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

Elder Ahlmer's Lesson

I have taken a long long time to prepare this simple message. The life of a missionary is quite busy, but I have felt the need to send this kind of a message since General conference.  I hope you read it with a prayer in your heart. 

John 4:35-38 

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the ^afields; for they are white already to ^bharvest.

 36 And he that reapeth receiveth ^awages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may ^brejoice together.

 37 And herein is that saying true, One ^asoweth, and another reapeth.

 38 I sent you to ^areap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: ^bother men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Alright, in this story we hear that there are 3 Different things going on here:

The Field

The Sower

The Reaper

Okay Shelf that.. This week I had the opportunity to teach the class of Gospel Principles during the Sunday School hour of church. The theme was about the Spirit world and the second coming. I realized something that was pretty important...

“At some moment in the world to come, everyone you will ever meet will know what you know now.  They will know that the only way to live forever in association with our families and in the presence of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, was to choose to enter into the gate by baptism at the hands of those with authority from God.  They will know that the only way families can be together forever is to accept and keep sacred covenants offered in the temples of God on this earth.  And they will know that you knew.  And they will remember whether you offered them what someone had offered you”  - Pres. Eyring

We learn something important from this quote. It´s that there really isn´t any excuse to not sharing the Gospel with everyday people. And how dumb we feel later, when we are standing next to someone we could have introduced to the Gospel, in the Judgement Day. 

This is the work of salvation, the fruit ready to be harvested (the everyday people), the sower (the everyday member), the reaper (the everyday missionary). This is the Lord´s work, and this is his Vineyard (Jacob 5). He knows which fruits are ready and who needs to go to work to bring to pass his mighty work. We are his Brothers and his Sisters, We are all part of this eternal family. Everyone has a spot in the Kingdom of our Father. A throne save especially for each one of us. We just have to earn it, preform our labors... today (Alma 34:32).

So let´s get to work. 

We are not alone in this grand cause. God has an Army of angels, those that already know the truth and have passed on, guided by their captain the Holy Ghost. They are their ready to prepare the way for you as you embark in the war against this dying world, this carnal world full of sin, reined by the adversary. Our job right now is to polish up, put on that armor and save souls, as much members as missionaries. And if you work for it this Army will be their to prepare your path. Prepare your thoughts, your feelings, the questions you will ask so that you can bring the Gospel to one of Gods children. 

Imagine yourself being the perfectly polished instrument that the Lord chooses for the child of God that is being prepared to accept the Gospel. He will put that child in your path because He knows that you are ready, because He knows that only you are the right kind of tool to change their life. 

I would like to dwell on what Eyring taught us earlier... Imagine the joy you will have, if not now, later, when you have brought someone into the light. The Gospel is the only thing that guides us through this world. It is the only thing that can get us through this life. 

John 1:1-5

 1 ^aIn the ^bbeginning was the Word, and the ^cWord was with God, and the ^dWord was^eGod.

 2 The same was in the ^abeginning with God.

 3 All things were ^amade by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 4 In him was ^alife; and the life was the ^blight of men.

 5 And the ^alight shineth in ^bdarkness; and the darkness ^ccomprehended it not.

It is the light in the darkness. 

D&C 88:49

49 The ^alight shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not; nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall ^bcomprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him.

Everything... Everything we do in this life is to get back to our heavenly Father. Everything that has to do with that will bring closer to him and thus bring us closer to untainted joy. The real kind of Joy that the world doesn´t have to offer. 

So its time to go to work,

A letter is good for nothing unless the reader does something about it. 

Its time to Polish up:

Read your scriptures like they are the air to your life and you are drowning. 

Pray like you´ve only got one day left.

Polish every aspect of you're being.

Your abilities are unique and specific to bring about this mighty work. Every tool is different just like every child of God is different. If you haven´t watched Ballard´s talk from Conference You should probably get to that. Or watch it again to refresh what he challenged us.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/put-your-trust-in-the-lord?lang=eng

Put your trust in the Lord. and bring 1 person into the church.... Before Christmas. 

Love you so much!!

Elder Ahlmer

The Ferraris in Mexico

Minuto Para Ganar

Hey everyone! 

This past few weeks have been great! We had a ward party playing minuto para ganar. Its like huge here! Almost every single house we walk into is watching it! But it was so much fun and basically the whole ward showed up! We managed to bring a couple inactive members and some of their friends. I think that had a good time because we've been teaching them ever since and the lessons are going really well. We are also having English classes every Tuesday night and that's always so much fun hearing the peoples accents but then I start to realize that that's probably how I sound to them....

This week has had the weirdest weather! We have gone from freezing to death to being cooked alive. The cold here is different like I don't know how to explain it but I think it has to do with the humidity. And it probably doesn't help being walking around all day. 

This week we had interviews with the president. That was pretty awesome getting his advice and opinion on things that I should do. Im thinking that my next companion probably wont be able to speak English... That'll be interesting but I know it'll be good because I really want to be more smooth when I talk. We went into the mission offices to work more on my visa as well. Turns out Ive been illegal this whole time that Ive been here! 

So a missionary kinda went a little crazy this week. Okay a lot crazy. Saturday night we got a call that all the missionaries in the mission were supposed to report to their houses as quick as possible lock the door and don't take unknown calls. That was pretty weird. I wanted to know what was going on so badly but nobody really knew. The next day we found out that a missionary had faked his own kidnapping to get money from the church.... Yeah crazy. But nothing really happened after that the president had a bunch of interviews with him and he finally confessed. He got sent home and thats about it.

This Sunday we went to the baptism of Louise and that was so cool because we got to know him pretty well as the other missionaries taught him in our ward. He's 17 and now is preparing to serve a mission as well! Im so excited for him he's a really cool kid and the gospel has changed his life so much! 

Keep me updated about whats happening!

Elder Ahlmer

Addee's Twin

The Gloria Family

Hey everyone! 

This week was a little different because we had Halloween and Day of the Dead. Halloween is basically the same here as it is in the states. So naturally on Halloween all we planned on doing is nocking doors. People were a little disappointed with our costumes.... Day of the Dead wasn't quite as big as I thought it was going to be. Its kinda like our Memorial Day, everyone just visits their ancestors and they have sugar skulls all over the place along with the same things to honor their ancestors. Nobody really painted their faces I guess thats something more people do in the South. We went to a menos activo house that night and ate this type of bread that they only make during this time of year that was really good! We ate it with some weird hot chocolate but it was good! 

Im still sleepwalking just about every night but its has been a little more mellow except for Thursday night. I guess I yelled something and ran into the the room tripping over a bunch of chairs and tables. I don't really remember it but I've got some solid bruises on my knees so its hard to argue! 

My comp and I are getting along really well and Im just counting my blessings because I know it wont always be like this with every comp I have! It's so weird being with someone 24/7 when you've never met them before! Whenever we got home for the day I make sure he takes his shoes off outside because man I didn't know someones feet could ever smell that bad! He could use that stuff as a weapon! I guess we don't have to worry about being kidnapped anymore because all he has to do is take of his shoes and everyone will pass out. He kinda gets a little crazy at night time. Its like the second we get home for the day his brain just shuts off. I just hurry and shower and get into bed as fast as possible ha ha. I guess I cant complain too much I wake him up just about every night sleepwalking!

We worked a lot with menos activo families this week and that went pretty well. Its pretty crazy to see all the people that the week they got baptized was the last week they ever attended. We met this family that is really cool. We call them the Gloria family because all of their names are Gloria. Theres The Grandma and mom and daughter that own a store just in front of their house. Their daughter has 5 years and she reminds me so much of Addee. Ive even slipped and called her Addee once! She always has so much energy and is just going 100 miles an hour. We brought them to church this sunday and trying to get her to sit still was nearly impossible! I finally let her use my puzzle that I have to teach the plan of salvation to at least keep her distracted. But they liked church and we are going to make sure that they keep coming! 

I was lucky enough that Craig got to come down to Monterrey a few weeks ago to work on the temple here. Naturally my mom gave him a huge package to bring with! I don't think she realizes that they have stores here too ha ha. But I really appreciate the snacks that they don't have down here! Craig took us out to dinner which was really nice of him. It was crazy funny watching him try and tell the taxi driver where to go in English. Im pretty sure he scared the poor guy for life! It was great hearing about the states! Its weird to think that life is actually going on up there! 

Keep me updated about whats going on!

Elder Ahlmer