P-Day update week 20, 07/04/2022

¡Hola hola!

It has been a very slow and uneventful week. Elder Mendoza has been sick (the Zacapoaxtla curse) and the days we actually could work, our appointments fell through. But that just makes me even more excited for this week coming up, a chance to hit the grindstone fresh and ready to rock!

A kitten!

Like I said, Elder Mendoza has been sick, really he's been fighting the flu since he got here. But this week everything just kinda got crazy! The week started off like normal with Elder Mendoza fighting a little cold, but I remember one morning we got up and he didn't look very well. I sent him back to bed for a little bit, but after he didn't look any better. We decided we would still head out to our appointment at the house of prayer. We were running a little late so I was fast walking the whole time and wasn't really paying attention. I eventually turned to ask Elder Mendoza something but he wasn't there! It turns out fast walking was not something my sickly companion could do at that moment. The rest of the week followed like that! We tried our best to get out and hit the streets, but we weren't able to do much. Even when we had appointments set up and got there on time, stuff liked to get in our way! Really the big thing is that the entire area has the flu. Almost every other appointment had to get canceled because of the flu! On Saturday we decided that it was time to let Elder Mendoza rest this one out. The next day when he woke up, he had pink eye. We decided to go to the doctor and it turns out he has a throat infection, along with his pink eye, how exciting. He was given a hefty load of meds and hopefully he'll be back in working order in no time!

Elder Mendoza checking to see if I had pink eye!

A big highlight of the week was that we had our Zone Council.  It's kind of like a Zone Conference except that it's basically just the ZLs (Zone Leaders) and STLs (Sister Training Leaders) giving us training on a topic from the mission president. This Council turned out really well! The topic was "being truly converted to Christ," but instead of trying to help the people we're teaching have this conversion (which is still important) they focused on us as missionaries becoming truly converted. One thing they talked about that stuck out to me was the first step in this conversion process, is intent. We need to go in having a true and real intent to change and become better. Like when Enos talked about how his "soul hungered" (Enos 1:4), they talked about having this burning desire to grow and to change, that is what starts you on the journey! Elder Mendoza and I decided that we, as a companionship, would go through this conversion process, to push ourselves this transfer to become new and better people. I'll let you guys know what happens at the end of this transfer! We also decided that we needed to work on strengthening our unity as a companionship so we decided we would do more things together. Like walking on the same side of the street and just doing little things to help strengthen our bond. I'm super excited to see our relationship grow!

Taxi Selfie.

On the subject of strengthening bonds, the other new Elders in Zacapoaxtla, Elders Gregorio and Huesca, have been super cool! We've started this thing, every night when we all get home we play cards! Just about every night the past week we've played cards after our work days. It's been really nice. Mainly for the fact that I haven't been able to do a whole lot of work. Just having a chance to talk to people and build these bonds has been great! That also means I've been getting pretty good at cards, just wait until you see me play Go-Fish hahah!!

This week we have had the chance to eat a lot of really good food and food that I wouldn't normally eat! When I was with my last companion I tried really hard to eat well, but this transfer I've just kinda thrown that out the window. Basically its been super exciting! One type of food we've been eating a lot is fried chicken. I don't know if I've already talked about this place, but there is a fried chicken place in Zacapoaxtla called Ke Pollo! We usually get fed by the members but we had a few chances to eat of our own food! So of course we decided to eat fried chicken. It's soo good and it doesn't make me sick! But I've really come to like eating with the members, I feel like it's nice to build those relationships and it's so nice to have the opportunity to share small messages with the members :) I've realized it's the little spiritual experiences like sharing the gospel with a member and seeing it make sense and having them add their own thoughts and having the spirit reside with us!

Mirror selfie in Coppell.

Sunglasses in a little clothes shop. The coolest I've ever looked!

Ohh right! It's the 4th of July!! Unfortunately the only way I will be celebrating is listening to patriotic hymns! But I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July!

 

"the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people." (Ether 2:7)

Remember to appreciate your country, it truly is a choice land! And blow something up for me haha 

So that's about it, I'll finish of with a spiritual thought! A few weeks ago my aunt Nicole recommended some talks for me. This week I listened to a talk from Dieter F. Uchtdorf, called "Your Happily Ever After." In this talk he mentioned how Heavenly Father has given us all our 'Once upon a time' or rather Heavenly Father has given us the wonderful opportunity to be a part of his glorious plan, and to be able to live out our own story, and one day receive the gift of Eternal life, or your Happily Ever After! He mentions that we will all need to pass through opposition to reach our Happily Ever After, everyone will face hardships and trials. But after having tasted the bitter, then we can appreciate the sweet! This week I've tasted some bitter, but like I said at the beginning, I know Heavenly Father has something sweet in store! I want you all to know that even during the hardest times, when all you can see is darkness, hold on. Because the Lord will come in sunshine and glory unto your life! I love you all, and stay safe this week!

-Elder Garnica