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August 18, 2014
Dear
All:
Things
are going pretty well here! We’ve gotten some really good progress with 3
investigators. We committed the three of them to a baptism date on September 20th.
Also I’m still here in my area for this transfer. Most missionaries here have 6
months in each area, but obviously it depends what President says. We have some
really good relationships here and the teenagers here are awesome. We’re
actually about to go play volleyball with them after we write today! So I’m
excited for that.
We were waiting for the
bus Saturday and I started talking to this girl and gave her a pass along card
with our number and what not, then she told me she was an atheist. But I said
that our message is for everyone and it doesn’t hurt to listen. She kinda
shrugged it off. But the next day we saw her on the bus again and talked with
her for about an hour after we got off the bus. She told me she doesn’t believe
in God because both her dad and brother are in jail for 10 plus nears for drug
trafficking. But we gave her a brief overview of the plan of salvation and she
asked about the Book of Mormon. I explained it to her, and gave her one. We
joked for a while after that and talked for about half an hour in the street
and she texted us today saying that she was up until 3 in the morning reading
the Book of Mormon and the Plan of Salvation pamphlet. So we’re super excited
about that! But she doesn’t live in our area... Sad day. But it’s okay, great
experience!
We also went looking for
the group of teenagers we met, and we had a lesson with 12 or 13 of them
sitting around on the porch listening in 100 degree weather in their last days
of summer vacation, so that was something pretty special. Then we came back the
next day and there was even more! haha We’re getting pretty well known in Santa
Rocio. They’re all great kids, but were probably gonna start teaching them separately
because obviously they all have different needs and questions and it’s really
hard to focus on just one kid. We walked by again the other day and no one was
there, but the family of one of the kids we’re teaching invited us in and we
talked for a little bit about why we’re here and that God is our loving
Heavenly Father. It went really well, I think. Plus they told us we could come
over any time we want, and if we ever need anything we can call them! So some
pretty amazing experiences this week!
I have some more stories
about my companion, but I’m not gonna share them because I’m trying to be more
positive. Also I only have 2 hours on the computer. No, not really. It’s just a
couple of things. But were having some pretty good success together, and we
teach really well together. Things are going really well here.
Glad that you’re all
having fun at home! Also, I found a funny scripture this week in Doctrine and
Covenants77:2 it’s a revelation received through Joseph Smith about the descriptions
from Revelations. Basically we learn that animals have spirits. They’re
different from ours, but they still have them! Which basically means ALL DOGS
GO TO HEAVEN!!!! Ahah. And Genesis 4:24 is for Ben. It’s about his favorite
band ahah
Also we went to the
hospital twice because Elder Moya thought he had Denge Fever, which is
basically the Mexican version of malaria, and it sucks alot. But he was good, just
a little sick. But we did find some other Elders from Washington! One lives in
Aberdeen and one in Redmond! Small world! ahah so that was cool. Also if you
could send me a new adapter thing for my camera memory card because that got
lost in my wallet too, that would be great. Also forward me Josh’s emails! haha
Love you all! Hope
everything is going great!
Elder Latimer
August 25, 2014
This
week was pretty awesome!
Really fun. We had a
missionary activity in the chapel. We did Lehi’s dream. It was awesome we had
an iron rod of pvc pipe and had temptations in a bunch of the rooms in the
hallways (like music, tv, food) and a bunch of people showed up it was really
fun and a great success.
The members here are so
awesome. We have so much fun and lots of laughs together, especially when we
eat with them. There’s one member named Toto (his nickname). He’s a less active,
but he’s super cool. He’s 24 years old and is an ex-gangster. He was in jail
for 4 years for armed robbery, and has been out for 8 months now. He tells us
lots of his gangster stories and how horrible Mexican prisons are! ahah But he’s
super awesome and wants to serve a mission so that’s great. And he just got a
hernia removed but he still came to church Sunday even though he could hardly
walk!
We’ve been having a lot
of success this week. We found 3 new families who are super prepared to hear
the gospel. One was a reference, and her name is Francisca and her sons name is
Jesus. She’s been reading the Liahona (magazine) for like 3 years and loves
everything in it. So we invited her to church, and she came with her son and
she took notes on a napkin during gospel principles. And later that night we
gave her and her son the first lesson, and they accepted baptismal dates, and
her son even helped us teach the lesson using an object lesson he learned in
Sunday school! Super awesome family.
We also found a new
investigator her name is Itzel. She’s like 16 and has lots of friends who are Mormon.
She told her friends that are in our ward that she wants to get baptized, and
she came to the church activity, so were gonna follow up with her soon!
One of our investigators
is kinda crazy. Her name is Aida. I think she has some mental problems, and she’s
also studying the bible with Jehovahs Witnesses so she’s getting really
confused. She came to church with our other investigator and her neighbor named
Guadalupe. Guadalupe is super awesome -- not very bright but she tries really
hard to study and understand everything. But, anywho, Aida told us it’s our
fault her kids treat her badly, and they don’t listen to her. When in reality
it’s just she doesn’t discipline her kids. And she is afraid of Elder Moya and
says he isn’t charming or something like that, (she said that to the sister
missionaries) and she wants the sisters to teach her. I said that they’re
welcome to teach her, cuz she’s super difficult.
The sisters in our
district had a baptism. The man’s family
was just baptized but he had to wait a little bit to quit smoking to get
baptized, but he’s super tight. They bought carne asada tacos the night before.
Then I spoke at his baptism, and Elder Moya baptized him. Then we confirmed him
during sacrament meeting it was super awesome. We’re expecting at least 3 or 4
baptisms this change, so I’ll keep you posted.
Were super excited and
all of our patience is finally paying off! Everything is going great here
Love, Elder Latimer
September 1, 2014
This
week was pretty great.
We had a multi-zone
meeting downtown in Culiacan with President Velez, the assistants, and
basically everyone. Our mission is basically 3 missions, Culiacan, Los Cabos,
and Mazatlan. But we learned a lot of great stuff so we were all pretty stoked
about that. They taught us we should pray really specifically to find new
investigators.
So Elder and Moya were
working at the furthest point in our area that we don’t know very well because
we didn’t have any appointments or anything. And we don’t knowIanyone so we
decided to say a specific prayer, and I said it. And I prayed that we’d find a
family sitting outside on their porch talking and that we would be able to
contact them.
So we start walking and
there’s a couple of guys sitting outside, and we decide to talk to them, and
they’re all smoking weed and rolling more joints and stuff. And we contacted
one of them, when we started talking to him he quickly passed his joint to his
friend. Ahah. But he said that he wants to learn more so that’s pretty cool. We’ll
see.
But we walked a little
bit further and found a family sitting outside talking on their porch and we
contacted them and they’re super cool and are pretty excited to learn more and
meet with us. We need to find a time to go back this week and meet with them
because they live really far away but were gonna try.
We had some good
lessons, but Francisca and Jesus and Guadalupe (investigators with baptismal
dates) didn’t come to church Sunday because they got some emergency call to go
help a family member or something. And I don’t know why Guadalupe didn’t come.
But were gonna visit them more frequently.
We had an investigator
blow up on us for no reason. I personally think she’s bipolar, and not just
because she blew up on us, but for lots and lots and lots of reasons. ahah. But
we went to her house to say “hi” and put another appointment during the week.
And we got there right when the power company shut off their lights so she was
pretty mad. But she told us to come in and talk so we did.
Then she just blew up
about literally everything that has ever happened in her life. Screaming at us
saying it’s our fault her family is messed up because we didn’t fix her family
and her kids don’t listen to her. And I don’t think she heard a single thing we
said during it, but we both kept calm. I think she needs professional help. She
told me that I’m racist, and I asked how and she said because the U.S doesn’t
allow illegal immigrants. Then she said were selective because we don’t teach
everyone in her street and how her neighbors must all feel bad because we don’t
visit them. Then I showed her in my planner our plans to visit her neighbors
and she told me to shut up. ahah.
Needless to say I’ not
excited to go back there.
Also I battled the double
headed dragon this Sunday, which in case you don’t know is when you have to go
to the bathroom and puke at the same time and decide which one you want to do.
(I didn’t really), but I was puking during sacrament meeting because I have
golpe de color which literally means “heat punch” in Spanish. But I’m pretty
sure its heat stroke ahah.
Then I went and laid down
in a room during sacrament meeting and during the prayer and 5 year old decided
to run and jump full force on my stomache during the prayer because he thought
I was sleeping. If I wasn’t a missionary I would have smacked that kid. And a
doctor in the ward checked me out for free and told me to drink electrolytes
and assured me I should drink it now. So we went to a little store nearby and
bought one. And I drank it really slow but then puked it all up again 5 minutes
later. It was really funny because while a was puking a little kid in the ward
was watching me in the bathroom and kept asking "Elder Latimer are you
puking?" Then I’d say “yes” and puke again then he’d ask again immediately
after. Ahah. This happened about five times. I was trying not to laugh while I
was puking ahha.
But the members are
super awesome. While I was resting up at our house like 5 different families
came buy brought medicine, juice, fruits, and electrolyte stuff. So that was
really helpful. I still don’t feel too hot today but we only have 2
appointments so I’ll see how I feel. Also this week it was over 120 again for
two days when we practically walked all day which is probably why I’m sick. And
it was about 85 degrees at night! Crazy heat here. But I’m surviving.
That’s awesome about
Jonathan and Jace up at the lake! Glad everyone is doing well up there! We’re
hoping to have some baptisms before this change is over so I’ll keep you all
updated! Take care. Love you all!
Elder Latimer
September 8, 2014
Hello!
Sounds like everything
is going well at home! Love hearing how everyone is doing. This week was pretty
normal but we had a lot of fun and were still teaching a lot. We don’t really
do much on p-days because it’s too freaking hot and there’s like nothing to do
in our area so we take naps and go hangout with members in their houses.
Everything is better
now. I was at 100% by Tuesday, so I’m grateful for that. We had a pretty funny
experience. We were working In Aguaruto, the more ghetto part of our area where
are the big drug deals go down. And we had an appointment at 8 at night in the
very very last street in the neighborhood (by the way Aguaruto is so big it
could be its own area). So we were walking in sort of a dangerous part and some
guy asked us if we were lost. Needless to say that didn’t really comfort us.
But I always feel comfortable and safe here. I’m not really afraid to get
robbed or anything. I mean if they want 40 pesos and scriptures have at it
ahha.
Yesterday we went to
Aguaruto to visit some people, and every single one of our plans fell through
so that kinda sucked. But teenagers love to yell swearwords at us in English
because it’s the only English they know. They don’t do it in a mean way they
just want to see my reaction. But I called some of them over because I told
them I didn’t know what language they were trying to speak haha. But then I
started messing with them and I was like "you dont know what that means
right?" And they said, “yeah, it’s a swear word.” And I told them that it’s
not a swear word and that it means, “I’m gay” ahahh. They all turned bright red
because they had just yelled it like 10 times ahha. I don’t think they'll be
swearing again soon ahah.
We had another lesson
with our crazy investigator. Well sort of. Her neighbor is progressing really
well, and she has a baptism date for September 20th. And she comes over
uninvited when she hears us. I think she has a multi personality disorder. Our
mission president said not to visit her anymore and to tell bishop to talk to
her. She came to church again and apparently was really, really rude to the
sister missionaries during relief society. But afterwards she told me she loved
relief society and has a really good bond with the other sisters in the ward...
I think she’s delusional ahah.
I feel like I’ll
probably get transferred after this change, but nothings for certain ahah. This
mission is crazy. You can never tell where you’re going to get transferred. It’s
crazy hearing about my friends from college that are going to be going home in
a couple months. I’m a little bit behind. I just hope they won’t all be married
by the time I get back. That would be a huge bummer.
I think I’m going to
wait to Christmas to send you all the stuff I bought for your birthdays and
other holidays because it will be cheaper. Ask Joe, Jonathan, and Jace, if
there’s anything specific they want from Mexico, and I’ll look for it.
Glad everyone is doing
great! We’re expecting some baptisms soon, and my Spanish is still getting
really good. Still not fluent but I’m still dreaming in Spanish ahah so that’s
tight. Miss you all! Love you all!
Elder Latimer
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