Happy April

[Email Dated April 2, 2012]

Hello everyone,

It was another good week here in Puerta Grande. Sorry to hear about your problems with the gardener, Mom. You´re probably just gonna have to tell him to cut it out. I´m sure he´ll get the idea even if he doesn´t understand English that well.  Because, that´s just ridiculous. Now, while they do greet with the kiss here, just tell him that he´s in the United States and that you don´t do that here. He´ll understand. If not, just have Bryce take him out.

Also, I am super jealous that you all got to go to conference!! As normal, I just watched the Sunday sessions (missed Elder Holland again!! Dangit). We took people to the conference of Saturday, but we just had to drop them off at the church and then keep working. It´s like cruel and unusual punishment for a missionary to not let them watch conference. I did enjoy the Sunday sessions though. Lot of really good talks. I got to watch them in English as well which is always way better. The translators just don´t do it for me, although as a fun fact Elder Scott and Elder Christofferson do their own Spanish translations so everyone does get to hear their voices in Spanish. My favorite talk was by Elder Christofferson, followed closely by President Monson and President Uchtdorf. The afternoon session had a TON of focus on the family. I always think it´s cool when they all talk about the same thing, when you consider the fact that they all pray and fast to decide on a topic and they don´t discuss previously with anyone else what they are going to talk about. That´s called revelation.

Congrats as well to Luke [Tyler’s roommate just received his mission call to Argentina-Mendoza.  Luke is the younger brother of Justin’s BYU roommate, Patrick, who is currently serving in Argentina-Salta]. Luke and Pat will both be talking with their Argentinian accents and drinking their Mate (this weird grass drink) and taking siestas. That´ll be funny. And just so Uncle Dave knows, Mexican Spanish is better [Uncle Dave served his mission in Spain]. We don´t talk with a lisp (c and z) haha.

So, the biggest thing that happened this week was that my streak was broken. Until Sunday I had gone my ENTIRE mission waking up on time EVERY SINGLE DAY. NEVER, did I wake up later than 630. President Villarreal was aware of this and he told me I had the record. I thought I was going to go my whole mission and then....Sunday happened. We had the time change here in Mexico on Saturday night. I always use my cell phone as my alarm. And I assumed that the time would change on the cell phone as I slept. Wrong. I woke up at 630 according to my cell phone, only to soon find out that the time did not change on the phone so I had really awakened at 730. I felt pretty bummed. I really wanted to go my whole mission waking up on time. The time change got me. President told me that he wanted me to call him the day the streak got broken...so I called him, he didn’t answer, so I sent him a message. He informed me that he wouldn´t send me home...and that now I have the opportunity to start a new streak. So that was a bummer...but it´s all good.

Sunday, we had 2 baptisms. Paulina and her son Luis Enrique. They were prepared by the Lord big time....they were the miracle I talked about in my last letter. Paulina told us that she was completely convinced that what we taught was the truth after meeting us for the 1st time 3 days earlier!! She would also say "Es que Somos bien faciles para convencer" or we are very easy to convince. I told her that means she has a lot of faith in the Lord and that she is meek and humble as a little child, willing to submit herself to the will of her Father (see Mosiah 3:19). They are really great people and I know that they will continue to grow and progress in the Church of Jesus Christ.

 

Well, I only have 16 weeks left. The time is getting short. I love you and miss you all. Thanks for all of your love and support. Hope you enjoy the pictures!! The one with all the people is a lot of the members of the ward in between the conference sessions, everyone brought food and it was a big Lunch. Lots of fun.

And this is my joy

Elder Peacock