Its
SO crazy to think that one month of my mission is almost up! I think I'm
starting to understand what return missionaries mean by taking
advantage of every moment, because it goes by so fast. This past week
was pretty sweet (here and back home)! I guess Ill start off by another
spiritual experience... So, it would have been last week sometime, but
anyways, there's this picture of Jose Smith praying while he was in
liberty jail on his knees, just crying looking up. Ill try to send the
picture because its one of the few times Ive just looked at a picture
and felt the Spirit so strongly. After I saw it I read Doctrina y
Convenios Sección 121 where Jose is in jail and prays to God and asks
him why the saints are struggling so much, why hes in jail for doing the
Lords work, and why his life is what it is. The Lords response and
revelation to Jose is so inspiring and I challenge all of you to read it
because it is an incredible sección of scripture and is truly
comforting even if you feel like you dont need comfort. I know that our
Heavenly Father is always there for us, in our good times and in our
tough times and will always listen to you if you need help or just want
someone to talk to. He is a real being who loves us and is literally our
Father in Heaven in every sense of the word.
Also,
Ive been reading a lot in the scriptures lately, go figure... But its
been great and I recently finished Heleman, 3 Nefi, y 4 Nefi and I just
love those books! I loved reading the Sermon on the Mount in 3 Nefi,
especially where it says in capitulo 12:8 where it says something like
the pure in heart will see God. I thought about this for a while and I
came to this conclusion.... There are a lot of Christlike people in the
world, a lot of people who are pure in heart and though a lot, most, of
those people wont see God in a literal sense until they pass on. But
they still see God. Here's what I mean by this, I think of people like my
Mom and other family members who have always been so kind to me, and
always see the good in people, always see the true divinity of God in
everyone, and that's what I got from that verse. As we strive to be pure
in heart and learn to love everyone for who they are, a child of God, we
will see how truly important everyone is and be able to see where they
really came from, heaven,and be able to see all the good that we have
been surrounded with despite the bad things.Those were just a couple of
thoughts Ive had this past week.
We also got new Zone Leaders on Sunday, Elder Coomer and Elder Atwood, they're gonna be awesome!
So,
Neil L. Anderson was really cool! Before the devotional we all got to
shake his hand as well as Elder Richard G. Maynes and Elder Pipers (area
presidency). It was a great reminder that those guys we call the quorum
of the 12 are called of God and modern day prophets. Pretty cool. I had
3 thoughts that really stood out to me from his talk, here they are...
1) Nothing y no one is as or ever will be as important as our Savior, Jesus Christ.
2) If you have never repented, you have never felt the power and reality of the Atonement.
3) And a quote by Boyd K. Packer... "His mercy is the mighty healer, even to the wounded innocent."
Anyways,
it was a really cool experience and I'm really luck to have been here
when an apostle came because only one comes each year to the Mexico CCM.
Its kinda cool meeting an apostle though because you expect them, at
least I did, and they are, but not as much as you might think. It was a
cool devotional because he was asking us questions and all that good
stuff. Cool experience.
This morning we got to
go to the temple which was really cool! The Mexico City Temple is
awesome, but they've been trying to fix it up for the past 4 years or so
because Mexico City sinks about 4 feet each year so it really messes
with the foundations of buildings here. But we got to walk around it and
got a tour of the visitors center, which was really really nice and
gives the Salt Lake one a run for its money, although the Christus
Statue isn't quite as big, really cool though. Ill send some sweet
pictures. Also, I was just as happy to leave the CCM and go out into the
City as I was to see the temple. Ok, not really but it was close. Going
through Mexico City is an adventure in itself! The roads are crazy,
there's graffiti everywhere (literally) and its just awesome. I love it
haha. I think that before you go out into the mission field they should
make you survive a week in Mexico City, that would be pretty gnarly. I
also got this sweet back pack at the store on the temple grounds, Ill
send a picture of it.
So, Elder Dority has a
brother on a mission in Truijo Peru right now and apparently they just
had elections and there's a lot of unhappy Peruvians, so they decided to
have a pretty crazy mail strike, so what I'm saying is dont send mail,
especially packages, to Peru for a while as crappy as that is. Also,
some other Peru stuff... So the reccepcion center here lets us know our
flight plans 9 days prior to our departure so Ill know what they are by
next Wednesday or so, should be about 7 to 8 hours. I'm getting pretty
excited because after so long, the CCM turns into an insane asylum, not
really, its great but it really starts closing in on you haha... it was
really sad today when I got on the bus for the temple today and realized
that it was the first time in a month Id been in a vehicle... haha, boy
was it nice to get out! Ive also met a couple Peruvian missionaries
here and the talk so fast! Its crazy! Norte Lima, from what they've told
me, is pretty dang poor, one of the more poor areas of Lima, it'll be
pretty crazy there I think, but I'm so excited! We've had 3 Latino companionship's in our dorm since weve been here and they've all been
really cool. I still miss the first set, Elder Para y Nefi, dont even
remember his last name, I dont even know why I know his first name haha.
They were really cool and we became pretty good friends. One of the
most important things to do to learn the language is to speak to the
natives, that's helped a ton!
Mom, so the water
here isn't bad because they buy it, and the CCM has its separate water
well so I haven't had to use the mix to much, I did at first but then I
was thinking, I'm pretty much gonna be drinking disease when I get to
Peru so maybe I should save my mix. But I will want more because its
really good. And also, I am mostly speaking Spanish now, especially in
class, my tag also has a sticker on it that says "solo español", that's
what you put on it if you only want to talk in Spanish. Elder Weaver is
slowly getting the language down, not to say I have it down because I
dont, but hes been doing a lot better this past week or so, our lessons
have been getting way way better now that he can say something. I'm glad
you liked Sampson's story and the she bear story, its good stuff haha.
Love ya.
Dad, I was excited when I read that
Mr. (well, now President) Brown is the new stake president, he's an
awesome guy. Also, please tell me whats been going on with the whole
middle east right now, I'm deprived here of any outside information.
Apparently someone from Sierra Leone or something flew to Dallas with
ebola and infected a few people, is that true? Elder Johnson told me
that, but he thinks he knows everything that's going on right now haha.
Well, keep letting me know how things at home are going, love ya.
Nickelope,
I am glad and disturbed at the same time that Geddy has been keeping my
shorts in good shape, please send me a picture. Actually dont, I would
probably pee my pants from laughing so hard and that would be no bueno
here haha. Also, please stop sending me Porky updates, I cry myself to
sleep every night. And shes in the ICU now?! Poor thing. When she dies,
will you send her to Peru so I can bury here there, por favor. haha.
Well, I'm glad to hear that you're doing good and still tolerating Mr.
Dobson, bless his soul. haha dont fall asleep to much!
Cowberry,
I was gonna get ya a picture of the Mexico City temple today but I didn't know if I could send it without folding it up... Sorry, in Peru!
So, Brady and Kialey are back together? Cool. And that's really cool that
you passed by the Sojo half! I would probably be running it if I were
home, while Dad and Nick devoured Betos haha. Well, keep sending my your
phunny emails will ya? Gracias! Oh yeah, in case you were wondering...
Halloween is a big big deal here in Mexico, its called el noche de
brujas here, the night of the witches. and the word for to bewitch is
hechazar. So there it is.
Soda, sorry to hear
your throwing up and that it looks like spaghetti... that's gross. I hope
you get better soon and I love ya! and thanks for your emails!
Hope,
I hope you're happy and being nice and all, I love ya sis! and I hope
Grandma Sandall gets better soon! Tell her hi for me will ya?
Well, I think that's all!
Hasta Luego!
Elder Potter
 |
| Elder Potter and other missionaries |
 |
| On the way to the Mexico Temple - 1st time off CCM grounds in 30 days |
 |
| Mexico City |
 |
| Mexico City Temple |
 |
| Elder Potter at Mexico City Temple Visitors Center |
 | ||||
| Oh no --it's the ribbon (Kimball's tie or ribbon is something Kimball and Nick used to fight over and hide from each other. It has been gone for years we snuck it in Kimball's suitcase. It may reappear in pics from time to time) |
No comments:
Post a Comment