I'll start by addressing the title of my email: LED-- Let Eduardo Dream. So we found a new investigator. His name is Eduardo and he has a seriously huge and minorly unhealthy obsession with LED light bulbs. The man lives in a high-rise condo with an ocean view, which he claims he can afford because saves so much money on electricity by using various different types of LED light bulbs that he makes with his own hands in his living room. He even left his ex-wife because she didn't appreciate LED bulbs the way he does. The man is insane. But we presented the lesson of the restoration, left him with a Libro de Mormón, and he invited us back.
Our investigator, Elizabeth, that was supposed to get baptized a couple weeks ago, but didn't, dumped her boyfriend and stopped working with his mom. This is significant because Elizabeth didn't get baptized because they were feeding her anti-Mormon material. She told us that getting baptized is more important than kissing boys and free street tacos. Dang straight, Eli.
The downside is we buy tacos from Elizabeth's ex-boyfriend's mom, and the other day, she ripped me off and gave me 4 tacos instead of 5. No chill.
We started teaching an 11 year old kid named John. He has the same name as my dad and he reminds me a ton of Luke. His mom is a less active member who has been meeting with the Testigos de Jehova (Jehova's Witnesses), so she's super confused. Moroni 10:3-5; Santiago 1:5; 2 Nefi 32:3-5 por favor.
We had interviews with Presidente Ávila on Wednesday. He gave me grey hairs and robbed me of many hours of sleep when he told me that right now I'm being prepared for more leadership opportunities. Help.
On Thursday, we had Multi-Zone Conference. The Acapulco, Costa Azul, and Pinotepa Zones were all together and it caused me all kinds of stress. Elder Paul, Elder Starks, Elder Schaerrer, and Elder Guerrero, 4 of my 6 past companions were all there. At one point the 5 of us were together and they were arguing over who I hate more. All of you. I hate all of you.
Ok not really, but I don't know. Something about that situation just made me SUPER uncomfortable.
But a cool opportunity I had in the conference was give a training with Presidente Ávila! It was my first time participating in a conference, so it was a little rocky, and that room full of elders was a bit of a rough crowd, but I survived, and it was a good experience to work with Presidente.
On Friday, we finished off the 3 day streak and had a meeting with Presidente Ávila and the ward councils of the Costa Azul Stake. It was a good meeting and we got a lot accomplished, but then the inevitable happened, and the meeting turned into a roast sesh. Member after member after member with their opinion about why the missionaries are in the wrong. My ward mission leader even took his chance and told Presidente all about how we don't serve anyone and how we don't deserve the support of our members because we don't support them. The stake Relief Society presidenta said that when elders baptize their converts, it's proof that the elders are just there to get numbers and they don't actually care about the person's salvation, etc.
But there's something I really admire about Presidente. He listened to their concerns carefully, later highlighted the parts that were right about what they had to say, helped them understand where we were coming from, and commented what we were willing to change and discussed compromises we were willing to make.
If you ask me, that's what humility is; being patient with others, listening to their point of view, being willing to make changes and meet in the middle. But more importantly, humility is being willing to do things in the Lord's way and in the Lord's time.
I love all y'all! Have a great week!
-Elder Tyler Steven Aldrich
PICTURES
Hey, so I apparently didn't take pictures this week. I know, I'm terrible. Repentance is for everyone. So, I would like to give you 3 excuses for why I may not have taken pictures this week.
1) I wanted to take pictures of Eduardo's light bulbs, but that would have been inappropriate for the occasion.
2) I felt self conscious because my camera is pink.
3) I got a zit on my forehead and I was afraid that the ugly would break the camera lens.
