Life is good!

November 25, 2013

So much happens in just one week. Every day is a new building block. I have learned so much in such little time, and each week is filled with progress. I based my studies this week on the power and importance of personal revelation in missionary work. It is a crucial part of helping members grow stronger in the gospel, finding people to teach, teaching, planning and strengthening our own testimonies. One of the biggest blessings we as missionaries receive while serving is the companionship of the holy ghost and how we can be receptive to the still small voice. God has his way of using us as His special instruments to bring to pass this missionary movement. I don't know how many times I have studied or read something in the morning, then later shared it with an investigator or member the same day and they tell us, "wow, thank you, I needed to hear that." or " that is the answer I was waiting for". Anyways, we had a couple experiences this week. And it was even more cool that I was studying personal revelation too. Me explico?

Bueno, this week I was also able to do 2 interchanges. One with Elder Loomis, and the other with Elder Cornejo who is the assistant to the president. Both pretty cool days where I was able to get to know the Elders in my zone, and do my best to resolve some minor issues in their areas. My comp Elder Joyner stayed in our area both times and tells me this week its my turn to stay in the area. hah Once again we have been asked to do a musical number for an upcoming multi zone conference in December. Joyner and I are preparing a 4 part harmony piece of O Holy Night. pretty stoked about that. uhh what else. We have picked up 2 new sweet investigators Jesus and Alonzo. They are 2 jovenes 13 and 15 years old. They are the grandkids of our new Bishop! Jesus is the older one and reminds me a lot of myself at his age. haha cocky, witty, and always wanting to impress his lady friends, but we are definitely showing them the ropes of the mormon life and they are always stoked about church activities. We had to let go of some of the people we were teaching this week, sadly its part of the process. so we continue the search for new people to teach. Please pray for the members of Barrio 3. Without their support we don't work. Things are definitely improving here though. This sunday the chapel was fullisimo! why? we had the primary program :) super solid little presentation called "Soy Un Hijo De Dios!" or I am a Child of God. I love thinking that I too was a part of those primary programs way back when!

Thanksgiving! man I would do anything for a bite of some of my moms turkey dinner haha I was responding back to one of Nannys emails and I said sometimes, eating beans, rice, cheese and tortillas day after day after day after day can be very repetitive. Its great food, but would love something creative and different sometimes. Jina, our friend form Texas, invited Elder Joyner (Stretch) and I (Slick) for some thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. I couldn't be happier. I am most grateful for the fact that I was raised within a loving mormon family. I love my family so much. I respect, appreciate, and am thankful for your support and prayers.

I have until September to give everything I have and work my tail off here in Sonora. I love the mission and am so grateful for this opportunity I have to serve. The lyrics to Hercules, I Can Go the Distance have never meant so much to me.

" I won't look back, I can go the distance, And I'll stay on track, No, I won't accept defeat, It's an uphill slope, But I won't lose hope, Till I go the distance, And my journey is complete!"

Remember the nails, much love,
Elder Farrow

1. jesus y alonzo.
2. p day, kinda cold what??!?!?
3. A loving hermana. she cooks like a cake boss, but only mexi food

Awesome Week!

November 18, 2013

Awesome week! It seemed like everyday we had tons happen, we have been so busy lately and have really enjoyed a packed schedule. Things are great here in the ward, and even better that we have a new Bishop! Bishop Martinez is a gringo from Colorada and has a huge heart and we look forward to working with him. Sunday church attendance was the most it has been in my time here in Satelite and we were so pleased to see the majority of our investigators at church. We are still working hard on getting our ward more habitual about opening their mouths about the gospel and inviting their friends to church and activities. andamos en la lucha.

I love the people we are teaching right now. Every one with their crazy situations. Peter sadly is now out of our teaching pool, and its a long story. Alba... she doesnt and hasn't progressed like we thought she would. BUT! We are teaching a ton. We have Joel, our strapling 9 year old prospect for baptism on the 7th, then there is timid and smart Paula who loves learning about Jesus. She doesn't like her old friends who smoke and drink and wants to be mormona! We just have to work a few kinks out with her family before we can commit her to a date. We love teaching Jina. She is a convert to the church who is now progressing to the temple, she is a fireball who always keeps us laughing and off subject when we teach. However we do have very spiritually uplifting lessons.

since the very beginning of my mission I have absolutely loved my study time every morning! This week I finished the Book of Mormon for the 6th time on the mish. I love that book, and it has brought me so much closer to my Savior Jesus Christ, and I know its the greatest tool we have in missionary work and preparing ourselves for the second coming. and we know its coming soonish. I was turbo reading this week, because I wanted to finish it by Friday because we had a ward activity. We boomed "The Testaments" up on the projector for our Movie Night! Its the Book of Mormon movie when Jesus comes and visits the Nephites after his resurrection. The spirit was definitely with us in our cultural hall and I was privileged to share my testimony about Christ and the Book of Mormon before we said the closing prayer and served refreshments. I was almost brought to tears talking about the love I had for my Savior and this special book. It definitely served as a spiritually confirming experience for me. I know Jesus Christ lives!!! I know it and I love it. I keep believing every and I have no plans to stop. We are part of His church and I feel like so protected, loved, and cared for as one of His representatives. Man I'm getting pumped just writing this!

All is well in Hermosillo. I thought things were cooling down but today I got sunburned watching a parade for Mexico's revolution. Pdays are huge blessings for a missionary, after a long weeks work its nice to settle down and enjoy some time with the zone. I love my family, and pray for you guys every moment I can. if you ask God for pacience, keep smiling, and read the Book of Mormon you'll be happy haha Que todos tengan una semana chila y exitosa

Quidense mucho,
Elder Farrito

1 year in Mexico!

We had a good week. Monday night we threw a surprise bday party for Elder Joyner! He was stoked and we had a fun time celebrating. Birthdays on the mission are something really cool. I love that guy. Tuesday We had a mission leadership conference, and all the zone leaders from Sonora came to Hermosillo and we talked about our areas. Ways we can improve, what we accomplished in the transfer, and our plans of action for the months to come. I was able to see some old faces, and really enjoyed meeting with President Hernandez. Hes hasnt really opened up to us ever, but he really brings the spirit when he talks. (He told us all of Mexico is really struggling with missionary work! He actually used stronger words, he said mexico was in crisis! We are basically viewing the fruits of missionaries and members 15-30 years ago. Baptizing hundreds, then shortly after all of these new converts fell out of the church, leaving very little converted, testimony strong, faithful members. We as members all need to understand the importance of missionary work, and helping our converts stay active.) All the zone leaders are working really hard to encourage the zones to follow the council of Mission President and keep a

positive attitude. I was able to meet with my Zone on Friday, and speak to them about the importance of the 3 D´s. Diligence, Desire, and Dedication! We always need to step up our game right?

On Thursday night I had a memorable experience. I will share it. So we were coming home from a long day of work at about 9pm. We walk up to our patio and see a homeless man zonked out in front of our front door! 1st we thought to ourselves, "Its a dead body!" haha he wasn't. we said, "señor. señor!" after waking him up, meeting him, and shaking his hand, we invited him to have dinner with us!! We brought out some chairs and fixed him up some pasta. We chatted with Ernesto for a good 45 minutes and he told us about some of the trials he had passed through in his life. Poor guy had made some pretty poor decisions in his life. We concluded by teaching him the restauracion. gave him 20 pesos of change for busses and sent him on his way. I love him too.

For a couple weeks we have been working with Azdrubal. He is a non active member with a huge heart. This week we had an awesome visit with him! He invited us back to his "recording studio" where we jammed for a little on his drums and guitars. He wanted to write a song in english, so we helped him out giving him some rhymes. We shared Alma 36 with him and taught him about the story of Alma the Younger and his repentance process. The spirit was super strong and I had ganas de llorar mientras enseñamos pues. We testified that God will help us change if it is really our desire! We explained that Almas father was praying for him to have a mighty change of heart, and reminded him that we pray for him everyday too. He didn't go to church Sunday but I love that guy.

Sunday was a legit too! First we had a visiting Area General Authority, Elder Torris, visit our ward and he spoke at the end of the sacrament meeting. But the coolest part of the day was Sunday night. I don´t know if you remember the experience I told last week about the singing hymns and giving a blessing to a lady with really bad cancer? Well, yesterday, Sunday afternoon, she passed away. She was the mother of an investigator of the sisters missionaries and the they had been going often to visit the daughter and then they would go and sing hymns to this sweet sister who could even speak because of the cancer.But she absolutely loved it when we sang to her! Anyways, the sisters asked us to go with them to go visit the family and to sing them a few hymns. We went and everyone was there gathered around the deceased body. We entered the room and I had never seen a dead body that wasn´t already prepared for burial so that was an interesting sight. We offered to sing the family a few hymns and they accepted. We sang ¨God Be With You...¨ ¨Nearer My God To Thee¨, and ¨I Know That My Redeemer Lives¨. It was a special experience and the spirit was strong! I know she was there listening to our hymns. I have obtaineda strong testimony of the Plan of Salvation. I have come to really know that this life is just a small moment in our eternal existence. We are here for a specific purpose and soon we will be called home to our God.

Life is good! I feel like there is so much more to write but now my mind is blank hah I love you guys! We had transfers yesterday, and looks like Im gonna keep it real with Elder Joyner here in Satelite for at least another 6 weeks :)

Love, Elder Farrow

P.S. I finished 1 year here in mexico! haha 1 whole year without a cold shower, one year of beans, rice, flour tortillas, spanish and so much more! yeee haha I love Mexico!

Día de Los Muertos!!!

 Nov 4, 2013


This week has flown by! It was definitely one to remember. Crazy to think that this week one year ago I was sayin good bye to buddies in the MTC! I have come a long way haha. Considering I am serving in a border state to the United States there is lots of american influence here and I was able to see  some mexican trick or treaters on the 31st but the real fun happened on November 1st and 2nd. Here in Mexico they celebrate the lives of children that have passed away on the 1st and then later adults on the 2nd. We taught the Plan of Salvation tons this week. As people were remembering their loved ones they were more willing to hear us teach about to part 3 of the plan. Premortal Life, Mortal Life then part 3, what life is to come! In my studies I focused alot on the spirit world and I learned tons. 

Wednesday night I carved a pumpkin. Halloween I dressed myself in a Tazmanian Devil tie. We taught in the poorest part of town and met the Brokamontes Family. We taught them 2 times this week and saw them at church on Sunday! Friday we challenged Peter to memorize 1 Nephi 3:7. Saturday I went on interchanges with Elder Brown. Sunday I bore my testimony in Church. Sunday Night Elder Joyner and I gave a very special priesthood blessing to one of the investigators of the Sister Missionaries in our ward. Her name was Ros Alba, and had been battling cancer for the last 10 years. She looked really bad :( almost as if she was heading towards the last few weeks of her mortal existence. After inviting the spirit with 3 hymns, we anointed and blessed Ros Alba. The spirit was super strong as Elder Joyner gave her the blessing. After leaving her house my companion had a talk about how the Holy Ghost really works through us! Sometimes we don't have the words to say exactly what we want to say, other times we get nervous and think we will say the wrong thing. BUT! The spirit has its way of taking control and bringing us the peace that God will take care of us and in the end, its not the words that make the difference. I'm kinda ramblin

All in all a pretty solid week. Our investigators are progressing and working towards their baptisimal date. We pray for miracles everyday and see them hourly. The zone is doing tons better and it seems we have seen much progress in every companionship. I have the privilege to capacitate at zone meeting and visit district meeting as the week goes on. I am in charge of sending dats to the offices on Sunday and throughout every transfer we do interchanges with the Elder in our Zone. We make phone calls to the District leaders and stay in touch with every detail, gossip and success in the areas of our missionaries. Most of all we do our best effort to be a good example. :) life is great and life goes on one crazy experience after another. I take so much pride in being a missionary. I love you lots!! have an awesome week

BOO! haha jk that was dumb
Elder Farrow