We had our 4th baptism yesterday!

Hey Family and Friends,

So this week my companion left to a different part of the city so I'm only with Elder Chacon in both areas. We are doing a lot of work! His companion and he have been teaching this family for 3 months and couldn't put their date for baptism. So I took that as a challenge :)

We went over there and taught them about baptism for two hours. We fought, laughed, they cried, everything that could happen in one lesson, happened. After these 2 hours they both committed to be baptized in 2 weeks! It was so rewarding to see them truly desire to change forever. I already love them.

I am going to have my first kid tomorrow! Which means I'm going to be a trainer to a new missionary! Its so exciting! Ive already had 4 companions and I'm excited to have one longer then 5 weeks.

We had our 4th baptism yesterday! Hermanan Eulalia Hernandez Hernandez. It was super funny. Her grandson did her baptism did her baptism but she was SO SCARED! So every time he went to dunk her she wouldn't go under all the way. They ended up having to do it 4 times! It was super funny but also a very spiritual baptism.

Thank you to all the family and friends who have sent me cards! They were all very funny. Especially the one that said "Adams state for life" and nothing more. hahaha

So we only had one incident with people being rude, well I guess two.

The first was a 15 year old kid trying to rob me and my companion. I just asked him if he knew anything about Americans, he confusedly responded that he didn't know anything. I started to laugh and was going to say something super weird but when I started laughing he kinda just thought I was crazy and turned away and walked away. But we were walking the same way that he came, so as we started walking again he thought we were following him and starting booking it! Probably not the best way to invite him to be baptized. haha

And the other which happened the same day, outside the house of a member (her mom isn't a member) we knocked on her door. And her bitter old mother said she wasn't home and slammed the door. She was home. So I knocked again, she opened and asked me if I was deaf and started to somewhat yell at me, but when she went to slam the door I got my foot in the way so I could try to talk to her daughter. I opened the door slightly and the lady had walked inside the house, and the next thing I know she was running (but for an old woman more like scuffling) towards me with a bowl of chicken bones and started to throw them at me and was yelling a whole bunch of mean words. haha, it was funny. We got to talk to her daughter about it with her daughter in church on Sunday and apparently her mother didn't say anything about it to her daughter. SUPER COOL! haha

Well I'm loving Mexico and I hope you enjoy my stories!

Love you all!

Elder Winters

No one asked in 4 years

So this week we got a new companion named Elder Chacon. From Guatemala. He wasn't getting along with his companion so now we are in a trio! Its so hard but we are learning more and more everyday. ITS LIKE HAVING TWO WIVES! I think I finally changed my mind on plural marriage. Hahaha, JOKE!  But really its so hard but also a lot more entertaining.

This week we ate pig calf and it was SOOO GOOD! The brother that fed us is going to give it to us more often because it was so good. I haven't had the opportunity to kill any more rabbits with him but the time will soon be at hand! mwahaha.

Spanish is getting a lot better everyday especially with two companions I am learning so much more from two different people instead of the same always.

We committed 4 people to be baptized this week! This one sister, she's been going to church for 4 years and nobody has asked her to be baptized so we finally taught her and are going to do her baptism this Saturday! She is so faithful. She never wanted to ask to be baptized because she can't read. And she thought she wouldn't be accepted. When she told us that I literally was trying with all my might not to cry. Her mom never had time to take her to school so she just never learned. It is so sad but also so exciting that she now has the chance to be a member!

I'm making more and more friends! And I'm loving Mexico more and more every week!

Thank you all for your love and concern! Especially all your letters!

LOVE YOU ALL!

Elder Winters

Independence Day

So this week has been pretty great for teaching. We have invited three new people to be baptized and they have all accepted! Its so cool seeing them just learn more and more everyday. I truly grow to love the people we teach everyday.

Its taking a little more time to love the people that rob us... haha

So this week we had the day of Independence here in Mexico, so we had to go home early because we live right next to a HUGE fair. Seeing it all reminded me of home and I really wanted to go and just enjoy it all but I know its for the better to obey the rules. 

Apparently quite a few people die every year while this is going on so I'm rather content with staying inside.

Nothing really new happened this week.

I spoke to two kids who are from the US! They are so cool. They both love speaking English more then Spanish and they teach English here. It was nice being able to speak English but its hard to think in English after a while of not speaking it. Every week I find it a challenge to spell in my own language. Tan triste no?

Well, I hope all is well this week.

I want you to all know that you re in my prayers and thoughts continually!

Love you!

Elder Winters

We can all feel peace from our Savior Jesus Christ

Hola mis amigos!

We finally had the opportunity to baptize Victoria and her daughter. It was super cool. I baptized her daughter and my companion baptized her. They are so awesome.

Last Monday night we met a new family and taught them for the first time and committed them to be baptized and they all said yes! Super exciting!

I've been making tons of friends all around here in Mexico and they always yell my name whenever they drive by or we walk by in the streets. We are helping people love the missionaries.

This week teaching has been so cool. My companion is going home in three months so he cant really focus on the work so I take the lead on everything. I start all the lessons, teach, and he just adds his thoughts occasionally. (I cant spell in English). I get to practice so much Spanish by myself as well as find out for myself what people need.

This week the lights went out when we were in a lesson with a ton of people, like 15. And there were four kids and it was pitch black. There just happened to be a flashlight on the table so I took it and shined it underneath my face and started to make scary noises and ALL the kids started crying and the parents were just all dying laughing. I was pretty proud. Hahahaha.

I love hot food right... So we were eating this habanero sauce at a members and it was hardly even spicy, so I told them I'd eat a full habanero. So I did. And the first ten seconds were fine. AND THEN I DIED! I ate 6 huge pieces of watermelon in probably 40 seconds flat. It was terrible. My companion couldn't stop laughing and I'm trying to stop the burning but I'm laughing too so I'm half eating, half choking, half dying with this watermelon. The family members all have their cameras out taking pictures and laughing hysterically. We all had a pretty big kick out of it all. haha

Another lunch appointment we had this week, WE ATE SO MUCH FOOD! And for the first time on my mission I fell asleep at a members house on the couch after lunch while they were all looking at google maps. And I'm not sure exactly how this happened, but I was dead asleep, but they were talking about something and I woke up long enough to just tell a joke that had them all laughing their heads off, and then fell right back asleep. If that's not pro, I don't know what is.

Today we had a zone activity where we all got together and we play 4 on 4 soccer for hours on end and winners stay, well my team was so beast mode today so we played for 3 hours straight. I'm pretty tired to say the least. And then after, a member came to the church and made us all, all you can eat tacos. I ATE 12 HUGE TACOS! I feel so sick but it was so worth it. The tacos here are so good. The guy that came is in our area and asked if we wanted to come back later tonight to his house to eat again but I'm set for the next three years. haha

Well I love you all. If you guys have questions about anything, ASK ME!

This church is real. We can all feel peace from our Savior Jesus Christ and his atonement for us. I know this to be true my friends! I have truly seen it work in my life.

I love this work, and love you all. Keep me updated on your lives and I'll continually do the same.

OH! BTW!  Here are my companion, Victoria, her daughter, and me!

With much love,

Elder Winters

God is all powerful, Right? (Week 8)

So we've been going to the gym everyday! AND I FEEL GOOD!

But its also been forever since I've worked out so I'm also so sore everyday.

So my companion and I have played the worst game ever where we just hit each other in all the areas we are sore. FUN RIGHT?!?! No.  

But we are a funny companionship. We literally spend 40 minutes in a house, 20 telling jokes and just everybody dying laughing, and 20 actually teaching. The people love it and we are becoming friends with everybody. 

So a FUNNY joke this week. We were teaching this Lady and teaching her how God, Jesus Christ, And the spirit all are different. She said they were the same. My companion responded that another body can't posses our bodies. And the lady responded "God is all powerful, right?" hahaha It was great.

So we go to the tiangis (basically huge swap meets) in another area every week. Its my time to hustle people. It is so awesome. Today I bought A HUGE Mexican flag, 3 different watches that are like 80 dollars each in the states, 2 affliction shirts, and a blender for all less then 100 dollars. SO BALLIN! But just about everybody there knows me now. We just talk to everybody and I call everybody out on how fake all of their stuff is and then buy it for practically nothing. And this HUGE guy that I would talk to every week is like my best friend. He has tattoos covering his entire body, he has filled in tear drops on his face which means he has killed people. And we were talking a lot about God the past two weeks. So he sold me the affliction shirts, and saw I had a ton of stuff, so he started to just escort my companion and I around everywhere!

He can partially speak English, so when we were leaving he yelled "NOBODY "MESS"(apply your own bad word here) WITH THESE MISSIONARIES!"

It was pretty cool to have a guy like that have our back. We are now semi famous. haha

Well not much has happened this week but I like hearing from all you guys!

Keep me updated on all thats going on!

LOVE YOU ALL!

Elder Winters