Mexico Life 11/24/14

That's awesome!  Way to go Justin!  The first few times are always scary but giving talks are actually really fun when you feel confident about what you re saying.  Next week I've been asked to give a talk in sacrament meeting in Spanish for the first time and I'm really excited, just another motivation to study harder.  Tell Katie I said hi and I miss her and all of you.  And Madi that's awesome! It's cool having a friend who knows nothing about the church because then you can be the one to try and answer all of their questions and watch their understanding and desire to learn more grow.  It's a privilege to share the gospel.  I'm glad Sol is having a good time, I hope singles ward continues to be awesome! The weather is the same, always hot haha but I'm getting used to it, the nights are always perfect too, that's a plus. There's a lot of ants and the entrance to our church is always filled with cockroaches but besides that its not too bad.  Our apartment is clean for the most part.  There's lizards in the chairs in our church classrooms that we have to shew away but they're harmless, and Pollo. Pollo is everywhere, every single meal, I'm not sick of it yet but I try to have other things whenever I can. and yeah they're tons of strays dogs, more then I can describe but I've never seen one that's barked or been aggressive to anyone at all.  They kinda just roam around looking for food.  The families are good, like I said Ocosngo is the town of the drunks and there are a lot and the attitude hear is kinda I can drink today and repent tomorrow and that's been our biggest challenge, explaining the significance of commandments.  I don't have a new companion yet and for that I'm glad, I couldn't have asked for a better trainer,  I love him to death.  He is a patient man haha the language barrier is hard but I'm getting better.  My companion has a bunch of, I don't know what you call them, texts? some writings but mostly pictures from the walls of a bunch of temples and ruins he has visited and a bunch of mormon interpretations of them.  They are the coolest things I've ever seen and the symbolism and accuracy of all of them,   We are in the promised lands.  It truly is amazing.  As soon as I feel more confident with my Spanish and I'm done reading the Jesus the Christ I'm going to buy some of the texts they have here just about the history of Chiapas, it's all so interesting.  So I'm glad to hear you're all doing good, remember to keep me updated!  I'll try to find time within the next couple weeks to send a letter home more about how life is hear and what me and my companion are doing.

Con Amor

Elder Wixom

 

 

When I return I would LOVE to come back as a tourist and just visit all these ruins.  We should do it. Chiapas is a lot safer then you'd think and everyone is so friendly.  Also everything is super cheap so that's a plus.  I'm getting better with the language but I'm till trying to figure out how to get the most out of the little time I have to study.  If I just had another 8 hours a day to read out of the gospel doctrines and to study Spanish that would be so amazing.  There is not enough time for everything here which makes it really important not to shirk off.   I'd love to send more photos but right now my camera is kinda, idk, dead?  It's broken beyond repair and idk why so idk if I'll be able to take any more photos at the moment but we;re returning to the ruins next Monday so I'll be able to send a few from my companion.

And it's kinda difficult because I came to the area the same week a tragedy took place in the ward and the branch president passed away.  It's been very difficult on everyone and its really shaken people up.  There have been a lot of problems with the leadership in our branch but with that said they are still awesome with efforts and they've been putting in and even though it is far from perfect they've been a blessing.

So some notes you can share with the ward, our branch here is absolutely awesome at providing food. Everyday at 2 someone feeds us lunch and not only is it helpful, it is needed for a lot of the missionaries.   With our limited funds, there's not a lot of money for food and it is absolutely the members responsibility to help out as much as they can.  Every members a missionary and feeding the missionaries is only one of many things they SHOULD be doing to support the spread of missionary work.  Another is freeing up time in  their busy schedule to offer a home or to be willing to travel to accompany the missionaries when there're teaching lessons. The added testimony of members is invaluable and also helps to show that Mormons are people to and we don't all wear name tags and corbatas twenty four seven.  Really everyone can spare an hour or two each week to sit in and contribute to the lessons.  Another thing is referrals, don't be shy to give out referrals.  Refer everybody you know, whether it be your best friend or a a coworker you hardly know.  The gospel is for everybody not only those who you feel comfortable recommending.  It is not the members job to determine who is ready to receive the gospel.  The knowledge of Jesus Christ is for everybody and they need to understand the significance of the work missionaries and members alike have been called to do.  The last thing which is important is to be friendly, en tonces don't be cliquey.  If you are talking to the same 10 people at church and during activities you are doing it very wrong. Although you might not be able to talk to everybody every Sunday you need to expand your love and interest. take your friend group and obliterate it.  Everyone is your friend. everyone deserves to feel your light and your warmth.  Don't deprive them of that because you are nervous or you've never met them before.  At one point every one of your best friends were strangers to you.  Extend your hand, extend your home for visits, and sacrifice your time and your energy to just be there for others.  It's really not hard.
Anyways those are the things I have time to write about now.  Feel free to alter or summarize or make any adjustments you see fit. Without the fellowship of the members all of the missionary work were doing  now would be in vain.  We need their help and CANNOT do it without them.

Anyways glad your doing good, keep me up to date on everything!

Con Amor,

Elder Wixom

P Day Fun at the ruins 11/17/14

We asked Aaron what he does all day:

We get up, we eat and study until 12 and then teach lessons till 2, lunch, then lessons for the rest of the day.  I say lessons but we usually end up teaching about 2 or 3 a day and spend the rest of the time looking for houses, it gets way confusing here.  I'm going to have to learn it quick though because my companion goes back to Columbia in 3 weeks.  I'm not sure if that means I'll get transferred out or a different companion will get transferred in but either way it'll be different.  My mission president seems cool, I haven't had a chance to talk with him and he didn't have time to interview most of us so I don't really know. Yeah today we went and visited a bunch of ruins for P day!  It's super hot here.  I got sunburned but it was way cool, there's underground walkways and sacrificial stuff, I think its called Tonina?   At least that's how they pronounce it.  We have a couple new investigators we're visiting this week, my Spanish is still less then functional and it makes it really hard to remember names but there's a middle-aged man and a woman and her kids we will be visiting.  Miguel hasn't been home and wasn't there when we tried to pick him up for church but we'll keep trying to get ahold of him. The Asuncions were kind of at a stagnate, the only reason we go back is for the kids now, one daughter in particular, who are pretty interested in our message. We'll keep trying though, if we can just get them to come to church I am positive they'll be able to recognize the blessings that come with the church.  Anyways keep letting me know how things are back home, I miss you guys!

Second Week 11/10/14

Yeah that kinda blows my mind too, she'll be 16 when I get back, that's even weirder, but happy birthday Madi!  Hope it was awesome!  I know it's two years from now but I'm already excited to bring back a bunch of cool presents for all of us, I'll be sure to find you something cool! For new and different, everything, the food we eat, the way we say things, the hygiene is um different. and the humor, everyone here is so kind hearted, especially in our branch, its awesome!  Yesterday we had dinner at the church and a member made over 200 wings (which is a lot in IF and incredible down here) and anyone who'd pass by everyone would shout at them until they'd join us.  There was about 60 people here last Sunday which I've been told is pretty good.  It's my companionship and one other that teach in Ocosingo and it's just us four in our district.  I love them to death, our district is so much fun.  About twice a week we go out to lunch together and we always go to the same place I'll send you guys a picture.

That's the nicest restaurant in Ocosingo,  Me and Elder Carpinter from Texas usually switch off paying for everybody though.  That's fine because it's about 3 US dollars a person. But eating there is a blessing.  Every other lunch we have is at a members house and the food is usually really good but it never sits well after haha.   Elder Carpinter has been here for 8 weeks and he's still adapting so wish me luck.  The language is coming I just need to keep with my study time and practice more talking to members. It's kind of strange here, we're not allowed to do any door to door it's only street contacting and the people are always really nice and I'd say about half the time we schedule a lesson, but the problem is finding their home.  In Mexico there is no rhyme or reason to the addresses, it goes 103 to 430, to 832, to 204 and it's like that the entire street, and a lot of houses don't have numbers so it makes it really difficult to find people. We spend 4 to 6 hours everyday just looking for houses usually with no success, but we do regularly teach a few people.  This one family, the I believe Ascuncions (at least that's how you pronounce it in English) are my favorite. They're the first family we taught. They have 3 kids but there's always at least a couple more over and they are the best.  The kids are insane and hyper and love giving prayers and reading the scriptures, it's perfect haha.  The parents believe everything we've taught and want to join but they're not married, it's hard trying to explain to them the importance of families in the gospel when I can't speak their language but we will keep trying and I believe we can help them. So yeah, life here is awesome, it's exhausting everyday but eventually I feel like I'll get used to it.  So I'm glad to hear life back home is good, keep me updated!

Con Amor

Elder Wixom

 



His names Miguel, I haven't met his dad yet but his parents are going to sit in with us on a leccion next Sunday so that's great! Pollo and torillas! But I also eat a lot of junk just because it's cheap and easy and doesn't make me sick. and yeah, I've been sick a lot.  The water is all dirty, you have to buy big water cooler jugs from your house and that's all you can drink from.  A lot of members mostly just drink soda.  Tell Mom not to worry, me and my companion are pretty careful.

Con Amor

Elder Wixom

Oh and stories, literally one minute ago I talked to Elder Reyes, one of the general authorities, he just walked in here and started talking to us. I didn't understand much but you can definitely feel his spirit.  That was awesome haha, anyways, adios!

 

Here's just another picture of Ocosingo

Finally in Mexico! 11/3/14

Hey, I don't have a lot of time for emails but I'm happy you guys are doing good.  I'm sure Madi and Justin had a blast at Halloween.  Spanish is coming faster than I thought it would which is really good.  Mexico is way different then I ever would have imagined, I'll send you lots of pictures. My companero es Elder Acosta, el donde de Columbia.  Es el final transfer.  He's way nice but he knows absolutely no English.  Sometimes it's hard but he's really patient.  He's a great guy.  My first lession was taught in the middle of a rain storm outside on a patio, it was insane and I only understood like a quarter of it but it went well. Last night we taught a nine year old and he wants to get baptised next Sunday so that was cool.  It gets dark at like 6 here and we just sat with him on the curb and taught him the restoration, it was different but really cool.  My first area is in Ocosingo which is the city of the drunks haha, everyone who's out past 7 is hammered here, they're all really nice but they're really loud and love talking to the missionaries. The food here is fine, I really haven't had any problems yet, there's just a lot of pollo.  The driving is absolutely nuts, I really can't explain it.  No laws, no lines, 4 lane roads and people just do what they want.  We take the taxi a lot though so I better get used to it.  It's only been a week and I already have a TON of stories but I can't write them all in one hour.  En tonces, the people here are awesome, really nice, every house and every floor is disgusting but you get used to it and it doesn't bother you, our apartment is decent size but the power is always out and no hot water but that's fine.  The computers here don't send pictures but when I can I'll send lots, its so pretty here!  The cities surrounded by mountains and trees it's awesome! Anyways make sure to let me know how you guys are doing and if you want to know anything just ask, the more specific the better. I miss you all!

Con Amor,

Elder Wixom

Dad,

That's awesome! Yeah Derek is the funniest out of all of us, I'll admit it.  I love him to death.  I'm glad you guys are doing good,  I don't have a lot of time but I'll tell you some of the cooler things about my mission.  Maybe not cooler but different.  Well every cop carries a huge assault rifle and you are not supposed to look at them.  I was stuck in San Cristobal for 2 days because the riots wouldn't let anybody through the streets to Ocosinga (my mission).  Ocosingo is known for the drunks and let me tell you, there are a lot. Me and my companion share a little apartment that has a little room outside for people in the complex to just chill, my first night there there was a group of guys drinking and one of them realllly liked my tie.  We kinda just played it off and I snuck into our room real quick, (luckily every window in Mexico has iron bars and every door as well) and we heard shouting.  The next morning we woke up to a huge pile of blood on the cement outside our door, it was insane!  I'm not scared though, we've seen them since and they been kind when they're not drunk. The people are so loving.  There's some amazing individuals here, especially in our church, its a big sacrifice to be a member here so they're all pretty committed.  En tonces life here is good, I don't mean so scare you that's just what life is like here. Also our money goes a long way here, just 10 dollars can get you a pretty nice wardrobe here, its cool.  Anyways I don't have a lot of time I've got to run errands! 

Con Amor,

Elder Wixom

 

outside nuestro casa 

mi amigo (Provo, MTC)