A Ginger Takes on Mexico: Son del Diablo

Hola!

Sooooo this week my companion and I were told that we were from the Devil. I have never been told that in my life, nor did I ever expect to be told that hahaha but it happened! My companion and I were being friendly, we were walking by our chapel and there were these 2 old people walking by. I started talking to the little old man, asking if he had ever gone to the church before. I think he was drunk or something, he was also eating cotton candy and had very few teeth. He kind of smiled and giggled and mumbled sí, that yes, he had, and kind of teetered away. He was fine haha but then his wife, or the little old lady who was with him, looked at us with a crazed look in her eyes - she was eating an apple - and screeched YO SOY CATOLICA, did the cross thing with her hand and started clamoring after the little old man. A couple of seconds later, she turns and looks at us and screeches, SON DEL DIABLO, and murmurs other things as she is walking away. My companion and I looked at each other, not sure if we had heard correctly, but the looks in our eyes confirmed that we both had. We both nervously laughed a little, and then started dying hahahaha because it was so unexpected. Lots of interesting things happen in Mexico!

Anyways, this week was a great week! We found a couple of really hopeful new people, a great way to start off the transfer!!! My new companion is Hermana Q, from Guatemala. Kind of cool that each of my companions has been from a different country! I am getting a taste of the world! Hermana Q reminds me of a fairy plum princess or something. She is always so put together, her cheeks are rosy and happy, and she has such a powerful testimony and a love for the work! We are from the same generation also, so we have the same time in Mexico! I am trying to find a balance with her, like I have done with all my other companions. It is always a little awkward at the beginning of the transfer because we do not have our groove yet, but it is a work in progress! I am really trying to focus and think about what I can learn from her. I know that there is something I can learn from each new companion, we are paired together for a reason! Hna Q also told me that I have the best Spanish out of all of her companions so far, and she is constantly complimenting me and telling me it is really good, so I let her toot my horn for me hahaha.

I am working on having really personal prayers these days. Sometimes I feel like I slip into a bit of a routine because I am constantly saying prayers, but they should be personal! Praying for charity, diligence humility, lots of things. Honestly, I am starting to feel really humbled these days. I know I need to make a conscious effort to improve these things if I want to develop these characteristics.

Random things:

We need to ignite the gas if we want hot water in the morning. My finger tips feel like charcoal because for some reason I can never get it to ignite, and I light like 20 matches with no success.

Hermana B is in my zone again!!!!! YAYYYYYY. We were in Papantla together and now she is in Xalapa with me! No longer the only American sister!

Ate paella this week, it had hot dogs too. Hot dogs, tortillas and Coca Cola are the foods of Mexico I have decided.

Investigators/People in General:

Maria and Daniela - Mother and daughter, they basically have nothing but each other. Maria shares her problems of the world with her daughter because she has nothing else, and they both have the weight of the world on their shoulders. We have been teaching them a lot, they love the church activities, cry in almost every lesson and know that we have a message of happiness. I LOVE THEM!!! The members are so loving to them also, the members are great!!!

Aaron and Yuci - Husband is less active, we had a lesson with the couple and another member and it was AMAZING!!!! The Spirit was spectacular, I cannot say much more than that. It was GREAT!

Raquel - she wants to bless her baby in the church! We are going this week to see if we can make an appointment to help them get married!!!!

Karla - ran into Karla :( she was really upset because her uncle hit her and her brother in front of the whole neighborhood basically. Poor kids :( We gave her a hug, it was all we could do.

One thing that has been emphasized this week, NOTHING HAPPENS JUST BY CHANCE. There is a reason behind EVERYTHING!!!

I love you all! Stay safe, stay happy, look for your blessings!

Love, Hermana Westergard