Hot Summer in Mexico

July 21, 2014

Dear Everyone:

This week has been pretty great! Spanish is coming along really well I think, I’m learning a lot faster and probably the most important thing is that I’m comfortable speaking it, and I don’t hesitate to talk anymore. I don’t know how to say everything but I know how to explain and describe stuff to figure out how to say certain verbs or words. I don’t know if that makes sense.

I haven’t spoken English in like 3 weeks so that’s kinda interesting. I can’t pray in English anymore, I try to during my personal prayers but it always reverts back to Spanish cuz that’s where my brain has been, but I’m excited about that! And I can be funny in Spanish now! I crack lots of jokes and stuff when we eat with the members so I’m happy I can do that again. 

My companion is really cool, he helps a lot with Spanish, and we teach really well together. We have been having a lot of really good lessons recently really spiritual and everything. We are gonna have to leave Jesus and Manuela as investigators because they’re not progressing at all, and we’ve sent rides for them every Sunday and they never go when they say they will, also we found out yesterday that their basically interested in it for money so that was depressing. 

Hermana Silvia came back from Texas the other day so we’ve been trying to see her a lot but apparently she’s with her friends in the city for the next 8 days. And we have a new investigator named Aida, she’s really interested and really wants to be baptized and genuinely wants the best for her family, which is really great and guess what? She’s married! Hallelujah. But the only problem is she never shuts up, she learns and understands everything really well, but I think she literally just thinks out loud all the time. Then we had a lesson with her husband and her and we were hoping him being there would help her shut up... but he talks just as much as her. So it’s kinda a struggle the get ideas across, but when we do they understand and get it. 

So were hoping for baptisms soon, that would be awesome. We rode in the back of a truck again when a member gave us a ride so I made a video for you mom. Not a whole lot of crazy stuff has been happening here, but don’t worry I’m okay! The other night there was a storm and in the distance there was literally over 100 lighting strikes in less than a minute. I made a video for you guys. 

Things are good here, and don’t worry about sending the tabs, I found a place where we can get them here. Things are really great. I don’t really have a whole lot to share hope that’s okay! Miss you all! 

July 28, 2014

This week has been okay I guess. Working has been kinda slow, because our appointments keep falling through and since our area is so huge and we have to take the bus it kills A LOT of time when an appointment falls through. But some of our investigators have made some really good progress in the past week.

We have Hermana Aida who’s is really eager to learn and excited about the gospel, but her only problem is she almost never shuts up, she literally says everything in her head. She must have like ADDDDDHDDDHDHD, no but she’s a really awesome person and wants her family to all go to church because all of her kids like lock themselves in their rooms and don’t talk to each other. Surprisingly during gospel principles class she only asked like 2 questions and they were all justified! So she’s progressing in that area. 

And freaking Hermana Silvia, she’s back but her daughters always say she’s not home. Because they don’t want her to get baptized, but she already has her baptismal interview and everything we just need to do the actual ordinance so that’s a little frustrating. Today we went to the mission offices because my comp had a meeting with President Velez, then he interviewed me for like 5 minutes to see how I’m doing, but I told him about our problem with Hermana Silvia and he offered to come with us to teach her, we just need to get through to her and set an appointment. Other investigators are doing fine and progressing as well.

The pictures are kinda funny because we found a 2014 mustang in our area... freaking Narcos, and the people don’t trust anyone here so they tie down their candy bars. And yeah, I forgot if I told you but we always see the military and police driving around with mounted machine guns in their trucks and like 6 guys in the back with bullet proof vests. So you could tell that to Sister Decker to make her feel better. I also told President Velez that Kaleb is coming and I know him and what not, sooo maybe he will remember and let me train him! ahah probably not but we’ll see.

This week was THE HOTTEST week I have ever experienced in my life. At first I thought I was sick and really tired, which is why it was hard for me to work. Then we get to an appointment at about 7 and they tell us that it has been 120 for the past few days..... Needless to say I’m just amazed I’m still alive. After that particular day my slacks had tons of giant streaks of salt from all my sweat. Also I CAUGHT A HUGE TARANTULA in the street by the church. Then I brought it back to show the young women’s presidency of course, and they all screamed and one of them was so scared she just about dropped the 4 year old she was carrying! Aahah, I laughed so hard. 

I want to rant a little bit about my companion. He’s great and everything while were working but he drives me nanners in the morning. He only flushes his poop about 50% of the time, and during personal study he does about 30 really loud obnoxious moaning yawns. Same during lessons. And I’m just like, “Dude, I know you’re tired but you’re being a baby.” He’s kinda a slob too. Some days are better than others with him. We get along pretty well, just at home he bugs me, I think it’s because when were in public is has to have manners but at home he doesn’t. But other than that he’s great! Spanish is great everything is dandy. It’s just really really, really hot... Hope you’re all doing well forward me Josh’s letter please!

Love Elder Latimer

August 8, 2014

Everything is going pretty well here. Elder Moya and I are getting along better because I decided to work on being patient this week so were doing really well together. The time is passing really fast here I don’t know about things at home, but when you have something to do every hour of every day time passes really fast. Spanish is still progressing really fast so I’m really grateful for that. I hit a milestone now, because for the first time in the mission when I meet new people they don’t ask me if I’m new here, which is nice, because it means I’m speaking a lot more fluidly. 

This week was a little frustrating. We had 3 consecutive days where all of our appointments fell through. We had an appointment with Hermana Silvia and President Velez came with us and she wasn’t there...or so her daughters say. They always tell us she’s out with her friends, and I just want to yell at her and say "She’s 75 years old. She’s not out clubbing every day and doing crazy stuff with her friends you liar!" But who knows what’s going on? One day we had tropical storm for about an hour and were trapped in a member’s home for an hour or so. So we played games.

Our area is gigantic so it makes it really hard to get to appointments on time or to visit a lot of people if our appointments fall through. So it’s kinda frustrating, but we’ve had a decent number of street contacts so hopefully those lead somewhere. And we put in extra effort to visit almost all of our investigators personally Saturday night to remind them about church in the morning and invite them again, and they all said they would go. We were supposed to have 13 in the sacrament meeting but only two came, and the two that came have everything ready to be baptized the husband just has to divorce his old wife and re marry her. And they’ve been together for 20 something years and are unmarried but their kids are members and hold the priesthood and they’re at church every Sunday. So again, frustrating. 

But I’m actually pretty positive and optimistic about our investigators Not sure why, but I am! I really like Alma 26:27-30 right now. They talk about suffering with patience and you’ll have success, So I’m putting these scriptures into practice in particular. The sisters in our district had a baptism this weekend, and the investigators live directly in front of us (we don’t live in our area) and we got to be witnesses again for the baptism, so that was fun also we sang “Nearer my God to thee” during the service and, oh my goodness, my voice sounds like an angel compared to Mexicans. I don’t know what it is but Mexicans CANNOT SING. ahha it was pretty funny though.

Glad everything is going good at home! I’m super excited that Jordan finally got his visa. I’ve been praying for that like every day ahha. Yeah Ryan still hasnt written me back but I’ll send him another one. Is he still hanging out with Bryce? Just take the xBox from Joe or make him take programming classes. That’s crazy about the boat and the lake! Glad everything worked out though. Thanks for keeping me updated about the Seahawks and everything! It’s really nice to hear about ahah. 

Our district isn’t very athletic either. We went to great lengths to find a volleyball net and volleyball to play at the church, and NO ONE could rally to save their lives so that was kind of a bust. We were gonna go to the beach but president said no because it’s too far from our area. The heat hasn’t been too much worse than before but I have two pairs of paints that are both hotter than Africa. I like the thinner ones. They don’t say the brand on them but the mark is an H with a crown above it. When I wear the other ones I always sweat through them. Kinda gross, but it’s okay because everyone here sweats through their clothes.

But everything is good here, we have a pretty fun time while were working even if things don’t go our way, so were keeping our heads up and working hard! 

Stay safe! Love you all!

Elder Latimer

PS. oh yeah the picture of the psycho girl, shes a member and is crazy good at gymnastics and the sister missionaries were goobing out before the comida. Also people don’t call it lunch here they just call it “the food,” so that’s kinda funny. 

August 11, 2014

Hello!

This week was all right, I guess. Our numbers were really good. We had 20 contacts in the street which was pretty cool. One morning we had 3 contacts within 10 minutes. We just walked down the street and everyone was saying, “good morning Elder” to us. We also had a decent number of lessons and stuff and put a baptismal date with 1 of our investigators which was cool.

The thing that sucks about putting baptismal dates is that most people accept it and don’t actually work towards it, or have a full understanding of what they need to do. They just assume they can get baptized without doing anything so that’s frustrating, Also last Monday when we left the cyber cafe some guy flipped us off from his car then immediately after some little kid told us he hopes we get struck by lightning. So that was nice, ahha, it was actually really funny. 

I had some pretty sweet spiritual promptings this week, especially one day were working and I felt for some odd reason we should walk down a street we never walk down because nobody there wants to talk to us, but I told Elder Moya we should. Then right as we rounded the corner 3 kids who are like 14 years old are sitting their talking and they call out to talk to us and ask us if were Jehovah’s Witnesses. We said “no” and they were like "phew! I hate Jehovah’s Witnesses, they’re so annoying. Do you guys wanna come by and teach our families some day?" and of course we said yes.

We came back the next day and taught his mom a little bit. She’s really Catholic and she said she doesn’t like it when people disrespect the virgin, and I was like, “Well, we love the Virgin Mary,” and I read her a scripture in 1st Nephi prophesying about Christ’s birth and how pure the virgin is. She loved it and told us we can come back anytime we want and we should treat her house like our house! Great gateway scripture. Then we came back and visited the other kid’s dad who lives on the same street, and I knew him from before but we never got a chance to teach him because he’s always working. But he wants to go to church really bad and he told us to take his son to church! ahha so we’ve got some future investigators there.

A couple disappointments this week…we have an older investigator named Maria Santa and we have a really good relationship with her, and we passed by the other day and she was talking with some friends and she called out and said she’s Christian now and she doesn’t want to get taught, which was really weird. But were gonna see what’s up with her. Also President Velez says we probably have to leave Silvia, which sucks because we can never find her ever. I’m not sure if she’s just not answering or isn’t home, her phone is turned off too so we have no idea. 

Elder Moya has been getting on my nerves. Just so many little things he does irks the crap out of me. Like sometimes during lessons he'll bite his nails really loud, or sometimes our investigators give us little snacks during our lessons, like fruit or a cookie or a sucker or whatever. And he eats it in the loudest way possible and teaches with his mouthful, and I’m just like, “Dude, wait till it’s over or eat quietly please.”

But other times we have a lot of fun. I don’t know maybe I’m bi-polar. But today we went to the science center here in Culiacan and its really dinky compared to ours. Half of the stuff didn’t work or was out of service but we had fun. Also I caught Elder Moya sleeping again during personal study, the next time I’m gonna make a video and scare him while he’s sleeping so stay tuned for that. 

But nothing really exciting here. I’lll probably be here for another change. Really tired, haha, kinda sick, I think I have another stomach infection but we’ll see! Love you all! Glad everything is good at home and everyone is having fun.

Love, Elder Latimer