So on Saturday night, we were all waiting for the phone call from our zone leaders letting us know about changes, but 10:15 rolled around and they never called, so I gave them a call. They told me that Elder Barrett and I wouldn't have changes, then hung up. They called back 5 minutes later to tell us that they had made a mistake and that Elder Barrett would be getting changed and that we had to be at the bus station at 8:30 on Monday morning, then hung up. Then they called back 5 minutes later to inform me that they broke the wheels on the suitcase I lent them to bring materials back from Cuernavaca, then hung up. Then 5 minutes later the zone leaders call back, laughing, and they were like, "¡Era una broma! It's all a joke! The change cycle got extended a week, so there won't be any changes right now."
I was just like, "Ok... ¿Algo más? Anything else?" And they were like, "Elder, it's funny. Laugh or something." And I was just irritated. So I didn't laugh and I told them goodnight and hung up. We got a apology text about 11:00. Turns out, they got a similar response from THE ENTIRE ZONE. Changes stress everyone out just enough that it's just not something we joke about.
So ya, let's NOT make April Fools a semi-annual thing.
I used to think advertising Mormon.org in Mexico was dumb because even though everyone has smart phones, nobody would spend 2 seconds to learn about Jesus on the Internet. However, my opinion has changed because we now know Luis. Luis is 27 years old, lives alone, is currently attending the university, and somehow found himself on Mormon.org instant messaging some member of the church named Celeste. He submitted his information and the hamsters in the computer told us to visit him. He's a great dude and even though he's had a bad experience with religion in the past (he was raised Jehova's Witness, not pointing fingers, just introducing you a little more to Luis) but he says that he feels something different when he talks to us. To get to his house, we have to take a bus, a combi, and sometimes a taxi, and even though my wallet is crying, the angels are singing and it's totally worth it.
We were cat-called by a group of 12-16 year old girls, so we contacted them. They felt really embarrassed and awkward. I didn't. #missionarymode
The ward piano player left on a mission a month ago, and the ward had no idea how much they were going to miss him. There was a 8 year old baptism yesterday right after church, so I stayed to play piano for the program. I had like 10 people tell me how much better the program was because there was piano. It's official, the ward finally loves me. #foreshadowing #changesinaweek
We're still getting baby earthquakes 3-4 times a week. Some say that it's a good thing, that it's loosening the tension in the plates. Others say it's foreshadowing the next big earthquake in Mexico. Everyone's an expert and thinks they know everything. All I know is that for some reason I live in constant fear of earthquakes, but when the earth actually begins to shake, I love the way it feels. I don't understand myself.
We had another lesson with our investigator, Ruth (the recently-single mother to 4 children). She read the chapter of the Book of Mormon that we left her and when I said something about her being Catholic, she interrupted me and said, "Well, I'm Catholic, but not THAT Catholic." She says that she believes that it's very possible that Jose Smith was a prophet and she committed to continue reading the Book of Mormon and pray about it. She hasn't accepted a baptismal date yet, but someday, Ruth, someday.
There's plenty more stories that I could tell, but I'm sure y'all are tired of reading. I hope everyone has a great week. I love all y'all!
-Elder Tyler Steven Aldrich
FOTOS
1) #WHITETRASH (The sign says Do Not Dump Trash.)
2) Betssie and Jared. Every once in a while in the mission, you meet people that you can't help but think, "I was sent here at this time to meet YOU." I would like to introduce you to 2 of those people.
3) That sky, that view.
4) Glamor shot. De nada.
