Week 12: Mexican Food, Service Projects and The Houston Temple

This week has been really good. There are a few things that I would like to share, that really stuck out but everything else just seems to blur together. One thing I would like to share that doesn't get enough credit is: THE FOOD HERE IS AMAZING. It's all Mexican food and it is really good. But like, it's really good, but for reals, its good. And it isn't just good, but every house we eat at makes so much that I feel like I'm dying from all the food I just ate. We ate with the Maldonado's on Tuesday and they made fish and chips with tortillas and salsa (so British and Mexican all in one), and I ate so much but the amount of food that was on the table seemed to grow larger every bite I took. Hermana Maldonado was just frying up more and more, and I was thinking to myself, when is she going to stop? Finally she did!!!!! Also shout out to the Castillo's for doing the same thing every week. They are another family in our ward that feed us way to good, luckily I had to use the restroom before Hermana Castillo could offer me another plate. Twas a close one for sure. 

So what is Fun? In Spongebob they ask the same thing. Well on Saturday we got to do a huge service project for a guy who has hoarded sooooooo much junk. His wife asked us to come clean it out because the city was going to sue her if it wasn't cleaned out. Well while we were cleaning it out, Elder Murdoch (one of the Elders in our zone who was on an exchange with Elder Bonzo) and I started singing: F is for friends who do stuff together U is for you and me, N is for anyone and anytime at all oh here in the deep blue sea. After all three verses we switched to: I call this one the campfire song song. Good times, good times!

Here is a picture of the garbage from the service project we did.  We were working on it for 3 hours and only made a dent. They kept going and worked on it for the whole day and maybe finished half of it. We filled up 3 giant dumpsters with that stuff, and still have a ways to go.

Another pic from our service project.

 The last one is of Elder Christensen, me and Hermano Galleano at his house.

In every email I usually talk about dogs, I don't know why. But this week I got Elder Christensen to touch a dog. I was holding a tiny dog at a members house and Elder Christensen actually shook the dogs paw. It was incredible. Sorry I just had to put that in. Cause I have been waiting for that moment for a good six weeks. Speaking of six weeks, I cannot believe that my first transfer in the field is over. It feels like I just got here, and it's weird because all the days are blurred together. If you are a missionary and you are reading this, I know you would agree. But one transfer filled with learning and amazing experiences is in the books, and this week was a great way to end it. 
There were four events that were probably the best of them all. First: We have the opportunity to teach an English class to a bunch of people who don't speak English, and it is a great way to meet people, help them, invite them to activities with the ward, and eventually get them to Church where the spirit can be the teacher. Well we were able to teach one of our English class member this week, whose name is Raul. He is about 25 and just moved here from Mexico. He has a really bright future, and has a lot of knowledge. We were able to teach the Restoration to him. The spirit became the teacher, I know this for a fact. When we were sharing the First vision with him, and had the Restoration Pamphlet picture turned to him, and as Elder Christensen quoted the first prayer lines: vi una columna de luz, mas brillante que el sol, directamente arriba de mi cabeza; y esta luz gradualmente descendio hasta descansar sobre mi Al reposar sobe mi la luz, vi en el aire arriba de mi a dos personajes, cuyo fulgor y gloria no admiten descripcion. Uno de ellos me hablo, llamandome por mi nombre, y dijo, senalando al otro . . . Este es mi Hijo Amado: Escuchalo! We asked Raul if he knows that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and he said: "yes". The spirit was teaching, not us. He wants to come to church, and learn more. The lord works in marvelous ways, and its amazing that I have the opportunity to see that right now. 

The second event that stood out, was temple tour. Once a transfer, our mission does a temple tour of the Houston Temple. If we are able to bring an investigator to the temple, we are able to go. We also got a ride up with Mario and Rosi Castillo, which was fun, and crazy all at the same time. The whole night was incredible. The temple was so beautiful, and it kind of reminded me of Temple Tuesdays back in Utah. We were able to take Lorenzo, who was just baptized last week. He loved it!!! It was perfect, because in a few more weeks we are going to have the opportunity to go do baptisms with him for his own ancestors. Man this work is absolutely amazing!!!

Houston, Texas LDS Temple

Me, Rosi and Mario right next to the temple, with an awesome sunset.

Last two spiritual events: yesterday Lorenzo was able to receive the Holy Ghost in sacrament meeting. He is amazing. I love him. He is so incredible and every time I see him now he has a smile on his face. I'm grateful for him and for the opportunity that he had to get the gift of the Holy Ghost, who will comfort him in his trials, but who will also bring him peace and joy in his greatest moments of life. The last thing that happened, was on Thursday Elder Christensen got the opportunity to give 3 priesthood blessings of healing. It was incredible. The spirit was oh so strong, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of that experience as well. 

I am grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, and that I can be a representative of Jesus Christ. As a representative of Jesus Christ I would like to ask each one of you a question: who do you want to be tomorrow? I feel that we stress so hard on thinking what I want to be like in a couple of months or a couple of years, when all we need to focus on is the person we need to be tomorrow. I know that as we come closer to our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, tomorrow will be better and better. 

Thanks everyone. I love you all and am grateful for each one of you. Have a lovely week. Hasta Luego and Recuerda Quien es.

District Swag #1

District Swag #2

District Swag #3

Love Elder Heiner :)