Tulancingo, Mexico- August 8

 

Hey Mom!!

How have you been? I've been great here!! This week was a pretty great week! We had a lot of challenges, but the Lord knows our weaknesses and has strengthen us! We have given a lot of service this week! The Lord blessed us with so many opportunities to serve this week! We didn't have to look much to find people to serve!! I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve my brothers and sisters! Just like President Monson said, "Spiritual strength frequently comes through selfless service" I have felt that strength! This week Suzana, one of our investigators came to church! She is progressing very well towards her baptism. We arrived a little late to Sacrament meeting because we had to go to the Tulancingo ward to check up on our missionaries. We got to our wards meeting like 10 minutes late, but it was good to see that some of the ward members had already welcomed her and were sitting with her!! The Lords work will carry on. I know it. I'm so glad that he gives us the blessing to help in His work!

The mission home is separate from the mission offices. The offices are right outside of one of the chapels in Pachuca. The mission home is a little further of, but only like 5 minutes away. The Leadership councils that we have had have been held in the mission home! Its a pretty big and fancy home! haha

To be honest, its not easy being a missionary once you've got 22 months in the field. I feel like it was easier getting used to things at the beginning of the mission. I think that my testimony on the power of the Scriptures has grown a lot these past few weeks. I keep finding endless scriptures that have motivated me and helped me to keep my focus. I know that The Lord speaks to us through the words of His holy prophets. I have read 2 Nephi chapter 2 many times. I really love all that it teaches about the redemption that comes through Christ. This week I really liked a few verses that encouraged me to keep working hard!! verses 6-8 "6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered. Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise." In the mission I have come to know that Christ always calls us with his arms wide open. His love is offered to all. We have a great privilege and responsibility to make these things known unto all Gods children! This is another reason why I love His work. He watches out for each one of His children. He prepares a way so that we can obey all His commandments, but also gives us agency to choose whether to follow Him or not. I'm grateful for Him and His love for us!

I hope you are doing well Mom! I love you tons!! I have been working on my BYU essay and Ive advanced a little bit more, I just have to keep searching for free time. The time is going by very fast! Keep striving! Thanks for all that you do Mom!! I love you!!

Elder Paynter

It's been raining tons!! We haven't had anything very dangerous happen here, but the missionaries from Huauchinango and Xicotepec in our Zone have seen a bit more dangerous incidents. In Huauchinango, there was a big mudslide that collapsed a few homes, but that's the most severe thing that has happened.

Mexico Pachuca Mission Leadership Conference