Taco-bout the Gospel: Valle de la Muerte

WOO NEW WEEK

This week I was thinking about all of my journal entries and all of my emails. Many times I think this is how I sound: "Today was normal. We taught. We contacted. I'm dying of heat. Now it's raining. Sad sad state of Hidalgo. I'm tired." I apologize if this is what you feel like reading my emails haha I tried really hard this week to write better so that I can give a better summary of what I'm doing over here in Mexico.

Hermana Ortega and I are getting along great! Like I mentioned, shes older than me in age, but less

The Umbrella Pic with Hermana Ortega

time in the mission. I feel like she's an older sister so that's a great feelings. We are working great together and learning a lot. Learning more of each other and more of this area. There's a lot to learn haha That's the mission for ya. Everyday is a learning experience if you let it.

We have done a lot of contacting. Here in the mission mexico Pachuca, we talk with EVERYONE. Literally everyone. "Doesn't matter who you are or what your'e doing Im going to talk with you" is basically how it goes down around here. We take a lot of combis...which are little shuttles. WE were on the way to our lunch, very far away, and a lady sat next to me. I leaned over and said "Buenas Tardes!" She just looked at me with a confused face and said "Te conozco?" or "Do I know you?" I just laughed and told her that we don't know each other but we are missionaries and we talk with everyone. Maybe she wont accept nor wanted to, but I know in the future some time down the road she will remember the Mexican and white girl that talked about God in a little shuttle.

I have also learned about the combis that sometimes they are ghetto. I felt like I was in a car of some unknown person who doesn't actually work as a driver but it's chill. you also learn to accept that there are no personal bubbles. We are just one giant family in those situations haha.

Also this week we talked with a man that makes tortas...a sandwich. And well he's made a lot of mistakes. I cant judge because I'm not perfect either but I learned something from him. He taught me a cool parable about repentance. It goes a little like this:

There was a man who made a lot of mistakes and he wanted to make everything right with God. He prayed and asked God what he needed to do. God said all he needed to do was fill us his empty glass with water. The man ran immediately over to the sink but no water came out. Ran over to the nearest water jug and nothing left. Went to the river but the river was dry. He finally went to the ocean but the water wouldn't stay in his glass. He began to cry and pray again. As he cried, the tearrs dilled his glass. Then God told him "this is true repentance"

That hit me hard. We need to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit and sincerely repent every day. No matter how small of sin we commit.

ALSO this week we had our zone training. WE learned more about using the Book of Mormon and inviting clear and directly to read ALL of the Book of Mormon. Super neat. Also according to the entire mission our zone "Valle de Mezquital" is also known as "Valle de la Muerte" because the work is slow and hard out here. President changed every single companionship in this zone. We are going to work hard and just do what the Lord wants. I just thought about about in the Lion king Simba asks his dad"whats our kingdom?" and his dad says "everything the light touches." then Simba points to a dark shadowed area and asks whats over there. His dad quickly responded that he should never go over there. I laughed when I thought about it in comparison to my zone. That the lighted area is all of the super zones in the mission mexico pachuca and the dark shaded area is poor little valle de mezquital hahaha but its great here and super pretty so I'm not complaining.

We share a ward with 2 other sisters and well it can be a little rough. you have to balance everything out so that the members are working with both companionships. This week lacked in lessons and rained a ton. That's what happens. There are great weeks with lessons and so so weeks with little lessons but non the less, the work of the lord is AWESOME!!

WE taught young women's on Sunday and visited a lot of less actives. i think we'll be working hard in that aspect. Just try to reactivate and find new people.

That was basically my week in a nutshell. a little more than usual but I hope it was more exciting to read haha

Love you all!!!

Hermana Cross