"Gotta Find My Purpose...Gotta Find Me..."

Hola Familia! It's crazy! Everytime we come to Monday, I can't seem to remember the past week....let's see what happened... So exciting things are happening with investigators! Hopefully we will have baptismS soon! We have been teaching these two teenage girls, Marguarita and Isabel, and their younger brother, Angel. They seem to be really interested in the church which is super exciting! We've taught them The Plan of Salvation, which they had a lot of questions about, and we also taught them The Restoration with the Branch President and his wife who is the Young Women's President. I am excited because we are going to watch the "Joseph Smith, Prophet Of The Restoration" movie with them this next week! That is such a powerful movie and so it should be good! They also came to church with us Sunday and seemed to like it, which is good! And they have been reading from The Book Of Mormon and they Pamphlets we leave them! They usually have friends over when we are there to teach and so we have a little posse of interested teenagers! How awesome! Speaking of church...we had quite a congregation yesterday! about 8 total investigators came (3 families) and it was great because it was testimony meeting and so they got to here everyone's testimonies and they spirit was really strong and it was just a really great meeting! We aquired 2 other investigators this week. One is man that is staying in the Branch President's motel (he owns a motel if I haven't mentioned before...). His name is Manuel and he is pretty cool! He seems pretty receptive to what we are teaching and is a nice man. We think he has some trials in his life though - wife family and work, etc. because one of what he mentions in prayers when he prays with us, but we haven't asked him specifically. The other investigator is Marisa. When we were contacting this one day, I decided to knock on this door and this kid answered and said his mom wasn't home. As we were leaving, she drove up and we talked to her as she got out of the car and helped her with her natural gas tank for her stove. We hooked up the gas for her but there was a leak, and so we called our branch mission leader who is a construction/builder guy and he came and took a look at it. During this, we talked to her and found out she has been attending many churches trying to find the right one and the one she likes! Bingo! We hopped on this of course! :) We asked if we could come back and share a message. We returned the next day and she was cleaning her house. We shared the message of The Restoration and resolved some things she has heard about our church. Teaching the first lesson is the best! In all the lessons you can feel the spirit, but the spirit is the most strong when we talk about the restoration and particularly Joseph Smith. Everytime without fail I feel the spirit so strong as we testify of Joseph Smith! It is really great! He really was an amazing man and a true prophet of God! We then helped her clean her house to her dismay...ha! :) She came to church Sunday with 2 of her kids and she seemed to have a good experience. Neat experience...as we were walking down one of our dirt roads a car passed by and it had a Georgia License plate from Fulton County...how awesome! I freaked out of course! A little close to home... So today was quite a busy day, thus why the email is so late... we woke up and did the ususal, but came back to the house and got ready for a wedding! Ha! One of the companionships here in Penasco had an investigator that was getting married this morning and then later this afternoon we had a baptism for that same member! It was pretty neat! It made me excited to work and get our investigators to that point! Since so many people here aren't married to their 'spouses' we will probably be having some weddings as well! They are quite anti-climatic! HA! The couple just signes papers and then the official says some things and announces the marriage as official and that's it. I'm super stoked to talk to you all this Thursday!!! We can call whenever we want so we'll see what happens.... :) This week has been a bit tough speaking. Those who know me know I'm not very much a conversationalist. I love to talk to people, but I have a hard time making conversation. So it is difficult making conversation with people in my own language, imagine what is happening in another language. It is hard! My comp usually does all the small talk and makes conversation and I just kind of sit there quietly. People often ask why I don't speak. It's cause I don't know what to say. And everyone thinks I'm so serious all the time. First, I have a difficult time understanding and when I do understand, I don't know what to say. I am just not a very out going and talkative person and it is hard! This is just my trial that I have to deal with and work on. But I'm not exactly sure how yet....what do you ask people/talk to them about? There is only so much I can think to talk about. So I'm trying to "find my purpose" and trying to be more out going and talkative, but I am just having a really, really hard time. Even with other missionaries I and not talkative. It is just the Latin culture is very vivacious and out going and talkative and LOUD! People aren't afraid to yell...they like it actually. Ha! And I am just the complete opposite: quiet, tranquil, I like my quietness, ect... Yeah, just something I need to work on. But I pray and I know he hears me and can help if I do my part and make an effort. Well that's about it for this week. Next week I have to go to Hermosillo for our Mid-12 week check up! It is crazy, tomorrow is my 3 month Anniversary and then Thursday is my 1 month in Mexico! I've almost made it through a whole change! So the 3 of us newbies who came in last month are getting together with the prez for more training. I have to travel by myself which I am a little unsettled about, but hey! That's life! Maybe the package from the youth will be waiting for me. Since I will be there Monday, I'm not sure If I will email that day or not. I will have to see... Well, I love and miss you all so much and can't wait to chat a bit THURSDAY!!! ¡Yo sé que vive mi Señor! Con Mucho Amor, Elder Joyner

Arriving in Mexico (1st Day)

Welcoming Committee!

Elder Joyner with President and Sister Velez

Elder Joyner and Elder Melchor (Trainer and 1st companion)

Sonoyta countryside

Sonoyta

Jugs for clean water supply

Scary shower with wires to heat the water

"Move On...

Hola Familia! Wow! This week really flew by quite quickly! I was surprised! It has been an interesting week, a little tough, but okay. First off, the baptism we were planning for this past Saturday with Hermana Eva didn't happen! It was upsetting and frustrating! She is so ready to be baptized and knows the church is true and everything, but she talked to her sister this past week and is now waiting. Apparently her sister who lives in Virigina has been attending and investigating the church for 4 or so years and is ready to get baptized too, but she told Hermana Eva to not get baptized this week and to wait for another month till she comes to Mexico so they both can get baptized together. We have been trying to convince her that it is hard to wait and that she just needs to go ahead, but she is pretty set I think. We even had this really great spiritual lesson with 2 precious members, Hermano and Hermana Lopez. Hermana Eva has an addiction to coffee and loves her coffee and is having a problem stopping drinking....that didn't sound gramatically correct...forgiveness...She gets these really bad headaches when she stops. Hermano and Hermana Lopez had the same problem. They are a really nice couple! They were the first members in Sonoyta 23 years ago! How neat! They gave their testimonies on faith and how it helped them stop. It was a really great lesson! The devil interrupted us though! We were in the middle of spiritual moment and Hermana Eva's son who lives next door who we have also been teaching, interrupts and says Hermana Eva's daughter is on the phone. Ha! We stop our lesson and she takes about 10 minutes to talk to all the grandkids, ect. So that was disappointing with the baptism and all that... We had some other obstacles this week. It seemed as though we have hit a road block with all of our investigators. They just aren't progressing and ....yeah! It is really frustrating! Also what is frustrating is when you plan to go teach a lesson and then no one is home. That is upsetting. We don't really make appointments with people because they don't keep them or something? I don't know...it's just something to do with the Mexican Culture. We may say, "oh we're going to pass by tomorrow, is that okay?" other than that we just stop by and hope they are there. So yeah, no body seemed to be home for us to teach this week. So when we have investigators not progressing... we "Move On" to new ones! Luckily, Friday I think it was, we had a break through! We worked hard it seemed on Friday and it paid off. We contacted a few new investigators who seemed really quite interested in the church and yeah...really interested! One was a lady and her 2 young children and then a reference from our branch president (he always has people for us! He is pretty good about that!), and then another contact of 2 teenage sisters. All seemed really interested and invited us to come back and talk more. We invited them all to church this past Sunday. It seemed we invited a bunch of people to church Sunday and everyone was like "Oh yeah, I'll definitely be there!". However...NOBODY came....it was really upsetting! Oh hey! Speaking on Church on Sunday....guess who is the new Branch Pianst...yeah, me! Ha! The President found out I played piano and now I guess I'm playing everyweek....fun...? Ha! This past week he just handed me the hymns we were singing and luckily I could play most of them, but from now on I'm picking...ha! Oh I hope this goes well....I haven't played piano in a few months, so I'm a little rusty! What else....That is super awesome that you had a stake conference with Elder Perry! So jealous! I'm sure it was good! It surprised me that a member of the 12 did a small meeting like stake conference in little ole Athens, Ga....how awesome though! I'm supes jeally (Ha! Super jealous!) of Les Mis! Gahh!!! I love that show so much and wish I could have seen in...25th Anniversary Production!!! MAN OH MAN! Was the set not the same as we saw it, dad? I thought I read somewhere that they were using the same set design as the production we saw, with the projections and everything...hmmm.. God luck with the Eagle court! Wish I could be there! Wow! What an accomplishment Alex! Good Job! Have you gotten your learners yet?! :) Hey!....I just realized...you got you Eagle when you are younger than I was....hmmm... So about packages and mail everyone: I found out that the Zone leaders go to Hermosillo at the beginning of every month for meetings so I believe they will pick up mail and such then and bring it back. So hopefully I will be able to receive mail and packages at the beginning of every month. So there you go! :) So some pictures I am sending: Landscape of Sonoyta (you can see the Border in one of the pictures in the background! Ha! ), our shower and the electric cords that heat it, our water jugs, whatever else I find on my camera... :) Thing are going pretty well. I am getting more and more comfortable. It gets better everyday. I am understanding a lot more too which is good! The work is going! I love being able to preach the gospel every day and tell people of Christ! I love and miss you all so much! I can't wait to talk to you 1 WEEK from this THURSDAY! Exciting! Don't schedule anything that day! :) ¡Yo sé que vive mi Señor! Con Mucho Amor, Elder Joyner

"We'll open up a restaurant in Santa Fe..."

Hola Familia! So the subject line really has nothing to do with this past week...ha! The grocery store here is called Santa Fe though, so everytime we go there or pass by that song always comes into my head. Most of you will not know what song, but that's okay! This is more for my enjoyment and my nerdíness...oh musical theatre references in everyday life! I love them! They happen often...anyway.... Where has this week gone? It went by surprisingly quite quickily! First off, I need to correct a fact. I said in my last email that 1 peso is equal to $12 American dollars, however, it is the other way around. $1 American Dolar is equal to 12 pesos. So we get about $1,400 pesos a month, plus since we live in a pueblo or little town and not a city, we get an extra $300 in the middle of the month. So that equals out to about $157 American dollars a month? If I remembe correctly? :) IT IS HOT!!!! Ah! I'm dying! My body needs to get used to this! And apparently this isn't the worst. June, July, and August are coming...yikes! This week...well, the past few days, starting around Thursday or so.....my stomach/digestive system and I have been at war with one another! Oh it has been not fun! This continued and finally today Hermana Velez, the president's wife, told us to go to the doctor. So we go to the doctor here in Peñasco. He speaks some English luckily and takes me back. He sticks me with some needle and says that I will feel a little tingling in my head, but the symptoms will go away. And it did a few minutes later I felt better! He gave me this big perscription that requires taking multiple pills a day for the next 10 days or so. One is supposed to be for parasites in case of someting...I don't know. So we will see how that goes... We were sad to find out upon returning to Sonoyta from our P-day in Peñasco last week that the Martinez family that we were teaching--the one sister who had the dream...remember?-- Had up and left without telling anyone. They were out of work and staying at the Branch President's motel until they could find work, and we were teaching them there. But when we went to teach them, the weren't there and the Branch President said he found their room empty and they just up and left without telling anyone. Who knows, maybe they found work. That was disappointing, I was excited to work with them and they seemed ready! Hopefully they will run into missionaries else where. We do have a baptism planned, though, for this coming Saturday the 28th. Hermana Eva, who is in her 70s has a baptism date. That is super exciting! There is an obstacle though. When she was younger she had a bad experience with water and now has a phoebia of water. So we are going to have to work something out. We plan on have a small chair in the font she can sit in and then just dunk her head forward and back up. It is the same symbolism motion of being born again, just a different and more comfortable way for her needs. I don't know if I told you about the family named Gaitan. One day while we were waitng outside a store for our food to cook, this man in his car was parked at he side of the road and honked and wanted to talk to us. He noticed we were dressed up in missionary attire and wanted to know who we were. He also noticed that I was not Mexican of course... ha! We explained who we were and I explained what I was doing in Mexico. He was impressed and we took down his address to go visit him. What a way to contact! They come to us! Ha! Well, addresses, really don't mean anything in Mexico. It is just a general description of the area they live in. We tried finding them, but couldn't. Luckily, when we were walking home one night we saw a place that was more like the man described. We stopped and it was them! That is super exciting! We told them we would visit them later this week. This week we also had a really great experience. Well, I had a really great experience. We watched the "The Restoration" video with one of our investigator families. Even though it was in Spanish, I could really feel the Spirit there testifying of Joseph Smith. It greatly strengthen my testimony and reminded me why I am here and what I am doing! I loved it! On Thursday we had a Zone Conference. Appartenly they aren't very common? But it was nice to be with the President and his wife! Ah! I just love them so much! They are really the greatest! The best thing was, my comp and I got to spend an extra 4 or so hours with them eating lunch and shopping for new beds! It was a grand time! It was be sad to see them go in July. And we have new beds! Ah! So nice! So much more comfortable than what I had, where I could feel the springs in my back! Ha! I have been thinking this week about how much we take for granted in the US. Like beds, and houses, and just everything! Basically all the homes here, since it is a small town and not a major city, are super small and have concrete floors, or dirt if they are really poor. We are lucky enough to have tile! It is crazy! I meant to take a picture, but our water is heated by electricity. So there are 2 electric wires leading up to the shower head. Appartenly if you get too close you will get a shock. I haven't had the desire to test that theory...ha! Oh! We received mail at our Zone conference too! So Holly had sent a dearelder to me back in February and she selected "Mexico Hermosillo" instead of "Provo MTC". So I just now got that dearelder! Ha! So to answer your question we don't get mail very often. Only like zone conferences, which we never have, or if we go to Hermosillo maybe? I'm not exactly sure. We may get mail at the beginning of every transfer? I really have no clue? That is why email is better because I get it faster and can respond faster. There is a little post office in town and I guess all I need are US stamps to mail and I'm good. I have a bit, but maybe I should have stocked up more before I left. Oh well! I'm not sure I will be "snail mailing" too often...but yeah, we don't get mail too often at all I believe. We don't have local addresses because...I don't know? No one has mailboxes and I guess they just don't have a need. So everything goes to the Mission Home. What else, what else, what else.....OH!!! Remember when we talked on the phone and I was like I'll talk to you in a month. I didn't know that it would literally be a month. Mother's day is a different day here in Mexico, so we will be calling in 2 and 1/2 weeks or so on the 10TH OF MAY! It is a Thursday, not a Sunday, so mark your calendars and get ready! Maybe I will have more info later? :) I attached some pictures. I meant to take some during the week of the landscape of Sonoyta and where we are working and more of my apartment, but didn't get around to it. Here, we have a little view of the Casa de Oracion or our "chapel". Except it isn't a chapel...I'm attaching the kitchen area and the back with the soccer field. I didn't know if it had been properly dedicated, so I didn't take any pictures of the chapel area just in case it wasn't appropriate. Also, there are pictures of an activity we did last week that I told you about with the family whose mom is a catholic leader in the church. Apparently she will be done teaching some class she is teaching to kids about baptism in June, and that is when we are going to try and snatch her! When her obligation is over! They really need to get baptized and go to the temple and be sealed! They are such a great family. Lastily, Me and my comp and some of the boys in the branch after church. Enjoy! Well, I hope I haven't left anything out and that you have enjoyed this novel...HA! I write too much! Sorry everyone, except mom! I know she loves it, and the rest of you are probably saying "I wish he would hurry up and end this" or are just skimming! Ha! I know, I write too much and like to explain a lot of things....like now for instance...I'm rambling....This is a problem with journal writing: I pour out my soul and feelings and take up a lot of paper. I think I would make all 2 years on the special paper I have...I'm not even sure why I'm telling you this...I should stop now.... Well, it sounds like you all have had a good week! Thanks for all the emails and keep them coming! They lift me and make me feel closer to home! I love and miss you all tons! Just 2 and 1/2 weeks or so and I can hear your voices once more! ¡Yo sé que vive mi Señor! Con Mucho Amor, Elder Joyner

"Paciencía Y Fe...."

¡Hola Mi Familia! First of all...."¡Féliz Cumpleaños Papi!" Sorry, I meant to say that in my letter on Friday, but trying to fit in all the deets I thought you all might want to know! These last few days have been a blur! I don´t remember what day was what, so I will try and pick up where I left off... So we had The Restoration lesson with that one family, The Martinez family with the mom who had a dream. They agreed to be baptized just like I thought, but one problem that could be an issue in the future. The Mom and Dad are not married. I´ve come to find out that that is a big problem down here. So many of our investigators have "spouses" and children, but they aren´t married. I think my companion said it costs so much is why. So many of our lessons this week was focusing on the importance of marriage and getting them to pray and consider getting married. It is difficult! Friday night was...interesting...to say the least... There is this family, this really, really great family--The Armenta Family--and they have been meeting with the missionaries for a few months and I think from what I understand from my companion is that they like the church and belive it´s true or something and they like the Book Of Mormon. They especially like the Hymns and my companion and his previous comp even gave them a hymn book and CD and they listen to it and love to sing the hymns when we come for lessons. They loophole, however, is...well, first the mom basically wears the pants in the family. She is the "leader" and if she would agree to be baptized, the whole family would. But here´s the thing: the mom is a leader in the Catholic church in town! HA! Crazy! Apparently they really like the church and would get baptized if it were not for the criticism of the Catholic church as well as the sister´s mom. Apparently this sister told her mother that the family was thinking of getting baptized and the mom got all upset and won´t talk to them. Even on this sister´s birthday the mom didn´t call to talk. How sad! They are a really neat and fun family that needs to be baptized so that they can be sealed! Ugh! I want that so bad for them, but they won´t accept. Oh, wow, this was all background...well the Friday night wasn´t that exciting I guess. We went and visited them and they are really outgoing like most Latin Americans, and they were asking me all these questions, but the sad thing was, I couldn´t understand a single thing they were saying! I felt bad! It is funny, they like to play around and "discuss" back and forth whose church is the true church, ours or theirs. We went and had "dinner" (Well, sandwiches) with them the next day, Saturday, and did an activity pertaining to the Atonement. We then discussed Ch. 11 or 3rd Nephi when Christ comes to the Americas, which we gave them to read. To close we sang a Hymn and when we were done they wanted to sing another. After the hymns I could just feel the spirit so strongly in that house with that family! Hymns really are the best and greatest way to bring the spirit, I think! So Saturday, I got a surprise! I found out I would be speaking in Sacrament meeting on Sunday! Yay! >:l Yuckily I had those "5 Minute" talks in Spanish we had to write in the MTC every sunday, so I had about 7 or 8 to choose from! I chose to speak on the Doctrine of Christ and how it relates to our purpose as missionaries. On sunday we went and picked up 2 of our investigators for church, Edgar, an awesome 12 year boy, and his sister 10 year old Yenny (Jenny). We got a ride to church from the Ward mission leader. Church was really great! I loved it! I especially love the members here! They are really the best and are so kind and love us a lot! We had about 30 people including kids at church. It was nice! My talk went really well, and after my talk we had an investigator, Jose, show up. I thought for church I would surely be asked to play piano since there is no one who plays, but luckily I wasn´t! We sing with CDs instead! Ha! For Sunday school, my companion and I took our investigator, Jose, and went and taught him about baptism. Jose is an interesting fellow. He is 23 and homeless. He also likes to get off topic? When we teach and ask him questions, he will respond and go off on a rant about something. It is funny because I don´t understand any of it! And I can tell he does it because my comp has to bring it back in! He met with some missionaries somewhere else I believe. He sits outside the grocery store selling candy and so the first night I got here, he took us aside and said he wanted to meet with us. We taught him about baptism sunday and he agreed to be baptized! After church we went to the ward mission leader´s house for lunch! He is a great guy! Basically a single parent. He and his kids were baptized, but his wife wasn´t. Apparently, his wife is a little crazy! She drinks and smokes and doesn´t like the church I think? She recently moved out with a neighbor because of her smoking and such and so he basically takes care of his 4 kids by himself! He´s a cool guy! After lunch, we visited some less actives with him and then returned to our house to pack up for the next day. Since we are the only elders in Sonoyta and there is nothing to do there, we go to Puerto Peñasco for P-day. Puerto Peñasco is that town we came to on the Bus from Hermosillo to get another bus to Sonoyta. It is an hour away. We are staying with 4 other elders in our district. They have a super nice and really big house. Well, no surprise since they are in the city. This morning we woke up at 5:45AM, went to the Gym, then we went to play soccer....FOR 3 HOURS.....I could do it for 1, but these people love thier soccer! I got tired after an hour and sat out. Waking up early every P-day and playing soccer for 3 hours....how will I survive these next 12 weeks?! After we came back to their house and chilled for a bit and then went and ate lunch and did their grocery shopping. I got a little sun this week, so I tried to find Aloe Vera, but they don´t have it down here. It was hard to find! We had to go to a pharmacy. I´m still not sure if I have the right stuff, but we will see how it works out. We will return to Sonoyta early tomorrow morning. To answer some questions.... I don´t have a local address for mail and so you will just have to give people this mission office one. However, I hear we don´t get mail often, especially since we are 8 hours away. I think like once a month or every couple of months? I wouldn´t know seeing as how I just got here....If people want my address, just give them my email, since I will get that quicker, but tell them to leave their address so I can write them back. I don´t know how well the mailing system is here, but I will try and send some letters to some I haven´t responded to. But I haven´t had any time.Oh and just so you know if you ever send packages, you may have read this, but pictures of Christ and the Virigin Mary on all sides and all around it. I guess Mexican postal gets superspicious and won´t mess it a "religious" package! Oh exciting news: The president is supposed to be coming to sonoyta this week to buy us new beds and me a new desk (since the one I have is just a wood plank....). Thank heavens too! The beds we have now are not comfortable at all! That´s my week! Hope I didn´t leave anything out....things are getting better slowly and little by little I just need to remember "patience and faith"! Love and miss you all dearly! ¡Yo sé que vive mi Señor! Con Mucho Amor, Elder Joyner