Getting Lost in the Rain....

Hello Everyone...
We have had a great week here in Magdalena and the surrounding area...haha we have found out that in between Magdalena and Santa Ana there are like 7 or 8 little baby towns that we are now visiting haha...There is so much work to do here...We have been trying to find an effective way to organize our time so that we can get around to all of these wonderful people and teach them...Its a little difficult being the only set of missionaries in an area with about 40,000 people haha but we are excited to start another week...We have finally gotten the hang of the streets so we dont get lost to often now haha...
Just a few things...the Branch President told us in our meeting last week that 20 people came to church...I later found out that that was about the highest church attendence...and that 15 or 16 was more of a normal number...We worked hard last week along with the branch president and the other leaders to teach and help some inactives come to church and a few investigators...We had 32 people in the church yesterday!!!! It was a great accomplishment...I am not sure if we can fit many more people in our little chapel...haha but we will find a way....haha It seems like our lessons last week put a little jump start in the lives of these people...hopefully they continue to come...
We met one man whose name is Fernando...Fernando works in the nearby copper mine and always walks home everyday....About 3 weeks ago he went to visit a family member in another part of Mexico and was introduced to the missionaries there...When he came back he recieved the address of the church from a friend and has been passing by the church every day trying to find someone he can talk to...It just so happened that we were walking to the church at about 6:30 for a meeting on Wednesday...and on our way we see this man walk by the church, stop by the front gate, look around to see if anyone was coming and there we were....He almost ran to see us...We were truly suprised...My companion was thinking that he might have dropped out of the sky...Fernando is excited to be baptized and to be sealed with his family for all eternity in the temple...and we are super excited to help him along this path....


Also this week Elder Paul Pieper came and visited our mission...It was a wonderful experience to be with him and President Robinson in a Conference in Nogales....Elder Pieper and I were talking just like casual friends haha after the conference and after a little conversation I found out that he was born in Pocatello...moved out of the country for jobs, returned, and was a General Authority in Idaho...and he was with Elder Perry when he came to Weiser to call President Erhard...It was quite crazy...haha


Here are a few of our experiences from this week....I love you guys!!! Thanks for everything!!!
Elder Child

                                                                  Me and Magdalena

                                                    A Beautiful Sunset in Magdalena...

Opening Area Yet Again

Hello Everyone!
This past week was very crazy and also was the last week of the transfer and I have been assigned to open a new area yet again...haha But this area is different this area embarks 2 cities that are called Magdalena and Santa Ana....There havent been missionaries in Magdalena for about 4 or 5 years and I dont think that missionaries have ever been assigned to Santa Ana...So we have been assigned to work with a younger missionary that has 6 months in the mission. his name is Elder Garcia and we are here to open these two cities....it has been kind of crazy to have arrived yesterday in the night and running around like banchies trying to find a house to rent haha but we did find a house...We also met with the branch president last night and he showed us the House of Prayer (i am not sure what they are called in English in spanish they are Casas de Oracion) basically it is a rented house that has been converted into a little chapel...President told us that we have about 2 members from Santa Ana that come for the services on Sunday which make us about 20 active members...with 3 priesthood holders...My companion and I see tons of potential in these cities and we are so excited to get to know the people of Magdalena and Santa Ana...
As for leaving Puerto Penasco...it was hard...It was sad to say goodbye to all of the members and all of the recent converts...for this past Sunday I had a wonderful opportunity to be with them in the Temple Rededication of the Mexico City Temple...Elder Bernal and I were able to go to all three sessions...It was a beautiful experience...to be among those I have grown to love for a whole day in the Temple of God.
So this is the craziness that is happening now haha It is kind of funny to think about...in the year that I have as a missionary...My companion and I have opened 4 areas...Crazy...


Love you all...
Elder Child

                                                         Map of my New Areas!

1 Year in the Mission!!!

Hello Everyone!!!


Hope everyone is enjoying their Labor Day!!! haha I am writing a little eariler today because we have meeting again in Hermosillo with the President...so we will be headed out soon....


This past week as most of you know..I completed 1 year in the mission...It is quite crazy to think that a little more than a year ago I was saying good bye to my wonderful family and taking pictures with them in front of the temple...It has been a year of struggle, learning, and success....I feel like I am doing a spiritual version of the excercise program Insanity...everyday here gives me the chance to stand a little taller, to learn a little more, and to be a better more converted Disciple of Jesus Christ...I have such a far way to go to become the Disciple that I want to become...


I look back to all of the wonderful experiences I have had and the wonderful people I have met and worked with...I have seen the Atonement and the Gospel of Jesus Christ work in so many people...I have seen people about to give up hope on their life, change drastically to great active members of the Church that are true converts...I feel blessed to have been able to work with each one of these wonderful people and I cannot wait to get back out to work...I have been blessed so much here in the field for the work that I am doing I hope my work has been a blessing in your lives....




Here is my very short letter....
Thank you all for your love and support...
Love Elder Child

                                                           Birthday Packages!!!

                                            Doing a little service with a little intimidation...

                  Celebrating 1 Year in the Mission eating at a Member´s Restaurant on the sea...

¡Cumpleaños!

Hello Everyone...
This week was excellant...We got so much done...I also celebrated my Birthday this past week and I will be celebrating 1 year in the mission on Thursday...Which is CRAZY!


So first of all we had another baptism...of a young lady named Abril....she is a sister of a recent convert from May...We have worked lots with her...But she is a very self motivated person...she is always in church 15 minutes early with her 3 kids...She is enjoying all of the activities that we are doing in the church...she also loves to participate and share her testimony in the classes...I am excited to see her work towards the temple and to progress as a New Member....


Also on this past Tuesday I really felt the love of the wonderful Members in Puerto Peñasco on my Birthday...I have really loved staying almost 5 months here to get to know and get to teach almost everyone in our Branch since we do so many companion exchanges....So as we visited on Tuesday we ate cake 3 times and I even got a few presents and it seemed like everyone sung Happy Birthday to me haha...One sister assured me that even that I am away from my earthly family I was still among family that loved and cared about me...I felt so much love and support from my family here in Mexico...It was wonderful....


Here is my week that was full of blessings in 2 paragraphs....
Love You All
Elder Child

Birthday Cake #1 of 3 ...Had lunch with the Family Martinez ...Ate a great Mole and then had a huge cake....

Birthday Cake #2 of 3...Visited a family in the middle of the day and we were astonished to see more Cake!!!

Birthday Cake #3 of 3...Visited a family that had planned a surprise party...where Abril made a huge cake filled with bananas and chocolate...haha

Birthday cake #3 ...Abril put my favorite hymn on the top of the cake with I think all of the notes...Señor, Te Necesito

                                  Abrils Baptism....Abril is standing next to her sister Ivonne

About 6 Weeks ago I was working in another part of Penasco on some exchanges with one District Leader and found and taught this family ...Even though he wasn't my investigator I sure taught him a lot on exchanges and will always love the experiences that I have had with him...Jose Manuel