Letter #80

*Answers for questions I asked about last weeks pictures and letter: 
Jilotepec is about an hour west from Tepeji I think.  No Elder Candelario was in Huichapan like 3 1/2 hours north of Tepeji on a bus. Interchanges were good, I did a baptismal interview, but one did not pass. He didn't have a testimony. It was a fish hatchery and restaurant ( the fishing picture from last week.) Just my zone went because the zone is huge.(To the temple last week.)

Eva y Janet. Now the Mom and the dad are hospitalized. We haven't been able to see them lately. Juan Miranda drank on Saturday, but he said he felt Horrible and never wants to feel that bad again. 

To teach about the temple we help them understand the "why" we need to go to the temple, then we do a puzzle that we made of the temple. We relate the puzzle with our life. We sometimes need a guide or people to help us to accomplish our goals. No matter how hard it can be if we keep on working we can accomplish it. We ask them what things they will do to start preparing themselves "piece by piece" for the temple and we invite them to talk with the bishop to put everything in order and share with him their goal of going to the temple. 

Favorite thing I read this week was an article in the Liahona about avoiding pornography. It made a reference to 1 Nephi 15:27. Lehi did not notice the filthiness because his mind was focused on other things (the tree of life). If we focus on Eternal life we won't have to worry about the filthiness of the world and we will have the strength to resist temptation. 

Funny story. This Sunday I made breakfast with some grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and ham and cheese quesadillas for my comp and I. I felt like I would be hungry still after, but didn't want to use more cheese. I looked in the fridge for something more to put in a tortilla and I saw some hershey kisses. I put them in a tortilla to make a grilled tortilla with chocolate. When I was done and about to eat it I thought for a bit. I then put the chocolate "quesadilla" in the middle of my companions quesadillas that I had made him. He happily ate his first bite of the quesadilla and went to get salsa. He ate all his first quesadilla with extra salsa, then he grabbed the second " ham and cheese quesadilla" which was really the chocolate one I put on his plate. He smothered it all with salsa and took a big big bite. He chewed for a bit and then froze. Then he yells "WHAT WAS THAT!!!" 

Needless to say I laughed my head off.

Love you,

Elder Finlinson 

Letter #79

WE WENT TO THE TEMPLE! The missionaries from Jilotepec came to our house to sleep over last night because today in the morning at 7:15 they picked us up in Tepeji to go to the temple. We woke up at 5:30 and got ready. We went half of the zone in one combi and the other half in another. We arrived in a little over an hour. We did one session of endowment in Spanish and then we came back to Tepeji. We finally got back at 3:30. 

Eva and Janet are still going to visit the sick dad everyday in the Capital. We almost haven't been able to see them. Juan Miranda isn't drinking anymore and he says that people where he works always ask him how he is changing so fast! He said that we were helping him and they asked him if we could visit them too. We will contact them today hopefully. He will be baptized on February 7 if he can keep resisting the alcohol. 

We are working really hard and we have been really trying to help people and not just teach a lesson and leave. We see small miracles everyday and we are finding ways to help the ward. One thing we are doing is a temple activity that Elder Urrutia and I did in Huehuetoca. We have seen good results by talking about temples with everyone. They begin to understand how many blessings the gospel can bring to them and what really is their relation with God. 

I invite you to think about the covenants that you have made. Baptismal and also in the temple. and Ponder on what you promised to do. Think about the promises that God has made with you, especially during the sacrament. I promise that as you do You begin to see things more as God sees them. Things as they really are. 

Love you,

Elder Finlinson

P.S. As for the question about lizards (the bead lizards). A few weeks ago we contacted a person that was outside her house while we were looking for someone else. While doing so her nephew ran outside. He is about 4. We talked with Her (Elvira) for a while and said we could come back, but her schedule was crazy busy. I gave a lizard to the little boy, he smiled and ran back in the house. 3 weeks later we finally found Elvira in her house and out ran the boy yelling, "Thank you for the lizard, I love it!"

Elder Toro is a District leader in the zone. The zone is doing well.

 Catching my lunch!

 Floating bridge in Jilotepec during exchanges.

 Lunch was stellar!!!

 This is our house...Mexico City Temple

 Elder Toledo and Andrew at the temple.

I love to see the temple!

Letter #78

* I asked him some questions from last weeks pictures these are the answers: The white dude is a "son" of Candelario, the other missionary is my grandson, "son of Elder Toro". We stay away from the horses, but they do leave there "business" everywhere. 

Some wards change times, but only if more than one ward goes to that building. Here only one ward attends, so no we don't change.

Favorite experience of this week: The lesson we had on Saturday with Eva and Janet. We taught the first part of the plan of salvation, but completely focused on them. The spirit was felt so stongly and they all accepted the invitations. It was amazing, but they didn't come to church, so who knows what is happening right now. Or the other experience was when a drunk dude stopped us in the street. We got talking about his family and his wife. He then thought that Elder Toledo wanted his wife, then later in the conversation he sees that Elder Toledo was moving and shaking his leg. The drunk man says "Hey what are you doing? Stop that, you tempt me!" haha The dude was tempted by my comp.

Most people here work in factories or in private security. They are almost always working.

They are celebrating things a bit still here, but actually this week we had more appointments than every other week in December. This year (for New Years Eve) I returned home at 7 and we got planning the zone meeting for January 1 in the morning. It went really well actually. We taught about the Restoration and that the restoration is right now. We still have to work. So we taught about how God is doing his part and what we must do. In the practice we also helped a member who came from a different ward to solve a problem that she was going through in her life. 

I did do interchanges this week with Elder Hopkins. It was funny because he is from Logan High (a rival school to Sky View where Andrew graduated). When he walked in our house he entered into our bedroom and put his stuff down on Elder Toledo´s bed. He turned saw my bed and said "You´re kidding me, what is this??!" He grabbed my Arizona State hoodie from my bed and looked at it then returned to his stuff and pulled out a jacket. Arizona Wildcats.... Haha rivals in everything.

 Changes are this week, surprisingly I will stay here in Tepeji with Elder Toledo again. We will be together 4 and a half months at the end of this change. Elder Hopkins stays in his area and Elder Candelario is going to be a zone leader again in a different area. Also Elder Toro is coming to the zone.

My invitation is short and simple. Read the Book of Mormon every day and look for how it is "Another Testament of Jesus Christ".

Love you,

Elder Finlinson

 One last Tula Zone picture before transfers.

A couple of the Sister's wanted a picture with their Zone Leaders. 

Letter #77 Short and sweet

This week was interesting. The lessons and "numbers" were down, but Elder Toledo and I worked hard with the little time we had. It was cool to see how God is preparing people to receive his gospel. We are teaching Juan Miranda. He is like 58, but he really wants to find the way to God. He is progressing to be baptized in January. We will have to help him to have faith in God. He was a heavy drinker before, but not anymore, and he doesn't really have a job so he is looking for something that allows him to keep the Sabbath day holy. Also we are teaching Eva 42 give or take and Janet 18. They like when we come, but lacked something. Sunday they didn't come to church after telling us that they would come. In the afternoon we finally got a hold of them and they said they were in the hospital. Eva´s dad is basically on his deathbed right now, she started crying about everything and I told her that we wanted to help them. That God has a plan and a purpose for us that includes where we come from, why we are here on earth, and what happens after death. She thanked us for thinking of them and we will visit them today. 

I am thankful for the restored gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that only through obedience to Christ and love for God we can return to God and reach our potential. This is a marvelous work, the restoration is still going on, (we believe that He does now reveal and that He will Yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God). This is an amazing time. God has trusted us to come at this time to bring all our brothers and sisters to Christ. 

My favorite thing to teach investigators is the restoration. It is a different experience every time. Its always something new for them and its fundamental to help them. My favorite thing to teach missionaries is the challenge to become what God wants us to become. Not just work and that's it. We must be converted and love the gospel, only if we do will be able to remain firm in the gospel and be on track to return to God.

Love you,

Elder Finlinson

"All my family except my 'son' Elder Toro."

Tula Zone

"Always looking fresh."

 "You're in good hands." At a service project

"A stellar selfie...oh and some other missionaries are in the background. Ha Ha"

"Tepeji, where the horses run wild."

Letter #76 Merry Christmas!

I think we have found a way to Skype on Christmas. I will probably talk around 4:30 our time. We have a service project in the morning so I can't early. We will paint the gate of a person in San Lucas (the District leaders area). 

This week was a stellar week. We didn't have much time to work for extra things, we had a lot to do as zone leaders and interviews with President, but we saw miracles. It was for one reason. This week Elder Toledo and I were reading a short talk about how we should create our own circumstances, not be slaves of the circumstances. As many say, December is a hard month for missionaries. It sure will be if we have that mind set, But we decide what will happen. We worked with faith and contacted a ton of people because the ward doesn't help us much to find people. As we contacted we found many people that God was preparing. Its amazing how God works through faith. 

This week we have our Christmas devotional with the Tula stake and Atotonilco stake missionaries. Each district will sing. Our district prepared just one song, but Elder Toledo and I will also sing with another district. We are singing a mix of  Hark the Herald Angels Sing and Joy to the World in Spanish and English with our district and Carol of the Bells in Spanish with the other district.

To answer the question about how holidays feel here. To be completely honest almost everyday feels the same in the mission. Its like a Sunday everyday almost. I didn't even know Thanksgiving had passed until days after. It doesn't really feel like Christmas either. I don't know its kind of weird. I love the mission and everything, but holidays just don't feel like anything special right now.

This week I hope that you can ponder on why it is so important to have a Savior. I know that Jesus is the Son of God and that he came to save all that would follow him. His Gospel and example show us the way that leads to happiness and freedom. By him all people can have a second chance. My invitation is that you all can give a gift to Christ by sharing his gospel with one person before Christmas day. What he wants is that all men follow him and can receive eternal life. 

Love you,

Elder Finlinson

 Come on Vamanos, Everybody let's go! 

 Elder Hopkins (fellow Cache Valley guy) at a service project.

 Well fertilized toilet! Ha Ha

Elder Toledo studying Lehi's Dream. 

Letter #75

Elder Toledo´s family said December 23 it's Wednesday. We are trying to find a member that has internet in their house to be able to talk by Skype. His family goes to their family ranch I think. IDK. I will call on Christmas in the afternoon. I still don't know when. Elder Toledo will call on the 23. We just have to find where. We will have 45 minutes to talk this time. On Christmas day we have a service project in the morning and then normal work. 

The devotional is December 22. We will go to Atotonilco (the stake building when I was in Huehuetoca) and we will sing songs that we prepared as a district and have a gift exchange. Just the missionaries from Tula and Atotonilco will go there. I don't know what else will happen.  I haven't done interchanges with Elder Hopkins. We don't have a ball to be able to play basketball or soccer. 

My favorite experience on an interchange recently was this week. I went to Jilotepec with some elders to do 2 baptismal interviews. In one of the interviews it was normal and stuff and in the end I asked her if she had prepared herself to be baptized and if she felt ready. She thought a second and then said yes. I felt the spirit so strong in that moment and I remembered one of the functions of the spirit. The spirit testifies of truth. It was a great experience.

Tepeji is decorated a bit. Not a ton, but yeah some people decorated (for Christmas). I think they do 12 days of Christmas December 25 to January 6. The special thing they do this time of the year is celebrate the Day of the Virgin. December 12. Everyone brings their virgin statues to the catholic church to bless them and "pray" a BUNCH of memorized prayers. I woke up to the sound of fireworks and cannons and a mob of 40-50 people chanting a memorized prayer in front of a virgin statue. Everyone gets drunk and has a party. It feels a bit like Moses when he came down with the 10 commandments and saw the people worshiping a golden calf. It is that dumb.

This week was the Tijuana temple dedication. It was cool. I understood more about the temple and how it is a process to sanctify us. How we act in the temple reminds us of how to act "at all times and in all things and in all places". We are here on earth to prepare us to become like our Father in heaven. The temple is key. Also someone said that the 2 most important things are 1) the atonement of Christ which allows us to return to God and reach our potential and 2) when we make sacred covenants in the temple and by doing so we accept the sacrifice the Christ made so that we can return to God. 

Do all you can to receive the temple blessings. 

Love you,

Elder Finlinson

"I'm in the hood." 

 Andrew went on interchanges and this was the light in the Elder's apartment. He said it is their real light. They don't use it very often. (It would give me a headache!)

Have a 'Mario'Christmas!

A Sister in their ward sells Nike and Air Jordan shoes that weren't sold in the U.S.. In the end of this batch of shoes she said she would give them some. These are the shoes Andrew received. Air Jordan's. Pretty sweet. 

Letter #74

This week I had interchanges with Elder Gage from Washington. I will not have an interchange with Elder Candelario, we only do them with District Leaders and their companions, but one day we will go to study with them I think. Honestly we don't do anything with the youth. Also I don't know if we will talk on Christmas day because Elder Toledo says his family isn't home that day. I think it will be the 27th, but I´m not sure. 

The zone meeting was weird. The President´s assistants told us to teach the missionaries how to teach. So that's what we did. We taught about the Book of Mormon with everyone, but the idea is that everyone teaches, not just "the teacher". D&C says that we teach each other the Doctrine of the Kingdom that all may be edified of all. That was the idea. We used the example of the nails to show that the Book of Mormon is the key to our religion and if we take it out it all falls down.

So this week has been COLD. We wake up everyday freezing. During the day it warms up a bit and then at night it is cold again. The people here say that we are just getting started. It's about 15 degrees celsius when we get up in the morning, but all the houses are made of cement so it traps the cold air in.

My favorite Christmas tradition... Well in the mission we have a devotional... I dont know. We´re kind of like a platypus "we don´t do much you know" hahaha. My favorite moment of the week is when we have meetings. I actually like to train and teach in meetings. It is cool to feel like all of a sudden I don't know anything, but God teaches me things right there on the spot. 

Well thinking about what I have been told, I feel that now would be a great time to focus the family home evenings and other teaching opportunities on the restoration. The knowledge that God exists, he loves us and knows us. The gospel blesses the family if we choose to follow it. We may not see all the results here on the earth, but God has great things in store for us. God wants us to return to him and will never leave us alone. We  have prophets and the priesthood to guide us safely home. Christ has suffered for all of us. We never have to lose hope in ourself or in our family and friends who have strayed. Even though the church of Christ was lost for years, God loved us still. He has called a prophet. We have His church and His power on the earth. There is nothing that can change that now. The Book of Mormon testifies of these marvelous truths and as we read, ponder, and pray God himself will let us know the truth of all things by the power of the Holy Ghost. 

Please Trust in the promises of God. 

Love you,

Elder Finlinson

So COLD but looking Hot! Ha ha

 Elder Toledo

Tula Zone