Studly Week!

8/5/2013

Family! Today marks 11 months in my missionary adventure. I cannot believe it! This week turned out to be pretty slow to tell you the truth. After getting a surprise call for the zone leaders Monday night, my companion and I were asked to go to a district leader conference in the mission home. I was good to see old friends for the MTC. Later in the week, once again I was able to do a few baptismal interviews for my district. Lke i have said before they are always fun, and I am able to learn from each one of their young testimonies. Also during these interchanges with Elder Villatora and Valle I was help them straighten out a couple things between them, and in their area. A great part about the mission is that our only stress is worrying about whether or not our investigators will go to church, and the random dramas in companionship's. I don't know if I am making any sense, but just know that I have enjoyed being a district leader and trying my best to help the hermanas and elders.

Like I have done time and time again during my time here in Mexico, Elder Castro had to drop a couple non-progressing investigators and contact new ones. We were able to pick up quite a few new investigators including 2 new families. Sometimes, at first, it seems like the people we teach are a little timid, uncomfortable, nervous, even sometimes awkward, and I love gaining their trust, and confidence and seeing the visible changes in their countenance before we start to teach. This week while contacting one of these families, there was a little 8 year old girl names Melina. She, along with her brother Zaid, were 2 perfect example of these timid investigators, after making them laugh and showing them pictures of my family I could see them open up a little bit. I told Melina she was the Mexican version of my little sister Brinley! We had a solid lesson on eternal families and the importance of the sacrament on Sundays. We as missionaries always want to find the golden family, or the family that makes it all the way to the temple, and I only hope this one is our golden opportunity. 5 of the 6 family members sat next to us at church on Sunday!

Later on in the week Elder Castro and I celebrated the birthday of Angela! she turned 72 on Friday!! We invited another older couple to join us for some cake and grape soda. We bought one of those trick candles that takes 5, 6, or 7 times to blow out before the flame finally stops coming back. The funniest thing happened, after about the 3rd try Angela got a little mad, haha she started saying, "this dumb candle." haha we had to explain to her that it was a trick candle and that it was supposed to take a few tries to blow out. I don't think she ever really understood haha BUT we had a good little party for her and later taught about the gospel of Jesus Christ and answered a few questions she had about her own baptism that is going to take place on Sunday :) She couldn't be a happier old lady. Well... maybe a little happier with regular birthday candles ahah.

Thank you family for your Birthday wishes, I look forward to spending my birthday here in Mexico with the people I love. I left my family 11 months ago only to find a million more family members here in Sonora. I know this church is true, I know my savior lives, I love the heat in Hermosillo, and I love playing my harmonica with waiting for the bus. I couldn't be happier. Thank you for your prayers, always remember you are in mine. Peace!

-Elder Farrow