Monday, May 26, 2014

A Wonderful Baptism

Nick told us he is not getting transferred this week.  He said probably next transfer.  

I guess I'll  talk about Margarita this week. 

We found her like 2 months ago, at least. Ever since we started talking to her we knew she was  "prepared" in a way. 

For the past 25 years shes been going around from church to church (5 different ones like the Jehovah witness, and the Cristiana, etc..) but the first day we met her she said she was just lacking something. She didn't feel complete. She knew a lot about the bible and everything but it didn't serve for anything cause she wasn't happy. 

So we started talking to her. It was kinda crazy to be honest because we'd mention things that we believed in and shed be like "Oh that's what it's talking about here (then she'd quote off some random bible scripture and verse and be right... The Cristianas know everything so well, but they never listen to us.)

And then we taught her about Joseph Smith, and told her "Hey look, either this story is true, and this book that he translated is from God. Or we're liars and it was just some story that he made up. The only way you can know is if you pray and ask God. "

We saw her change so much in those weeks... It's my favorite part of this whole missionary thing.  It's is getting to watch that.  It's really a miracle to see that. 

Let me tell you, Margarita was one of the happiest people when we first met her. She was always just excited and smiling. But after someone takes that step and kneels down and asks God if what we teach them is true, everything changes... It's a different kind of happy. Something I can't really explain. 

So, she got baptized on Saturday with her 10 year old daughter. She's definitely someone I'll never forget.  And in the end, she told us that she found that something that she was looking for... 

Love you guys, 

Elder Arvanitas

Making Pizza with the Sulmas


Making tamales at ?

That would be a rat outside Nick's window.  ACK!

Magarita's baptism

The Ward Building in San Juan del Rio




Monday, May 19, 2014

A really short letter....Sorry

So this week... 

Honestly there was nothing exciting that happened at all. It was just a normal week. 

The only thing tha'ts worth mentioning is that we had a meeting with Pres. He just talked about how we have to contact everybody that we see or else we'll never have enough people to teach. So I've been trying to do that lately. I don't mind it, it's fun to just sit on a bus and talk to someone random, about their life. 

Oh! Also were allowed to watch "approved" movies now? Something no one was expecting... You know what that means? Frozen. Sydney will be so jealous

Also, even more unheard of is that were allowed to watch select games from the World Cup as long as we work really hard after. It's kind of a big deal here... 

But yeah, that was basically it. Magaritas going to be baptized next Sunday, with her little daughter. I'll take pictures. She was definitely prepared by god for us to find her. She just accepted everything we said. 

"Oh the Word of Wisdom says we can't drink coffee. I'll just drop that then." 

Until next week. love you guys. 

Elder Arvanitas

Monday, May 12, 2014

Sympathy and Empathy

Hey quick message this week. 

So yesterday at the end of the week we were going over our numbers, and I came to the realization that I suck at this stuff. 
It's hard being a missionary. Sure it's fun, and I love it. But, it's hard... 

And people expect a lot of you too. You're expected to be this and this and this, and never be late to appointments, and always know what you're doing, and to get up at 6:30 and sleep by 10:30, and never be grumpy or tired or fight with your companion, even if he's an idiot, cause if you fight with him, game over, people are gonna notice you are not happy and then no one will want to listen to you.(no he didn't fight with his companion)

And I think it's just a little bit of all that that's stressing me out.. 

And what just came to my mind was about Sympathy  and Empathy

Sympathy being like "oh hey, I've never had something like that happen, but stick with it and it'll all be alright!" 
and Empathy being like "I know exactly what that's like. I've been there before. I know it'll be okay." 

Here in the mission. Having that sympathy and love is key for the people. If you don't they'll never listen to you. 
But the moment when you can empathize with someone, it's a completely different level. There's a new tone in your voice, something else in your eyes. And the people can feel that difference. 

Now for us, obviously we can't empathize with all the people. But for these 2 short years we're supposed to be representatives of the Savior, who suffered every single pain imaginable on this earth. 

And with that we can tell the people that even though we have no idea what kind of hell is passing through their lives,  there's someone who does, and through that weird bond we can empathize with the people. 

So that's my goal for this week,  to Empathize more with the people. 

Just wanted to end by saying how much I love you all. I'll see you soon. (Well, not until Christmas when we Skype again)

Elder Arvanitas

Part of the weird parade Nick talked about last week

Top of the Pena.  

Monday, May 5, 2014

Just another day in Mexico

Nick went and climbed Pena de Bernal again this week and so he was really  late writing.   He didn't have time to send all his pictures, so I hope he can send them next week.   I really want to see the parade pictures.  We get to talk to him this weekend . Yay!




A few things that happened this week. 

The weirdest parade ever... 

So we were on this bus, and we turned a corner and ended up getting stuck behind like 50 horses. We follow them for 5 mins going like 5km/hr. When we realized that they weren't going to move, we just decided it'd be faster to walk. And thats when we found it... 
    It was a truck, with a giant picture of a saint in the back, being followed by another truck, that was just filled with a mexican band, being followed by a bunch of people dressed up like demons dancing, being followed by a crowd of little kids, being followed by a lady dressed up like a clown on an ATV yelling at people, being followed by 50 horses.... 
    If you dont believe me I have pictures... 
    But I must admit, as far as Mexico goes, it's pretty normal. 

Luz Alegria 

So two weeks ago were walking on the street one day, when this lady comes up to us and asks
"what do you guys teach?" 

So we told her, and ended up getting her house number. But we could never find her when she was home... 

Until this week, when we went one day and she was there! She told us to come in. She complimented me a bunch on my Spanish (I love old people), and we ended up teaching her. 

But instead of teaching what we normally teach, we decided to go with something different, and taught that we can be forgiven of our sins, and Faith. 

She started crying, told us all about her kids and how she was lonely. We ended up giving her a blessing. 

She cried more, but it was happy tears this time. 

Just something special that happened this week. We'll keep stopping by to check up on her. 

I'm sure there was more, but I don't have time. 

Love you all, see you guys soon. 

Elder Arvanitas

Heading up the Pena again with Elder M....,this is not his companion.  I'm pretty sure he walked by himself.  ha ha