Rain

Hola Familia!

I hope everyone had a great week. I got pictures from mom and loved seeing (almost) everyone all together. Oh it made me happy! Also a little sad and I might have cried a few tears...but I'm good now. I am glad the baptism went well! I thought a lot about Skye on Saturday.

This week was good. On Tuesday, we were eating in la comida and all of a sudden it starting RAINING! Of course we didn't have umbrellas so I asked for a plastic bag to put over my bag/scriptures. We had an appointment on the other side of our area and we didn't want to pay for a taxi so we headed out in the rain like brave little missionaries. I was CERTAIN that our appointment would be home. We contacted her a few days before and she told us she has been to church and talked with missionaries before and is really interested. This doesn't happy everyday. So I was walking through the rivers of La Ruffo (the colonia that we work in most of the time) singing ´Tengo Gozo En Mi Alma Hoy!´(There is Sunshine In My Soul Today) and feeling really good despite being soaking wet. We got to her house and...she wasn't home. Dang it. But it's all good...we had back up plans. So we headed to the next house, sloshing through the disgusting water and...they weren't home. And another...It's weird. When it rains here...no one is in the streets yet no one is home...hmmmm...

So after a little bit of rejection, we went to our correlation meeting with the ward mission leader and then to an appointment with another menos activo family. They have a daughter who isn't baptized and they want us to teach her. We taught the Restoration Lesson 1 and we set a date for her baptism. After the lesson, the parents told me that when I was describing Joseph Smith's first vision, it was totally quiet...they couldn't hear any cars passing by or other noises. They said they could really feel the spirit. That made me feel really good. After a day of being wet and rejected, it was nice to feel like I helped someone feel the spirit. It also reminded me that this message that I am sharing is so true and worth it. Oh...the husband is a convert and he was taught by elders...so he kept calling us Elderes instead of Hermanas and his wife kept correcting him. haha

I didn't feel too good the next day...I think they are right...the rain can make you sick. I wasn't actually that sick, I just had a really bad headache so I took some drugs and felt better. Oh, I always call advil or other medicines drugs because I think it's funny. My companion is always like...um, drogas son malas...son pastillas, Hermana. But now she says drogas, too. :) 

I didn't realize that it was the 4th of July until the end of the day! I was planning on wearing RED WHITE AND BLUE but I failed. Maybe next year. I love the 4th! I hope everyone enjoyed Hotdogs, Hamburgesas and fireworks! 

We think that a new church opened really close to us because people were singing songs really loudly about Jesucristo on Saturday when we were studying in the morning. I told Hermana Hernandez that our plan to find Nuevos this week is we are going to find this church and convert them all. Wouldn't that be so cool. Walk into a church and take the microphone and be like 'Listen. We have the truth!!!' Yeah right...we would get arrested or something. But a missionary can dream...

The elders had a baptism on Saturday. Her name is Gabby. Her mom was baptized about a month prior and is super awesome. She bore her testimony about how her life has changed so much since she was baptized and she wants to share the gospel with everyone she talks to! I love it. Gabby is 18 and is also super great. Good things are happening here in Iguala. 

Sad news, Romaldo left to work in a different city two weeks ago. We thought he was going to be back by yesterday but we passed by his house in the morning and last night and he hasn't returned. We are praying and praying that he comes home soon so we can continue teaching him and he can be baptized. 

Oh and remember the appointment we went to in the rain and she wasn't there? We found her! We taught her and she has a baptismal date. Also, we found out her husband is a member but inactive. And her mom is really interested, too. YAY! 

We have found 3 inactive families in the last week that have kids that aren't baptized. There are SO many inactive members in this area..and I think in all of Mexico. I was feeling a little sad that we didn't have a ton of investigators in the chapel yesterday, but the Family Hernandez Roman was there (we found them about a month ago and they have been coming to church ever since. They have two kids that will be baptized in two weeks) and Hno. Adrian (the dad) got a calling to be the 2nd counselor in the Young Men's Presidency! I was so happy and realized that if I do nothing else but help this family reactivate and eventually get to the temple, it will all be worth it. Obviously, I want to do more, but it is so great to see a family come back into the church and really take advantage of the blessings found there in. Oh, and the funny thing is that he had NO IDEA what his calling was going to be. They told him before the meeting that he was going to recieve an assignment and when he stood up to be sustained is when he found out what it was. He said he felt like he got a cold bucket of water thrown on him! haha. He was like 'I have no idea what to do!' I told him not to worry, that he will be trained and he will love it. He is awesome and this is going to really be good for him and his family. And the young men in the ward. 

We had a meeting yesterday with the Stake Presidency and all the bishoprics, HP group leaders, and EQ presidents in the stake. We were privileged to have President Kusch there, too. WE have church at 1 pm and the meeting was RIGHT after, so we couldn't go to our food appointment. The angel of a sister who we were supposed to eat with brought us sandwiches so we didn't die of hunger since it was fast sunday, too. 

The meeting was good, President talked about the work of the mission. Side note, in our mission, we have 91 Hermanas and 120 elders! Almost equal. CRAZY. By September we should have almost 100 Hermanas in the mission. He talked about the work of Salvation and many of the challenges we face as missionaries. Also, how the work of Salvation is the responsibility of the wards...and the missionaries are a resource for the wards to help find and teach investigators. But really, the wards should have a much bigger part than they have right now. 

I really think that one of the reasons that the age change for missionaries happened is 1) because the Lord is hastening his work and 2) to help change the culture in the church. Right now, the missionaries and members aren't totally united but imagine once all these missionaries come home...the work in the wards is going to be a lot different. I don't know if I explained that really well...but hopefully you understand me. 

I really love this ward and the members here in Iguala. It is a special place and I feel lucky to be here.

I love the Book of Mormon, too. It is powerful and true. Alma the younger is one of my favorite Book of Mormon heros. He had such a powerful testimony and such a love for God, keeping the commandments and others. He was probably one of the most successful missionaries ever and I want to be like him.

I love you all so much. I am so grateful to have you in my life. THank you for your prayers, too. 

Love, 

Hermana Durham 

pictures:

RAINY AND WET

BUT HAPPY

Happy 5 months...I look weird and sweaty!