Merry New Years Eve!!!!!!

this is a natavity scene set up in Cananea town square!

Random horsey down a dusty road!

saying goodbye to Elder Christian! a great missionary! all bundled up

Mayra and her Churro stand. Sometimes we finish our nights of tracting here and munch on some corn or warm up with some churros

31 de diciembre 2012

Well this week to say the least was filled with ups and downs! What an incredible skype sesh we had! hah It was a great gift from Santa to speak with each member of my family. I loved seeing your smiling faces, and it was fun sharing some stories, details and personal details that I haven't shared in my emails with you! Strange to think that my family was so close to me this Christmas, only a hope skip and a jump over the border and I could have spent Christmas morning in Pinetop.

After inhailing 435+ tamales, tons of turkey, ham, potatoes, salad, mole, and Mexican candies, I was able to visit several of our investagators on Christmas Day. As missionaries there is no greater gift we could ask for, then to feel the spirit and influence the lives of of the people we serve. We spent most of the night at an investagators home. They had a myriad of questions from their scripture reading, that we were able to answer! The spirit was definitely  there as we testified of the truthfulness of the Libro de Mormon. I know they were influenced and edified on the spirit on this Christmas night. There is nothing like staring right into their eyes and telling them that you love them and are willing to do anything to help them improve their lives and enter into the waters of baptism!!!

Yes it is chilly here in Cananea. Still a problem with contacting people in these cold winter days. we did not have tons of lessons, and we were rejected quite a bit this week! haha its all part of the missionary work, and in moments like these, is where you KEEP YOUR CHIN UP! Some weeks are obviously better than others. The message we bring to the doorsteps of these people is the greatest message this world has to offer, and sometimes it hurts to see it go in one ear and out the other of the people we teach. I love this gospel so dang much and I want a happy functioning ward here in Cananea haha but the truth is, its gonna take a whole lotta work. and Im willing to work my tale off.

Elder Villegas and I did not baptise like we had hoped to. Our  investigators Vicky and Nico left to attend to an "emergency" in a neighboring town and we were unable to contact them all weekend. they didnt come to church and we havent heard from them since friday night.... not the greatest situation for missionaries. But! Im keepin my chin up. We hope to visit with them tonight, and figure out whats goin on. We will set another baptisimal date for them and help them reach this goal. I look forward to their future. Both have them have come a long way and I love seeing their happiness when we visit them.

 I am so privaleged to be a missionary at this time of my life. It is crazy the things that I have experienced  already in 2 months in Mexico. The future is bright for me and for the people here in Sonora. They really had no idea what hit them when Elder Farrow came flyin into Hermosillo to teach, preach and share the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! I love my job and really am enjoying every single experience that comes my way.

My family is the best!!!! thank you so much ferr your love, support, letters and packages! Te amo mi familia. Dad, youre my hero. Mom, you were the best Soccer coach I ever had, Britt, youre preggers. Brooke, my companion has a crush on you. Bailey, teines la voz de un angel. Brinley, Your two front are in my prayer, I hope they come in soon! All is well in Cananea. A very thin layer of snow coats the streets, and I look forward to another eventful 7 days.

Love,
Elder Farrow

Merry Christmas!!!!

Tecate Beer cans as ornaments on the one and only pine tree in Cananea.

Elder Farrow with his stocking and presents from his grandparents!

24 de diciembre 2012

Hark the Hairy Angels Sing! its that time of year again, and I couldn't be happier to be on a mission. This Christmas is going to be just a tad different from years past. Things are looking a lot like they did when I arrived here in Cananea the first week of November. Sadly there are not a lot of Christmas decorations lining the streets, and I totally flip when I hear a Christmas song because its so rare. Occasionally I see Christmas trees through the windows of some houses, but thats about it. This week I walked the streets with mexican dulces in my pockets and handed them out to niños saying,"Feliz Navidad!" and "¿Que le pidio a Santa Claus esta Navidad?" They would just smile, take the candyand think to themselves, why the heck is that crazy gringo filled with so much cheery Christmas joy hahaha but yes, a whole different atmosphere here in Mexico this Christmas!

This week served to be a pretty solid week. We taught good lessons, and our investigators are progressing, and working toward their baptisimal dates! We had 5 investigators come to church yesterday! There were only about 15 members at Sacrament meeting, and when our investigators asked where all the members were, we told them that they were on family vacation. Not completely the truth... the truth is our little branch here is struggling a bit! We need your prayers!! I gave a talk on the spirit of Christmas, focusing maily on the example Christ is for us. it was an easy talk because it was basically the short 15 minute lesson Elder Villegas and I have been giving to lots of families this week! And right before my talk I sang Mary Did You Know in Spanish. yeee

All is well here in Cananea. Its still a bit cold, and the tops of the mountains are coated with snow. This week while walking up and down these streets, wrapped in my scarf and humming Christmas jingles, I was reminded of some of my favorite Christmas time memories. I remember cousins dressed up as sheep and Sheppard's in a Nativity play at Nanny´s, I remember seeing half eaten cookies Santa left next to the fireplace Christmas morning, and I remember the love I felt at home during this time of year. I cherish these memories and I am grateful for a loving family that supports me on my mission! I can feel your love this week, and cant wait till I can chat with my family tomorrow!!!! ahhh

Well, live long, prosper, sing loud, eat turkey, play some checkers, and enjoy this Christmas! I love you all!

_Elder Farrow

P.S. Brittany, Scooter, Camden!! I cant believe you will be adding another member to the Olsen Family! I couldn't be more excited for you =) My big sis is expecting another awesome crazy child! Britt thanks for the pics of you and your fam!!! luv you

Winter Wonderland?

Bundled up!

Snow!!!!

Tamales at the Figerroa Robles home.

18 de Diciembre 2012

Hello my family! I cant believe its almost Christmas! Its a little weird being away from home at this time of year. During these weeks in December I have always spent my time with family and friends. Memories of Dad doing heel clickers off the couch on Christmas morning because Santa came or playing board games with sisters flood my brain everytime I see Christmas decorations or hear a Christmas jingle being played on the radio. This year I have the unique privelege to walk the streets of Cananea as a missionary! and I couldnt be more excited to spend my Christmas with the Mexicans I have absolutely grown to love :)

Well this week was interesting! First off... IT SNOWED!! hah well kinda. at least the little mountains on the South side of Cananea were coated with a thin layer of snow. But most of the week we were blessed with freezing rain. it was actually really cold. Nobody told me Sonora Mexico could actually have temperatures below freezing before my mission! Thankfully there was a whole bunch or random jackets and sweaters that I bundled up in all week.

It was interesting to see how the people here reacted to the cold! As soon as the sun went down the stores started to close and everybody went home. Cananea absolutely shut down at 7 oclock and Elder Villegas and I had a hard time getting into anybodys house, simply because they wouldnt open the door because of the cold! We could definitely tell who was interested in our message because of who let us in! We did not have as many lessons as past weeks, but we had quality visits. Most of the homes here have wood burning stove/heaters called calentones. they fire those bad boys up and feed it chopped wood all night until they go to bed. I know I say this everyweek, but the people here are sooo humble and and I am constantly learning more about mexican culture. Its a lot of fun living in a different country!

I also had the chance to travel to Hermosillo at the beginning of the week to go to a new missionary meeting with all of the Greenies, asistants and president! Pretty neat day. concluding all of our workshops and meetings we had a testimony meeting. I bore my testimony second. 1st was Elder Chuc from Colombia. he stands 5 foot 2 and if you close your eyes while he speeks you might think a woman is talking. anyways, I was able to bare my testimony in front of 15 or so new elders, their trainers, president and his wife. My spanish is really coming along, it was funny to hear some of the spanish from the other americans, very slow and not tons of correct grammer. Elder Jones, Elder Balli (the elders from my district in the MTC) and I definitely have the best spanish. Dont get me wrong its still terrible. Comparable to a 6 year old mexican. but it was good to get a compliment from President and his Wife after the testimony meeting.

This email is taking me forever to write because my hands are freezing and typing is slowwww.

All in all a pretty good week. I might have the opportunity to baptise two 8 year old girls this Sunday! they both come from inactive families and didnt go to church this week. It is the Branch Presidents call to see if they will be baptised! 2 very sweer young ladies, Gaby and Arlet. They know the importance of baptism and have great faith. Wonderful examples for me and their families. An update on our golden investagators! Victoria and her friend Nicholas have accepted their baptisimal dates and are working hard to be baptised at the end of this month. They both atttended church again this week, and have been reading the Book of Mormon! The prayers of Elder Villegas and I truly been answered. we taught them 3 times this week, and we always have great testimony experiences with them!

I look forward to this next week and am prayin for some better weather! I love this church and I love being a missionary. There is no better calling in this world than to be a representative of Christ and go door to door sharing the good news of the Gospel. It is my prayer that we can all remember the true spirit of Christmas and that we can celebrate the birth, life, example and sacrifice of our older brother Jesus Christ! Remember the nails! I love you all and hope you have a very merry week.

- Elder Farrow

P.S. sing your face off this week Bailey! I will be cheerin for you in my heart. Be sure to send videos of your songs. love yerrr

It's Gettin Cold!!!!

servico en la casa de la Hermana De la Puerta! she was so funny and insisted we drank hot coco with her :)

reppin my west side roots! haha I love all the grafiti here

 this is a special friend I found. but he died :( dont worry mom he was a clean dead rat.

Our P-day! sweet view of the mine here in Cananea

12 de Diciembre 2012

Well howdy! This week was absolutely a blast. Clearly better than my last few weeks here in mexico. Together Elder Villegas and I worked hard, taught great lessons, recieved help from members, and really connected with lots of our investagators! But yes it is getting quite cold here in North Sonora, the nights are chilling and I sleep under 5 blankets! And when i wake up in the morning to say my prayers,  I throw another blanket on the cold tile floor to save my knees from turning to ice! But the funnest part is taking my 1 minute 18 second shower haha scrubbi-dubbin in that water is freeeeezing!

Holy cow what a great great week. We had a lot of great lessons like I said. For me, feeling the spirit and knowing that my investagators felt the spirit is a success. My spanish has improved so much! I try to speak as much as I can. I keep a little notebook in my back pocket and when I dont know a word I hear, I write it down and study it that night! I have learned more spanish in 1 month her in Cananea than I had in my 3 or so years in school before the mission! no joke! thanks to a native comapnion I have really been emersed in this language and culture. Of all things that I say in Spanish I am most fluid and clear in my testimony! My testimony is a gift that I get to share with everybody I teach, there is nothing quite like expressing your faith and love for the Gospel in spanish! whuuhooo

Ok, a quick story! This Saturday was a busy day! Saturdays always are becuase we try to visit all of the people we teach adn share with them a little message, and try to motivate and inspire them just a little so they choose to go to church the next day! we were walking in El Dorado, one of the poorest colonies in Cananea, on our way to visit Beranice and her family. We heard two little boys say, ''Elders!''. We thought nothing of it and kept on walking. A couple more steps and we hear a muffled womens voice say, ''Elders, please come here'' or ''Elderes, venga por favor''. So we approached this woman at her doorstep, she was dressed in torn old clothes, with her hood on and a scarf wrapped around her face! I looked closer and saw that the skin on her face was in terrible condition, she had a sickness called viruela, looking into her eyes I could see the sadness in her heart. Honestly my first thought was that she wass a lepper!  She told us her name was Victoria, that her mother had passed away 8 years ago and the months before her death she was baptised a member of our church. She invited us in her home and she expressed more to us about her past. less than a year ago she was buying drugs on the street, and she had issues with alcohol and immorality. about 6  months ago something clicked for her. She dusted off her mothers old Book of Mormon and began to read it! Since then she has quick smoking, drinking and has the desire to CHANGE HER LIFE! Elder Villegas and I began sharing scriptures with her, and taught the her the Gospel of Jesus Christ (faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end) without and invitation she said, ''I want to go to church with you'' Oh man, this is music to a missionary's ears. We testified of the truthfulness of our message and then invited her to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptised on the 30th of this month! She accepted! The story gets even better, Elder Villegas and I set up a ride for her and her 2 sons to come to church the next morning!  Victoria, her family, and her friend Nicholas dressed in their sunday best, were ready at 9:30. Oh and in sacrament meeting i was suprised when the 1st councelor called me up to speak for the remaining 20 minutes of the hour. haha yes it really happens here in Mexico.

But yes! what an incredible experience for us. This was a confirmation of my testimony that the field is white already to harvest! Victoria was absolutely prepared to hear our message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt in my mind that she will be baptised, and we only hope that there are no serious problems in her past that will hold her back from entering into the waters of baptism! This is what missionary work is all about!

I love workin out here. Mission life is crazy, happy, sad, incredible, dangerous, hillarious, hot and cold. I cherish my time here and love serving my Father in Heaven, and the people here in Sonora. My testimony is strengthened daily, and I love growing and learning. oh yes, growing... I jumped on a scale this week and saw that I have almost GAINED 10 pounds this last month haha.

Yo he recibido sus cartas, y gracias para sus palabras de inspiracion. seems like my family had a lot of fun at Thanksgiving! it was great to get all those dear Elders finally! Thank you Mom, Dad, Brooke, Bails, Grandparents Moon and Farrow, Chelsea, Sister Snow, Summer, and Brother Dunham! Letters are gold, and I had tons of fun reading you crazy adventures!

I love my family and friends, and am so happy to be a missionary at this time in my life. Through all the speed bumps in this life and my mission, somehow I manage to stay positive and smile through the trials! Have a great week! You are all in my prayers.

Love,

Elder Farrow

P.S. Chelsea Penelope Snow! you are going to serve a mission in Virginia! crazy news! I am so happy for you. I know you will be such an incredible missionary! :) Remembber more important than you call is the oportunity you have to go through the temple for the first time! whooohooo im vurry excited for you
P.S.S depending if I can find a camera here I will be skyping my family on Christmas!!! if not a phone call. Either way Im stoked! hah La Navidad will be fun, so far I have plans to visit a couple members homes and eat everywhere I go! love yall

Another Week in the Books!

 P day, 4 missionaries, 2 bikes. having no fun at all

pintando una casa!!! me encanta servicio!

blood, sweat and tears. haha jk tracting with mi mexicano

another p day bike pic. muy suave

4 de Diciembre

Hola mi familia! the weeks are getting faster! it honestly seems like just yesterday I was writting my last email. I write my emails in little hole-in-the-wall Papelarias, and it costs about 20 pesos for an hour of internet use. There is a little mexican reading my email right now, (he cant understand squat) I just told him to go buy me a churro cuz Im going to be here for a while haha but yes, certainly an interesting week. I had a lot of ups and downs.

I will first share an experience I had la mañana de miercoles. We got a text at 8 oclock about an inactive woman who had been sick for the last week or so and were asked to visit her! so we changed our plans a little, and visited her right away! she answered the door and looked very ill. We sat down with her and had talked for 20 minutes, then as missionaries do, we whipped out our scriptures and started having an incredible discussion a cerca de las bendiciones que nosotros podemos recibir cuando nosotros incluimos el evangelio de Jesucristo en nuestras vidas. (mom please help the family translate haha) anyways, elder villegas and I were bouncing back and forth sharing scripture after scripture, and applying it to Hermana Armenta and her family! We all felt the spirit and she was very thankful for our visit, she opened up to us about her issues with depression and wanted to attend church on Sunday! I was able to give my 1st blessing in Spanish as we concluded our visit! Through my slow sincere sentences Hermana Armenta began to cry and I was able to communicate clearly to her. I was truly blessed by the spirit, and in that moment I realized the power of the Holy Ghost and its huge importance as a missionary. Had I slept in, listened to some rock music, not studied the book of mormon that morning, I know I woudnt have been able to help Hermana Armenta and give her the priesthood blessing she needed. I look forward to those special hours I get to have as a missionary. Those experiences get me through the day and especially the week. 

I try my hardest not to complain haha but to be honest my bike no brakes, the seat came off this week, the handle bars are loose and it was truly a blessing when my front tire popped on friday because we were able to retire our bicycles to our house and finish the rest of the week on foot. As I mentioned last week, we did alot of finding this week and last, and Elder Villegas and I were able teach a lot of first lessons. Most of our day is searching for the homes our new investagators. Addresses are absolutley terrible here. nobody knows what street they live on! and if they do know what street they live on, they arent positive what number their house is!!! For example one of the "addresses" I wrote down from a woman named Jennifer was: Mesa Sur, the white house, across the street from the two story house, next to the warehouse that has an old brown couch outside by the window hahaha no joke! but somehow we find them and have great 1st lessons.

As missionaries we are always looking for oportunities to serve, and we ask everybody if we can do ANYTHING for them. most of the time they laugh and say no, but this week elder Villegas and I painted a house and sheered a sheep haha lots of fun. I continue to be amazed by some of the lifestyles here in Mexico. Grandpa Moon is write when he describes Cananea as a dustly old town in his letter to me. He is exacly right. I get the opportunity to serve a very poor and humble people that live in a very hot and dusty Puebla. Sometimes I cant believe what I see on the streets, drug deals left and right, scraggly packs of dogs, and 15 mexicans piled high in the back of a pick up truck. I am truly living in a different world and I love every second of it.

Im not sure if I have told you in my other emails, but there have been some changes to rules throughout all the missions in Mexico. They have added a rule that we are not allowed to knock doors! tocar puertas! this change makes us work with members, and using their help and references to find and teach people! this really is a great change to the missionary work. in 09 there were thousands of baptisms, but now at the end of 2012 less than 20% of those baptized members are active. also investagators need to go to church 4 times instead of 2 times before they are baptised. with these changes missionaries with have *stronger´´ conversions. 

The problem is, Cananea does not have many active members. less than 40. and of those 40, 5 people are willing to help. 2 returned missionaries and la familia Sanchez. Elder Villegas and I have been working hard, every single day. Our branch president is not very helpful and we are forced to do a lot on our own. I guess this is the big growing up part of the mission. We struggle to get help from our members, and we really really need it. Two 19 year olds in a Mexican puebla can do a lot, but an entire branch of testimony sharing Latter Day Saints can do miracles. I am praying for some added support here in Cananea!

All is well my family! I am bein dilligent and trying my best every day. I hope you scally wags are hangin in there without me! Know that I am safe, healthy, and getting an embarrasing tan line on my neck! Remember our Saviors saccrifice when the goin gets tough. He can lift us up with the wings of angels if we let Him! Have a great week!

Love, 

Elder Farrow

P.S. Chelsea Snow you are in my prayers this week! I cant wait to find out where you will be serving your mission!!! I still cant believe you are going to be a missionary :) my guess is NYC!! 

Brinley you are cool

I Mustache You a question!

Elder Farrow found this 6 inch friend outside his door one morning!

The Green Mansion! the biggest house in Cananea. show Grandpa Moon!!! he wrote me about this

 

 

- debbie farrow passes on her buns to her son

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26 Noviembre 2012

Como esta mi familia!!!! This week was another great week in Cananea! I cannot tell you how much I love the people here, every single mexicano i meet is so unique and always has an incredibly random, dangerous, funny, sad, or mind-blowing story to tell. just a little update on my spanish speaking: it is getting better and better every day and I find myself speaking tons more and even thinking in spanish! aaand its always a great sign when I am teaching the Plan of Salvation while I sleep talk hahaha! Every morning I read the Book of Mormon in Spanish, and my comp says that the book of Mormon is my best spanish textbook to study from! My sentences are getting more fluid and i am feeling more confident. Everyone is impressed when I tell them it is only my 3rd week in Mexico. I tell them it pays off when you stay up late watching marathon after marathon of Dora the Explorer!

This week the days were very long. We spent many hours biking from casa to casa trying to teach, give service, or anything that LDS missionaries could help with. The truth is many of our inverstagators are not progressing. We made the decision to drop some of the people we have been teaching these last couple weeks. This was my 1st experience ''letting go'' of the people I had grown to love, care about, and pray for by name daily! This was difficult. After hearing excuse after excuse and getting rejected at our door aproaches, we really needed some success. I realized the field IS white already to harvest, and we just need to find those who are ready to embrace this Gospel!

So! this week, starting thursdayish, we began finding new people to teach! and oh man was I loving this. I got to talk to everyone and anyone! I look forward to the times that I get to share my testimony with these mustache, churro-eating, mariachi dancing, mexican strangers! Together Elder Villegas and I wrote in our agendas the names and addresses of 30 plus people that are willing and wanting to hear a little bit more of our message of families and growing closer to God and Jesus Christ!

Also this week, I got word from the mission office that I needed to bus down to Hermosillo to work on my Visa. So, I shuttled by my self from Cananea down to Hermosillo [about a 5 and half our ride[ took a cab to the immigration offices and met up with the assistants. I signed 10 or so papers and waited for an hour, then I was told that I could go back to my area. so, I took another 5 and a half bus ride home to Cananea. hahah . On the way home, I was lucky enough to sit next to a woman that had a billion questions about our religion and missionaries. I did my best to answer her questions, and taught her 2 lessons, and placed a book of mormon! HAH! she even read it for 20 or so minutes. but yes, really that was my entire day on Saturday.

Each day I wake up to a new adventure. I want you all to know that I am working my tail off. harder than I every have before. My companion calls me a greenie, laughs, and makes fun of me during the day because of my drive. I dont really care what he says, or what he tells other missionaries, this is the kind of missionary I am, and the kind of missionary I will be for my entire mission. Daily I strive to improve, and strive to be the Elder that my family is praying I will be. The days are rough, but the words of my Dad run through my head as I bike up the steepest hills I've ever climbed, ''When the going get's tough, the tough get tougher!''

I love serving my Lord Jesus Christ. I love putting on my name tag every morning, I love looking in the mirror and reading the words, ELDER FARROW La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Ultimos Dias. I am blessed to be a missionary at this time in my life. My testimony is growing and I have a love for this Gospel like never before in my life. I know my Father in Heaven is aware of his son Blake in Mexico. Already I have felt his influence in my mission. I Know his angels are round about his missionaries today. On this thanksgiving weeks, I am grateful for a loving Mother and Father who taught me correct principles growing up. I am graeful for loving beautiful sisters who live righteously. I am grateful for cousins who have become my brothers and have been examples to me all my life. I am grateful for a special cousin serving with me in Argentina. I am grateful for my family. You are all an amazing support group. You are in my prayers, and I love each one of one of you!!!!

Your Missionary,

-Elder Farrow

ok so this address is the address of a sisters home in Douglas Arizona and she makes a trip to Agua Prieta every weekend. you can send packages to this address and she will bring them to the missionaries here in Agua Prieta. I go there every Sunday. Sending packages and letters this way is way faster and cheaper. Kinda cool huh?! one of the pros from serving close to the border! I could get packages and letters within the week!

Elder Farrow
C/O Elba Lopez Nunez
1231 E 18th St
Apt B
Douglas, AZ 85607-1788
 

2nd Week in the Field

Habanero attack!!!

Elder Farrow and his Companion attend mutual.

Epic clouds!!!!!

19 Noviembre 2012

Hola mi familia! Another week in México has gone by! Its still crazy to think that I am here living a Mexican life haha I love it. I am slowly getting the hang of things in Cananea. At first all of the streets looked exactly the same to me. the same scraggly dogs, the same piles of trash on both sidewalks, but now I pretty much know my way around town. As I mentioned in my last email, Cananea is a very large area and we were doing tons of speed walking throughout the day. I suggested bikes! hah so I spent 550 pesos on a new bici (about 50 bucks). Its a piece of junk, but its faster than walking. Cananea has tons of hills and my legs ache like crazy by the end of the day, but soon I will have some James Weeks thighs!

This week Elder Villegas and I had a good week. We picked up 4 new investagators and taught some great lessons. In one lesson with a couple, Teresa and Daniel, we opened by watching a powerful 30 minute movie on the Savior and His life, followed up with the 1st lesson of Preach my Gospel, about the aspostacy, restauration and the Book of Mormon. the Spirit was there! It was like the Holy Ghost flew into the room and dropped a truth bomb, because everything we said, they agreed about and it all seemed like it made sense to them. We commited them to baptism and they wanted to go to church! Those are the kind of lessons missionaries look forward to. Each morning we pray for the hearts and minds of the people of Cananea to be opened as we go out and share what we know to be true, and when we have an experience like we did this week, it makes the 40 minute bike ride out to the ghetto of Cananea worth it :)

That was a highlight of my week, other than that mostly just a lot of short "lessons" with our investagators. We go all the way out to their homes and have prepared lessons for them and they have excuses for why they cant have us stay for too long. so often it becomes a 10 minute door aproach on the importance of going to church, or a follow up on their book of mormon reading, or things along those lines. The people are so darn nice to us, but the truth is they are living relatively good lives and they dont see the need to change. They are content with their, family work, home, etc. and dont really want to go to church on sunday.

I do stay positive and am constantly smiling, but sometimes its hard to be optimistic when you invite 15 people to come to church on Sunday, 12 accept, and 0 come Sunday morning!! oh man! our sacrament meeting starts at 10am and there were 18 people seated in the chapel when we sang the opening hymn. 10 or so more members shuffled in during the rest of the hour.

My spanish is coming along! I am speaking up a lot more in lessons and it seems I am speaking faster! but yeah its still very difficult to express myself, and depending on the mexican I can either understand 80% or 5%, some people here talk so fast or mumble like crazy. I mostly survive conversations by laughing nodding my head, and saying "siiiiiii" haha. its tons of fun making people smile, and i wave at absolutely everyone haha most the time they dont wave back. The food is amazing, and I continue to try a new kind of food every day! this week I took a bite out of a Jabenero pepper (google search that one) and 15 seconds after munchin on that thing i was sweating bullets! no joke!

All in all, a very good week. I am growing, learning, feeling the spirit and having fun. There is no greater calling then to be a set apart servant of the Lord. I love this little town and the people that live here. I want my family to know how much I love them and appreciate their support. I know Garret and I will be missed very much these next 2 years for Thanksgiving. We really are the 2 coolest family members... besides Tristo. Thank you for you package family, it was pretty hillarious opening it up and only seeing greeeeen! Have a great week, and I will write again next Monday! Love you all

-Elder Farrow

First Week in the Field

Lots of murals around town!

Decorations for Cananea.

Everyone drives VW bugs.

Panorama of the city Elder Farrow is serving.

12 Noviembre 2012
Hola Familia!!!

Besides almost getting thrown in jail wednesday night, and getting my backpack, scriptures and camera stolen, this week was incredible! hahahaha Just Kidding!!!!

What an incredible week. I dont even know where to start. I guess I´ll begin by saying that I am in a completely different world! it is crazy how much is different. We Americans have been so spoiled our entire lives. Cananea is a very poor town and Elder Villegas and I have been blessed and privileged to serve here. Today I am writing my e-mail in a city called Agua Prieta. Super close to the border. I will go here every Sunday night for our district meeting. but oh my gosh I absolutely love Mexico..

I told you a bit about mi casa and mi compañero. Living conditions are gonna be just fine, but it is strange to sleep in a room that has walls infested with cockroaches haha. my showers are less than 2 minutes, because the water is ice! we get warm water once a day at 3 oclock randomly, and we are never home at that time. my comp and I get along just fine. He is very patient with me and we seem to mesh well. He reigns from Pueblo Mexico and is a convert of 3 years.

All the mexicans don't believe me when I tell them that it is my first week in spanish. They say I look like a movie star and speak very well. Of course I am having difficulties with the language. I understand ALMOST everything people say, but have a hard time expressing myself in español. I might not be able to have an adult conversation with people, but dang can I testify! You would not believe the kind of people I have taught this week. So many weirdos. So many amazing people.

Cananea is a small pueblo where 90% of the people work in the bronze mine on the west side of the town. There is only one branch here of ablout 35 active members. there are 300 plus inactive members, and most struggle with working on Sunday´s. For the most part mexicans are extremely friendly and I enjoy making them smile. My comp says I walk like a cholo haha (Brooke or Bails, or a Jonas brother) Elder Villegas and I are the only 2 missionaries in cananea and do tons of walking! Close to 10 miles daily! my feet ache when we return to our home every night. I love workin hard. I am ready to whip this mission into shape. I have already seen the struggles some missionaries have with obedience. Villegas says he has been waiting for a companion like me. Cananea hasn't seen a baptism in 5 months... Weeez about to change that. The days are very long, and already I have experienced rejection! Its depressing! We have a message so great and so beautiful, but people just wont listen and we get the door slammed in our face. But hey, when they do that I stay positive. I am grateful for the breeze that they made from closing their door so quickly :))

I have taught 2 homeless men! We taught a lesson in his shack? crazy, he treated us like his guests of honor and he sat on a stump while my companion and I sat on his torn computer chair and metal folding chair. We taught a great first lesson to him! we checked up on him the next day and he memorized like 10 or so names of Book of mormon Prophets because we gave him a copy and when he had trouble reading Moroni, we showed him the pronunciation pages in the back of the book! haha this man has faith! Pray for Armondo.

We also teach a single mother named Yurie, a widowed woman named Norma, Angelica, Maritza, and others! I love teaching lessons. I swear my spanish gets better every single day. I pick up 20 to 30 words a day. the fooood!!!! Its good!!! half the time I don't know what I am eating, but I eat it all and I love it. I see know why Grandma Moon is so good at her mexican meals! every woman here loves to cook and loves to make gringos happy. And man is everything spicy haha I have just accepted that everything I eat is going to be spicy, so I now put hot sauce on everything. People aren't kidding when they say real mexican food is hot going in AND coming out. I have spent some good time in the bathroom this week. I hope I can get accustomed to the food quick!

I have tons to tell, but I have a bus to catch shipping me back to Cananea. I absolutely love being a missionary. I look forward to the next weeks, months and years here in this crazy, beautiful, strange, loud, dirty, amazing country! I am so thankful for the family and support that I have over the border ;) I know I am loved and i promise I will make you all proud. I am striving to be the missionary my family and my Savior needs me to be.

Love,

Elder Farrow

p.s. a little bird told me that Obama won the election. actually I found out while watching the news on a little TV at a market. but yes. good luck Americans.

I'm gonna try to send some pictures right now

Message from Mission Home

Welcome at airport!

Alberto E. and Maria A. Hernandez (Mission Presidents) and their missionaries!

Dear Farrow Family:

We are so glad to tell you that Elder Farrow arrived here well to the Mexico-Hermosillo Mission. We're very happy to have him with us. He's serving with his new companion and trainer.

We invite you to keep supporting him in your weekly letters, and to remind him to be obedient, diligent, and loyal to the Lord.

If you have any questions or if there's anything else we can do to help you out, please let us know.

Kind regards,

Misión México Hermosillo

Estoy Bien!

This area looks to me like it's a mining town;)

Hey fam!
  Mission president gave us permission to send home a quick email! I am safe! I arrived in Hermosillo yesterday at about 1 and was greeted by the mission prez, his wife, and los asistentes. Hermosillo is a desert! flying over the city was a crazy experience, all I could do was smile and say a prayer in my heart! We made our way to the mission home (a 20 second walk to the temple!) and had lunch with them and the new missionaries, about 12 of us. there were new ones from the mexican mtc too!! anyways, we had a brief meeting and were paired up with our new companions! I have been selected to serve with Elder Villegas in the area of Cananea! He is a massive 5 foot 2, and is pretty laid back, but he is ready to go to work! esta area es muy cerca de Arizona! I took a 5 hour bus ride from Hermosillo to Cananea in a crazy bus haha seats were comfy but we were boucin all over the place! the roads are a mess, filled with potholes! But oh my gosh, Mexico is crazy haha I dont know if it was what I expected, but I love it. Elder Villegas and I live in a pretty good sized apartment! 2 rooms, with a semi kitchen, and makeshift closset and a nice bathroom. yo dormí buenísimo y tuve un sueno de mariposas y hadas. lo mejor. Today we studied were out the door by 11. I can tell this is going to be tons of fun and a lot of work. Tonight I have 3 lessons!!!!!! hahahah I am so happy to be starting this crazy adventure. I promise I´ll send more pictures and give more details next week!

My P days are going to be on mondays and I will write you then. So happy to finally be in Mexico!



more pics coming next week. weird how todays emails worked out. half hour at a members house, another halfy at la papelaria!!!! yeeeehawww this life is gooood. and very huble, and dirty, loks of dogs and the food isnt sitting welll. oh and everything is spicy hahah love you 

Love,

Elder Farrow

Last Few days in the MTC

Highlight of Elder Farrow's week was helping traffic in the new Elders on Halloween!

Who knew that the otter tie would come in handy on Halloween;)

jussss workin out!

 My teacher Brother Lloyd! Our last day with him! He also taught Garret at the MTC!!!

Elder Sam Walker!!!!! from Weblos! hes all grown up :)

 Nov. 3, 2012

Hola Mi familia!!!

It is incredible to think that I will be in Mexico in less than 48 hours!! Oh my Gosh! It's really happening! Much has happened this week. I expressed a little in my last e-mail how my district and i were experiencing a wave of "senioritis" and that we were so excited to get to Mexico! Knowing Hermosillo was so close,  motivated me to work especially hard at the MTC this week, so I could hit the ground running on Monday! I was able to finish the Book of Mormon last night! What a confirmation of my testimony of the truthfulness of that Book! More than ever before 3rd Nephi stood out to me the most, as we know that is when Jesus Christs visits the Americas and established His church! What a privileged dispensation we are to have the Book of Mormon!

Let's see.. Tuesday night I sang in the MTC choir! I wasn't going to sing, but then an Elder from my zone asked me join him, it was our last devotional and we had seats on the 1st row! Everybody said no to him, and since I had been Zone Leader in the past I knew that this Elder had been struggling a bit, so I decided to join him!   He described his thoughts of the MTC and I was able to give him some good advise about this next week and preparing for the field. That night we heard the words of Don R. Clarke! He spoke of the importance of Baptism and working with the Members!

Also this week I was able to be a traffic directed for the new missionaries that came in on Wednesday. It's sad that that's a huge highlight of my week, I had a lot of fun with it haha Halloween was different than it had ever been before. naturally, I felt the spirit of the holiday and tried my best to include halloween puns throughout the day. Most were lame, but i got a few laughs here and there. Thursday night my district held a fake baptismal service for our fake investigator Andres. We had worked with him for a month giving him lessons and what not, and this baptism felt pretty real! I had the chance to conduct the service and we really had hyms, prayers, talks and a special musical number! I cant wait to have a real one in a few short weeks!

The Truth is I could go on and on about little details of what happened this week, but I will chose to express some of my thoughts as I prepare to serve my Lord in Mexico! I have lived an incredible life and know that everything that happened has built me up and prepared me for this next 2 years of my life. I am ready. I promise you that your son, brother, cousin, grandson, friend or whatever else I might be to you, will be the hardest working elder Mexico has to offer. I am dedicated to this work. Nothing brings me more happiness then thinking of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everybody I meet. I am ready for what ever God has in store for me! I know this church is true! That the tomb is empty and that my Savior Jesus lives! Through Him and his atoning sacrifice we will be able to return with our father in heaven again! I know this, I have had a continued confirmation throughout my life and especially here at the MTC that these things are true. The fullness of the gospel is here today. I have studied it, I believe it, I live it, I love it, and now I am going to teach it! I am a part of the greatest work the world has to offer and can't wait for the future! Mexico bring it on!

I love you family, thank you for your love and support! Thank you for your letters these last few weeks. Mom be expecting a call soon :) I will be in the airport from 6-8 Utah time. I will call your cell sometime between then.

Love you all! Remember the Nails

- Elder Farrow

Ps brookie good job with applying to schools! this is a fun year in your life! live it up and enjoy yourself. Balls thank you for you letter I love you so much. All jokes aside you are cool. oooonga

Travel Plans! Here we come!!

I wonder who decided to take a photo in the bathroom? 

- waluigi, mario luigi and wario!!! hahah

The District gets their travel plans!!!

Looks like Elder Farrow is eating his fruits and veggies!!!!

 Hola mi familia!

Yes, my travel plans came this week! I will be leaving the MTC at 5am on November 5th!!!!!! ahhh I wish you could have seen my face when I opened up our mailbox and saw the packets of travel information with our names on it! I was on cloud 9, honestly floating on the way back to our classroom to deliver the news to the rest of my District Wednesday afternoon! What a blessing it has been to be here at the MTC for 8 weeks, but oh my gosh  I am so ready to leave!!! Mexico is calling my name! Rolling their R's in Elder Farrow and all.

This week was a quick one. It always is. I had the opportunity to hear from Elder Larry Echo Hawk on Tuesday night! He also spoke in General conference. And man what a funny little guy he was. He had us all laughing while he was telling us some of his high school sports stories. He slowed it down and brought a hurricane of the spirit with part of his conversion story and his testimony of the Book of Mormon. He stressed the importance of reading everyday! Its easy as a missionary, but it is now set in stone that I want to read the Book of Mormon every day for the rest of my life. Pretty inspirational night. After devotional we always have to chance to have a district debrief and testimony meeting. As District Leader I started with my testimony and absolutely poured my heart out. I was filled with the spirit and very touched. It turned out to be one of my absolute highlights of my stay here at the MTC.
 
Also this week I had the opportunity to be a Host for the new incoming missionaries! I escorted two youngins from Utah and Vegas that both seemed just as overwhelmed as I was a short 2 months ago. Its bizarre thinking how much I have grown since the time I was in their very shoes. My time at the MTC seemed like an eternity and at the same time a blink of an eye! does that make sense?

We were blessed with a brief blanket of snow this week. Its all gone now, but it was a fun change looking out our window and seein snowflakes fall. Something I definitely wont be seeing for at least 2 years in Hermosillo! today I received the sweatshirt in the mail! thanks! its comfy. Everyone makes fun of me for shivering in 40 degree weather. They call me San Diego. I know they are jealous of my weather back home!

Family I am workin hard and staying focused on the work of my Savior Jesus Christ. I'm sucking it up enduring the last few days here at the MTC! I try my best to keep my district motivated, I bet I get a little annoying sometimes, waking them up in class and asking them to stop goofin off, but really I'm not here to waste my time. I love studying and eating up the words of the Prophets. Ammon is my boy. I promise you I am going to leave the MTC with no regrets and hit the ground running in Hermosillo! I look forward to the day when I can look back at my mission and say, "I was the best missionary that I could possibly be, and I worked the hardest I could everyday for 2 years." That is my goal and it has started here at the MTC! I look forward to the greatest and worst days of my life, these next 2 years. I couldn't be happier to be on a mission. In the words of Isaiah, my strength has been renewed and I have been mounted up by the wings of eagles. There is no greater work on the face of the earth and I am among a few of the greatest privileged members of this church to go out into the world to share my testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel and wear the name of my Savior Jesus Christ over my heart. I love my older brother,  I love this church, I love my family, I love my country, and I love this life. There is no greater gift.You are constantly in my prayers, and I thank you for your love. I feel the strength of your prayers everyday.

love,
Elder Farrow

P.S. this next week will be a little different, expect to get an email on saturday not friday. also thanks nanny and bompa for your halloween package! love you all
oooooooooongggaaa

P.S again Brock and Balls!(brooke and Bailey) keep your heads up! high school sucks and it is the best, but stay positive and work hard! respect mom and dad. I love you girls. Oh and brooke I gave your senior picture to jacob. hahah

Think of the Nails

MTC, a spiritual powerhouse prison!

Oct. 19, 2012

The official name tag!!! 

I am sure this was an exciting reunion!!!  Jacob Clingo's first day in the MTC!!!

Hello Family!

It's strange to think that I have already been a missionary for a month and a half. It seems like just yesterday I was schooling Brinley in pool volleyball, and now I'm a full time working missionary! I love it. This week wasn't too bad at all. I love the constant feelings of the spirit here, there really is no place like the MTC. My Spanish is getting a lot better. I know this because the Elders that sleep in my room with me tell me that I wake them up in the middle of the night when I sleep talk. Get this, I bare my testimony aloud IN SPANISH when I'm sleeping. I must be doing something right as a Spanish learning missionary. haha but really I am loving learning this language. My district has made specific language goals, this week we tried our best to speak only spanish. It was rough, by the end of the day my head killed, sometimes I get a little depressed because I cant express myself as well as I want to in spanish, but I stick to it. My district is great, they are hard working and diligent Elders. I am very thankful for the opportunity I have had to be in the MTC with them.

To answer some of your questions about being a district leader. I'm sure that being a DL in the field is tons different, but here in the MTC I hold interviews with the senior companions of each companionship weekly, and report back to the Zone Leaders and Branch Presidency. I also pick up the mail 2 times a day after lunch and dinner. I have leadership training meetings twice a week and report again at Branch Council on Sunday. It's fun. I also conduct district council and run opening excercises before every class.

Fam, life is very good here, and I am really enjoying my time preparing for my service in Mexico. Less that 20 days till I'm in a plane to Hermosillo. Some might say I'm going crazy, I am so ready to leave this spiritual powerhouse prison and start teaching the people of Mexico. I love thinking about the people that I will meet, teach and learn to love! shoot, I already love them. Leaving to Boise last week another glimpse of the outside world haha

Remember hearing from Shane M. Bowen at Saturday Morning Conference? He was the seventy that spoke of self pity and shared his personal experience when he lost one of his children! I had the chance to hear from him on Tuesday night! he was a powerful speaker that really brought the spirit, I couldn't get enough of what he was saying. Chelsea gave me a suggestion in one of her Dear Elders to me about drawing a line down the middle of my note page and on one side write what my physical ears hear and on the other what my spiritual ears hear, and to record what the spirit tells me! It worked so well, and I was just pouring my heart out on the spiritual ears side of my paper. What I got most out of his talk was how obedience is essential to successful missionary work (seems to be a pattern in all MTC Devotionals) and that miracles DO exist today and will happen regularly on our missions. He also spoke about some of the changes that are going to take place in the MTC and mission field in the next couple months. spanish elders will only be spending 6 weeks in here instead of 9! Im so jealous haha but the church is supposed to be doubling their missionaries from 55,000 to OVER 100,000!!!! crazy! this gospel is taking off and I couldn't be more excited to be a part of this great movement.

My good friend Jacob Clingo joined me in the forces this week. Do you remember him? He was so cute. How can I explain this... ok, when I dropped Brinley off at her first day of 1st grade and she was really nervous and had a tear in her eye. That's how he was! nahhhh Just Kidding. He's doing great, and stands about 3 inches taller in his missionary moot boots, just like me! I look forward to spending a little more time with him before I head off to Mexico.

My time is dying down on this email! every week its difficult to tell you all that happened! To summarize, I love being a missionary and serving the Lord. I look forward to the next 2 years of my  life with all my heart. I KNOW that I am doing what I am supposed to at this time in my life. Its a great feeling sharing your testimony everyday, something that was once so foreign to me but is now becoming a very good habit of mine. Thank you for your constant love and support. Wednesday I got a letter from 4 of you family members and it was soooo good to hear from you! made my night. Brooke you are gorgeous, I saw your homecoming pictures today. Mitchell you are gorgeous too. Mom and Dad I am striving to be the missionary that you are praying for me to be everyday! I love you all, more than you know. Kia Kaha

-Elder Farrow da beast

P.S. I'm singing Come thou Fount in Sacrament meeting this Sunday! Pray that my voice wont crack! haha just kidding, that wont happen until I start puberty ;)