Happy Easter, General Conference, Scorpions

Howdy Family,

So the last week of the change has arrived! I have to say, I don’t really care what happens. I could stay or I could leave. I wish I felt more connected to the area or the members here, but I don’t really. Maybe if I stay another change, I will. We will find out on Saturday night!

Happy Easter by the way! Easter isn’t exactly the same here in Mexico. One thing I love about the Church of Jesus Christ is that we focus on the resurrection and not the crucifixion. Three days before Easter, the people all reenact Christ’s crucifixion. They have actors who sign up to be Christ. Apparently it is a privilege to represent Him. The person gets beaten, put thorns on them and all.  I saw this one group of people surrounding this guy who had thorns on his head and beating him. It was pretty sad. They then take the person as if he is dead to the church and march behind him as he is covered in a cloth. They don’t actually crucify him, but I know in some pueblos they get super intense about it. Then Sunday comes and nothing happens and no one does anything... I think even the Easter bunny and eggs are better than nothing.

This week was pretty hard in terms of the work because almost EVERYONE went on vacation. They have these 2 weeks off for la semana santa. There is hardly anyone in the streets and the ones that are here aren’t actually from here and just visiting.

So, we have been working with what we have. We have this one 16 year old girl named Valeri who is planning to be baptized this week. She has been to church a bunch and is going to Young Women’s camp this next week, so I think it will be good for her to be preparing to be a member of the church.

We are also working with this Ambrosio guy. He is in his 70s and like I said he has had a sketchy background. Because of the things he has done it is a bit hard for him to retain the things we teach him, but I am trying to find different ways of explaining things. He wants to change, but it is a lot of work. He could get baptized this week as well, but I really want him to understand these things and have a testimony of the Church before.

On Tuesday we had interviews with President. It was a really good interview. He always gives me good advice and I love talking with him.

General Conference was SOOO GOOD! I love conference so much. I wish it was every weekend. Unfortunately the internet at the chapel was awful for the first session so I missed it all. I got little chunks of what the talks were about. It seemed really focused on families and the roles we play. We luckily got it working and saw the other sessions AND we saw them in English. That was super nice. I understand Spanish but the talks they give have a different vocabulary so I have never heard a lot of the words they use. I loved Elder Bednar’s talk about Godly Fear.  I definitely want to study that more.  I also loved Wilford W.Anderson’s talk about keep practicing to “tune” ourselves.  It got me thinking about learning how to play the piano.  Dale G. Renlund’s was also really good about God cares more about if we keep trying and who we are becoming more than who we are now. This life really is about learning and becoming better. His story about the 2 missionaries where one had the thought about all of us falling behind God was like a punch to the stomach. Haha. But a good punch. I also loved all the talks from priesthood session.  They were so good. I love being able to apply the talks as a missionary. I just think of it all differently.  Anyway, I love the Gospel.  It is true. Keep going to church, reading the scriptures, praying.  All the good standard Primary answers. J

Love ya!

-Elder Thomas

P.S. - So today while cleaning the apartment I found a scorpion. My companion says that it is the type that could kill if it bit us. We killed it instead. I kind of want to move houses now. J

In response to Dad's letter:  Hahaha. You should some how send that to your work and the stake. I think they would like it.

Kristoff Impression...celebrating the FROZEN winter leaving Maine!

Glad you are doing well! Miss you Dad! The talk by Larry M. Gibson really got me thinking about you. I thought about the backpacking trip we went on. That was one of the hardest things I've done, but I am so glad you took us on the trip. You are awesome and the perfect dad. I love you! [Note by Dad: I wasn't going let this message slip by without being posted!]
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