Makin' Memories in Monterrey México: Sleep Talkin' (Week 9)

the elders in my ward! they are hilarious. They are the zone leaders, so they are really great teachers! haha we have fun eating at the members' houses every day.

View from our apartment!

So as many of my friends know.....especially Chloe Bray haha....I tend to talk in my sleep. Every morning my companion has an update on my nightly rants. Well, thursday night I slept talked in ESPAÑOL!!! yes it was very exciting haha this means the language is sinking in somewhat!

so my mom had a few questions that i wanted to answer: yes i do have a small kitchen and fridge (for coco cola light :) ) and a mini griddle. For breakfast i'll make eggs or have cereal/ yogurt. We have a NASTY outdoor sink haha. yes I do have a bed- but I am going to need some serious back massages when i come home haha! I don't sleep with sheets because it is so dang hot. yes i do feel safe :) My mission president is from LA and he said he'd rather have his kids live in Monterrey than LA. We go to the temple about every 6 weeks, so if i don't write home on monday expect an email on thursday! For computer use, i'm sitting here in a mall where you pay by the hour. They have multiple public places like these across town. Package items- healthy snacks please haha! and american candy....it's hard to find here! AND DON'T FORGET to cover the package with Jesus stickers hahaha or the peeople here will cut into the packages! I'm serious!

my church building is right around the corner from where we live! and it has air conditioning :)

Lucia: lucia is an older woman we are teaching, and she is so sweet. She treats us like granddaughters. Hermana Batalla and her old companion contacted her on the street, and she loves it when we come by. When we teach people, we first start with how God is our heavenly father who loves us and knows us personally, then we move on to the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the coming forth of El Libro de Mormón. This is all part of the first lesson that we split up into 3 visits....anyways this woman knows it is all true! She always has some tears in her eyes when she talks with us, and when we gave her un libro de mormón she had the biggest smile on her face. It's cool when the people know for themselves that what we are teaching is true. After each lesson, we always finish by saying how important it is that they pray about the things we have said. ïf ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost" (Moroni 10:3-5). so yeah Lucia is great! she just needs to go to church! Every person we teach i just want them so badly to accept what we are saying because I know how much happiness it would bring to their lives.

Everyday here is an adventure haha

Patricio: Patricio's mom and younger brother got baptized 3 years ago, but now Him and his younger sister are interested! Patricio is 18 years old, and this week we taught him El Plan de Salvación- or in other words the plan of happiness. This plan answers the questions we have about where we come from, what our purpose is on earth, and what happens when we die. I love teaching this because it gives the investigators so much hope and happiness knowing that death isn't the end! This lesson with Patricio was soooo great. The spirit was so strong and he had the biggest smile on his face the whole time. We had a member couple who are about 25 years old teach with us, and they gave really great insights on the atonement of Jesus Christ. It was really powerful. Ever since we've been teaching Patricio, there has been a distinct change in his countenance. He is much more smiley and is excited to get baptized :) It's cool because the whole ward has been waiting for Patricio to have this change of heart and want to be baptized, and here I am being the missionary involved with this!

Patricio's family- patricio is to the right of me

Miracles happen!: We had a really neat experience this week. We were having a hard time finding new people to talk to, and no one was in any of their homes, so we decided to say a prayer to find someone new to teach. As we were walking, we came upon a woman and her daughter. After introducing ourselves, she said she had been baptized 25 years ago but no longer goes to church. She said we could stop by later, so we went to visit her around 6 pmthat day. Leaonor began to tell us a bit about her past. she and her 4 year old daughter had been living in San Antonio Texas but had to come to Monterrey to salvage the family home (her father passed away). They have been here for a month, and they will go back to Texas next month. However, she is not an american citizen so she has to cross the border illegally. To do this, her and her daughter have to swim across "Rio Bravo"--apparently lots of people do this so they don't get caught. It is very scary and dangerous and she has been praying for some comfort to be sent to her, and so when she met us she was very happy. She and her daughter are so kind, and they want to go to church next week! It's so sad to think about their situation.....and all we can do is really pray for their safety. I know Heavenly Father places people in our paths in life and it's up to us to follow through with those promptings and initiate conversations-- you never know how much of an impact you can have on them.

At a member's home

this week was full of sunny days and rainy days-- in regards to the weather as well as the life of Hermana Riches haha :) A very hot sunny day would have a random 20 minute downpour and then clear up again..... With good days, sometimes I experience an internal rainstorm hahaha the language is still really hard! When I want to share a story or example during a lesson it's really hard to tell it with fluidity and it's frustrating. But i know it will come with time. I shouldn't compare myself to my companion because she's been out for almost a year AND she's a native of mexico! haha i know i've only been here for 3 weeks, and i need to learn to not be a perfectionist and have patience :)

some scriptures that my companion gave me this week to comfort me are the following:

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for you are laying the foundation of a great work. and out of small things proceedeth that which is great" D and C 64:33

"Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate, but be diligent unto the end" D and C 10:4

hahah us in the park with some kids wanting to take pics of us on the swings

We can't perfect things all in one day- little by little we see improvement! thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, emails, and letters! If you sent me a letter or a DEARELDER letter expect a letter from me in the mail! I miss home a lot, but it's a great feeling being in tune with lots of miracles every day.