Not much happened and the work is slow. Thus, PLAN LÁZARO. Lazurus is the guy in the bible that Jesus raised from the dead, and Lázaro is how you say Lazurus in Spanish. And Plan Lázaro is the plan Elder Guerrero and I made to get things moving smoother around here. It consists of a various small service projects that we are going to for and with members, like cleaning the cage where our bishop keeps his dogs, or going to a member's restaurant to eat-- I mean clean the place before she opens, things like that, so that we and the members can get to know each other, and so that they know that we're here to work, not to play. Genious right?
But an even better part is that we're going to visit members in their homes and ask them to write their testimony of the Book of Mormon on a piece of paper that we will then put in the Libros de Mormón that we give out. And with some, even leave them with the assignment to give the book away to a friend or neighbor.
But now I'm going to solicit some help from those who haven't sent my emails to spam. I believe that a testimony is an extremely powerful tool, so I would like to ask that you send me your testimonies of the Book of Mormon. If you speak Spanish, you can make my life easier and send it in Spanish. If not, send it in English and I'll translate it. (I ONLY SPEAK SPANISH AND ENGLISH) Then we'll glue the testimonies into the Book of Mormon's and we'll share your testimonies with the world.
This week, nobody came to English class and it made me super sad, especially since I made some super fancy announcements and had them placed in all the church buildings in Chilpo. But it ended up being ok because the hermanas in the area next to us had a baptism and the guys they had asked to give talks didn't show. They asked me at the last second to give a short talk on the Holy Ghost and I did terrible. But it's ok because there was pie after the baptism. Then there was extra so they sent us home with half a pie. #WINNING
We also ate pozole TWICE. Thursday and Saturday. Food has a fastpass to the soul.
In other GREAT news, we have a baptism this week! Benito is scheduled to be baptized on Sunday! I'm so thankful for the opportunity I've had to get to know Benito and be there as his testimony has grown and as he's come to know the Savior. I'm so excited for him to be baptized this week and I'll be counting the days until Sunday all week.
Today for p-day, a few of the missionaries in the zone went to the zoo. It was a zoo, it smelled like a zoo. It was fun, but nothing exciting. Then we rented 3 cuadricicletas, or 4-person bikes. And we raced them around the zoo. It was super fun. The zoo people kept telling us to slow down. But we were over there like, "Chill yourself out. Mow your dang lawn and sit yourself down."
And finally, yesterday was Mother's Day! It was so good to talk to my family. It's good to hear their voices and see their faces. I want to wish all you women out their who have played such an important role in my life a Happy Mother's Day! And on the topic of Mother's Day, I would like to share a scripture about the 2000 stripling warriors in Alma 56.
"Now they had never fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea and they had been taught my their mothers that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
"And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt, our mothers knew it."
I'm so thankful for my mom and all the other mother-ly influences I've had in my life. No matter what challenge comes into my life, I've been taught that if I rely on the Lord, everything will be ok.
And I do not doubt, my mother knew it.
I love all y'all! Have a great week!
-Elder Aldrich
THE ZOO ADVENTURE
1) Seth's long lost half-brother
2) That lion was trying to attack me. Today I'm thankful for glass.
3) The zoo featured the obligatory "Shrine to the Virgen Maria de Guadalupe" exhibit.
4) I'm tired.
5) The crew.
