This is the family I taught back in Ascensión They were baptized right after I left.

I feel that this week went a little bit better for us than last week. It's a little bit hard for me because I still miss Ascensión: the investigators, the members, the area. I’m still getting used to my companion. It’s a little bit rough because his last companion was pretty dead (trunky) so he pretty much fried my companion. It’s also really hard because I had my other companion for so much time that I became really good friend with him. 

Yesterday I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting. I think I did a pretty good job. I spoke about obedience. I used the example of the group of Alma and the group of King Limhi. Both of them passed through the same afflictions and all, but one passed with joy and the other with pain and sorrow. All was due to the fact that one was obedient and the other wasn't. Somehow, I got snickers out of the crowd so I think that I did a pretty good job. I would have liked to have an investigator there but maybe next week. It's pretty funny because the sisters here bring about 4 or 5 little kids to church. It's like they have their own nursery. 

We had a really cool experience yesterday. We were contacting and we came across a lady who was outside of her house smoking. Usually when I contact people I feel that I’m bothering them and I have to convince them why they should listen to us and that's usually how it is. But this time we contacted the lady, well really, we just got up close to her and she asked us where do dead people go. My companion was pretty funny because he's pretty new so he was like we’re missionaries and all that, like Russell in Up when the old man opens the door. She was like I know who you are I just want to know where dead people go. It was really cool because for like the first time or second on my mission I felt that I didn't have to convince or present ourselves. She just knew it already. That was pretty cool. 

We had interviews Wednesday. It was nice I always like talking to President and his wife. This time I didn’t really have much to say or ask because we have interviews pretty often. It doesn't usually give me time to come up with questions.

So here is really different from my old area. In my old area, we were super spoiled in everything. For example, in Ascension the Branch President and the less active had pretty much the only laundromats so they always washed and dried our clothes free. Here it's also free but my hands are the washing machine and the wind is the dryer. At least I can wash whenever I want. 

Anyways that was pretty much my week. We also painted a house and found some new people but that was pretty much the biggest events of the week. I hope you guys have a great week. Always read and pray.

Love y’all lots,

Elder Nelson

 

The pictures are of the swinging bridge, the academy and temple in Col. Juarez. I walked on the swinging bridge. It was a little bit sketchy because there were a few holes in the wood and I felt that if I had eaten 1 more tortilla at lunch I would have fallen through but it was fun. There was a bunch of school locks on the bridge don't know why.

So, they threw me back in Juarez. I wasn’t too excited to be sent back. I was enjoying the calmness of a tiny town. But as I say here in Mexico Ni Modo (oh well).

So, I got to the offices and got to see my x comp and his new comp. When I first got there, I looked at all of the people and was like I have no idea who y’all are. They all thought I was new because they have never seen me before. Anyways then I went to the office office and saw all of the people from my generation and all of my old companions. I was like oh ok this is where the party’s at. I got to socialize a bit and then I took off. It’s weird because when I first got to the mission we used all taxis but now we use Uber too. We went in Uber to the area. Our house is really cool because there used to be 4 sisters here but they moved 2 to a different area so we have the house of a sister. It’s all decorated and it has everything. It has closets and water and natural gas and everything. 

The area has been really dead for a long time. My companion has killed off (sent home) two elders in the last two cycles. I got here and every one was like why is Elder Hoyos still here. We pretty much have to start all over again. 

So really cool; on the 14^th Juan got married to his wife (they have been together for 14 years and have five children. They were not legally married but considered themselves married). I was sad that I missed it by 4 hours. Then the elders in Ascension called me and told me that Juan is getting baptized this Saturday. I spent like 6 months convincing him not to get baptized on his birthday and then the week I leave-the day I leave he decides to get baptized. So, he got baptized this weekend with his wife and two daughters. When I left, the little boy gave me a big hug and I almost cried. It’s a cool family.

Anyways I got my package thank you. Border patrol opened it up so I hope they didn’t steal my candy.

It was awesome talking to y’all. I forgot my camera so no hay fotos. Perdon.

Love y’all lots .

So, this week has been super cool. 

Monday night we left to go to Casas Grandes. We got there super late in the night. In the morning, we along with the elders and hermanas from Libertad went to the temple in Col. Juarez. It is super beautiful there in Col Juarez, we got to tour the academia of the Church. It is really green and beautiful.

So, when we got into the temple they told us that because the majority of the people who use the temple speak English they were going to do the session in English. I was the only American elder there. The rest had to use headphones or the stubborn ones just waded through the English. It was pretty nice because I got through the session pretty fast. While I was in the temple I met practically all of my cousins, aunts, uncles and all. I met Romneys, Calls, Johnsons, and a Hatch but I don’t know if I’m related to him or not it just sounded familiar. My companions made fun of me because I was there talking to one and then they pointed out another cousin and in the end I was cousin with all of the temple workers. As I was leaving the temple I talked to an old guy there. We were all speaking in English the whole time in the temple which was weird for me. In the end, he laughed and told me “Man your English sucks.” I was like yeah, I guess so. It was a pretty good visit.

Tuesday, the granddaughter of one of the members got back from a mission. The branch treats us just like we are members of the branch so they forced us to go to it. It made all of us super dead and trunky. The whole time we were thinking about what it would be like to go home or the last cycle and all that stuff. It was a little weird.

Wednesday, we went to casas again for zone meeting. I don’t know if I told you guys this but recently they changed the meetings from lunes to miercoles. So, we went back to Casas and spent the majority of the day there.

Thursday, one of the less active old people in the ward died. We had to go to the funeral. I wasn`t so happy to get forced to go to another funeral. At this point of the week we had like 2 lessons and we had to get to 30. The branch President told us if you have an appointment cancel it to go to the funeral. It was pretty boring. We just stood there and directed the people around. I felt more like security than missionary.

Friday in the morning I played Lawyer. Me and my companion we went around to all of the government buildings here in the pueblo fixing up all of the paper work so that a family we are teaching can get married Feb 14. (here they lower the prices valentine’s day). It was pretty frustrating because every time we call them they always say that the deadline is tomorrow. Always, if we call Monday its Tuesday, Wednesday its Thursday, and it always happen this way. Anyways we got everything done.  Signatures, witnesses, copies. I felt just like a lawyer but, like I told my companion, a poor lawyer because we had to walk everywhere.

So, we pretty much just worked Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday, we got changes. I`m going to go to Juárez again. I’m not too excited that its Juárez but it`s time to leave this little town. I`m leaving tomorrow in the morning so I`ll tell you guys about it next week. My companion is going to train an American so I`m excited for him. That makes me grandpa.

 

I’ll send fotos next week.

Love y’all lots