Week two in Mexico!

We were so happy to hear from Jake this week! We have missed him, and have still been a bit worried about how he is adjusting. It sounds like we had no reason at all to worry...

Hey everyone!

First off, Mom, thanks for your email!!! it was awesome :) and Dad yours was super awesome as well you spiritual giant you ;)

Well, here is what's going on!

To answer all of your questions:

The people don't really dress differently here except they don't have as much money as us. They're really poor for the most part, but they're happy and they get along well!

The Micro (or supermarket) is owned by a member who lives in the town next to us where the zone leaders live. She is rich.  Every week when we go shopping, she gives us free Gatorades! Every Tuesday when we have district meeting, we eat with the zone leaders at her house. It is so dang good!!! We eat with members everyday for lunch and we usually don't eat dinner because were not that hungry! But I've been cooking for Elder Beardsly, and he freaking loves me!!!!! Hahaha

Also, the bugs here are wierd. I've been taking pictures so you can see ;) cuz, I know Mom and the Girls love spiders!!! ;) It's like camping here, its awesome!!! I got a hammock today, I'm stoked!!!! Ha!! It was like 70$!!! but its dang nice. Also, I sleep in a bed :P the hammocks are our own thing but the members all sleep in hammocks.

We haven't eaten iguana yet, but a member named Magdalena has 5 living in her ceiling!!! And, apparently, they're violent! A member named Sirio caught one for dinner. It was like 6 ft long, and it bit his hand, like to the bone! But i'll send pictures :)

:P And yes, I'm in Oaxa in Tapanatapec, its right next to Chauites and kinda by Zanatapec. the very edge of our mission. 

Honestly, I could destroy pretty much anyone right now to who argues that the BOM isn't true. But, that's not the purpose of being a missionary or even the purpose of religion. It's about love and worshiping God. Bible bashing does nothing but cause contention which is the spirit of the Devil! :)

Kenzie!!! Don't crash Geo! But yes, a car is a car! :P Haha, and don't worry, high school isn't that scary ;) and ya, being the oldest isn't so much fun all the time is it? ;)

Hannah, I'm stoked for MM 2!!! Hurry and send it!!!! Haha I'm glad you are happy and safe! Be nice to your sister since she is still learning how to be the boss.

Mom, I would love some music!! We listen to a lot here, and I have it on a USB. So any cool songs you have please send:) We even have vocal point and Alex Boye from MOTAB.

Austin, sorry you struggled with your test bud!!! Just keep studying and working hard. It will come to you. Don't forget to pray and read the BOM because the Lord will definitely loosen your tongue!!!!

Daws, read, read, and reread that email. Do what I said.

Danika, keep reading the BOM and get excited for school!!!! It will make it easier!!! 

I know church can be boring, I do! I still fall asleep down here, and even in lessons with investigators I fall a sleep!!! 

But, I also know that Christ really is our Savoir. I know it because of a few things... 

• Me and my companion walk everywhere, all day. At the end out the day, my legs and feet hurt so bad, that I want to cry!  But, every night I get a little burst of energy.  It's just enough to read the BOM a little bit and pray. Then I am OUT!. The next morning my legs are healthy and ready to go all over again.

• Every time I pray before a lesson, I have the strength to stay awake, no matter how tired I was before.I know the power of the Lord, and I know now that the Church and the BOM are true.

• I watch the Joseph Smith movie every p-day and I  KNOW that if the BOM wasn't true, and if Joseph and the other witnesses were liars, they would not have gone through what they had to endure.

• If every thing they believed and held dear, depended on a book they had been fictitiously created, they would have given up in the beginning.

• I know that if the gospel wasn't true, our ancestors, the Pioneers wouldn't have seen the miracles they did. (Find and watch the movie 17 miracles!) I know that the Church wouldn't exist today if this wasn't the try restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

• I know that I wouldn't have the strength to be here, and to be as happy as I am if this gospel wasn't true. I have felt it every day.

Dawson, I have 15 baptismal dates from two weeks of being here. These are people who drank, smoked, and
hated the church when I got here. That is the difference that this work can make. I know this gospel is true, and I know that the Lord loves us.

All he asks us to do are three things. (1) Keep the commandments. (2) Try to do our best and better ourselves (use the atonement), and (3) Endure to the end. That's it. The 10 rules we have to follow (commandments) aren't too hard. No killing people, and no cheating on our our wives ;) We simply have to do our best everyday. Just that, and we can inherit the Kingdom of God. Do you know how easy that really is compared to the things that Christ had to endure? Bud, someone has to be dang lazy to not be able to do those simple things.

Love you all!!

Photos to come!!!

P.S. Can you please tell me how to make french toast? We want some SOOOOO bad! :)