8 July 2014-

"Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another"

-George Eliot

Hermana Peterson and a sweet sister in her area...

_____________________________

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain" . -A.M-

Elder Barrios (Zone Leader in Pachuca Centro) enjoying every minute of the mission- even the challenging parts!

____________________________

Hola President! 

welp, i'm not sure how much i can say since our interview on friday, but you should know i'm doing better. the things you told me were exactly what i needed to keep going. its obviously still not easy, emotionally, but its not nearly as bad as it was. the last few days i've been able to work harder with a better attitude. i've only cried once, and it was all of 3 tears, and only because church is always hard for me. since i can't understand 85% of what's being said in the talks and lessons, probably because i'm not listening very hard, i tend to let my thoughts wander to my YSA branch at home, and my family, cause its not hard to think about those things. in fact, i let my thoughts wander a lot. and so that's a new goal of mine. to stop letting that happen. i think then i will be able to be a much better missionary, listening better to the investigator and the spirit. its easier said than done, but i know its what i need to do. a couple days ago i came across the story of Gordon B Hinkley's mission. i've always remembered the "forget yourself and go to work" part, but never what lead up to it. Elder Hinkley, at the time, was extremely discouraged, wasn't having success, and didn't know what he was doing really, much like me. The letter he wrote home that his father responded to said something along the lines of, i feel like i'm completely wasting my time and your money being here. which is what i have felt a time or two or ten. and so now i know what he actually meant by forget yourself and go to work. don't forget who you are, just quit thinking about my "needs" and wants. they don't matter. this is the Lord's time. and this too is a process. i'm not there yet. I probably won't be for a while. but i now have a better understanding of the mentality of the happy missionaries i see all around me, which is what i want to become. and we do have a little success... we have an investigator that wanted a lesson so bad that despite us not having a member with us, we sat outside his door with some chairs and umbrellas in the rain, and he sat in a chair in his doorway, because he didn't want to wait till the next day for that lesson, even though our member fell through. he used to smoke 20 cigarettes a day, probably for the past 50 or 60 years, and the following week of that lesson he smoked 2 the whole week. talk about faith and repentance. i'm so excited for him. our other investigator with a baptismal date is having doubts, but we're working with her and will see her tonight. my companion and i are getting along better now that i figured out she's only sad when i'm really down, and now that she understands me a little better after you talked to her. so i'm still learning a lot, and i'm not as fast of a learner with some things than others which probably tests her patience a lot, but we're doing good, and i'm happy she's my trainer. mmmmm yea that's about it. i'm looking forward to feeling a little better every day, as i try to lose myself in the work. and thanks again for everything you do for me. :) hasta luego!

Hermana R

Monday in the office...

 Lovin' our missionaries in the Mexico Pachuca Mission

 Elder Sims does your mom know you packed this outfit? You are quite the color combination! Elder Sims serving as a wonderful district leader in the Pachuca Sur Zone.

_______________________

 The best 18 months of our lives.... 

Hermana Peterson (above) - 

Hermana Ramirez and Hermana Riding (below)

He is HERE!!! 

 Elder Gomez arrived from Peru- we have been patiently waiting for him to get here due to hold up with a VISA. We have Elder Cardwell who has been waiting as part of a trio of Elders and is his new trainer. Welcome to the Mexico Pachuca Mission.

______________________

Hola Presidente,

This week was awesome. We had two great baptisms and the changes that I could see in their lives are amazing. One of our investigators that got baptized is Jorge. He has changed so much it is awesome. His wife has been a member for a while and he was never interested and never wanted to listen to the missionaries until about 2 months ago. Since then he hasn't missed a Sunday and has been awesome. We were talking to his wife this week and she was like "wow I cant believe how my husband has changed completely." She was telling us how he tells her to get up in the afternoons so they can read the Book of Mormon, how he wakes her up Sunday mornings to get to church on time, he washes the dishes, and just is a completely different man. I was like wow that is awesome hermana. She was super happy and bore an amazing testimony in the baptism. The icing on the cake was he got to church early Sunday morning in a suit and tie ready to be confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was a great experience and a great thing to be a part of. Thank you for everything Presidente.

Con Amor    Elder P

_____________________________________________

The mission at a glance...

"It's true we have the best Mission President in the WORLD! Look at him standing in the rain behind us trying to figure out why we don't have power to our house! Thanks President Egbert for caring about us."

 Oh my... don't even have a comment for these silly kids

Happy Birthday Hermana Riding...

 "no where else I'd rather be to celebrate this birthday."

______________________________

 Seriously, not that I don't appreciate the rain- but everyday is starting to get a little old and it's totally ruining my efforts of fashion hidden underneath this yellow slicker!

Elder Ford- Elder Zeledon's shoes drying out from all the rain..

 House Checks in Apan and Sahugun...

(they are totally pretending to be glad to see Hermana Egbert)

_______________________________________

Always Willing to do What Ever is Asked...

On occasion special transfers are done at a moments notice and companionship's' are split up and moved to help resolve a situation usually pertaining to someones poor choices... It's hard to say goodbye as these two Elders were only able to spend 3 weeks together as companions and were doing so well. Until we meet again... 

Elder Castano and Elder Vique at the bus station

 Good News! Looks like they can stay... 

Elder Meschini, Hermana Apolinar, Hermana Colby and Elder Heninger coming into Pachuca to complete VISA paperwork.

________________________________

Dear President,

This week has been pretty great, like normal. My Spanish is getting better and I am getting better at teaching in Spanish. I love everything, I love learning and teaching and finding. It is all great my companion is amazing. Missionary life like always is great but hard in every aspect of it. Working with investigators is so cool, I love being able to see the change that the gospel makes in peoples lives. It truly is a miracle, and I personally get to see other miracles in my life all the time as I can see myself growing and learning every single day. I love learning more about Jesus Christ and the more I learn the more I find out I dont know and need to learn more. It is truly amazing and I am greatful for the opportunity to devote my life to my Heavenly Father for the next 14 months. Things are wonderfully hard.

con amor

Hermana C

______________________________________________________

Mexico Pachuca Mission Leadership Training 

 2 July 2014 with Elder Valenzuela Visiting

 2.5 hours of amazing training- What a privilege to be in the presence of a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy

 Great attention and participation by the leaders of the mission

 So nothing better to finish up a great training than a good old bacon cheeseburger grilled by the ever talented President Egbert. And let me just clarify that your son's here in the mission are bottomless pits... most averaged three burgers and some even went for the fourth! I love their smiles... a fed missionary spiritually and physically is a happy missionary.

 Our ever faithful "Sister Leader Trainers"...

 Elder Hixon- He should be our poster child for the mission.

Elder Felsted (3rd from left) realized here at training that 5 leaders in attendance have been his companions. WOW! What an incredible opportunity he has had to serve with these Elders. His life has truly been blessed here in the mission by these spiritual giants and lifelong friends.

_______________________________

Presidente,

Presidente en esta semana hemos visto tantos milagros. Estoy muy agradecido por la entrevista que tuve con usted que me ha dado muchos deseos de mejorar en cada aspecto de mi servicio y ser, realmente, "Un instrumento en sus manos."

Esta semana estamos hablando con todos y viendo milagros. Me siento que por fin estoy aplicando lo que usted y Elder Walker nos han ensenado. Estamos conociendo a muchas familias y encontrando los escogidos de esta área. Elder ______ ha sido un buen compañero y estoy agradecido por el y su esfuerzo para apoyarme trabajar al máximo aquí en ___________. Al levantar nuestra expectación y mejorar a nuestra actitud, y enfocarnos en nuestro propósito del arrepentimiento y el bautismo, estamos viendo cosas maravillosas en la obra que estamos haciendo. Me siento que por fin estoy aprendiendo lo que significa "abrir la boca," y significa hablar con cada criatura que esta a nuestro alrededor.

El milagro mas grande que estoy viendo, Presidente, es en.... y con Elder _______ Hemos tenido muy buenas platicas y tuve los mejores divisiones que he tenido en mi misión con el in su área esta semana. Pusimos fechas bautismales, usamos el tiempo del Senor diligentemente, y hablamos con todos, invitándoles a todos arrepentirse y bautizarse. Era un día de milagros. Elder _____ se quedo asombrado en las resultadas del día, 10 lecciones (con investigador), 5 de iniciativa propia, y 2 nuevas fechas bautismales. Desde ese día, ellos están mejorando mucho en su forma de ser, (mas que nada mentalmente,) y trabajar. Ensenaron 37 lecciones esta semana pasada y se que esta semana lograran el estándar de excelencia! Estoy tan animado por ellos! Yo tengo un testimonio inquebrantable que si nosotros magnificamos a nuestros llamamientos que podamos llegar a ver milagros en las vidas de los que servimos. Si esos Elderes pueden comenzar lograr el estandar de excelencia cada semana, lo contare como una de los mejores logros de mi misión.

Estoy bien animado Presidente con el progreso de mi distrito y en mi área. Se que cuando nos enfocamos en nuestro proposito y hablamos con todos, veremos los milagros que usted nos prometió y que lograremos como misión lo que el Senor espera de nosotros.

Que tenga una buena semana,

Elder S

_________________________________________

What Is My Purpose as a Missionary?

"Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."

PMG pg.1

______________________________

Thursday- Zone Capacitation 

Pachuca Centro Zone- 03 July 2014

________________________

 Pachuca Mex Zone Capacitation

 Pachuca Mex Zone 03 July 2014

_____________________________

Friday House Hunting with Elder Pass and Elder Gamez

 Elder Reese and Elder Lopez found a house and a great one at that... I stopped by to check it out and helped them set up shop. The little mission mini van is like a portable tienda (shop)- I carry storage shelves, mops, curtains, shower curtain rods, blankets, and etc... These two are working great together and though they had a tough couple of weeks they are keeping things in perspective and moving forward! 

_________________________________________

06 July 2014

 Smiling Faces of Sunday

Pouch Delivery.... Ahhh your shoes are fixed!!!

_________________________

Where are they now??? 

Our returned missionaries will always be apart of our lives... we have many missionaries ask often about the missionaries who have returned home. So here is a little update of what I know...

 Elder Cristian Loza returned home to Peru and has continued to be a missionary. He had the wonderful opportunity to baptize his sister (above) and travel with her to Bolivia (below) to visit the temple. 

 Elder Cristian Loza has many talents including participating in this colorful program with beautiful dancers. We love how below he "painted" on his facial hair... missing you here in the mission Cristian.

_________________________

ALMOST MADE IT TO THE MISSION... but got swept off her feet...

Our cute little "Brooke" who got married yesterday 05 July 2014- We are so happy for her and though we will miss her here as a missionary we know that her new husband "Tyler" was all part of Heavenly Fathers plan for her. 

_______________________________________

Elder Micke Ceballos (right) home working hard and saving money for school.

_____________________________________

Elder Dillan Dove enjoying the 4th of July with Family and Friends... 

Who's that cutie on your arm Dillan? We approve!!!

___________________________________

Elder Austin Arnett just got married to his beautiful bride Kalee- 

Wishing you an eternity of happiness...

____________________________________

Elder Josh Oliver married his sweet heart "Miranda" last month. We are so happy for you both.

______________________________________

Elder Carrasco is engaged to beautiful Ale...

_____________________________

Elder Broxton Hirst working hard, dating up a storm and working on his golf game.

__________________________________

Elder Johnathan McCormick with his beautiful bride Catherine.

 Expecting a little one later this year to add to their amazing family.

 Congrats from all of us in Mexico..

________________________

Elder Anthony Peterson married a beautiful native from Mexico. Sometimes the mission provides blessings later that one might not expect. Sending you our love and best wishes.

______________________________

Elder Nicholas Tanner Cortez playing Lacrosse for Utah State University

_____________________________

Sister Araceli Peralta Hernandez (middle) as beautiful as ever!

____________________________________

Sister Anna Diaz busy with institute, singing in the choir and just finished a large university entrance exam. Helping support her sister who is now serving a mission- when we last chatted she was writing a novel for a literature contest. You go GIRL!

____________________________

Elder Kyle Bowles recently came back for a visit to Pachuca and we loved the time he spent with us. He is busy working construction and has plans-goals for the future related to international business.

_______________________________

Elder Neftali Almaraz is finishing up a 5 week business course in Mexico City and is engaged to be married to his sweetheart who he has known for sometime. What a wonderful surprise to see him a few weeks ago at Stake Conference in Tecamac.