The Quetzal, Cunduacán

Had a stressful but good week this week. My new area is in Cunduacan, Tabasco. My new companion is Elder De Olarte from Monterrey, Mexico. We have a lot of work to do. We were a little lost this week because Elder De Olarte still isn't familiar with the area or investigators. I got to meet some of the members here and get their confidence again and the references are slowly starting to come again. Still a little sad to have left my other area but it's alright, I know I'm supposed to be here to help this area.
Every morning I get to do a little exercise on top of my apartment building, it's super relaxing and it's really pretty up there.

It's so fricking hot here, my comp asked me if I was okay one morning and I looked at my bed and everything was wet my sheets and my pillow, I had sweat so much it looked like someone dumped a bucket of water on my bed. I requested and a/c fan thing because I'll die if I have to keep doing that. It rained one morning and people said it was cold.... it was like 85 outside.

I have started to really pray with confidence to understand people as they are, not who I want them to be. I am seeing that small, thoughtful efforts can bring eternal consequences. Weaknesses become strengths, challenges become opportunities, trials become victories and adversity reminds oneself of their character.
D&C 58 Those who endure tribulation will be crowned with glory- this is speaking to me right now!

I found this awesome new statue of the "Lamanite" LOL. The Book of Mormon is so cool, there aren't adjectives to describe it honestly.

In Mesoamerica the people here worshiped a white God, for dark skinned people to worship a white God seems un poquito abnormal. Quetzalcoatl means feathered serpent and it was the symbol of the white god for the Mayans. They tell that this Deity taught against human sacrifice and is associated with death and resurrection. Quetzalcoatl represents a God who was the creator of all things, was born of a virgin, and performed miracles in this part of the American continent. He was a universal God and promised to return. The Quetzal is a bright colored bird and I think its the national bird of Guatemala. The serpent part of the god some people think may have biblical origin from the times of Moses, when he represented Jesus Christ to the children of Israel with a serpent on a pole to testify of his coming. The Book of Mormon people know of the serpent and savior story from the Old testament brass plates, brought from Jerusalem. When Christ came and visited the people the Americas many associate him with the feathers falling from Heaven. This Quetzalcoatl some think as a representative of Jesus Christ after his appearance. I read about this and if that is not just so cool! read 3Nephi 11-20!! I love my mission. Everyone probably clicked off by now hahah

Cunduacan!!!

These are photos from my last area.
We had transfers! A five-hour bus ride. I just want to say that I'm actually really sad to leave my other area, and especially my son Elder Heninger. I'm gonna really miss that place but it is okay it's part of life. I'm now in an area called Cunduacan, Cardenas and it is way hotter than my other areas. I'm excited to work with Elder De Olarte, he's from Monterrey, Mexico. I'm excited because this area seems nicer than my other ones and it seems like there is a bit more civilization here, which is nice. I got to our new apartment and there is no AIR CONDITIONING.... again. I might actually sweat to death but it'll be okay!

Got my shoes all did up!! They replaced the bottom with REAL tire so that it wouldn't melt or break for the rest of my mission. 

An hermano made me these ties, they're awesome. Gonna miss that area! All is well though.

from Hermana Haws- May Missionaries

It's HOT here right now!! Really, really hot. May is the hottest month of the year here- and it is true. We are seeing everyday 102-104 actual temperatures without heat index and 80%-90% humidity. President Haws tells the missionaries that May brings the heat and as a result of our esfuerzo al maximo, it also brings blessings and miracles. It is true. This week we are out doing interviews with a different zone everyday and the missionaries are sharing their miracles with us. Also, showing us how they keep working in this heat! They NEED hats, sunglasses, shade and lots and lots of water!!

I'm so done with scorpions

This week we came home and Elder Heninger was writing in his journal and I was getting my clothes off our clothesline outside. I come back in and two huge cockroaches run from some books we had in the corner of our house and nothing out of the ordinary I go after them and get them. In the commotion, Elder Heninger screamed like the biggest little girl and just said "THE WALL" I look and there's a 6-inch scorpion above the books on our wall. 

This thing was huge I could hardly sleep just wondering if I was gonna get stung again while sleeping. 

We didn't have water this week it was really on and off. Sometimes we use the A/C water that drips into a bucket to shower in the morning. This week was so Mexico.

We baptized Maria shes so cute I love her.

 I met one of the coolest investigators of my mission. His name is Lewis Angel, it's so cool because it's like he has the same story as Joseph Smith. Growing up in a household with influences from a slew of religious backgrounds, he had always been a believer in Christ and the bible. He has an understanding that God has a plan for him. A month or so ago, driven by personal uneasiness and question, he prayed. He asked God to show him his plan for him. He asked if there is a true church on the earth that he would show it to him. This was before we met him as missionaries. The next week there we were as we came upon him as he was studying for an entrance exam for a university in Mexico City. We asked if we could help him with what he was doing. As he began to share with us his story about his childhood, we both began to recognize that we were an answer to his prayer. Emotional for all of us, the spirit was so strong when we began to share with him the Restoration and the story of Joseph Smith. Before we had the opportunity to invite him to baptism he asked us when he could be baptized. It was really just so amazing, God prepares people, and that the spirit was able to change him so fast. 

Sorry, that was so long we had an awesome week though.