BOOM!
We got transfer calls 5 minutes before bedtime and nobody is leaving! The super-charged district is staying together for 6 more weeks. President wants us to break the ceiling that has been covering the border for a while, because honestly this area should be flourishing. We're planning an activity for the English Branch between conference sessions this next Sunday with the intention of showing them how easy and painless it is to invite someone to go to the church with them or listen to the missionaries. We'll probably do quite a few role plays and share a lunch together.
I am so stinking excited for General Conference. I have never treasured the words of prophets like I do now, but I've been reading from the prophets of old. We are going to learn directly from the mouth of the Lord's anointed what he wants us to be doing now. Man, that's just ... that's the coolest thing I've ever heard.
I fell off my bike again this week. Last time it was like, oh-ho-ho so funny I fell on some dirt. This time ... well this time it was still really my fault because I answered the phone again while we were cruising around. I then had left break in my left hand and a took a turn to find a speed bump! I hit the brake, all my weight went forward, and then I hit the bump and popped myself off the bike and onto the road. So, I broke my watch which I'm a little irked about, and I ripped up my slacks (our good hearted sister missionaries are going to try and mend them) and I also did some damage to my knee and elbow and got a sweet softball sized left hip bruise. Lesson learned?! Almost. I've decided to put the phone in my left pocket so I answer it with my left hand and then I will have to use the back break in cases of emergency. This should allow me to evade further face to road discrepancies. Now if this does not work, I will concede and stop answering the phone while I bike, and walk, and do anything.
A plus side to this biking incident is that I got some Mexican-home remedies tried on me. All of them super didn't work, in fact some of them just made my cuts sting worse--except for one. One of our investigators applied some ointment on me that made we want to lash out and rip flesh, and then after not too long I felt a lot better. A lot better. Upon inquisition he goes, "Oh, it's rubbing alcohol, and I let some marijuana seeds, stems, and leaves sit in it for a few weeks." Ha! He insisted I take some home with me, but I'm not totally sure if I should be using it ...? The Word of Wisdom mentions these kind of things to be used on animals, I don't know.
Brother Nielson, our first branch elders quorum president has to have open heart surgery in 2 months. In an attempts to raise money they had a hamburger plate sale. We helped out with that for an hour or so on Saturday and I think they made quite a bit of money selling burgers for 6 bucks a pop. He knows a lot of people in this city. Fun fact about brother Nielson, he served his mission here in Eagle Pass some 6-7 years ago, and he moved back here after he was done and married one of the girls that used to be in the young woman. They're an awesome family, and he did it the right by waiting till after the mission, haha.
"J" and the "A" family have been so close to baptism twice. We've got some great lessons planned for them these next few days and hopefully we'll be able to clear up their persisting concerns.
The "H" Family just moved in 2-3 weeks ago from Salem, Utah. They are the whitest family I have every seen, haha, but they are so strong in the gospel. He was an Elders Quorum President in Salem of a quorum of ... his block ... which included 70 active Elders?! Do those exist? Crazy. They spoke yesterday and I'd forgotten how awesome a well-prepared talk can be. I felt like the spirit taught me a lot,specifically about using the scriptures to receive revelation on any gospel or non-gospel related subject.
During the Spanish fast and testimony meeting I was praying for enlightenment on ways we could progress the work here, and in response I felt like I should go bear my testimony. My first thought was, no way. That's a freestyle and then the whole branch would here me mess something up and sound really dumb. But, that was a prompting, and I have to be willing to do anything I'm asked. So I fought myself for 5 seconds and then went for it. I didn't say anything marvelous but I felt like I passed a little test by responding quickly to do something the Lord knew I hadn't prepared myself to do.
I don't know if I talked about it last week or not, but we've been working with a less active family who were great friends with missionaries a ways back and now that they're gone don't really see a need to go to church. Smooth move missionaries. He thought we were a bunch of snubs when we showed up because we wanted to spiritually edify his family, and he just wanted to play Need For Speed with us. We went back last week and after talking with him around a barbecue we all decided to eat some big grilled juicy habinero peppers. We did that, and it hurt all over. I actually woke up at midnight that night and couldn't fall asleep for an hour because I had some crazy heart burn. I've never had heart burn in my life. It was all worth it though because he's going to let us come by and watch the Prophet of the Restoration with his family tonight.
Well, that's enough for now. Let me know if you guys have any questions about what's going on. It would be great if I could direct my thoughts accordingly.
Hurrah for Israel!
Stay Salty!
I love you and I miss you!
Elder Tyler Meidell
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