A Lesson on Geography

This week, I've had to lead all the planning sessions for every day, and then direct us everywhere. It's a little tough, Mexican directions are way different from American... but I'm doing pretty well and learning lots more about the needs of the investigators this way, which is good! I also had to report to our Ward mission leader, brought me back to the days of ward missionary-ing with Brother Pacini. Boss. 

We also had emergency exchanges this week on Thursday! Elder Long left and we got this elder named Elder Yupanqui. He's from Lima Peru, same mission generation as Elder Jimenez. I don't know much else about him as of yet.

On Wednesday, we went to the temple!! We can't do any sessions, but there are tons of little church stores right next to it, so I got three new ties, a scripture bag, a nex shoulder bag, and a little Mexico City Chalco Mission keychain thingy, all for un 300 pesos (about $24). It was awesome! 

Sad news time, Sergio, the investigator who lost his fingers that I mentioned a few weeks ago, has basically decided he doesn't want to meet with us anymore. It's really sad when we go to his place and he's 'not there' or when he doesn't show up to church. I'm learning it's hard to have to let investigators go.

But there is good news! We picked up some new investigators, the Gomez Savala family! They have cousins that live right next door that are members, one of them just got back from his mission last year in Colorado Springs. They're a really cool family, super rich too, I don't think I've ever seen such a nice house in Mexico. Or in the US for that matter, it's really impressive. They were being taught some years back by Elder Roura's sister who served here, and they want to be taught again! The dad has a lot of questions and doubts, but he's really cool, and the mom just soaks everything right up, so I'm excited to see where this family goes. 

On Sunday, I went on splits with Immanuel, the Satake President's son, to go pick up some investigators. No one we stopped by was home. We walked back to the chapel feeling pretty crummy and who should show up, but 4 less active families! It was such an awesome miracle and blessing, I was so happy to see them! And, one of our investigators ended up coming a little late. Better late than never! 

Fun things that happened this week, we got a water heater thingy that we can use to heat our shower water! Why didn't we do this 8 weeks ago? Don't know, but we have it now! Also, we had a party on Saturday with the Bishop, don't know what for, probably Heather's birthday. We ate hot dogs and hamburgers! I surprised myself and ate 3 burgers. I don't even like burgers. Or at least, I didn't. 

Some funny things about Mexico, everyone here thinks there are only 5 continents; America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Antarctica doesn't count and they don't split the Americas. Somehow they get all offended if you try to make a North and South America ('What, we're not good enough to be in the some continent?' So many things wrong with that statement haha). Also, if you're a white Mormon, they all think you're from Utah ('Maryland? What part of Utah is Maryland?') 

This week, I want to share with you 2 Nephi 27:19-20, which says: 

 'Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will deliver again the book and the words thereof to him that is not learned;and the man that is not learned shall say: I am not learned. Then shall the Lord God say unto him: The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee.'

When Joseph Smith was translating the Book of Mormon, he had little more than a third grade education. He could only read and write basic English, and yet, he comes out with a 500-something page book in less than a year, all about the history, culture, language, beliefs, wars, etc. of a people who lived over a thousand years before him. As critics slander this God-given book, trying to disprove it with 'historical facts', they are time and time again confounded and proved wrong, as the world learns that in reality, the facts add up. There is no possible way that Joseph Smith could have done this without divine help. It just couldn't ever happen. It doesn't make any sort of rational or logical sense that a man of little education could have done so on his own. He must have had the aid of God to do so, to give him the understanding he needed to accomplish this great work. 

And so, that being said, I want all of you to know how truly convinced I am of God's hand in the writing, translation, and publication of the Book of Mormon. I know it's true. I've read it, and there is just no way it can be wrong. Given that knowledge, I also know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and thus, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in God's one and only true church on the earth. There is no other. I encourage all of you, member of the church or not to read the Book of Mormon and seek this knowledge for yourself. Doing so will bless your life in unimaginable, uncountable ways. 

I love you all! Have a safe week! 

Elder Connor

Pictures:

1. Temple trip!
2. New ties!
3. Dog on our roof. During the night, sometimes he runs around up there and we can here the little pitter patter of his feet haha

The church is true....but I cannot rotate this picture to save my life. Tilt your heads? -Heather

That one time Joseph almost killed a Family Pet....And Happy Birthday, Mexico

Today is the birthday of Mexico! Yay! 

Shoutout to Sister Nicole Connor, who I received letters from this past week! She's the best sister missionary! 

This week was great, on Monday we had a zone conference, so I got to meet the rest of my zone! All Elders, all awesome. They're all really helpful and nice, super hard workers who know when and how to have fun! I'm talking a lot more in lessons and such, the language is still giving me trouble, but I'm learning everyday! Elder Jimenez and I have also started running a lot more, which surprisingly, I missed a lot haha. Things are good here.

left to right: Me, my trainer, and my grandpa! (his trainer)

On Thursday, we met a guy who had just come back from the US after living there for work for 3 years. Apparently, he had met with the missionaries while there, so he asked if we could meet with him! We're gonna find him again this week, I'm super excited for those lessons.

I also used my four generation pedigree chart this week! I honestly never thought I'd need it, but one of our recent converts asked about family history, so I showed him mine! It was a really cool experience, family history is such an important part of the Gospel. Do it! 

Funny story, on Friday we went to teach Sergio about the Book of Mormon (which turned out really well) and afterwards, I asked to hold his parakeet. It was in a cage outside, but he said it wouldn't fly away, so I went to pick it up. As soon as I had it out of the cage, it wiggled its way out of my hands and was gone! Turns out it was his mom's bird, another investigator...needless to say, I felt awful about it. Could things get worse? Well they almost did. As we were leaving, we found the parakeet...IN A DOG'S MOUTH. I ran up to the dog, yelling and kicking at it, and it dropped the bird. Amazingl, it was not only alive, but generally uninjured! Minus all the trauma we'd caused it. Elder Jimenez and I are still laughing about that story.

Saturday, the ward had a party to celebrate Mexico's birthday! It was so fun! Tons of food, lots of pretty legit cultural acts (dances, singing, machetes), and lots of Elders! About ten other elders from my zone had been there for a baptism, so we got to chat with them, which was super fun. I got tons of pictures, I'll send them.

The youth of our ward performed some dances, it was really cool! 

A couple weeks ago, the Elders (including me) were asked to give talks this past Sunday, on missionary work. I started mine this past Thursday, so I could get it all corrected by the other elders in my district, and spent a lot of time on it. When we arrived to church on Sunday, we found out that only Elders Roura and Brewer were giving talks...so I didn't have to give mine! It was a relief, but at the same time kind of a bummer...ah well, I'll save it for later. 

This week, I was reading in 1 Nephi 13:35, which says, 'For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thybrethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.'

I love this scripture! As members of the church, we believe the Bible to be the word of God. But since there have been so many translations, many of those words, those 'plain and precious' truths have been lost. But Heavenly Father and Christ knew that would happen, so Christ came to the Americas to teach those things to the Nephites. I often wondered why He taught the same things there that He did in the Bible, but now I get it. It wasn't just for them, it was also for us! For our time, to restore those lost truths to the world in a perfect form. 

The Book of Mormon was written for us, so we could know more perfectly the Word and Will of God. As we read it and follow the principles taught, we will become more like Him, which is always the goal.

I love you all! Pictures to come. Until next week! 

Elder Connor

I got a minion (they're speakers)! Despicable Me 2 is huge down here, I love it.