Rambling Spanish Speaking Santa

Hey everyone and Merry Christmas! 

So these past three days have been awesome! We had our christmas party on the 21st and I had so much fun seeing everyone in the mission of course it went by way to fast! The party is the only meeting we will ever have that really has nothing to do with missionary work! So from 10 to 4 we could relax! We also had our ward Christmas party so another party is always nice except they had a dance at the end of the night so that was awkward not being able to dance we ended up leaving a little early... 

Of course during the parties Santa came and who knew he knew spanish as well! Its a god thing to or else he would have quite a few angry little kids! The Santa that they picked out was a little bit of a rambler and I think he took 30 minutes to give a 5 minute speech and watching the little kids get antsy was pretty funny! 

Today we went to the Huasteca again but this time with the whole zone! That was crazy fun! Let me tell ya hanging out with 28 missionaries is pretty dang fun! 

Well thats about it! Thanks so much for the Christmas wishes! 

Elder Ahlmer

Alan's Baptism

Hey Everyone!

So another week in Mexico! Things are great! I really am enjoying my time that I'm spending here!

This Friday was the baptism of Alan it was such an amazing experience! We have visited him and his family a few times this week and there is such a big difference between when I first met them and now! They re so much happier! Also we have been meeting with this couple names Junior and Monserat. They have been living together for 4 years and have 3 kids and one on the way. We have been working with them trying to get them to be married. I don't get why its so hard for people to do it here but people have been living together for a good 15 years but don't want to get married it drives me nuts! But anyways they told us they set a date for the 27th of December to be married! Im so happy for them! Were meeting with them today and are planning on asking them to be baptized the same day because they cant be baptized without being married. Well junior is already a member but Monserat no. Im so excited! 

This Monday night Elder Diaz and I had a pretty deep talk and things have been so much better between us! We talked about what we need help with and I told him how its been hard for me to put my personality into Spanish because Im always focusing on the words. He ended up giving me a blessing and it was an experience that I dont think I will ever forget. Since then I have noticed such a difference about how I feel during lesions and how much easier it is to speak! 

So we were in the house of a member the other day and we honestly met Michael Jackson's biggest fan! He is 6 years old and he spends the majority of the day searching YouTube for just dance videos he can follow to dance like him! Not only that but he dresses up like him in each song with a black shirt tie hat and all! Hes dang good too! I wish I would have recorded it! 

Thats about all I hope all is well!

Elder Ahlmer

Alan's Baptism

Sleep Walking Again

Hey everyone! 

This week has been pretty great I really like my new area! My companion and I are getting along good and working hard. He has this crazy obsession with dogs it's a little freaky to be honest. Like he actually bits them and sniffs them like he's a dog... its funny because Elder Camagra our Zone Leader is terrified of dogs, like he won't even let them get near him! The weather has been really crazy like from Thursday it was honesty 32 Celsius and Friday it was 8 Celsius, We went to bed with the AC on and woke up as blocks of ice. 

Also, this week I started sleepwalking again. This Tuesday I woke up at midnight and woke up Elder Diaz (because I always have to wake him up) but this time I did it in my sleep and we didn't notice that it was actually 1 in the morning until after both of us had exercised, showered, shaved and gotten dressed... I don't know how he didn't kill me for that but luckily we spent a good half hour laughing after we got back into bed. We were pretty tired that next day!

They also have a crazy tradition here that if you add up the numbers on your bus tickets and they equal 21, you can turn to any girl and they will give you a kiss. So whenever we get onto a bus we all look at our tickets to see if anyone got lucky. I don't know why we do it because it's not like we can actually turn them in! 

Today we had a District activity. We climbed the Huasteca. It was crazy cool and so much fun! It was crazy to be outside of the big city for the first time in 3 months! I'll try and send some pictures! 

The baptism with Alan fell through because he got cold feet but we met with him and set a new date for this Friday.  I'll make sure and let ya know what happens!

Elder Ahlmer

The District

Monterrey 

District On a Hike to Huasteca

Elder Gonzalez

Hiked Huasteca 

Holding up the Mountain

Look Savannah, I have a frog!

Transfers - San Pedro

Hello everyone!

So this week has been pretty noteworthy! So even though I was positive I wasn't going to change I was wrong. I am now in the Area La Fama A in San Pedro! Its one of the richest areas in Mexico! It's not Sierra Madre which is right by our area but it kicks my old area out of the park. There's only one downside, Its in the mountains and I honestly have never seen more steep hills in my life! Ill have legs of steel by the time Im done here! My new companion is named Elder Diaz. He is from Uruguay and this is his last change of his mission. He's an awesome guys and I know that I can learn a lot form him. The only problem is that since he is so close to being home he's pretty trunky (lazy). He doesn't like to do much. And being in a new area its kinda hard to plan by myself so the first few days were full of quite a bit of contacting! Oh and one of the weirdest things happened! The first day I was here I was homesick but not for home. For my other area! Not that this area is less cool or anything but I miss the members that I knew for 12 weeks and investigators and my old comp that actually worked...

Elder Diaz honestly speaks a good three words of english and I love it because I have learned so much already! At times its hard to explain things and trying to quote movies forget it! We don't talk about home ever because our lives were so different and thats nice keeps me more focused. Things have already gotten a little tense between us as we plan for the next day and when I have to drag him around everywhere but we get over it! At times he has a hard time paying attention during lessons so Im really learning how to teach now! Its helped my Spanish a ton but It still would be nice if I could get him to contribute a little more… He's sick right now at the house and Im on devisions with a member. 

Okay the new area is pretty sweet! Our new house has an awesome view and the sunrise is so sweet every morning! But even more importantly we have a heater! So I don't spend all night trying to survive! The past few days have been crazy hot though! I really cant believe that its December! Yesterday Im sure mom was running around the house singing "December 1st is here at last and Christmas soon will be here." Cant say I don't miss that! 

So this week Ive been hitting the Area book pretty hard trying to find something to do and we came across a non active family that we have been working with to activate. They have a 9 year old boy named Alan that since he came last week and has been a bunch of times were going to baptize him this next Sunday! Not only that but their daughter who has 18 years wants to serve a mission now. We are doing all we can to keep them going strong in the church. We have had some amazing lessons with them and I know that we can keep them going strong in the church this change! Yesterday was an open house for the temple and we all as a ward rented a big bus and went it was a crazy cool experience and we got to bring Alan and his family and a couple investigators! Things are really moving along in this area! 

So this Sunday I met a Returned Missionary that just got back from Uruguay and guess what! He was the trainer of Elder England! Small world! I was so shocked when he said his name I didn't really know what to do! His mom is a Mama Gilleta so she gives us food like no other! Its like she's trying to make me fat! But also with my sick comp I got to experience some of her natural medicine stuff.... She like shakes his legs and asks questions and uses her arms for answers it's the weirdest thing ever! Then she taped a bunch of chi balancers (magnets) on my comp and kept on moving them around for like an hour… It was pretty weird but I guess Ill have to see how my comp is by tomorrow… 

Well, thats all for now! 

Elder Ahlmer

New Companion - Elder Diaz

Elder Maldonaldo and Frost

Elder England's Trainer Elder Marroquin - Small World