A Ginger Takes on Mexico: Blessings from fasting

This week has been an AMAZING testimony builder to fast and fast offerings. We realized that we had been slacking a little with this commandment. So Sunday, we decided to fast and pay very generous fast offerings. We have been seeing the outpour of blessings from keeping this commandment!! We have been a little tight for money...like counting the little pesos that we have left, and this week EVERYONE has been offering us food. We are definitely not going hungry. ALSO, we have met some AMAZING people this week and have some great appointments lined up for this upcoming week. WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!! My testimony has grown exponentially. Never again am I missing fasting on fast Sunday or fast offerings.

I have heard so much apostacia this week. If I had a peso for every false doctrine thing I have heard, I would be a very rich missionary right now. A man told us that he read recently in the Bible that it says you need to pray to God in the name of Christ asking to the Virgen Guadalupe.....Hna P and I almost started dying laughing when we looked at each other from the corners of our eyes. But we maintained the calm. The Virgen is SUCH a big thing here, but is SO false. It is completely against the commandments, but people choose to see what they want to see.

We got caught in a torrential downpour this week. At first we waited under a tree to see if it would lighten up a bit....but it is almost like the weather could read our thoughts and thought HAHA NO. It then started to rain like I have never seen before. We break out in a sprint to P's house - which was the nearest one but still not that close - and finally get there, looking like we had just gotten out of the ocean. It is funny how we resist it at first but then when we realize there is nothing we can do about it, we embrace it and think how funny the whole situation is.

I LOVE HERMANA P!!!!!! We get along SO well and I love this time with her. We are some very happy missionaries.

Still working on my Spanish hahahah I told Hna P one day to look at the pole thing that has the meat for the tacos al pastor, because it was a wicked small one and we are used to seeing ENORMOUS ones. It is called a Trompo. Trompo de tacos al pastor. I said trompa. Trompa is the mouth of a large animal......hahahahha we lost it laughing then too

P and F - We met this brother and sister in one of the oddest experiences of my mission. All our plans fell through last Monday...we ran into this really humble woman walking and started talking to her. We ended up at her house, asked if we could share a message with her, and she accepted. We entered, their house is basically made of trash, and met her brother also. They live a very humble life, and have minds more like children. I think they are in their 50s. Anyway, we put a cita to go back with them in a couple of days and we get there and we realize AFTER we are in their house that F is drunk. That is why his handshake was lingering and uncomfortable and he kept toughing our arms. I grabbed his hand and told him NO, DO NOT TOUCH MY COMPANION. We got out of there quick, but told them we were going to pass by for them Sunday at 9. Leaving, neither of us really had any expectations that they were going to go on Sunday. BUT, Sunday we go to pass by for them and F took a shower, brushed his hair and was wearing clothing not WICKED dirty. Wow. He was like another person. They ended up getting to church by themselves because we had to go look for other people, but they showed up!!! They are impressing us a lot. Miracles are possible!

D - Excited for her baptism!!! The only problem is her mom....I do not think she is our biggest fan

B and family - B had some problems with her baby and he was in danger. His umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and everyone was super stressed and crying at the Mother's Day activity we had. The bishop is great and was able to give her a blessing and the next day we saw B in the street - coming back from her appointment - and she said that everything is fine now!! YAY for priesthood blessings!!!!

G and E - references from their neighboor who is a member. The member told us Sunday that they wanted to meet with us and that we could drop by around 4. So we did, 3 hours and a lot of questions later, we have 2 new investigadores! WOW is all I can say. They literally were asking the perfect questions. How can the Gospel change me? How can the Gospel change my family? What is the Gospel? How does your church have the authority? WOW WOW WOW :) We are very excited for them.

This week we are having conferences with Elder Pino on Wednesday and Elder Christensen on Friday. We are very excited!!!! Back to Xalapa again!

Love, Hermana Westergard