Tucans, and jaguars and monkeys...

Not a ton of because of answering questions and such :)

But! 

As I sort of mentioned last week, we went to the zoo! It was super cool because they were pure animals here in Chiapas (I guess if we had one of those in Utah, it'd be like... Buffalo! Squirrels!) But here we had tucans, jaguars, parrots, ant-eaters, crocodiles, and the whole thing was a jungly forest. There were monkeys swinging in the trees above. FINALLY!

After, we went and played in the park with all the missionaries. I surprised myself by jumping up when someone said let's go play soccer, and then surprised myself 4 or 5 more times as I went for it and actually really loved it. I could have been a soccer player! But I wasn't so it went past my foot every time. And what was more we were on a huge field with professional elders. But the point is it was super fun and hot and felt good to run.

I didn’t think these existed anymore...

Then we headed to the stake center for lunch, where I volunteered to run back and forth between the kitchen and gym carrying tortillas for half an hour. It was super fun because I also got to interact with everyone and see a bunch of old companions and elders. Next part was the part we'd all been waiting for! Because MEET THE MORMONS is arriving in Mexico this month and we got to all watch it before it came out right then and there! This also turned out to be the moment when my companion decided to start vomiting. The moment she stopped happened to be an hour and a half later when the movie ended. So, we missed that. Bummer! The doctor missed it too as he ran home with his wife to bring a shot, and President drove us home. Luckily, our mission president is nice and said we could go to his house today to watch it, so we're heading over there in an hour. Woohoo!

I would now like to proceed with a quote by Randy Disher from Monk which kind of sums up my studies and thoughts this week: "Happiness is a choice." Happiness is something available to us in every moment of this life as well as the eternities, but it's something we reject in a lot of different ways. But, to "choose" happiness, we need to do two things: First, choose the things that lead to happiness. AKA, obedience, following the commandments, following Christ's examples. We can't choose to do whatever we want, and also choose happiness. We have to choose to give up our will and DO the things that will lead us to happiness.

Second, once we're doing those things, we have to choose to be happy! I believe it's possible to do everything right and be completely miserable because it all depends on what we are seeing! So many times we are not letting ourselves be happy for the things we are doing right, because we focus on the things we aren't perfect at, or the things that don't go according to plan, when we should accept our weaknesses and the imperfect world we are in and remember we are doing all we can to follow the Savior! That's when gratitude, hope and trust need to step in and we can look up to the heavens, smile big and enjoy where we are, knowing His plan hasn't changed and if we continue trying we'll get to be with Him. FOREVER. This is huge!

So I would maybe change that quote a little, and say that Happiness is a Gift. May we all choose to ACCEPT it, as we place the Savior in an even more central part of our lives every day, and then be ridiculously grateful.

I'm ridiculously grateful for all of you! Have a fantastic week! 

Bonus post: Preguntas (and Answers!)

I (Kelsi's Dad) wrote Kelsi some questions in an e-mail titled “Preguntas", and she responded with “Answers!"

Q: “How is your heart?” 

A: Getting twisted and stomped on and filled up with love and intense joy

Q: Do people act surprised when a gringa is walking down the street?

Sometimes. Mostly they just say "Guerita linda!" Or "Hola guerita!" (Hello beautiful white person!) And I always want to respond, Hello friendly short person. Every once in a while I do. And when I'm in a great mood I wave and comment on how everybody knows my name here. 

Q: Do you still get your water from under the floor?

No! Last week some friends fixed it. I didn't mention it because I didn't have much faith that it would hold up for a week and sure enough the next day we were out again. BUT. THIS week I decided to figure it out myself and learned a plumbing lesson, and I can now fix our bomba whenever it breaks! So WE HAVE WATER! And I'm trying to teach my companion in case this is (probably) my last week in Coita.

Q: How comfortable to you feel with the language now? 

Super de duper. I love spanish and everyone tells me I talk like a chiapaneca, because I use all the sayings and sometimes find myself cutting my words short like they do here.

Q: How often do people use words you don’t know?  

About three times a day probably my companion or someone else asks me a question, and I tell them, I would answer that if I knew what a "liga" was (etc).

Q: Carnival sounded festive and colorful. Have you seen other holidays?

A: Not much! I got here to Coita on independence day of Mexico and we were pretty disappointed. There was one day, Rosca de Reyes? In January where everyone in the pueblo made roscas, delicious moist cakes with gummy candy on top, and you just had to buy your roscas. There was one day in the park where they had one HUGE rosca around the whole perimeter--a big long line (circle) of cake all connected, and apparently they gave it out for free at a certain hour, but unfortunately it was the day my companion was discovered with dengue and we were headed for the house. 

Q: What are your favorite things to eat?

A: Tacos. Nothing beats tacos here.

Q: Did you learn how to make them? 

A: No. :( I'm still in the process of asking everyone, but it all has to do with the way you cook the meat. I'll get there! I've learned a few other things though!

Q: What is the yuckiest thing you’ve eaten? 

A: Nothing really exciting but I think shrimp soup. Not because shrimp is awful but because it seemed to have been roasting in the sun before being cooked and had a really sour and weird twang to it. 

Q: What don’t they have that you’re most looking forward to? 

A: I miss bagels! Don't exist here! 

Q: Do you hear from lots of your friends and family, or just a faithful few?

A: They all do pretty good, not everyone of course, but I hear from a lot. The dear elders are just from my faithful few (mom dad and Erika) and a few surprises every once in a while ;)

Q: Is the camera working out? Any questions? Did you get my page of all knowledge on it? 

A: Yep! I'm having a ton of fun zooming in reeeeal close on things and figuring out settings. Super handy at the zoo and with crazy bugs this week!

Q: Were you able to figure out how to make Morgan the Mouse? Have you put it to use? 

A: Yep! I'm going to teach a family how to do it this week. 

Q: Do kids there have the same reaction? 

A: Mostly the kids when they see it go deathly silent and stare at me, and then slowly get closer. But it's fun :)

Q: Do they have fun flavors of soda there?

A: Peach, pineapple, etc. The best is "manzanita" and I still don't understand what fruit it is, because it's not apple. But it tastes good. 

Q: Do your feet hurt a lot, or are they tough as nails now?

A: Tough as nails! Just  covered in bug bites currently. 

Q: Are you ever nervous to talk with people? How do you get past that?

A: Sometimes, but nothing like before. You just get used to asking a random question and not worrying about what they'll think of you. Like, are you going to work right now? Is that your child? Or, Hi I'm from the United States! Ever seen a missionary? It all works great. Sometimes I feel like Kimber. And sometimes I feel like Sharon. 

Of PacMan and Pie-Sellers (Carnaval Week...)

Welcome to THE CRAZIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR in Coita!

Starting Sunday morning (with an impressively enthused pre-party Saturday night) the week of "Carnaval" started, a Catholic tradition that apparently is at its craziest here in Coita, and for that reason everyone comes from Tuxtla and all parts roundabout the land to throw flour and wear wooden masks, really cool colored costumes and hundreds of bells on their legs and march around town in groups with wooden soundmakers cackling like this: "WOOOhooohoohoo!" Like is this a dream? Because our calm proselyting mission life has turned into a virtual game of PacMan as we walk up a street, see a group of matching, colorful cackling Death-Eaters marching our way, turn and walk half a block only to see another ahead, turn again and there's one over on the right, etc. And apparently it's going to go for four more days. If there's one thing about Catholics over here, they can PARTY! I used to think partying was what we did when we played UNO til four a.m. or went for tacos at midnight [in Mexico, from Texas] but...I must say they outdid us when the dancing started Saturday night at 6, was going strong at 9, and I even heard something of a Congo line going past our door at 5 a.m. so apparently it was still going. The sad thing is the drinking and idols and stuff.

So that made our weekend interesting. But what we learned amidst walking among all these crazy flour-throwing people, was that it was actually a blessing, because by dragging all the partiers into the streets and covering them with flour, we could visibly see the normal people who were in their houses or walking along quiet streets with their kids and contact them! It was like a sorting system and we met some nice people.

Including today, in fact. An hour ago we went to see a new investigator who seemed really interested, even though it's P-day, because she said she was only home in the mornings and because of meetings and zoos we won't be home in a morning til Friday. So we went to talk to her and she was GOLDEN! "Catholic," but not partying, super interested in what we had to say, said she's studied a lot of history and always wanted to know more about the Mormons, and when we started with a prayer, she asked what she should do. We told her we close our eyes and fold our arms and suddenly her eyes were closed and arms folded and there she was waiting. Really really pure spirit with three cute kids and a husband we haven't met yet and we felt really blessed to meet her this morning, especially since we've been praying hard for people with desires.

Oh, yeah, the other part of that title was when this man tried to kiss me, but first he tried to sell me a pie, and then tried to explain to me why it was all okay. It's actually a pretty normal thing, men going in to kiss your cheek and we have to go "WAIT!", but still kind of weird and rare when you just met them and those we know know they can't, so it doesn't happen often. But he went in and I'm like, 'Wooop sorry, we can't do that because we're missionaries." "It's okay because I'm a missionary too!" "Uh huh, okay! Well we don't have money for a pie but maybe next--" (Interrupts to go on a lengthy monologue on how we're all humans and there's nothing wrong with kissing another human, the rules are in our mind, and do you think Jesus is going to tell us not to kiss him and something about dogs I didn't understand, ETC) and me: "Welp Gerardo, thanks for your opinion!" And the whole thing concluded with us doing a weird three finger handshake which I'm still confused about and walking away good friends.

Also, yesterday a 70 member, Elder Reyes, came to our BRANCH! Which was super cool and I still don't understand why! Because he only talked for five minutes and didn't reorganize us into a ward like we kind of suspected, and then we ate tacos and left. But we got to talk to the stake President who also came and we told him what we've seen that needs to be done in this branch and he told us what he's seen, and it turned out to be the same and we agreed to activate the priesthood holders woop! Then he thanked us for caring about this place and we told him it was a pleasure and that was it.

Love you!

Fight Satan!

Today I was teaching my companion english. Is anyone else feeling uncomfortable with the fact that I didn't start this letter with the word "so" because I kind of am.

So that's better, and today I was teaching my companion english and it may have been the best thing ever. I would type out the conversation but I just tried and it wasn't funny anymore so I deleted it. But just know we had an hour long discussion on cookies and how we shouldn't eat them anymore but as she repeated many times "No! I love you the cookies!" I don't know it was incredibly adorable.

Well one day this week we went to go teach Alejandra but they were already in bed in their one room house because their power had gone out and they had one flickering candle in the middle of the room. They told us to come in anyway and we started telling stories of the Book of Mormon in the candlelight and it just took me back to lights-off stories of my childhood. Awesome.

It was a little rough this week with investigators and members while we're at it. Yesterday after finding and bringing an inactive youth of many years who was super cute and bubbly and excited to go to church because she hadn't gone since she was a little girl, we were very disappointed with how the members treated her and she left early.  We have seen many of the same patterns lately and are a little lost at how to help get this branch welcoming and showing concern for those who are lost. The members, every one of them, are amazing! Each has a testimony that is beautiful and treats the missionaries so well, but we have been praying a lot to help them have a love one for the other. But afterwards we began studying and praying and I realized that this is nothing new, that the children of God, even active members like the Nephites, have always struggled and it's because we have an enemy attacking us! So rather than get discouraged because of bad choices good people make, we need to be fortifying their strongholds, giving them more arms and helping them strengthen their testimony. So we made a plan and are ready to go out and do it!

I loved a quote that a friend on the mission sent me today, it's from the wife of Elder Zwick and she said "Hard is hard, hard is not bad, it's just hard." So we need to do the hard thing and fight! Fight laziness with diligence, fight discouragement with hope in Christ, fight fears with faith, fight negativity with optimism, and fight Satan with JESUS. 

Love you all!

Avoiding labels, even on dots

This week was just about the coolest with my studies. We had transfers [i.e., exchanges] and I went with Sister Cruz -- Sister Knight was with my companion. Funny story about Sister Knight, she's from Herriman and we have some friends in common and one time I was with them and the car I was riding in backed into hers. So that's an interesting connection, when we put that together. "Hey, I backed into your car once!" "Hey yeah!”

But anyway it was really good and we had some awesome discussions, Sister Cruz and I, and I ended up stealing their 2012 conference Ensign because HOLY COW those talks, every single one of them changes your life. President Uchtdorf taught me how to make resolutions on how to love who we're with, reach our potential, and LET OURSELVES BE HAPPY! There is happiness in every moment and I feel like that's something I learned in the rough points of Tapachula, but have kind of forgotten when things got easier. I also learned that it doesn't come when you just want it, but when you completely disappear. It is so hard to disappear. You just try and then you're still there. But it's a process and I have a testimony of the INCREDIBLE difference it makes.

Then President Monson changed my life with his talk on "Seeing Others as They May Become." Changed my perspective on EVERYTHING. How many times do we look at a person and classify them in our mind, or focus on the negative or wonder if they'll ever make it. He talks about a missionary who, every time he contacted, whether it be a man with a cigar and an angry face, he would envision them all in white and knowing who they are, and when he did that he could speak in a way that the spirit could touch them. He had a ton of baptisms just from those contacts. This week I started putting that into practice and I would look at a person as they blabbered excuses and see a Relief Society president, or an old temple worker, or a missoinary, and I was shocked at the huge love I could feel for each one and desire for them to understand who they are!

Last but not least, I-don't-remember-who-but-a-sister spoke about "First Observe, then Serve," and that really opened my eyes to HOW IMPORTANT service is. Jesus always served! But service isn't just washing dishes or delivering cookies. He helped people with that stuff too, but most important was the way He listened, lifted, mourned with, and loved individually every person He came across, regardless of whether He had time.

Okay real quick, I want to share an experience with a girl named Alejandra. She is 9 years old and has lately been coming with her grandma to church. Her mom went inactive when she was about 13 and never has liked the church, but Alejandra loves going and a couple times when visiting her grandma told us she wanted to be baptized, but the grandma would always say that her daughter would never even allow us into her house. A few weeks passed and a new transfer and one day I just had the feeling we needed to work with that girl, so we decided to do something we'd never done and go right to her house! We knocked on the door one night and the mom opened up, looked at us, and we said we'd come to see them and get to know them better because we'd been talking with her daughter. She said, "I don't like the church, but you can enter if you want." We went in and had a nice talk with the kids about being obedient and the mom warmed up and we all started laughing together at things her kids said. I hadn't even planned bringing up baptism, because I thought it would be better for her to warm up to us first, but Alejandra said as we were finishing up, "Are you going to talk to my mom about my baptism?" And we asked if she had a desire to be baptized and she said yes. The mom asked, "Can she be baptized?" and we explained that above the age of eight they could decide for themselves. After talking about it for a while, we invited her to a date two weeks away and the mom slowly nodded her head and then asked what her daughter needed to do to prepare. And thus we began visiting very frequently and it only got better and better. We had a lesson on Palabra de Sabiduria [Word of Wisdom] and found Alejandra drank coffee every morning and night and loved it, but after the talk and putting some goals, she only messed up twice in the whole week, and the week after was completely coffee-free. What was more, the mom stopped making and drinking coffee herself and would constantly remind Alejandra that she had made a promise not to. We couldn't believe the change! This last Saturday Alejandra was baptized and to our surprise at the request of her daughter, the mom agreed to give a talk on baptism which we helped her prepare and in which she said she hoped her daughter would one day be a missionary. She is now working on changing jobs so she can come to church too. Sometimes labels are put on a person, even by their own family, but what we don't know are their desires and their potential, and though she has made many mistakes, this woman was ready to want more for her daughter and follow her example!

Also the fleas seem to be disappearing as a result of maniac-Sister Wilson spraying everything with chemicals and almost intoxicating us both and throwing everything I own into buckets of water and soap to drown them. I may have started this week completely paranoid, as I kept finding myself hunched over staring at black dots on the ground and waiting for them to jump and reveal their true and evil identity, then finding they are pieces of fabric.

Love you!