Crocodiles in the Streets?

Mi Querido Familia,

 

Had another good week down here in México! It has been unusally cloudy this past week. Unusual for here means that there have happened to be the occasional cloud or two that pass over the sun giving us some delicous shade. In the night time it has rained a couple times making it a little cooler in the morning so it has been a little strange to wake up to less than furnace temperatures. I have heard alot of stories about the rain these past couple weeks. Starting this month, and covering the next couple months, is the rainy season. There are a couple lagoons in our area that the locals claim contain crocodiles and large snakes. I have yet to see one, but I might get to because the locals say that when it rains non stop for a couple days there is waste deep water in the streets and crocodiles leave the lagoon and swim around town. I am not so sure I believe them about the crocodiles (they exaggerate alot here) but I believe them about the water level raising to be ridiculously high. When it rains for only a couple hours alot of streets become unpassable unless you want walk through knee deep or deeper water. However I will make sure that I will keep my eyes out for crocodiles if the water is really high, but then we probably wouldnt be out in the streets preaching if we cant get anywhere becasue the streets are so flooded.

 

I have had much opportunity to practice my self control in maintaining a positive attitude and an eternal perspective this past week for various reasons. I have found that it is quite wonderful to have a positive attitude and an eternal perspective during hard times and that I am getting alot better at maintaining the two during hard times. The mission is great for becoming the person you want to be.

 

Our list of investigators kinda got shortened this week because some either werent interested, spouses didnt want them to study with us, or they just didnt really want to keep the commandments. We set a baptisimal date with Ricardo (the Nephew of Pedro) and he has been progressing well but he told us that he is going to move to Monterrey for a couple months to work. We also only found one new investigator for the entire week. Despite these tragedies, it was a great week because we made good progress with the investigators that we have.

 

Our new investigator, Kassandra, is really smart and she really has a sincere desire to come to know if they church is true. We set a baptisimal date for her on the 28th of July and she is progressing well.

 

I dont remember if I told you about Karina, Rosa, and Aide last week. We have been meeting with Karina for about 2 months now and she has been making really good progress in the past 3 weeks. We showed up for an appointment last week but she wasnt there. Her daughters Aide and Rosa were there and so we ended up teaching them about the Plan of Salvation. We committed them to getting baptized on the 28th (the same date as their mom Karina) and they said yes! This week we got to teach them all together for the first time and it was great. They even came to church on Sunday and they seemed to like it!

 

I didnt realize it was the 4th of July until we had gotten home and started planning for the next day! It made me a little home sick becasue I have a lot of great 4th of July memories. I ate some Zucaritas (frosted flakes) to celebrate. I have learned the area. I was really worried at first that I wouldnt know where the members lived or how to get around, but we got a map from the offices and have been able to survive. Your 4th of July sounds like it was pretty fun. Oh now that I think about it I saw some fireworks that some kids set off before I realized it was the 4th of July and I didnt know whay there was fireworks.

 

I need to go but I love you all and I hope you have a fantastic week!

 

con amor,

 

Elder Johns