Christmas

This Christmas was really great! My companion and I went caroling to everyone and they all gave us food haha and let us in their houses to share a message about Christ. 

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and also Have a Happy New Year!!

 Here are some pictures of my week...because pictures are worth a thousand words....

​Johanna the one in the middle is 9 and she is a star investigator, she´s going to baptized on the 11th of January

 Our mission presidents mom

 Our mission Christmas activity

A birthday party for Hermana Wilkinson

The Gutierrez Family, we´ve been teaching for about 2 months

 The Torres family, Vianey and Diego, they´re so cute

 Noche Buena, We ate with Hermana Olga and her family and their crazy dog

 District 13, missionaries from Ecuador, Canada, Mexico, Utah, Wa, and Arizona

 The Regino Family on christmas day

opening our presents on christmas morning, Thanks Mom and Grandma!

The rodriguez family, let us all skype at their house and made a delicious christmas dinner! 

Bautismo!!! :)

So this week was good. 

The Fragoza family got baptized yesterday :D it all went really well. stress free, warm water, clothes that fit, haha, and it was a very nice service.  Afterwards we asked Emiliano, who is 8, how he felt and he said ¨limpiocito, aún sin joboncito¨ which means really clean even without soap, how cute is he.  And Abigail´s (the mom) mom who isn't a member came, so that was really good too. 

All of the zone leaders and sister training leaders had the opportunity to sing in a choir for a fireside for the area seventies and stake presidents for the encendido de luces (lighting of Christmas lights) at the temple and the visitors center.  And we sang and there were some really good talks, on that was really interesting about the light of Christ and how it is the power by which everything functions.  Then they lit all the lights and it looks soo beautiful! Also if you haven´t watched the video ¨He is the Gift¨ on lds.org , you should :). 

 ​Zone Activity from today, we had game show type challenges in teams...including an egg toss and I got egg in my hair.  extra conditioning :)

 Our little árbol de navidad...cute right :)

 Bautismo!!! :) 

 ​Mexico City Temple :)

En la encendido de luces

So, I forgot to mention last week.. this week was transfers, so they changed p-day to Wednesday.  We didn't have transfers...whew! :) Still with Hermana Lovell here in Valle for another cycle!

Well this week was jolly good. We had exchanges with Hermana Burrola and Wilkinson, I stayed in my area, the first day hermana burrola and I had a really good day. we set a baptismal goal with a woman named Isabel.  And then we also had the baptismal interviews with the Fragoza family :) They all passed, Abigail is the mom, and Sara, Alí, and Emiliano are the kids.  I love them so much! They are just really cool people.  The dad Luis, still hasn't come to church and he says he doesn't want to get baptized....yet.  But he says the most beautiful prayers, and I know he feels that this is something really good for his family.  Their baptism is this Sunday after church.  :) yay

Well, in other news the mission presidents wife, hermana Anaya was concerned about the missionaries getting good quality sleep and our health and sha la la. So we all got new mattress cushion cover things and they are soooo comfortable, I didn't have problems sleeping before, but now I sleep like a...a person that sleeps really well.  So that's good.  Especially because missionaries work really hard, haha.  At the end of the day I am so tired, but then we still plan and study Spanish, and all that good stuff.  So I'm glad I have a comfy bed. 

Well now that I've written a whole  paragraph about my comfy bed I guess I should end with something spiritual. 

Well my companion shared with me a quote that says,

 ¨Our weaknesses are divinely destined to become our strengths¨

And I really like that, I know that God has a plan for each of us and has given us certain talents and strengths for a reason.  But our weaknesses are also for a purpose.  I have learned a lot on my mission.  One thing that I have gained a stronger testimony of is obedience, if we are obedient to all of the commandments, including studying the scriptures daily, personal prayer, and sincere service to others, we will be empowered to resist temptation, and to have more hope during trials. And we will also develop more and more of the attributes of Christ.  Like in

 Ether 12:27 in The Book of Mormon:  ¨And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.¨

This week was very good.  Elder Valenzuela came for our zone conference, it was cool, he is a Seventy. One thing he talked about that stuck with me was about Christ´s life...how we served and performed miracles one by one, he took the time to serve individually. And when he suffered for our sins, our trials, our temptations...it was individual.  We are all different people, with different strengths and weaknesses, and different personalities.  But each one of us individually are important to our Heavenly Father and Christ loved each one of us enough to suffer the punishment for our sins and personal pains.  And I know that as a missionary we represent Christ, we should also serve and love each investigator and pray for them individually.  

Hey, I don´t know about you but I'm feeling 22...

SO I turned the big 22 this week.  I feel the same.  But It was a great birthday.  In the morning we had another leaders meeting with Elder Valenzuela and talked about how we can help the other missionaries (hermanas) better.  And then, on the way home on the mexibus, my companion announced to the entire bus that it was my birthday and the whole bus sang Las Mañanitas to me! haha and then some people gave me hugs (they were all women...its an all women's bus..cool huh) And of course I was slightly embarrassed but mostly I thought it was really nice and cool to be sung too by a whole bus of strangers.  One family of investigators that are going to get baptized gave me a little gift, and another family in our ward gave me a gift too.  And the Regino family in our ward surprised us with a little party with pizza and ice cream! And the Miranda family also made us cake (I say us because it was also Elder Treu´s Bday on the 7th...one of the elders in our ward).  Although I was far from home and of course missed my friends and family on my bday, it was definitely one of my best bdays because several people that don't even know me that well took the time to do something nice for me, and that means a lot.  

And today, we had a zone activity, we played volleyball and the zone leaders and a few hermanas from their ward surprised us all with a thanksgiving dinner....well it wasn't thanksgiving food but its the thought that counts.  :) 

Miranda just turned 8! and she had her baptism! Our investigator family, the Fragoza family went and the mom and daughter Ali were already sure they wanted to get baptized...but Emiliano and Sara the other two kids still weren't sure.  Miranda was kind of nervous and the water was a little cold for her, and she started crying and shaking in the water...I was worried that the kids were going to change their mind about wanting to be baptized.  But after Emiliano said yes he wanted to and Sara´s only concern was that she doesn't have white clothes haha.

Hermana Bright and I ...as Indians. Happy Early Thanksgiving !

Our Zone

These women sacrificed their whole morning to prepare a thanksgiving dinner for our zone :) 

​The Fragoza Family...I love them! 

Well, this week was another great one...we had lots of lessons and set a few baptismal dates. But...only one investigator  came to church :( but that's okay we are just going to work harder this week and tell them that they have to come to church haha. 

As you probably know the day of the dead was this week.  In Mexico they celebrate Halloween too, its kind of a mix of the two traditions.  Except that many people are against the mixture of traditions. The day of the dead is two days the first and second of November and they make an altar with pictures of their loved ones who've passed away and candles and their favorite food, and the kids also go door to door and ask for candy.  But the Halloween influence is all the ugly things like monsters and lots of scary things...so that was kind of interesting to see the two traditions mixed like that.  My companion and I switched name tags for Halloween...but no one even noticed haha.  

So as you know, my companion is one of the sister training leaders, but they changed it so we both are together. So I went to my first leaders council meeting. It was good, I liked it.  I'll attach a pic.  

And this week we have our zone conference and have the opportunity to listen to Elder Valenzuela of the Seventy.  So that's cool. 

 my companion and I match...we are so unified haha

 Our area isn't is so pretty?

 Little Birthday celebration with the hermanas who have birthdays in nov y oct

Exchanges with Hermanas Bright and Cole :)

​

Lets see...what happened this week...

There is a family in our ward who own a little restaurant called Sal y Pimienta. And we eat with them like once a week or so.  One of their employees Sonia, came up to us and asked us if we could give her the lessons.  We of course said yes and set a time to visit her that night.  She is genuinely looking for the truth...she was going to get baptized in a different church on nov 1st but now she accepted a baptismal date for the 23rd of november if she finds an answer.  She is truly looking and said she would be willing to follow whatever answer she receives.  So we have faith that Heavenly Father is going to help her to receive her answer.  

Also we are teaching a family of 5, and they accepted a baptismal date as well, they are such a cute family and are super down to earth and fun.  We visited them on thursday and they had read the homework we left for them and had been praying. And we were soo happy because that is how people are going to find their answers and feel the spirit.  

And yesterday in church was the primary program :) it was sooo cute! 

And...daylight savings time! I dont like it.  We have to go home earlier now because it is so dark already by like 6:30...but we have to be in the house at 7:30. But we leave earlier now and then study language when we get home.  Its good obviously so that we are safe...but most people are in their houses and want us to come teach them at 7-8, and also it is harder to contact or talk with people when its dark.  But we will have to accustom.  

Also we have been working a lot with the members, it is fun.  Their are three girls who are 18 and getting ready to go on missions that come with us a lot, and it helps a lot. 

And today we are going to our have a little fiesta with the other hermanas in the old area of my companion.  Because there are like 5 or 6 of us that have birthdays in oct or nov, so vamos a divertirnos mucho :)! 

Have a great week! 

Love Mariah

Okay, so this week so many things have happened! 

Yes, I did have transfers

My new companion is Hermana Lovell from Arizona, she is the sister training leader...so I´ll have exchanges a lot again...it's fun I like it...and its a good experience to learn from the other hermanas.  And she is great, we get a long very well, and work well togeher...and she loves to contact, so we talk to lots and lots of people. 

We opened a new area! just like zaragoza.  Our new area is called Valle, we live in a small development of condominiums called Las Americas...its so different from my old area. We are in the state of mexico, not the city, so its very far from my old area.  But it is literally like the united states here, all the houses look the same and there is hardly any garbage and dog poop on the ground haha.  Its pretty too, there are mountains and there's grass, people actually have little front yards.  Its so weird.  And apparently we have the best house in the whole mission.  Its brand new...and we have an oven! I'm so excited.  We live right next to a plaza shopping center place, there's a Walmart and a Sams club, and a bunch of restaurants and stores.  I feel like we´re in the united states...it's weird.  

Our ward is great too.  Our Bishop is very good the investigators and the members, I really feel that they work together and have goals and are all involved in missionary work.  The members have given us 18 references already and are excited to come with us on lessons.  Which really makes all the difference, the testimonies of members helps a lot.  And the people we have contacted and talked too are all very nice and accepting and interested.  Basically, we have a lot of work to do and I am very excited.  

Goodbye Zaragoza

​Mi última Semana en Zaragoza

Well, This week was very good.  Ricardo got confirmed, but he thought that it was conference again this week, so he went to the stake center I think and then came late to sacrament meeting. But luckily he was still able to get the espíritu santo :).

And we had interviews with the president this week, and he mentioned how I had a lot of time in my area.  We still don't find out till tonight if we have transfers...but he basically told me I'll be leaving.  I feel good about it though,  I have had lots of good times and worked with and grown to know and love the people here a lot.  But I think it's time to see a different part of the mission. And I'm worried I might go crazy if I were to stay here another transfer. 

On Saturday we had a missionary activity in our stake at the visitors center so us sister missionaries that have been in the zone forever took  advantage of the opportunity to take a few pictures together.  I think we are cute.  

I'll let you know what happens next week! :) 

Love Hermana Young! 

Well, this week was another good week.  We didn't have the baptism of Ricardo, because he went out of town...but he is going to be baptized on Sunday after conference in the stake center.  But we had a lesson with him once he got back from his trip and he said, well I talked with Allan (the counselor in the bishopric) and I just want to let you know that I'm going to get baptized on Sunday haha...so that was perfect.  Other than that we are having a few struggles with investigators coming to church, and recent converts.  Which is why we decided to start visiting the active families in our ward and leaders and teach/practice the missionary lessons with them.  It's been pretty fun....and then they can come on lessons with us and know exactly what we are going to teach.  Because the investigators and recent converts really need friends and support in the ward.  So this week we are going to try and involve the members even more.  

And on friday we had the talent show.  It was great :) Sharon (RC) and her sister and mom came and they did a tae kwon do demonstration, it was pretty cool.  They are both black belts and compete a lot.  And my companion and I did our cup song, I am a child of God.  And there were cool dances with the big mexican skirts and we ate good food.  The talent shows are always really successful, a lot of non members and less actives come.  So we got a good reference named Cynthia. She is 17 and she speaks English so she wanted to talk with us to practice.  So hopefully we can work with her more.  

Oh and today my companions little brother is flying into Mexico City airport for his mission, he is serving in Queretaro which is pretty close to here.  And the airport is super close to our area, so she got permission from the pres. to go  see her brother.  So thats exciting.  

Well, hasta luego :) 

Con Amor

Hermana Young

Mammoth Moth

Hellooo

Welllll this week, what happened...?  I feel like nothing too exciting, but it was a good week.  My 

companion got sick one day and so we just sat in the house haha it was quite boring, but I caught up on some sleep which is always nice.  My companion loves Harry Potter so she basically quote me the entire first Harry Potter movie while she was sick lol.  That was interesting haha, and hilarious.  And we have a baptism planned for this Saturday, so we´re hoping he´ll be ready. His name is Ricardo and he is like 70, he is an interesting man.  But he has been coming to church every Sunday for a while, so that is good...better than a lot of members.  Oh and this week our ward is having another talent show, and my companion are going to sing I am a child of God, while keeping a beat with cups (like in the movie pitch perfect...the cup song).  haha I hope it works, cause its pretty cool.  

 Okie dokie, well I don't think we have any new or exciting stories for now...other than the other day we were walking down the street and this white American family is walking the other way....I was like this is so weird, what are they doing here? Because my area is not a tourist attraction...so there are no American people...just us.   They walked past us and just nonchalantly said good afternoon in English!

haha It was so weird.  My companion and I were just like ummm, are we in the twilight zone. hahaha

 

Mariah

Well, this week was good.  We had exchanges, and I for the first time was the one to leave my area...It was so weird not knowing where I was..It actually made me kind of home sick for Zaragoza.  It was good, but I just love my area and I'm glad I'm here for at least 4 more weeks.  

Well, yesterday was a great day at church, the talks were really good and our class too.  Then during relief society, the elders called us and so we went downstairs (relief soc. is upstairs) to see if they needed us for something.   But they weren't there...so we went outside to call them because there is no signal in the church.  And they didnt answer, but while we were out there this young man came up to us and asked us for help with money and explained that he was in a hard situation and just needed 10 pesos for the metro, and he was willing to work and everything.  So we invited him into the church and we went and sat during the rest of priesthood with him haha, and after we gave him a book of mormon and 10 pesos and got his address so the missionaries where he lives can visit him.  But it was a funny experience and to think if the elders hadn't randomly called us we wouldn't have been outside to meet him.  

Today we had a zone activity.  It was fun, we played volleyball and ate Dominos Pizza, I was happy to have real american food, the mexican pizza never has sauce on it and everyone just puts ketchup on it. And also today is Mexican independance day.  They celebrate it today and tomorrow...tonight they have this thing called the grita, where the President and other goverment people yell ¡Viva Mèxico! and other things :) and everyone eats posole which is like a soup with homony in it and usually chicken and its quite good.  so thats pretty exciting. 

Apparently tonight they are going to have LOTS of fireworks and carnivals and so basically we won't be sleeping much tonight.  Some members invited us to go eat posole with them tomorrow morning. So that should be fun.  

Alrighty Tighty have a great week :) 

Love Hermana Young

I didnt get transferred!!! my companion and I are still here in Zaragoza

together, so Im very happy :)  but Im pretty sure this will be my last cycle here... ;( 

So this week was good, but I have been soo tired this whole week..

my left eye has been twitching for a week straight, in fact it is twitching 

as I write this.  But its okay. 

Oh and did I mention before that the bishop broke his femur? He´s been 

recuperating for a few weeks now, but he fell down the stairs...they have these

metal spiral stairs basically in every house, and they are dangerous.  

Our recent converts are doing well, Rodrigo M. went on a temple trip with the 

stake and did baptisms for the dead, the nearest temple is in Veracruz (like

5 hours away). And tonight we are going to have a family home evening with 

other recent converts and talk about temples.  I cant wait till the temple opens

up here again...it ill be about next June I think, so I will still be here :) 

And basically nothing too exciting happened this week that I can remember.

But it was good.  

Okay 

Have a great week. 

Hermana Young

Hola! Well this week we had another miracle baptism.  Sharon, the 17 year old who does tae kwon do had her baptism scheduled for yesterday after church during the same baptismal service as Isaac (who just turned 8, in our ward).  But, she didn't show up! So we were sad and prayed and figured we would have to wait until the next week.  But then she came in the middle of the baptism of Isaac...which was great...BUT, her mom still hadn't signed her baptismal record (since she´s under 18), so we couldn't get baptized without her signature.  And we felt so bad because she had came and had white clothes and all of her stuff ready, and she really was so ready for baptism and has already read like half of the book of Mormon.  And then...her mom and her older sister showed up! and she signed the record and Sharon was able to get baptized! And she was so happy :) 

I don't know why every baptism we have is a crazy story but it makes it exciting at least haha.  

Anyway, that was definitely the highlight of our week.  And we will find out tonight if I am getting transferred...but I'm praying that I don't because I love my ward here and my investigators and I don't want to leave.  If I don't stay though it will almost surely be my last transfer here because I already have 6 months in this area.  

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Love Hermana Young

Well This week was really great :) Tuesday was a crazy day, 

Rodrigo had told us that he was just too busy with work and 

a bunch of drama that he wasn't going to be able to be baptized

that day....and we were so sad.  So after lunch we went to go 

find him, and figured we could reschedule his baptism for Saturday. 

But then he just said...well actually I can do it today! So then we 

ran to the church because the font takes about three hours to fill 

up, so we had to go start it.  And then after it was about two inches 

full the water decided to stop working! So we started bucketing water

in for a while...haha the things we do.  But then miraculously it 

started working again.  And it was all ready in time.  It was really

a great baptismal service.  

And also, one of the elders in our ward, Elder Mendoza finished his 

mission this week.  Its so crazy how fast time goes by!

And, this week is the last week of this transfer.  I hope that I don't 

leave this area, I have almost 6 months here,  so its possible that

I could get transferred...but I think I will stay one more transfer at

least.  Definitely the longer you stay in an area the harder it is to 

leave.  I know this place like the back of my hand now, and I know

and love the people so much, so it will be hard to leave.  

I`ll send pictures next week of the baptism :) 

Have a LOVELY week! 

<3 Hermana Young

Hello, 

Well this week was good.  We did lots of things. 

Well, we have Rodrigo who is going to be baptized 

on Tuesday, and Sharon and Adrian on the 31st.  

Today we have a zone activity, and we´re going to 

play volleyball with water balloons! So that's exciting.  

Also we decided to star up our English class again in 

the church on Saturday mornings. It was really fun, we 

taught how to pray in English, and then how to introduce 

yourself, and we practiced some verbs.  Then we played

this game where you have a sticky note on your head

with an animal in English, and you have to ask questions

to guess what animal you are...it was hilarious.  

Well, I'm looking forward to this week because Rodrigo is 

finally getting baptized!!

Have a great week!

I will attach some pictures of the view from our roof of our area :) 

Well, things are going good.  Yes, I'm enjoying it.  Sometimes it's weird to think that I'm in Mexico, and I just spend all  day 24/7 with one person walking around talking to strangers in a different language.  haha but I'm having fun and learning a lot.  We have three baptisms  planned for this month that are pretty set and sure.  Rodrigo, for next week Tuesday, Sharon for the 24th...she is 17 and has all of the lessons from elders who live where her Dad lives, but she actually lives here in our area with her Grandma, and she wants to be baptized, So she came to church with us yesterday and needs to have three attendances in our ward to be baptized here.  And Adrian...he is 13 and his Mom is less active, the missionaries taught and baptized his family 7 years ago, but he was too young to, but he is really good, it's sad because their family has a lot of problems and he can't read either...we are going to try and help him learn, and  help reactivate their family.  

Love you too!

Mariah

Weekly Email

Wellllll, this week was very good.  My new companion and I are working well together.  We had a lot of lessons this week, Hermana Eyre is very good at talking to everyone.  Which is great, for me its still a bit uncomfortable starting off...but It always works out good.  So we have a few new people and families to teach.  We also helped a family move, so we got to wear jeans...it was weird! They are a less active family and are going through a lot of hard things.  We are working to reactivate them...and they have a son who is 13 named Adrian, and we are going to try and get him baptized within the next couple weeks.  We went to the visitors center on Saturday with him and Rodrigo, and the other Rodrigo, and Antonio (who is Claudia's little brother) (I'll attach the pic) It was really fun and we all felt the spirit.  Rodrigo is going to get baptized in a week we think.  Today, Hermana Marcela made us crepes with cream cheese and blackberry jam and lechera (basically sweetened condensed milk) and they were heavenly.  Well that was my week in a nutshell :) have a great week!

Love Hermana Young

the first pic is me and Sylvia..shes an investigator that works for the govt here so she wears a yellow vest

And one of hna medwin, claudia and I the day hna medwin left

and the visitors center

New Companion

Well, this past week was really great.  After waiting alllll day on monday to find out if we would be having transfers, we finally got the call at like 10pm! And we found out that Hermana Medwin was leaving Zaragoza and I was staying here. So this is my fourth transfer in this area, I love it though so Im happy. After this transfer I'll have 6 months here.  Anyway, I got my new companion, Hermana Eyre, she is from Utah, and she has 9 months in the mission.  She has been in my zone for 3 transfers and we had exchanges together twice before, so we already knew eachother pretty well.  She is very nice and we get a along really well, and work well together.  And the funny thing is that the majority of the hermanas in the field are in the same stake because it's the area that's most safe.  So Hermana Medwin got transfered super close, like 10 mins away, and we´re still in the same district. And Hermana Eyre´s previous area is literally the other side of the street of our area...we could walk there.  

This week we found two new families to teach and I´m really excited about that.  Also Angel still has his baptismal date for the 10th of August and Rodrigo is going to get baptized on the 5th! Yesterday, Rodrigo had his baptismal interview and he is super ready! He loves the Book of Mormon, he excitedly told us about a cool part he foud and explained how it is like a powerful manual for life...haha Yes! So Im excited for that.  And we are going to go to the visitors center with him on saturday.  And Yaxkin, Alberto, and Nelly got confirmed yesterday! So things are going really well, I dont want to leave this area....but I have at least 5 weeks left here.  I think I will probably get transferred after this because usually you have no more than 6 months in one area.  

But yes, everything is going well, I am very happy and learning a lot! Missions are great.  

Have a great week! 

Love Hermana Young

Baptisms!

Well this week was great because guess what....YAXKIN, ALBERTO, and NELLY GOT BAPTIZED yesterday!!!!! After three months of working with them and several road blocks, they finally got married on Tuesday morning! And we celebrated with them, we ate tacos :) And then they all got baptized as a family on Sunday after church.  It was funny though because in order to have hot water, we have to turn on the boiler....but apparently there was some kind of bacteria in the boiler that made the hot water smell like rotten eggs, so we had to settle for cold water.  And we didnt want to tell them that it was cold...especially Yaxkin, she´s kind of a drama queen.  But Alberto went first...no complaints.  Then Yaxkin....and the instant she got in the water, she was like AHH its freezing hahahaha.  But she did it lol. An then poor Nelly, she is 10, and I don't know why she never mentioned this before, but she has a fear of water...she started crying and once she put her foot in the water, she just turned right back around. But Rodrigo (our recent convert) was the one who baptized them, he helped her and told her that Heavenly Father was with her and that she would be okay... and she calmed down and she did it. :) And they were all so happy, it was such a good program too.  Afterwards they all got up and shared their testimonies...even Jesus the 6 year old.  It was so sweet.  And Hermana Medwin and I had bought a ridiculously beautiful oreo cake from this bakery called Esperanza on Saturday. And last night after the baptism we went to their house and surprised them with the cake and we watched The Testaments.  

Other than that this week was pretty good, my companion got sick though with some kinds of stomach flu :( so we had two days where we didnt leave the house.  I took advantage of the time to study and watch some church movies and study some more.  It was fine..although I was going a little stir crazy.  But she´s better now. And we also went to a elementary school graduation that Claudi´s little brother invited us too, he graduated 6th grade.  It was fun, they really go ALL out for everything, they had choreographed dances and costumes, and even released a dove! haha it was funny. And today we will find out if we have transfers...I had a dream last night that I was leaving, so I'm pretty sure I'm getting transferred to a new area.  But I'll let you know.  

Have a great week! 

Love Hermana Young