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!!!

My Testimony Was Renewed, I Had An Amazing Experience!

Hola! 

It´s pretty much August already! Summer is going by fast, but I´m not on summer break so it is all the same for me! This week was really 'chafa' as they say here. Our confirmations, Maria Isabel and Fany, didn´t show up to church.  We went to her house to look for them and the grandma was there. She said that the girls had left to a party with her other daughter and that Maria had to work, but I knew that she was lying to me so I went in the house and the two daughters were there watching T.V. and having a good time. Later we found out that Maria had to work because her boss wasn´t going to pay here for the three days that she had already worked if she didn´t go on Sunday. Jose and Flor didn´t get married this week because they couldn´t find some of the papers required, therefore, he didn´t get baptized. But we hope that this week all will be well and things will work out. 

On Saturday we were on our way to an appt. and we stopped to say hello to una hermana at here business. She was outside talking to a friend and we started talking to her. We invited here to go to church yesterday and she came! That doesn´t happen very often, but she is super cool. She knows a lot and is ready to hear the truth. We have another appointment tonight. Her name is Lucia. 

Last week, I had an amazing experience where I found out that I had done something that normally I wouldn´t have done, but I felt like I should. Turns out that it was the Spirit helping me to be an instrument in the Lord´s hands to answer. READ MORE OF THIS LETTER BY CLICKING HERE!

¡¡¡ Happy 24th of July & Missionary for LIFE !!!

HAPPY 24th OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!

I hardly even remembered until I saw the date and all that jazz! Time flies when one is having fun! 


Yesterday, Edgar and Denise went to church and loved it. They had a good time and said that they will get baptized if they like church as much as they did yesterday and if they feel that it is true. Pretty much that means if we have faith and do what is right, the Lord will bless them and us with a baptism! Also, Nadia went to EFY this last week and she loved it. She talked to one hermana yesterday and asked her, "I loved EFY! Now what do I need to do to be baptized?!" She left church early with her sister and we couldn`t find her after, so we will keep searching. Or as the scriptures say, "fishing".

The funny thing about Edgar is that when we taught him the first time we had mentioned that somebody he knew was a member of our church. He sells propane and knows a lot of people. He started asking if a lot of people that he knew were members. Almost every name he rattled of is a member of our ward or the other ward her in Tezo. I find it funny because he has so many friends of the church that had NEVER talked to him about the church, and here he is loving what he learned yesterday and being around the people that are members of the one and only true Church of Christ. I invite each and every one of you to talk to your friends about the church. Pray for a way to bring it up casually and talk about it. I have a friend who talked to a girl about the Church, ...(Read more of this letter CLICK HERE!!)

It's Been A Year Since My Call & Don't Play With Snakes!

Elders Cruz, Trevino, Taylor & Hill @ Atlantes in Tula

Aloha! 
(He has NEVER said “Aloha”! What he doesn’t know is that that is how Jordan’s Bishop welcomed everyone to Sacrament Meeting and Jordan’s Farewell on Sunday!!!)

I was reminded by mom that I received my mission call one year ago yesterday. I didn´t even remember. I just thought, "July 16.... Wow! July is going by fast!" and that was it. One year from the call, and six months in the mission. I think that when I left, Cameron Hawkins had six months in the mission. Crazy! 

This week was pretty great. It was surely a wet week because the rainy season has arrived. A little late, but it usually rains every afternoon now. We found 5 new people to teach this week and they´re great! Edgar and Denise are one couple that we found. We showed up to a business of a member who always helps us and she was like, "Hey Elders! This is Edgar! Talk to him!" She has no shame about sharing the gospel and it´s AWESOME! We taught them Saturday and they said that they would go to Church, but they forgot and went to DF to buy a truck. But we went to their house last night and they said that they would get baptized if they like the church and all that it entails. That pretty much felt that for sure they are going to get baptized. Also, every Sunday we work as a district (the other 2 companionships that are close to us) in one of our 3 areas. Yesterday we worked here and the others elders went and talked to a contact that we had and they accepted a baptismal date! I don´t know them but they are Marisol and Juan de Dios. To be continued..... 

Jose, a guy that we stopped visiting nearly two weeks ago, accepted his baptismal date again and is excited to be baptized. I think that sometimes time can heal old feelings and get us excited again. That´s what happened. Yesterday he came to church in slacks and a white shirt. That´s awesome! 

This week, I picked up a small black and yellow snake. I don´t remember much about snakes from Boy Scouts, but if anyone knows if that snake was poisonous, please let me know. The talk from conference a while back came to my mind that was titled "Don´t Play With Snakes!" (http://www.lds.org/family/family-well-being/combating-pornography/audiences/individuals/you-cant-pet-a-rattlesnake?lang=eng&query=don%C2%B4t+play+with+snakes) I think that was the spirit regeñandome. I don´t know how to say that in english anymore, but it´s something like chastising. My friends, it would be hypocritical to tell you not to play with snakes after relating that story, but I highly recommend following the counsel of our leaders. I was thinking what other "snakes" there are in life. You know what your snakes are, and I invite you to get rid of them. Snakes are no fun! :)

This week I read a few talks from conference. I love conference talks. One that I loved is from Richard G. Scott and talks about how to receive personal revelation.  I can’t think of the actual title, but check it out. (http://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/04/what-can-i-do-to-follow-heavenly-fathers-plan-for-me?lang=eng&query=g.+(name%3a%22Richard+G.+Scott%22) ) It´s pretty awesome. Also, for you guys out there, read the talk from Elder Bednar in priesthood.... (http://www.lds.org/tools/print/article/narrow/?lang=eng&url=/church/news/2012-general-conference/priesthood-session ) Oh man was that good! 

We went to the Atlantes in Tula today. It wasn´t much to see, but it was cool. They are pyramids and they have lots of symbols of things in the church. 

Anyway, I don't have much else. 

Love ya all! 

Elder Hill

Click here for info on Tula & Jaredites, etc

IT`S PRETTY SWEET TO THINK THAT I`M FULFILLING A PROPHECY! :) DON'T DELAY! IT'S GETTING LATE.

Always has reminded me of Elder Matthew Hill!
(Artwork by Greg Olsen ~ permission granted for us in this blog) https://www.facebook.com/gregolsenfan

Buenas Tardes, 

This week went by super fast! Elder Treviño and I didn`t even notice it was Friday and now it`s Monday! Anyway, this week we had Zone Conference. That was great. We basically got told, "Good job, but why aren`t you guys working?" The Stake President showed up and said that it was an embarrassment to missionary work that a Stake took 20 years to be divided. Honestly, it was GREAT! I sometimes feel that people don`t understand what they need to do when they are told in a nice and round-about way. I think that the Zone (and me as well) will start to understand better what it means to be a missionary in these days. We are fulfilling prophecies of thousands of years past by Prophets of the Old Testament! We are also fulfilling prophecies in the Book of Mormon. It`s pretty sweet to think that I`m fulfilling a prophecy! :)

This week we were in a store that is owned by a member. Across the street is another store owned by our ward mission leader. So, some guy pulls up across the street on a red motorcycle  with a sombrero. The member across the street also has a red motorcycle. So, I whistle at this guy like (whooot-wooo)..... this guy turns around and looks at us and it was just some random guy who went to pick up something from the store. We just started laughing!! I learned to not whistle at people, no matter what.

Love is not looking at each other, it's
looking together in the same direction.

Our investigators Clementina and Nadia came to church yesterday. They are great people and are willing to learn. We don`t have very many new people to teach this week, so we are scrambling to get to work. Our baptisms should be for July 21. That will be cool.

Mexico City North Mission

Everyone here in my district keeps teasing me that I will be getting a call, everyone has started spreading rumors. Guys and gals-- rumors don`t end. They`re always there, but the topics change!

Jeffrey R. Holland ~ General Authority

This week I read Elder Holland`s talk from Conference- Laborers in the Vineyard. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard Read it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYogSVAZZVU (Click to watch it!) My favorite part is the last line. Don`t delay! It`s getting late. If that just isn`t a Spirit filled line I don`t know what is!

My friends, I love ya`ll! Keep at it and be good.

Con amor,

Elder Hill

Yo lo sabia, y yo sabia qué Dios lo sabia, y no yo no podia negarlo!

(I knew it, and I knew what God knew, and I could not deny it!)

ELDER HILL IN ACHACHILCO

HOOOOOOOOOLLLLLAAAAAAAAAA!

Just felt like saying a big ol` hello from Hidalgo, because everyone here is a cowboy and works in the fields. It`s pretty awesome!

Today for P-day we dressed in our street clothes and watched the Restoration video with the other elders in our district. We had popcorn and candy, too. It was just fun to do something different than play soccer and basketball.

This week was pretty fun. It went by so fast that I hardly remember what happened, but I remember that it was fun! We went to a place called Anaya and while we were walking, I found an ambulance. Apparently this guy just has the ambulance in his driveway and I`m not even sure if they use it. It looks like it has been there for a while. Every day I am more and more grateful for what I have at home. READ MORE OF THIS LETTER HERE ~ CLICK ME!

"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)

It All Takes Time, Prayer, and Fasting

Me as a Vaquero with a poncho and hat!

Hey, how did the wedding go? Happy Birthday to Destiny! Tell Ryan and Allie congratulations for me. 
I feel like this week went by way too fast! Every night when I wrote in my journal I felt like I was just there, and the dates just kept going and going!

This week we found two new guys to teach. Carlos is a doctor that lives in our area and has a "Papeleria" or paper store, just for a hobby on the side. He works in two hospitals in the ER. I like to go and talk to him just for that, not to mention the Gospel. He is married and has one daughter, but we haven´t really talked to his wife because she isn´t usually at his paper store where we have taught him. He is super cool and says that he will read and go to church, because he doesn´t usually work on Sunday in the hospitals and the paper store is always closed on Sunday. 
Read more of this letter...CLICK HERE!!

Villa del Carbon & Page 19 of Preach My Gospel, (in the Blue Box)

May 21^st, 2012

Hey,

We just got back from an activity, so I don´t have much time to write this week. We are normally supposed to end p-day at 5:00p, but we just left the house after changing clothes and all that jazz.

Tell Ryan that I wish I was at his wedding, but I´m not worried, because at some point in time I´ll be at her baptism and marriage in the temple,  therefore, all is well. 

I will get my packages next Tuesday when we have interviews with the president. I will also send my memory card home next week as well. 

--It is always your best and above & beyond. Most of the time that is great, but sometimes it is too much. :)

--I always had what I needed and I know that you love me.

Love you,

Gotta write the other letter and go work a little before going back to the house for the night. I will have to send pictures next week because we are in a different internet place this week that doesn´t have a built in card reader and I left my cable in the house. Quote is on page 19 of Preach my Gospel in a box

Actually to save time, here is my letter for this week--- 

This week I don´t have a lot of time to write.... SORRY! We left to a place called Villa del Carbon today, and we were gone ALL DAY! We left the house at 7:30a and got home at 6:20p. President Call called our zone leader while we were on the bus home, and I don´t think that he was very happy that we were all out of our areas when we were supposed to be working, but hey, we had a good time.

It is a little old village that seems a little touristy but for mexicans. We did meet one hermano from Texas, who had apparently served in our mission many years ago because he knew the names of our areas. We went to a little lake that they have on the outskirts of this place (no we didn´t swim or boat) and had a nice bbq with all of the missionaries.  I will send pics next week, but it was pretty sweet.

I just realized that I have been in the mission for a little over 4 months! Time has gone by so fast, yet so slow. I know that my time here is short, so I am trying to make the best of it. 20 months will go by super fast, then the real life starts!

Lorena and Raul gave talks in Church yesterday. That was super awesome because the spirit was so strong. Lorena cried a little because she feels so much love from the members in the ward, not only at church but at all of the activities. They are great people.

That is my report for the week. Sorry it is short, but hey, it is something, right?

Love you all! Have a great week in paradise! (Which is wherever you are, eh?)

Elder Hill

READ MORE OF THIS LETTER HERE!

Yeeehaaa! & "Hmmmmmmm..... My Daddy Doesn´t Understand the Word of God..."

Elder Hill's first cake on mission...for Mother's Day

Don´t know why I called this week Yeeehaaa, but it rings good in the ear after speaking Spanish 24/7.... or at least very close to that. 

I don´t have a whole lot that happened this week because my companion and I were a little sick in the stomach for most of the week, and we missed out on a lot of lessons... however, we did have a few neat or funny things that happened.

-- We went to a chapel today and played futbol, the real football, with all of the missionaries in the zone. Let´s just say that I ´m not Mexican yet.... but it was still fun. We got to play with all of the elders and a companionship of sister missionaries. My companion hit both of them in the head with the ball.... the zone wasn´t happy about that. We also kicked the ball over the fence 3 or 4 times and the neighbors weren´t happy with us either, but all is well, we were happy. I also sat down with an elder and we started talking. His name is elder Barerra from Chicago. When I told him that I was from Utah, he told me that there was an Elder Hill in his District in the MTC, but he never showed up.

 I asked him when he was in the MTC and he said December 7, 2011. Turns out that he was in my class that I was going to be in if I hadn´t been in the hospital. He served in SLC for two months waiting for his visa, so we pretty much have the same amount of time here in Mexico, but he is fluent in spanish from his family. More about Matt's Illness HERE

-- We are teaching the husband of one of the sisters here in the ward. They are like 28 years old, and have one little girl, and another on the way. However, he is SUPER catholic, but only because his entire family is. He was in the catholic seminary, where they learn theology and such, but he doesn´t know the bible very well. He told us that he doesn´t accept ANYTHING from our Church-- Book of Mormon, DyC, Pearl of Great Price, Prophets... etc. So, he said if you want to teach me about your church, do it with the bible. MORE of this letter..CLICK HERE!

The Prophets Have Counseled That We Will Be Blessed

Matthew's Missionary Plaque with his old tags below from plaque that was being made...
dates changed and he liked the laser plaque better

Hola!

This week’s letter is a little short. We had to change our schedule for P-day because we had to change a few things around. I still have to head to the mission offices and pick up materials and all that jazz. 

I forgot to inform you that I gave my first talk in Sacrament meeting last week about missionary work and how the members can help us. I wrote my notes for my talk and what I would use, and I was surprised that when I was up there talking, I used most of what I had prepared, but I talked for much longer than what I had planned but that was all the Spirit. The Bishop said that when I was done, it was a great talk and that " it was strange, but we can’t deny the Spirit". I think that I was called to the ward to accomplish their duty as members of this Church. Rather, the Spirit called them to their duty and asked them to be better. It wasn’t my intention, but hey- the Spirit knows all. 

Read more of Elder Hill's letter HERE! (Click this)