Final Week in the CCM! Week 5!!

Well, here is the last update before I am in LA! Time has gone by so fast and I have mixed feelings about feeling ready and prepared to go out. BUT! I know I have used the time here in the CCM to help me as much as possible. It makes me sad to see so many Elders and Sisters playing games during study time, or coming in late to language classes, goofing off, not studying when they should be, etc. I'm glad I have Elder Barrett and my district who have helped me become the best missionary I could be here at the CCM! 

The Office - District 11C

Remember the mysterious sausage I ate my...2nd week? Well, I advised EVERYONE to not eat them because I had a bad experience, right? That was in fact the ONLY tip I have given the new 11B district who came in this week. Well... I kid you not, over 100 missionaries are sick. Like haven't been well enough to come to church on Sunday, or class on Monday and Tuesday. And I have no idea, but still, so many people are sick...from THE HOT DOGS (sausage, no one knows...). Crazy story, Hermana Lucas, a hermana in my district and a fellow LA missionary, got sick on Sunday along with a handful of people. She wasn't feeling too good and spent the night in the enfermeria. Monday morning before class, the district went over to visit her and Elder Barrett and I gave her a priesthood blessing. We went back at lunch to find out she had been taken to a hospital in MEXICO!! What?? Long story short, Hma Lucas is fine, but just needed a lot of nutrients because she lost so much and they couldn't help her as much as they wanted to here in the CCM! She has been the only person to go to the hospital so she is kind of famous. Our district is doing awesome with the whole famous thing, haha. But seriously, there is like the swine flu here or something because everyone is getting sick...BUT I'm ok! :)

A quick note about letters and the PDF service: I don't get mail on Saturday or Sunday, so Thursday will be the last time I will be able to get any PDFs, but they are fantastic! Thank you so much for sending them! As far as real letters go, send them to LA! 

Speaking of LA! I leave Monday morning! at 3:30am! YAY!!!..... My flight leaves at 7am and after a 4 hr flight and a time change, it will be 9am, and I believe (not positive) that Monday and Tuesday are orientation days...and then transfers are on Wednesday. I'm excited and have already started packing and such! It's amazing how much stuff I brought and I have to pack it all in my suitcase again...this time...ALONE. gahh. It's all good though! I am super excited to leave and hit the field with a good attitude, and frankly, to be back in the US, haha. Its great here in Mexico, but...yeah! :)

Once again, more of the same old same old.

The desk

 More class, studies, gym time, sleep, and eating. I have gained 12 lbs here at the CCM! I am now over 160 and quite proud actually... it's amazing what sitting in a chair for 6 weeks will do to you haha. Other changes: shaving is going great, but everyday...after 2 years, I might as well be Lorenzo Snow.. 

Lesson plans

Cool experience: So we have 3 or 4 investigators I am teaching right now (depending on the day) and one of them is Ofelia, or Hermana Gonzalez, my teacher. She has a boyfriend, not married, has a kid, wants to get baptized but is living with him and he is not the best, blah blah.  You know missionaries are often time marriage counselors... ANYWAY! Elder Barrett and I were teaching her about the law of chastity, and it was going.. ok. I have been trying to give Elder Barrett more opportunities to take ¨charge¨ a little bit of the lessons and talk more because I tend to be forward(?) I don't know how to describe it, I like to talk and Elder Barrett is a little more shy. So, Elder Barrett was teaching his part and I could tell she was fine with what was being said but she had a question on her mind and I was sitting there try to figure out what to say to help her understand...THEN I felt an impression I will never forget, like seriously something out of a general conference story or something. I testify that it was the Spirit. All of a sudden, I asking her things, questions about her boyfriend, marriage, baptism, somehow all stringing them together in the way that she needed to hear it in that moment. I know that that lesson was taught by the Spirit and not by me or Elder Barrett. Afterwards, my teacher told us both that she felt the spirit so strong and told us to always remember that we can always have that power if we are prepared and are worthy to have the Spirit be with us. SO COOL! 

TRC: usually we have taught members, but this week we got the chance to teach a REAL INVESTIGATOR! That was pretty cool, we helped her understand how she can receive personal revelation and guidance through reading El Libro de Mormón. 

Elder Mills - International MTC President came here this week and spoke on Sunday. He showed before and after pictures of some missionaries around the world and WOW. I knew that people change, they come home with the light of Christ, they come home weird and awkward, and sometimes with a little more weight or less hair on them, but the way he talked about the change that will happen if we are worthy and let the Lord change us was so incredible. The world works from the outside in, hoping to change the environnment, a haircut, clothes, in hopes of changing the personality. The gospel works from the inside out. We change our beliefs, desires, goals, motivations. It's what changes boys into men. As we give what we have (a testimony, a helping hand, etc.) there will be supplement, with an increase. Serve others! Don't pass up an opportunity because it is inconvenient for you! DO IT!  

​There are so many little things I have learned, special little lessons for me, for life, for marriage in the future, so many and I am writing them all down as much as possible and I wish I could share them all but I sadly don't have enough time! :( 

Sunrise on the way to breakfast

Next update will be coming from sunny LA! I love you all so much! Yo sé que está Evangelio is verdadero. Yo sé que Jesucristo es mi Salvador y estoy aquí en el CCM para una razón, ayudar a las personas a venir a Cristo y recibe el Evangelio de Jesucristo y cambiar sus vidas. Español es muy difícil pero mediante la Expiación de Jesucristo podemos llegar a ser limpio y digno entrar en la presencia de Dios para siempre. Yo amo la obra. Yo amo mi familia y amigos y sé que soy un misionero de la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los últimos días. Tengo gracias por ustedes y todo cosas para ayuda mi en mi misión. Gracias! ​

​God Speed! ​