So it's been a really really busy week!

We have been all over the place with meetings and the open house and trying to get everything set up in the area because they will be closing it for a month until more hermanas come. The Elders in the ward will be taking over so we have been introducing them to all the investigators and converts here.

my granddaughter and daughter and selfie.

It's been fun to be with Hermana Wilkinson again. I've gotten too know her pretty well the past year and a half and we've had some powerful lessons together this past week. She is an awesome missionary!

with families in Valle. baptism last Sunday

Thursday we had a meeting with Bishop and talked to him about the goals we have for the ward with the results that the temple open house should leave and he asked us two to plan a special sacrament meeting for this past Sunday on missionary work. It turned out really well. We ended up speaking which we hadn't planned but also the ward mission leader and bishop spoke. It was a very powerful service. I spoke of the blessings of the temple and the restoration of the Priesthood and my comp tied it all in to sharing the blessings of the gospel.

another family in Valle

We have been teaching lots and lots of lessons on temples and eternal families and trying to invite everyone possible to the open house that will start tomorrow! This past Monday we had a training meeting with all the hermanas that will be participating. We watched a video that had Megan Nielson and Lenise Volmer in it which was pretty cool. I'm assuming it was filmed when they were on their missions in Provo. They let us go through the temple and gave us a special tour. Elder Valenzuela and Elder Ken Richards and Elder Deoyos gave tours which was pretty sweet. All seventies. It was a really cool experience to be inside with them and the mission presidents from the 3 closest missions.

The temple is gorgeous!! I am so excited for us to come back in September to see it. It was so beautiful even though the Spirit isn't quite the same right now because it isn't dedicated yet.. it's still amazing. After our training and tours Monday we started helping out with the VIP that came that afternoon. The people who live close by the temple got special invitations and came this day as well. Even after just a few hours that afternoon, President showed my comp and I a huge stack of references that we had received. He pulled out one and said "Hermanas how would you like to receive this reference?" They had written on the comment card, "I loved it. I feel like Jesus Christ is here. I would like to be a member." Awesome right?

this is what my area looks like

My health is surprisingly doing a lot better. Last Saturday we had a zone conference and President's wife noticed I was still sick. I hadn't been telling her the past couple weeks because I figured I would just have to work through it and be sick until I got home and figure it out later. She didn't like that plan all that much and had us cancel our citas for the afternoon and come back with them. It was their pday so we went shopping with Pres and Hna Anaya and then back to their house to eat. Gave me some home remedy ish stuff for my stomach and I've been feeling a lot better since. We went to their stake talent show to watch their son that evening too. It was probably the weirdest day of my mission but also really fun to get to know President and Hermana Anaya better. President drove us to the subway Sunday morning because our ward doesnt start til 12. Pretty sweet day. And I was worried about going home and not being able to eat much but I think I will be able to eat good now :) Feel free to make lots of food.

last district class yesterday.

matching yellow shirts.

Today was a crazy day because we had to pack up and move everything to the temple grounds. We are staying in the Visitors Centers sisters dormitories the next few days to be closer to the temple. Tomorrow and Saturday we will be helping at the open house from 9-9 and we just heard that they might open Sunday in the evening as well! Monday we get to help out as well until they take us off to President's house and then take off for the airport around 3 in the morning we heard.

trying to get everything out of the house. all lined up on the stairs.. so much stuff!

I've loved my mission so much and I'm so excited for this weekend to be a part of the temple open house and feel the marvelous Spirit that is there. I have learned so much the past year and a half. My testimony of living the gospel has grown so much. It is the happiest way to live. I understand better the importance of our covenants and applying the Atonement into our lives daily. My faith in the Savior to help us change and become what the Lord wants us to be has grown incredibly. I have seen His power in the my life as well as the lives of many people here. He can make weak things strong. I am so grateful for Christ in my life. He is my Redeemer and King. This is His Church. It has the power and authority to perform the ordinances that will allow us to live with Him, Heavenly Father and our families forever.   

Excited to see everyone soon! Have a good week! :) 

Con amor,

Hermana Rhoten

Hola hola! Well it's been a busy past week!

 It was my last week in Mocteuma :( Sad to leave but comforting because I know I will be back to visit by the next fast Sunday when we go as a family and that makes me feel a little better! I truly loved my time there. It's been a good past 7 months :) Sad saying goodbyes!

Saying goodbye to familia Galicia! So sad. They are the greatest. I am so grateful I had the privilege to live with them for so long. 

Bishopric

Familia Neri! Love them.

With Jesus and Alicia. They are the sweetest!

Maricela started progressing really well this past week. We were able to go to the Visitors Center with her and also were able to find out more about her grandmother. She was a very very well known women in our ward who past away 7 years ago. She was known for being generous and bore her testimony every fast Sunday. It was so cool to make all the connections with other ward members. Her grandmother is now trying to share the gospel with Maricela. Hope she keeps progressing and gets baptized soon! :)

At the CV with little Alisson! And her dad went too.

My generation left this past Friday and my comp had to be at the offices for a training meeting so I was able to say goodbye to all of them. I thought that would make me want to be leaving with them but it didn't. Just the opposite. I was so glad I wasn't leaving yet and will get to go to the temple before I leave. I have been waiting so long to go in!

Saying goodbye to Hermana Fowler!!!

The next couple weeks will be very very busy! Hermana Heywood's new gringa hija got here yesterday! Hermana Gantz! She is awesome and I trust they will take good care of Moctezuma. So now I'm with Hermana Wilkinson again since we both extended and will be leaving together. We are in Valle de las Americas. I had already been here before on divisions. It's absolutely goregous!! It's outside of the District Federal so its not quite as city but still is. I went from the very bottom of our mission to the very top.

Me with my daughter and granddaughter at cambios yesterday :) Hermana Gantz is the new hermana. She's from Florida.

3 generations :)

We will be spending lots of time traveling to the temple and back it sounds like. I've spent my whole mission about 10 mins from the temple and now we're about an hour in public transportation. We had part of our pday yesterday and the other part today because we had a temple open house training meeting this morning. We will have a longer training meeting next Monday with all the hermanas that will be helping so we won't have pday til Wednesday. The open house starts next Friday the 14th but we get to go in with the VIPs on Monday!!!! So excited!!! :)

I found Frida today at the temple when we went for our meeting :)

So yesterday on our way to pick up Hermana Heywood's new comp with family Galicia we dropped Isaac off at the airport. Off to Utah! He's marrying an hermana from my mission the 22nd in Logan. They are adorable! Happy for them.

Isaac owed us pancakes :) They were really good until I threw them up. I think my stomach is broken.

All is well here in Mexico! I am cherishing every moment I have here and trying to make the most of it. I feel good about the work I have done the past year and a half. Kinda feel like getting to go in the temple next Monday and all next week is my reward :) It will be an awesome experience.

We found a mouse in the house this week! We put poison. And made a trap so it couldn't pass out of the kitchen. I'm out of that house now anyways :)

Well that's enough for now! I love you all so much! Have a good week! :)

Hermana Rhoten