Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Youth Outreach

Saturday the youth of Tabernaculo de Victoria went out to pass out fliers and invite people to church. It was fun, we went to places I'd never seen before, places with lots of people. 



Ismael


After we finished and were walking back to the house we came to this canyon. When they said we had to climb down it then back up to the other side, I thought they were kidding. They weren't.  

So down the canyon we go. Of course I had flip flops on; that was my first problem. I'd take a few steps, then slip, slide, and wish for a zip-line. I knew I could make it to the bottom of the canyon, but I was sure it would be after I fell and slid all the way down on my stomach. But, much to my surprise, I actually did make it  down. And this is what our noses (first) then our eyes found:
 
Sewer water. Grooooss!

Climbing down was nothing compared to having to climb back UP. Flip flops, a flowy skirt and wind? It was almost more than I could take. The fear that I felt coming down tripled when we started climbing. How embarrassing would it be to fall backwards and take everyone that was behind me back down too? This is when the "Jesus, help me" whispers started. And...I made it to the top (with a little help), noodle legs and all. After I got back on solid, flat ground I thought, "I wonder if I'll ever have to do this again..." 
Well, I am proud to say that in these past few days I have become a professional canyon-climber. 
(Read next post)...

Oh, and since this post WAS about our youth outreach day, I should probably mention that it went really well! This is the first time for our youth to do anything like this. I think they had fun, they said they want to do it again. A bunch of people promised to come to church when the kids invited them. So we'll see. 
Also, the kids heard some people saying that we were Mormons. Huh. I think it's time to make some t-shirts, or at least name tags that say something like
 "Hi, my name is ______ and I am APOSTOLIC!!" 

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Wasn't It So Ugly?

This is what our house looked like 2 weeks ago. 
Then the guys worked and worked and worked...

And this is what it looks like now!
Our builders are THEE best...

Thursday, March 25, 2010

La Hacienda

This past Monday, after our conference, we had a lot of running around to do.
Beau had worms. And we needed to get him some pills for 'em. We also needed to go grocery shopping. But before we left we had to run by Armando's house. 
This is a little hard to explain, but I'll try. Armando and Israel are brothers. They are the ones that built our house. They, and their sister, live on the same piece of property. Right down the street lives their other sister and her husband. So between these four families, they make up half of our youth group and about 1/3 of our Sunday school. And in Mexico, what do we do when we get together? Play soccer! (minus Bethany...sports and I don't mix).
Anyways, we went around to each families' house gathering their kids to form 2 teams. In the end, we rounded up most of our youth group and some of their friends. We had just gotten started playing when out come Bro. and Sis. Our Parents waving and saying, "Time to get going." What should we do?! Hmm...grocery shopping or hanging out with da peeps? So we decided that we'd meet up with el Daddy-o later.  
After they left, someone mentioned going to 'La Hacienda'. Looong story short...we FINALLY all got in the back of their truck and headed over to this place. 
I was super surprised when we got there. It was so gorgeous! Huge trees everywhere, green grass. We don't see a lot of that here.

First we went to Eduardo's house (which is behind him...really!)

On to the next house!


Waiting, again...


We got some players!


In the truck, about to leave for La Hacienda.


Wait! One more passenger...
Israel carrying his sister, Rocio. 

Hortencia (Israel's wife), Fernando, Israel, Miguel, and Alejandro.


Alejandro...

...and Miguel putting up the swing. 


Maribel, Jazmin, Veronica, Daniela, and Alejandra.


The kids were SO nervous about going into the cemetery and 'disturbing the dead'. The Catholic church here is all about death. Jesus' death, what to do for your family members when they die, how to save them from hell after they die...and the number one thing we know the Catholics for is DEAD church!! So we had a good talk about how Jesus is all about LIFE (and once your dead...your dead!) 

The cemetery.


Maribel, Veronica, and me. 
'They' say that years and years and years ago when this man and woman died, every time someone would go and visit their grave a hand or a foot would be sticking out. Thus the chains--to keep 'em down. 


The girls.


Nicole on the swing.


Me. 


Maribel. 


Everyone got a turn. 


Even the adults. 


Israel and Armando tormenting Miguel. 


Another game of soccer. 


When we got back to the house it was about 9:30. Nicole and I were getting ready to say our adios-es when Israel said, "Can you guys eat with us?" 
Us- "Uhhh...sure!" (We knew this would be an experience). 
So we all hopped back into the truck and through the forest and rivers we went. Literally. 
I'm glad this all happened though. Now we have another place to take the Americans that come and visit us. :)
They bought a bunch of meat and stuff to make salsa. It was really interesting, going to the grocery store with them. When WE go, we get in there, get what we need, then get out. But for them...goodness gracious! We wandered through that store for about an hour. (We could've been out of there in 10 minutes). 
Then, back to the house. 
Israel put on some music and we sat around waiting for food, went to sleep, and/or 'helped' make the food. 
Anahi and Nicole


Bethany and Maribel

Adriana making green salsa in the molcajete, which is a stone bowl and its smasher-thingy. 

They tried to teach me how to do this, but it just turned into one big laugh fest. 
My wrist/arm muscles were quivering and I was thinking, "Don't these people just have a blender?!"
But no-o-o. Armando says he doesn't like salsa made in a blender because "it has foam. With the molcajete there is no foam." Thank God his wife is so sweet (and has wrist muscles). 

Then we finally ate. 

The salsa was so delicious, but so stinkin' spicy that it made me want to rip my gums out. But after all the trouble they went to to make it, what was I gonna say? "I prefer foamy salsa?"

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Conference, March 2010

We had four people get the Holy Ghost this past weekend at our conference! We were so privileged to have Bro. Gutierrez from Panorama City, CA, Bro. Gonzalez from Boyle Heights, CA, and Bro. and Sis. DeAro from Santa Clarita, CA here in Puebla with us. The church services were so wonderful, I can't really describe them.
It's not that I'm speechless. There just aren't any words. Trying to describe these past few days kind of goes like this:
"The presence of God..."
"Service was so..."
"Everyone was just..."
"If you could've seen the young people worshiping..."
"The altar calls..."
"The men praying with their families..."

See? It's hard to describe what awesome moves of God we had. You just had to be there.
So 4:00 pm this Sunday. Be there!!

Bro. Gonzales, Hno. Mario, Bro. DeAro, Hno. Baltazar, Bro. Gutierrez, and Bro. Wakefield Jr. Eating before service at our house. 

We did a little bit of sight-seeing on Thursday...

Then it was church, church, and more church! Bro. DeAro preached the first night, but I got so into it, I forgot to take pictures. But Sis. DeAro saaang and I got a picture of her. We loved having the DeAros. They were so much fun! 
 

This was the men's service on Saturday that Bro. Gutierrez taught. I asked the guys later how it went and their response was "impressive" and "very powerful".

Bro. Gonzales preached Sunday night. 
He said, "Be like this with your pastor!"


Alejandro (left) and Miguel praying with his sister, Anahi.


Israel and his wife, Hortencia praying for Israel's sister-in-law's sister. :)
She got the Holy Ghost!


Elisabet also got the Holy Ghost...


...and Rocio...

And Asuri too! (This is the girl Austin says he's going to marry one day...)


This man got baptized in Jesus' name!


Here are the guys praying for Fernando. We love this picture because we know the stories behind each one of their lives, how they finally met up with Jesus, and how far He has brought them. Here soon we'll do a 'youth post' and tell each of their stories. We could talk about our young people and their families for half of forever and not run out words.


Austin playing and singing in Spanish for Bro. Gutierrez.


I know I didn't do a very good job of taking pictures...so if you want to see more, go to the DeAro's church website HERE and check to see if they have put their pictures up yet. :))

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Making Tamales

Here are some pictures from when we made tamales the other day for Bro. Dad's surprise birthday party. 

On the way over...

Working real hard...

At the corner store buying a couple things we forgot to get at the market

Nicole loves knives!

Eeeeww! Squeezing lard into the tamale dough. 

Finally making the actual tamales. 
This really is fun to do for about 20 tamales...but we make 400. After a while it got a little old. 
Ohhhh, what sacrifice! :))

Cooking outside on the fi-ya

Dessert--Jello with squares in it. 

Ok everybody!! Clean up time!
Hey, Nicole...

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