Christmas 2015

Hey Family!

That was so fun to talk to you all! I am so glad we got a little extra time so I could call Tyler and Whitney and their families. All the sobrinos are getting really big! I can’t believe how well they talk. And I am glad to hear that Aaron is getting chest hair...haha you crack me up.  I also that it was funny all the gifts you got. Dad and his paper airplane flyer and Aaron and his bluetooth beenie. haha. You will have to show me how they work when I get home.

So this past week was pretty good. As I told you, Tuesday we had our Christmas devotional with President and his wife. I sang in a choir of about 10 elders. We also had a lunch. The night before was also fun. With the elders in El Oro, we had them come down and we got Dominos pizza and they stayed the night because we had to leave early on Tuesday to Toluca. Thursday we went down to Toluca again to pass Christmas eve (or as they say “noche buena”/ night good). I mainly hung out with Elder Olvera and Rigby setting the stuff up. We played some games, ate lasaña, and watched Hotel Transelvania 2 (one of three movies approved by our mission president). We stayed the night in Toluca. It was a pretty fun calm night. Then we returned on Christmas to Atlacomuclo and called you and relaxed in the house. Thanks for the Christmas package Mom :) and yes, I did wait a month to open it. We then started to work at 6. We went to try to find investigators, but they were all a bit hung over. haha.

Saturday we went to el Oro to help fill up the font for a girl that they baptized. The boiler doesn’t work very well so we had to make little fires to heat up pots of water. The girl was going to get baptized a few weeks ago but she got scared of the water. The elders helped her out and she was baptized on Saturday.

Yesterday we had church. Hermana Luz came! We were super excited because her health is finally better. We aren’t sure if she is going to get baptized this Sunday or the next Sunday because the family that has been helping her go to church and comes with us to lessons won’t be able to go the next Sunday because their son is going to have a transplant soon and the dad is going to donate it.  We will see!

Also today we had a fun day. We went with that family. Their names are Fernando, Josue, and Arturo (Bebo) Garcia Linarez. They are all recent converts except Fernando. We are still working on Fernando. Anyway, today we went hiking with them to these cool views in the mountains of Acambay where they live. Fernando’s girlfriend also came with us. 

So that was my week. I sure love you guys. I hope you have a good new year. Thanks for all your love and support!
-Elder Thomas

The pet store below my apartment has a "baby Oscar"!  So cute!

Merry Christmas again!

Merry Christmas family!

I can’t believe it is Christmas again! I have the house set up all for Christmas. I don’t mean to be judgmental, but Christmas is a lot better in the states. I am trying to make the best of it here though. I put on Christmas music every day. Of course it’s all Mormon Tab, but it’s the best I can do.

I wish I had some cool story to share this week. We have been trying to find some new investigators, but we haven’t really been having a lot of success. I am pretty sure Atlacomulco is one of the biggest areas in the mission. We did go exploring out to this pueblo called Tixmadeje about an hour away to find this lady. We never did find her. They need to organize their streets better. haha.

It was pretty up in the pueblo though. It was up in the mountains. We had this recent convert named Arturo come with us. Later that day I got this cool picture of the mountains here in Atlacomulco.

On Saturday night we had the Christmas food. Hearing banda Christmas music is weird. Also they don’t really have Santa here but they did have a little dance and piñatas. Mexicans are so funny when it comes to piñatas. They get so excited. When the candy falls the kids dive in for the candy and the adults dive on top. Haha. it cracks me up.

I have been reading in Helaman 10-16 and 3 Nephi 1-5 these past few days. It is interesting how fast the people turn from following God to following their own beliefs. We are so lucky to be able to live in a time where the Church is restored and will NEVER be taken away. It will always be here. And at the head of the Church is Christ. I am so grateful for our Savior and the life he lived. To get to know Christ we have to apply the Gospel. When we apply it we see the changes in our lives and we get to know Christ more. I love the Gospel!

I miss you all a ton! I am so excited to talk to you in a few days. It is hard being away during this time, but next Christmas I will be there at all your social events. :)

-Elder Thomas

Missionaries coming and going, baptisms, oreos, still in Atlacomulco

Hey there family,

So just as I told you, I am still here in Atlacomulco. I am now district leader with only Elder Moreno and Elder Bird in my district. They are really good elders. My companion is Elder Lopez from Argentina. He has 14 months in the mission. I really don’t like changes and I am glad I only have two more. haha. They are always so uncomfortable the first week because you never know what to talk about. It’ll get better though.

So Elder Goodrich left this morning for D.F. and leaves on Wednesday morning. I will miss him a ton. He is one of the best companions I have had. Also with him, Elder Dahlin goes home (my trainer).

This week we did interchanges a few times to get some interviews done. The elders in Ixtlahuaca baptized this one girl who is super prepared and is going to be a great member. She told me in her interview that she wants to serve a mission.

Victor says he wants to wait. He is doing exactly what Guadalupe did. The thing is, they say they want to wait a little bit more time, but then time passes and they say a little bit more time, and then they never make the decision. The hardest thing is that they have received an answer from the Spirit, they just don’t want to act on it.  We will see what happens with them.

One funny moment. The elders in Ixtlahuaca were with us and we all were sitting on the couch in this lady’s house. She told us to move to a different couch, but we said no. I said we were like an oreo. haha two morenos and two gueros. We decided to take a picture :)

So yesterday we went to the temple dedication in Toluca. It was super cool. The Spirit is always so strong on them. There are now 13 temples in Mexico! Wooo woo! I also saw hermana Ruth! I baptized her in my first change. She is doing super well. She is great. She is in the preparation for the temple. We also took a picture with a bunch of the member’s in the ward. 

So that is about it this week. Not a ton. Now I am also in charge of the hermanas’ area because they closed that area. I feel pretty stranded because there are no missionaries close to our area.

I am super excited for Christmas. I am really looking forward to talking to you. Can you believe 7 months have passed since I last talked to you? Who is going to be there this Christmas?

Right now I am in Helaman in the Book of Mormon. That book always amazes me. I just think to myself, even if Joseph Smith was an educated guy, there is still no way he could have written it. Well, I love you all. I miss you all a ton!

-Elder Thomas

Jazmin and Erick got baptized!

Hey family!

Sorry I didn t write on Monday. I forgot to tell you that we were going to have concilio on Monday. Concilio was really good. We really learned about how to teach better as leaders and be better leaders.

There has been a lot that has happened the past week. 

1. Elder Goodrich had his final interview yesterday. It is really sad because this is the last week of the change. :( I am really sad to have to have a different companion. I also have realized how little time I have in the mission. 

2. Speaking of changes...so now the huge wave of missionaries has ended and a ton of hermanas are going home. With that, they are closing the area of the hermanas here in Atlacomulco and El Oro. So that means they are also closing the zone of Atlacomulco because there would only be 5 companionships. Since Elder Goodrich is leaving, that means that I am for sure staying. Our zone is going to part of Toluca (the zone where I started) and I am going to be district leader again. I was kind of bummed because I don’t have that much time, but president doesn’t have another choice because I know the area. So I will be here one more change in Atlacomulco and then the last 2 changes of the mission he will put me as zone leader in some other area. That’s the plan anyway. Haha.

3. Jazmin and Erick got baptized! We had a late night baptism at 8:30 because people got there late. It was a really nice service because there were so many members involved because they are all their friends. The Spirit was really strong in the service.

4. Victor came to church on Sunday. We talked with his wife and she told us she doesn’t want to leave the Catholic religion. Fortunately, Victor says he still wants to prepare for baptism. He is planning for his baptism this Saturday.

5. This Sunday is the dedication of the temple in Tijuana, so they are doing what they did for the rededication of the Mexico City temple. We are going to Toluca to see it broadcasted. 

6. It has been soooo cold here. I can’t get out of bed because it is so cold. This literally is the coldest area in the mission. Even though I am in Mexico it does get cold here. Obviously not as cold as Maine though. haha.

7. I am so excited for Whitney! Congrats Whitney! TWINS! I have the greatest family. and Happy Birthday Dallin! remember the time we went to the Mexican restaurant. haha.

Thanks for all your support. Miss you! It is almost Christmas! We will be able to talk only 30 minutes. But from Christmas time, it will only be 4 months until I see you again! Sure love you!

-Elder Thomas