It only seems right to finish this experience where we started…in Valencia among friends.
Justin reported on his mission on Sunday, July 29th in the Valencia 2nd Ward. We were lucky to have his Grandparents and other family and friends come for the event.
A few weeks later, missionary friends were returning from all over the globe.
BYU roommates reunited Sunday, August 19, 2012. Patrick (Argentina), Justin (Mexico), Mitchel (South Africa), Collin (Colorado).
Justin arrived at LAX on July 26, 2012. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. When we checked his flight status, we were sent to the wrong terminal. We snapped at each other and went in different directions to determine where we should be. The worst thing imaginable would be if Justin arrived and no one was there to greet him! In the process, I tripped over a curb and slaughtered my knee (which I continued to complain about for days my family will attest) and Jeff took way too many chances jaywalking and stopping traffic (in LA!!!!) to get there in time. Do not get between this man and his child, you will lose every time.
Suffice it to say, we all got to the right place and….
WAITED.
I made this awesome sign so he’d recognize us.
Unfortunately, Elder Juker’s family made a bigger & better one.
Yes. We have sign envy.
Here we are waiting. Very patiently.
Our first glimpse!
Check out the belt. Hehe.
Here it is closer. And. There’s more where that came from, he loves them. Wait ‘til you see the rooster belt.
All together now!
Two very happy families.
Clearly, we called for a surrender in the sign competition.
However, ours was much more mobile and made us more hug accessible, so it wasn’t a complete fail.
Choose your caption:
1. In the parking lot of the Stake Center preparing for Justin’s interview with, and release by, the Stake President.
2. Modeling the sentimental, hand-selected gifts from a Mexico City Flea Market. (Mine is pink and sparkly by the way. I can’t wait to find an occasion to wear it…)
3. Justin: “This one’s obviously mine because it has a sweet beard.”
[I asked Justin to write this last post to complete the chronicle of his mission experience. Note he found his first name again when he signed it]
Hello family and friends,
Well, it has now been three weeks since I returned from my mission in Mexico City. I just want to thank everybody for all of the love and support that I received during my time as a missionary.
The last week of the mission was a lot of fun. It was hard to keep focused for sure but I'm glad I could. That last Saturday in the mission may have just been the longest day I have EVER had. We knocked doors all day with almost zero success. The minutes seemed to pass by like hours and the hours like days. But after a day full of contacting and very little teaching, it was over. Sunday was a day of goodbyes, packing and my exit interview. President Villarreal informed me in my exit interview that my search for a future wife would begin as soon as I returned home. HAHA weird.
Monday was a fun day to do basically whatever we wanted. We went to downtown and bought some stuff.
Tuesday we went to Teotihuacan which is just outside of Mexico City and are the largest ancient ruins in all of Mexico. The Pyramid of the Sun there is the 2nd largest pyramid in the world. We had a guide take us around and teach us using the Book of Mormon about ancient Mayan culture and about Teotihuacan. It was way sweet.
And then, on Wednesday, we got to go to the temple in the morning and then in the night we had a dinner and testimony meeting with our mission President and his family.
After the dinner it was 11 at night already and since we had to leave at 3 in the morning for the airport we just stayed up all night. I got on the plane at 755 and by 10 in the morning in California I was home.
And now 3 weeks later I'm getting ready to head up to BYU and get back to normal life. It's kind of weird thinking about how fast the time seems to have gone. It seems ike just the other day me and Pat Spiker were moving into our room for our freshman year at BYU and now we're hanging out as two returned missionaries.
I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to serve a mission. It has blessed my life in soo many ways, and I have learned and grown so much as a person the last 2 years. I know that my Savior lives and He loves His children. I know that the atonement of Jesus Christ is a very real thing, and if we trust in Him, we can overcome any obstacle in our lives.
And this is my Joy,
Justin Peacock
I´ll see you on Thursday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
950 I´ll see ya there!!
Love Elder Peacock
PS Tyler Get on that Playlist.
Dear family and friends,
I sit here in Mexico, for what I believe will be the last time writing you in my mission. Thank you for your emails and love and support that you have all given me. Dad, I feel like you have been more diligent than the apostle Paul in writing letters, so thank you (even if mom says that they are too long haha). I thank you for all the packages and constant updates of back home. It helped me out a lot for sure. Glad to hear that everything is set for me getting released and I am excited to see you all in the airport as well. And Dad, if you think this is a surreal experience for you, I don´t even know how to describe how I am feeling. It is weird.
Wow, ok so it is my last week. This last week was a little challenging. Didn´t have as much success as we would have liked, but I´m gonna work it until the end. I only have one more week and I am not going to stop now. I want to do as much as I can to help the work move forth in Mexico. I feel like I have truly been converted to the mission over these last 2 years. I love the mission and the Lord too much to stop right before the end. I mean, sure, at times it will be hard to focus, but I will be giving it my all.
Wednesday in the morning we all [all the missionaries going home that week] go to the temple with President Villarreal and his wife to do a session [click HERE to learn more about temples. They are different than regular church buildings where we go weekly to worship together] and at night we eat the last supper with Villarreal family. Thursday I´m back home.....it will be a fun week!!
In my study and during the week, I really have been pondering the Parable of the Talents a lot. I think it applies a lot to the mission. In the parable the Lord gives to 3 servants 5, 2 and 1 talents respectively. Each of them is expected to use their talents to the best of their ability. The first 2 servants worked diligently and used their talents to the best of their abilities, and each of them proudly reported when the Lord returned that they had doubled their talents to 10 and 4 respectively. The third servant shamefully made excuses and explained that he had not used his only talent, to which the Lord punished Him and took away the only talent that he had. Notice that the 1st and 2nd servants DID NOT have the same amount of success. One gained 5 talents more and the other only 2...however, the Lord commended them both with the SAME statement ....Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things; and I will make thee ruler over many things, enter into the Joy of thy Lord. The Lord expects that we make the best out of the opportunities and talents that he has given us. He recognizes that some will have more opportunities for others, but we can be sure that if we do our best with what the Lord has given us...we will be rewarded for our efforts. It is my prayer that each of us can make the most out of the talents and opportunities that the Lord has given us. I am so grateful for the opportunity that the Lord has given me to serve a mission and I hope that the Lord will respond to me with that same statement when it is all said and done....WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.
And this is my Joy....it has been and it will always be
Love you and miss you all...see ya soon!!!!
Elder Peacock
Hello family and friends,
Another week has passed. After this email you will only be hearing from me one more time...weird right?? Good to hear that everything is going good back home...sorry Bryce that you are missing the 1st week of pads. Just keep in mind though that looking back on everything a few years in the future, you will definitely hate yourself if you choose one week of JV football practice over Cancun with the family...trust me. I missed a week of practice for EFY my junior year...Coach was not happy but he got over it and I´m glad I did it...even though it was kinda hard on me on the football side of things.
And Steve Nash!! What??!! It was just kind of a side note in the sports update but that sounds pretty important to me! Any other big signings or trades??? Y Patrick, No te preocupes, mi amigo, ya muy pronto estoy allí contigo, solo aguántame tantito y no te aburras jaja. Also Tyler...you better get on that music and movie playlist...remember that you will be leaving on your mission soon, so I will most likely be in charge of doing the same for you...so doest unto me as thou wouldst have done unto thee.
So the week went really well. My new companion is Elder Cuadras. He is from the state of Aguascalientes in Mexico. He is straight from the Mexico MTC and is a great kid (his name is Nefi,which is Nephi in English). He is waiting for his visa and will be going to Argentina once it gets here...so hence the special changes. We were blessed with another baptism this week, his name is Jonathan and is 10 years old. We found him and his mom about a month ago contacting. His mom, Mayra, loves the church and would have totally gottten baptized but there are some extenuating circumstances. But, she´s so excited about the church that she invites her friends to the lessons and we brought one of them to church yesterday!! haha.
So today we´re gonna be in downtown...time to fill up those suitcases!! haha. Until next week....the last email!! and last Pday!!! Crazy
And this is my joy
Elder Peacock
Hello everyone,
CONGRATS to Tyler!!! Super stoked to hear about the mission call. You´re going to have some adventures in Peru...my first kid in the mission Elder Diaz, is from the jungle in Peru, so I´m pretty sure he lives in the mission we´re you´ll be serving so I´ll have to find out a little more about Peru for you. But dude, it´s gonna be super sick. Thank you for sending that video, I was tearing up a little bit to be honest while I watched it...you´re gonna be great, Elder Pavo Real. Glad to hear that everything else is going well.
So the week went great. It started off with delicious red velvet cake and ice cream...the Mexicans were amazed at how good it was...we just couldn´t explain to them what flavor it is...what flavor is red velvet?? [That was the cake mix we sent him in his birthday box…better late than never!!]
We were blessed with another baptism. David. He´s 14 years old and came to church the past week with his grandma and aunt who are members. He told us his dream was to be an elder...umm awesome. So we hooked him up with a white shirt and tie to go to church and he got baptized...really solid kid.
Today we made tamales with some members...so we´re gonna be able to make some tamales when I get back. Saturday morning?? we could hit up the mexican market and get all the supplies and it´ll be fun!!
So as for more surprises, more SPECIAL changes. Elder Lefevre will be leaving today right after we email to another area and I will be recieving another kid...weird. Reminds me of Zacarias who thought he was too old to have any kids and them BAM...I don´t know who he is or why he is getting here in the middle of the change, but I will know today. He may be an American who had to wait for his visa or he could be a Mexican who is waiting for his visa to go to another country...I´ll let you know about him next week.
Love you guys so much and my days are quickly coming to an end here in Mexico...And this is my joy.
Elder Peacock
