Mexico Pachuca Mission: 27 December 2015- "Christmas Day- Another One for the Books!"

Grateful to celebrate the birth of Christ- but also Christ as an adult. Which lets us celebrate Christmas ALL year long and ALL life long.

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Gifts worth smiling about!

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"Elder Hall is the water warm? Please don't fall in checking to see!"

This is why we don't have talent shows in the mission...

Because the talent is obvious and runs deep...

Nice art work Elders!

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Monday

21 December 2015

Zone Activities held Throughout the Mission

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Tuesday - 22 December 2015

Tulancingo Zone Interviews/House Checks

Houses looked great... but you be the judge.

I think you will be impressed by their efforts!

Xicotepec House, we actually stopped by on Sunday the 20th and checked their house and did their interviews as we attended their ward services.

Elder Verdin/Elder Bingham walking with their investigators to church.

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Huachinango Elders House

Elder Barrera and Elder Butler

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Huachinango Hermanas

Hermana Santos / Hermana Lam

Training is going great 3 weeks into this cycle!

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Tulancingo Tulancingo I

Elder Antemate/Elder Vijil

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Tulancingo Tulancingo II

Hermana Gomez / Hermana Peel

Training is going well in this area too and they are just happy missionaries.

"The Wall of Fame in Tul Tul 2"

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Lucerna 1

This is a great house for missionaries... in a great location!

Things looked perfect.

Hermana Gonzalez/Hermana Quevedo

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Zone Leaders lead by example

Elder Messervy/Elder Ruiz

Late lunch with President to review the zone, successes, and concerns.

The end to a great day when we have some 2 on 2 time.

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Wednesday-23 December 2015

Interviews/House checks in Pachuca Mex

Elder Paynter and Elder Rangel - Constitucion Barrio

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Tecnologico Hermana's

This is the cutest companionship in the greatest little apartment.

Training in the 2nd half is going outstanding! House looks amazing!

Hermana Cevallos/Hermana Diaz

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Nuevo Hidalgo I

Training going great- house looks perfecto.

Hermana Mendez just finished her 12 week training and now is training Hermana Silva.

She was up for this assignment!

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Nuevo Hidalgo II

This house looked perfectly clean and organized.

Hermana Langdon is a seasoned missionary training Hermana Sulub in her last two cycles.

So proud of them both!

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Palmar Casa

This house is one of the most challenging to keep looking good.

But these two Elders just know how to do it!

Medications and Emergency funds out and waiting to be checked.

Nice job Elder Garza and Elder Fiquitiva

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Morelos Casa

Hermana Ruiz /Hermana Chozo

Training is going great and everyone seems happy.

So grateful for obedient missionaries.

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Loreto Casa

Ok hermana's and Elders take a look.

These two Elders put Martha Stewart to shame!

This is one of the hardest houses in the mission and they make it look easy!

Also one of the top white boards I have ever seen.

IMPRESSED!

Nice job Elders... PERFECTION

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Ending the day with zone leaders and early Christmas lunch

Elder Martin and Elder Morales

Pachuca Mex Zone

House checks for last but NOT least....

Tecnologico I Area - And they even haven't had water for almost two days!

House checks in December is just amazing with their decorations!

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24th December 2015

Christmas Eve deliveries

Santa's sleigh is loaded and President made one last trip to the post office for any boxes that had arrived prior to Christmas. We met back at the office and divided the mission in half.

We went different directions and enjoyed catching up with the missionaries.

I started the first deliveries at 7:00 am and ended at 9:45 pm.

President started at 9:30 am and ended his route at about 5:00 pm.

We didn't take pictures at all the stops as we were both trying to hurry but here are a few of those happy faces....

Christmas is such a magical time in the mission...

Look who Santa found on the street making contacts!

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Christmas Day is Amazing in the Mission

Mision Mexico Pachuca takes a different route on Christmas Day.

District Meetings are moved to Christmas Morning with language exams starting at 0900. Then district meeting is cut down to just one hour from 10:00-11:00 am. The districts leave and provide a pre-arranged/authorized service project for several hours. They return to their areas- have late lunch in members homes and call their families (1 hour each missionary) and then back out to work. The day goes so rapidly and no one has much time to dwell about things back home. We believe that Christmas in the mission can be life a changer and tends to change perspectives of what Christmas is really all about. Once again our purpose of being in the mission becomes clearer as it has "Nothing to do with US". It's about the people we serve and love here in Mexico. Putting all our heart, might, mind and strength in moving the work forward. One can not do that successfully with out loving the good people of Mexico. So what better way to do that- than through "Service"?!

With Presidents permission district leaders were asked to send pictures of their day if they had time. Here are a few that were able to send them in. (Thank you)

A part of a letter sent home to a mother:

"Well my first Christmas I didn't cry but my thoughts were more centered in what I was missing from home, the traditions and the fudge that I wasn't having. But this Christmas I didn't think twice about it and I had such a great time. Seriously Christmas without the hustle and bustle of gifts and Santa are so awesome. It's great to have Christmas where things are truly centered in Christ and you're not reading your part of Luke 2 as fast as you can so that you can go open all your Christmas presents...I loved the simplicity of it this year"

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Plazas District

Made 150 chocolate chip cookies and then delivered them to an orphanage near by that houses over 60 children.

What a special experience...

these 3 were orphans... but no worries. I adopted them!

Hopefully they ate half the cookie dough during the process!

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president

what can i give???

inspired question, this week i was thinking about this question and i reflected on how does the Lord see me? i dont know if my work is suffient for Him or if i´m a true representative.

i read in dyc 123:17 "let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power" after the christmas devotional, i had the commitment to do (con mas diligencia) the things that are in my power, this week we had some experiences when people said that they dont want listen our message, and when they say this, i feel so sad. President. because these people have lots of problems (with Drudge and pregnanancies)and the gospel is the only solution for there. ( yo se tienen su albedrio, aveces es dificil para mi aceptarlo, pero esta bien) i learnd many things this cycle, is a great opportunity serve here.

love you so much and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

HNA. G

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The District of Huachinango/Xicotepec

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Montes District

President and I attended this district/service.

The meeting was good- and the service effective with 6 of us helping a single recent convert clear out the side of her house that she rents. We picked up garbage, gathered weeds, removed lots of rocks and raked things clean. We worked up a sweat and it felt good!

What a sweet lady....

We also had a couple of waffles before we left for service! YUM!

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Bosques/Hereos District

Nothing builds friendships and the Christmas spirit better than working together!

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Hello President!

I found the proper channel to write you letters:) Thanks for your patience with me! Also thank you so much for putting on the Zone Christmas Devotional. It was amazing and very spiritual and a great way to get rejuvenated! I found that keeping the excitement of missionary work when things get tough was my challenge this week. It was interesting to see the Lords hand in helping while also letting me struggle at the same time. This was just one of those things where I had to struggle a little bit without assistance to make me stronger. Its like when weight lifting, if the spotter always grabs the weight as soon as you start to struggle a bit you wont get any stronger. But if he waits until you cant go anymore and then slowly adds in his help that's when major growth happens. Anyways this week was hard but also such a major learning week for me. My companion was super awesome with me always being patient, giving me help and counsil and always pushing me to do better. I have had a few experiences with the gift of tounges and felt the Spirit as we teach and testify. Its so awesome!! This truly is Gods work!

Thank you for being such a great example and for all the wonderful things you do for us!

Have a great week and a fantastic Christmas!!:) Love, Elder B

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Pradera District

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District Santiago

A painting project earned them a little lunch...

Seriously do any of them look homesick to you?

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This group we caught as they were headed to district class.

Merry Christmas !!!

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......Presidente esta semana me he esforzado por ser mas agradecida en todos los aspectos, el dia de ayer hicimos un recorrido por la capilla con uno de nuestros investigadores, y al principio el estaba hablando mucho como siempre, pero despues me levante de mi silla y le dije, vamos a dar una vuelta a la capilla, entonces comenzamos y le fuimos diciendo lo que se hace en cada uno de los salones y tambien que significaba cada cuadro que habia.. Tambien le enseñamos la pila bautismal y terminamos enseñandole el cuadro de Jose Smith, y comence a decir la primera vision, frente a ese cuadro, en ese momento senti como el espiritu llenaba la iglesia, y tambien le comparti mi primer testimonio a los 9 años, uno de los mas puros y sencillos que tengo. Él se quedo callado pero supe que pudo sentir el espiritu, despues entramos al salon sacramental un lugar en el cual el ya ha entrado en varias ocasiones, pero esta vez se sentia diferente, le dijimos que subiera al pulpito y diera su testimonio, el lo hizo, con un poco de pena, pero lo hizo de la manera mas sincera que pudo...

Se que tal vez, es una experiencia muy sencilla, pero hoy lo recorde y es algo que quise compartir con usted, presidente, por que sé cual es la importancia de que podamos tener un testimonio de la iglesia, y de la revelacion que podemos tener alli..

Le amo mucho presidente! y estoy muy agradecida por usted, y por todo lo que me a enseñado!

Con cariño, hermana C

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Tulancingo District

They went to a local hospital and visited patients and families.

With permission they were able to give treats to some of the patients.

They sang Christmas hymns, shared messages and gave holiday greetings.

People were impressed and you can tell the missionaries just shine when in public.

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Huicholes District

Someone is going to be sore tomorrow!

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......el jueves hibamos a buscar a una persona para enseñarle pero no la encontramos y justo en esa calle hiba un señor con un niño en brazos en verdad sentimos la necesidad de contactarlo asi que mi compañera y yo lo contactamos nos acepto una cita para el dia siguiente junto con su esposa,el viernes fuimos a verlo y ahi estaba el y su pareja esperandonos,habiamos quedado a las 6 pm y llegamos 10 minutos despues asi que el nos dijo que bien que llegaron las estamos esperando!! debo decir que para mi fue una gran sorpresa que nos dijera eso,realmente es muy raro que alguien te espere en la cita la mayoria ni se recuerda que hibamos a ir,pero eso me alegro muchisimo asi que pasamos nos escucharon con atencion y aceptaron bautizarse ellos tienen muchos desafios pero lo mejor es que se que con la ayuda del espiritu ellos podran superarlo,amo esta obra,amo como el espiritu es nuestro compañero constante,amo como el nos guia si nosotros se lo dejamos,amo como prepara a las personas para recibirnos.....

Hermana R

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Guerreo District

This is a Christmas Card Photo!

The kids got the candy in the pinata and that the missionaries just enjoyed their excitement!

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Ixmiquilpan District

"Cleared the area of plants and debris in front of the house these members are building. We finished earlier than planned so we swept/organized the inside as well."