05 MARZO 2018: ¡COCO!

So our week started off in good ole Acapulquito, where we had a fantastic Multi-Zone Conference with the Acapulco, Costa Azul, and Pinotepa zones. We talked about the same great stuff we talked about in Leadership Council, I ran into a few of my good Acapulqueño friends from Jardín and Costa Azul in the church in Costa Azul, but the best part was that we got to watch COCO! I felt like such a sinner, but it was ok because Presidente Ávila was the one that bought it and showed it to us! I loved it and I'm sure that it was 10x better in Spanish and having lived in Mexico. But even better than the fact that we watched it, is that we're going to use it to promote family history work in our areas. It's going to be great.

On Thursday morning we were finally back from Acapulco and ready to be able to get cranking in our area. We went to visit Raciel. He's an 8 year old kid with a ridiculously short attention span. He didn't like to listen to the missionaries because he would get bored, but his 9 year old sister, Abril, got baptized last Saturday, and he decided that that was something he wanted to do. So we got to their house on Thursday and said, "Ok, Raciel, first we need to teach you how to pray." But then the sister interrupts, "He already knows how to pray. I taught him." So we asked Raciel to offer the prayer, and offered a beautiful, simple prayer, expressing his desire to be baptized and asking for help to remember the things he learns (because this child doesn't retain ANYTHING).

Now imagine for a moment two children sitting quietly in a room, one teaching the other how to communicate with his Father. Teaching that it's not something repetitive, but that it comes from the heart. I always joke that I don't like children (haha probably because I don't) but these kids have melted my heart.

Here in Pinotepa, we work primarily in the villages in the outskirts of town. We've been working in one called Yutandayo with a family that's a gold mine. Working in the villages has taught me lots about the important things in life. Family is more important than money. Food brings people together better than anything else. And when we sacrifice something good for something better, the Lord keeps His promise and pours out His blessings upon those who obey.

On Sunday we were privileged with the presence of 9 members of the Family Mejía Damian from Yutandayo in our church services. It costs $52 pesos per person to travel to and from Pinotepa and Yutandayo. That means that this family sacrificed $468 pesos, that they really didn't have, that they probably needed to use to buy something else, to be able to attend church. In addition, the head of the family, Maria, was baptized a couple weeks ago, and yesterday asked us to help her pay her first fast offering. This family receives and recognizes the blessings of the Lord, and when I visit their home, even though it's a few sticks with a tin roof, dirt floors, and palm leaves for walls, I can see and feel their blessings as well.

Pinotepa is unlike any other place I've ever served. We joke in the mission that it's the punishment zone, that it's where they send all the rebellious or dead missionaries so they don't break anything, but I've seen that that is definitely not the case. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to serve in Pinotepa. It doesn't have the seafood of Acapulco or the silver of Taxco, but the experiences I'm having here can't be purchased (or eaten).

I love all y'all! And I hope everyone has a great week!

-Elder Aldrich

FOTOS
I know.
I know. I know I know I know.
I know I know.
I know.
I know everyone skips the email and just looks at the pictures.
But today there aren't any.
So just read my email.