After 2 weeks we are back on with our computer Here is the latest.....

Cody:

this week was not the best.

We did not do anything again....... Elder Belito had to go to Aguas for his visa so that blew one day.  Then two days later we had a conference with Pres Hernandez and we were supposed to eat with him, but the bishop did not prepare the stuff in time so we had pizza and ate with him the next day............ I do have a crazy story though

So the ZL tells Elder Belito that he has to be at the bus station at 5, but then said 7 on monday.  Then E. Magana, the mission secretary later called me and yelled at me and told me that E. Belito has to be in Agaus at 8, three hours from our place.  So then E. Belito and I have to get up at 3:30 so he can finish packing and we can go.  Later I drop him off at 4:40 and everyone is calling me.   So I have been up since 3:30 sorting everything out, and I am just dead. 

Now tomorrow I will receive my new comp. Yesterday the district leader calls says that I am going to be with a missionary who is not dedicated to the work so I am just devastated because E. Belito did not work as hard as I wanted to.  So I was pretty sad mad and frustrated.  At 5 in the morning I get a call from the ZL telling me that I have a different companion, I will receive Elder Ortiz.

Lots of drama for a simple transfer. 

Mark: 

Lets get the good stuff started.  A 70 AUTHORIZED OUR MISSION TO WATCH COCO.  THE MOVIE.  WE JUST SAW IT.  OH MY GOODNESS IT WAS SO GOOD

So the really cool part is that we got to watch it with another zone and a bunch of elders from over there are super cool guys that I got to chat with for a second.  

The even cooler part is the whole part of Coco, like the beginning part when he´s running through the city and you get to see where he is living, looks exactly like my area.  Even in the Socalo, where he is shining that guy’s shoes it looks super similar to a part of my district.  If you could watch it again, just imagine a tall white gringo there and boom it´s real life!!

now on to some events of the week.

We went and did our first ¨interview¨ with a AA group where an investigator of ours is attending, and it turns out its a two and a half hour initiation for all new members, which he had failed to inform us on purpose.  Not gonna lie it feel like a cult.  We left the room at the end of it all smelling like incense and cigarette smoke, and too much knowledge about some people´s lives.  weird weird weird.

we have an investigator who called us over one day and was super worried.  He is such a good guy, and he loves the gospel that we teach, and we extended the baptismal challenge to him, which he said he didn´t feel worthy of it, so we were working with him.  Then he goes and watches anti-mormon material and now he is having doubts.  DANGIT POLO. He´s gonna get baptized but this is definitely a freaking obstacle for him.

Extra good tacos at this place

Who was in charge of the height of this banner?

The drunks!!!

At the movie!!

At our Christmas party!!

We are having computer problems so I cannot post their letters, but here are some pictures.  

Cody said it snowed, and was so cold that the Mission president told everyone to stay inside.  they have not worked all week.  Here is the Christmas party they had.    

Mark has several good investigators and starting to see some success.  he is pretty excited.  Starting to be able to converse with people, that is always nice.

"Nitos" are real!!

This week was good.

We had a good, but weird week.  This week we still had to be in the house until Thursday.

But we still had a little hard time with everything.  We did find some good investigators this week.

We found 2 investigators who have real potential with the gospel.  They just need to do their part and  they should be baptized.

Today we played football and we had Jorge (Inv) play with us.  That was a huge success because he got to know a lot of people from the ward and became friends with them too.

WE BOUGHT A CHRISTMAS TREE! We are feeling the Christmas spirit now!  I am getting ready for all of this Christmas stuff now!

Great Family here

Soccer jerseys on P-days

Christmas arrived, now Mom can quit worrying!!!

Cody has his Christmas cut out for him, his companion told him that this is the first time he has ever had a Christmas Tree in his house.  I have a feeling that Cody's Christmas project will be his companion!!

The malls are into Christmas already.  No Thanksgiving to worry about in Mexico!

Groovy jackets!!

OK so nitos are these little sweet bread things that are filled with sugary chocolate and they are so rich and unhealthy but they are 100% addicting.  I have had to budget myself to 1 a day or else I will spend all my cash on them

So this week went by pretty quick but here are some moments that I remember:

Elder Alvarez bought fireworks this week to throw at angry dogs and at times while I’m writing in my journal or something like that, he will randomly light them and throw them around the apartment. haha. He is crazy sometimes

I hope everyone has enjoyed/will enjoy Thanksgiving. I can’t remember if its this week or next but I kinda miss it.  Also kinda don’t because every meal is thanksgiving here, they give us so much food, it is ridiculous.

there are moments when we are walking past tiendas with songs playing, and Elder Alvarez will look at me and just say ¨baila¨ which means dance! And so I just break it down right there and get jiggy with it and Elder Alvarez just loses it.  He thinks I dance so funny.

Teaching here is difficult because literally everyone says they´re catholic, but in reality that´s just a label they give themselves to not be different from others.  We have to appeal in a manner where we respect their beliefs and testify that we are only here to help them improve their relationship with God, and hope they come to a realization that our gospel is a manner of living which brings real joy into their lives.

Other than that, I got nothing.  Sorry I left my journal at home so I can´t recall any other experiences but I guarantee this mission is full of funny experiences and I write diligently. haha.

God is real and he is good, I’m not gonna bear my testimony because I never read those in other missionary emails so there ya go. 

see yall next week.

Yep, those are missionary shoes!!

Recent convert that just loves the missionaries!!

The four gringos that came into the mission with Mark

Notice the blood spots.  If Mark would just not roll over he would not squish the bed bugs that are eating him.  

You get to experience a little bit of everything on your mission, even hairdressing!!

Now Mexico is treating those boys a lot better!!

Monday November 13, 2017

Elder Cody Smiley:

This week was hard because of the elders who were here.

Elder Belito and I are opening an area.  It has been hard because the other elders who were here were not organized with one thing.  Everything has been a mess.  

Belito is a very good guy and companion.  We always joke around and have fun with each other so we will have a good companionship. 

We have just lost ourselves here in Fresnos.   Here is something really cool!

On Sunday we received like 10 references to help us here so that is really going to help us!!!! The ward is going to help us a ton.  A lot of members have come to me and have said hey Smiley I am here for you guys if you need ANYTHING I will be there! I think this ward will see a lot of Milagros (miracles)!

Cody's camera is on the fritz, and we cannot convince him to buy another!!  No pictures from Cody again.  

Elder Mark Smiley:

Subject:  Literally no time.

First of all, the houses here are so small. You can poop, shower, wash your hands, and wash a baby (there was a baby bath in a bathroom) all at the same time.

Church is so hard.  It’s a bunch of white noise Spanish that is difficult to understand but its also spiritual so not all bad.  Here comes the hard part!  A WARD COUNCIL MEETING THAT LASTS 2.5 HOURS FULL OF A BUNCH OF OLD PEOPLE, THAT MAKES US MISS AN APPOINTMENT WITH AN AWESOME INVESTIGATOR.

Quick story: So there is an investigator we have that works in a hair-cutting place.  He told us that when I first arrived, he had to excuse himself to go to the bathroom. Low and behold he was throwing up, and explained that it was because he had a gift of sensing that strength of spirits.  My spirit was so strong that it made him vomit jaja.  I mean to each his own. Also I didn’t understand any of what he said so I just kind of nodded along and then Elder Alvarez told me after what he said and i was like WHAT.

No time.  Alvarez told me we gotta leave early so I’m trying to go quick. Love you all!

PS:  PLEASE FORGIVE MY DEMANDING OF THINGS.  I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH MORE NOW.  PLEASE FORGIVE  MY STUPIDITY AS A CHILD AND REALIZE I HAVE DONE A LOT OF GROWING UP (not enough) THROUGH THESE TWO WEEKS.  I CAN’T WAIT TO HUG YOU AT THE AIRPORT BUT RIGHT NOW I GOTTA FOCUS

thanks dad.  this week was a whole heck of a lot better.  I prayed hard that Elder Alvarez and I could get along better and our relationship has improved.  We actually have conversations while we walk haha.  

I know we talked about how hard a mission is in quorum meetings, but I’m not sure anything can prepare a missionary for their first week.  Luckily its past, and this week passed a lot quicker.

And for what you said with crappy weeks, this is an experience I shared with another friend:  

I will say this is so hard, but it was so worth it for two reasons. one: we found a woman at a store and asked if we could share with her our message.  she said sure, and that she had all day, so we gave her the first discussion, right there in the street for 45 minutes, and she was so willing to listen.  It wasn´t fun, we were sweating in the sun, it was hot and we were tired, and I was struggling with my Spanish, but I can honestly say that I felt a certain joy about my work in that moment, using the gift of tongues and seeing her accept this small part of our gospel.

The other was this guy who agreed to meet with us to hear our message in front of his English class building.  When we asked him what he hoped to get from our visits, he told us that he would listen to whatever we had to share.  It was so cool.

This part is for you and mom.  

I have actually been thinking about you two a lot this week (not home sick simply pondering), and how you taught me so much.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TEACHING ME SO MUCH.  I can´t really put it into words but I love you guys so much and the teachings you guys have pounded into my brain help me so much with stuff here.  I never gave you guys enough time, and how I’m feeling like Cody did, all I want is to give mom and dad a hug.  I love you guys so much and I wish I had more time but Elder Alvarez just told me I have 15 minutes.  Please remember that I love and appreciate you guys so much more now.

Zone Leaders bought everyone Super Hero shirts  "Now go make it come true"

Mark, the Zone Leader, and Elder Alvarez

Nice colonial building in town

Mark's apartment

The Mormon church!!!

"You will get Baptized!!"

Mom is always right.  Chris had to force Mark to take this Spanish Plan of Salvation.  It's a hit!!

All the mirrors look the same!!  Just a shirt and tie, no faces on any of the mirrors!!!
Could we get maintenance in here to raise the height on these mirrors!!