Week 26 - Stealing from the Testigos

Elder Roth and Elder Martinez at the Cañon de Sumidero

Hola amigos míos,

This week was pretty sweet.  There were a couple of transfers this week, but I'm staying here in Reforma with Elder Martinez.  Unfortunately my friend Elder Northrup is leaving, and my other friend Elder Rawlins finishes his mission today.  I'm gonna be a lonely little gringo in our district meetings haha.  Thanks for the updates and whatnot :).  Big news this week.  We snatched a baptism away from the Jehovah's Witnesses! haha.  (btw, you would not believe how many JW´s there are here - its ridiculous!)  Anyway, the girl was just about to get baptized a JW, when we came, taught her true doctrine, she felt the Spirit, and got baptized in the true church.  We are hoping to baptize her sister this week :) good stuff!  Also, you may be surprised to hear that I saw a guy wearing an Ocean Palms Elementary shirt this week.  Unfortunately I couldn't contact him because I was in the combi and he was in the street, but it was pretty cool anyway.

Welp, I´ll get to answering your emails:

Liahona, November 2012, p. 89

Mikele - First of all I´m about 95.7% sure that your picture is in page 89 of the November edition of the Liahona in Spanish.  

 Anyway, thanks for the update on the fam - I sure love them all.  I remember those long days waiting for the mission to start - it was torture.  But enjoy them! haha.  I had certainly not made all of those connections from the story of the brother of Jared.  You are a super scripture scholar! haha.  I'm glad to hear that seeing BMW's makes you smile haha! You are such a goof.  I love you!  Send me your MTC address so I can send you a letter while you're there!

Mom - I´m so jealous of your cold weather!  I don´t have any great insights for your lesson, but I think what you've got sounds great!  Umm, I can't say I plan on moving back after the school year. I'm happy wherever!  I love you Mom! thanks for your prayers and support and everything!

Dad - hahaha you and Roy have already destroyed everything I wanted to destroy!  ha. You crack me up.  Pretty cool that Randy was within 100 miles of TXG.  You hardly ever see planes flying overhead here, its a pretty dead zone.

1.  What are you doing for exercise, staying healthy and such? 

- ha depends. This week I was sick so I didn't work out too hard. (in fact I stayed in my bed under the covers and did about a million crunches because I didn't want to get up, but wanted to be obedient).  On normal days I do a bunch of pushups, pullups, and stuff like that.  I also fill up a 5 gallon bucket with some water and use it as a dumbbell - yes its pretty ghetto, but it works...kinda.  I´m also doing my best to avoid chicharrón and other stuff that surely causes early death.

2.  In the US, we have those things called Media Referrals, where folks see Church stuff on the TV and can call in to receive a video or book. Do you have that down there in the United Mexican States?

-In theory we have them, but I have never gotten one.  I´m trying to keep the hope though :)

No Tirar Basura - No Littering

3.  In that picture of you and your companion standing on a roadway, with the countryside behind you, there was a lot of trash on the side of the road. Behind you there was a sign that said something like no littering. Was that intentional? (If so, you can thank Mom for figuring that out.  She is amazing)

- haha I hadn't noticed the sign!  That's really funny.  All the streets here are covered in trash.  I don´t understand why they don't take care of their stuff here, but they just don't. 

 4.  Do you pray in English or Spanish?

- Spanish. The other day I tried to pray in English and words kept coming out in Spanish.  From the second day in the MTC until now, I have been praying in Spanish.

5.  Do you dream in English or Spanish?

 - about half and half - sometimes a mixture of the two. Also every once in a while I´ll be talking to someone in Spanish and I'll say something in English  For example I asked an investigator, ´´Usted, remember (with rolled r haha) cómo oramos nosotros?´´ ...he still makes fun of me for it haha.

Tell Bishop Maughan hi for me and thanks for the email!

I love you all. have a super great week!

Looking into the sun at the Cañon de Sumidero last week

Adios,

Elder Roth :)