Hola!!! We had an awesome week!

Last night we were going to watch the Christmas Devotional with a family of investigators but their mom didn't get home in time from her vacation like they planned so we decided to go watch it with Hermano y Hermana De La Penas. We call him Abuelito De La Pena because he seriously helps us out so much. Always wanting to drive us around and help with our laundry and when I was sick him and his wife helped me a TON too. We love their family lots! They left us the laptop and a big jar of dulces so we could watch it in English. I was way excited. Haven't listened to anything church related in English since I got on my mission so it was pretty cool. Gotta love going to grandparents house. Always lots of candy :) Reminds me lots of grandma and grandpa Rhoten's candy jars that were always on the counter. After the devo Abuelita made us hot chocolate and sweet bread too :) So good. There are so many panerias here. Dad would love the food here I think. Lots and lots of fried food.... :/ When ever we walk into the comida and I hear that sound of food frying on the stove my heart just sinks. Most people don't know how to cook any other way here it seems. I want to teach them how to use the ovens... they usually use them for storage here of pots and pans... but its alright the food is still good and I'm grateful for the sacrifices they make.

We went to the visitors center again this week on Saturday with Guadelupe and her boyfriend Luis and her aunt and her son Jeovanni. They are awesome. Guadelupe was a menos activa that works in our area but she's pretty active now and sharing the gospel lots. She isn't even from our ward but she is always finding people that live in our area like her boyfriend Luis. They LOVED the visitors center. We watch the family video almost everytime we go. I am excited for you to see it someday if you haven't already. I hadn't seen it before my mission and can't remember what it's called but I love it. Even though I've probably seen it about a hundred times every time the Spirit testifies so strongly to me that it's true and that God has a plan for our families and wants them to be eternal. I love having the Visitors Center so close. Especially at Christmas time. SO gorgeous.

We caught a picture with the random fireworks in the backround. There are fireworks a lot here and we usually don't know why. Usually a day for some santo or saint that someone is celebrating. Everyone's catholic here. We've been warned that this Friday is the Virgin Maria's day. So gonna be some crazy celebrations!

Working hard and seeing a lot of miracles. Well actually we've been having a lot of baptism dates fall and not a lot of progress so we started praying really really hard and fasting for miracles and they came! Yesterday we didn't have any investigators confirmed to go to church but we got up and left the house by 7am praying we could find someone to come to church with us at 8am. We just about gave up and started walking to the chapel when we felt strongly to go by the house of an investigator that lives with her less active boyfriend. We have been trying to get them to church for the past three months and they always say yes but then are usually hungover or don't wake up in time but we showed up at 7:45 to surprise them and they got up and were excited to go to church. It was a miracle! They showered quick and we got out of the door by 8:20. A member in our ward noticed we were late to church (usually never happens.... :) and came to pick us up. Also there wasn't the little vasos (cups) ready for the sacrament so they started pretty late. We got there just in time to take the sacrament :) Mormon mexican standard time.. :) And also Connie came!! The mom of the recent  convert Armando. The family that we painted for this week. AND she brought a friend who wasn't a member. It was a miracle.. then after church we stopped by a member who we noticed wasn't at church in the morning whose husband isn't a member and they both went with us to the other ward at 12. Yep it was a day full of miracles for sure.

From our painting project this week! Yeah.. they just wanted to paint it all white.. but it was still fun :) They changed our district around this transfer. Elder Peterson the one that Kristen Christensen knows is my new district leader. It makes more sense because we share a chapel with them and are areas are right by each other.  We painted for Armando and his mom Connie. Armando is almost 16 and a recent convert. He is a great missionary! He calls us up wondering when he can come help us teach every week. Its usually the other way around...and yesterday him and a couple of the other young men in our ward went out giving Book of Mormons in the street and finding us people to teach even scheduled us an appointment.. it was hilarious. Our ward is very supporting :)

Another one last night when we stopped to contact a guy washing his car and he has already listened to missionaries before but never got baptized.. but his mom did! They let us in and were more than excited to see missionaries in their home again. They said they haven't had missionaries in the home in 5 years and that the Elders who were last there were excellent and a blessing to their family. The grandma Guadelupe is a member but doesn't go because no one goes with her. Her husband Alejandro agreed to start taking the discussions and want us to teach their whole family. All their 4 grown kids live there and 2 of them are married and their 3 grandchildren :) We were really happy. And they gave us limon chia water and pineapple jello. Love them already. 

A couple old pictures from my companions camera.

Anyways hope everyone has a great week! Can't believe I will be skyping with you soon! And almost my birthday too. crazy. It doesn't feel like December here because it's still so hot out but the mornings and evenings are a little chilly and I feel like I'm freezing to death. My companion always says just wait til next year when we are at school in Iceburg, Idaho. We are gonna freeze for sure!

Love you all lots!

Hermana Rhoten