My First "Fall" in Mexico

Yes, I know that it's still Spring. Let me explain.

On Friday we recieved a text message from the sister that we were going to eat with that said that she had to go to Tijuana. So we didn't get to eat in our sector. Instead, we went to Volcanes. (Farther away and with Hna. Price and her companion.) Volcanes is completely dirt. We were walking down a hill, and since my shoes are rather smooth on the bottom, I fell. Hence, "First 'fall'". Yup! (Pictures attached. Not for the faint of heart.)

So... Juan will NOT be getting baptized this week. We went to visit him and... HE HAD A CIGARETTE IN HIS HAND. I nearly burst into tears. My companion didn't see it, so we have to confirm BUT I AM REALLY SAD. So, sorry for the false alarm! But I will not be having a baptism this week.

On Wednesday we had... EXCHANGES! I went with Hermana Fergadiz to Porticos again and I really enjoyed myself! I learned a lot and discovered (according to Hna. Fergadiz) that I am really good at teaching by the spirit. (Something that I thought I lacked.) So, WOOHOO! (Pictures attached.)

I don't know why, but my companion and I have been ridiculously stressed lately... To the point where we both felt like we were going to explode. Yeah. So please keep us in your prayers!

I'm not sure what else to say, so I'm just going to attach pictures.

1.) My knees.

2.) Hna. Fergadiz and I.

3.) Me in Porticos.

4.) Not sure how many of you saw Erika's Kinder Egg picture, but here's mine! It's a bit smaller... But just as tasty I'm sure. And the next three pictures are of the prize inside.

5, 6, & 7.) I thought it was pretty funny that it's says, "Ciao!" and about 7, I hope you enjoy my watch and ring tanlines.

8.) Me! With Pozole! (Very delicious pozole.)

I think that's all for now... QUE TENGA BONITA NOCHE! LES QUIERO MUCHO!

♥ Hermana Beaumont

I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!/CREO EN MILAGROS!

HOLA!

So, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to write this week because I didn't write the stuff down because I was really tired last night.

SO, Yesterday was, as they say down here, "Bien suave!" (really cool) Because two really awesome happy-making things happened. 

1.) There's an inactive married couple that we've been visiting since the beginning of my mission. They never wanted to go to church, pray, or read the scriptures. (With good reason; only one of them knows how to read.) BUT, recently, la hermana has been super excited about the church. She's been praying and we were going to have an FHE with her and her husband and she was super duper excited and even made pozole! (Which we didn't get to eat because it wasn't done until well after we had to go home. It got late and her husband didn't show up because he was working late or something.) ANYWAYS, THEY BOTH WENT TO CHURCH YESTERDAY! I almost cried when I saw them. I don't know if any of you know this, but it's super special for me when the inactives/less-actives are attending church. Why? Because I have so many inactive family members and it gives me hope that one day everything will be better.

2.) We talked with one of our investigators that we've had for a while. His name is Juan. And... HE'S GOING TO GET BAPTIZED!!!!!!!! I'M FINALLY GOING TO HAVE MY FIRST BAPTISM! Okay, technically it's not final and I will tell you why:

- We have been placing baptismal dates from the beginning. The problem is that he and his family are VERY Catholic. Not just that, but they are also from an indigenous tribe here in Mexico called (and I don't really know how it's spelled, just how to say it) Purépeche. It is well known here that indigenous people don't like change and are very very strong in their beliefs. So, we have been working really hard with him for the past two months and some. He's gone to church 5 times already (which is the minimum number to be able to be baptized in this mission) and says that he has already seen a change in his life. He's found a job that allows him to have weekends off and told us that he has never felt this way before. The problem is: He hasn't prayed to know that it's all true. We know that he knows that it's true because he's told us his feelings and we know that he knows that so much good can only come from God. Not only that, but when we told him that he needed to quit smoking and drinking coffee, he stopped. No problem. He loves the Word of Wisdom and thinks that it's super great! So, here's how I know that this time, it's real: Yesterday, Hna. Espinoza asked him something along the lines of, "If you pray and receive your answer before April 10th, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized on that day?" (except in Spanish). He answered a firm, and solemn, "Sí." In that moment, I felt the Spirit so strongly that I almost burst into tears. (I restrained myself, don't worry.) I know without a shadow of a doubt that he will receive that answer. And I knew in that moment that he was going to be baptized. And it was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.

Now, for other things that don't matter as much.

PICTURES!

1.) The moon the first night with Hna Espinoza.

2.) Us with Dr. Simi! (and El Libro de Mormón) He's the mascot for a pharmacy here that always plays loud music. This was two days after I began to be sick.

3 & 4.) Waiting for our laundry in the laundromat last week.

5.) The view from Calle Sinaloa in Colonia Constitución.

That's all for now! Que tengan una bonita semana! Cuidense mucho! LES QUIERO!

♥ Hna. Beaumont

P.S. Proof that the gift of tongues is real: We had interviews with the mission president and he basically told me that I have achieved a miracle with my Spanish in these 3 almost 4 months in Mexico. Woohoo! Love you!

03/24/2014

Hola, buenas tardes! Yo soy Hermana Beaumont, y estoy aquí con mi compañera, Hermana Espinoza. :)

And we are doing pretty darn great, if I do say so myself. (And I do say so.)

This week was good, I believe, despite the fact that I have been sick all week. We were unable to work for two whole days (which is a lot for a missionary. Ask your local Elder.) but I´m okay now. We had to go to Tijuana to have tests done (blood, urine...) and right now I´m not allowed to ingest any of the following: (And I don´t know when I will be able to eat them again as we have not received any further instructions.) Eggs, meat other than chicken, beans, chocolate, milk, greasy foods, chile (as in spicy foods), uncooked vegetables... Basically all of the good things in life. But that´s okay! Because I am going to be healthy again. :)

ANYWAYS, I´m not entirely sure what more to tell you guys... This week went better, as far as the Work is concerned. We have more investigators and have taught more lessons than we have in the last two weeks, even with two days without work, so that´s good.

It seems that this computer is being really slow with documents and whatnot, so I will only be able to send one picture. This is me and my companion, Hermana Espinoza. She´s pretty dang awesome. :)

That´s all for now! I love you all and I will write again next week!

♥ Hermana Beaumont

03/17/2014

HOLA HOLA HOLA!

Today, WE HAD TRANSFERS! :O My first transfers of the mission! And mi nueva compañera es.... *drum roll*... Hermana Espinoza! She is from Ecuador! And I don't have any pictures with her yet, but I will next week. (Patience is a virtue.) She has been on her mission for 11 months already. So she'll be completing a year with me. :) (She speaks very little English, unlike Hna. Maldonado. This is going to be an interesting transfer.)

This past week was rather uneventful. I am alive and well, but we have no investigators. (Almost. Really it's that none of them have a baptismal date, but we're going to fix that this week.) Something really good is that Hna. Espinoza likes to contact, and has no shame with talking to people. So, hopefully some of that will rub off on me. :P I really hope so.

Um.... I have no clue where Hna. Maldonado went for her next area (I'm still in Rosarito) but I should find out tomorrow. And I'll let you know next week. :)

OOH! Of the pictures I'm going to send: One is of me, Hna. Maldonado, Hna. Price, and Hna. Conde (She went home today! Okay, she's really not going until tomorrow, but she's done with her mission. WOW.) at the beach! Not really. We were with a couple of non-Spanish-speakers and they fed us dinner. :) Their house is GORGEOUS and has a beautiful view of the ocean! Also, there was a walkway, and we got to walk and see the ocean. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. (There's a picture of that too.) (Sorry for those of you that can't see the pictures... I'll be posting them on Facebook in 14 months. ;P )

Um... What else? There are cars that go around playing recordings of advertisements and one of them is very easily stuck in my head. "El panadero con el pan, EL PANADERO CON EL PAN..." IT'S VERY ANNOYING. But it happens to everyone here.

I think that's all for the week. LES QUIERO MUCHO! Talk to you in a week!

♥ Hermana Beaumont

03/10/2014

1. A member of the other ward that shares our building asked me if I´m from Argentina... Awkward. Not just that, but just now I was talking with the guy that´s working here at the internet place and he thought that I was from South America. Yeah.

2. I HAVE BEEN ON MY MISSION FOR 4 MONTHS. WHAT!?

3. Transfers next week! Kind of freaking out.

4. Sad note: We´ve lost all of our investigators with a baptismal date. No one ever comes to church! URGH.

I don´t have any more time because THE COMPUTER WASN´T WORKING AND SO I WASTED LIKE 40 MINUTES WAITING. But it´s okay. I will survive. I will have to send you guys my pictures next week. And I will never come here again to write to you guys. There´s a better one in town.

Love you guys!

I GET A LITTLE EXTRA TIME! So I´m going to send pictures! :D (I´m at a different internet place.)

1.) The awesome scripture case I bought! (It was a little less than $10... Impressive, right? It has the Tijuana Temple on it.)

2.) Some bookmarks and a keychain that I bought at the same time as the case. (Super cheap also.) The keychain is a pun. It would really say, "Yo tuve fe, esperanza, y caridad." (I had faith, hope, and charity.) But it´s pronounced the same. I thought it was pretty clever.

3.) Me with a slipper that we found that looks like me. I thought it was cute.

4.) Me with my dinner! (Not really. It´s a thing of a word that I can´t spell, but it´s basically pork rinds. Really really GOOD pork rinds. (Hot oil. I had to be really careful.)

5.) Three generations! Me, mi mamá, and mi abuela! (My trainer and my trainer´s trainer.)

6.) Today! We went bowling as a Zone activity. :)

7.) Also today. All of the zone. (That decided to attend. We´re missing at least two elders and four hermanas.)

That´s all for today! I have to go now! LES QUIERO MUCHO!!!!!!!!

So Sorry!

This is Hermana Beaumont's mom. I'm so sorry that I don't keep up with this as I should. I will try to do better in the future!