Week 77 Great Week! June 1, 2015

The Sanchez family...one of my favorite (and shortest) families here in Polanco

Tuesday morning we had to train the Hermanas and Elders that will be training this upcoming cycle. I find trainers as some of the most important missionaries in the mission. They set the foundation for how the new missionaries are going to serve the rest of their missions. So, it's important that they be some of the best missionaries...and by the look of that group I know that they'll be some of the best trainers and that the newbies are going to be in good hands.

Later we started divisions with Hermanas Sic and Benson. I went to Lucero with Sic and it was a blast. From the moment I met her at changes, I knew she was going to be awesome...and being with her Tuesday just confirmed it. We have some amazing sister missionaries here in the mission. Mexico is in for it!

Facebook Stalking???

Thursday. So, our investigator Alejandro called us and informed us that he would be going out of town for the next week and a half which meant he wouldn't be getting baptized this week...bummer...

Both Carlos and Bertha are progressing REALLY well. We taught Bertha about the Word of Wisdom and as we were explaining the things we shouldn't consume she said, "I don't know why God would tell us to not drink coffee...but if He says so...well...I know it's true!" She also mentioned that her husband tears up when he hears them say prayers at night...he's changing and we've never even taught him!

Friday morning was my last leadership meeting with the President, his wife, the assistants, and the zone leaders. At the start of each meeting we are handed a paper with what we'll be talking about listed on it, a calendar for the upcoming month, and a list of the coming and leaving missionaries. I was reading through that list and that's when I ran into MY name...what?! Am I going home??? That was like one big punch in the gut... anyway we spent a lot of the time talking about the normal mission business and to end the assistants gave a capacitation (training) on working with ward leaders. As they were wrapping up he turned to me and asked, "Hermana Ingram, what are your plans for when you get home in just a few short weeks?" I answered, "Well, I'll need to find a job...I'll start up my studies..." He asked a few more of the leaving missionaries and they all answered pretty similarly. He paused and asked, "Then why did each of you decide to come on a mission?" That REALLY hit me. At first I came on a mission thinking I was going to convert Mexico! I may have had a few baptisms here and there and I WAS able to see a few lives change. That was amazing. I learned a whole new language..how cool is that!? But now I'm beginning to realize that it's more than that. To what good is it that I come on a mission if I go home the same person as I was before; if I go back to my old life? Remember what Peter and the other apostles did when Jesus died? They went back to their old lives as fisherman! It was as if they had forgotten everything they had learned while they were with Christ! Christ was resurrected, saw them fishing, and, from the shore said, "What in the world are you doing?! When I asked you to be my disciples, I didn't mean for just a few years...I meant for a LIFETIME!" He didn't call me to be a representative of Him for just a year and a half so that afterwards I could sit back, relax, and return to my old life. He called me to serve Him for a LIFETIME. And that's my plan. Of course I'm going to work, and study...that's a very important part of my life. But I'm going to serve Him and, well, love life while I'm at it!

Another one of my favorite families

Saturday was an AMAZING day! First, we went to the mission offices for our goodbye interviews. I honestly couldn't believe that the day had come! Anyway, my interview with President Stutznegger was 100% inspired! We talked about a lot of things...it was awesome! He ended by giving me a blessing and then it was over. There isn't a doubt in my mind that President Stutznegger is a man of God. I am really going to miss him and Sister Stutznegger!

Later we got a call from Alejandro. He wanted to see us that afternoon in the church...he said he needed to talk about a few things. Wasn't he supposed to be out of town?? So later we visited him in the church. We had tried calling him the days before but he wasn't answering. To be honest, things weren't looking good. So, when we saw him I was expecting bad news. He started by telling us how bad the last few days had gone for him. He was supposed to go to Leon but as he was leaving his van broke down. So, he went back to his house and grabbed is second van...it too broke down just a few kilometers down the road. He was NOT happy, and that's why he wasn't answering our phonecalls. After a long hard day on Thursday he told us that he was about to call us and tell us that he was done, that he didn't want to get baptized. That's when he noticed his Book of Mormon sitting on his kitchen tale and had the impression to open it and start reading. He said that in that moment he received his answer...he had known all along that it was true. To confirm his decision he began fasting. Then he said, "Hermanas, I'm getting baptized. I was wondering if we could fill up the baptismal font right now. Can we?" Do you have any idea how happy we were?! We were practically crying we were so happy! I don't think it was coincidence that BOTH of his cars broke down. He was supposed to get baptized this weekend. Whoever was praying for that guy...Thank you!!

Alejandro's Baptism

Sunday....ALEJANDRO GOT BAPTIZED! It was amazing! Elder Choc (one of the Elders that found him) was able to come and baptize him. After he came out of the water he gave Choc the biggest hug ever...he was SO happy.

The Pazole Party

Later, we came back to to the church and the ward mission leader (Ramon) had organized a big pozole party. A bunch of ward members came...we sure had a lot of fun.

WHAT A GREAT WEEK! I seriously can't believe that my time here is winding down...I only have a week to give it my all!