Spiritual Highs and DON'T SMELL THE MENUDO

Had menudo for the first time this week. The Hermana that gave it to us told me that I didn't have to eat it since American's don't usually like menudo, which is a soup made of pig stomach. I asked to try just a little bit, just for the experience. It wasn't that bad. The texture was nasty, but the flavor wasn't bad, until I added onions. Then it started to smell like sweaty dog booty, and it got a whole lot harder to eat. So yeah. Don't smell the menudo.

One of our investigators who has been working with the missionaries for a long time (Javier) has made some INCREDIBLE progress in his efforts to quit smoking! He used to smoke a pack a day, and he had to keep two packs in each pocket just to ease his anxiety. We talked with him about a month ago and challenged him to just take it a little at a time, and we went back with him this week, and he showed us that he had the same pack of cigarettes that he showed us in our last visit! That was super cool, and we are really happy for him, and are hoping he will keep progressing, since he's already left alcohol.

Got told by missionaries from another area that we should not visit a reference that we received from them anymore, since she was interested in the church because her boyfriend was a member, and now that they've broken up, she said that she would hurt us if we came close to her house. So we aren't going to look for her anymore haha.

We were walking in a neighborhood this week, and we saw a jeep backing up really quickly on a street in front of us. Then we saw that it was chasing a cow that was just running through the streets. The Jeep eventually gave up, and the cow ran through the rest of downtown. We had a couple appointments that night, so we have no idea what ended up happening to him, but we hope he's safe. Tried to take a picture, but it was already far away and didn't really work.

Knocked on a door of an old investigator this week, and a dog came out and started barking, then quieted down and started to approach us, so we started to pet it, and it got a little too excited and peed on my shoe. Also found an old drainage pond that seemed really refreshing.

The 12 year old girl we've been teaching (Melany) told us that when she reads the Book of Mormon, she just feels good and peaceful and happy, which I was super excited to hear, since that's how I feel when I read the Book of Mormon! She is wanting to get baptized, but her mom is a little reluctant,  but we think everything will turn out okay.

The family of the house that we blessed last Sunday came to church this week, and the mom and her 10 year old son accepted a baptismal date for Feb 8th!!! Throughout the whole lesson, the mom was on the edge of her seat, hanging on our every word. She has had some really traumatic experiences in her life (namely, she had some people force an abortion on her when she didn't want to), and she is really ready to have all that guilt taken from her because of the Atonement. We are so happy for them, because we've already seen the difference that they've been feeling in their lives since they've been reading the scriptures and praying and learning about Christ's gospel.

Went on divisions with Elder Carman, our zone leader this week. He's from North Carolina, and he's going home in 2 weeks. He is really trying to finish strong and is being a great example to all of us. Plus we talked a lot about Star Wars, which was fun.

Changed our P day to today, so we could go to the temple, which was a really calming and great experience, as always. Afterwards we went with the member who was giving us a ride to look at their horses.

Had a lesson with an elderly man this Sunday just in his driveway (which made me feel like one of those missionaries in the training videos), and what he told us really cut me down to size humility wise. We asked him what some of the greatest blessings he's seen in his life, and he said that his life has been pretty rough lately, with his wife passing away recently, and some of his days just being "dark and sad", but that he was so grateful for the family that he had, for the opportunities he had to have work every day, and just for the life and friends that he had. I wanted to cry so badly when he was telling us those things. This man, who had such a hard life, was so grateful and happy for the things that he has, and it was just really humbling.

The Hernandez Murillo family came to church this Sunday! I spent a lot of time running around the church asking people to go and greet them and making them feel comfortable, and it went so well! Almost the entire ward went out to greet and get to know them after sacrament meeting ended, and when we met with them later that night, they seemed so happy, so much closer as a family, and said that they felt really comfortable and that they want to go every Sunday. They also told us that ever since we have started visiting them and ever since they had started listening to the messages of the gospel, the dad of the family has been a changed man. He's been saying things like "please" and "thank you" more often, he's been more happy, and they said they've been able to have more time together as a family. Feel so lucky to be able to have had a front row seat in watching the change that these people have had in their lives since they have gotten closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Spanish has been coming along a whole lot better. I realized this week that I was no longer translating everything in my head, and that I am now able to just listen and respond to things without thinking about them too much, which has made a big difference.

Things with the companion have been getting a little bit better, although it's still pretty draining to be around him. But we are still doing the work and working hard, which is the most important thing.

Love you guys! I pray for you all. Keep up the good work, and don't be afraid to share things that make you happy and feel good with others.

-Elder Peters