It WAS a Pretty Good Week

Monday, May 23, 2011 3:04 PM

Hello family and friends.

Well, I have bad news...unfortunately, the package has not arrived yet, or if it has it’s in the office and I haven´t received it in the weekly mail yet. But it´s ok don´t worrry about it. Hopefully it will be getting here this week. [UGH!  I sent it so early!  It’s full of birthday décor that will now be all USELESS!]  But it´s all good cuz we had a lot going on this week for sure...so I almost forgot about it completely. So I´ll give you a rundown of the week.

Tuesday...We had interviews with President. It went well, we talked about our numbers and stuff like that. But don´t know anything about the transfers (they are next Monday, so who knows this might be my last Monday here in Metepec).

Wednesday. Elder Dallin H. Oaks came and spoke to our mission. The devotional started at 8 in the morning and President wanted us seated and ready, studying the scriptures an hour before. and Since it was in DF, we had to leave at like 5 in the morning. We rented a bus for the 2 zones that are out here in Metepec and Toluca, and it left at 5 am from the chapel right by our house. Since there aren´t buses and stuff like that early in the morning all the missionaries that live far away from our chapel had to sleep here in our house, the zone leaders´ house and in the chapel. So we had about 8 other missionaries sleeping in our house on Tuesday night. We got up at like 3 in the morning to get all ready and then we went were at the church at 430 and the bus left at 5. We got there like at 645 and studied our scriptures until Elder Oaks arrived at 8.

I don´t know why I´ve never noticed it before, but his voice is awesome haha. [Listen to him HERE] He could be a background voice in movies or something. He talked about how we can become better instruments in the hands of the Lord. He used the example of a pen. A pen should always be ready to write, and shouldn’t say ¨we can´t work today because its Pday¨ and when we use a pen we want it to write OUR message not its own, so we should always be preaching the Gospel of the Lord and not our own message or things of the world, and also that a pen needs to be in working order in order to function properly, so we as missionaries need to take care of our bodies so we can continue working throughout our missions (maybe kran tacos aren´t the best haha). But Elder Oaks was great...really powerful speaker and I could feel the Spirit very strongly throughout the talk. He doesn´t know any Spanish, so the whole talk was with a translator by his side...so if he said jokes all the Americans would laugh and then 10 seconds later all the Mexicans would laugh after the translator said it in Spanish....it was a great experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

This is me and Elder Aguilar.  He was AP when I arrived.  Now, he’s a zone leader and he goes home in a week.

My MTC District (or, at least all of us from the Mexico City West Mission), reunited at last!

Thursday, normal day nothing too special haha.

Friday, My Birthday! the Hermana Galindo (the one who lives where I skyped) bought me a pie and we ate it, I also got a call from the Hermana Villarreal wishing me Happy Birthday...it was a good day.

Saturday...normal day as well.

Sunday...unexpectedly the Hermano Ariel Cruz Martinez (that we baptized a month ago, the guy who listens to Enya and is a huge Pumas soccer fan) bought me a cake as well for my birthday and made me Milkshakes....it was good. He´s the best haha. [At least he’s getting LOVE for his birthday, even if his pkg didn’t arrive!!]

Today, we played soccer as a zone against the Toluca zone. (see picture) I played a little bit of goalie....it´s hard, I think I´ll just stick with Defender...Goalie I think takes a lot more practice just knowing where to be and what to do and stuff like that. I played it my new kicks (its all about the Black Nikes) and they worked great haha. (585 pesos...on sale it was a good deal). Unfortunately we lost the game...they are just better than us...a lot more people that play soccer, we only have a few and they aren´t that fantastic. But its all good we were just playing for fun haha....I wish we could play some basketball....

And yeah, that was pretty much my week this week. I hope you enjoy the pictures and that you all have a great week. I´m anxious to get the changes on Saturday, and I´ll be sure to let you know what´s going down on Monday. I miss you all so much and I can´t wait to get the package. I know that this church is true...and this is my joy (Alma 29:9)

Love you all

Elder Peacock

This Week Should be a Good One

Monday, May 16, 2011 2:41 PM

Hello family and friends....

Thanks for the emails and thanks in advance for the shoes Dad...got your email today...like Booby Miles said, “It´s all about the Black Nikes” haha. But I am very happy that you guys received the package...pretty quickly considering it finally got sent last week. So that is good. And yes...the Hermana that sent it for me told me that they took out the tortillas. Who knows why? [He sent us a package and the accompanying tape that described the contents said that he put in some fresh tortillas.  Only, no tortillas arrived!]  They don’t want America stealing their tortilla recipe or something. But I´m glad that the rest got there safely. I thought those maps would be perfect since you guys said you haven´t found a detailed map of Mexico  [Jeff has a map fetish.  Justin marked his locations on the VERY detailed maps he bought in a gas station.  Jeff was in heaven!]. Those are about as detailed as they come. As for my package...didn´t get it this week. I did get Cassandra´s however...she beat you guys haha. But hopefully it´ll come this week. No worries. And congrats Tyler on all the scholarships...try not to one up me tooo much haha. And ok Mom, as for the Spanish phrases...I´ll give you a new one every week, sounds good. Try to find out where she´s from so I can give you some slang haha. For this week this is what I got:

"Me encanta tu falda (skirt or if she´s wearing a dress ¨vestida¨), se ve muy bonita¨

¨ I love your skirt/dress, it looks very pretty¨

Try that one on for size haha. [I have a friend from Mexico and she has challenged me to say something new in Spanish to her every time I see her!]

Ok, so as for the week, it was a pretty good one. We had another zone conference, I don´t really know why but we had two this change. We went over the importance of the area books and agendas and how we need to use them more effectively. Luckily we have been updating our area books quite regularly so we don’t have to much work to do in that aspect. After we watched a talk from Elder Holland that he gave in the MTC in January. Man, that guy is amazing. Luckily, we watched it in English with Spanish subtitles so we were able to hear his voice. It was an hour of just amazing powerful stuff. He closed talking about Peter the Apostle and when Jesus appeared to the apostles after His resurrection while they were fishing (John 21).  He explained that this was the moment that Peter became the great apostle.  As the apostles noticed that it was Jesus on the shore Peter dove in the water and went to greet the Master. As they ate and talked with Jesus, Jesus asked Peter ¨Do you love me?¨ Peter was a little bit flustered by the question and responded that of course he did. ¨Then Feed my sheep¨ responded the Savior. The Savior asked him if he loved him again and Peter responded in the same fashion. ¨Then feed my sheep¨.   A third time Jesus asked ¨Do you love me Peter?¨ Peter, responded without a doubt that he loved him. ¨Then feed my sheep.¨ Just as Peter had before denied the Savior 3 times, he was given equal opportunity to confess his love for him 3 times.  Elder Holland explained that it was in this moment that he became the great apostle, the leader of the 12. Peter and the apostles were fishing, but the Lord wanted them to leave their nets and their former lives behind and feed his sheep--preach the gospel and bring his word to all of His children. Elder Holland explained that if we truly love the Savior, we will leave the things of the world aside and feed His sheep just like Peter did.

Elder Holland is the man.

Anyway, that was zone conference for you. On Sunday we had another baptism, which is always a special experience...hopefully we´ll be able to finish these last two weeks out with another one...this change is going pretty good work wise.

But yeah I am super excited for this week...Tomorrow we have interviews with President Villarreal which is always great. and on Wednesday Elder Oaks from the Quorum of the Twelve as well as Elder Rasband from the Seventy are coming to talk to our mission...so the whole mission will be together and it will be a pretty exciting experience...so more on that next week. Friday is my Birthday so I´m hoping to get your package this week...and then on Saturday I hit double digits....10 months in the mission!!! so it´s a pretty eventful week for sure.

Well that´s pretty much it for this week. I know this gospel is true and I love and miss you all.

And this is my joy.

Elder Peacock

[sorry so slow to post!  Things have been a little CRAZY!]

It Was a GOOOOOD Sunday

Hello family and friends,

Normally a Sunday where the Lakers get swept would NEVER EVER be a good day. But yesterday was the exception. It was great to see all of your faces and talk to you for a while. [Missionaries get to call home twice a year—Mother’s Day and Christmas—while they’re on their mission.  As an unexpected bonus, we got to SKYPE, which is a video call.  Truly a marvelous invention!]  I truly did enjoy it. It was hard to hang up...but we had to eventually haha. I´m glad you guys think that my Spanish is so good ....because it really still is a work in progress.  I´m excited to receive my package soon [for his upcoming birthday—he tried to get us to tell him what was in it!]. Thanks for the emails and all of your love and support as usual.

This week (we talked about it yesterday I think haha) went well. We got our numbers up from the week before and we were able to have a baptism on Sunday which is always something special. Elder Diaz and I are cool now...no more fights. We are getting along better and are having more fun together. It has been rainy all week...but hot and sunny during the day.

Today for P-day we played soccer (surprise) as a zone against the zone of Toluca. We lost....but whatever....I still wanna play basketball haha. We played on a giant dirt field...there seems to be a lot of them here. I´m thinking about buying some soccer shoes though since its pretty obvious that I will be playing for my entire mission...but we´ll see. Apparently, since I´m a bargain hunter now, I´ll have to shop around haha.

Anyways, I know that this church is true. I do miss you guys more a little bit more now, just cuz I felt so close to you for a few hours, but I love my mission so much as well, because I know that it is the work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and I love Him with all of my heart. He died for me, as well as for everyone else. I know that through Him and His sacrifice we can all be clean from sin and live with God again with all the people that we love....forever. He can take our burdens for us and help us with everything in our lives. That is why I am serving my mission....because His gospel blesses and changes lives.

Well Happy Mother´s Day again Mom. I was reading the story of the stripling warriors this week (Alma 56, see especially verses 45-48)...and they had such strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ because their mothers taught them that if they did not doubt, the Lord would save them from their struggles. Thank you for teaching me wisdom in my youth Mom, because through those teachings I am here fighting for my Savior each and everyday, in full time service of Him.

Love you and miss you all. Have a great week!

And this is my Joy (Alma 29:9)

Elder Peacock

When we were SKYPEing with Justin, at one point, he pulled his namebadge off to show Bryce something and I noticed that he had a card attached to it that just sits in his pocket.  On one side is:

And on the other side is:

Melt my heart!

Ya Estamos en Mayo!

Hello family and Friends,

Another week has gone by here in Metepec. Now, its starting to feel like I´ve been out a while not gonna lie. Everyone getting married, Pat almost being out a year, and Tyler graduating soon. Weird.  And High fives all around. Lakers won and Spurs lost. President won’t be happy about that one, haha. And as for the call....I´ll be calling on Sunday! I´m just gonna use a phone here, they have phones here I can use for like 7 or 8 pesos for half hour to the US. As for now, I´m planning on calling at around 8:00 here, which would make it 6:00 in California. So expect it right around then, but don´t be surprised if its later or earlier by an hour or so. We will have an hour to talk, so hopefully that will all work out. Super stoked to talk to you guys!!! 

As for this week, it was a little bit of both. The good and the bad. On Tuesday we had Zone Conference, which is always great. President Villarreal is the best. I always feel so spiritually uplifted and reanimated when he talks. Afterwards, the APs and Secretaries ate with us at an Hermana´s house.

The work was a little rough this week however, not a lotta people at home. This week was vacation for the schools here, so a lot of families were out of town since there was no school. Also, me and my comp had a couple rough days together....I think when you´re with someone 24 hours a day 7 days a week you´re bound to argue a little, right? But this is how it went down. In Spanish there are 2 words to say the word “you”. Tú and usted. Here in Mexico, you use the word tú for people that are younger than you (like kids) as well as close friends, family, and when you pray you use tú as well. Usted is for people that hold leadership over you or people you don’t know very well. Apparently in Peru, they NEVER use tú and it’s disrespectful if you talk to somebody like that. I have been talking to Elder Diaz in tú since day one..and he has never said anything about it...and that’s just how it works here in Mexico. It came up that he gets offended when people talk to him in tú and I told him that’s a cultural difference that he´ll have to get used to, because its not due to a lack of respect here. Well, to make a long story short, we argued about it for a while and we were a little tense with each other for a day or two. We´ve settled it now and we´re back to normal so its all good. I´m pretty sure every companionship has their moments...some more than others...but everyone is bound to get in an argument every once in a while. But we´re good now no worries.

Today, P-day, has been pretty fun so far. We did our usual shopping in the morning and then we played some soccer with the zone. Afterwards, we went and Ate Hamberguesas Gigantes!!! (see the picture). Add a liter of Coke on top of that and I AM stuffed, and have eaten enough calories for the whole week haha. Good thing I walk all day so it shouldn´t effect me too much haha. 

Hopefully we can find some new investigators this week. Our teaching pool seems to have disintegrated again...but we´ll just keep working hard, and I know that the Lord will bless us with success if we continue to be diligent and obedient. I´m so glad to hear that you guys are hosting missionary discussions!! There´s nothing better than having a family in the ward that helps with the work...it helps with the fellowshipping, learning and conversion so so much. Don´t be afraid to bear your testimony and share personal experiences to help the missionaries out. I´m so glad you get to hear you are experiencing the joy of missionary work first hand. I am so grateful each and everyday for the opportunities I have to share the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. It truly does bless families...every problem can be solved by applying the Gospel to it, and only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ can families truly be eternal and live together forever. I know that this Gospel is true and I can´t wait to talk to you guys on Sunday. I hope you have a great week!! Love you so much!!

And this is my joy!! (Alma 29:9)

Elder Peacock

[Lisa:  Is it me, or does his nose seem perpetually sunburned?  Hmmm.  I’ll have to speak to him about sunscreen on SUNDAY! Once a mom, always a mom!]