Feliz Navidad

Pamelas baptism (Ivan and Syra)

Some pics from today, we had 6 of us in a tiny taxi, hahaha

 Me and Elder Rodriguez, my fav Mexican missionary 

(from Ixtapa, speaks English, going to BYU)

Back left is Bocanegra

Well it has been another crazy week, what with changes and everything. So we had changes on Tuesday, and I  said goodbye to Hernandez, . . SO during changes President calls my name and I stand up and he says so. . here is your story. Your comp isn't here yet and is coming from Columbia at 2 o'clock in the morning. So for the rest of the day I got to be companions with the assistants to the President (one is Elder Gillis my old DL). And I had to get up at a lovely 1:30 in the morning to go to the airport to get my companion. It was a long day. . haha.  But I didn't even see him for the whole next day either because he had to go to downtown MC to do his visa stuff. . but anyways his name is Elder Bocanegra. He is Colombian, and his Spanish is different. I seriously feel like I am back to square one with Spanish, because it is so hard to understand him. But other than that I really like him a lot! He is pretty funny and we get along well. During changes I also saw Elder Farnsworth! He said I look like I have filled out a lot. Freakin Farnsworth don't tell me that, haha I also found one of the new white sisters that I went to school with. But so far the training is going really good but it is hard work! This week has been really really busy and a bit stressful as well. It would make it so much easier if I could just communicate fluently with him, but oh well one day.

So we had 2 more baptisms this week! We baptized Pamela. It was a miracle because we have been waiting so long for her to make the decision. Her dad is Ivan, who is an awesome recent convert, and her mom is Syra who hasn't come to church in years, but Syra was really excited about the baptism and is starting to be active again and has the goal to enter the temple with Ivan and their family. So I'm really excited for them. We had her baptism on Saturday and Elder Hernandez got the permission to come and baptize her which is what she wanted because he baptized her dad, and she was really adamant about following the example of her dad.  We also baptized a kid named Brawlio. He just turned 8 so it wasn't a convert baptism, but oh well. Right before his baptism he really hurt his neck somehow and was crying crying for the whole thing. But he was really excited and was a trooper and made it through. Before he didn't know if he could do the baptism so I pulled him aside and talked to him and asked if we could say a prayer for him to feel better. We did, and he made it through. It was funny when they got in the water (Bocanegra baptized him), Eld Boc said ok now we are going to say the prayer he said, yo lo ofresco, which means I will offer it. haha he always wants to say the prayers. After he came out of the water he said the water took away my pain! I was thinking it was all in his head because he is kind of a whiny child but by the time he changed and came back out he was crying again, so hopefully it wasn't too serious. But ya this weekend was busy trying to organize both the bap. services, filling the font (which takes forever here), preparing a Christmas talk for Sacrament meeting, and trying to train a noob. 

On Friday we had our Christmas party so in the morning we got to go to the temple! So that was definitely the highlight of the week, Such an awesome experience (but when isn't the temple an awesome experience??). The Mexico City temple is huge, and really pretty but it will be cool to go through it in 2015 after it has been remodeled. Everything was in Spanish which I was a bit worried about, but I understood everything. I definitely needed some extra help with things but it was all good. After we had a big lunch in the stake center by the Temple and a talent show from the missionaries. We ate tacos, and Elder Bocanegra couldn't eat them because they were too spicy. haha He cannot handle even the littlest amount of spice. And everything is spicy here so that is gonna be fun for him. But after the activity we went to the offices and I got my Christmas package! Yes it made it to me! Safe and sound.

Yesterday was really, really busy like I said with 2 confirmations (Rodolfo and Pamela), my Christmas talk, gospel principles class, organizing Brawlios baptism, and to top it all off we ate with Hermana Lucy. She gave us so much food, Elder Bocanegra couldn't even make it to the main course! haha. It was a huge bowl of sopa, tortas, rice, more tortas, and milonesia. Definitely the best she has given us so far. We also had a really good lesson with 2 of our investigators, Marlen and Ofelia, in between it all. I felt really good because they are hard core bible chicas, and I was able to answer all their questions, and I taught all of the restoration lesson (without the help of blackmouth). So yes it has been . . busy.

Today was a good day as well. we woke up, cleaned the house, went to a zone meeting, then went with some other Elders to Walmart and ate Dominos for lunch and bought some food. We came back to the area, locked the keys in the house, got a haircut, and now I'm here writing.

I cant believe it is Christmas eve tomorrow. It doesn't feel like it at all. I can't even remember what snow feels like, I miss it. haha. I just want Christmas to be over so I don't have to miss home anymore. haha. But it will be good, the 24 is really the holiday here in Mexico, not so much the 25. Everyone just drinks and parties all night, so I have some good street crazies to look forward to. haha. I think we have to be in house at 6 both nights.

So for Christmas. . I will be calling/skyping at around 3ish my time. We are going to eat with the Eldas at 2, then call after so that is 2 o'clock in the afternoon for you guys? so ya. I'm super excited to skype though, I have been looking forward to it for a long time. I figure that will be a better time of day than when Josh called. haha. I will try to figure out a skype account now. So. . see you guys Wednesday!

Love you all so much and hope you have a veerry Merry Christmas!

Elder Elgan