Transfers, Mouse in the House, General Conference

Greetings to my Beloved Friends and Family from Mexico City!

I felt like this week I learned and progressed a lot!  And I'm still Loving the Mission!!!

WHAT'S NEW

TRANSFERS:  Well, this week comes with Transfers again. Last night we received the news that... Elder Galindo is leaving the area and I'm staying here.  I'm sad to see Elder Galindo go, but I suppose it's a good thing, he was ready to leave after having 6 months in the area.  And I've still never had a companion for more than one transfer and I'm going to receive my tenth in total in the mission:  Elder Harris, Elder Tams, Elder Begley, Elder Marsh, Elder Schow, Elder Oberg, Elder Rivera, Elder Segovia, Elder Galindo, and now one more.  But like I've said before, even though it's hard to keep adjusting, each companion is a blessing.  There are new things to learn with each one.   The 3 other missionaries that arrived from the MTC with me are all just leaving their first area and about to receive their fourth companion.  So I feel blessed with the unique circumstance I have, and the many things I have been able to learn.

MOUSE IN THE HOUSE:  Recently, we have found a bunch of bugs in our house.  There has always been a ton of spiders.  Then two weeks ago, we found a scorpion.  And in the past week, we have found three cara de niños, poisonous, grasshopper-like insects.  Tuesday night, we found a mouse in our room as it ran right by my foot.  My companion and I don't like mice,but we didn't have anything with which to kill it, so we went and asked the owner of our house if they had anything.  Our owner just said, no, just kill it with a broom.  (We asked the Zone Leaders for permission to stay the night with the other elders and they said no.)  We closed the door to our room, stood on our bedframes and began moving everything from my bed, one thing at a time.  We ended up hitting the window curtains and it fell out and ran to another part of the room. So we would move the stuff from that part and it would run out to a different part.  Each time it ran out, I would get several good wacks at it with the broom, but it never died. (We even saw it run halfway up the wall!)  Finally, we had everything out of the room and the mouse was trapped behind a weightset.  We were sure we had it.  Then it ran behind a warddrobe built into the wall.  We couldn't move the warddrobe, so we slept on the mattresses on the floor in a different room for the next few nights.  The next day we bought mouse poison and a mouse trap.  But we are still yet to catch the mouse, so we have made our new room our permanent room and moved everything out of the old one.  Fun adventures!

GENERAL CONFERENCE:  I AM SO EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND!!!  There is always so much personal revelation to be received!!!  Who are your guesses for the new apostles?  My guesses are Tad R. Callister, Donald L. Hallstrom, and a Latino.  

MIRACLE:  This week, the daughter of one of the families in our branch went missing.  All week the family was very worried.  We went over a few times and shared messages of hope with them.  And we said prayers that if it was God's will, that the daughter would be found.  And she was on Saturday!  The cool part is that this scary incidence has strengthened the bond of this family.  And there are many members of this family who aren't members.  And they all came to church yesterday and shared their testimonies of God's help in this event.  It's incredible to see the tender mercies of the Lord and his work among men.  The church is true!  I know it!

OTHER NEWS:  This week we started an English class in the branch!  Pictures to come next week.  Our mission is shrinking in size!  Many areas have to be closed because each transfer, more missionaries are leaving than coming in.  This week is the Ajusco fair!  It's like a miny Lagoon!  Amusement park rides and parades line the entire streeet!

Well, that's all the time I have!  Until next week!  I love you all!

Elder Jarrett

Hospital, Baptism, and Mission Fun! :D

Friends and Family!!!

This week was Super Awesome!!!  Lots of new adventures here in Mexico!  

WHAT'S NEW

First off, my first trip to a Mexican hosptial.  So every day except P-day, the members give us food to eat for lunch.  But on P-days, we have to eat food from the street. Last P-day, right before emailing, we went to eat Pizza at a restaurant.  The pizza tasted pretty bad, not like the pizza we've had there before, almost as if the meat wasn't all that fresh.  But we added extra salsa and ate it and didn't think much of it.

The next morning, we had a Zone Conference.  Our district went, but we were all sick to the stomach.  From our mountainside area of Ajusco to the Stake Center is about an hour in an overcrowded bus through windy, hillside roads.  This didn't help any with the way we were feeling.  After the conference, on the way home, my companion and I thought we were going to vomit, so we all got off the bus, waited a while, and hailed a taxi to take us the rest of the way up.  We laid at home all that day, with pain in the stomach and vomiting and some of us (not me) with diarrhea.  We called the Mission President's wife that night to tell her that three of the four missionaries in our district were sick (Elder McClure had begun to feel better), and she told us to go to the hospital.

It was the night of Mexican Independence, so we called a taxi and got to drive through town with fireworks going off and all (but we had more pressing matters on our mind than the fireworks).  Finally, we arrived at the hospital.  I felt like I could wait the night and see if I still hurt in the morning, so I wasn't going to tell them that I was sick.  But before I had the chance to tell them anything, Elder McClure told them that the three of us were sick.  They took us to a room and the first thing they did is put in an IV.  I was waiting for them to ask us questions of medical history or symptoms or something, but they didn't.  They came in and gave us pills and told us to take them.  I asked them what they were for and one was for diarrhea, so I told them that I didn't have diarrhea and so they said, "Oh, you don't?  Well just take the rest of them then, but not that pill."  For all that night and the next day and another night and another day they kept us there hospitalized.  They would come in regularly and ask us "How are you feeling?"  and "Do you still have diarrhea?"  To which I would think, I never had it!   All the doctors would poke their heads in our rooms about every hour and make a joke about pizza like "Hey, I'm on the phone ordering pizza right now, you want me to get you some?"  They thought it was hilarious, but with the food they were feeding us (toast without butter - or in other words, just toasted bread), I would have taken the pizza.   I really felt pretty fine after the first night, but they wanted to be sure that we were absolutely better before they released us.  The good part is that our whole district was there together (my companion and I in one room and the other two in the other, but they came to visit us a lot), so we were able to talk as a district as we all laid there in our sickbeds.  :)

Next, Baptism of Ataúlfo (the 93-year-old man that I taught in Ermita)!!!  Last week, I mentioned that I found out Ataúlfo was going to be baptized on Saturday, so I called President this week and asked him if it was possible that I could go to the baptism, and he said Yes!!!  I was super Excited!!!  You could ask my comp, I was talking about it all week!

I was especially excited for this baptism, because this is the first baptism I've had of someone I actually found and initiated the teaching with!  And I kept teaching him despite my change of companions from Elder Oberg to Elder Rivera to Elder Segovia.  When I left Ermita on Special Transfers three weeks ago, I had already taught him 3 and a half of the 5 required lessons and I made sure that Elder Harris and Elder Martinez (who were taking over my area) knew about him so that they could teach him.  

At the baptism, Elder Harris and Elder Martinez didn't seem as enthusiastic as I was, my companion told me afterward.  When Ataúlfo arrived I talked to him for a few minutes and after it was over I gave him a card I had written and told him Congrats!  Because of the temple dedication last week, the other missionaries couldn't announce the baptism, so there wasn't a huge turnout (8 family members, 8 missionaries, and 3 members from the ward), so I'm glad I went, so that I could show my support for him. I even got to play a part of the program by singing "Come Thou Fount" in Spanish with the other Elders and by saying the closing prayer. The entire time I couldn't stop smiling I was so happy for him!  I feel like on the mission, you develop a love for the people very quickly.  And I was sure that the love I was feeling for him and the joy I felt at his baptism is a glimpse into what our Heavenly Father feels at each baptism.  I was so happy that even after 93 years of life, that a man can learn that this church is true and enter the waters of baptism!

Yesterday, I got to speak in church again!  The speakers that were assigned to speak didn't show up, so right before the meeting started, the Branch President asked Elder Miller and I to speak.  I spoke on the Plan of Salvation.  I shared how as a kid, we played games at birthday parties with a Treasure Map, where you would follow certain guidelines to find a treasure.  I told them that the Plan of Salvation is the Treasure Map that God has given to us for our eternity.  Then I spoke of each part of the plan and the treasure that awaits us at the end.  I feel like it went well for having so short of notice to prepare.  Really, I know that the Lord blesses us with the words we need to share the gospel with others!  So many times on my mission, I have felt inspiration or things that hadn't ever occurred to me before, come to my mind in a lesson or before a talk or in study.  And these moments are blessings from God that I am SO grateful for!

PHOTOS

Three of us from our district of four in the hospital with IVs!

The baptism of Ataúlfo!

I Love You All!   The Church is True!!

Sincerely,

Elder Jarrett

Baptism!!!

Hey Friends!

This week we had a baptism for an hermana named Wendy!  It's super cool!  Her brother was baptized about a month ago.  He's 14 years old (like Joseph Smith was).  A few months ago, he started wondering about religion.  He used the internet to research a bunch of different churches and he liked our church the best.  So he started coming to church every week, just on his own.  After a few weeks, the missionaries found out about him.  He received the missionary lessons and was baptized.  At his baptism, he bore his testimony and it was super powerful and everyone was crying from the strong feelings of the Spirit.  From this experience, the rest of his family started to take interest too.  His sister started taking the lessons just before I arrived in this area.  And this week she was baptized!  Their mom says she wants to be baptized too, but has conflicts with work every Sunday.  All of this people have interest in the church now because of this 14-year old boy!  

Sorry, short email, but that's all the time I have.  Until next week!

Sincerely,

Elder Jarrett

My Friends!

Well, this week didn't hold anything too out of the ordinary.   Just the normal missionary life - lots of preaching and teaching of the Word of God!  I LOVE IT!!!  The secret to missionary work really is to forget yourself.  A little while back, I was struggling with the thoughts of home and being with family and friends.  It can be hard to adjust to a new area.  But I learned from another Elder, don't think about things from before the mission or worry about how things will be after the mission, just focus on what you're doing Now!  An Elder in my district, Elder Harris, related being on the mission to being in a money booth.  We only get so much time here.  And too many people spend the time that they do have on the mission, looking off at other things, wishing they could be somewhere else (with their family or friends, in college, doing the sports and activities they did before the mission) and totally oblivious to the many blessings available to them now!!!  What crazy man would stand in a money booth, with money (or blessings) flying all around them and gaze off into the distance worrying about other things?  No!  Now is the time for each of us to Act with what we have, take advantage of our time on Earth, and Enjoy the blessings God has prepared for us!

I think that in our lives, we too, at times, get distracted from the ultimate purpose.  I was reading recently in Alma 37.  It says that the family of Lehi quit progressing at times because they didn't travel a DIRECT course.  That doesn't necessarily mean that they were doing nothing, they were still traveling some type of course, but it wasn't directly leading them to where they needed to go.  How often do we use our time and energy for things that dont have a a DIRECT purpose for our Eternal Happiness and Salvation?  Some things, like social media, videogames, watching television, etc. aren't necessarily bad, but it reminds me of the talk "Good, Better, Best".  We should fill our lives with the Best things!  The things of God!

Well, other news for this week.  We're having a baptism on Saturday for an hermana named Wendy.  I'll tell you more about her next week!  Also, we started teaching a pastor of a different faith.  And it all started with service - he got interested through free English classes that we teach every Saturday.  Don't forget the impact of Service!  Go and Serve!  I Love You All!

Sincerely,

Elder Jarrett

Week of the Bible Bashing

Hello My Amigos!

        Well, the title pretty much describes this week in a nutshell.  Here in Mexico, there are three major religions: Christians (they are their own church with different beliefs than us) , Catholics (they all worship the virgin María Guadalupe and many different Saints. There are idols of Mary on all the streets.  They believe that Mary appeared to a man, Juan Diego, and told him "Worship Me". -- Interesting note, this is exactly what Satan told to Moses when he appeared to him), and then there are tons of Jehovah's Witnesses here.

        This week we got contacted by two different people on two different days that wanted to "learn more" or "talk with us".  Both were Jehovah's Witnesses.   With each of them, when we showed up to share a message, it turned out that they wanted to argue.  We tried not to attack their beliefs, but to defend our own.  And in the end, both left with questions that they didn't know and said they would check with their leaders to see if they knew the answer.

         On a different day, also taught a Catholic woman who got really mad when we taught about baptism.  We told her that we believe you must be old enough (8) to make the choice to be baptized. She started yelling that babies need to be baptized in case they die young.  We shared a scripture from the Bible that says children are precious to God and another that says we can't be saved for the acts of others and asked what happens to a baby if they die young and haven't been baptized.  She said they're saved either way, baptized or not, but that it's special if they've been baptized.  We left her thinking about things differently if nothing else.

          And finally, we taught an investigator of ours named Flavio.  He's never had an organized religion, but he's read part of the Bible.  In church, we were talking about the Word of Wisdom and he asked if we can eat pork or if we follow the Law of Moses in Dueteronomy.  We answered that pork is okay, but we shouldn't eat any meat in excess.  He told us he disagrees and doesn't think that's right.  We shared Acts 10 when the Lord says to eat meat, but he decided not to believe that chapter.  I never realized how odd the principles of our church are to other people, or how much stranger their ideas are.  I've never needed to know the Bible so well in all my life.

          Our purpose as missionaries is not to convince, that is the Holy Ghost's role.  Our purpose is to invite.  People can argue all they want, and we can share scripture after scripture to show why we believe the way we do, but in the end, they have to overcome the real problem - the wall of faith.  The only way to really believe in the Book of Mormon and everything our church teaches isn't to prove every other church wrong, the only way is by praying and receiving the answer through the Holy Ghost.  It's a simple invitation, a simple manner to know, and the only one.  But it's real and it works.

Well, there's my counsel for the week!  Until next week!

Sincerely,

Elder Jarrett

Re: Fotos con mi Amigo

Pictures of an Intercambio I did about a month ago.  I spent the day with Elder Contreras from Chile.

On Mon, Jun 29, 2015 at 2:21 PM, Austin Jarrett <austin.jarrett@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Fwd: Fotos con mi Amigo