Semana Santa

Another week has gone by here in Metepec.  Mother´s Day is so close!!! Here in Mexico it´s ALWAYS on the 10th....which would make it a Tuesday. But I haven’t heard anything about it yet, so I don´t know if I´m going to be calling on the 8th or the 10th, but I´m sure I will know by next P-day so you will be able to plan accordingly.

Ok, so as for the week. It was a little slow. Semana Santa here in Mexico. A LOT of people out of town and involved in all kinds of traditions and what not. On Friday afternoon, it for real looked like a ghost town here....for real. NOBODY at home. So, needless to say, it was a little rougher than normal. But we worked through it and were able to bring one of God´s children closer to Him this week through the waters of baptism. The super cool guy I wrote you about last week that was listening to Enya got baptized. He was super excited throughout the whole service and you could just see how truly grateful he was for the opportunity. I seriously see great things in store for him, and he´s only touched the tip of the iceberg in regards to the blessings one can receive through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

But, returning to the Semana Santa, on Friday in the morning we saw all these people meeting together in the streets, saying numerous prayers, and singing and then they would march to another area together. Apparently, they reenact the entire crucifixion of Jesus, and they went and crucified someone (sometimes with rope sometimes with nails) and then after a while they take him to the ¨tomb¨and everything. We passed by a restaurant that night and saw on the TV the news, and they showed footage of numerous ¨Jesuses¨ being crucified all over Mexico....I´m glad we don’t do stuff like that in the United States...almost creepy. 

The weather this past week was hot and sunny during the day and around 5 or 6 it would start getting cloudy and would actually start to rain. So pretty much everyday it was raining. This week also should be a fun one....we have zone conference tomorrow which is always very spiritually uplifting, so that will be exciting. 

Today for P-day we played soccer and I scored like 4 or 5 goals. I think I´m getting better at it haha. Still kinda awkward for me, not too good at using my feet. Can´t wait to play some bball again. But it can wait. I´ll just have to get sick at soccer while I´m here in Mexico haha. 

I´m excited to talk to you guys here very soon. I hope you guys have a great week!!

I love you and I miss you all. 

And this is my Joy. (Alma 29:9)

Elder Peacock

PS.  See below for the scripture cases I told you about that I had made.  Sweet!

For the Next 6 Weeks I’ll Be In…

Metepec....again.

You called it Dad. I will be staying here for another change at least, and with Elder Diaz again too. I´ll admit that I did want to go to DF for a change...but I am happy for the opportunity to continue the Lord´s work here in Metepec. So by the end of this change I will have about 5 months here in Metepec, which is a pretty good chunk of my mission. So, obviously, the Lord has some more work for me to do here...so I´m excited to get it done. This change should be a pretty exciting one for a number of reasons

1. The apostles Elder Cook, Elder Oaks and member of the 70 Elder Rasband are ALL coming to our mission in May!!
2. Mother´s Day...We´ll get to talk =)
3. My Birthday
4. We have zone conference this change which is always very spiritually uplifting.

Thanks for the emails. Cannnnnnnnot believe the Lakers lost game 1 at home.....LAME. At least the Spurs lost too so President Villarreal can’t give me any bologna about it.  And yes, Jimmer is officially THE MAN. He could probably get away with having a beard on BYU campus-- that’s how popular he is. As for the pictures, looks SO sweet. I wanna drive a little hummer through a cave. Looks like you guys had a great time...and freak Bryce looks BIG....boy has been eating his Wheaties....how tall is he now?? Excited to see more pictures and get the package!!  [Here are some of the pictures we sent to Justin from Cancun:]

As for Spring break here in Mexico, [in response to a question] no there is not any BUT they have the Semana Santa (Holy week). So that actually started this weekend...they celebrate the whole week leading up to Easter with various events (mostly religious) and a lot of people go out of town.  This week coming up might be a little tougher than usual because of that. Something weird.  Here in various places they actually reenact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.   They elect a person to ¨be¨ Christ and then they actually crucify him and everyone watches (in some places they tie them up and others they ACTUALLY nail them) .   Yeah...pretty messed up huh? And they leave them there all day.  Apparently its a huge ¨honor¨to be picked to be Jesus and people train a long time so they can be physically prepared to do it....some traditions are just not good. Very disrespectful and sacreligious if you ask me.  As if anybody could ever even comprehend or experience what Christ went through for us.  As for the pictures, looks SO sweet. I wanna drive a little hummer through a cave. Looks like you guys had a great time...and freak Bryce looks BIG....boy has been eating his wheaties....how tall is he now?? Excited to see more pictures and get the package!!

This week was pretty good. We got various investigators to begin to progress and I think we set ourselves up to have success this week and this next change as well. We are teaching this one guy who is super cool. He lives in an apartment on the bottom floor and he is an artist...so he painted his apartment with Puma (soccer team in DF) colors and logos and he has all kinds of paintings and drawings in his house that he has done. But he is also a macho man and he used to be a bodybuilder and he is Huge and strong and loves working out. He agreed to go with us to church on Sunday, so we passed by for him early in the morning so we could go together. As we approached his door we could hear his music playing super loud. Rock music? no. maybe some Rap? nope. He was playing Enya....super loud haha. We knocked the door and he answered all ready to go...with a suit and tie and everything. He´s the man.

I also had another neat experience this week. We were teaching this lady named Daña for the first time. My companion had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the lesson (he was a little sick that day) so I was sitting there by myself across from her. She started asking me questions about my mission that we get a lot. ¨do you guys live here?¨ does your family visit you? how long do you serve for? stuff like that. And then she asked me a question I have actually never been asked on my mission before. ¨¿usted realmente cree que estas cosas son verdaderas?¨ or ¨do you really believe that these things are true?¨ I am so grateful that when she asked me that question, I was able to look her in the face, and tell her and testify to her that I know without a doubt that they are true. I explained to her that I wouldn’t have left my family for two years and learned a language that at times is frustrating if I didn’t know it was true. I know through my own experiences that it is true. That what Jesus Christ did for us is real. He suffered and died for us so that each and everyone of us could have the opportunity to return and live with Heavenly Father again someday.

I am so grateful for my testimony and that I could truly tell Daña that day that I truly do know that these things are true and that I am not just wasting my time out here. I challenge everyone to think about that question. ¨do you really believe that these things are true?¨ Think about how you would respond. If you couldn’t honestly say you do, or you are unsure....start building your testimony today. Read the scriptures, attend church with a sincere desire to learn and to have your questions answered, repent everyday to be worthy of the Holy Ghost, and pray. Pray with faith, knowing that Heavenly Father answers prayers according to his time, not ours. I promise you that if you do those things, you will gain a testimony that is firm and established upon Christ (Helaman 5:12, below). I know because I have experienced it in my life. 

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the ^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Love you and miss you. I hope to hear from you all soon, and 3 more weeks and I´ll be calling home!! 

Hope you guys have a great week! 

And this is my joy (Alma 29:9)

Elder Peacock

One More Week in Metepec?

[Email dated 4/11/11]

Hello family and friends,

Another week has gone by here in Metepec.... It sounds like you had an AMAZING week in Mexico. That’s really sweet about the Mayan ruins and how your tour guide was Mormon. I have actually seen the tree of life carving here since I’ve been on the mission. It is actually pretty popular here among the missionaries to have carved on scripture cases...and it is pretty sweet. I´m sorry you couldn’t find any street tacos...I figured it would be harder to find in more tourist areas of Mexico. But that’s pretty cool that you got to try some tongue tacos...I haven’t tried them yet...nobody sells them here in Metepec. It sounds like it would have been pretty funny to see you guys try to order stuff to people in Mexico. Don’t worry, next time you go I’ll be there to translate for you =).

Also, I did get the packages this week... [cue:  Angels singing!] with both of the shoes and letters and stamps and Jimmer! haha. Thanks for everything =). It seems as if you have figured out the package sending.  Also this week I got my scripture cases that I ordered about 2 and a half months ago from a guy who custom makes them....they are pretty sweet...Ill have to send you pics next week...I don’t have my camera right now.

This week went a little bit long. It seemed as if almost all week NOBODY was home. It was a struggle. A lot of knocking doors, walking and not a lot of teaching. But we´ll keep working hard, knowing that if we work hard with diligence and patience, the Lord will provide for us. We just have to do our part and work as hard as we can. This is the last week of the change...so hopefully well be able to close it out with a baptism, and put an end to what really has been a fast transfer....they’re going faster now. I have grown and learned a lot in the last 5 weeks. I feel like I have grown closer to the Lord and have learned to depend on Him more in every aspect of this work. I´m excited to find out what He has in store for me in the next change. I´m not gonna lie, I would like to go to an area in DF, but I will serve with all my heart wherever I am called to serve. 

On a fun note....I have put together a little package for you guys, and as soon as I´m done here emailing, I´m going to head over to the post office and send it off. Hopefully you get it. It has some stuff I think that you’ll like in it....but you’ll just have to wait and see. It’ll be better as a surprise. Hopefully you get it before Mothers Day so we can talk about it on the phone...(Can you believe that´s less that a month away??)  

Lets see...what else....how the Lakers doing? Playoffs start soon right? You’re gonna have to give me updates on that every week once they start....

It actually rained here a couple of days last week.  And as for the earthquake...no I did not feel it or hear anything about it here. And Tyler, I probably will be a soccer fan when I get home...I liked it before (Fifa 2010 and the World Cup) but I’ll probably like it even more. Soccer is BIG here and we play it pretty much every Pday with the zone. I wont be CRAZY about it like I am with the Lakers...but I will like it for sure. You’ll have to buy me the new Fifa when I get home so I can dominate you at it. =). 

I know that this is the Lord´s work and I know that there is nowhere else I would rather be right now in my life than right here in Mexico bringing people closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

I cant wait to see pictures from Cancun...Have a great week family!!!

Love you and miss you

And this is my joy (Alma 29:9)

Elder Peacock

Comfort Zones

[Email Dated 4/4/11]

Hey family and friends,

WHO WON THE NCAA TOURNAMENT!!??? C’mon...you have to remember I´m on a mission in Mexico where they only watch soccer. Haha but it’s ok no worries. Also, I did not get the shoes yet, I will let you know as soon as they get here...It will probably take a couple of weeks.

Well, anyway, this week went really good. It was conference weekend, which is a little different here in this mission than in the Salt Lake mission. Mainly because we don´t get to go down to Temple Square all weekend and go to every session. In fact, here we were not even allowed to watch Conference on Saturday....NONE of it. I was pretty bummed, not gonna lie...especially missing the priesthood session. We did get to watch it on Sunday however. And, thank goodness, in English as well. They had a room in the chapel that had it in English....so I was in there with 3 other American missionaries from the Stake. It´s not that I wouldn´t understand it in Spanish...its just not the same listening to a translator. I think few would argue that listening to the Spanish translation of Elder Holland is the same. My favorite talk of Sunday was Elder Bednar...followed closely by Elder Uchtdorf and then Elder Holland. I really did feel like that talk was directed at me. I´ve really been trying to figure out how to recognize the Spirit better, and the way he described it, I felt was an answer to my prayers. Sometimes, personal revelation is like a light being turned on in a dark room...you just know and are enlightened instantly and undeniably...but this is not very common. Most of the time we receive personal revelation line upon line and precept upon precept...where we almost don’t even realize that we are receiving revelation. But if we continue to pray for guidance and strive to keep the commandments of the Lord, we can be confident that the Lord is guiding our steps each and every day. So...the half of conference that I got to watch was very good and spiritually uplifting.

As for the work this week, it went well. We didn´t baptize, but our investigators are making progress and I think we should be able to finish out this transfer (2 weeks more) with a lot of success, so we will just keep teaching and helping our investigators progress. Elder Diaz and I hit a little rough patch this week. We are expected by President Villarreal to contact as much as possible...and he wants us to get 20 per day as a companionship. This week Elder Diaz was just really having trouble with it. He is new, so naturally he still has a little fear of talking to people in the street. I would contact one and then it would be his turn...and he would walk around for a good 15 minutes...and past about 50 possible contacts before I finally had to force him to go up to somebody. This was a continual process...so I decided to make up a little game to try to get him to contact faster. I told him he had 2 minutes to make a contact...and if he didn’t make it he had to do 2 in a row and if he didn’t do 1 in the 2 minutes after that he had to do 3 in a row and so on and so forth....well lets just say the game backfired. He got up to about 9 in a row and then he just kind of gave up and said he didn’t want to do it. He said he would do it later....later on he said he would do it a little more LATER. I finally told him that that was unacceptable and that he had to do it NOW. We actually got into an argument for the first time pretty much this change. He said he would do it Tomorrow. The next day he started off strong....but stopped and said he couldn’t. We got into an argument again and then we just went on for a couple of hours. I finally started talking to him about it again...trying as hard as possible to not let it become an argument again. I talked to him about comfort zones...and how if we never take a step outside of our comfort zones...we won’t progress. We just won´t. In order to get better at something and learn how to do it...you have to, pretty much 100% of the time, do something that makes you uncomfortable in one form or another. It was a good conversation that we had...and afterwards he said he was ready to do it. Now, I´m proud to say that my kid is a contacting machine. It was a good learning experience for us BOTH.

Lastly, the legend of the UGLY tie lives on. [Still need to have Jeff document the legend of Uncle Steve and the Hair Tie…stay tuned] Elder Diaz had a tie from Peru that is without a doubt the ugliest, grossest, most horrfic, scariest looking tie I have ever seen. It makes you think...Who designed this? and when and where would anybody ever wear it. I successfully traded for it...and am now in possession of the ugliest tie in the world (see pictures) So don’t worry Uncle Steve...the Ugly tie tradition has been carried on. And Jordan Peacock....good luck trying to find an uglier tie than the one you´re gonna receive. I´m gonna figure out how I can send it home...so Jordan, you should get it before you leave.

Well that´s about it for this week. Thanks for the letters...and I hope you have fun in Cancun. Remember I want to see pictures, and if you get the chance...DO eat Tacos in the street. Al Pastor are really good. Love you and miss you.

Have a great week

And this is my Joy (Alma 29:9)

Elder Peacock