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