Leadership counsel, divisions in Tonala, I get cold a lot

January 5, 2015

Well this week, once again, passed by super quick. Yes, on New Years Eve and on the first, we had to be in our houses at 7pm, so that is not too much fun but we lived through it.

On Tuesday, we had the monthly leadership counsel in which we talk about all the needs of the mission and what we are going to do to help. We also get a good little review of what we will be talking about in the zone meeting. 

On Friday we had the zone meeting. It was a bit chaotic at first because they have to send what we are going to teach to our emails, but they sent it at 8:30pm, and there were no cybers open. We thought maybe we could find one on Friday morning; well, we couldn´t. Luckily some missionaries found a cyber and helped us out. So it all went well.

On the same day, I did divisions with one of our district leaders in my old district of Tonala. We went to the church and did a baptismal interview. Pretty much it was rad to see a whole bunch of old friends, and within 20 minutes, a family invited us to eat tamales. Tamales are a good thing.

We have been nuts busy. I wrote in my journal this morning and realized that I had not written since the 26th of December, and that was pretty wild.

In the cyber right now, they are listening to some old classy 80´s dream rock. It is petty darn funny.

Right now we are in the process of helping a  recent convert get the melchizedek priesthood. It is a fun route, but it is pretty wild, because he didn´t know hardly anything about it. He is progressing quite well. For a little bit, he thought that being ordained an elder was going to make him a full-time missionary like us, and he was all fuzzled about how he was going to take care of his family being a full-time missionary and all. We explained it all to him, AND ALL IS WELL.

I never thought I´d feel cold over here. I get cold a lot.

Sure do love you all 

Elder Hulme.

la zona

tamal

el amado pedro

Christmas, sharing testimonies

December 29, 2014

I am pretty much just excited to send you guys pictures because we took a ton of funny pictures this week.

After talking with you guys, we headed back to our area, contacted twenty people and went to the house. 

The little toy cars you sent are dangerous, because we play with them all the time, and we have all sorts of fun games. THANKS FOR THE GARRMMIEES. They are so white, and fancy.

Hey mom, I sure am glad to know you think I am cute.

As far as missionary work is concerned, this week was in fact hard. Pretty much no one was ever home, so we did lots of talkiing to people. Aaaaand even though it is hard, it is still worth it. Every night I like to think about what all we did, and if the Lord would be pleased in all that we did that day. 

Thanks for the hymnbook. I really love it, it is the best, I LAYK HYMNS.

One of the best part of being is a missionary is that lots of times a day, we get to share our testimonies. I know that my testimony wasn´t all that strong when I started my mission. But what I could figure out was that to be able to testify, I needed to strengthen it in all forms.  Asking, and praying about specific commandments, thinking, pondering and studying. Something that I have really enjoyed about being a missionary is that we have a chance to be strengthened in bazillions of ways.

The roommates

Pinatas get nutzzz

Elder Jimenez, Elder Garcia

Americans

Mission tour with Elder Peiper, green water

December 22, 2014

Missionary work is the best, because you never run out of things to do. This week went by crazy fast.

This week, we had a mission tour with Elder Peiper from the 70 in our chapel. We hosted 108 missionaries, we were in charge of buying food for every single one of them, we spent some serious $$$$, but it all comes back on Friday.

On Thursday, I did some companion exchanges with the assistants in their area for 1 day. All was really well.

On Friday, we got up really early and had to travel a bit to get to our chapel where we would have the mission tour. We miraculously got everything all set up in time and all was well. I was in charge of conducting the meeting, and it was a really cool experience. I had my errors, but all turned out goood. They gave us candy. I like candy. It is amazing being with a seventy and our mission president; they bring such an amazing spirit into our lives, and it's the best.

On Saturday, we had another Leadership counsel with all the zone leaders, and sister training leaders, and elder Peiper again. We woke up early, and once again we were shattered with the spirit and it was the best.

We got back into our area and were scrambling to get everything all set up for the baptism that we had on Saturday. We got everything all set up, and the water was green - who knows why? Few people attended, but it was a really spiritual experience.

All week, we had been battling to find new investigators because we are running out of those who want to progress. After the baptism, we went to a house where we had contacted a few days before, and we found a family of 4. They did not have a good attitude towards anything at first, and then everything turned out wonderfully.

--- All in all, Saturday was one of the most spiritual days of my life, and I loved every minute of it.

This last week was one of the most stressful weeks I have ever had, but it was allllll gooood.

I really enjoy my life. We have to do a whole lot more phone calls, and we have lots more responsibility, buuut it is good. There is little time to eat and to do your personal things, so pretty much I eat pizza and bread and apples because it it crazy fast.

Today we went to a little town an hour away from our area, and we went bowling - it was crazy fun.

Sure love you cats.

Christmas packages for missionaries

Baptism of Esmerelda

Green baptism water

Striped socks Sunday because all my black socks were dirty

Bowling

1st Week in Reforma, Dr. Scholls Saved the Day, Russell M. Nelson

I bought Dr. Scholls insoles today, and life is now cushiony.

My camera just got another virus, so that stinks.

Tonight we are going to make mom's chocolate chip cookies for a family home evening.

My companion was the secretary of visas for six months, and this week, we had to go to the mission offices 2 times and to downtown Guadalajara. It was a jolly grand time, and really tiring. The downtown of Guadalajara is just a joy, even from the seat of a bus.

This Saturday (Dad's day of birth), we had a meeting with our mission, and the mission Mexico, Guadalajara. There were 460 full-time missionaries, an area president, a member of the seventy, and Russell M Nelson(12). It was mind shattering, and if you ever want to feel the spirit super strongly, just go to a meeting with those guys; it was a joy. I really enjoyed that Elder Nelson started his talking with tons of humility, expressing how grateful he was for a lot of things and how the Gospel has changed his life. He had some funny stories, and it was grand. One of the best parts is when he asked our mission president to share a quick thought. Real life, his words brought me to tears in about 32 seconds. I love that man a whole bunch. And it was just marvelous Saturday.

The night before the meeting, we went to bed at 2:30am (telling stories with the six missionaries that were in our house) and woke up at 5am. There were a whole bunch of sleepy kittens going on later.

Our new area is really really great. It is a lot different, and a lot harder, but I enjoy it. We have a really good family of investigators. The dad may be a little bit ocd, or just crazy pills - they have over 46 half-used bars of soap in their bathroom.... But they read the Book of Mormon, pray to know if it is the word of God, and are willing to repent, so we love them.

I am ever so grateful for this gospel, and I have no idea where I would be with out it. I know that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet of this dispensation, and that if we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we can return to God's presence.

I love you all (un buen (a whole bunch))

Mom, I got my Christmas package, but I am waiting until Christmas.

Me, Elder Lopez, Elder Jimenez, Elder Sealor, Elder Martinez

Elder Sealor and I live in the same house. We get along really well and life is good.

Transfer to Reforma, Busticated Neck, Another Dog in Church

My neck was stuck this way all week!

Rigoberto and family

Bishop and missionaries

The Buans

This week was nuts. On Monday night, I was called and told that I was invited to go to a leadership meeting with all the zone leaders and assistants and President Camarillo and his wife. It was in Guadalajara, so there was lots of traveling, a good amount of digestion pain, and it was an unforgettable, spiritually uplifting experience. we travelled all of Tuesday, the meeting was Wednesday, and I got back to Apatzingan on Thursday.

Thursday we had weekly planning, and we ran around looking for our investigators.

Friday, we went to the zone meeting, all was really well. buuuuut.

On Friday I woke up at 4am and I could not move my head/neck more than 14 degrees, no joke. The pain was super terrible, and I had to go to the bathroom. It took twenty minutes to leave bed and to get back in bed, in order to not shriek with pain.

I went to the zone meeting, and talked with Sister Camarillo to see what I should do.

I went to a doctor, they gave me some drugs, and later than night, with a lot of stretching out the neck, it started to feel better. Apparently, from changing temperatures a whole bunch (Guadalajara, Urupan, Apatzingan) you can get your little neck nerves a little bit angry. 

I gave part of the zone meeting, with my head pretty much looking at the floor.

BUT ALL IS WELL, AND MY NECK DOESNT HURT. <3

On Saturday, President Camarillo called me, and said that I was going to be moved to be a zone leader, and that they would tell me where on Sunday.

On Sunday, there was ANOTHER DOG, in sacrament meeting... I don't know who brings them, but it is the worst. 

We had a good show out in the gospel principles class I give

We had a killer lesson with the Buan family, where we pretty much got everything all readied up for the baptism of the hermano Buan. They are one of my favorite families that we found in Apatzingan, and they are the best.

On Sunday, they told me that I was going to be moved to Reforma.

My new companion is Elder Lopez. He is from Oaxaca, but he lived in Puebla for 4 years. He is a cool cat, and we are going to shred the area of Reforma.

My new area, and stake, and zone, is the same zone and stake as Tonala, so I will be seeing lots of old friends from there. I am excited. 

Overall, this week went by really fast and there were lots of photos taken of good friends.

I am glad to be here. I love this Gospel, and I know that what we share is the truth.

Love you all. 

 Elder Hulme.

December 1 - Thanksgiving, La Dadiva

This week, I totally got a flew shot.

The worst part about a flew shot, is that it gives you the flu. 

But within three days I was feeling all better, and 1000 percent ready to work.

We also enjoyed a good little Thanksgiving dinner this week. It was provided by the Buan family. He is Filipino, and she is from Apatzingan. They lived their whole lives in the United States. He is an ex military dude from the states, but is taking his retirement here in Mexico. That is what I want to do. Buuut they are pretty much just like having the best of grandparents over here in Mexico. They tell us they we are their new family, and it is just a jolly grand time every time we visit them. They have been coming to church every Sunday and are just rocking it.

This week, I was working in Uruapan for 2 days for some companion exchanges with the zone leaders. We did a whole bunch of walking, and it made me appreciate all the investigators that we have, because we have enough people to teach. 

They also bought us chocolate cake.

La Dádiva - The gift - is the best thing in the world. You all ought to check out the church's page oat www.christmas.mormon.org  because it is the best. We have started to share it as missionaries, and I loooooove it - it is the best video in the whole world. And if you look closely, within the first couple scenes, after the red shoes, on the red clothes rack, they are totally filming in D.I. You can tell by the little blue price tag, and by the big over-filled racks of Christmas clothes. Pretty much it makes you recognize how loving our Heavenly Father is that he has provided a way for all of us to be saved, for us to be able to return to his presence (spelling is so hard for me these days.)

God Loves you all, Appreciate it, and share that love with others.

I had a dream about simon this week. SCORE.

I ran out of things to write this week.

I sure Love you all, and am especially grateful for all you do.

I know that what I am doing is where God needs me, and that this is his work.

Elder Hulme.

Nov. 24 - Baptisms, Confirmations, Weddings

Hey kids, this week was absolutely wonderful with a whole bunch of work and work and more work. We had some super spiritual lessons, and best of all, we had two baptisms.

There was the baptism of hermana Ana, and it was super nice. It was absolutely wonderful to have an investigator, who we had battled so much to grasp on to the gospel, finally take the biggest step, and be baptized and confirmed. I did the baptizing, and it was a jolly grand time.

Also we had an investigator named Saul. We found him about a month ago. Pretty much I have never met anyone so darn ready to live the gospel. Everything he says and does he just talks about God and how much he wants to get his life closer to God. He pretty much spends all his spare time reading the scriptures,and what not. He was not married (but lived with his wife) when we found him, but we taught him all the lessons, he has been coming to church for a little bit more than a month, and this Thursday Elder Martinez and I were witnesses in his wedding. wahoooo.

The wedding was awesome. We got there at 10:45am and left at 11:03am. So it was fabbbbuloussssth. They took us out to lunch brunch, and then on Saturday he was totally baptized.

Sunday was a super eventful day in the church. We had the confirmation of Ana. I think I forgot to tell you guys: I lead the hymns every week in church. Including, I tell everyone how to sing the first line. So I do a mini solo 3 times every Sunday.

Also our investigator Osiel received the priesthood this Sunday. I got to give the priesthood for the first time. It was really a little bit different than all the other ordinances that I had participated in, but I really enjoyed it. 

Yes Mom, we take care of all of our recent converts. Federico and Mary cruz are doing super well. They are some of my favorites. Federico was telling us how happy he was that he found the gospel, and we are trying to get him all readied up to share his testimony this next fast sunday.

Pretty much I love my life 100%

I know that this church, gospel and priesthood have been restored, that Joseph Smith, was the man called to be the prophet in the restoration, and that my savior lives.

Lots of love

Elder Hulme.