"If you have a Mom,

"If you have a Mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been."

-Robert Brault

Happy Mothers Day this weekend to all the wonderful Mother's, Grandmothers, and Mother substitutes who have influenced and inspired our missionaries here in the Mexico Pachuca Mission. I believe that Mothers or those who take on that role have the greatest potential for influence. President and I have the unique opportunity to witness those influences in a very unique way. We love and respect you for the time and effort you invested in your role. We also know that many of you who have influenced these missionaries may not be their birth mothers- however, your role as a mother figure has made a huge impact as they talk about you frequently. So thank you to all of the Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunts, Young Women Leaders, Teachers, Neighbors, and Ward Leaders as we honor you TODAY!

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Doesn't get any better than this!

 Our Sister Missionaries are busy doing what they do best! Showing some of those 'boys' how it's done....

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The real test of an effective and efficient Zone Leader is his "chicken catching skills"....

Ward Activity in Tizayuca.... a fun success!  

Elder Cruz and Elder Macias

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911  Bike Wreck

So this was a wreck of sorts... When we got the story of what happened I just laughed uncontrollably as they recounted it moment by moment. Elder Barrios and his companion Elder Unamuno were real troopers- well OK- Elder Barrios was the real trooper...and it goes like this: 

This particular companionship had just gotten bikes several weeks ago and so are getting accustomed to the whole bicycle safety. They had been at an investigators house who so kindly a few days before gifted a cool hat to Elder Unamuno. Two days later they returned for another lesson and the investigator gave Elder Barrios a sweater that was too small and would fit the Elder perfect. They went to leave the house and he decided to put the sweater across his handlebars. As they were riding down hill a little old lady with a cane yelled out "You should put that sweater in a bag".... to which the Elder responds "No, It's fine". Within three seconds the one sleeve of the sweater fell off the handle bar, and into the spokes of the bike. Causing the fast moving bicycle headed down hill to come to a complete stop and throwing Elder Barrios head over heels into the street. The Elder commented how grateful he was that he had a helmet on! Other than road rash, a little blood loss, ripped hole in his pants, and banged up knee, scraped up arms, hands, and face nothing was broken thank goodness. Ice packs and a little Ibuprofen helped relieve the pain and thank goodness for a kind and compassionate companion who hauled him home in one piece. I love these two Elders because their sense of humor is contagious and we all had a good laugh when they recounted the story in the office. So glad everyone is ok.... by the way- have you watched the bicycle safety video lately? 

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 Elder Hixon and Elder Katich catching a ride to a different neighborhood to get Elder Katich a hair cut. The seats were out of the mini van as Elder Stucki and Elder Gonzales moved houses this morning and didn't need a few housing items. So we returned them to the office for future use in another house. Good thing Elder Katich is thin....

 P-Day afternoon activity for Elder Macias and Elder Cruz... Bowling can be rather therapeutic they say...

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Tuesday Morning Move 

So what a fun thing for Elder Iverson and Elder Castro in Tulancingo- Lucerna. They had the apartment across the hall come open and so they changed apartments. This new place is a million times better!!!! No kidding!!! With in 2.5 hours we had everything moved across the hall and set up and they almost had the old apartment totally clean. They were just a little excited about the new "condo". Good job Elders... 

"Home Sweet Home"

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Look what flew in from Utah...

What a fun treat to have Elder Kyle Bowles from Utah come back to Mexico for a visit for almost two weeks. He stopped by and stayed  a couple of nights with us and was able to be a part of leadership council in the mission home. He had a wonderful time visiting old friend, converts, ward members and investigators in many of the areas in which he served. He was also able to travel down to Veracruz and visit the temple there with a couple of ward members from one of his areas. He didn't want to leave as he loves this culture and the people here so much. Hope to see you again sometime soon, Kyle.

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Wednesday- Leadership Council

• Effective nightly planning
• Following the morning study schedule
•               - Including practices, and specific lessons to be taught to investigators
• How to invite and explain the importance of Sabbath Day Meeting Attendance

Leadership Council May 2014 

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Elder Kearl and Elder Gomez headed to an appointment after leadership consejo and then back to Tecamac I Zone.

Driving back from the bus station dropping off leaders I passed these two on the street waiting for a taxi and so picked them up and zipped them home which sits just ten minutes from the mission office. Elder Barrios is healing up from his bicycle wreck quite well..... (Love your serious look Elder Unamuno)

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Thursday Zone Capacitation in Valle de Mezquital Zone

A little birthday cake celebration in honor of Elder Campuzano's birthday which he shared with everyone in honor of ALL the birthdays this month....

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Zone Capacitation - Pachuca Centro Zone

And the photos above explain why President went to this zone and I went to Mezqital... ( love these crazy kids!)

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Elder Mendoza and Elder Lopez stopping by the office...

So when I asked them what the first look was they said, "The look of the week... double chins!"  The sad thing is when you turn 45 yrs old you don't have to pose for that it just comes naturally! Elder Segura and Elder Esteves on divisions...

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Buen Dia Presidente:

esta semana fue interesante con el cambio de compañero una sola area, me sentia nervioso en cuanto como lo iva a hacer, lo hare bien. En fin algo que hice fue poner en practica de lo que avia enseñado antes en las cartas, trabajar con los lideres, pedir referencias, contactar usar las listas, como usted ha enseñado hacer lo que savemos que devemos hacer.

Y algo que nos paso esta semana fue que eran las 8:30 y no savia a donde ir haci hice una oracion en mi corazon padre no quiero regresar aun a casa si estamos aqui es por algo, terminando la oracion aperecieron unos hermanos del barrio tezo que nos hablaron y nos dieron una refgerencia de una antigua investigadora tardamos un rato con ellos, pues nos explicaron como dieron con ella que nesesitava nos dieron todo lo que nesecitavamos.

Llego el dia que hicimos la cita con la referencia y al final de la leccion le hicimos la pregunta aquien conoce y nos dijo hay una familia que esta pasando una dificultad y fuimos en ese mismo rato,la familia tenia una familiar internada en un hospital y nos recibieron muy bien lo que paso fue apenas entramos en la casa de la familia entraron varios familiares conte 12 personas y me sorprendio un buen hicimos la oracion como enseño en una carta anterior y se sintio el espiritu un buen, enseñamos algo pequeño y terminamos y sacamos otra cita.

En la segunda cita enseñamos evangelio de jesucristo y fue bien espiritual todos aprendieron del bautismo y aceptaron de el bautismo y asistir a la capilla esta semana Esta vez fueron 15 personas fue una gran bendicion aver encontrado a esta familia, pude ver realmente que dios cumple sus promesas que nosotros al hacer nuestra parte el se ve obligado a bendecirnos Se que esta semana sera mejor por que encontramos muchos investigadores aparte de la familia Jimenez esta semana sera de intenso trabajo.... Elder F

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Thank you Elder Pena and family for the generous gifts from Oaxaca, Mexico. We love your son and the asset he is to our mission. 

I stopped by to drop off a few supplies and these cute sisters were so excited to call home later for Mothers Day.  

Thank you for sharing them with us here in Mexico Pachuca for 18 months.

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I came home from an errand and found this awesome sign hanging in our house and these two missionaries hiding out on our stairs. What a beautiful gesture of love in honor of Mother's Day.  Thank you for all the kind texts, calls, and gestures- it's true we have the best missionaries in the WORLD!

" A sneak peek of Elder Smith as he Skype's home for Mothers Day from Presidents office- the smile says it all!"

"If we don't change, we don't grow..."

"If we don't change, we don't grow. 

If we don't grow, we aren't really living."

Gail Sheehy

The Anticipated Week of Cambios (transfers)

Elder Zeledon and Elder Vique in Molango 

These two missionaries are very isolated in Molango but work extremely hard and are great examples of being Representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ. We appreciate and recognize the great young men they are- hence the reason they are trusted to oversee the branch/area so far away. They don't get to come to district meetings weekly because of the distance, but their zone anxiously awaits their arrival monthly for zone capacitation and zone conferences quarterly. 

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The Mexico Pachuca Mascots ... 

... these neighborhood wanderers visit the mission home several times a day to see if anyone is home to throw them pieces of bread. I know we are never supposed to have 'pets' in/around the mission home... but they are our adopted kids. You should hear them "quack" and see them waddle across the lawn as fast as their little legs will carry them when they hear the kitchen window open.

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BUSY BUSY BEE's 

these last few weekends in the Mexico Pachuca Mission. Great job everyone. Changing lives one at a time...

Sister Laguna and Sister Contreras with their new convert from Korea. "She is a golden convert, we love her so much as a friend and as a sister! She is absolutely amazing. Her boyfriend, the ward mission leader baptized her. What a great day!"

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Our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to Come Unto Christ...

Above : Our goal of 2 baptisms and we ended up with 6! It doesn't get any better. Great job Elder Galo and Elder Katich. Your months of hard work and patience has paid off!

Below: Elder Felsted wrote : "It is really awesome to see one of your recent converts receive the priesthood and baptize someone else."

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Looking great Hermana Escobar and Hermana Nunez!

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Our "Favorite Mondays" are when :

our new missionaries arrive- #10 in this generation. April 28, 2014

Monday morning arrivals from the Mexico City CCM

Oh the stories some of these missionaries have about why they are here and the shear determination to do it with/without support from home. Many of the missionaries are the only members of their family. It touches my heart as I see their desire and commitment to be here- I truly am impressed and have the utmost respect for each one.

Missionaries left to right- Elder Sanchez (Mexico), Elder Gamez (Mexico), Elder Garza (Mexico), President/Hermana Egbert, Hermana Penaloza (Mexico), Hermana Molina (Mexico), Hermana Vasquez (Guatemala), Hermana Lagos (Mexico), Hermana Tuz (Mexico), and Hermana Garcia (Mexico)

-below our night arrivals from the Provo MTC is darling Hermana Parker from Pocatello, Idaho and Elder Beesley from Utah. Elder Beesley flew back in after a 6 week leave to repair an injured knee. We are so grateful for his return so quickly and have anxiously been waiting for him! By the time they get settled in for the night they are near exhaustion...and tomorrows meetings will come before they know it.

Welcome Home Elder Beesley!

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Tuesday Morning

...and then there were transfers.

You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. -Jim Rohn

and in the end.... these are the faces of change! 

President felt really good about this set of transfers- a few companionship's that have the opportunity to grow personally, spiritually, and to really step up to their full potential. Others who have new leadership opportunities to expand their talents and others who will now have the new opportunity to serve with an English Speaking companion and thrust their English Language studies into full gear.

We have new missionary/trainer orientation right after mission wide transfers. The new missionaries are in good hands as we have the utmost trust in the trainers delegated this assignment. President and I consider the "trainers" the most important assignment in the mission.

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Outgoing 

The Departure of Four Elders This Cycle

After we eat lunch President starts individual interviews and each Spanish speaking Elder takes a turn with the English Exam on the computer, we play ping-pong, 'UNO' and just enjoy each others company.

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hola presidente

muy buenas tardes, ahora si esta ya esta mi ultima carta, se fue muy rapido el tiempo, tengo muchas sentimientos encontrados en estos momentos, a veces no quiero irme y a veces si, pero se que ya me tengo que ir, la verdad presidente me siento muy bien, siento que aproveche cada momento de la mision, no puedo decir que me arrepiento de aver echo algo malo o de no aprovechar el tiempo, me siento muy bien con lo que logre, me siento muy bien por que deje que mi padre celestial hiciera de mi la clase de misionero que el queria que yo fuera, fue una gran bendicion para mi poder trabajar a lado de usted y gracias por la confianza que deposito en mi. aprendi muchas cosas de usted cosas que voy aplicar por el resto de mi vida, gracias por la amistad que me brindo y por todo el apoyo que me dio en momentos dificiles que tuve, gracias por sus consejos y por su ejemplo.

la mision marco mi vida, ahora ya se que es lo que quiero, y se que es lo que dios quiere para mi, jamas crei que podia sentir el amor de mi padre celestial como lo senti aqui en la mision, no voy olvidar cada oracion contestada, no voy olvidar mis estudios personales, no voy olvidar cuando las personas fueron bautizadas, esta experiencia va hacer para toda la vida, no voy a olvidar cuando fue aprendiendo linea por linea y precepto tras precepto, cuando llege a la mision como converso de 2 años, no sabia muchas cosas, no comprendia muchas cosas, pero sentia que eran verdaderas, y lo que mas sentia era como mi padre celestial me ayudaba a comprender muchas cosas, y cuando encontraba una respuesta a una pregunta me animaba un buen, voy a recordar a cada compañero, todos fueron buenisimos, y de todos aprendi muchas cosas.

presidente y hermana egbert les amo se los digo de corazon, doy gracias a mi padre celestial por que los puso en esta mision, y por que me brindaron su amor y su amistad, siempre los voy a recordar, y cuando mi familia se bautize seran los primeros en saberlo, y esa foto la pondremos en el blog. les amo. con cariño y mucho amor su hijo elder almaraz =).

L-R: Elder Almaraz (V Hermosa, Tabasco-MEXICO); Elder Sic (Guatemala, GUATEMALA )

 Elder Ajpop (Patzun, GUATEMALA); Elder Mendoza (Managua, NICARAGUA)

"Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I'll miss you...until we meet again."

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Presidente...

...I almost forgot, this week we were in real De Monte working hard and we were catching the combi to return to Pachuca. the combis that leave from there almost always return to central, but the one we took didn't. It was headed on the usual route, and then it went and took a turn where all of the other combis that we had ever taken from Real De Monte to Pachuca never take. my comp and i both just looked at each other and said it cant be. Out of all of our time here and all of the combis that we had taken we had finally hopped in the wrong one. We decide to make good use of the combi ride to the wrong place and teach. There was one family that seemed super interested and we had a sweet lesson about the plan of salvation. We arrived at the base and took down their information and handed out some pamphlets, we started with the one family that had been paying the most attention but then one by one every single person in the combi accepted a folleto and we got the information or phone number or talked more with all of them. I know that this combi ride was a gift from God as well, although we didn't arrive back in our area like we had hoped, i know that we were supposed to be in that combi teaching these people that day. We got out and quickly jumped in the combi that we saw that would take us back to our area. it was truly an amazing experience. i think every week my testimony grows more and more about the importance of teaching in combis. Elder C

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Wednesday District Mtgs... Pachuca Mx Zone 

District Leader Elder Leon- What a great group of Elders!

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President 

....I want to share with you the story that I read in the Book of Mormon this week. I am reading in Alma right now with the story of the MOST united companionship that exists in this great book. I know that Alma and his "junior" companion, Amulek, were called of God and mirror exactly what a mission can be like sometimes. Obviously what they went through is something that I`m not sure I could endure. I put myself in the shoes of these two men and wonder what I would do in that situation. How strong is my testimony? Is it tough enough to observe an entire congregation being tortured right in front of my eyes and then burned to death? All I know is that I`ve got a lot of work in front of me. I owe it ALL to my Heavenly Father. My life must be put in His hands. He will take care of me. And he will take care of you all. Alma and Amulek were protected because they had work to do. Their work wasn`t finished. Their divine destiny hadn`t been fulfilled here on earth. There are so many of us who can`t even imagine what our Heavenly Father needs of us. Where much is given, much is required.

Thank you for putting the goal with us all in reading the Book of Mormon. My appreciation for this book is so much greater than the "beginning" of the mission. Take care and please pray for our area.

 Love,  Elder S

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" A little treasured time together"  1 May 2014

President Egbert and the assistants Elder J Caballero- Elder T Smith

Statistics for Mexico Pachuca

 #147 Missionaries

#43 Sister Missionaries

 #101 Elder Missionaries

# 1 Senior Couple serving in the Office

#1 Sister serving part time in the Office

#3 New Areas opened this transfer

#63 Baptisms in April 

# 8 Zones

#18 Missionaries coming next cycle -June  : )

only #1 Sister leaving next cycle

Mexico Pachuca is growing!!!

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"STRANDED" 

Elder Stucki and Elder Gonzalez had one bike break down and were stranded miles from their house and the church they needed to be at to assist with the funeral of an elderly sister in their ward. Hermana Egbert and the 'mini van' saved the day! We love these hard working missionaries who give it all they got ... 

District Meeting in Tecamac I  

These Elders are a "get after it" group...not one moments worry about their obedience or work ethic. 

8 of the greatest blessings to the Mexico Pachuca Mission!

District Meeting in Tulancingo before transfers. Yes- we are quite the talented mission... this is only a sneak peek of our talent! And below at Apan... Oh my!!!

After our district meetings a guy came by with "nacho libre masks" and let us put them on for a picture! What a great team in Tecamac II.

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The Simple Pleasures of Life 

 Thanks to Elder Smith and Elder Pena who ditched this couch for another one -and it made its way to Elder Vasquez and Elder Jones house in another zone! 

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OH MY!!! 

Stopping by Saturday morning to check on the assistants and I find them cleaning up a storm! They work extra hard to keep their house in tip top shape after housing incoming and outgoing missionaries. Nice job Elders.... Keep ROCKIN' that passion for CLEANLINESS. Thanks for keeping to the P-Day schedule...

Look at those faces... how could I not take their laundry home? 

The only perk of being an A.P. and I mean the 'only' perk!

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.....nos hemos esforzado mucho por hacer la pregunta cada vez, aveces no hemos recibido respuesta de las personas pero aveces mas de lo uqe pensamos.

Hace mas de un mes encontramos una refrencia que un misionero valiente nos dio por abrir su boca en un camion, estamos enseñando a esa referencia, etas personas nos enviaron con sus amigos que tambien nos escucharon y ya han asistido a la iglesia, esta misma referencia nos llevo con otra referencia que hasta ahora no hemos encontrado, pero asi nos ha pasado con otras tantas personas que nos han llevado a donde nos quieren escuchar y a otros que no pero asi pasa.

Estoy muy feliz porque he visto frutos en este barrio y despues de todo, la obra tiene que seguir aun queda mucho que hacerpero el simple hecho de obedecer, como este misionero hara que la salvacion llegue a muchas almas.

Exito y feliz semana   Elder P

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Below having a few great P-Days as a district with the Awesome Elder Clark... Made homemade brownies, had Chinese food and watched 17 Miracles (Check out our BIG screen.... hahaha) . Lovin us some Mexico!!! And check out the little friendly pet on Elder Leons tie of one of their investigators...

Well- when its just the two of us in the jungles of Molango you have to be creative on P-Day. So we thought... Lets fly a kite!!! Believe me, harder than it looks....

Our missionaries are the cutest ever!!!