"Feria" & Just Think That You´re Blessed to Have Temples So Close. I Have Realized Here in the Mission That I Have A Lot in Life.

We live in a pink building on 5 de mayo in Tezontepec

Hello family & friends, 

Honestly, I don´t know what I am going to write about this week. I know that we did an incredible amount of work, but it all goes by so fast and all blends together. I guess I can start with the "feria" or the fair that they have here. It´s just a whole bunch of those little kid rides and candy, and everyone goes to mass. They all say that they pretty much go to mass once or twice a year- Christmas and during the fair. I don´t know why it is that way, but it is. And with the fair comes fireworks, but they aren´t like OUR fireworks. They´re just big bombs that go off in the air, but the joke is that they start at 5:00 in the MORNING!!! Ah! It´s awful! But it´s fun because in 2 years, I 

won´t be able to say that anymore. 

Mexico City Temple

Oh, and they youth this week are going to the temple in Distrito Federal so that they can do baptisms. When I was at home, I struggled a little when we went to the Temple at 5:30am, however, think about this..... ARRIVE at the temple at 5:30am, BUT, you have to leave your ward building at 3:00 to get there on time. Just think that you´re blessed to have temples so close. I have realized here in the mission that I have a lot in life. 

This week we didn´t find very many people to teach, but we had 6 referrals come to church yesterday, so we have six new people to teach who already have a support system. That´s awesome. Also, I would exhort you all to give missionaries referrals when they ask for them. I know that it is sometimes a little annoying ( at least I was annoyed when they wanted to check my contacts list for referrals) but it is so worth it. Just like the scripture that says "How great will be your joy if you bring but one soul unto me", you can all be a part of that joy. I promise. 

Well, I know that Christ lives. He is our Savior forever. Heavenly Father knows each one of you and He is looking out for you. Just look for His help and it is there. There is a talk titled "It is better to look up." It´s a good one, but I know that each of us have so many blessings in life to look for, if we will just look. That is one thing that I am focusing more on this week, is look for the blessings. 

Count your many blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings and see what God hath done. (something like that, because the Spanish is getting to me)

"May the Lord bless you, and I know that He will." -Rex L. Christensen

 

Hasta ver, 

Elder Hill 

P.S. photo is from Dylan Taylor. I think he said it is his cousin, but it shows that there is a disadvantage to losing weight! 

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS 

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     *Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
     [*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Farmland Journey and Citrus Essential Oil

No matter were i go or what I do, there will
always be a lot of "cop" in me!

HOLA!!!

Life in Tezontepec is super cool because it is city with farmland. Just walking down the street, we hear cows, turkeys, chickens, dogs, pigs, etc. It’s nice to be out in the open air instead of in the city.

Just a few things that are kind of cool that I found out this week.

Elder Hill on a wire bridge

1- I went into the MTC on the wedding anniversary of Joseph and Emma Smith.

2- Elder Dillon Taylor from American Fork is in my district now, and he knows Melissa Angus. Strange to have connections when we’re like 6,000 miles from home.

Elder Trevino with a chicken

Elder Hill and a hen...did he ever
tell you the Little Red Hen Story
was cited to him MANY times!

I really enjoy my new companion and all that we are doing in our area.  I am working harder with him than I have in my whole mission and I really enjoy that. We have found a lot of people this week, but they’re not really secure for progressing. There is one couple, Jose and Flor, that we are working with. They have two kids, but aren’t married. Flor is a member just Jose no. We met with them yesterday after church to talk to them about the word of wisdom. Turns out that Jose has difficulties with smoking and drinking on occasion. He said that he is willing to give it all up to be closer to his family and friends. Then, the marriage thing came up. Jose said that he wants to get married, but Flor was a little hesitant. She said that she doesn’t want to marry him (keep in mind that they already have two kids together) because of how Jose drinks and smokes. We asked her that if Jose quit smoking and drinking in 3 weeks, if she would marry him. Her answer was YES! It’s just super cool to see how many blessings we can receive from living the commandments.

There is another hermana, Inez, who isn’t married either because her boyfriend is still married to his previous wife, and hasn’t divorced. He is a member but super inactive and she feels like he is holding her back a little bit from progressing (being baptized with her kids) and to keep going. We are working on that situation as well. We might be missionaries with the power of God, but we don’t have powers to marry or divorce people on the spot. That would be kind of cool though!

So here is the citrus oil part. (Mother’s letter last week: There are at least 20-24 months that you will have opportunities to have the oils serve you and during that time you will know when your mission is up who you are prompted to leave the oils with.)

Yesterday we were at a homecoming for a missionary that came home and there is this 4 year old kid in the ward who is super hyperactive and just mischievous as can be. He is innocent, but he is still difficult to control. Well, my mom so lovingly sent me some essential oils that I didn’t think I would use and yesterday I had brought some with me to show an hermano in the ward who uses them. I handed him a blend of citrus oils. He went over to this super active kid and rubbed this oil behind his ears and was like "Oscar! Smell this!"...... and within 5 minutes this kid was calm as can be! The 5 of us who knew what happened were laughing soooo hard! I think we found a solution for Sunday so that everyone can take the sacrament without yelling and screaming. :)

My Captain Moroni stance, overlooking the river.

Pictures--

-Elder Trevino with a chicken (like Simba)

-Me with the hen

-A super huge pig

-Oh, and "I didn’t know it was there.... It isn’t mine!" (Marijuana leaf)
-Me on a wire bridge over a river

Well my friends, this is what I am doing in Tezontepec!

I hope that you are all enjoying your summer!

The difference between who you ARE and who you want to BECOME, is what you do. ~ Hermana Call

Estimados amigos mios, 

Elders Hill & Galvan outside wardhouse

Today we had transfers, and I got transferred from La Quebrada to a place called Tezontepec Hidalgo. Honestly, I thought that I was for sure going to stay with Elder Galvan because President Call asked me two weeks ago if I could stand going another week with Galvan. I told him that I would do what he felt I should do, but looks like the Lord had different plans for me. So, I am with Elder Trevino who is also my new district leader. Tezontepec is a pueblo or village in the state of Hidalgo. It´s kind of like Cache Valley in that it is still populated and urban, but there are cows and fields and all that. Pretty cool, but I have only seen a very small part of it in the 5 hours I have been here. 

Here is a quote or poem that I found in the house that I like:

"All the water in the world

No matter how it tried

Could never sink the smallest ship

Unless it got inside. 

All the evil of the world

And every kind of sin 

Could never hurt a human soul

Unless we let it in."

-anon

"The difference between who you ARE and who you want to BECOME, is what you do." 

-Hermana Call  

So true. WE have more power than Satan and all of his minions because we have bodies and they don´t. WE have God on OUR side and they do not. 

Elder Galvan, Juan's familia & Elder Hill

Oh, how could I almost forget that we had a baptism Saturday! Juan was baptized Saturday after almost two months of teaching him. We taught him very sporadically and that´s why it took so long, but he finally got baptized and a lot of his family was there, even though they aren´t members of our Church. That was cool to leave an area with a baptism and confirmation. 

Well my friends, this is another part of my journey here in Mexico. Life is always changing and I´m looking forward to working in a ranch town versus a city with tons of people. I´ll let you know how it goes! Oh, and if Jasilyn hasn´t left for Spain yet-- Good luck Jassy! 

Con carino, 

Elder Hill 

Salvador, Elder Hill, Ana & Nino

PS- Salvador, (Elder Hill's 1st Baptism) cut his hair. Not because he wanted to, but because he found a job and they asked him to do it. Either way, it looks gooooooood! 

(1st Baptism) Elders Hill & Nunez w/ Ana,
Salvador & Nino March 2012

SCHOOLS OUT AT HOME AND THE TALE OF THE BLACKBERRY (& OTHER PHONES!)

Hey, 

I got your packages. Thank you for everything in there.

I know where the circus is!!!

Also, this is a combi that ran into a tree... who knows how, but it did. This is who we get around our area. 

This is another one that says "Looking for a girlfriend: nice, simple, and if possible- cute. Sincerely Miguel Angel (ring the bell)"

Solicito Novia, carinosa, sencilla, y si se pude hermosa

School´s out at home, but the kids here still have a week left. It´s so strange to think that it was a year ago last year that I graduated and here I am in Mexico preaching the gospel!

Just thought I´d share a few things from this week, spiritual and just a little bit of randomness. First the randomness. Here, they teach that there are only 5 continents- America is one and Europe is one. Also, they count their weeks as 8 days. For example, on Sunday they say that "Every 8 days we have the opportunity to take the Sacrament and come to church." They say 8 days because they count the day that we are in (e.g. Sunday) twice. They value their time and their family, because pretty much everyone works here and it is all for the family and school. They seem to understand a little better than we (or I) do about time, family, and helping everyone out. Of course, there are exceptions, but for the most part, that is how the people are. It´s awesome. More of this letter HERE (Click me)