Week 36

Hola Everyone! Okay, it’s been really busy and being sick is just gross but thanks for the prayers! This is what happened this week:

 On Tuesday, we had our last district meeting and it was super fun because we went a little earlier to have kind of a party. We made these pizzas with tortillas, pasta sauce, and cheese. And our zone leaders... I will forever be happy with this... They found ROOT BEER!!! Root beer here in Mexico! I was so happy, so I savored it and it was good :) it’s my favorite fizzy drink and I haven’t had one of those forever! I also had a "horribly lovely" experience with the comida. So the doctor told me that I am not supposed to eat greasy stuff and dairy for a few weeks. So we go to the comida thinking that the Hermana remembers that I can't eat it.... She made something barbacoa, which had the most grease and irritants I have eaten in the mission. I was sicker than a dog.  I couldn't sit during the lesson or anything! Luckily I had an appointment with the doctor, so we went straight there and we told me that the grease is what makes the illness worse so I need to MAKE SURE that people know I can't eat it. He also gave me a powdered fiber I need to eat every morning, which has been working. The hard part is that it is so bad to not eat what has been given! It is very hard to say no! So most all of us missionaries are sick!

 I was finally able to have progress in our English classes on Wednesday! People came!  We had our investigators Marisol and Yazmin come to get some help with their English homework. They're really sweet girls and I hope they keep coming and invite their friends :)

 Ay! Thursday was the saddest day ever in the transfer.... So we went to the church for Mary's second interview for baptism. But when she got there she was different so we talked to her about what was going on. She told us that she seriously wants to be baptized, but her dad wants her to get baptized in her uncle's church, which we were aware of the situation. But she then told us that a few days before her dad sat down with her and said that he doesn't think she is ready for baptism. He thinks that she needs to analyze the Bible a more and its doctrine so she can be fully prepared. But we told her she doesn't particularly need that for baptism, she can be baptized knowing just the basics because she's going to learn the doctrine in the church throughout the years. But she doesn't want to ruin her relationship more with her dad, so she went in with the interview, but she will have to wait more time for a baptism. It was so sad to see her crying and everything…I appreciate being a member of the church, I think I’ve taken it for granted! But we will get her baptized this transfer! She will hit the water :)

 On Saturday I finally had my first choir practice for the Christmas Program. And I can say I was pretty freaked out when I first got there because I didn't know if anyone could sing, read music, or anything, but some of the music might be a bit hard for some people.  But it turned out pretty good. We have a few who can sing and I think that if we just keep practicing they can get it!  It was a good day too because President and Hermana Madsen were there to help me out and they brought my birthday package with them from Oaxaca!  Thank you for the letters and cards! I loved reading what y'all had to say. I also got a letter from my friend Stephen! Thank you, Stephen! I love getting mail, we are far away from the mission home and don’t have our own address so we have to wait extra-long weeks to get mail and sometimes some of us don’t get mail even then so all mail is precious to us so please write :)  We also went to the baptisms the elders in our branch had for their investigator Samuel and our branch president's son. They have such sweet testimonies and you could see how happy they all were afterward.

 Yesterday Domingo was a pretty good day, full of unexpected things happening. First we had this inactive teenager, Omar, come to church with us. He's one of those people I have no patience with, but I'm trying. Patience is a problem!  But he came to all three hours. We had a really good lesson in Gospel Principles about the faith, and then we were able to have a farewell devotional for Julio, a new missionary who left this morning. We were also able to see Mary, Soledad, and Zoyla in the church. But when we left for the comida Omar followed us…when we left there to go to Mary's(member) house, he came with us…we made tortillas with her.  Then we went to Mary's(investigator) house, and he followed us…we didn’t know what to do with him!  This time we were able to talk with Mary’s dad a little about our life on earth and the things we are supposed to do on the earth, and that includes baptism. That got some of his doubts away about baptism. He's worried about being baptized twice in different ways, so we explained the differences in baptism. He understood more and hopefully he allows Mary to be baptized soon. Then we saw Hermana Lucina and she took Omar!  But before leaving them, we had a really good lesson with them about the Plan of Salvation too. Usually we don't have much order in lessons with them but we had perfect order this time….and Omar gave the closing prayer and he did really well with it! Usually it's a joke to him to pray, but he really took it seriously this time. Maybe it was good for him to walk with us all day. I need to be more patient and kind:)

We didn't get to bed until 2:30 last night because we had to dry all of our clothes. We washed them all until midnight on Saturday and left them to dry.... Then the rain came during church today!

 So for transfers.....

Hermana Valdivia is going to her house in Tijuana... I am going to have a daughter!!  As in I'm training a new missionary!  Her name is Hermana Valverde and I’m guessing she's Latina by her last name. But I am excited and nervous at the same time.

 Anyway that's what's happened this week. For Christmas I am dying for cinnamon candies!  For some reason the Latino’s here don’t believe there’s such thing as candy containing cinnamon!

I know we've had a break from the Book of Mormon, so this is the challenge this week: Chapters 11-20 of Alma.

Love y'all!!  Have a good week!

Hermana Walker