Elders & Sisters

Parrot

Mariachi Band

Renaldo - My Future Husband - hahaha

Can you believe that Mexico TIED!!!!!!!!!!!  GROSS RIGHT!!!!!!  It is just like “KISSING YOUR GRANDMA”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (sorry grandma!!!) hahaha  But we hear it was a great game!! (crazy, attractive Renaldo that had to ruin our dreams!)  Maybe he`ll marry me and then I will forgive him ;)  We play today at 1; I think again Croatia!!!  (and we just happen to be eating with the members at 1 also.......... don`t worry - I am obedient - you don`t have to worry about me!!! ;) haha  BUT GO MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!

This week was a tough but a good one!  We still our working with all our might to find anyone that is willing to keep their commitments and come to church..  But we are learning a lot and getting to know a lot of people in the street (sadly they are all die hard Catholics).  But we can`t receive a testimony until after the trial of our faith!!  SO WE “JUST KEEP SWIMMING”!!!  hahaha

Today are transfers but me and my companion are safe, no worries!!  She is still in her training, so I hope we have another six weeks together!!  Perfect amount of time to find someone for baptisms!!!!! :)

Hermana Estrada is from Guatemala Guatemala, just like Hermana Jacobo!! (2 Guatemaltecas!!!!)  They lived like 40 minutes away from each other but never knew each other!  She lives in the city so it is WAY different than Casas Grandes!!! hahaha  She told me she pretty much lived on the bus to go to one place and another, and worked a lot!  She graduated from high school awhile ago, and then just worked to save up for her mission and help her family out!  She has 3 siblings and she is second to youngest!  Her little bro is in the mission in Costa Rica.  She is really quiet.... or maybe I am just really loud!!  I have learned a lot from her, especially listening and being patient!  I always like to be going going going (surprise!!!!!)  She is really awesome though! 

My new calling in the ward????  Hahahaha  I still play the piano!!  But only for relief society!!!  I also play the role of greeter, and sometimes teacher if someone doesn`t show up! hahaha  And well, I do anything else they need!!! :)

Something awesome that happened this week was that we went to the ward party and there was a MARIACHI!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):):)  IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  They had their legit outfits and sang like their life depended on it!!! HAHAHAHA  IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!!!!   Do you know what the best part was??  That one of our investigators came!!!!!!! :):):)  He had a great time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I’ll send pics) haha

But that was our week!!!  We are happy and healthy and preaching like our life depends on it!!! :):):)  I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!  

I can`t believe Beckham is walking!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you had an incredible week! And remember to say your prayers!!!! :) THEY WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Sutton

Olivia and Nachito

Sister Jones

The local futbol stadium

Sister Estrada's Birthday Breakfast

World Cup Mania in Mexico!

THIS WEEK WAS ANOTHER GOOD ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (weird, I keep enjoying this mission stuff) hahahahaha :)  I really am loving being a missionary!  The only thing that scares me is that it is almost half way over!  AHHHHHHH!!!!  Today is actually my 8 month mark.  Can you believe that??  Who knows if it is going fast for you.... but for me - sì!!!!   But I am as happy as can be, and doing my best to find the ELECT of the Lord! 

WORLD CUP!!!!!!!!!  Everyone is going crazy for the world cup here!  We just ^happened^ to go into a couple houses of soccer fans the other day when Mexico was playing!!  HAHAHAHA  But it is a great conversation started!!  I am getting really good at making the link of soccer to our Heavenly Father!!  (What a talented sister I am) hahaha  But I love SOCCER!!!!!!!!!!!  I MISS PLAYING IT SO MUCH!!!!!!!!  I never thought I would say that I miss early morning practice every single day of summer, or better yet - practice for 3 hours in the blazing sun!!!  You never know how much you love something until you don`t have it.... :(  hahahaha

1.  What is your typical Sunday like?

HMMMMMM our Sundays are like this...  We wake up earlier than usual we have ward council at 8 at the church!  Then we have church at 9 and then at 12 we leave and work and teach and baptize! ;)  It really is a normal day for contacting and teaching, other than there usually isn`t too many people in their houses!  But I LOVE SUNDAYS!!!!!!!!!  I have learned to love the santa cena unlike anything else!!!!!

2.  Do you play the piano anymore?

Yeah, I still play the piano!  There is someone else that knows how also, so they play for sacrament and primary.  But I usually still play for relief society!  And usually for all the baptisms in our zone because I am the only missionary that knows how!  But I love playing!  I`m not pro, but I am getting real good at hymns!!!

3.  Did you ever get some new shoes?

Nah - but I am okay!  I am wearing different shoes every other day and that has been helping a ton!!!  So no worries; my feet feel good!

4.  Do you miss your loving parents that would do anything for their sweet daughter?

OF COURSE I MISS YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It`s like I said earlier... you don`t realize how much you love something or someone until they get taken away from you!!!  hahahahahaha  Thank heavens I get you two for eternity!!!!! :)

5.  The Bishop asked me if I would talk about you again in 6 months. I hope he was just kidding but we'll seeing 6 months.

Dad, I think that is a sign that you are a great talker!!!  Take it as a complement!!!!!!!  hahahahaha :):):)

6.  I had a great Father's Day but wished you were here to share it with me.  

I WISH I COULD HAVE TALKED TO YOU LIKE I GOT TO FOR MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  But HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  LOVE YOU, POPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I hope you ate something really good for your favorite daughter!!!!

So this week went something like this.....  Let`s make a list of highlights!!!!

   <Intercambios con las hermanas en Huertas!!!!! (it`s like Utah there)  The houses are huge!!!!

   <World Cup everywhere!  GO MEXICO! 

   <The Stake President’s daughter came and visited with us one day this week!  (She is American and such a sweet heart she is going to California in a couple of weeks.)  After we visited with her in the morning, we went to their house and Shelley Jones made us lunch!  (AMERICAN LUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and speaking English!!!!!!!  It was WEIRD!!!!!  But so good!!  The family Jones is great!!! 

   <We found a new investigator that has a lot of potential!!!  It was a crazy story but he was arguing with my companion the other day in a little store about not saying her name... and finds out that he is interested in learning more about the church!!!  WE ARE EXCITED!!!!!!!

   < I am loving the Book of Mormon more than ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   <And I look more and more like a Mexican everyday!!!  (THE SUN IS KILLING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!)  But hey, what can we do!!!!  HAHAHAHAHA

LOVE YOU FAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Sutton

Sister Estrada

Find the Red "ELECT" Tomatoes

OH MY GOODNESS - 2 WEDDINGS THIS WEEK???????????  WHAT IS GOING ON??????????????  THEY ARE TOO YOUNG!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ;)  But still that blows my mind a little bit!  Make sure everyone knows how excited I am for them!!!!  (Who knows if Kara and Mitzi read my blog or not.)  But FELICIDADES!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to Thomas!!!  Remember me, your cousin.?.?.?  ;)

Sounds like you had a great day at the zoo this week!  I remember going to the zoo when I was little; still the giraffes are the best!!!!!! hahaha  Make sure that you keep that Beckham little!!  Okay, that is our deal okay?? 

Well I don’t have quite the stories and excitement that I had last week, but it still was an incredible week filled with a lot of learning and feeling the spirit!  I had the opportunity to go to Juarez early early early Thursday morning for a training meeting with all the leaders of the mission.  It was really great, and well, let me just testify (number 1,000) how inspired our leaders are in the church!  Especially the Mission President.  He is so great and hilarious!  He and I have a really good relationship and whatever thing he needs I am there and same for me.  I feel like he is my dad.... (well, I don´t give him hugs like you dad ;) hahahaha  But he really is inspired and I feel honored to be here in this mission.  There is a lot of order - which is something I love.  We focus a lot on exactness, which sometimes brings a lot of stress, but wow, my testimony of obedience has grown so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!  But the meeting on Thursday was great and we stayed the night with some of the hermanas that live close by...... 

Then on Friday morning we had the opportunity to meet Elder Johnson who is the Area President for our area!!!  HE IS AWESOME!!!!!!!! (speaks English of course - you can see that by his name)  But we had a conference for about 5 hours and wow, those 5 hours changed the way I think about everything!  He knew exactly what to say to encourage us but to also help us to improve!  Something he said that stuck out to me is that as missionaries we are here to pick the red tomatoes that are ready to be made into salsa.... not find the green little tiny tomatoes and pray and pray and pray that they are going to grow faster!!!!!  And IT IS SO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone has their time, but we shouldn’t be waiting around for those green tomatoes that grow a little slower!  WE NEED TO FIND HIS ELECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And that is what we are going to do better from now on! 

I am so excited to be here in the mission!  It is the hardest thing I have been blessed with in my life!  But wow is it worth every moment!  I really am starting to realize why I am here and how I can use the gifts I have to bless others!  The Lord is my light so why should I fear, right??  Even though I don't know all things, I know that the Lord is there!

You had some questions from last week, but well I couldn’t find them... oh well!!!  Hahahahaaha  I hope you know how much I love each and every one of you and how much our Father in Heaven loves you too!

TENGAN UNA EXCELENTE SEMANA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Sutton  (the Utahan that is starting to look like a Mexican)

Thank you sun!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Soto

New Apartment !!

Carballo Family

"Chile de Arbol" - HOT Chiles

IT IS SO HOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahaha  I have never felt the heat like this in my whole life; everyone keeps telling us that this isn´t even the worse... but I don´t even want to think about that yet!!!  AHHHHHH  I found that it is a lot better to sleep on the ground - it is a lot cooler ;) ha but we are happy and healthy and working our butts off (haha BEHINDS for you, mom)  I wish I could explain to you all of the incredible things that happened this week!  Can I just send you my journal!!! (There isn´t enough time to write it all) but THE CARBALLO FAMILY GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was the greatest of greatest days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I WILL SEND PICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But to be honest this week was one of the greatest of the mission.  We saw so many miracles and I feel like our area is progressing, and well we are just HAPPY!  What more can you ask for right??  haha

Before I forget HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EVERYONE!!!!  (I have been terrible in remembering birthdays... forgive me)

But happy birthday first off to my little boy!  I can´t believe it has been a whole year since he was born and I had to wear a silly mask in the hospital!  haha - worth it.  Give him a big huge hug and kiss from his favorite aunt!  ALSO, happy late birthday to Holly on the 15 :( sorry sorry and Scott and Jeff!!!!  I AM TERRIBLE, but I love you all :)

Next to the questions... short answers so you can have a story too!  (Dad´s questions) sorry send me the other questions again next week!  I HAVE A STORY THIS WEEK!!!! 

1 - How did your soccer game go?  Do you still know how to play?

We are playing soccer every p-day and I LOVE IT!!!!  I look forward to these 2 hours all week long, even though we play at 3 (the hottest part of the day)  That is the only time we can, and Wow - WORTH IT!!!  I still remember how to play and to be honest all the elders are surprised that I actually know how... oh boys....  ;)

2 - Is Mexico’s World Cup team any good?  Are people excited for the World Cup?

I think that Mexico is pretty good, but to be honest I haven´t heard too much about it.  Maybe that means they aren´t too good ;)  hahaha

3 - More info about your new area / companion.

My area is great and I love it!  We are working with 4 missionaries.  2 other elders both are white - one is from Utah and one is from Washington!  It is a little weird to be working with 4 but I like it :) 

4 - Did you get some new shoes yet? How’s the foot?

We are making it work with what I have no worries!!!  The insoles you sent are really great :)  The foot is good :)

5 - Any new food adventures? Eat anything disgusting lately?

One little experience - yesterday we were at lunch (with the elders and the family we ate with) and well the family asked the elders if they wanted to eat a REALLY REALLY hot chile they had outside.  Of course the elders said yes! (You have to understand that this ¨chile de arbol¨ is super super hot.)  The elders ate it and cried their mouths burning!!!  And then jokingly said, okay Hermana Sutton - your turn.  I couldn't let them beat me right??? SO I ATE IT!!!!!!!!!!  THE WHOLE ENTIRE CHILE IN ONE BITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Worst idea ever....  I was bawling and eating ice cubes for an hour. hahaha but I did it!  OH YA BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So we were at lunch yesterday (after the chiles) and talking to the family to see if they had anyone in their minds that they thought we should visit (like an old reference or a friend).  And they told us of one family that the dad is a member but has been inactive since high school and the mom isn´t a member.  So after lunch we went off to their house to see how everything was and to introduce ourselves and get to know them.  At first it was just the mom who was there and we were talking in her living room with her.  She seemed a little interested but she is really active in the Catholic Church, but we just shared with her a little bit about the church and all that jazz.  Well about 15 minutes later her husband walks in the room from his bedroom.  He had this look on his face a little weird, but none-the-less we stared getting to know him too and they both are really great people.  We decided to sing them a hymn and well that is when everything changed.  The spirit was so strong and well I think everyone was touched.  We started asking them how they were feeling; she told us everything she was feeling and how she liked our message.  The dad stopped us and looked us in the eyes (and in suspense) asked, why are you here today??  We both looked at each other and explained about the reference and how we felt we should come visit.  He then stopped again, and told us.  I am very sick, hermanas.  I have cancer.  And there was silence....  He then told us that this past week he had been visited by a lot of missionaries from different religions everyone had a message really great but he was confused on who to listen to.  Just before we got to his house he was in his bedroom thinking about all of this, and was praying to know what the truth was.  AND WE CAME!  He told us this with tears in his eyes, and said I just wanted to know what the truth was.  I asked him if he thought this was his answer, and he said.  How could it not be!  We have an appointment to go back tomorrow.  Keep them in your prayers!

MIRACLES HAPPEN!!!!!  GOD LIVES!!!!!!  HE LOVES US!!!!!!!!  HE ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!  I know that this is His work, and without a doubt He is helping!  I feel so blessed to be a part of these miracles here in the mission!  This is the greatest opportunity I have ever had to be here in MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!

WITH LOVE (all the way from Casas Grandes)

Hermana Sutton