2016-09-21 Home again!

Kathy:  This is long overdue, but I feel the need to add a little closing to this blog of Rob's mission.  He returned home to us safely, and we are so very grateful for his years of loving service to the good people in Mexico.  We have been blessed by his mission in so many ways, and though I missed him every day he was gone, I recognize our blessings from his service!  I'm thankful for his mission president and the wonderful teacher and leader he is.  I'm grateful that he made friends there who will be friends for eternity.  But most of all, I'm grateful for the boy he was, the man he is, and the journey that helped him get there.  Welcome home, Rob!

The Fam:  Stephen, Matthew, Kathy, ROB, Amy, and David!

2016-09-19 He aquí, os digo que no puedo expresar ni la más mínima parte de lo que siento...‏

(Note from Kathy:  my heart!!)


Well, I guess this is it. Two years. It's been a lot of time, and at the same time, it's not been a lot of time at all. I hope I've really changed... I feel different, and I feel the same, and I act differently, and I act the same... 

More than anything, I'm grateful that the Lord allowed me this time to be able to serve him, albeit imperfectly, in the way that He asked of me. It's been a privilege. That service doesn't end now, can't end now. It's just begun. I understand that a little better now. I guess here I learned more about what "unprofitable servant" really means. He doesn't send us here so we can pay a kind of debt. There are some debts that can't be paid. He sends us so that we can be the means by which perhaps he brings some soul to repentance, but also he sends us so that we can be blessed, and so that we can be changed. 

God knows us, and He loves us. Both of which are miraculous taken apart, and when considered together, absolutely astounding. He asks of us that we give willingly, of our time, talents, whatever we possess, whatever resources he's given us, to do His work. 

Here, I've felt God's love and guidance, and expectations, more than any other moment in my life. One of the greatest gifts I've received here is the gift of understanding, understanding many things I didn't understand before. Also, of understanding how little I understand. 

Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He suffered for us, and he sends His Church and His missionaries to teach us about it so that we can receive that gift and apply it in our life. I love the Lord, I'm grateful to Him for the gift of His Church in modern times, with the authority and guidance of the priesthood and those who hold it. 

I've seen lives changed here. I've felt that my life's changed, as well. When a person applies the restored Gospel in their life, the Spirit is felt so strongly that those around them can feel it, too. And, the end result of witnessing that kind of experience, of being allowed to be a part of it, is love. Love for the people here, love for the Gospel, love for Christ, and a desire for those feelings to be part of one's life forever. And it's that kind of love, the pure love of Christ, that casteth out fear. 

I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. 

I bear my final testimony to you all as a missionary that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's kingdom once again established on the earth. I stand as a witness of that, a witness granted me by the Spirit of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

With love,

Élder Rob Weatherford

2016-09-12 Sorry...

Sorry, I ran out of time to write the group email answering everybody... hehe... but I'll try to send a bigger, better one next Monday. Here's a picture of Brayan. Yeah, I know, he's really short... but he's fifteen. Don't tell him I said that about his height :D

Love you lots!

Élder Rob Weatherford

2016-09-05 O'er crag and torrent till the night is gone...

Stake conference yesterday, and a recent convert (Pedro) got the Melchizedek priesthood afterwards. He and his family got confirmed the day before I got here, so even though I wasn't here for the first part of their teaching, I feel like we've gotten pretty close in these few weeks, because we still pass by often to keep on teaching them (to help them continue progressing, to reteach the five lessons, to help them continue keeping the commandments and coping with the change of being members, and helping them put and complete goals like going to the temple), so it was pretty exciting that that happened. Brayan went (alone, unfortunately) to the conference as well, and passed his baptismal interview, so if everything goes well he should get baptized this week... prayers, and faith! And, a new family we found this week went to the conference as well. Aracely, Jenny (16), and Roberta (6). Irving (13) wasn't able to go, and his dad, whom we still haven't met, didn't go either (although from what Aracely says, he wasn't that interested anyway... let's hope we get an opportunity to teach him a little). Roberta was sitting next to me, and she got kind of bored within the first fifteen minutes... of a two-hour conference. So, we made origami and played tic-tac-toe and connect-the-dots, etc. for about an hour and a half. I actually had a good time, Aracely and Jenny were able to concentrate on the conference, and I think Roberta didn't have an awful time either... I hope... Aracely sent us a message afterwards, thanking us and saying that they really liked the conference, so I hope everything went well. They're a really good family, although Aracely and her husband (also named Robert, hehe) need to get married... and he's apparently an inactive JW, and hasn't shown the greatest interest (or liking) toward the "Mormons." We hope we can teach him too and help him to be a help (and not a hindrance) to his family's spiritual progress. Román and Norma weren't able to go because of Román's work, but we saw them afterward and they're trying really hard to progress; Román's going to try to look for a new job that helps him to keep the Sabbath day holy and keep the Word of Wisdom, although it's going to be difficult... but there's a really good self-reliance center here--if I were to trust one self-reliance center in the mission, it'd be this stake's. It's sometimes (often) really nice to be here in this ward! 

Elías and Lupe haven't been around... and neither has Lucía. We haven't seen them in a while. The Cano family (or, more accurately, their parents) also haven't been trying really hard... they're been making a lot of excuses instead. We'll have to see if it's worth keeping on working with them, or if we move on. 

I'm healthy, content, sunburned, often sweaty, but feeling good. Read your scriptures, and don't forget to pray!

Love,

Elder Rob Weatherford

2016-08-29 Hmmmmmm...

Another hot week in Veracruz...

Let's see... New promising investigators:

Román and Norma. Román stopped his truck in the street to talk to us last week--he's a former investigator from a different area and has been to church before, he really liked how he felt when he went and we wanted us to go teach his wife (although they're not married yet), who's passing through some difficult times. We went by to teach them on Saturday, and yesterday they went to church by themselves. Román's work often takes him away for days at a time, and he smokes, and like I said, they need to get married (Norma actually needs to get divorced first), so it might take a little bit of time. But they had a really good experience on Sunday, and they seem like they're going to progress well.

We also had contacted a less-active family that recently moved here. We went by to teach them on Saturday, and it turns out that they have two kids who haven't been baptized that could be. The dad works on Sundays, but we're going to work on reactivating the family, and then their kids can get baptized. They didn't go to church yesterday, but we'll see how they're doing this week--they're a really good family, and really cute kids. Israel and Sonia are the parents, and their kids Yarith (10), Valentín (8), and Camila (6). 

Brayan went to church, and is progressing well, but his mom couldn't go. Carmen also didn't go, and she wasn't home yesterday when we visited her, so we hope everything's all right with her... Also, we've officially dropped Vianey, unfortunately. 

Yesterday, a member introduced us to his friend, Elías, and Elías's fiancée Lupe. Elías does groundskeeping for the temple and for the majority of the chapels in the port, so he knows a lot of members, but he's never attended a Sunday service before, and Lupe has no experience with the church. Kyp, the member, and his wife Saira invited them to a FHE the week before and they really liked the experience, and accepted a visit from us with Kyp yesterday. We actually just had a really short lesson and invited them to accompany us to a self-reliance devotional (the self-reliance courses kick-off) in the chapel that was about to start. Elías at least really liked it, and I think Lupe did, too, and that also let them see the church from the inside. We have another appointment with them later in the week... we'll see how it goes! They also need to get married, but they've already talked about it and do want to--it's just a matter of planning it and saving up the money. 

Lucía: a former investigator from sisters in another area, that visited her where she works, but she never went to church there because it's really far away and she's here during the weekends. Single, mom, two kids, Kenia (10) and Bernardo (8). She really liked the lessons the sisters gave, but she's never gone to church, and so that's going to be the biggest difficulty right now--she works a lot, and Sunday is her day of rest, as it should be, but it ends up being her "sleep-in day," which makes making an 8:00am service a little difficult. But she says that now she understands why, and that she really wants to go--we just have to help her do it so she can receive the blessings and continue progressing in the gospel.

OK, I think that's all for right now as far as the work goes... We're trying to talk with everybody we can (while at the same time finding the people that God's preparing for us and also not spending so much time in the street that we miss or arrive late to appointments). We made eighty-one street or door contacts this last week, and we hope to make more this week. The "normal number" changes depending on the mission, but for this mission that's respectable. No fear, just open your mouth... and hope something intelligible comes out :)

Love you all! Don't forget to read your scriptures, and invite people to Church activities!   

Love,

Élder Rob Weatherford

P.S. Photos...

¿Cansado de caminar? ...Sí. (Rob's Mom:  Translation:  Tired of Walking?  Yes.)

Dragonfly  (libélula) on the tackboard in the church.

I think they made a mistake with our weekly reporting page... those aren't our names...

Neither are those...

Photo from Tres Valles, me and the branch president (Presidente Morfín) and his family.

2016-08-22 Leviticus 13:41

SO, I think I only mentioned this to my family before, I'm in a new area ("trunky transferred," as I think it is colloquially referred to); I'm in the port again, in a new ward (around five months old) called "Torrentes." It's actually really big, definitely the biggest ward/area I've been in so far. We have to take buses almost every day to give good follow-up to our investigators, or get rides with members when possible. We also walk a lot, as usual. The ward sacrament meeting attendance averages around 160 a week and we go to the Veracruz stake center for our meetings, which is quite possibly the nicest church building in the mission. It has carpet in the chapel! And pews (well, kind of)! 

Let's see, investigators... There's a 15-year-old named Brayan who's really cool... he went to EFY a few weeks ago because a friend invited him, and the Sunday before I got here he showed up to church by himself with a white shirt and a tie in his hand because he didn't know how to tie it. The bishop actually thought he was a member! The missionaries put an appointment to go visit him during the week, and that became me, because the other missionary left. So we started to teach him and his family, and his mom, who sells fruits and vegetables during the week, including Sunday mornings, started to put plans to stop working on Sundays so she should go to church. Last Sunday she couldn't go, because she had to notify her clients of the change, but this Sunday she and Brayan were there over a half-hour early in the chapel! We hope that Brayan's little brother goes next week. Brayan's goal for baptism in the 10th of September, and his mom's (Juana) is the 17th, although Brayan's a little more sure than she is right now. Brayan's really enthusiastic about everything he's learning--and I really like when he prays. We told him that prayer was a conversation with God, and so he always starts, "Buenas tardes, Padre Celestial,..." I always smile when I hear him--his prayers are really sincere. Juana understands that her family needs the Gospel, and she's progressing, if a little more slowly--she just feels like she needs a lot more time to make the kind of changes in her life she needs to make.

Carmen was also there the Sunday before I came; a friend invited her, and she went, and accepted an appointment with the missionaries... again, me and Elder Howard. She's gone every Sunday since, is progressing great, has great fellowshipping from the Relief Society, and is progressing towards getting baptized on the 10th of September. She just needs a little help leaving coffee...

We also found another good new investigator on Saturday named Stefanie, a college student who has a lot of good questions. She was a reference from a member friend who lives in another ward. We just taught her once, and she didn't make it to church, but we'll stop by soon to see how's she's going.

Vianey is another investigator we have; she's 19, went to an overnight YSA activity and really liked it, and has a while (over a month) going to church, but her parents are very active in another Christian church and haven't exactly been supportive. She has friends among the YSA group in the ward that are helping, but she hasn't been really constant lately, not keeping her commitments, and so we might have to drop her from the teaching pool for a little while. 

There are some other people as well, but these are those that have been progressing the most lately. There are a lot of people in this area. The photo below where you can see lines of houses (this is the residential part of Veracruz where they build whole neighborhoods of the exact same model of house, I suppose to save money and space--it makes it really easy for me to get lost... and the street names aren't numbers, just random names, or occasionally groups of things, like "bird names," but not in alphabetical order, unfortunately) is just one of thirteen "colonias," or residential group areas, of roughly the same size, that our area covers, many of which are far away. 

Love you all, I'm happy, and healthy, and trying to make the most of every moment. 

Love,

Élder Rob Weatherford

P.S. "Yet is he clean."

(Rob's Mom:  P. S. S. for those of you who do not have your Bible handy, here is what my silly son was referring to in the subject scripture:  "41 And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean."  Forehead bald... :D :D :D)

2016-07-19: Carolina's Baptism

This computer is taking a long time to load photos, and we don't have a whole lot of time to write. I'm writing today because we had a zone conference yesterday in Tuxtepec, so we didn't have a P-day... and today they just gave us a little bit of time to write, but it's coming out of our proselyting time... and as we have appointments today, there's not really much of an option here... hehe. Sorry. But just wanted to send a couple of things.

First of all, Carolina got baptized on Sunday!! 

A contact who turned out to be a former investigator whose sister is a member who studies in Hidalgo. Wasn't sure about baptism before, but had been to church before. Because of a few miracles her work situation had temporarily changed, which meant she was actually home that day (which was very uncommon), and she received us well, and accepted the challenge to prepare herself for baptism. From the moment we met her, she's picked everything up so fast... and, we learned that her sister would get back the 16th of July. So, we invited her to get baptized the 17th. This was about three weeks ago. And, that's what happened! She has a young son, Derek, who's three years old. 

Derek, helping to clean up after Primary

The only other photo Derek wanted to take with us...a little squirmy that day.  But that's okay!

Zone conference!  Office buddies--President Córdova's kids.

Some friends, and an old companion, Elder Dawson!

Me and Elder Lewis. Airport buddy/companion, almost two years ago!

Me and Elder Lewis.  Airport buddy/companion, almost two years ago!

Me, Jesús, and José (Jesús' cousin). 

2016-06-27

Hey, we had transfers today, everything stayed the same with me and Elder Becerra but the other elder in the district left, so we had to stay in a trio and wait for the other elder, so don't have much time to write! I'm safe, it's raining more so it's not as hot (using umbrella, usually), and we had a good week last week! Just have to keep it up... Keep praying for me and my comp, we need it, appreciate all your love and support! I heard the concert, not perfectly because of the headphones here, but the piano part sounded really good! Nice one, Dad! Love you all! 

Love,

Élder Rob Weatherford

P.S. District photo--Elder Becerra, me, Elder Neal from Oklahoma (just got transferred today), Elder Field from Guadalajara 

And, a couple more random photos:  

Mini banana. (plátano dominico)

Two roads diverged...

2016-06-06 Tres Calles (por chiquito)

Elder Becerra and me

Aaaaaahhhhh, I don't know what to say. Andrés was progressing well, had a relapse about a week ago (which is normal), but he's not too discouraged, still wants to progress. His family is almost never there, though, so it's been harder to teach them all. Other serious investigadors are Jesús, the nephew of a member family, but his parents aren't sure about him getting baptized, and even though he wants to, he needs their permission. Yazmín, the niece of another member, but almost the same situation--her mom's fine with her joining the church, but she lives with her grandparents and other family, not her mom, and they're very Catholic, and are being extremely unkind to her because of her decision to listen to us. She likes the church, and was starting to progress, but she's been out of town, so we haven't seen her much. We're also focusing on helping a few less-active families with goals to go to the temple, as well as a family (the Rodríguezes) that got baptized over a year ago that could now get sealed. We're working with them to overcome the obstacles and take that step. They have a goal for mid-July. The bunny is theirs. It's name is Martuquis.

Me and Martuquis

It's been hot, but not quite as hot, I think. Time blends together. Every day's a week, every week's a day. You know, the usual. 

The Church is true, the Book is blue, the work's not through, so we'll go and do.

Love,

Élder Rob Weatherford

P.S.

"But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, everything which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. ... for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. ...

...And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully...

Wherefore I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ."

2016-05-23 More Photos...

This flew in during a lesson with a member family who we're trying to help get sealed, just flew in through the open door and crash-landed on the floor. They don't bite, they're just big.

You'll know it when you see it...

(There's a random person wearing a BYU t-shirt in the background!) "Just a random person in the street that I saw walking by... not a member, probably not an alumni (:))--there's a lot of old clothing from the States that's sold here at a bargain price. "

2016-05-16 Update and Fotos

I'm doing well... actually, as you'll find out in a sec, I'm no longer with Elder Diaz--transfers! I'm still in Tres Valles, but I have a new companion, Elder Becerra from Ecuador.

Thanks for asking me about my effort, and not about the results :) And, although I write occasionally about finding people to teach, I guess I should clarify-- there're always people to teach in the sense that if we look hard enough, there're always people that receive us in their homes. Finding people that progress, though, that keep their commitments and have a desire to follow the gospel... that's the trick, and then teaching them well. But this week was actually really gratifying, we had some really good moments and we had five people (from two families) in church this Sunday. Andres could really use some prayers so that he can stop drinking, he and his wife Dora and son Andres went to church yesterday, along with Francisco and his granddaughter Vianey.

Thanks! Love you, too!

Élder Rob Weatherford

Kathy:  I think this iguana is a pet, not food.

2016-05-08 Skyyyyyyype!

Kathy:  I. Love. Technology.  (just sayin')

2016-04-25 Fotos (and a comment about the last title, John 12:27)

(I questioned Rob after reading the scriptural reference in the title of that last post.  John 12:27  "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour." Here's what he said.)  The scripture was just a reflection, I knew it would be tougher leaving the offices, but I'm glad to be out here. The troubled soul isn't so much from personal difficulty, just seeing all the people here that don't want to be helped, and as for the second part, that pretty much accurately describes my feelings. Sure, it's harder, and the area's not the easiest, but what should I say? Father in Heaven, I want out? I give up? This is why I'm here! I don't want out, I want to finish strong. I'm finding satisfaction right now, not so much in the fruits of my work here, but rather in the simple act of working I'm finding satisfaction. Being engaged in the cause, if you will. If any of this makes sense...

Pretty area, isn't it?

Pig stick a señor had carved... I don't really understand the animal choice, but I have to admit, it's a really cool carving.

The siblings of Ezequiel, a recent convert of a few months. Ezequiel's the one who borrowed my comp's hat, then there's José Antonio, Estrella, and Dylan the half-naked one.

2016-04-18 Juan 12:27

Good week, looking for new people to teach, the area was (well, is, we haven't exactly gotten out yet) kind of in a rough spot as far as the work is concerned, but God's helping us, and we do have some people to teach, which is important! Nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach.

Turned 19 months yesterday. Luckily, I don't feel any different. The time's pressing on me, but no more than it was a few months ago, and it just makes me want to work harder, not to give up and get lazy, so that's good. You see that, occasionally, and it's not pretty. So, like I said, that's good.

Let's see, what else... it's really dusty here. I missed that, having dusty shoes. I haven't returned to the apartment with clean shoes once this week! :)

I still don't have that much to comment on the work here... we're just getting started. We've got some investigators, I hope they'll keep on progressing, but they've all got certain challenges (well, don't they all, always?) we'll have to see if we can work through, but I should have a better idea of where we are next week. I hope.

Ah... here are a couple photos:

Elder Díaz and me, with a partial view of our ranchito in the background.

Admittedly not the best quality photo of the zone, but there it is... the sisters are new, there hadn't been sister missionaries in Tierra Blanca for a few years.

Love you all!

Élder Rob Weatherford

2016-04-04 New Area, New Companion, New Language (it feels like it, almost), New Hat (!)

That's right, you read right, I have some very important news. A few pieces of very important news, the most important being I now have a hat. A genuine, made in México sombrero! President allows us to use them here!

And some other news, what was it? I don't even remember... Let's see if it comes to me later.

It was a good week in the offices. Andrus is pretty much ready to take over my job, and if there's anything small he needs to ask about, I'm just a phone call away. We brought a couple of new investigators (Brenda and Moisés, a young couple) to see the Sunday morning session of conference. They liked it! And I did too... Of course, I liked all of it! I had a couple of important messages that the Spirit gave me, specifically through a couple of the speakers. 

The Lord also gave me a few tender mercies on Conference Sunday, when we went to see the first session in our chapel. There were a few less-active families/members there that we had been teaching that showed up to watch. All of the Martinez family was there, all five of them! They've been members for a while, but they still need to be sealed as a family, and so we've been working with them to set some goals for their progress, starting with going to church more regularly. We also helped their oldest two children start attending seminary again. Yesterday, they were all in church together. Joshua and Paola were also there (I don't think I've talked too much about them... Joshua's been a member since he was little, but he inactivated as a youth. Paola's his partner (and just had a precious little baby girl a few weeks ago!!) but she can't get baptized yet because they're not married, and have to work out some migration hang-ups before they can. But Joshua's been going every Sunday and working on some goals to get involved again, and Paola's 100% ready to get baptized as soon as they get married. 110%. She's been more constant about reading the Book of Mormon than he has, recently! Almost every day for over a month. There's a lot of people I love in that ward, and it was harder to leave it than I thought, when the moment came. But here I am. 

Oh, yeah. The news. I'm in Tres Valles, Veracruz! Area called Morelos. Zone called Tierra Blanca. AKA the hottest zone in the mission. 

So that's pretty much all for this week. My new companion's name is Elder Diaz, from Mexico City. Twenty-five years old, did kickboxing before his mission, and pretty funny! I think we'll have a good time.

I'm excited to be out in the field 100% again. This area reminds me a lot of some parts of Moctezuma, and although today was relatively cool I know the heat'll be coming pretty soon, as the hot months of summer are soon approaching. Wish me luck, and send me sunblock! (Just kidding. I already have plenty, trust me...) Oh, the "new language" thing... not really, it's just that I'd almost forgotten how people talk out here. It's different, and at first you have to adjust. To me it's faster, and softer, and they cut off a lot more sounds from their words. Along with some really nasal tones :) And my comp also speaks really fast and soft. It's like being comps with me, I'll bet, just that he has better grammar and pronunciation. Serves me right, I suppose.

Love you all, and hope you're all doing well. Don't forget to pray.

Élder Rob Weatherford

2016-03-26 No, I don't want to send without a title, thanks for asking

(Note from Kathy:  apparently, even in Spanish, the email program asks you if you really want to send the email without a subject line.  He didn't...)

One more week left in the offices, ending with General Conference (Yeah! Projector party!), and then off to my new area...

Good week; we met a lot of interesting people, found a few new investigators, and generally avoided the area near the ocean because it's vacation right now for Semana Santa and it can get pretty crowded. Given that the offices are just a few blocks away from the beach, that means right now there's a constant undercurrent/thrum of shouts and music coming from down that way. Along with some huge tour buses parked right in front...

As a mission we've been reading the Book of Mormon again, doing a few exercises to emphasize the ways it teaches the doctrine of Christ and to help us become better at teaching with the scriptures. As I do that in my morning study, this week I also started to supplement that with studying Lesson 3 in Preach My Gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I've been paying special attention to the Atonement, and especially the teachings of the Atonement in the Book of Mormon. I started thinking that I would be able to do one or two principles a day from Lesson 3, but I spent three days, I think, just on the first principle, that "through Christ we can be cleansed from sin." I could have gone on for years, I think, but after three days I felt like that was what I needed, was enough, for now at least, and that I should move on. I was reading, and pondering, and studying all the chapters I could that explain and talk about the Atonement. Really amazing study time! I got a lot of insights I hope will help some people we're teaching, and I feel like they'll help me as well!

The Book of Mormon is the word of God, is holy scripture, is an important key to many important doctrines that God needs us to know and understand so we know exactly why we're here. And, they're taught with such plainness and clarity that it's not hard to see why we need it for the latter days. So, read it!

Love,

Élder Rob Weatherford

2016-03-19 Pictures!!

Elder Hackleman and I went to a place called Cempoala, a small town near an area called Cardel, about an hour or so out from the main part of Veracruz. There are some old pyramids there (it's pretty funny,  you just walk through some dusty streets with houses and then you turn a corner and there are the pyramids, with just a small fence blocking them off from the "residential area." 

Of course, we had some fun with sacrificial and stoning photos, and some selfies. And selfies of selfies. In one of the photos, you can see a model of the pyramids, of the ancient site, in a glass case.

And, of course, we just had to stop by the famous crocodile farm on the way back... We didn't take the expensive in-depth tour, we didn't have a whole lot of time (and, let's be real, we didn't have a whole lot of money, either), so we just saw some of the hatching and raising areas. But it was pretty fun! Nobody got bitten, that's the important thing... But I did buy a gift for Dad in the store, there. He can start guessing what it is... hehe...

Oh, in case there was any doubt, the crocodile farm was exactly what it sounds like... they raise crocodiles there to sell. They use the skin, the meat, pretty much everything, and they do their best to be humane about it, from what I saw. Plus, they're crocodiles, so of course it's cool. The biggest one we saw was about three and a half meters long. His name's Chavo.

Windy, sandy Veracruz

The Willinghams took us out to eat today to celebrate my leaving (wait, that sounded bad... But jokes aside, thanks, Willinghams!) It was a Brazilian grill, and they just had a salad bar and then the waiters would come around with the "swords" of meat, it was like a mobile buffet, you would choose what you wanted and they would cut it off right there for you. 

Elder Rocha and I didn't look too thrilled in the photo because it was candid, but it was honestly a really cool place and I loved it. I just didn't have any other picture...

Elder Andrus knew the photo was being taken, so he looks happier :)