"The Pure Love of Christ" & Joseph Smith: "El amor puro de Cristo" & Joseph Smith

Photo nicknamed by Elder Hill's whole district as "The Pure Love of Christ."

Hola, ít´s good to hear about all the things that are going on at home. It is crazy to think that next week school starts already. Summer has gone by way to fast. Sounds like Destiny is having fun and enjoying spending time with you. Tell Ryan and Allie that I hope that they get the house and Josh that he does well. Our ward mission leader´s name is Josué, or Joshua, in Spanish. They are similar in many ways, actually. Thanks for my package. It did get here. Some of the ward members saw that I left the bishop´s house with it and they started telling me to open it, so I did. The most interesting thing was the wax paper that said, "Mom and Destiny´s dead skin" with tape on it. (Destiny put tape on me for some reason, then her and turned around and put it in plastic wrap and threw it into Matthews package…guess we started some new weird thing!) Don´t worry, I´m going to send my package this week with something that tops that. Keep up the good work- you´re doing great! Also, ask Abel what´s up with the mission. He should have his call by now.... Also, can you look up Nuñez on Facebook and send me his email for next week, please? It is Alex Nuñez from Acapulco.... The other picture is from when we got soaked at night. We ran three blocks straight and still got drenched.

I´m not really sure if I have sent this picture, but if not, here it is. It has been nicknamed "The Pure Love of Christ" by my entire district. Sometimes it feels good to just be a bit of a dork. Elder Treviño and I this week also talked about how we need to love others in order to love Christ and Heavenly Father. It feels like sometimes we just say that we get along with people, but it doesn´t really mean that we love them. It is a difference that from this week on, I will work on correcting. 

Most likely the picture he had

This week Paulino, they guy who has been investigating the church for about 10 years, since his daughter was baptized, had something amazing happen. He laid down one night to go to bed thinking of other things, but once he fell asleep he dreamed that somebody from the old days told him that the Book of Mormon was true. On Saturday morning I felt to take a picture of Joseph Smith that I had on my wall with our lesson to him that day. I brought it and asked him to remember about his dream and what the guy looked like. He grabbed his Book of Mormon and turned to Joseph Smith and said it looked kinda like him. Then I gave him the pic of Joseph and he was like, "Yeah, that´s him! That´s the guy!" He didn´t know who the two pictures were, but we told him that they were Joseph Smith. Then he took us to buy a cake and we ate cake, and we didn´t get any further in the lesson.... until next time, I guess. I hope that he accepts it.

 READ MORE HERE!!

Lo Mejor de Ambos Lados ~ (Best of Both Sides) and A Lamb In A Wheelbarrow, Now Missing it's Hoof(ves)

Me with a lizard in the street that Elder Baez
caught when we were on exchanges

Hey,

Bummer to hear about Tom passing away. He was a really great guy. 

Tell Chris sorry to hear about his brother. That´s a bummer also, but he´s in a better place being taught the Gospel.

I still haven´t received the package, either. It should come this week, but I don´t really know. Should get it before transfers on the 3rd.

Something I´ve learned and dealt with here in Mexico is just because one is released doesn´t mean they should stop going to church. A member of the Church never gets released from being a member nor un-assigned from visiting/home teaching. Christ doesn´t need the church; we need the church in order to make it back to His presence. If we don´t fulfill with ALL of the ordinances, we won´t be able to make it back. And ONLY in this Church do we have that opportunity. It isn´t a game, it´s salvation.

The mission is great. I´m enjoying everything that I do. And I won´t be coming home early.... sorry! (I had a dream/nightmare, really that he came back early from an injury! We are thrilled even if we miss him, we don't wanna see him early!)

LOOK TO SEE IF TRANSLATE WILL WORK ON TOP OF BROWSER OR TO RIGHT CLICK TRANSLATE. I have always wanted him to write in Spanish and as I received this, I wanted to beg him not to! I have attempted to do so here... (Wendy)

Muy buenas tardes a todos, (Very good afternoon to all)

 

Ésta semana estuvo muy bien. (This week was very good.) México ganó el oro en las Olimpiadas en Inglaterra y Estados Unidos ganó a México en un partído nacional aquí, entonces tengo lo mejor de ambos lados de mi mente. (Mexico won gold in the Olympics and the United States won Mexico, so it's the best of both sides on my mind.)

 

United States 1, Mexico 0. U.S. Wins in Mexico, (Soccer) for the First Time In 75 Years!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/sports/soccer/soccer-roundup.html

 

Ésta semana yo leí un discurso que se llama "Only an Elder" por Bruce R. McKonkie y ese hombre era muy poderoso. (This week I read "Only An Elder, by Bruce R. McKonkie, he is a powerful man.) http://www.lds.org/ensign/1975/06/only-an-elder?lang=eng 

Aprendí mucho de lo que yo debo hacer y ser como misionero y miembro de ésta iglesia. Lo recomiendo para todos, aunque sean mujeres.  (I learned more of what I have to do as a missionary and member of this Church. I recommend it for everyone, even the woman.) También estaba leyendo otro discurso que se llama "The Transforming Power of Faith and Character" por Richard G. Scott de la Conferencia de Octubre 2010, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/the-transforming-power-of-faith-and-character 

creo. Igual, aprendí muchisimo is es una fuente muy poderosa de lo que tenemos que hacer como miembros y discípulos de Cristo. (A lot is learned and (these) are a very powerful source(s) for us to know what we should do as (Church) members and Disciples of Christ.)

 

Hilda todavía quiere tomar un bautizmo y eso es muy bueno. (Hilda wants to be baptized and that is very good.) Solo tenemos unos detalles con ella porque tiene que ir a Veracruz otra vez para trabajar, y no sabemos todavía lo que va a hacer. (We have details to work out because he has to work in Veracruz) Encontramos una persona que se llama Victor. Es muy buena persona y acceptó su fecha bautismal, (We found a person named Victor, he is a very good person, we accept his baptismal date,) pero no pudo venir a la capilla ayer porque se esposa tuvo una cita con el ultrasonido para su embaraza. (he could not come yesterday because his wife had an ultrasound appointment.) Lo vamos a visitar hoy. (We will visit today.) Nadia se mudó hasta otro lado y ya no podemos vistarle, tampoco la dieron permiso sus padres para bautizarse. (Nadia moved to the other side, so we cannot visit, nor did parents give permission to baptize (her).) Vamos a dejar Edgar y Denise una semana más para ver sí deciden que quieren venir a la iglesia y cumplir con sus compromisos. (We leave Edgar & Denise for another week to see if they will come to church & fulfill their commitments) No es su tiempo todavía. (It's not their time yet) Estamos enseñando a Paulino y su familia. (We are teaching Paulino & family) Son investigadores de años con muchos misioneros. (Some investigators spent years with many missionaries.) Su hija es miembro, pero no vive aquí. (Her daughter is a member, but does not live here.) Su problema es que estan un poco duros de corazón pero lo ésta (Her problem is a little hard heart, (softening.) ablandando mucho, y éstan progresando poco a poco. (progressing a little) Por fin estan leyendo el Libro de Mormón, so faltan que lean y oran para recibir una respuesta. (They are finally reading the Book of Mormon, so now to pray and receive a confirmation of it's truth/ a reponse.) José tomó despúes de su bautizmo, como una semana, pero ya está bien. Él quiere dejar todo atrás y empezar de nuevo. (I think it says Jose took off after his baptism, about a week later is doing well but left for a fresh start...basically.)

Me "playing" the guitar with a hat and
ray-ban´s looking like a country song

Tuvimos entrevistas el Viernes y fueron muy bien. Hablé con presidente, y me siento muy bien en mi progreso como persona y misionero. (Interviews Friday went very well, I spoke to President (Call), I feel I am progressing very well as a person & missionary.)

 

Pués, es todo. No hay nada más interesante pasando aquí. (Well that's all, Nothing more interesting here) Vamos a seguir trabajando y haciendo todo lo posible para encontrar personsas para enseñar. (We will keep working to encounter people to teach.) Que hagan todo lo posible para ser lo mejor que pueda, en si mismo, y no comparandose con otras personas. (Make every effort to be the best you can, in yourselves, don't compare yourself to others.)

 

Hasta luego, (Until then,)

Elder Hill

Wait until the 3rd and I will tell you what´s up. (re: transfers) Also, you can add this to my letter, but I´m not going to write in Spanish. (WHEW!!)

Now, The Lamb!  CAUTION: READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

On Saturday, we went to find a person in a village called Anaya. We ended up finding somebody else, but right as we started talking to them, some guy came out to the street with a lamb in a wheelbarrow. I thought, "Huh.... he´s just going to wheel the sheep to where he needs it instead of walking it. That´s strange." But no, it was even more strange. He just takes it to the side of a ditch and kills it. Elder Treviño runs over to ask him what he is doing and he jsut says that they have some baptisms tomorrow so they are going to cook some barbacoa lamb. So, while I am teaching these two people outside of their house, Treviño is over there taking pictures and recording the whole thing. When I finish, I go over and contact the guy and tell him that we are missionaries. At one point in the process, the guy breaks one of the hoofs off to have his kids take it to start being cleaned to cook. Then my companion asks if he can break one of the remaining three, and he does! Then I, being a little bit competitive, decided that I would ask, too, and I got to break one! I was a little more worried about blood getting on my shirt than my companion, but I came out clean. Normally I would say "No way!", but only once in my life will I ever be able to say that I broke a sheep hoof in my mission. That was the strangest part of the mission so far, because I saw everything-- from skinning, to hanging it in a tree and taking all the parts out. (I'll bet that GROSSED him out!)

Gotta go, Love you.

Fried Beetles, Scorpions & STUDY the Scriptures

Shumways....Fried BEETLES!!

I was going to write in Spanish today, but as they say here, "me dio flojera hacerlo". Or in other words, I got lazy. :)

Eating???? a Shumway

This week was a little crazy. I forgot to tell you all about the dog bite story with Elder Taylor, but from what I hear, it is already on the blog so happy reading! The dog that bit him is still alive and he doesn´t have to get shots. That makes him happy! He doesn´t like shots.

I ate these fried beetles that are called Shumways this week. They tasted like fried pig skin, so I don´t recommend eating them. Not so great. 

READ & SEE MORE HERE!!

Elders Hill, Taylor & Hermana Call: DOGBITE

Elders Cruz, Trevino, TAYLOR & HILL@Atlantes

Hermana Patricia Call & Presidente J. Dana Call

Hi Wendy,

I’m really slow at updating Dylan’s blog but I wanted you to see the adventure he related in Monday’s letter.  This is straight from his letter, no editing as you can see.

 okay well im gonna tell you guys a story. but im just going to relate the conversation that i had with Elder Hill, Myself, and the Hermana Call.

EH: Okay we need to call the hermana....

Phone Ringing.....

HNA: Bueno?

EH: Hi hermana its elder hill

HNA: Hi elder hill how are you?

EH: Im fine but my companion is not.

HNA: What happened?

EH: Well i did divisions with elder taylor and we were knocking on a door and facing the door and out of nowhere a dog comes up and bites him on the butt.

HNA: Oh okay well is it bad?

EH: Well it broke the skin

ME: No! dont say that she will think you have seen my butt!

EH: It wasnt your butt it was just your left cheek.

ME: Hill! she doesnt need to know that!

EH: Hermana we are men here okay.

HERMANA LAUGHING REALLY HARD

hahaha so it was crazy. a stupid dog bit my butt. and i might have to get shots. the hermana said if the dog dies within 10 days it has rabies and i have to get shots, if not then i dont have to. so now we have 4 days down and we’ll see if it lives haha. but im fine. it just hurt to sit down for a few days. but now im all fine and such.

I’m glad Elder Hill was with him, it sounds like his paramedic training kicked in.  The best line is “we are men here okay”.  So funny!

We have been laughing about this and saying carefully worded prayers for Dylan all week.  “Please bless Dylan’s …injury...”

I just hope he is using antibiotic ointment on it and other than that it will be a great story for him to tell about his mission.  Knowing Dylan he’ll get a lot of mileage out of it.

Just wanted to share, have a great day!

Wendy

Barbacoa Pork & "Discipline Is “Knowing What You Want And Taking The Most Direct Route To Get It!”

Hey Mom, 

Thanks for sending the package. I really appreciate it. I still haven´t sent the package yet. I have been waiting to see a few things. Transfers are somewhere around the 1st of September, but it depends because there are a few missionaries leaving next week so we might have emergency transfers. I´ll let you know when I know. 

I asked you to tell Susan thank you for me. Please let her know. 

Bummer to hear about XXXXXXXXXX. Seems like those two just can´t get out of their own holes and into the right path. I´ll pray for them. 

Here is a quote: "Discipline is “knowing what you want and taking the most direct route to get it!” If you know what you want, you will go for it. Just like the Olympics. 

Congrats to Ryan. I hope he gets the house! 

Viewmont is a good school, however, there are more opportunities to do wrong there, just because the bad stuff is more available and more known, but it is a good school. It all depends on the person and what he wants to do with his life. 

I´ll send my SD card home with this new package that I´ll send.

I´ll wait for the package and all that. Life is good. The work goes on. I´m in Tezontepec de Aldama, not in Tula de Allende. Tula is a different area than mine. 

I´ll wait for your reply. 

Love you, 

Elder Hill 

Hi-Thai! (That´s what Treviño always says to little kids who ask if we speak a different language) 

This week went better than last week did. Jose and Flor got married this week after a whole lot of jumbling things and working with our connections in the government to get them married, they finally tied the knot. They said it pretty much just feels the same, but now they are keeping the commandments. Jose was baptized on Saturday night and Jose, Maria Isabel, and Fanny were all confirmed on Sunday. Maria Isabel´s baby was also blessed so that was neat-o! 

 

Saturday the Elder´s Quorum had a nice activity on the farm. We played soccer in the pasture and then we had barbacoa pork and chicken. I was already sick for 3 days this week and I thought that I would be worse after eating, but I was just fine! It was interesting 

to see how they do it and experience just a little piece of culture. I remember from when i watched a movie about barbacoa in Spanish class in junior high. It was pretty much the same. 

Also, I don´t know how many of you have heard funny stories of companions and/or members tricking missionaries into eating strange things, but it happened last week. READ THE FUNNY STORY HERE!!!