Feliz Navidad!!!

Well, this week we received a new House of Prayer.  And we filled it!!!  I had a very special experience, looking at all the people there on Sunday, many of which were less-actives when I arrived here and feeling good for all the progress that I have seen in this branch in my time here.

Our mission boundaries are going to be changing the first of January and we'll receive a stake of the Chalco Mission.  President has told me that there's a good chance I'll be leaving Ajusco.  

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Elder Jarrett

Investigators

Ximena

Wendy and Antonio

Transfers: Staying in Ajusco!

Hello All!

Last night we found out about transfers again!  (Normally, every transfer is 6 weeks long, but this last transfer was only 5 weeks because President didn't want to have to worry about making changes the week of Christmas.  The next transfer will be 7 weeks long to make up for it.)  And the transfers area a big surprise!  I'm staying in Ajusco for a fourth transfer!  And my companion will continue to be Elder Mayoral.  And Elder Tapia, who just arrived in our area 5 weeks ago, is leaving!  I really felt that I would be leaving the area (and began to pack and get ready for it.  Haha.  :) ) and I was super surprised with what happened, but I'm excited too.  It will be fun to spend Christmas with the many friends I have made here and I know that if I'm staying in this area, it's for a reason.  And I'm excited to keep working with the members here and find out what still awaits me to learn and do here.

I have seen progress in this area in my time here.  And one visible indicator of this progress is that this Sunday, the branch is switching to a new House of Prayer.  There was a need for the branch to move to a bigger building for our Sunday meetings.  And after this bigger building could follow a chapel here in Ajusco!  :D  And we get to use it for the first time for our branch Christmas party this Saturday!

Yesterday, we got to see the Temple Dedication of the Tijuana temple!  I LOVE temple dedications!  Two weeks ago, we had stake Conference and a member of the fourth quorum of the seventy, Elder Moroni Gaona, spoke!  In one week, we have a mission party for Christmas!  What a great time of year!  Last week, we found out that we will be receiving a visit from Elder Paul B. Peiper to our mission in January!  Wooohh!!  So much goodness!!! :)  

I love you all!  Have a great week!

Elder Jarrett

Christmas Tree

Other picture of our tree (branch).

Progress of My Investigators for this Week

Another Wonderful Week in the Mission

Hola Friends and Family!!!

Ahhh!  So much to say and so little time!  I feel like lots has happened this week, and today was super crazy to complete it!  

I'm emailing late because today we hiked Pico de Aguila, the highest peak in our mission, and one of the highest in Mexico City.  And it's in my area!  I've always seen it and heard about it, but with President Valadez, missionaries couldn't hike it.  But President Mecham told us we could and today we went!  It reminded me of hiking the mountains in Utah, with so many pine trees and no signs of "big city" like so much of Mexico City.  It was very fun!  But a little tiring too.  It took about 3 hours to climb to the top and other 3 to come down.  Also, my first time hitchhiking!  We took a taxi to the base of the mountain, but when we came out, we were far away from our house, on a street without buses or taxis or cars at all.  So when a car finally came down the hill, the member with us put out his thumb and we hopped in the bed of a truck to ride back.  So fun!  ;)

This week we also were able to put a baptismal date with a new investigator named Rosa.  She is the sister of a Recent Convert of our Branch.  She is really sick, so she came to live with her sister so that her sister can take care of her.  She believes very much in God, but she has a very different perspective, being very strictly Catholic all of her life.  But she listens to us and likes what we share!  The biggest problem with her is her health.  We have to pray for a miracle with her health so that we can be able to complete the baptism.  

Well, sorry, I don't have time for more, but I love you all!  Until next week!

Elder Jarrett

Welcome to December!!! :O

Greetings from the Land of a Sunny, Warm Christmas!!!  (or as they say here, Navidad)

CHRISTMAS

Wow, this week welcomes in the month of Christmas!!!  But I probably won't be dreaming of a white one.  Ajusco is in the mountains of Mexico City, so it does get colder here than in other parts of the City, but I'm still wearing short sleeves most of the days.  Occasionally a sweater.   The members say that every year they see snow on the peak behind our houses, and every few years they see snow in the village of Ajusco, but from what I can tell, their understanding of snow is really more like frost.  ;) 

Elder Mayoral and I had the idea of making a Christmas tree this year, since we won't be able to buy one or cut one down.  We bought wire and green paper to fashion into branches and my comp wants to use our plunger as the base and trunk.  We'll see how it turns out when we're done with it.  :D   

BRANCH PRIMARY PROGRAM

Yesterday was the Branch Primary Program and I saw more people in the House of Prayer than I have ever seen before!!!  Our branch has about 20 active members that come every week.  Yesterday I counted 78 people during Sacrament Meeting!!!  We had to use 3 different rooms in the house to fit everyone and we put chairs in the hallway as well!!!  Not everyone could see the children, but I feel like they still enjoyed it. :)  Children have a very special Spirit.  And I believe that all the adults can watch them and think of themselves as the little, innocent children they once were and laugh at the funny things tney do and say.  The children bring many more people to the church on Sunday than the missionaries can alone.  :)

WEEKLY RUNDOWN

This week I'll try to summarize each day of the week to give you a run-down:

Tues:  We worked hard all day long and taught 5 lessons.  One of our investigators, Ximena Flores, has seemed to lack a little bit of interest or motivation recently.  So we taught about temples to try and help her.  She showed more interest than I've seen in her in a long time!  She told us that she wants to take her family and go to the Visitors Center to see and learn more!  I know that the Temple is the House of the Lord!

Wed:  We searched all day for less-active members of the branch.  I found many streets I had never visited in my time here.  And we found the houses of some of the members!  A large part of missionary work is working with less-active members as well.  And the greatest way to help them is to give them a friend in the ward/branch.  So go find yourself a friend and go to church with them!  :)

Thurs:  Weekly planning session and more lessons.  We found two new investigators!

Fri: Zone Conference with President Mecham!  I love Zone Conferences!  I always leave feeling so inspired and uplifted to rededicate all of my life to the church!  President has been focusing a lot on that he wants every area in the mission to teach 40 lessons every week, 20 of which to be lessons to an investigator accompanied by a member.   It is vital that we teach this many lessons so that we can really teach Everyone and find those that are ready to receive the gospel in their lives!  It is a large goal, but every week, my area has been improving and I'm determined that we can do it.   We also did an activity where people with blindfolds had to blow up a balloon, pick up a pencil, sharpen it and pop your balloon.  There were people tempting you to walk the wrong way and get you lost, and also people to help you.  I was one of the missionares that was blindfolded.  It represented that to blow up a balloon is to put a baptismal date, but even after this, there is still work to do to pop the balloon and get baptized.  We have to include the members in the work so that our investigators can have more guides to help them.

Sat:  We did an Area Attack in Topilejo.  President Mecham came up with the idea of Area Attacks, when we send the entire zone of missionaries to one area and we all go out with the members and contact as many less-active members as we can in a few hours.  When the zone leader was putting the companionships with members, he told one members, I'm going to put you with the two best missionares, Elder Jarrett and Elder Mayoral, everyone else in the zone was still standing there and heard it and all said, "Heeeyyyy".  Hahaha, it was funny.  And the whole experience was very cool!

Sun:  Primary Program and another Area Attack in San Pedro.  I went on divisions (left my companion and went with members) with the Stake President and his wife!  Again, we were able to find and motivate and help more less-active members and I was able to meet and spend the night teaching with the Stake President!  :)

Well, until next week!  I love you all!

Elder Jarrett