11-04-09

Hey!

So this is going to be the lamest email I ever sent and I hope that none of my other emails are this lame... ha-ha! I have absolutely no time at all to write with all of the Chihuahua trips I have taken. I have lost a lot of my p-day time and so it’s been tough trying to do everything and still have time to go to internet cafe.

This was an exciting week to say the least! There were a lot of things that happened and I have so much to tell you all.

So the most exciting part was “Day of the Dead” and the activity we put on in the cemetery. Day of the Dead is the first and second of November, and it is like a mini fair at the cemetery. Everyone goes and cleans off the grave of the one who has passed away and then puts lots of nice flowers on the grave. But also everyone goes to sell food and stuff and the whole event turns into a fair. So the mission president had all of us go to the cemetery and put up a little table with lots of pictures of Christ and we brought all kinds of pamphlets. Then people came over and asked as loads of questions and we were able to contact like a billion people. It went great and we have enough work for the whole month now! It worked great because the people who have an interest in learning about Christ are the ones to come over and talk to us so we get the best of the people. Plus there were a lot of people there so we had plenty of people to talk to. The other missionaries, our leaders, were going to help us... but they bailed out to go work only in their town so we were alone, but I learned a ton because of it. I feel like I have become a much better people person and learned to really bring a lot of energy to the conversation. I have learned to present myself in a good way - if that makes sense. My comp is way nervous and timid so it was great to see him come out of his shell. I could tell he felt real awkward but he did great and we both stepped up and learned a lot. I felt so awkward for like 3 minutes and then I loved it and just went about talking to everyone. Even if we don’t teach anyone, we gave the church a little better image because a lot of people have crazy ideas about the church.

Halloween was sad... no decorations or trick or treaters or anything.... it’s not even a special day here. But we had a great lesson with Brenda and Chewy on Halloween night so it was much better than a normal night.

We also had interviews with President Flores this week. He came by and we met him at the church. It went well and I left real motivated. I have not really realized how much of a difference we have made here until he started asking questions and then seemed so surprised with our responses. Oh and in August our mission completed our goal of 200 baptisms in 1 month and that is the most baptisms this mission has EVER had in one month!! We got a cool shirt to remember the accomplishment (but we had to pay for... ha-ha). But it’s cool to be a part of, especially since I personally baptized 6 in the month of August :) Oh and I got a few great letters from home too, thanks grandma and Cheryl for the letter and I also got a few letters from so friends who are out on missions as well.

So this week we had to go and get permission from the local government here to be able to go to the cemetery to put up our table and we had a lot of fun doing it. We went about making friends with all of the government people and now we have all kinds of friends in the local government. They even gave us a huge map of Meoqui for FREE!! Cool huh! We did not have a map that even showed all the streets or anything and now we have a great big one with all the street names and all! Plus we even ended up teaching a group of the government people and then more and more people started coming by and then we taught the whole group of people. It also made me see the large economic gap in between the upper class and the lower class. There is such a difference between the two and I thought about it a lot. The largest part of the gap comes from the mentality of the lower class. Yeah there is the whole situation they are in, but the way they see things and the goals they set are what really define the difference. I try really hard to give the people hope and push themselves to leave the poverty behind and TRY to reach their maximum potential. They don’t set goals and without goals how do we even accomplish anything.... It was a weird thought process that is hard to explain.

So today I was in Chihuahua the whole morning for the whole tooth bit. We slept in the mission offices last night and it’s been great because I have made friends with all the office people in the mission home. I talked a lot with the assistants and I learned a whole lot. They taught me by their example and we discussed for a while about the mission and things to improve on and such. I liked talking to the leaders of the mission and trying to see what makes the leaders “leaders” and why others aren’t. The thing they ALL have in common though is their level of obedience. Obedience is the secret to life I have decided. It takes a lot of humility and patience, but it’s something to really work on.

So that is the week for the most part.... All goes well and I have been healthy and all. We have a LOT of work for this next week so we will see how it all goes. I love you all so much and thank you for all of the support!

Love

Elder Andrew Davidson

10/28/09

Hey everyone!

So another week down and many more to go! So this week went well for the most part, I have been a little sick these past three days, and not that it’s too bad. It’s just sad because no one really cares... sad, but true. You just have to deal with it and act like you are not sick and keep working to the best of your abilities. I guess if you have a good comp he would care, but all of mine just look at me like I need to suck it up more and doesn’t say much to me.... Life in the mission. It always teaches me a lot about little sacrifices and relying on the lord, so that is always great.

Today I have to head to Chihuahua again; we were just able to get in our email time before we have to leave. Kind of sucks to lose your p-day for a month for a tooth... But what can you do?

So there have been a number of good experiences this week. We have been working a lot with the part member families and the less-actives and have had a number of Family nights this past week. It’s always a lot of fun and interesting. In one of them we were having it in the lower end part of town and we had a good activity all planned out and the people were going to write stuff out and all.... but then as we started we remembered that no one could read or write... opps.... ha-ha ! We made it work out and we were just a humble group of Gods children trying our best to learn :) I liked it!

So our investigator Brenda, who is 30, continues to progress a ton! We hope to baptize her this week end, but we have to wait to see how a few things work out. She is very strong and knows the gospel; she just needs to allow it to really touch her heart. She is actually the best friend of Chewy; they are not dating at all, just really good friends. So that’s exciting.

Oh and this week we confirmed Chewy and then had Chewy and Edwin ordained to the Aaronic priesthood! :) It was awesome and chewy already talks about a mission! Okay, so side note, we made the radio here in Meoqui!!!!! One of the members was listen to the radio, and then some Catholics got on and were bashing other religions, what they often do, and they mentioned us! SO I have mentioned that I started an English class and it was free and it was a chance to serve the people. So this radio station is over all of the area and delicias and other bigger cities. So these Catholics on the radio mentioned us giving English class for free! Cool huh? I don’t think they meant to help us out. Not sure if I explained the story well or not, but it was funny to us.

I continue to love the work and love being here in Meoqui. Even as times get tough i know why i am here and what I need to be doing. Obedience is the secret to life. If you want to be happy, follow God’s advice, it’s ALWAYS the best advice :)

Love you all!

Love, Elder Andrew Davidson

10/19/09

10/19/09

Hey everyone!

So another crazy week gone by already! I swear time keeps speeding up! I had to be in Chihuahua again yesterday so I did not write. I had to see the dentist again for the whole root canal bit. I have to go each week for like a month; does it always take this long? Guess I have never had a root canal before so it’s new to me. We came back yesterday in the night because I did not have to have another appt in the morning. SO that was good.

This past Friday we had the baptism of Chewy, or Jesús Huerta! He is one of my best converts and is amazing! I have already told a number of stories about him, but it was an amazing experience to be at his baptism. He is already preparing to receive the gift of the holy ghost this weekend as well as receive the priesthood so he can baptism his best friend who is going to be baptized the next week! :) Cool huh? He is way excited and so is she! She is not his girl friend, but she is a lifelong family friend who continues to progress as Chewy is! His younger brother, Edwin, my convert is going to receive the priesthood this week as well! :) Chewy also goes to institute and all and has friends in the church and everything. We have even talked about the mission a few times as well! :) I know its quick, but I want him to want to go for the whole year or so he has time to prepare. :)

Also when we were at the baptism and we eating cake after (yes, we bought a cake) some guy from Oklahoma comes in and looks for me and starts talking to me in English. He is here for work and is a member and saw the church open and just wanted to stop by and say hi. Turns out he went to the BYU Oklahoma game in TX and showed me pictures and all! He wanted to talk to a few people, but doesn’t speak Spanish.... so I forgot and start introducing him to Chewy and such as he wanted to congratulate him and then after one would speak they would both look at me to translate... it was weird, but kind of cool. I forget most of the time that I speak two languages so it’s fun to remember sometimes.

So we had stake conference this week and there were two members of the seventy there so that was cool. One was from the first quorum of the seventy and part of the area presidency of Mexico and gave a great talk. It got Chewy all excited all over again and it was fun to be there with him and explain a bit of the church organization to him.

So we had a family home evening this past Monday with a recent convert family and it was a lot of fun. They are all so humble and ready to learn, but yet so unsure of themselves. They always want us to tell them how to do it all... but then they don’t learn. So we help them to do it all and just help out a little. It’s a lot of fun and I love being with families :)

Oh and my comp turned 20 this past Sunday so that was cool. I made him breakfast and gave him a little present. :)

The work continues to go well and I love being here. It’s a lot of work and can be really tough at times, but I would not trade these 2 years or experiences for anything! Thank you for all of the support and love!

Love,

Elder Andrew Davidson

10/13

Hey family!
So WOW these past two days has been rough to say the least! I learned a lot, so I’m happy about that, but I’m just really tired right now. So this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I was sick, especially on Sunday. I couldn’t even get out of bed Sunday morning and then I got all ready to go to church because I just felt I had to go as hard as it was for me. So this Sunday we had fast and testimony meeting and I have my convert, Edwin(12) there wearing a white shirt and tie for the first time which alone made my day as he had his priesthood interview! :) PLUS his older brother, Chewy (22), was there in a white shirt and tie with his friend, Brenda (30) who will be baptized next week! :) It gave me all the energy in the world when I saw them there together - happy and excited! THEN Chewy gets up after 5 or 6 people had borne their testimony and said "I’m the one getting baptized this Friday (it was announced)" and then continued on to say how excited he was and how proud he was to be a member and how real and true the gospel is. AS AN INVESTOGATOR! He isn’t a member yet! It was the best moment of my life. I have never been happier than hearing him bare his testimony! He called us out during his testimony and it was a little awkward...But he was just saying how we were the sign God sent and have changed his life forever. We even talked more about a mission this week and he is going to go to institute as well! He is amazing and has such a strong testimony. Then.... I don’t know how because I had not eaten in 2 days, but I got up to bear my testimony and it’s was so great and the whole meeting was very inspiring and spiritually uplifting! :)
Then on Tuesday in the morning we went to have zone conference in Chihuahua City, which is like an hour away. It was AMAZING and I learned so much! After I had my dentist appt so we went with the mission president and his wife, who I really like, and it was so cool to just feel like their kids and to go run a few errands and talk for a while and THEN we get to go to their house which is the house for the mission president! We got to eat with them and their son, who I got all excited for water polo and it was really a fun experience. The house is SO cool though! When President was giving us a tour of the house we saw the room where the general authorities stay when they come! I touched the bed.... ha-ha!
Then the hard part of the trip.... waiting in the dentist office from 5 til 9 just to be looked at.... then them telling me I need a root canal because of a bad filling I had that was loose and allowed food to get stuck in for a while.... and then being operated on until 1:30 in the morning! Yeah! SO then we go the mission office, where the assistants sleep and where all the offices are, and slept for a few hours and then went back in the morning. I was there from 9am till 12pm ad then we TRIED to go back to Meoqui, but someone was killed in the bus station so we had to wait a few hours.... carrying like 30 pounds of materials for the zone the whole time. Also we saw drug deals when we were walking.... they were moving someone in very rich clothes and he was holding a HUGE M-16.... not an everyday sight.... So then as we are walking back just trying to get home and then about 4pm a member who is a "detective" who also has a huge M-16 and a pistol in his truck he opens the door and says get in as he moves is guns around to allow us to fit! It was kind of funny and weirdly not that strange. Guess I have been here for a while. Everyone here has a general respect for us and knows us and our purpose and don’t ever mess with us. That is a LITTLE part of my days. I have to go back next week to have more work on my tooth done, so we will see how that goes.
Crazy huh? One of the highlights was when we got stranded out of the bus station in the hot sun, in jackets, and lots of stuff to carry I realized how much I have changed. My comp was all frustrated and upset and it made me realize how calm and optimistic I was. I wasn’t frustrated or mad or angry at all... Plus not to mention my throbbing mouth after having it jacked around for so long. But I was semi happy and really calm and just looking forward and making the best decisions I could step by step, not letting the pulls of life phase me. Obviously I still get frustrated, but especially since the prophets talk on anger, I have really tried to cut it out. It does NO good and just destroys the things we care about most. You know? It was part of my learning day, just rolling with the blows of life and not letting Satan get you frustrated. :)
Life continues onward and time is flying!!!! Wow! I love the mission and love the gospel!! It’s everything and I know if I live it, I will be happy. No matter the circumstance. :)
Thanks for all the love and support! Oh and thank you grandma Davidson, Emily and Suzy Bush, and Sandi for the letters! :)
Love,
Elder Andrew Davidson

9/29/09

Hey!

So I don’t have much time today because I spent all my time writing my family individually and writing a little longer emails... sorry!

But this week was another fast week and I am pretty sure I worked harder this week than any other week in my whole mission. We taught a ridiculous number of people and we really stayed diligent. I have one of the hardest areas in the mission to say the least and so we have really have the privilege to learn to continuously stay diligent and not let up. Obviously we had times when we lost a little bit of time, but we stayed real strong. I feel like running every morning and getting up early has helped us to really stay focused and diligent. :) It’s something I really need to learn and carry into my life when I come home.

So I realize that I need to be better at telling more stories when I email and tell more about the lives of the people we teach and less about the little things... ha-ha sorry. So I will try to tell more stories of the people from now on. I don’t not have much time and the internet cafe is about to close, but I will write what I can.

So right now we are teaching someone named Jesus (Chewy) Huerta Gallegos and he is the older brother of a convert and is 22 years old. I’m pretty sure I have mentioned him before. So he continues to progress and we have become great friends. But the other day we were ending a lesson with him and his friend and we invited him to say the closing prayer. So in his prayer he mentions how he wants all of the people who feel lonely and alone like he did to find the missionaries where ever they live. Then he says that before we came he had been praying for a sign that God exists and loves him and that he can be lead and that WE are that sign. That he has come to have so much more faith and loves the changes he has made and how much happier he is. So he mentions all of this in his prayer thanking our Heavenly Father for all of it, and we were just like.... WOW.... We all felt the spirit very strong to say the least! Then after I was writing in my journal and reflecting on what he said and I realized how very sacred this calling we have is. How lucky and privileged we are to be here and how we are to be this "sign" from God. We are to be on His errand for these two years and need to be doing all we can every second of the day. We need to allow ourselves to be totally obedient and be lead by His guidance. How amazing is the opportunity to be a missionary! I recommend it for anyone! It will change the way you see the world and teach you how to truly be happy! :)

So we are getting kicked out right now, but I promise to tell more stories next week! The work goes on and we are working hard! Its tuff sometimes here in Meoqui but I have come to love the people and all they continue to teach me each and every day! This is all one big learning opportunity for everyone! :)

I love the work and thank you for all of your love and support! Oh and thanks Larissa and Grandma Stevenson for the package and letter!

Love you all so much! Thank you for all the support!

Love,

Elder Andrew Davidson