Week 88

Hola Everyone!

It's been maybe the most interesting week in the mission. I definitely got some good ol stories to tell you guys this week! And you guys all know me well and I'm super open - so I hope you get a good laugh at the story I'm going to tell you!!

Anyways to start off with the GOOD NEWS, Othoniel - the young kid that got baptized - was confirmed this week!! And we had another baptism as well. His name is Heriberto and he's such a dang good dude!! We are so dang excited to be working here in this area and to see the blessings that the Lord allows us to have as we work to find his children that are lost in this world and bring them back to the fold!! When we first got to know Heriberto (he's only 14 years old), we just started to befriend him and he told us he goes to the gym to workout! So anyways, every time we went to teach him, we started off the lesson by having a push up competition!! And we gained his trust little by little. And now goodness, we are such good friends. Now every dang time we see him or he sees us, we give each other a big ol hug!!!! The gospel sure does BLESS each and every single one of us!!

Well . . .  now to tell you all the funny, crazy - first time in my life - experience. I'll start off by telling you what we ate on Saturday! So basically we eat chicken and rice here EVERY single day. My companion and I always joke around and say that we're going to start praying so that the sisters here mix it up a little! But, no. We really are so grateful for their willingness to feed us!! Anyways, the sister fed us on Saturday and she gave us some good ol pork chops. And goodness, our eyes lit up when we saw them!! So we ate a super lot and then they gave us a super thin bread that's called reganada and it's super good as well.

So we were walking to our appointment right after lunch and I was eating the bread and everything was all good. But out of nowhere, I told my companion that I've gotta go to the bathroom RIGHT NOW. So we were passing by a members house and of course he wasn't home. The church was about 4 blocks from where we were at and so I told my companion let's go. So there we went, speed walking and everything and I was definitely saying A LOT of prayers in my heart. Well about a block from the church, I knew I wasn't going to make it - oh, good ol Mexican food, you gotta love it! - so I gave my backpack to my companion and started running. Well, I made it to the bathroom, but ya, time ran out and I didn't make it to the toilet!! As my companion entered the bathroom and saw that I didn't make it, I simply told him, "Hey, I wasn't kidding." Hahaha. We got a good laugh out of it! I told him that's the only time in my whole life that I haven't made it to the bathroom and of course it had to be here on my mission. Hahahah!!

Well, it was an interesting and funny good, ol week that we had here in the mission!! It's definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and it surely has blessed me BEYOND belief!! We also had an activity where we watched Ephraim's Rescue and I just about cried the spirit was so strong. If you haven't seen it, you HAVE to watch it!! May WE ALL be ready and worthy when the time comes. I know for myself that I have to be better and I have to need to be better!! I love you all so much and I hope you all have such an amazing week!!

Elder Blake