Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Week 38 - April 29, 2013 - VACATION 2013!

So this week has been pretty awesome!! My vacation was great!! 

So Tuesday we got to the airport and Elder Murdock and I sprinted to call our families hahaha! That was so awesome! It was so nice to call you guys and hear your voices! Man I can't wait to actually see the fam via Skype in like 11 days!! That is going to be so awesome!
So from Guadalajara we flew to Mexico City. We had to sign a bunch of stuff for our visas so that we weren't illegal!  We had a four hour layover in Mexico City so we just hung out at the airport and waited, then flew to Houston and got in around 9pm....but that didn't stop us from having a party. 
The guy who picked us up told us that we would be staying in a hotel and then proceeded to tell us the plans for the next two days. So we got to the hotel and ordered Dominos Pizza and just partied in the room. The only thing that sucked was having the huge flat screen TV mounted on the wall and NOT being able to watch it! But it was super fun getting to talk to Elder Murdock to see how everything is going. He doesn't talk English because he wants to make his spanish perfect. 

On Wednesday we woke up and went to ihop to go eat breakfast! Man that was probably the best breakfast I have had in like 9 months hahahaha! I took so many things for granted in the states! I think when you can say that you miss ihop...you have been in Mexico for too long! Then after ihop we went to the consolate to sign a bunch of stuff for our Visas again, it took 2 hours and by the time we left it was noon. So then the guy that was driving and hosting us asked us where we wanted to eat. We found a mall and ate there. Then the guy told us that he wanted to buy a few things for his family (since he lives in Mexico and can't buy the same stuff there). So we walked around the mall and just hung out for like 4 hours! I think if I were ever to be at a mall for 4 hours before my mission I would kill myself. But to be able to have a little free time was super nice!  
Then the guy finally took us back to the airport and we had to wait for another couple hours...so we called our families again hahaha!! It was so nice to be able to talk to Mitch on his birthday! I was so happy I got to do that! 

We eventually had to end our vacation 2013 and come back to Mexcio. At least this time I know what to expect! We got to the secretary's house at like 2 am and had to wake up the next morning at 6. So I was sooooo tired on Thursday due to the lack of sleep the last 2 nights!!
This week was a super good week in our area and zone as well. We completed our goal for baptisms for this month. In the beginning of every month, every companionship sets the goal of baptisms that they wnt for the next month. Our goal was 9 and that was pretty high. Remember that our zone had only baptized 3 in the last 3 months! Well this last week we had a baptism and completed our goal for the month. President called us on Saturday to congratulate us on our hard work and the success we had in the month of April. We set 5 baptismal dates on Saturday and Sunday so we are hoping to see lots of success this next month of May as well!
Today was transfers...my first transfer as a zone leader...and it sucksss!!!! I have been waiting in the big bus station for no joke 6 hours!! President made a new rule that we can't travel alone so I have just been chillin here setting up rides and companionships here.

I got a new companion today and it will definately be a tough transfer. His name is Elder Alvarado and he is from Veracruz, Mexico. He use to be a crazy fisherman before his mission. I can barely understand his spanish, the mexicans can't even understand him!  He talks so crazy!! But the kid loves to laugh so I am just going to work super hard at having fun and making him laugh. I know that when I finish my mission and have tons of trials, I will look back on my mission and say that my time with Elder Alvarado was when I learned the most about myself.

Well right now I am still at the bus station and I have to wait here for like another 30 minutes and then I get to leave and then I have to go to the offices tonight to host the people that are training. So there goes my P-Day hahaha! But I am excited for this next transfer and for the experience I will have to work with Elder Alvarado. We are going to work as hard as we can so that we can seesuccess and have fun together.

I have tons of meetings and zone leader councils this next week so it should be a pretty fast week for me out here! I love you guys so much and thank you for everythinhg you do for me! I can feel your support all the way out here. Even though I am in a different country, I hope you guys can feel my prayers and love! Goodluck and enjoy the next week! 

Love,
Elder Mike Payne


We have landed in the States!
Writing in my journal in the bath tub... that was such a clean and nice bathroom!
Eating Dominos Pizza... the simple things!
Breakfast at Ihop!
Elder Murdock and I in front of the mall
Superman Ride!
Elder Murdock and I are the coolest!
Eating a Molten Lava cake at Chilli's in the Houston airport!  Best meal EVER!!!
Going back to Mexico
Vacation 2013 is officially over



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