Mailing Address in Mexico

Elder Oliver Philip Hulme
Guadalajara East Mission
AV. 18 de Marzo #3088
Colonia las a Aguilas
Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
CP 45080

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Paradise, FYS, I love the temple, sick again

July 27, 2015

This week was hard, but at the same time it was the best.

On Monday they told us that we were going to go to FYS (the new version of EFY over here). We went with 40 other missionaries on Wednesday. We got up bright and early, headed to the offices, and went to a suuuper nice hotel where they were doing the FYS. Our mission was to teach the youth how to present a pamphlet of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ to their friends, aaaaand commit everyone that was there to go on a mission. We got to the super nice hotel (we are talking like fancy nice, hidden, in a cute forest up in snowbird hotel). We got there, and as the 747 youth were singing called to serve, we sprung in there like hidden ninjas and sang really loud the last 2 verses. I never went to an EFY as a youth, but this time around was a blast!! Then, we split off into groups and did our part. It was interesting because you could tell who were the obedient, the rowdy, the rebellious, but they were all just great, and we loved them all. Being among so many youth had a super fun spirit, and it was a blast of a Wednesday, I saw youth from every single one of my areas and it was great.

On Thursday, we had a stellar lesson with Mayra about temples and family history work. She was interested to go to the temple and we got everything all arranged to go on Saturday to have a lesson with her on the temple grounds.

Saturday came around the block, we had everything readied up, aaaaand the brother who was going to drive us, did not show up, did not show up, and did not show up. (I was about to explode). We ran to his house, and his wife told us that he called and said that he wasn't going to go. (I almost exploded) We ran back to the chapel with the investigator and the other member, aaaaand we saw the brother who was going to take us with some sweat on the face and a charming smile, and we got him all convinced to go again.

I LOVE THE TEMPLE. Just being on the grounds I could not quit smiling. I had to repent for having so many explosive feelings, but afterward, it was heaven. We had an amazing lesson with her, that I will be down to talk about when I get home, because if not, this email would take a week to read.

All week, I was battling some sick symptoms: a sore throat, runny nose, weakness etc. Then on Sunday I was not feeling so well. Sunday after lunch I thought I was going to pass out. So then I thought about the quote from Gordon B. Hinkley´s dad "forget about yourself and go to work." I tried that, but after about fifteen minutes I had to lay down on the sidewalk. I talked with the mission doctor, and he told me to rest up for a little bit. I got home and after 20 minutes, the cookies were tossed. I then fell asleep on the bathroom floor, and fell asleep for the rest of the night. (My body misses clean countries.)

But I am loving life. 
Mayra is going to be baptized the next week.
I am very very very thankful and glad for serving a mission. Easily the best decision I have made so far.
I love you all

Elder Hulme.




The picture of the temple with trees is PARADISE





Warts, Dairy Queen, Home Teaching, I'm a Happy Camper

July 20, 2015

Wooooooooooooo. That's how we feel right now. This week was awesome.

Did I tell you guys that I am getting some warts removed? The doctore made some large craters in my feet and finger, and then shot me up with liquid nitrogen (really really cold feels really really hot). The liquid nitrogen is supposed to make some large blisters, which makes walking and brushing my teeth a riot. BUT I´M A TOUGH GUY.

On Wednesday, we had interviews with the mission president. Let it be known that President Jack B Egginton is the best man in this entire country. Honestly I love him soooo much. He is so funny, and took the whole interview to get to know me, understand my desires and my feelings and is a great great guy. afterward, my companion was treated to his first large blizzard from Dairy Queen. He loved it, <3 I love Dairy Queen. I´ve only been twice on my mission, and they have been 2 excellent experiences.

Mayra mayra mayra is our investigator. She has been coming to church every Sunday for the past four weeks. She has always been a devoted, mexican Catholic, who has always smoked, and drank, drunk drinkied coffee, buuuuuut we have been working really hard with her. On Friday, and yesterday, we have had some of the best lessons in the whole wide world. Yesterday we had taught the ten commandments and the word of wisdom, and the spirit WAS THICK. After a good amount of questions, answers, testifying and letting the spirit testify, she has firmly accepted to be baptized the on the 1st of August. It is  a huge blessing getting to know these kinds of people, I love it sooooo much. 

EVERY SUNDay, in elders quorum, the only thing we talk about is... as translated... doing visits (hacer visitas, /// home teaching), nobody, NObody, NOBODY, does it over here, and every week it is a new episode of do your visits. It is pretty funny, because they think that giving them the same speech every every every Sunday will help them want to do their home teaching. But it's all good.

I am a happy camper where I am. I may have blisters, or funky callouses on my knees from all the prayers, but I am happy where I am, what I do and who I have become. The gospel has been restored through a living prophet. Be grateful.

Love you all supers much

Elder Hulme.



On this bus you can see the road. Safety first.

Der ma tol o gist

July 13, 2015

I went to the dermatologist today because I was allllllll warty. Those places are expensive, and I´am going to have to go back for a couple of more visits. Turns out I´ve got some weird skin. Remember how I have really stretchy face skin? Supposedly that is due to a condition called Ehlers Danlus syndrome, so that is cool.

THIS WEEK WAS GREAT. Satan was working really really hard to get us down, but we won this time. We had the baptism of our investigator R. It was the best. It was a bit tricky because we did not have hardly any help from the ward, so we had to do literally everything, buuut it is alright. The baptism was very spiritually edifying. Her son who is a member spoke, and gave a very inspiring, short talk, aaaand, it was great. After the baptism, I definitely dropped our house keys into a 9 ft deep well, full of water. Luckily, long arms, a rake and a pole did the trick.

Yesterday as we drove to the house of the brother who we ate with in his car, his car broke down hard, we got it jumped, and then it died, then we got it jumped and then it died, so we walked to his  house. Overall it was pretty fun, even though we pushed his lil car in the sun for 2 hours. 

Today we played some basketball. I never liked that, but I do now.

I love seeing the gospel change the lives of who we work with. R used to be bitter, hating, and not very friendly, and, even though she doesn't show it in her facial expressions, she is now a happy person. She is more controlled, and we are ever so happy with her and with her changes.

I really love you all. I think you guys are the cat's pajamas.

Keep on praying lots.

Elder Hulme. 


Thieves are allowed here

Baptism


I dropped the house keys in a 9 foot well.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Semana Milagro

July 6, 2015

Great great great week. Lots of trials and hard parts, but all in all great.

On Tuesday, after writing, we visited our investigator who was progressing really well to be able to be baptized the 11 of July. As we taught the law of chastity, we found out that it would be necessary that she be interviewed by the mission president. That night I called him, Pres. Egginton. My first encounter with him was one of the best things in the world. He is sooooo funny. I was trying to explain to him why she needed an interview and all that, but he wasn’t really getting the hang of it, and he said that he´d be able to do it in a few weeks, and our souls were crushed.... Trial.

During the rest of the week, we had some super experiences. We were praying a lot for our investigator that, if possible, some sort of a miracle would come into action.  On friday we had our zone meeting, and we heard word that the mission president was going to be there. He got there at 1pm, we quickly talked with him (the assistants then had explained a little bit more about the special interviews and what-not). He told us that he could do it after the meeting that we were going to do with him. Sooooo then we called her at 1pm to see if she could get there at 3pm or 2:30 for the interview. Aaaaaaand as the best part of the miracle, she was going to be able to get there. LIFE SAVERS. Miracle. She got there, had a stellar interview, and is still getting all readied up for baptism. It was so incredible to see the hand of the Lord in that moment. She came to church this week and is really excited, even though her facial expressions don´t show it... 

I have been pretty good about not biting my nails lately, but it is a little bit harder to type.... hmmm. 

Yesterday a member gave us some homemade ceviche, which means chronic to-the-bathroom dashes...

This last week, there was only 1 day that we were able to go to bed on time and get up at 6:30 (all the other days were either late to bed or really early to rise) so  I have been suuper tired. 

Ummm No I am still with my same companion. The training is a 12 week process, so we just finished the week 6. 

This weekend the companion of Elder Robbins finished his mission, so Elder Robbins was with us in a super trio all weekend, it was super fun. But we went to bed late due to the sleepover which makes for sleepy mornings.

Our new mission president is hilarious. He is very very energetic and super loving. I love his guts. 

I am really glad to be where I am. It’s hard, but I love it.

Love you all

Elder Hulme.


Sunday, July 5, 2015

Pee eich a tee. Phat. Sirloin Stockade.


The mini zone

"Hi, I'm Ali Hegerhorst, and I'm on your toothpaste box."

Elder Peterson, great secretary friend from Washington

The painting I love near our house

Post feasting (Sirloin Stockade?)




June 30, 2015

Today ladies and gentlemen, the district of Tlajomulco got fat. We woke up super extra early to clean the house and start to hand wash the clothes (washing machines are a dream), studied, ran, and got my companion’s hairs cut, aaaaand then went to Sirloin Stockade. It is like a mexican Chuck-a-rama but with all the same things as Chuck-a-rama. I ate a strict diet of spinach, lettuce, carrot salad, salad salad, apple salad, brownies, and ice cream. AND I FELL IN LOVE. Easily the best 137 pesos I´ve spent in a good while. The dudes from this side of the border love the mac n cheese, the oven pizzas, and all the gross stuff and it’s sooooo funny.

This week was splendid. We are working with this super investigator named M. She is a single mother has four kids of the ages 17,12, 2, 1. She is super willing. Willing to read, to pray and this week was the first week we started teaching her and she went to church. It was the best. She didn´t know where it was, so we got with a member to go pick her up Sunday morning. Normally when we get to the houses of the members they go to church in hood rat clothes and take about 45 minutes to get ready. But M is a GEM. We got there and she was all readied up, her three youngest kids all dressed up, and everything set. I WAS A HAPPY CAMPER MOM AND DAD.

We also have another investigator who we are getting all prepared up to be baptized in the next coming month, named, R. she is great, her son is a member, who we are helping to get active again. She always looks grumpy no matter how happy she is and it is so funny, because when you start to talk with her, you never know if she is grouchapillar or happy. #boxxesofchocolates.

Yesterday our day started at 4:45am. We had to get to a meeting with President Camarillo, the follow up meeting for the people in their training and their trainers. He gave us the last goodbye, and it was good. I am going to miss him almost as I did you guys at first, But this Thursday we will be getting to know President EGGINTON. Egginton. There is not a g after the n. 

we are working hard
sweating more
and loving life more

Sure love you all
I am reading in Alma 15-22. If only I could be a meat butcher like Ammon. or a super testifier like Aaron.

E L D ER 
H U L M E

hugs n kisses