3-28-11

This week for me went by really fast, pretty much just like always, we are already halfway through this transfer, which is crazy, we only have one baptism this transfer, but we have a family of 5 that we are looking to baptize the 10th of April because this weekend is going to be general conference! I am pretty excited for that though, its crazy that it has already been 6 months since the last one! I love to watch conference and listen to the talks, as missionaries its really just a spiritual replenishment, but I guess It like that for everyone not just for missionaries! Well today I have now been gone for 11 months, it really doesn't feel that way though, it feels like it has gone by so fast, and even faster ever since I got to Mexico! I feel like I have really changed alot, but I feel like they were changes for the better. I am now pretty much fluent in Spanish, there are still a few words here and there that I haven't learned yet but I guess Im still like that in English as well haha. Its really weird to speak English, I often forget how to say things in English, just because Spanish is such a different way of speaking and a different form to express yourself, Im sure it will be funny for everyone to see when I get home! I have also lost a lot of weight, well I think so at least, when I left home I weighed like 260- 265, on miércoles when we were at the mission offices, I checked my weight and I am now 205 lbs, pretty crazy huh? I dont think I have been this small since like 9th grade haha well maybe 10th but who knows! Its nice though I feel alot healthier and more agile. Im thinking about playing football again when I get home But I really dont think about that stuff too often, seeing as I still have 13 months left in my mission! So even though I dont really remember very much of what we actually did this week I will give you the day by day run down of my week-
Tuesday- We left early because sister Felipa invited us to come eat breakfast at her house, and also while we were there we finalized a few things so that her son could finally get married to his girlfriend who isnt a member, they have a kid together, he is 19 and she is 20. We are also hoping to baptize her the 10th or 17th of April! After that we went and visited a few people, and taught a lesson to Liliana and arieli, 2 investigators that we are teaching, they are both younger women one 18 and the other 20, who are both married and each have one kid. It was sad because Liliana who is 18 told us that she is going to get a divorce with her husband who is 29 yrs old, they got married when she was 16, but whats sad is that actually a normal thing around here. After that we went and ate lunch then after we had to go help a 15 yr old young man in our ward write his talk, because he has never talked before and he is a newer member, after that we taught a few more lessons and headed home.

Wed- We had interviews with the president, ours was suppose to be at 11am, but I guess they got behind and so we ended up waiting there in the offices until like 4pm, so while we were waiting we headed over to dominoes which was only like a mile away, and we ate some pizza. After we finally finished getting interviewed we headed back to our area and started working and we taught a few lessons.

Thursday- we left a little late because we had to do weekly planning, so after that we went and taught liliana and arieli, then we had to go to the lunch appt at 2pm, we eat with a non member on Thursdays and she always gives us a ton of food, and if we dont eat more than one plate she gets really mad. so after we were forced to stuff ourselves we headed to teach some lessons and to look for a few referrals that we received, then we went and taught a few more lessons!

Friday- We left early because we went with that couple to go get there medical certificates down, which is pretty much just a physical, that they need in order to get married. After that we went with them back to there house and they fed us some beans and tortillas for breakfast, which was pretty good! I have pretty much learned to enjoy just about everything, except chicken feet and pig skin and stomach, I still really dont enjoying eating those things! After that we went out and taught some people then later in the evening we went to an activity that another ward had, pretty much just for the food and then after we played soccer with some of the kids, it was pretty fun but I ended up ripping a huge chunk of skin from the bottom of my foot, it hurt for a few days to walk but now a hardly feel it!

Saturday- We really didnt do anything too excited, we taught some lessons but Mexico was playing a soccer game so lots of people were busy with that haha, soccer kinda takes priority around here!

Sunday- We confirmed Isabel who we baptized last weekend, it was good she asked if the bishop coled confirm her, so he did and it was a very good blessing as well! After church we ate at the bishops and then we went and taught a few other lessons and visited and gave the sacrament to some older member in our ward who are too sick to go to the church on Sundays, they are always so happy to see us! It feels good to be able to go and talk to them since they really dont get to do that very much!

Thanks again for your email, I hope you have a great week full of success!

te amo,
Elder Stradling