P-Day update week 21, 07/11/2022

It's been a week! Not necessarily a great week, but a week nonetheless! Not too much happened so it'll probably be a shorter letter this time.

Before anything, I'll let you guys know that I was once again sick this week. This whole week I've been wrestling with a nasty cough and just really bad cold-like symptoms. One day I called the medical coordinator of the mission who is also the President's wife and asked for some advice. She told me it might just be allergies and prescribed me Benadryl at night. Unfortunately it didn't really work. So I just decided to hang on for a few days. This morning I woke up and I couldn't smell :// I went to the pharmacy with Elder Mendoza and we bought a Covid test, we also had an extra test result block thing. We headed home and I took the test. Oh, he got me! That's right folks I have COVID! So that's why I felt like death this week. That means I'm just going to have more time to study this coming week! 

Positive COVID test.

This week we did end up having some really good lessons with a few friends. We met with Vernon again (he's the one who has trouble reading) and we went into our lesson thinking we would download the Book of Mormon app onto his phone. We had our lesson with him, and taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and introduced the Book of Mormon at the end. But when we finished explaining the book and offered to download it in his phone he said he wants the physical copy, and he wants to read it with his own eyes! We're so excited about him and the progress he is making. He told us after we met with him for the first time that he just felt really tranquil and happy. He said that feeling came again the first time he went to church. How exciting! Now let's talk about Terry. Terry is the man that lives in Cuetzalan about two hours away and owns a butcher shop! This week we had the chance to meet with him again and his wife decided to listen too! We also taught them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a very powerful lesson. Terry opened up about some of the things that have been holding him back, but he said that the prospect of walking in a new life and living the gospel of Christ was something he wanted to do. So we invited him and his wife to be baptized and walk on this new path. Terry said that he wants to say yes, but he needs to ask God if it is right! That's exactly what I would do! I'll keep you guys updated on him.

That same day we met with Terry, we also were picked to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders and one of the Assistants to the President. Right after our lesson with Terry we headed to Cuetzalan's center and met up with everybody. But by the time we got there, it was already about 7:30 and it's about two hours back to the house. So the ZLs and the AP decided it was best to come to our house and stay the night. Sleepover! We headed home in the combi and a few of the Elders got motion sick since they aren't used to riding in the combis yet. We decided we would make it all better by getting tacos for dinner. Usually I'm too afraid to eat tacos that don't come from a member, but I remembered a place in Zacapoaxtla called "taco taco" that was recommended to us by President Luis. We decided to give it a go! It was amazing! Some of the best tacos I've ever had, and they didn't destroy me! We bought two kilos of al pastor with tortillas, onion, and cilantro to go with it. Usually you get pineapple as well, but we got there too late and they had run out :/. But they were still the best tacos I've had in a very very long time. After eating probably a half a kilo myself, everyone headed off to bed. One of the ZLs stayed in out room, his name is Elder Evans, he's from Utah and has about a year on the mission, really kind and really good missionary. I hope I can get to know him better during my time in the field.

As I'm sure most of you know, my birthday was yesterday. I usually try and not make a big deal about my birthday, but I'm finally an adult in Alabama. Woohoo!! We had to celebrate! That celebration started on Saturday. There's a sister that lives about 5 minutes from us who I have gotten to know super well in these past few months and she made sure to have us save our food appointment on Saturday for her so she could throw a little fiesta. We got there on Saturday and the whole house was decorated with balloons and a "Feliz cumpleaños" on the wall. Now I was really excited! Our first thing was to eat. Sister Vicky brought out Carne asada, salad, grilled chicken, frijoles, rice, and avocado. It was amazing! She always cooks us great food and this time was no different. After eating my weight in food, Sister Vicky's daughter arrived with her family and a huge cake! They came in and sang "las mañanitas" which is the birthday song here. They put the cake on the table and I blow out the candles, then they re-lit...so I blew em out again, then they re-re-lit. At that point I had realized that I was face to face with my new hardest challenge, trick candles. I quickly realized that when I dunk them in liquid they don't re-light! After defeating them came the hardest part of birthdays in Mexico. Taking the first bite our of the cake. *Dramatic music* As I eradicated the trick candles and put them to the side, I saw my companions begin to make their way behind me, I knew what was about to go down. I prepared myself, taking off my glasses and my tie, then undoing the top button of my white shirt. They began to chant "que lo muerdas, que lo muerdas, que lo muerdas" I knew what was going to happen when I went to bite the cake, it was inevitable. I grit my teeth and went in for the bite...SLAM!!! The next thing I know my entire face is buried in the cake! I pull my face out and I was blinded by the pastry. I begin to clean myself off and all I hear is the reverberating sound of laughter ringing in my ear, what a time!! It was honestly the craziest cake slam I've ever had happen to me, but it's all part of living in the deep deep deep south! After that they gave me some really cool gifts! Dayanna gave me a note book with an axolotl on it, some "Day of the Dead" socks, and a Polaroid of us and Elder Nielson from a few months ago! Honestly it was really cool! After eating cake and talking with everybody it was time to head back home, pretty good day! 

Happy Birthday!

The next day was my actual birthday. We had a great church service where 3 of our friends came and we talked about the importance if the Elder's quorum and some of our duties. After the service there was a temple prep class and we stayed and participated before heading to President Luis' house for food. They made this beef soup stuff with rice and banana. It was really really good! After eating they brought out a cake. *Dramatic music again* I knew that my companions were not going to let me get off easy today. They swarmed. I once again prepared myself for the assault that was about to take place, they cut me my own slice so I wouldn't destroy the cake. I knew this was going to be fun. When the chanting commenced I tried to distract my companions and quickly take a bite of the cake before they could do anything. I wasn't fast enough. Once more I lift my head up after looking death in the eye, that is eating cake in Mexico! Then we played cards a bit and headed back home.

Unfortunately that's about it this week, I just hope this coming one doesn't turn out terrible! But I'll leave y'all with a spiritual thought. This week I read another talk recommended to me by Nicole called "Preserving the Heart's Mighty Change" by Elder Dale G. Renlund. It was an amazing talk and I highly recommend you all go listen to it. I will give one the things that impressed me from this talk. The little things. As a missionary, it is my job to help people build the habits of doing the "little things." By little things I talk about the seemingly easy or unimportant habits we have as members of Christ's church. Some of these being: prayer, scripture study, weekly church attendance, etc. These are things that can easily become lost in the noise of our everyday lives, but they are some of the most important things we can do. Elder Renlund talks about not getting casual with these things. He talks about putting the temptations of the world out of reach, as to not distract us. I just want to give my testimony to y'all, I know that these small and simple things will allow great things to come to pass in our lives. If you find yourself with a soul that "hungers" for something more, but you don't know that that is, I invite you to pray and study the scriptures everyday. These are the tools Heavenly Father has given us to keep the joy of the Gospel in our lives. These things are the most important steps you can take everyday to invite the spirit and allow it to stay. I invite you all to not get casual with this seemingly unimportant things, for they truly are the means by which we can obtain eternal life! I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week!

-Elder Garnica 

Birthday cake!

Blowing out candles

Plotting my destruction

Having my face destroyed

Post cake picture

Eating mole with Presidente Luis and his family

Beautiful cat we found at a teaching appointment