July
9, 2012
Nope,
I don´t need to buy a bike. Each area has one. Sky, you thought your bike was
bad... ha ha ha! As for leather goods, I have seen some cowboy boots, but we
really haven´t looked around that much. Maybe you guys can make a trip down
here and pick me up in about two years. I´m sorry, but I laughed a little when
I read about the fire in the cabin. I can just imagine how you guys would react
and what not. I had it all played out in my head... ha ha ha. Mom that is an
awesome experience with your lesson. I´m doing well and I got a letter from
Katie Strubble. It was dated May 20th. It takes a while.
Well, San Pancho or San Francisco Del Rincon (the
name of the ciudad I believe) is pretty cool. It is smaller than Leon, but
still a lot of people. It is also somewhat in the country side. The good ole
smells of home. mmm. The other Elders were fritos (or most of them). President
actually took out all of the Elders in San Pancho and put us four in. One of
them Elder Wright, who was companions with one of my MTC teachers, has been
here before and is actually finishing his mission here. The rest of us don´t
know anything of the area. The other Elders left us nothing. No notes or
teaching records on their investigators or anything. Tuesday Elder Brady and I
got so lost. We ended up in the middle of nowhere. We are getting the hang of
the area now and the church is really close. We also are the missionaries for
Purisma. We road our bikes over there for a contact we had received and it
turns out to be the right address and man, but it wasn´t the same one we had
talked too. So we taught him. I think he felt bad because we had rode all the
way to his house, which was up on the hill. I like the people here. I think the
people in Mexico may know how Uncle Alan feels. There are so few people here
and so many callings. Actually there are a lot of members; they are just
less active... But the active members work so hard to keep the church going.
I also had a weird experience. We were walking
down the street and three little boys suddenly appeared. They started walking
with us and acting like us. It was fun, when we got to the outskirts of town
the game changed into Throw Rocks at the Missionaries. I can now say I have
been chased out of town. Well, we actually walked quickly out of town. None of
the rocks hit me, but they are lucky I was a missionary... I would have stared
them down if I wasn´t. It was kind of a Samuel the Lamanite experience. Also, it
rains a bit here. Okay, a lot. I still need to by a rain coat. Maybe next
p-day. Our p-day today was shot with our junta, o sea reunión de districto. We
had it at 2, which meant we had to leave at 1 to get to Leon in time. So we
lost about two hours. We had two weeks of clothes to wash, a dirty apartment
(which is now clean), and we still need to buy food and what not. I am glad to
be a missionary and have days to clean and prepare for the week. It really is
great, even though we feel like we have no time to do everything we need to.
We had an AMAZING lesson with one of our
investigators! The first lesson we had with her, she mentioned she knew the
Relief Society President. They are neighbors mas o menos. Well, the second
lesson we brought the Relief Society President and it was amazing! It makes a
HUGE difference when you have a member present for the lesson! Ahhh amazing!
Also we were knocking doors Saturday and it was hot and we were a little tired.
My comp had decided that there was no point because they would all be drunk
anyways or be away from home. I feel like you can´t judge like that. You never
know what can happen. So I went up to a door and knocked (well, a fence and
knocked). We ended up having an awesome lesson with a member that had already
talked to the missionaries like 8 years early. It was a good lesson. I really
didn´t think much of it until my companion brought it up in the meeting today.
It was a great blessing. I think that is one thing I´m good at. I don´t like to
waste time, so I just do stuff. If they say no, well, I did my part. It makes
me sad to hear no because I KNOW how much the gospel can help them. If only the
world knew! It is so true! The Plan of Salvation is the most important plan
ever made and we should follow it!
I know this work is the work of the Lord. I
have seen many miracles in the past week let alone the past 7. Oh!!! It is
amazing!
Also, they are getting a little more strict
here. I guess there was a raid on a Mexican cartel by America and so we
have to be in our house by 9. We can´t go to anything American related such as
fast food places etc. Also, we have to just be wary of our surroundings and
listen to the Spirit. One of my comp´s friend’s can´t do anything because he is
in the more dangerous part of Mexico. I´m pretty safe.
Love you all!
Every member is a missionary!
Love, Elder Michael Blake Crouch
