Something learned at more meetings

Hey don't worry about Sydney going home. Honestly time freezes while you go on your mission. I still refer to things that happened a year before I left as a year ago... and then I remember it's 2015.(Steve and I had both written him our concerns about him feeling homesick because Sydney comes home this week.)

We had more meetings this week. We read a scripture in Matt. 17 where the apostles fail to cast out a demon, out of a boy. When Jesus shows up theres a commotion, and he casts it out. 

The apostles reply with... how? why could you when we couldn't? 

The answer "for your unbelief" 

We talked about raising our spirituality, sanctifying ourselves, not seeing a difference between obedience, and exact obedience. 

It's like saying Jesus was obedient in doing the Atonement, but he didn't do it with exact obedience so only 3/4ths of mankind is saved. It's a little ridiculous, right? 

The act of obedience always requires exactness.

How the apostoles were called and set apart. Maybe they even had little missionary outfits too, but there's a huge difference between poder y autoridad.(power and authority)

We exercised this power this week. There's been this one lady that goes to church that we just haven't felt right about. There's something going on that she's not telling us, so the message that we felt inspired to share, repentance. 

We read D&C 20:37 with her.(37 And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.) We told her that as members we can't be two different people in the light and in the dark. That we shouldn't worry about hiding from the eyes of man, instead hide from the eyes of God. But God sees everything we do.

The spirit was so strong. We invited her to repent, and sanctify herself before God, stood up, and we left. We'll see her again this week, I hope she's changed. 

That's it, tell Syd to enjoy the house life. See you guys there soon. 

I'm getting the push ups down so I'm bulky when I get back. Love you guys, bye

Divisions and talks

Good ol´ family. 

Not to be a party pooper or anything but in another 2 weeks I complete a girl mission... can't I just stop writing you after that? It gets a little repetitive sometimes... 

We have another capacitation(training) coming up with president Wednesday. It'll be with our zone, Celaya south and Irapuato. 

Had divisiones with an elder this week, they last 3 days now so I didn't spend much time in my area. (The kid that came here, drank all my milk....) (Nick said he got gum in his sheets too.  I told him to go buy new sheets)

... I bet your expecting a long letter right? 

I kinda have nothing to say. 

We went up to San Miguel again, and helped them with their numbers. 

Saw some more gueros. 

Ate some cheese cake. 

Started writing my talk for when I got back (just cause I know I'll not want to write it when I get back) 

Gave a talk this week about Helaman Chapter 5. I talked on how there was a point when Nefi and Lehi remembered the words of their father, who in this time had been dead for 10 years. Seeing their people in disaster they decided the only things they can do is to leave on missions, and teach their people. But I ended up relating it to my own mission, how the first city Nefi got to was Abundance, and how Queretaro for me was the city of abundance with all the tomales, tortas, and tacos al pastor every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 

I talked about converts and people I've met on my mission. How coming to Celaya is like teaching the Lamanites because there are just pure cholos(gang kids) here. (I'm sure Nick is a big hit in his area.  They may chase him out of the city, like Lamanites, too.)

The point was this though, that one day every one is going to have kids or grand kids that grow up and are not sure whether they should leave or stay. And to never lose the chance to share their testimonies with them and to always be a good example. 

I told them that I would have never had the courage to come out if it wasn't for what my parents had taught me all my life with their examples, and testified of the truthfulness of this work. 

I know it's true. 

love you all 

Nick 

Tiring week

I'm worn out. 

This week was all divisions and a total of a 15 hour meeting in Querètaro, all day Thursday and Friday. 

It was good though, I learned a lot. 

Presidente just talked about obedience. 

He pointed out some things like when missionaries say 

"Why is it if I'm being obedient that I'm not having success?" 

or better yet "Why is he having success, if hes not very obedient?"

Then he just went hard and said we treat success as if it's something we deserve from being obedient. As if we're working for our honor and glory and forgot all about how this has nothing to do with us and everything to do with serving God. 

How we choose which rules we want to obey or not obey, but the rules are not a buffet. 

Read to us Deut. 5:1, etc. (And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. )

Basically I'm a terrible person. 

Every time we have a meeting with him he knows exactly what to say and what we need though. 

He sends saludos, I hope you can meet him someday. 

As far as San Miguel goes... nothing to report. It was a lot of just walking around looking for people that weren't there. 

Celaya, well yep still ghetto, there were gunshots outside Friday night but no one showed up`dead in the newspaper. It's a good thing we're missionaries. 

Love you guys, I'll see you soon, 

Nick

Exchanges

So I finally escaped Cela-york and came to the land of the Gueros...(He's in San Miguel de Allende). What weird creatures they are. 

They're all old rich white people that ride around on their 4 wheelers, complain that there are missionaries everywhere, speak English and walk around in one color jumpers. 

Wakala. 

In other news my trainer, Elder Cruz got engaged too... Tis the season...

.... ... oh yeah, on New Years, we went to KFC, for fried chicken, no one really invited us

also ghetto Mexican fireworks,

 I don't know, it was kind of depressing, the holidays aren't the same without your family, but it's the last one,basically. 

As far as teaching goes, we found a little kid! They always listen to us. We're working with him right now to get baptized the 24 of enero.(24 of Jan)

There's still no one home, they've all run away on vacations to DF. (Mexico City)

Talk to you guys in a week,bye!  

I'll have some kind of story next week.. all the stories this week were just stuff that happens in Celaya. 

New Years fun

The Elder who Nick had exchanges with in San Miguel with, made him ribs.  Yum!

San Miguel de Allende

List of possible goals. Kind of.

Nick said he didn't have anything to write since we just talked to him.  I told him to give us something.  He gave us something alright.  It was good to see is smiling face on Christmas.  Happy New Year!


As far as this week, no one was home and we kind of aimlessly wandered around. Nothing like getting into the Christmas spirit than walking around the Mexican desert... 

  ...and almost getting killed by the cartel.(No he wasn't.  He told us this story on Christmas.  There were gunshots, but nothing at them.  Needless to say, they won't be going back to that house.) 

Other than that, Christmas was awesome! I got to talk to my family (one call left..)

Anyway so my Christmas message. Set goals for 2015. 

Here are some ideas(Don't take this seriously.  It's a list Nick has experienced or witnessed.  He's so cheeky)

Maybe it will be like, eat a habanero.

Drink 3L of coke (you have to go to Mexico first to find 3L bottles) 

Try and stand on a public bus without using hands for the entire ride. 

Learn how to wash clothes with a bar of soap and a concrete slab. 

Wear a man purse for a month 

Take salsa classes 

Learn how to make copies of keys with a grinder 

Clean the shower with a broom

Wash the street

Start putting the jalapenos in 1liter yogurt jars 

Speak chilango

Start pointing at things with your lips

Make homemade fireworks

Skin a pig, fry the skin and eat it

Hang your socks on the back part of the fridge to dry them

Yell "guero" at every white kid you see 

Enter restaurants and say "provecho" to everyone

Whistle at every girl you see walking on the street 

Listen to "Banda" 24/7 (which is music played by a Mexican brass band)

Paint your house a really bright color! 

Drive like you got hired by "fast and furious" 

Buy a vocho. (this is a car like a VW bug)

Play with trumpos. (spinning top like toys)

Dedicate all your free time to playing FIFA 2014

Eat pizza with ketchup

Put chiles on Alfredo pasta

Drink "Agua de Jamaica" 

Turn on the pilot light for the water heater every single morning

Cold showers too.

You know all the "super mega ultra wet look" hair gel? use that. 

Make out with people in the park, on a bus, on the sidewalk, through a window... 

Start selling Amway products. 

Become an "expert" in medical products, and if someone says they took something you've never heard of, tell them it doesn't work and give them more medicine

Buy 5 gallon water jugs. 

Put "Tajin" on all the fruit you eat.

.... that's all I could think of for now.... 

There you go though, some possible metas that you could follow for this year. 

Love you guys,

Elder Arvanitas

Merry Christmas!

I've corrected a lot of Nick's grammar but I left quite a few words that he writes in Spanish.  I'm thinking he's sort of stuck between two languages.  ha ha  We get to speak to him on Christmas this week.  No Skyping with him this time but I'll be happy just to hear his voice.  Merry Christmas!


Alright so whats been going on lately, 

Everything is going fine and for the stuff that's not, don't worry we'll figure it out :) 

Honestly, this being my second Christmas in the mission, it's different. I understand more things then I did a year ago. I can't explain all that I've learned in this past year. 

We had a really good experience this week. We have this "Pueblito" called Roque, like 20 mins outside of Celaya. We had plans to go there Thursday,  actually. (The only problem was that we went Tuesday, and since we couldn't find a bus, we got home at 9:50 at night.) So we decided not to go on Thursday, and planned other leccions. 

Well the other lessons fell through, as usual. What to do... well let's go to Roque then, that's what God wants. 

We walk to the bus stop, and sure enough right when we get there, the bus pulls up, pay 50 cents and get on. 

15 mins later, we get to Roque and look around for the guy that was going to be waiting for us (we were just going to leave him hanging before, we didn't have his cell) 

Guess what!? 

He never shows up. 

"now what"

We walk over to a unlit bench in a corner, sit. 

"Might as well pray" 

it went something like this. 

....look God, you brought us all the way out here, and we know it was for something, but honestly we need your help to know what... 

Stand up, get this feeling that we should enter this store, so we do. 

In about 30 seconds this little old lady walks out, and starts talking about how her brother is deathly sick in Tennessee, how she doesn't know what to do, and how she's scared that something will happen to him. 

We explain to her the situation, the fallen appointments, the bus, the prayer, and tell her that God remembers and hears her prayers, that he knows her. 

She cries, we go in and talk. She asks us when we're going to come back. 

We're going to go tomorrow.

Other than that this week was kind of a blur. I've been overwhelmed with stuff a little bit, but it's coming together though. (I think Nick is overwhelmed with being responsible for other missionaries)

Love you guys, 

Elder Arvanitas

p.s. I forgot door stoppers existed, those springy things on the wall that make funny noises. I'm excited to see them again. 

Messing around

Elder O...., Hermana M....., and Nick

Nick, President & Sister Mejorada

Staying in Celaya but getting a new comp

I got your package, and Sydney's package too, with ties in it. I'm still waiting for the 2nd package. (I sent these the first week in November)

Transfers, after this one I only got 4 left....

 I'm with Elder A....... actually, as zone leader.  Elder O.... is going to be the new assistant. (This means assistant to the Mission President)

I'll stay here until Febuary 1. I should probably just buy some property and start putting up my house.. 

I'll be honest I can't really remember what happened this week... It's all kind of a blur now.. 

We had our Christmas dinner with President. I got a picture with him smiling! That's something new right?(Nick couldn't send pictures this week because he left his camera at his house.  He was across town with other missionaries)

Then he just gave a small lesson that talked about the condescension of God, and telling us that if we worked for his company, he'd probably fire all of us, cause we say were going to complete our goals, and we never accomplish that.  

The man has got a point.. 

It's not everyday that you get to work side by side with a millionaire for 2 years though. 

Today was a relax day. I went to bed at 2 yesterday, got up at 530. I've been in divisions(he means exchanges) with Constituyentes(this is his old area in Celaya)  all day cause Elder O.... left in the morning. 

and umm...

Well yep, that's all I got. Love you guys, talk to you soon.

Nick couldn't write much because he was helping pack up his new companion and clean.