned around and started talking to her. Within a few minutes she had written down her information on a little business card and we arranged to call her the next week and set up a time we could share the gospel with her. Super cool! Then we got home from a long day of biking around Hidalgo, I pull my phone out of my pants pocket and open the back of my case where I thought I put the little card and it was GONE. I felt awful because I knew that it had to have gotten lost at some point in the day and could honestly be in any part of Hidalgo. The next day, I had a prayer in my heart that we could come across this little card and mid day as I was biking down the street I saw a little business card for the bakery. I thought that there was literally no way that it was the one I was looking for but I went over and picked it up. I was shocked to flip the card over and find the lost information we were searching for. God is in the details. 

- We taught some good lessons this week but the one that sticks out to me is a lesson we had with Melanie, Alberto and Lizeth. They are the children and wife of one of our recent converts named Jesus! They have been taught a lot in the past and are apprehensive to change but open to learning. We taught them about the gospel of Jesus Christ. What I find so cool about this lesson is that this family does not live in the safest of neighborhoods. In fact, they live in what is easily the most dangerous spot in my area. However, as we taught them outside their home we were able to feel the spirit of the Lord testify to the words we said. We felt at peace and there was such a difference in the atmosphere as we shared scriptures and examples of faith, repentance, baptism and the Holy Ghost. I am grateful for teaching situations that help me see the power of the Holy Ghost in my life. 

- I feel blessed to have the opportunity to work so closely with so many other amazing missionaries. One of the many benefits of serving as a missionary is learning from those around you. In my district we have been working hard to improve our abilities to better facilitate the progression of our friends. Watching the success of the other missionaries as a result of advice I had given them or action plans we had made together brought me SO much joy. This is a great work and we are all on the same team. 

BEST: 

I came across a scripture this week that I loved.

Alma 1:26

"And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according to his strength"

We are all children of a loving Father in Heaven. We are all equals. This verse really made me think about the importance of humility and respect. We must all diligently press forward in our own lives as we support and support all those around us. Strive to see everyone how Heavenly Father sees them and treat them accordingly. I know that as we become increasingly humble and respectful to all those around us, we will also grow in other Christlike attributes. 

"Work Hard, Keep the Commandments, Have a Positive Attitude and Show Gratitude."

- Elder Stringcheese