Merida - Week 6

Hola!

Today is the first day of transfers! We found out last night that we staying together and staying in the same area. I'm really excited because I'm starting to really love the ward here and the investigators. I'm realizing how nice I have it too! It's funny to think back on those first days/weeks I was here. Everything seemed so dirty and old, but it's really not so bad. I think we just so happened to visit all the people with some of the older/grosser houses those first few days, which didn't help me get the best picture in my head of Merida!

English Classes

Yesterday at church we had lots of investigators again! One was Alvaro and he brought his girlfriend (50ish yrs). Both are SUPER promising. Maria (23 yrs) and Jesus (60) are both searching, and I think they really like what they're finding. Maria has some health/family problems and just wants to be happy. Jesus is looking for truth. Before we started teaching he was really into the "holy ghost." We also had part of the Balbina family again- Hermana Lili (less active), her son Christian (10 yrs- not baptized), other Maria (45ish yrs- works in the house of Hermana Lili) and Hermana Lili's sister and 3 kids who are less active, but great. Every time we visit their family it feels like a huge class because there are so many of them. We're are really working on Maria and her husband because they are so close to a baptism. They just have some weird ideas...for example, they believe the "forbidden fruit" that Adam and Eve ate is a symbol for sex. We had to explain that Adam and Eve were innocent and made the decision to eat the fruit to keep God's other commandment to have kids. That was really fun to explain!!! (feel free to edit this mom haha)

Valentines Day: Dia de Amor/Amistad. So it looks like people celebrate the holiday pretty much the same here. The kids do chocolate exchanges and cards at school. The parents don't really do much. The teenagers are all over it though. I saw more of THEM with flowers and balloons. I saw a guy with a HUGE bouquet of Valentines Day balloons which was fun. When we were walking home I saw some teens slow dancing in the dark street to some phone music, romantic right?

We also happened to visit Luis Enrique that day. He's the investigator that when he texts about appointments, he adds "ojitos azules" and "besos." He was super sad to not have anyone to celebrate that day with, and was all poetic to us about it. We left him a candy, but also told him he can't be all flirty with us. Poor thing.

Oh, something kinda fun. We ran into a guy from the UK. He doesn't speak much Spanish, but he speaks English. We are going to go teach him hopefully this week. He and his wife are just living here for fun, and don't really have a religion. He is super laid back and nice, probably around 45ish years old? I'm super excited to teach him.

Yesterday we went to another part of Merida, it’s about 45 minutes away called Izamal.  We went to teach Pascual's family. We didn't get much time to stay because waiting for the bus took forever, but it felt like a mini vacation. There are way more trees there, so that was pretty. More of the houses were like huts, with the grass cone roofs. There are also tons of vultures here I've realized. Ah, and in the pueblos SPIDERS. Like, super huge tarantulas!!!  At the service activity a few days ago, one of the sisters was telling me how there are SO many spiders and bugs and snakes in the pueblos. And also, the spiders jump. I really hope I stay in the city for awhile! All I see here are lizards and HUUUGE Iguanas that are super fast- I think I sent a picture of one a few weeks ago.

The lesson with Pascual's wife went ok. We had the elders in that area with us, so the 4 of us taught. She doesn't really understand preisthood or apostasy, so we took forever with that, then rushed through the rest because we had to catch the bus back. I think we will go back again, and we will be better prepared.

A little piece of home!!!  Looks JUST like her Cat Muddy Buddy!

Well, things are really good! I'm really happy! It really does feel like we get showered with blessings even though it's sometimes hard. I'm learning that everything depends on your perspective. Some missionaries are having a hard time, but it because they're choosing to not be happy. There is always something to be happy about- even if it's as simple as remembering, "Wow, I'm a child of God. And he loves me and cares about me." I hope you are all doing good. You're all in my prayers :)
Love Hermana Harper