Serving a mission is also preparing me for the real mission I have ahead of me when my time here is finished.

Today we are going to Zocalo and the Centro as a district which will be a lot of fun. I just want to share a few things real quick. President and Sister Stutznegger joined us for Church yesterday. It was so fun to have them with us! I love this little casa de oración. I will try to get some pictures. I played the keyboard during Sacrament Meeting yesterday haha. The two Elders who are with us in the branch play so much better than I do but circumstances arose that put me in the hot-seat :)

Yesterday was hard. My two wonderful investigators who were going to be baptized on July 30 couldn't make it to Church and their baptism date is changing. I will be transferred to Neza in two weeks and will be training again so I will no longer be here. It was really discouraging for them to not be there yesterday but then I realized again the importance of patience and that serving a mission is also preparing me for the real mission I have ahead of me when my time here is finished.

The good news is that A.R. was baptized on Saturday up in Monte Corona Ward in my previous area. Hna Lambert and I got to know her really well through English classes and began to teach her. The Elders there are wonderful and really helped her to learn and progress to where she is now. It was fun to see so many of the people I love in the mountains again! A.R. was the first person to be baptized that Ward since December.

Hermana Martinez and I with A.R. at her baptism.

I love these kids SO MUCH. They are the grand kids of the wonderful Hermana T who lives in La Rey and helps us a lot by going with us to teach lessons. One of these boys is not yet a Church member but wants to be baptized. We played a fun memory card game about faith with them yesterday and then had tamales oaxaquenos and hot milk.

Love these two girls -- I and J from the Monte Corona Ward in my previous area. They are the ones who fed me chicken heart. We met their cousins here in our current area and we are helping them become active in the Gospel again.

This is us making chiles rellenos (I will be making them for you when I get back) in the home of P, a woman we are teaching and who we eat with every Thursday. She is progressing very well to be baptized on the 6th of August. It was so funny how we met her. Hermana Martinez and I were walking down the street when an old Volkswagen bug pulled up behind us and two people in the back tried getting our attention. Usually when that happens I just keep walking but they insisted so we turned around. It was P and her "husband" M asking if we could visit them. Turns out that they had been receiving the Hermanas from the Chalco Mission for a few months last year and want to be baptized. We have been working with them since. Wonderful people!

Well, I need to go for now. I love you very much. Thank you for everything.

Hermana Jones

Feliz 4 de Julio!

(Parent Note: this Hermana Jones sent this email on July 4, 2016)

Happy Independence Day to everyone back home! It is hard to believe that this time a year ago all of us Americanos sang the Star Spangled Banner in the comedor of the CCM while all the Latinos took videos of us haha and the staff made us really good American food and apple pie with vanilla ce cream. Well I just spent a really fun day at el guarda. It felt good to drive through my old area again. I will be heading up for a baptism in two weeks of someone I taught and who the Elders there have been working with. Her name is A R and she is awesome.

Okay well my week was crazy. We went to the Temple twice -- once to do baptisms with recent converts of the ward and branch, and the other for our P day. We also went to the Los Reyes and Paraiso zone conference on Thursday. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday it felt nice to just work in our area. Tonight I will be going on divisions with Hermana Pacheco who is an hermana temporal here and is waiting for her visa to go to the Trinidad de Tobago Mission where she will be speaking English. She is so cute and will be finishing up her training in a month. Yesterday, my companion (who I dearly dearly love) and I had a fun time seeking to be guided by Spirit since all of our plans fell through. We had a great day in the little branch -- the attendance continues strong in the 40´s/50´s so if we can keep this up construction of a capilla will be underway hopefully soon. Also my comp and I taught the relief society about the importance of las maestras visitantes and we had five investigators come, three of whom have plans to be baptized on the 30th of July. After Church meetings, we were ready to hit the streets and visit a few families. Our plans fell through so we found other things to do. We stopped by real quick with two new investigators who are a reference from a less active member we are visiting. They were really grateful for our visit. The last time we visited with them they shared with us that their 6 year old daughter wrote everything completely backwards, from right to left, all the letters mirrored the opposite way, everything. They shared their concern with us because the teacher doesn't help and gives her bad grades and their daughter doesn't understand why she is different. In that moment the scripture Éter 12 came to my mind where Moroni is writing about how he is weak in writing and is worried that those who read what he has written will mock his words. The Lord then gives him the famous promise that those who are humble will have weak things made strong unto them. I have always loved that scripture but have not ever understood why Moroni included that part about his ability to write being weak. In this moment, I realized the application of that scripture to this family and, like many other times in my mission, my testimony of El Libro de Mormón was strengthened. That book was written for our times and its words can be applied to our lives. In this particular occasion, I was able to share this story with a pair of worried parents and help them feel some comfort. Okay, so after we visited this family we started back down the street and I felt the impression to turn back and go down another street. At first I questioned "why?" but then I felt the impression again and told my companion we needed to go back. She told me that she had felt the same thing (by now I have learned to not question and just do it when I hear or feel something -- that is what I am here for. I have also realized that I don't need to be shaken on the shoulders or smacked in the face to know that El Espíritu Santo is communicating with me; it comes in very subtle passing thoughts) so we headed down a street that we have never been through, just walking and kind of waiting to feel or hear something again. Nothing in particular came so we knocked a random door just as it started to rain. HARD. As my comp says, "Está cayendo el cielo!" We ran to a little tienda next door where a woman named S told us to come on in and take shelter from the storm haha. We began to chat and she shared with us that she is Christian and is worried about her two teenage sons who are in this difficult time of making choices and avoiding temptation and all that, as well as her parents whose health is declining and she is taking care of them. She also shared with us that for awhile as a teenager she left the path and fell away from having a relationship with God but she eventually came back and is searching for more peace in her life. We were able to hit on a few good points of the Restored Gospel and teach her about El Plan de Salvación. It was really nice. Then it stopped raining just as our conversation was ending. She is interested in coming to Church with us and we will be looking for her this Friday. I don't know what will happen with her; all I know is I am grateful that my companion and I both followed the Spirit and met this lady. It is an incredible feeling to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. I am just a small part of the huge plan He has and I am happy to do what He asks of me. Later, after a random joven contacted us in the street, we decided to stop by the home of a few ladies who had asked us to teach them. Once again, it started to rain hard and we huddled under the awning by her their house and had a great time talking about Mexican food. One of my favorite things is to rave about the food here -- I really do love it -- and then these people practically fall over themselves telling me about this and that and other family recipes they want to cook for me. This particular señora (her name is Y) wants to send me home with una prensa para tortillas and a molcajete -- the awesome rock bowls they use to make salsa. The people here are incredible, so kind and so loving. When you show them love, they give it to you right back. I love that about this culture and it is something I will miss. Other experiences...we had a great meeting with the first counselor of the obispado of the ward Izcalli, his wife who is la presidenta de la sociedad de socorro, and Elder Olson and Elder Camarillo who are working with us in la casa de oración. Some great things are in the workings for this little branch. This Wednesday we will be starting a weekly lectura of El Libro de Mormón where we will read and touch on parts of the assigned chapters that were given the week before. It will be a chance for the members and investigators to get to know each other and to hold to the rod of iron and make sure that these people are studying the key to our religion. We will also be starting a calendario of noches de hogar where families sign up to have us and a friend over during the week for family home evening and have a noche de hogar as a ward on the 23rd. The Elders, who just got here together starting this cycle, are so on top of it and the members are very supportive.

Okay, another experience we had a few weeks ago with two of our investigators who will be baptized on July 30th. They are brother and sister, L A who is 12 and D M who is 14. They have been to church two times now, have friends there their age, and absolutely love it. We are also teaching their mom A who is working on finding a testimony. Well during this lesson we were reading Mosiah 18: 8-11 with them about how the pueblo de Alma were getting ready to be baptized. They loved it and it helped them to better understand what the convenio del bautismo really is. Then it came time to extend them la invitación bautismal. L happily said yes right away with a big grin on his face. Then his sister began to tear up as she explained to us that she has done things in her life that she wants to change and be clean of. She said that now she understands that baptism and the Atonement is the way to do that. That was one of the most special experiences I have ever had in my life, to see someone who truly wants to come unto Christ and be forgiven and change. I love them so so so much and love being a missionary so so so much. It is the best thing I have ever done in my life and I am so happy to be here and give it all I have for these next five months que me falta todavia. I love the Savior. Okay I have to go now but I love you all back home -- have a bleeeast in Chicago :)

Love Hermana Honess (the sweet temple worker who greeted me called me that LOVE it)

(Parent Note: the Following email was sent on July 11, 2016)

Hey there! Thank you for sending all of the fun pictures from Chicago :) You all look so great! This week went by so fast. I have no idea what is going on with the time. I wake up, go walk around for awhile, and come home at night. It is crazy! I am so excited for our two adorable investigators who will be baptized on July 30th. They love coming to Church and are developing strong testimonies. This morning while reading a talk by Elder Rasband from the last General Conference I realized how important it is to strengthen the youth; they are the future leaders of the Church. I am so blessed to be a small part of D and L's lives and help them discover the blessings of the Gospel. A couple of cool experiences this last week. I spoke on sacred covenants yesterday in the casa de oración (which continues to have about 50 people consistently every week) and used the example of when Mom brought home the old smoke damaged dressers and, with a little work and polishing, uncovered the beautiful woodwork and made them like new and usable again. I related that to how, at times, we may feel so imperfect and that we do not have potential, but Heavenly Father sees something different in us. He knows our potential and what we can become; therefore, He has blessed us with covenants such as el bautismo, la recepción del don del Espíritu Santo, and La Santa Cena cada semana para renovar nuestros convenios. These make us clean, come closer to Christ, and reach the potential that God knows we have. I think this is one of my favorite Gospel principles of all time -- tenemos un amoroso Padre Celestial y somos Sus hijos. It is such an important truth. Yesterday, we met with a new investigator named G, his wife V, and their daughter X. Very chosen people. My companion found them during divisions this last week because she had been knocking another door across the street very loudly and finally G came out to tell her that no one was home haha. She and Hermana Sic left but my companion felt that she needed to go back so she did and he accepted an invitation to be taught. When we talked with him yesterday he really opened up and told us that he wants to stop drinking but needs help to do it. He asked lots of great questions and wants to know how he can feel the Spirit more in his life. I am very excited to teach them. The divorce process is underway with another couple we are teaching. They are living in union libre and one of them is still married to their ex but that should get done within a month where normally it takes a long time. They are truly repentant and want to do things right. They cannot wait to be baptized and take the Sacrament. I may not be here next cycle to see that but I am so grateful that they are progressing and making changes in their lives. That is one of my favorite things about being a missionary. I love you family. Thank you for your love and support. You all look so fine! The Schwartz Family has been in my prayers every day. Take good care of Sister Schwartz. Love you :)

Hermana Jones

Today (July 11, 2016) we played fútbol as a zone at the church :) My companion

and I bought a rotisserie chicken and a can of chipotles

 

Zone activity and a good day of fútbol at La Guarda on July 4, 2016. 

We enjoyed smashing our zone members in a combi! Some of the best people I have ever known! 

You see a little bit of everything here :)

Us with the assistants to the President and Elder Cervantez 

(he went to the same high school as my cousin Brayden)

I LOVE MEXICO!

Hello all. What a great day...we went to the Temple with Hermana C. She does our laundry almost every week and is one of my all-time favorite ladies. She is so kind and wonderful. I have had incredible people take care of me along the way during my mission. Also, yesterday, the 8 members of my District took people who have recently joined the Church to the Temple. We all went together in combis and had so much fun.

I am short on time but we experienced many wonderful miracles over the past week. First of all, we had five investigators in Church! I LOVE the little casa de oracion. There is such a special spirit there. We were able to teach las mujeres jovenes (young women) and it brought me back to all the wonderful times I had during our Laurel's class -- shout out to you Mom! There were just two of them including J who is 12, and M, our investigator who is 14 who has a baptismal date with her brother L on July 30. Woohoo! It was very special to spend time with the two of them during the last hour of Church. We didn't have a lesson planned because we weren't planning on teaching the class so we talked about how God is our loving Heavenly Father and this affects all that we do. It is one of my most favorite principios of the Gospel.

Me in front of a fruit/veggie/candy stand owned by a couple cool investigators who live in La Rey.

My awesome district from the last cycle. Four of them left and four new equally awesome Elders have taken their place.

This is the room where we had Young Women's class -- it is part of la casa de oracion. This was a couple weeks ago when we were helping clean before the first Sunday there.

The pictures above are of Conferencia de Zona de Ixtapaluca! Hermana Martinez and I trained about how important planning is in a little 10 minute workshop that we did four times (split up groups rotating around) and we were in charge of the fun activity to take a break during the conference. We did a relay race of sorts -- four teams of 8 missionaries each. The first compañerismo had to do 20 push-ups, then ran to the next pair who did "chubby bunny" (shoving 10 marshmallows in their mouths and saying "conejito gordito"), then that pair ran to the next who had to eat donuts off of strings without their hands, who then went to the last pair who had to blow up a balloon and sit on it to pop it. The first team who finished won chocolate -- like they needed any more sugar! It was a hit if I do say so myself :) We will be doing the same thing tomorrow in Los Reyes with the Los Reyes and Paraiso zones.

This pic is of the rooftops of a sweet mercado (market) where you can buy fruit and lots of other stuff super cheap. Gosh I LOVE MEXICO! I have a couple of very neat experiences to share with you next week. Just so you know, we have three baptisms lined up for July 30 and they are great people with more coming! Also, next Monday we are going to the Guarda with the two Ixtapaluca zones so I don't know how writing will go next week :) I love you so much and have a blast in Chicago!

Love you!

Hermana Jones

La Casa de Oración

Hello everybody! Well the big news from last week is that we had our first Sunday in our casa de oración on Sunday, June 19, and it was such a special experience. We were planning for around 30 people... the final count was 62! We ended up having the full three hour services and it was truly wonderful. My companion and I got to teach the class of La Sociedad de Socorro without any notice (that happens often as a missionary) but it was a beautiful class about rescuing the lost sheep from the teachings of Howard W. Hunter. I also helped teach los jovenes and investigadores in the class of principios del evangelio about el dia de reposo and used the old putting mustard and nasty stuff on ice cream example -- that helped get the kids' attention. We were all squeezed into a Church member's home very close to my house and used a few of the rooms to teach classes. We have faith that this little congregation will progress rapidly. It is so fun to be a part of something like this! I made a new friend with a combi driver. His name is Carlos. He recognized me the next time we took a combi and had us sit up front with him so he could talk with us. Love it love it love it :) I have had many small meaningful moments with so many neat people here. I love being a missionary. That is all I can say. Se cuidan mucho :)

Love Hermana Jones

Parent Note:  The following pictures were taken at a recent mission leadership council and posted on Sister Stutznegger's Facebook page.  We are thankful that they take great pictures and share!

The following pictures were taken at a recent Zone Conference and again posted on Sister Stutznegger's Facebook page.  Thank you!

Honestly, being a missionary is the funnest and the bestest! :)

Hello! Muy buenos dias/casi tardes a todos! I hope this email finds you well and enjoying your first real day of summer vacation! What a crazy but fun weekend you probably all had. I have always loved graduation weekend and cannot believe that I graduated HACE DOS AÑOS! (I graduated 2 years ago) Me siento viajita. It is also crazy to think that one of those years has been spent as a full-time missionary. What a special year it has been. Speaking of which, congratulations to all those who will be leaving on missions in the next few weeks! I love reading mission calls in my emails and am so happy for all that is ahead for each of you :) It feels good to know that I am just one small part of a world-wide army of missionaries. Suerte a todos!

Well, not a ton of crazy stuff happened this last week. We went shopping for dress pants with President and Sister Stutznegger and had a great time. It will actually be weird to wear them but we will because were are in an area with mosquitos and threat of Zika virus. Yesterday was wonderful because A. went to Church! It was the first time that he has been in 3 years. He leaned over during one of the talks in Sacrament Meeting and told me that he doesn't know what he or other people would do without the missionaries. He said that we really are the light in the world and guide people to come back to Christ. That meant a lot to me. He has a baptismal date for 16 de Julio. It was our last Sunday in the Church building because next week we will be cramming approximadamente 40 people into a little house for la casa de oracion! Lots of people are really excited because it will be much easier and cheaper to go to Church now. The Church building that everyone has been attending is about 15 minutes away and, depending on where you live on the hill, it costs up to 13 pesos a person. To take a family to and from Church every Sunday starts to add up; so many people are excited. The majority of the members who live in our area are less active in the Gospel for this reason (other reasons too of course) so I am feeling confident that this will be a very positive change for many here. Los servicios empiezan a las 9 en la mañana (the Church services start at 9:00 a.m.). I think a very special Spirit will be there with all of us.

Yesterday we contacted a referencia from the Elders named G. He is a stud. We taught La Restauración to him outside his front door on the sidewalk and he accepted baptism right there. I am looking forward to getting to know him better. One of the things I will miss the most will be teaching random people in random places and at random times about how the Savior’s Gospel was brought back to the earth after being lost for many years. It is so much fun! Now that I feel really comfortable with Spanish I can take the kind of direction I want with the message, and change it up depending on the person, their needs, situations, and concerns. The other night after a day of divisions (working with other missionaries) we were in a jam packed combi and, because there wasn't enough room in the back, my companion sat right behind me and I sat in front in between the driver and another guy. Sitting in front in the combis is the best because I just start chatting it up with them and have a grand old time. Eventually they ask me where I'm from and what I am doing here and I teach them. This last week I taught a man named D. and a man named E. -- both times by myself in the combi. I love seeing their faces light up as I share the message of the restored Gospel with them. I don't think it's very often that they have someone in front with them asking them how their family is or how work is going. Honestly, being a missionary is the funnest and the bestest! :)

Blast...I am on one of the office computers right now and they need it for something so I'll try to get on later, but I love you all so much!

Hermana Jones

Me with the most wonderful couple who got baptized this last Saturday. Their names are D. and K. Elder Allred and Elder Onofre have been teaching them and it has been great getting to know them along the way. I met them for the first time in the Temple visitor's center when they still weren't sure whether to be baptized or not. It was during that visit to the Temple and Visitors Center that they decided to be baptized. That was back in April when I was still in my previous area. I didn't know then that I would move to the area right next to where they live! They have a three year old daughter named R. Love them :)

Me in pants next to a sweet old Volkswagen (there are so many of those in Mexico).

These are pics, courtesy of President and Sister Stutznegger, of the pants shopping excursion. As Sister Stutznegger said, “it's a new day, sisters wearing pants instead of skirts to protect them from the diseases carried by mosquitoes. 3 hours later we had 32 pairs of dress pants.”

The missionaries had a fun activity in Ixtapaluca (photo credit to the Stutzneggers).

Hermana Martinez (photo credit to the Stutzneggers).

Pics from my new hill.

The Lord had better plans in mind for us

It's funny. People will ask me how much time I have in the mission and I will tell them about a year and it doesn't really phase me. Then I log in to my email today and read a few emails from people reminding me that I basically been out a year and it hits me! How did that happen?! Well all I can say is that this has been the craziest but most fulfilling, rewarding, satisfying, happiest years of my life! I can't really describe it so I'll just leave it at that. I still have 6 months to go though and I’m going for the gusto, so don't be making the welcome home banners yet haha.

This week was full of changes. My beautiful, wonderful companion, hermana, and friend Hermana Lambert flew home last Thursday to have surgery on her wrist. It was a very weird, sad moment to stand by with President Stutznegger that morning in the airport as we watched her walk away :( I learned so many things from her and am forever grateful for the time we spent together as companions. She is an incredible person and I can't thank her enough. Shout out to Hermana Lamby! Love you!

So now I am still in my same area with Hermana Martinez, who trained Hermana Erin Jones, and she is stellar. We called her the night before to tell her that she would be my companion and needed to pack everything up. She is 25 years old, has 15 months in the mission, and is from Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México. She pronounces her "ch" like "sh" so she says things like "osho" instead of "ocho" and "buenas noshes" instead of "buenas noches." It's fun :) On Friday and Saturday I had the agenda nice and full with lots of appointments and plans and what do you know, NONE of them were home. So we spent two very hot, very long days walking around contacting and trying to find other people to visit. We experienced a few miracles along the way though. One was that, after being companions for 4 hours, a man approached us in the street and asked if we were missionaries. He explained to us that he just got back from Canada a week ago (he had been living there for 10 years) and that he was receiving the lessons from a few sister missionaries up there. He also told us that he had been reading the Book of Mormon and he wants to be baptized. His name is M.A. and after meeting with him on Saturday, we put a fecha for 16 de Julio :) (set a baptism date for July 16). Also, our casa de oración will be starting in two weeks! A very special experience yesterday -- we went with the Bishop, one of his counselors, Ward Mission Leader, an Hermano from the stake, and the Elders to the home of La Familia S and talked with them about starting Church services there. They said that they had faith in the Lord and his Church leaders and humbly said yes. Afterwards, each of them received Priesthood blessings, including their 4 year old grandson who lives with them because his mom was killed when he was a baby. It was a beautiful experience and we are very excited to start our own little ramita, or Branch, up here on the hill. It will be called La Rama Tlalpizahuac (not sure if I spelled that right :). Also, on Sunday we ended up visiting a less active, part-member family because the other appointment fell through and the dad, who is not a member, wants to be baptized :) So, as it turns out, the Lord had better plans in mind for us. Totally worth tromping around in the mud and rain! We have found a few less active families this last week who have family members that need to be baptized. Another miracle -- we went with O and B’s family Friday night (a family that we are teaching) and had planned to teach about el dia de reposo -- the Sabbath Day -- but when we came in and learned that J, O's dad, was once again in the hospital, we immediately knew that we needed to change lesson plans real quick. So, we just kind of went for it and said what came to mind. At the end of the lesson, I felt prompted to promise them that if they came to Church, the Lord would bless them for their dedication and effort and that J would be able to bear the afflictions he has right now. Up to this point they had not been to Church yet. Yesterday morning we passed by for them in the combi (taxi) of one of the Church members and there they were, ready to go to church :) I was beyond excited. We will visit about a baptismal date with them again this week. One last miracle -- another appointment fell through but both Hermana Martinez and I felt impressed to visit another woman we are teaching. When we got there we found her very worried because her daughter had gone to the movies with a friend the day before and still had not come back. We were able to let her use our phone to try calling her, sang her a hymn, and offered a prayer. There wasn't much else we could really do to help her but I am grateful that we were guided to visit her. I am continually amazed by the guidance that the Lord provides in our lives if we just listen and respond.

Well, I think that is all for now. Yes Mom I am using bug spray -- it smells like bananas -- and Hermana Stutznegger will be taking us to buy dress pants (allowed by new missionary clothing guidelines to reduce risk of mosquito contact and Zika virus). I really like my apartment, especially now that we have killed all of the worms and cockroaches ;) Love you all so very much! Happy week!

Love Hermana Jones

Our last hoorah with Hermana Lambert, eating tortas de tamal, or basically a tamale sandwich, together. So delicious.

My new wonderful companion, Hermana Martinez.

It rained SO HARD yesterday. We hiked down this very muddy slippery hill to an appointment only to find that she was not able to meet that day and asked if we could come by next week. Also, Hermana Martinez´s glassed broke so she was left to hike blindly through the mud and rain. We laughed the whole way though. It was a lot of fun actually :)

This is a pic from part of my new area.

Another pic from my new area.

And another...It is not all concrete :)

I found this sweet Batman mask in a member's home. I couldn't resist :)

It´s funny how after awhile you forget about maybe looking silly and just go for it. This message is that important!

Hey there! Life continues to move quickly here in Mexico. We are already finishing May. What in the blazes is going on here?! Solamente me falta seis meses en la misión y no estoy lista a terminar!!!!!! Pero bueno, así es la vida (I only have 6 months left on my mission and I am not ready to finish! But, such is life). Hermana Lambert and I had a good week. Many of our lesson appointments fell through so we just hit the streets and contacted and knocked doors and taught mini lessons on doorsteps and through windows and had ourselves a grand old time. It´s funny how after awhile you forget about maybe looking silly and just go for it. This message is that important! As we knocked doors on one street we knocked a certain door and realized that the man there was leaning out the window up on the second floor waiting for us to notice him. I shouted up to him and we began talking and teaching. He really liked what we had to say and complimented us for not having difficulty teaching him from down below. He wants us to come back and visit. It was also cool because he actually lives in a different house that we pass by all the time and he always wondered why we didn't knock his door and has been hoping that we would. His name is Benito and I am looking forward to teaching him. We took our investigator J and her son F to El Centro de Visitantes (Temple visitor’s center) and set another baptismal date with them for July 2. On Sunday we walked over to her house to pick her up for Church and she was already out the door on her way when we got there. It feels good to have someone progressing :)

Funny little side note...during a recent weekly meeting with our ward mission leader, rather than being able to participate, our ward mission leader sent me to the corner to make white bread meat and cheese sandwiches for all of the Elders hahahahahahahahaha I was laughing so hard. hehehe. Anywho, remember the kid I told you about who was so excited to get El Libro de Mormón? Well, he is still reading it and loves it. He thought it was so cool how the iron rod in Lehi's vision represents the word of God. Also, he shared with us that he prayed before reading one time, opened the book, and landed on 1 Nefi 10:19 that says that to those who search diligently will be unfolded the mysteries of God. It is his new favorite scripture. We just need him to come to Church now. It is hard because he works in a bakery in the city with a crazy schedule trying to support his mom and sister. We will find a way to get him there though! He is such a cool guy. We have found 30 new investigators in the three weeks that we have been here but just can't get people attend Church. We are really going to focus on that this week.

I have learned some great things personally this week thanks to people in my life right now. One of which is that I cannot always see the big picture of the story, or how things are going to turn out. I am just a small part of something much bigger than me and can't see what may happen to the people I talk to and teach at this time. Every good thing we do has good consequences. Also, thanks to an Elder in the mission, one of my new favorite scriptures is in 1 Nefi 2 where Nefi says "And my father Lehi dwelt in a tent." Lehi was a very wealthy man who gave up everything he had and dwelt in a tent in the desert for years because he loved the Lord, and being obedient was more important to him than all of his worldly possessions. That is a good reminder for all of us.

Love Hermana Honess :P

This is of one of our colonias in my new area. It is an AWESOME place. 

This was the goodbye fiesta we had with our adorable English class who I loved so much back in my previous area. I have never felt so much love from little kids. Unfortunately, not all of them are in this picture ):

This is La Familia P C, also from my previous area. Hermano E was our ward mission leader for the Jardines ward. This family means so much to me. I have a very personal connection that I will share with you when I get back. I don't want to share any super sensitive info over email but I love them a lot. We taught early morning Seminary our last week and a half in that area for Hermana M, the mom, because she had health issues.

This pic is of me with La Familia S S who let us use their computers to Skype you guys on Mother’s Day. They lived across the street from us and I LOVE them. I helped D, the bigger of the two boys, practice a little bit of vibrato on his violin. The pic was taken after I Skyped you.

Pics at a recent mission leadership council. Photo credit to Hermana Nebeker.