Just jump it out

Hey everyone, just a little update.....So Summer is right about our Bible studies, mine just picked up where we left off, thankfully, and they are doing well. We have a new couple in our hall, Phillip and Raquel Hall, and they are a fantastic couple that I will enjoy getting to know. Phillip is originally from Oregon, and Raquel grew up in Cabo, also her background is Jewish/Italian/Israeli/and Arab. Phillip is a seasoned elder and both have been pioneering for several years. Raquel is just full of life, and has a varied background. She has promised to teach me and some other sisters how to cook authentic arabic food....YAY!!!! Ahhhh :)

I wanted to include an experience from the other morning in field service. We happened to be working in a part of town that has no paved road and really no named streets. A sister had called and wanted to meet up with us since she was running late, so we told her what area we were in. Well time just went by and she still hadn't arrived. It was almost 11 when she did show up, in a van driven by a Tseltal sister. This sister was laughing as we approached the van, and she is always all smiles anyways. She had apparently been looking for us but being the territory it was it was difficult for her to locate us. Well this Tseltal sister had seen us pass by her house so when she saw our sister, well she took her right to us. So then, this sister was my partner for the rest of the morning. And she began telling me why she was late. The day before she had to work until 11 at night, doing the work of 3 persons, since the other 2 sales people were sick. She told me she has been working a lot lately, more than her usually already heavy load. Also both her daughters were sick, and so all the housekeeping fell on her. And then, that morning she missed the cambi and thats why she was late. I sympathized with her and told her it wouldn't be counted against her if she had stayed home. But very firmly she said in spanish that today was her service day, and she shook her head as if shaking away the idea of staying home on her service day, as if to say it was unthinkable. I was very impressed by her attitude because so many times there are little things we allow to keep up home when we should be out, and she had so many valid reasons to stay home, but she didn't. I just thought her faithful example was really encouraging.

Also during this week of service I worked with Micah. I was so thankful that instead of having to walk to my spread out calls we were able to take his motorcycle, a common means of transportation here, and quite economic too. This time I had worn the right things too, shorts and a stretchy skirt. Well after a morning full of RVs we stopped at a small restaurant where we "gorditas" could eat some gorditas :) We noticed while munching that there was a big trampoline....just sitting there.....beckoning us :) So after eating we of course got on it and started jumping. The funny part is that as soon as Micah's feet touched the trampoline and he began jumping he started giggling non-stop. I don't think I have ever seen him smile so big, it was really funny :D It was a great way to end the day....

Also I thought I would share a new proverb that I discovered. Normally when I get home, I go upstairs and open our window up there. I usually leave it open for a while to let the fresh breeze in. Well this time I only left it open for a minute then closed it and went downstairs for some tea. A few minutes later I came back and when I looked at the closed window I saw a tail wiggle out of view. I ran to the window to see what vermin it was....it was a weasel, a real live weasel!!!! It looked like it was a particularly pesky weasel too! I was just so thankful that I had closed that window...I can't imagine a weasel loose in the house....a disaster it would have been. Thus the proverb for the week was....."Let those in the interior rooms seal their windows tight lest a weasel come in and wreak havoc on all the hard work that you've worked hard at" :) Alright, thanks for reading! :)

Quite better than Les Miserables

Well finally we are here again in San Cristobal, Yay! Both Lacey and I left to the US at the end of January and stayed through the end of Feburary. Lacey arrived here just one week before me and got a jump start on the incredible ministry here. I have been back for one week and already contacted and got on track almost all of my studies.
One in particular is a man that lives with his family in a house just right outside the back entrance of the property where we live. His name is Victor Hugo, no not the french poet and novelist. :) Several months ago I met him while he was outside playing with his kids. He speaks english well but doesnt have an opportunity to practice it very much. For months I had been thinking about this man and the spark of interest in the truth he showed but it was difficult to find him home and to be honest I should have tried harder to reach him. Well finally we made a plan to go visit him last Saturday. We went to his home about 6pm after service. He was at home with his wife and children. His wife is very nice but doesnt speak english, she speaks Tsetal and Spanish and their children only speak spanish. He invited us in and the whole family sat around as he told them we had something important to say. We promised to not outstay our welcome but I wanted to bring out some points from the Bible Teach book. We talked about questions many people have and I asked if he wanted to know anything in particular. He expressed interest in knowing how we can find the true religion. He said he was very disgusted at religion in general. He noticed the hypocrisy in most churches and didnt like how the pastors chose favorites based upon how much money you had. He noticed that many churches spend money on beautifying their buildings at the expense of the common people but dont really bring any hope to the people. We shared many scriptures. He was particularly impressed at Matthew 23:27 where Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because outwardly they resembled white washed graves but inside full of dead mens bones. He agreed that was how many religious leaders today were. He also told us how much he enjoyed reading the Watchtower and Awake and that he read them several times until we got new issues to him. He really enjoyed the article describing the sacrifices that many made to go to Haiti to help with relief work, this was very impressive to him. We ended up staying for 1.5 hours just talking and sharing scriptures right from the bible. We made a plan to go back tomorrow to discuss identifying marks of the true religion. It just really shows us how those who are searching easily can see the hypocrisy and with Jehovahs help can identify the light of truth.
Another one of my bible students, I spoke to you earlier about her name is Bertha. She owns a yarn shop. She has continued studying and continually expresses her love for God and appreciation for us coming to speak with her. She is really a delight to visit.
Lacey also has had some very good experiences. All in all already our time back here has been quite less than miserable. It has been great!

Annual Pio Mtg

We just got back from our annual pioneer meeting with the elders and it was a BLAST!! Are you allowed to say that about a meeting of spiritual instruction? haha Well in our neck of the woods I suppose you are :) All of our pioneers were able to attend, plus four of our elders making a total of 22 people. Afterwards we enjoyed baked chicken with a delicious kind of barbeque sauce, rice, and coffee. Then for desert we had pecan pie, scones, and hot chocolate! It was so delicious.
Me and lacey at one point in the evening found ourselves in a corner just taking it all in, watching everyone enjoy themselves, the laughing, the smiles, the warm faces, it just brought an overwhelmingly content feeling inside us. Several starting telling jokes and a few of the elders in their very endearing broken english thanked all of us for being there and for enjoying the privilege of pioneering. What can I say we just had a great night! :)

In the way of other news there is a new service experience that I'd like to relate. About a month ago I was doing canvassing with Lacey and at one house we asked if anyone spoke english, you know our usual bit and then when we received the customary "no" we asked if they knew anyone in the area who did speak english, at this point at times we hear the craziest things, my mother in laws sister knows english maybe or my best friends neighbors child might be studying, usually things that lead us on a wild goose chase. Well at this particular door the woman told me that at a Yarn store there was a woman named Bertha that spoke english. This yarn store she said was down to the main avenue and in a market behind the large supermarket. Although I didnt write these instructions down (bad example) I kept thinking about them for days kicking myself telling myself I needed to at least make the effort and try to find her. So that next Friday, when we were looking for a return visit, I decided to see where those directions led me. And they were spot on, there was a yarn store in a market behind the large supermarket and the woman who owns it speaks english and her name is Bertha go figure. When we finally spoke to her personally she accepted literature and explained she had received an invitation to the meetings and a letter in the mail. Much to our surprise after only one return visit, she came to the meeting this Wednesday :). We have studied twice and she said her plan is to attend the meeting every wednesday. Our studies have been excellent and I will certainly let you know how she progresses. Just another bit of blessings in our ministry here.
We leave you with the thought at
Ps 133:1-For how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity",
as we are filled with appreciation for our brotherhood after such an upbuilding evening !!
Much love to all!

We are "Fat" with blessings :)

This week has been very enjoyable and busy :) We haven't taken out the bikes though, just a lot of walking in service. I had a new call this week that I took Micah Hedger on with me. Haha, he told me when we finally got there "This is a looong way to walk Lacey!!!!" But it was well worth it. It was an older man that I had found in the territory 2 weeks ago. He and his wife came to the door and we found out they were from Colorado. He was very friendly and said that he would like for us to come back and explain some of our beliefs to him. Oh yea, and he's a minister of the Church of Christ. I was a little apprehensive going back, like what am I getting myself into, and we decided on the subject of Jesus and salvation. So finally this week I went back. He was so warm and invited us in to sit down. On the table he had his bible, and after the small chitchat, he said "Now I really don't want to argue" haha, I was relieved and assured him that neither did we. Then proceeded an hour and half long conversation where we shared several scriptures supporting that Jehovah and Jesus are distinct and separate personages (he's very trinitarian). He would write each scripture down in his notebook and then carefully and thoughtfully read each one. He would ask questions to make sure he understood what we were saying, and then pose his ideas. It was all very calm and relaxed and thought provoking. I don't think we overturned that strongly entrenched idea of his, but he did say we gave him something to think about. Towards the end of the convo he said he would like very much for us to come back and continue our discussion. He joked and said we could talk about something more lighthearted, like Christmas and why we don't celebrate, but we also decided to talk about heaven and paradise earth. This is the first call I've ever had like this. I think its nice to just lay out the truth in its entirety and have him take it all in. He said that no other Jehovah's Witness that has called on him has come back a second time. So I was very happy to do so and look forward to our further discussions.

Also on thursdays a fairly new sister in our hall, Claudia, has been going with me on my bible studies. She is originally from Tapachula, Chiapas. She has a 15 year old son and is married to a brother from Oaxaca who is a doctor. She is such a pleasure to have accompany me. I love how she is such a people person, I have already learned a lot just by being in her company. I feel bad because a lot of times there are so many indigenous people who come up to me selling things that I don't even look at them but just say "no gracias". Well when they came up to her she just talked with them and complimented them on their work and told them she didn't have money right now. Their whole face changed when she talked, she really dignified them, and I learned something....Also when we were in a cambi on the way back from a study she chatted up a gentleman who worked for the radio. She had the whole cambi enthralled with the conversation and laughing too. She placed magazines with him too. We often talk about food and cooking on the long walks to my studies. So far she has taught me how to make two dishes that will "kill any Mexican man, or any man for that matter" as she says because they are so good :) She also helped me this week to reason with my study Claudia about the Trinity teaching. I didn't mention that she has 2 painful and taxing sicknesses that she deals with, yet she is always positive and laughing, you would never know...

Also today I re-started a bible study that had been a doorstep study, and today she, Brenda, invited us in. We covered two questions in the Truth tract. She was very talkative about how she felt and responded well to what the Bible had to say. Afterwards she offered us a snack....cookies? a warm drink? candy? Nope. She offered us a oaxaqueno delight....chapulinos. They are fried grasshoppers with lime and chile :) And yes, we ate them, and yes, they were good :)

Also, a funny story....Today we called on one of my longtime RV's Ana Claudia. We were supposed to study today but she was very busy cooking for a party. Also her little boy was sick with vomiting and she said that her husband was out getting medicine, suppositories, for his "colita, his a**, you know you just put them there the a**" haha, we knew what she meant, it was just so funny her word usage, I didn't have the heart to correct her :) Last week she had complimented Summer on how beautiful and thin she looked. This week as we were about to leave she looked at Summer and said "Don't fat again. Pleeease, don't fat again!" I thought she meant fart, but soon enough realized she was telling Summer not to get fat, but to stay thin. We just about died laughing there on the spot, but thankfully we kept our composure and kept the laughter in till we got to the car. Summer was not offended but we were both very tickled.

Well, thats a just few good things that have been happening this week....Summer will share some more with you later :)

Whats new

Well here we are at the end of the year already!! Its hard to believe me and Lacey are rounding out our second year serving here in San Cris. Things have gone really well and here are a few updates on some field service experiences our congregation has had.

If you are a regular follower of the blog you might remember a doctor we told you about. His name is Solomon and he had several questions on Gods name and other hang ups as well that have inhibited his spiritual progress. Well for a time no one was able to find him so as to call on him but recently he has been contacted by several different brothers. And after months and months of several different ones visiting him he has decided to study. He has kept up his appointments too for all of this last month. He has also expressed interest in attending the meetings so we hope to see him with us at the Kingdom Hall soon! We'll let you know how it goes.

Also we have had in our congregation several men who are studying and have been regularly attending the meetings. About a year ago at our circuit assembly our district overseer encouraged us all to focus on the head of the family, to bring more men into the truth because then more likely they will influence their families. So that is exactly what has seemed to happen, several men students attend the meetings, even one accompanied us the District Convention in Merida, riding on the bus for 16 hours!

Lacey and I both have students that were raised in the United States but have had to move back here in the recent years. They are both 12 years old and both studying in the Bible Teach book and the Young People Ask Vol II. This week we invited them both to our house for pizza, sundaes, and a movie. It was really fun and we hope this helps them feel more comfortable with us so that they will take us up on our many invitations to go to the meetings.

Today we took our bikes to go do our bible studies. I have one new bible student that today showed me the Bible Stories book in spanish that she recieved 30 years ago. She said she learned most of what the bible says from that book and she loves it dearly. You can tell too because she has taken good care of it and even now that she is married and has a child of her own she reads to him out of it. We are going to get her a book in English so she can read to her little boy as well. After we went to that study we rode to a call of Laceys in the area, who generally is hard to find at home but today we found her :) I played with her 1 year old son so that lacey and her could talk. They ended up on the discussion of hell. Not exactly a light conversation for a Sunday afternoon. But surprisingly she really accepted what lace showed her and she said it was a very new thought for her but that she was going to think about it more. We are to continue that discussion next Sunday.

Well there are some other experiences we've had but these are the most recent within the last few weeks. We are doing very well and enjoying the weather. It has been beautiful and only cold at night. Its good for us to enjoy it now for I hear that it wont continue for long, the cold season is going to hit hard, at least thats what the locals say. We have really enjoyed having our bikes too. Today was so much fun and we even rode them to the meeting, which let me tell you, was mostly uphill! But we plan on doing that every Sunday from now on as long as the weather permits. We will post photos of our bikes for you all to see and also from the convention and our dinner with Claudia.

Hope everyone is doing well!

A New Mode of Transport :D

Hello everyone :) These past few weeks have been going very good, some ups and downs but overall good. My studies are doing well. We did have Claudia over for dinner, and she helped herself to thirds so I think she enjoyed it :) Also, Summer and I will have over our young bible students tomorrow for pizza and a movie. Both of them are 12 years old and miss the food from the states (junk food) so we will introduce them to each other tomorrow. Summer's study is Mari and mine is Suemi, hopefully we will get some pictures of the pretty girls to post on here. They are both very shy so hopefully me and Summer can keep it interesting for them :) My other study Victoria is doing well, always so pleasant and ready to study. However this last study I regretfully found out she still believes in the Trinity. I suppose its good to know, but it was a little disappointing that somehow we studied all about Jesus and I missed that she still believed he was part of a Trinity. Tomorrow we will be studying in the appendix of the BT book to hopefully clear that up. I will let yall know how it goes. Any tips or good lines of reasoning you have used are welcome ;) Remember, they are very Catholic here :) Oh, also exciting this week is that me and Summer got bikes!!!! Gas has just been too expensive and well, we just wanted bikes because they are a great alternative to walking :) Summer's is green and mine is pink with a basket. The first day we rode them to the service meeting we came upon two of the brothers and one said "Wow!!!!" Hahaha, he was so impressed with us. The other asked if it was difficult to ride with skirts, hmmm, good question :) We wear tights and leggings, in case you were wondering....Well, thanks for checking in on us, all you loyal readers, and thanks for all the personal emails, they mean so much to me.

Like a Fresh Breeze

So I'm back, and its been great. Summer had been taking care of my studies so it was nice that when I returned they were already scheduled for me to study with them. My youngest study, Suemi, had us stay after the study so we could eat with her family. It was very good, and her mother told us that we are welcome to eat there whenever we wanted, it was our home too she said. My other study Claudia now moved into her own salon and when I went to study with her 2 of her sisters were there along with her co-worker. After we read the first paragraph and I asked the question she translated it to spanish and all the girls were thinking about their answer. It was so interactive and enjoyable, they all were thinking about the subject matter and commenting. It was unexpected to be studying with 3 different women (2 in spanish) but great nonetheless. My other study Victoria is progressing quite well. We just went over 1914 and she grasped it and was impressed that the Bible even had those calculations in it. I am still working with all my studies to try and get them to the meetings, but it will be well worth the effort when they do finally come. Actually, Summer and I will be having Claudia over for some good association and American food that she missed, fried chicken and mashed potatoes. It should be a good time. Actually, when I first got back I was surprised how hot it was. The sun here is just so intense and strong, it burns you quite quickly. But as soon as you get in the shade the freshest breeze you've ever felt in your life refreshes you and you forget you were ever hot in the first place. It kind of reminds me of any difficulty or challenge of living here in Mexico. Its like that hot sun that burns for a minute, but then that crisp mountain breeze refreshes you, all the good things of being here--the service, the friends, the good experiences, the beauty of the land, the beauty of the organization---and you forget that you were ever hot. Its just like that in fact :)