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