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.

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.

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

Two dog bites, pictures with pres, Sabbath day

June 23, 2015

HMMMM. Mom I liked your bullet points letter. It gets all the juiciest information really quick.

This week I got bit by two dogs. One was a full grown bull dog, the other being a german shepherd. I can't tell what is worse: the dog that bites me, or the owners that don't do anything or say anything to you after their beast tries to take a chunk out of your leg. Luckily I am faster than a cat, and only con some little scrapies, no skin was broken. But I squealed. Like a little girl. Both times.

We are writing today because yesterday was an amazing day. We got up at 5am to get to a meeting in Guadalajara. It was a zone conference with the mission president. We talked about the importance of the Sabbath day and the Book of Mormon. And then we took pictures with him as a zone and everyone one by one. It was really great. Then we had an amazing testimony meeting. I loved it. Back in the day, I really didn´t get the point of testimony meetings. I just thought it was time for people to say the same thing as everyone else, or tell a rather uncomfortably long story. But I have grown to love them and I love the spirit that is there during every meeting.

There is a training jumping around all the stakes right now. I don´t know if it has gotten to you guys but I really enjoy it. It talks about the Sabbath day and how the church needs multi-generational families. To have that there are four main parts of the cycle: 1) Converts and children are baptized. 2) They are endowed. 3) They get sealed in the temple. 4) They have children and the process succeeds and moves forward.

Then it explains that one of the ways to help this process stay in action always is keeping the Sabbath day holy at home. It is something that I think would help the family about quite a bit. It has three main points: 1) That it is a sign that we love god and are willing to keep our covenants ezequiel 20*20. 2) That it keeps us conserved from worldly stainage DC59, 3) That it is a delight for ourselves and our spirits. Isaiah 58*13-14. I feel like our family would really benefit if there was a larger emphasis in keeping the Sabbath day holy. Making sure that all that we do is focused on the Savior and our father. ... Just a thought. Love you tons.

We had a good day in church. It  was stake conference. Aaaaaand, we brought the family of 2 moms and 6 kids to the conference. I think they got a little bit bored, but we hope they enjoyed it.

Sure love you all. Have incredible weeks.

Elder Hulme.

da pres

los guillen

da companion

Service, I ate pig ear and pig snout

June 15, 2015

This week, we were in our missionary coordination meeting with the ward mission leader and his assistant. His assistant is a loud obnoxious fellow who loves talking, and he always keeps a journal with all of his adventures as a modern day taxi driver. I was looking at some of his notes, and he had written, "It's not just a bike, it's a Trek." I asked him about it and told me that it was something that he saw on a car and wanted to know what it meant.

This same assistant to the ward mission leader gave the gospel principles class yesterday, and I have a small addition to the scriptures: This one comes from D&C130-20...  20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in Heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— in which, there will always be one man (ward mission leader assistant) who absolutely slaughters the gospel principles class.

It was a fun experience. The whole class, even though it was going to be about the gifts of the Holy Ghost, was actually spent being taught about how the Catholics are not as good as the Mormons - it was an adventure...                                                                                                        

We had an amazing experience with a recent convert this last week. Back in his day he participated quite a bit in things against the Word of Wisdom and had left it all when he got to know the missionaries. In the last months he has been struggling to stay faithful to this commandment, and has been falling into his old ways from time to time. When we got to know him, he had 3 huge frames on his wall full of old alcohol bottles and dried up weed. We were able to help him understand why it would be a good idea to get rid of it all, and we helped him changed all the alcoholic items for some pictures, one of the temple, and some BOOK OF MORMON STORIES. It was a nice experience to be able to help him out. 

We worked really really really hard this week, and were able to finish our goals. I love finishing goals.

Yesterday I ate pig ear and pig snout. PIG EAR AND PIG SNOUT. Can you believe this...

We had a great experience teaching a young girl who has been listening to the missionaries for some time, she has never been able to recognize an answer from God, and after a lot of prayer, reading, and pondering, she has been able to feel that what we teach is the truth, and totally went to church yesterday.

We did a small service project this week, going around with some scissors and asking people if we could cut and clean up their garden areas. It was nice to be able to do something different for a change.

I get a new mission pres in 2 weeks. Crazy.

I love you all so much. You kids are the best. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Mom: "I made you a dentist appointment on August 19 at 1:00pm. Don't worry, it's on my calendar, so you don't need to try to remember that..."

Elder Hulme: "Mom I already have appointments for that day. ... hahaaaa just kidding. What am i even going to do when I get home. I just want to go swimming and ride a bike and eat salads. But let's stay focused on missionary works."