Pictures, Baptisms and Pick Pockets

Lia and her mamey fruit. (old apartment)

Hola Familia,

Next week is the baptism of Christian, who’s 10 years old and probably our smartest investigator. The only kids in our primary are girls and they’re all younger than him, but I don’t think he minds it. His mom and her sister are inactive, his dad and step-dad are non-member, and there’s a non-member couple living in the house that work for the mom and it’s amazing to see how much his baptism is changing the dynamics in their house.

Then next week is the baptism of Maria, who is 23. She goes to church every week and then institute three times a week BY HERSELF. You should see her Book of Mormon, I think she’s marked more than I have.

Cleaning the new apartment.

Then the next week is the baptism of Georgina and Julio. We met Georgina on the street and asked her what the name of the fruit was that was growing in her yard. And we gave her a card with the address of the church on it. AND THEN SHE CAME TO CHURCH. She and her husband just GET everything; they are so cool. And I just like teaching young couples. The new mandato (rule) is that all of the investigators go to the Family History course instead of Gospel Principles, so now they all know about the temple and are stoked.

We moved into our new place.  You should have seen the fans before I cleaned them. They were black. The dueño (landlord) is kind of a crook.

Yamili knitted our colorful bags.  We braided each others hair!

Yamili, otra investigadora de oro (another golden investigator), knitted us both bags. The thread is the same stuff they make hammocks out of. Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all!

Somebody stole our phone this week on the street. I’m still not sure how it happened, but we were sitting in front of the chapel making phone calls, and we got up and started walking …60 seconds later I realized I was only holding my agenda and not the little bag that I usually put the agenda in that also holds the phone. So we walk back to the chapel and every couple feet we find the bag, then my pens, then my cards... and no phone. I’m thinking maybe someone pulled the bag off the agenda while I was walking and dumped out things one by one out of the bag?

Anyway, whoever it was ANSWERED THE PHONE when I called them. He was like "Oh, sorry, I’m already in Centenario right now.” And I said: “Hermano, you stole our phone. We’re missionaries. Can you please bring it back?”  “Sorry, I’m too far away (this was like 5 minutes after it was stolen.) I’ll have to come back in two weeks.” And I was like “Hermano! You’re still close! Will you please turn around and come back to the chapel?” And he’s like, “Hay recompensa? (Will there be a reward?)” And I said, “No.” And then he said “Okay then. I have to go.”  He hung up. And then I think he took the chip out.

It was really bizarre. It was like having a normal conversation except with someone that just stole from us 5 minutes beforehand. Oh Mexico.

Adios hermanos,

Hermana Ludlam