Hey Fam! How is everyone? I'm doing well. This week has been a good one. Daneisis's baptism went great. The service was really nice, there were quite a few members there to support her, and she was pretty excited. Her mom and her little brothers came to the service as well. She's getting involved in seminary, and she's even preparing to go do baptisms at the Temple soon. Awesome.


Our other investigators are doing alright. We're going to be focusing mainly on finding new people prepared for the gospel this week though, because we really don't have alot of investigators. This last week we found a new family. The dad's name is Salvador, and the mom is Ana. They both have college degrees in literature, and they read alot. Salvador reads about 100 pages an hour. That's alot, to me at least. He said he's really busy with projects right now, because he's actually a literature professor. So right now he'll only be able to dedicate about fifteen minutes a day to the Book of Mormon, but he said that when the semesters over, he could read the whole thing in a week. Wow. Sweet. Anyway. I just thought that was cool. They're going to be slow progressing investigators for now, we can only visit them on Saturdays.

Yesterday Elder Tibbitts and I went to the Federal Palace to sign his visa. We weren't planning on going, but then I found out he was going to be out of town for the rest of the week, so we decided to go while he was available. Since we got there late, we had to wait in a way long line. We ended up being the very last ones to leave the building about an hour after they had closed. haha. While we were waiting Elder Tibbitts fell asleep, and had a short conversation with me while he was sleep talking. It was pretty funny. On our way out we stopped for some lunch, then started heading towards the train stop. To get to the train stop, we walk right in front of the famous cathedral of Guadalajara. As we drew near we noticed that there was a huge line up of people surrounding the cathedral. We thought that was a little strange. We started to squeeze our way through the crowd, when we realized just how many people were there. Across the street the entire plaza was filled with people as well. I remembered hearing someone mention that somebody famous was coming to mexico, so we asked one of the ladys standing in the line. Elder Tibbitts said: "Hey are you all waiting for someone?" She said: "We're waiting for the Pope!" Just then a bunch of cop cars pulled up to the cathedral, along with three white vans, one of them had the Pope's picture on the side of it. The people all went crazy, as the doors opened, and a small group of men hurried into the cathedral. We were about thirty feet from the front doors of the cathedral, and had actually been standing right where the van had stopped about a minute before it pulled up. So we came home to the offices and let everyone know that we accidentally ran into the Pope in the city center. Everybody thought that was pretty cool. Later we found out that it wasn't the current Pope, but Pope John Paul 2. The one who died a long time ago. I guess they still have funeral processions and viewings for him and stuff. haha. It was an interesting day.

So I've been reading "Our Search for Happiness" lately by Elder Ballard. I like the way he describes the time between the First Vision and the actual beginning of Joseph Smith's work in translating the Book of Mormon and Restoring the church and stuff. I always teach that story, and imagine it as if the First Vision was actually the moment that Joseph Smith went to work, but I learned that there were actually years between the First Vision and the time when he really starts to figure out what his call would be as a Latter Day Prophet. Elder Ballard explains that for a while, Joseph was probably feeling a little confused and stressed and hopeless even. Imagine having such a profound and important Spiritual Experience like what happened in the Sacred Grove, receiving the answer that no church had the authority of God at the time, and then just not really knowing anything. No more visions, no more breakthroughs, nothing. That was probably a pivotal time for Joseph to learn patience and diligence, and it helped him get a little more serious about living worthily of the responsibilities he'd soon receive. I think that we all sort of have those times. Where we feel the Spirit, grow in testimony, learn some great truth, or something along those lines, then the Lord gives us some time without any aparent advancements, to see just how converted we are. To see if we can continue on our own so to speak, obeying and pressing forward, even without frequent reassurances that we are doing what's right. I've noticed that when those times have come on my mission, it's been times when even more than usual, my choices really matter. It's been times when the future events depend on how I hold up while nothing really seems to be happening. I'm amazed sometimes at how perfect the Lord's way is, and the amazing blessings and development we can achieve when we're just following this path He's set up for us. It's the same Gospel all over, but somehow perfectly tailored to our individual needs.


Well that's all for this week.


Mom: Thanks for writing. haha. It's great to hear about Draper. Can't wait to meet him! I included some pictures of Daneisis's baptism. Also some of Elder Olson and I with Guillermo's little brothers at a family night we held for them at the church. They're a goofy bunch of kids. There's also a picture of Elder Olson and I with some of the members that go on splits with us alot, and some pictures of the decorations from the sweet Halloween Package that Bam sent me. Let her know that I've been handing out the treats from the box (tootsie rolls, gum, and suckers) and the little kids love them! They're all things they don't sell here, so the little kids all think it's super cool. Let the fam know I love them all and I hope to hear from them soon. haha. I'm pretty sure dia de los muertos is after halloween by the way. Thanks for the info on Tanner. Let the fam know it's no big deal that there wasn't time to write this week, I understand haha. It wasn't an ordinary week. Thanks for everything Mom. Love ya! and have a great week!

Elder Aguilar

We are the lamest family and forgot to write to Dallas this week!  I guess because we were out of town--I don't know.  I figured out we had forgotten this morning, so I quickly sent him an email.  Shenay forgot too!  Poor Elder Aguilar, what a mean family he has!