1,000 lives in 100 days

July 26, 2015

Keith started a program in our mission called 1,000 lives in 100 days.  He felt the need for the missionaries to not only work towards new converts, but to spend a little time helping those who were already members of our church.  He challenged each companionship to pick 10 names of members who were in the wards where they served.  They had 100 days to help make a difference in their life.  Hence the name: 100 companionships times 10 people to help = 1,000 lives.  It’s been rewarding hearing about some of the experiences:

Elder K: I’d like to share one story that we had from the 100 days 1000 lives.  There is a family of 3 that recently had a daughter die. Their daughter was 14 and had an accident in school and ended up passing away a few days later. That all happened on my first day I had moved to this new area. The family started to blame God for what happened and stopped going to church because of that experience. The husband also started trying to kill the pain with an addiction to marijuana. They wouldn’t even accept a message from us for months. But one day when I was with Elder T., we knocked and she opened the door and told us they were busy.  We asked if we could simply stay for 1 minute or 2 and say a prayer. She said “yes” and we had a really powerful prayer. When we finished she said she would be home the following night and asked if we could pass by. We did and had a great lesson about the plan of salvation. (Where we came from, why we are here,  and where we are going) We've been progressing great with this family lately and they're all coming back to church, doing family home evenings, and starting a repentance process to be sealed together in the temple. It's amazing the change that I've seen in this family, and I’m so glad to have been a part of it.

And a fun letter from a sister missionary: Sister L. and I had our first baptism yesterday! It was so wonderful, Jocelin our soon to be convert once she receives the Holy Ghost, is such an amazing young lady. She has a solid strong testimony and is a walking miracle with all the changes we’ve seen since we started teaching her. I love the gospel; it’s incredible to see the power it has in the life of people, even when we testify of it every day.  I had never seen it happen so "up close". I feel so blessed and thankful to have been a part in that change in Jocelin's life.

Yesterday while we were out working with a member, we bump into a family he knew.  Apparently this family was investigating the church some time ago, Family Huerta. They had just lost the father an hour before! We offered a hymn and a prayer. I didn’t know how we could help them, but I prayed that they might feel the Spirit and that they might open their hearts to the truth.  They agreed to meet with us this Wednesday.

Heavenly Good byes

July 23, 2015

In the last 3 months we have sent home almost a third of our mission.  Of course we have received “replacements”, but this third that went home were missionaries that we had served with for a year.  These were young men and women that we loved and trusted (except for a couple of rascals).  We have laughed, cried, and enjoyed them for a year and they have become part of us.

Since our mission office is just 15 minutes away from the airport, we usually have the pleasure of taking them to the airport to send them on their way.  As we stand and give final hugs and handshakes, we usually have tears running down our faces.  Sometimes we can’t talk as we try and maintain composure.  We stand there and watch such strength walk away with big smiles.  We are putting them on a plane to take them back to family that we know loves them more than we do – if love can be measured.  As we cry here, we know that the family will be crying there in just a few hours.  Our tears are for one reason, their tears for another.

Even though that day of saying good bye usually starts at 3AM, I often stay awake a little later into the evening looking for pictures on Facebook.  I want to see that they have arrived.  I zoom each picture and see the expressions on their parent’s faces as they hold their children again.  If there is a video, I play it over and over.  It brings me some peace.

As I hugged an Elder good by yesterday (okay, it doesn’t follow “mission” rules, but I can’t say good bye with a handshake!), I had an interesting thought.  I wondered how it was in Heaven before we came to earth.  Did we stand at the “airport” with big smiles and excitement?  Did we look forward to our new adventures?  Did we nervously pace as we waited for the time to “take off” to Earth?  And finally, did our Heavenly parents hug us good bye, not saying too much as they tried to keep their composure?  Did tears run down their faces as they looked at the strength and potential they were sending to earth?  My heart tells me it is so.

Lazarus

July 2, 2015

We were traveling with the Assistants today – these are three of our very best here in Mexico City.  We passed several funeral homes which are not like the lavish ones we enjoy in the states.  These were small store fronts with little decoration.  I asked the Assistants about funerals here such as where they hold the service.  They told me that funerals are held in these small store fronts, with everyone standing around an open casket.  There are a few chairs for the “older folks.”  They also said that funerals are held in homes.  They clear out some of the furniture, place the open casket in the middle of the room, and hold a service.

Elder S. started to laugh as he recalled an incident he had during the first part of his mission.  He and his companion were friends with a family in their ward.  This family had a grandfather who was not well.  One day they received a call asking them to come and give a blessing to the grandfather.  They asked how he was doing and the caller replied, “Not so well.”

They hurried themselves to the family home.  When they walked in, there was the open casket with grandfather inside.  The family expected a blessing for their deceased grandfather.  The two Elders had to respectfully tell the family that they could not do that, offered a prayer, and excused themselves as quickly as possible.

I sat by an angel today.

July 5, 2015

We headed out towards La Perla (the Pearl) to attend church today.  As we entered the building, we were greeted by a young man – probably about 17 years old.  One of his hands was pointed backwards, and his feet pointed towards each other.  With a mouth that didn’t quite work correctly, he asked me a question.  Not knowing what he said, I answered “yes.”  I was taken into a tight embrace by this young man.  He had asked me if he could give me an abrazo (hug) and I had replied in the affirmative.

This young man obviously was affected by cerebral palsy.  Walking and talking were difficult and yet this did not slow him down.  When it was time to pass the sacrament, he was there to help.  Since I was sitting on the stand, he had to deliberately and carefully make it up the stairs in order to give us the sacrament.  He couldn’t take a “gentle” turn, but would stop and steady himself, and then do a perfect 90 degree turn.  His stronger arm carried the sacrament tray.

When it was time for testimonies, up this young man came again to the stand.  As he sat down by me, he reached out his hand for a handshake.  When it was his turn, He stood, and in difficult speech, spoke of his love of Jesus Christ.  I could feel the power even when the words were not discernable. 

I believe that most of us come to earth to learn lessons.  Others however, are sent to earth to teach us lessons.  I sat by an angel today.

There are no coincidences!

June 21, 2015

Elder Ismael Martinez, an area authority from the 70’s, visited La Perla Stake today.  He related the following story which continues to confirm how our Heavenly Father knows each of us personally and plays a part in our life.

Elder Lee was disappointed when he read his mission call.  He lived in the United States, was of Japanese descent, and yet his call was to Colombia.  He spoke Japanese and thought a call to Tokyo would be more appropriate. He questioned the call and wrote to President Kimball about his concerns.  A return letter assured him that the call was correct and he should go to Columbia. 

He wrote another letter that questioned his call.  By this time, Elder Lee was already in the MTC in Provo Utah.  This letter was answered with a personal visit from President Kimball who once again assuring the anxious Elder that the call to Columbia was correct.  Elder Lee finished his training and flew to Columbia.

Towards the end of his mission in Columbia, Elder Li was approached by an elderly Japanese man.  This man explained that he was a leader to 76 Japanese families living in Columbia.  He explained that the group had just started to study religions.  He further said that he had an old religious book that talked of men named Moroni and Alma and wondered if this Elder knew of these men of whom he mentioned.  The older gentleman also explained that most of his group only spoke Japanese and wondered if Elder Lee could speak that language.

Elder Lee and his companion baptized 26 families from this contact.  As Elder Lee finished his mission, this group of newly baptized members wanted to have a good by dinner.  At that dinner, the older gentleman brought the worn book he had spoken of earlier.  He asked Elder Lee to write his testimony in the book.  Elder Lee opened the book and discovered a testimony carefully placed inside.  The testimony was that of Elder Lee's father, placed there several decades before.  How the book ever arrived with this older gentleman was a mystery.

I call it the "crazies!"

June 12, 2015

I call it the “crazies”.  It’s that little space of time between Monday and Wednesday during transfers.  It’s almost impossible to get it all done, and yet it all happens whether you are prepared or not!  By the way, don’t feel sorry for us as you read this.  At times Keith and I are dragging ourselves along; however, we have been blessed to keep going even when dragging! 

Monday:

• Get to airport by 9 to pick up Elder from Guatemala.
• Be at office by 11 for the 10 Elders/Sisters arriving from CCM (Mexico MTC)
• Start training, feeding, and interviews.
• Load up the mail so it can be delivered to missionaries the next day.
• Be back at airport at 3 to pick up Sister flying in from Utah
• Continue training, feeding, and interviews
• Back to the Airport at 7 to pick up an Elder flying from Ohio.  He gets stuck in customs, we get worried, we call Ohio, Elder finally gets found, we call Ohio so that the parents can now relax.
• Bed down 10 Elders at the mission office and bring 5 sisters home to sleep.
• Keith is up until 1AM placing new missionaries with trainers and then collapses in bed.

Tuesday:

• 8 AM: We (and the 5 sisters) are off to Neza Stake Center for the changes.  We drive both cars so we will have more room.  We hire a van to transport the new Elders staying at the office.
• Office staff picks up one Elder coming in from Argentina at 7:30 and will bring him to Neza (This is the first Elder that we haven’t been able to be at the airport to pick up – felt bad.)
• Load up all “departing” sisters luggage in our cars – they will be sleeping at the mission home tonight.  Load all “returning” Elder’s luggage in a rented van to be taken back to the mission office where they will sleep that night.
•  Over a hundred missionaries gather for changes – new companions, trainers, zone leaders all cheer and sing.  Everyone with changes bring their luggage so the front lawn of the church is covered.  The meetings are very lively and “Pres” has to often put his finger to his mouth to quiet them down.
• Following the meeting, slowly, but surely, we get them to leave Neza by taxi or another ride and go back to the apartments and missionary work.  We load up 7 departing sisters in the cars to come to the Mission Home for a final dinner.  The other 14 Elders will need to catch metros to get to the mission home for dinner.  7 sisters with luggage leave very little room in the cars! (We did fit in one sick Elder who we brought to the house and put to bed for the day.)
• Dinner for 25 (enough said) and a sweet testimony meeting follows.  We then load up the Elders who will be sleeping at the mission office.  The sisters start checking bags for weight and deciding what will be left behind.  Home (filled with sisters) by 8 PM.

Wednesday:

• We leave the house at 2:45 AM with both cars.  We have 3 Sisters with us and we drive to the office and pick up 3 Elders.  (Most of the Elders have been awake all night long talking and reflecting.) Unfortunately the group is split between 2 terminals, so Keith drives one way, me the other.
• By 4AM we are checking in missionaries.  Keith’s three in Terminal 1 goes well and he heads over to Terminal 2 by about 5.   Sister Taylor is not so lucky in Terminal 2 – they say she doesn’t have a reservation.  We can buy another ticket but she won’t leave until 4 PM.  I call SLC and they tell me it isn’t true – try again.  Several phone calls and 30 minutes later, she really does get to go home on time.  Elder Hammond checks in easily.
• We are back to the office for a one hour nap in the car.  “Fully refreshed” we head back to the airport to take Sister Bennett
• Back to the office again, we order pizza for the remaining 12 returning missionaries.  After a few minutes of laughs and relaxing, we load up 12 missionaries’ luggage in our 2 cars.  With no room for “humans” we tell them to catch taxies to the airport and meet us in Terminal 2, Parking lot floor 4.
•  All show up in the parking terminal but 4 Elders – where are they?  We are also missing Elder Garrett’s luggage.  Did you load it Elder Garrett? (We are asking someone who has not slept the night before….hummm).  A quick call to the office reveals what we thought – we ask the office to load the missing bags in a taxi, and head for the airport.  Meanwhile, our missing Elders have no cell phone so we can try to find them – all we can do is pray and move forward.  They do show up in about 30 minutes – their taxi took them to the wrong terminal and since they are not familiar with the airport, they didn’t recognize that.  However, they were smart enough to figure it out when they couldn’t find us.
• We check in 12 missionaries and head towards those security doors.  With ample tears and hugs, we send them back to the arms of their loving parents.

Drained and exhausted we make it home before 5 PM.  It will take a few nights of rest to be back at full speed but we will have to recover quickly – we have 5 apartments to break down, Stake Conferences to speak at, and the start of 7 zone conferences next week.  I had a friend recently send a wish that my body would feel one half its age.  That is a very appropriate wish!

My week of experiences

May 24, 2015

We found an import store and I bought my first Crisco – actually it was butter flavored Crisco!  Up to date, I have only had the choice of lard, oil, or butter.  Unless you have a recipe that uses those, and adjusts to high altitudes, nothing comes out quite right.  The Crisco was about $13/can and I bought two – would have bought more if they had them!

Friday night we went out to dinner with our friends, the Brailsford’s.  We left the car in the WalMart parking lot and walked the three blocks to the restaurant.  Coming out, we got caught in one of those “Mexico City downpours.”  Keith and Tom headed for the car, we headed towards the Brailsford’s apartment in the other direction.  The men made to the car to discover they didn’t have a key.  We made it to the apartment to discover we didn’t have a key.  By the end, we were 4 totally soaked people.  Me to Keith:  “Let’s go home and start a fire.  Woops, we don’t have a fireplace!  Let’s go home and turn up the heater.  Woops, we don’t have a heater.  Okay, I’ll settle for a hot bath.”

We went out to Texcoco for church today.  This is the farthest out section of our mission – traffic may cause it to take 2 hours to arrive.  The ward was delightful!  The city was clean with grass and trees growing.  The church was new with an elevator since the chapel is on the 2^nd floor.  We are considering moving to Texcoco (like we have any control over that).

We drive from our office to home using one of two routes.  The route that uses an almost freeway, Churubusco, takes 15 minutes less driving time.  Tlalpan route requires two different expressways, is full of buses, and is far trickier and dangerous to navigate.  The problem is that the police randomly close the entrance to Churubusco.  We have yet to figure out why or when.  So as I pulled up to enter today, I was by myself and in the van.  Two traffic police stood there with the gates closed.  One was older and one was younger.  I pulled up and they waved at me to go another way.  With my best puppy dog face I put up my hands in a pleading position.  They walked over.  In my broken Spanish:

“Please, Please, I am an old gringa (white woman).  Mi casa (I point down the freeway).

Older officer laughs

“Old gringa – mi casa (my home)!” I re-emphasis.

Older officer reaches into the van, pulls my head over and plants a big kiss on my cheek.  He waves at the younger officer to open the gate.

“Te quiero” (I love you) I say as I drive through the gates.

“Gracias” says the officer.

Yeah for me!!  Cheap price to use Churubusco!!