Weekly Letter: January 31-February 6, 2012

para mi familia:

Here it goes.... Well, I got here yesterday at 9:00. I was interviewed right away by the president...both of us cried during the interview and I can´t help living in the advice that he gave us. So we have an entire day to say goodbye to everyone in the DF...Mexico area. I think that I´m only going to be able to go to Plateros and Tlalli.... it´s bad that I can´t go to Toluca since almost half my mission has been there, but I already left my information with everybody.

This week was not my best way to go out. I wanted to go home as a wet-back(but my back wet from the baptismal font), but it didn´t work out. Lourdes again escaped us. I thought about telling her that I was going home to motivate her more, but I think it wouldn´t have been the best thing to do. Instead, we tried to motivate her by the spiritual blessings. However, it didn´t work out. I don´t know why she keeps going to Ixtlahuaca with her family the day before her baptism when she knows that her family is completely against her getting baptized.

I called her yesterday afternoon to say goodbye. I called from a payphone and wasn´t able to say all I wanted...so I just said goodbye. I don´t think she understood what I was saying, because I had never told her how long I was going to be here. She just said "Wait, so you´re not coming back?" and I was like "No, I have to go to Mexico (DF) in an hour, and from there I will be going home," and then again she asked "but you´re not coming back?" and said "No, I wanted to say goodbye today at church but...." and then the time ran out...I gave a deep sigh and hung up, because I had no money to call her again. I trust my companion Elder González and his new companion Elder Pacheco will be able to help her understand why I have to go...and maybe it will be better that way so that she has a chance to sort things out so that she can finally get baptized.

Hurray for persistence! I thought we were wasting time with a family. We kept passing by, and Juan has been like "Oh, come by tomorrow!" we went by the next day and nothing! However this week we found them, and they told us that they were impressed by our persistence. Juan said that he felt that God was calling him through us. He actually has lived in Utah for several years, but never went to church. His wife is pregnant with a high risk of losing her baby...and he broke his hand this last week when they tried to rob him....and lost his job for it. So they´re going through some serious difficulties....but we promised them that the Lord would work miracles if they first showed their faith in him....they went to church!!!! So please pray for them, they are a great family and really showed a lot of faith. The sister went to church, even though they´ve been telling her that she has to be nonstop in a laying position....that means even to eat, take a bath, use the bathroom. But she went to church yesterday...so she has a lot of faith.

Well...I guess we´ll see each other in two days. I won´t spend too much time reminiscing....I don´t want to cry. Tomorrow we´re going to the temple as a generation and we´re going to have a great last devotional with president that night...and then Wednesday morning....going home!!! Love you so much!


Cariños,

Elder Blackham


ps.....I guess you won´t be able to tell me...but I´m really worried about snow...it´s 40 degrees here and I´m cold! Hmm...welcome home Elder Blackham! And then I´m going to freeze to death before being able to give my homecoming talk!!! Hahah!!!