2016-2-13 One day (week) (month... ok, it's been a while since I've written) more!

Hey, all... 

News and updates... Well, Elder's Gamboa's finished his six months here in the offices and he's trained his replacement, Elder Rocha. On Monday he'll be leaving to his new area (who-knows-where). Included is the knighting photo, and of course the ritual binder-passing-off.

Because of Carnaval (wild crazy carnival parade/festival/drunken riot party), we spent last weekend with our zone leaders in Volcanes. It was pretty fun, and nice to just get out and work in the streets for more time. Also, I ate a pig's foot. Just in case you wanted to know. And no, it was not attached to the pig. In case you were worried... You know, "eat the pig before it eats you"--no, it wasn't that kind of situation. It was in a soup. I'm 80% sure it was meant to be in there, so it's ok.

Jokes aside, I also found this very serious warning on the wall of the friendly neighborhood Christian church. You decide...

Cesar and Lupe got married, which was a huge miracle. Now, they just have to get baptized... and confirmed... and sealed... but one step at a time. Let's start with going to church tomorrow. They were really happy, though. I could tell, in spite of Cesar's jokes about cold feet and "there's-still-time-to-back-out." Ha ha. Ha ha.

I heard a story today, about a conversion story of a member who was one of the first (according to them, he was the first... maybe it's true, I don't know) members baptized in Xalapa. In those days, when the Church first arrived in Mexico, all of the missionaries were "gringos." And they got a lot of flak. Many people believed they were sons of Satan, that kind of thing (well, maybe things haven't completely changed). Anyway, the point is, there was one lady who was so offended when she saw the missionaries pass by, that she would heat water when she knew they would be passing by so she could toss boiling water on them. Thanks goodness that doesn't happen anymore, right? I hope my fellow missionaries are laughing with me... If this is a sore point (ok, maybe I'm not quite ready to set aside the jokes... hehe) for anyone out there, I'm sorry. But the member told us that he was just a kid when one day, two Americans come running in through their house's open door and, in their broken Spanish, apologize but insist that they couldn't leave just then because there was a crazy lady outside who'd been chasing them gleefully with a pot of boiling water. Of course that gets the family's attention, they decide to listen to the missionaries' message, and they all end up deciding to get baptized. At risk of sounding cliche, the Lord works in mysterious ways.

Scripture for this week:

Alma 7:22-23

22 And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy order of God, after which ye have been received.

 23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

Do we also need to be awakened to a sense of our duty to God? I do. Often. And part of fulfilling that duty to God, part of what he asks of us, is in verse 23. I see a clear parallel with Moroni 7:45-48, which tells us that the way to do/accomplish all of those things is to develop and receive the gift of charity, and in Galatians 5:22-23 it clearly tells us that the Spirit is the way by which we will be able to receive it. "Asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive." We ask God and we show Him with our actions that we desire it, and he sends us His Spirit to help us be able to do it, and we recognize His hand in it and give Him thanks, and all the credit, because it's rightly His. 

For a good part of that chapter, Alma talks about the Savior. It's Him our Heavenly Father has held up as the perfect example of this. When we study His life and try to be more like Him, when we rely on His help and His grace, we really can make progress. I'm feeling it here, and I don't want it to ever stop.

With all my love,

Elder Rob Weatherford 

2016-01-09 (Just a photo this week)

**This week, Rob just sent us this photo and a little personal/family business message, so here's the photo for your viewing pleasure!

This is our district at district meeting.

2015-01-02 New Year...

Photos...

One from Christmas Eve, me and my comp in front of the Christmas tree.

My face in the Christmas gift exchange... Not really, it went really well (I got a tie!!--see previous picture--), but I still took the photo...

So, So, today I had to stop by the distribution center, and guess who was there? A ton of members from Ciudad Mendoza! So, of course I got photos with everybody. ¡Me puse muy contento al verlos!

So, it was really nice being to talk with my family on Christmas! Jokes about my hair loss, forgetting English words, and all of those other nice small talk topics. And the 90 degree weather outside, of course. I love you all!

New Year's was good. We had to be in our house early so we didn't have any problems with drunken partygoers, but we were still able to see the people dressed up in costumes stopping cars in the street and dancing for money during the day. And, of course, los viejitos in the street (stuffed scarecrows, see posts a year ago for more explanation. I think I explained it, at least...)

Ponderizing scripture:

Deuteronomy 6:4-8

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thymight.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

I love you, all of you, and hope you have a great 2016!

Élder Rob Weatherford

2015-12-5 Who would say "pavo" when you could say "guajolote" instead?

[note:  as far as I (the non-Spanish-speaking mom) can tell...both of the words above mean "turkey." ;) ]

Ugh, writing's getting harder... I don't know what to say... Let's start with Thanksgiving.

Yes, I was able to celebrate Thanksgiving this year! I was not only reminded, but we had a really awesome lunch with the office missionaries and President Córdova's family (and a couple of other companionships that came in for various reasons and were invited to stay, and other maintenance, genealogy, etc. workers that were invited as well. There was a lot of food, and I had pecan pie for the first time in a while. It was extremely satisfying! Thanks, Costco! And, especially, thank you to the Willinghams, the senior couple in the offices. You watch over us extremely well! They were the ones that staged and prepared the whole event. 

In other news, César and Lupe (& Co.) have gone both Sundays to church since we've met them, and they seem to be really happy! I love this family a lot, and I'm really glad we've been able to meet them. Due to some miracles (I haven't mentioned this yet, sorry--President Córdova has been telling us that this month will be a month of miracles, and so I've been trying hard to be worthy of them through work and faith) yesterday we were able to pass through a legal hurdle standing in the way of them two getting married, and so we're getting closer! Diciembre será un mes de milagros.

With Christmas approaching, we're also very busy in the offices. Getting ready for the zone conferences, preparing a couple of musical numbers for the ward Christmas dinner (Elder Gamboa, Elder Ribeiro, Elder Hackleman and I will be singing a couple of hymns with our ward mission leader, plus I'll be accompanying Elder Hackleman while he sings an arrangement of "O Holy Night." Not to mention I've been doing my best at playing Santa, trying to make sure everyone's Christmas packages get through customs, out of the post office, to the right address, and out of whatever other problem/hole they've managed to find their way into. I'm definitely learning a lot, that's for sure. 

Oh yeah! Don't forget to check out the website christmas.mormon.org. Or navidad.mormon.org. And then, after checking it out, share it! 

I know I'm not exactly consistent with sharing my ponderizing scriptures... Sorry, hehe. Here's my latest one:

"And now, verily, verily I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good--yea to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.

Verily, verily I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;"

Always, but especially in these times approaching the day when we commemorate the birth of our Savior, we should put our trust in that Spirit. First, we may need to learn to recognize it. The Lord tells us how to do that. It's the one reminding us to do the right thing, to be humble, to see things how they really are, to discern, to be more like the Savior. If we've received that gift, the one that qualifies us for that companionship, and always when we do what we need to be doing, when we sincerely go looking for it, it'll be there. And then, once we've recognized that Spirit, we need to follow it. Find someone whose life you can bless. Lift up the hands that hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. Help someone to discover, or rediscover, the Savior. It doesn't have to be through preaching. It doesn't even have to be through words. But once you've found that Spirit, spread it. It will fill your soul with joy, and the souls of all those with whom you come into contact. 

These are President Eyring's words:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/the-holy-ghost-as-your-companion?lang=eng

I know that he can explain this much better than I can... Don't read it;  if you have the time, it's better to listen. And then after listening, set goals and act! He said that his purpose was "to increase [our] desire and [our] determination to claim the gift promised to each of us after we were baptized." I sustain this man as an apostle and prophet, and I testify that his words have helped me. 

Have a good week, everybody. I love you all.

Élder Rob Weatherford

P-day pictures...

...of a Christmas tree sent in Christmas package

...of Élder Weatherford with an old comp, Elder Anaya, whom he sent home that day. Knocked out his "best two years," now on to his "next mission." Ok, enough with the cliches...

...of Thanksgiving meal. Notice pie(s) in background. Notice smile on Elder Weatherford, Gamboa, and Ribeiro's face. Coincidence? I think not!

I don't know if you can see it very well... This is a kit of "ninjabread" my family sent me for Christmas. Hilarious holiday martial arts fun to ensue the P-day directly preceding Christmas. Pictures to follow...

Martinelli's!  (I (Rob's mom) think this looks like a commercial for the Sparkling Cider company!)

3. President Córdova's daughter Pamela's whiteboard renderings of the office missionaries. 

[Note: On Elder Ribeiro's drawing, it says: You still owe me two Bubulubu's (Mexican candy). Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about!] 

President Córdova's daughter Pamela's whiteboard renderings of the office missionaries. [Note: On Elder Ribeiro's drawing, it says: You still owe me two Bubulubu's (Mexican candy). Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about!]

Élder Rob Waderfor

2015-11-21 Rain, rain, come back...

Shots of when we went running in the rain a few days ago... Really fun, and really wet! Our house is pretty near the beach, so most mornings we go out running alongside (not on, not along, alongside, hehe) the beach and stop at some exercise machines to work out. It's pretty nice, here, actually--along every such distance they put exercise apparatus (apparatuses? Really doubt it's "apparati"...) for anybody that wants to use them, like mini-parks they outfit for public health. Set-ups for sit-ups, pull-ups, squats, etc. We have an amazing view of the lighthouse on Sacrifice Island (if you were to guess why it was named that, you'd probably be right), and of course the sunrise as well. No complaints about the scenery!

This week we actually found a family to teach... they're former investigators, and the couple isn't married yet (what else is new in Veracruz?), but they seem super receptive. It appears they were dropped before because they had a hard time keeping their commitments, but it seems like the Lord's been working in the missionaries' absence, so I'm really hoping they'll be ready for us this time! The couple's names are César and Lupita, and they have four young children, ages 10, 6, 4, and 2. They're a handful to teach together, but they're super cute and the oldest, Gabi, is extremely bright (all of them, really, of course, but it's a bit more obvious in the ten-year-old, being older, than in the two-year-old :)). I don't want to get my hopes up, because there have been disappointments in the past, but I always have to remind myself that even if it hurts, if I don't get emotionally involved I won't be able to help them as well. And really, you (or, at least, I) can never help it. We just found them this week so we're in the early stages of teaching, but if you could pray for César and Lupita, I'd really appreciate it. 

Transfers are happening this coming week, so we'll be sending off two separate groups of missionaries and receiving a new batch fresh from the MTC. My comp has a few things he has to do but I'm the one who gets the brunt of the work when transfers come by, so it's been and will be a pretty full week. Not to mention the Christmas zone conferences that will be rolling around pretty soon... But with firm investigators we're looking forward to more effective teaching this week as well!

Oh, yeah, and it'll be Thanksgiving next week... To be honest, the holidays really pass me by here, at least the American ones. I don't think I even remembered about Thanksgiving last year until it was done. But this time we have four gringos in the offices (and a Mexican and a Brazilian), so maybe we'll actually do something to celebrate! Update on that next week...

Stay strong, stay safe, stay true, stay... right there, right like that until I get back. Stop changing so much. 

Con amor,

Élder Rob Weatherford

2015-11-14 One more funny thing...

Elder Lind wanted photos with the clown on the wall. Funny story... that same day, there was a Youth Conference starting in the Tuxtepec stake, and even though it wasn't the stake center it was being hosted in Tuxtepec. A couple weeks later, after a stake conference, we were talking with a youth about the youth conference, and he happens to mention that the stake president gave him a ride there (our building's a little far out from his ward). He said that while they were driving, they passed two missionaries taking photos with a giant clown on a wall. He said that the stake president turned to him and said, "Just look at our hard-working missionaries."

*Awkward*

"Yup," we told him.  "That was us."  

[Author's note: Just so we're clear, we must have spent about 20 seconds taking those photos. And at that exact moment, the stake president drives by. That made my top ten most awkward moments in the mission, only made better by the fact that the stake president didn't tell us that himself...]

2015-11-14 MORE Animals...and something MORE important!

I mentioned the day we cleaned turtles, right? Not to eat... they were pets!

 

Here we are playing around after a Moctezuma ward open house with a prop our mission leader made for our room exhibit. Bottom photo features me and Elder Reyes, from another area in the Tuxtepec district.