I can't believe it has been two years since I was preparing to go to BYU. I remember staying in the hotel with mom and just enjoying our last few days together. I was such a little baby- I had two sisters living within 5 minutes of me, a phone, a tv, and a laptop. Now I'm just pretty much cut off from the world- but im not complaining... I'M LOVING LIFE!!
On Sunday I had to go to Guadalajara. I had to sign my visa on Monday so I had to go an extra day early. On Sunday I got to stay in Buenos Aires for the night (the area that I started in). So as we got off the bus we were walking through Buenos Aires and it brought so many incredible memories. I went and knocked on the door to the Ortega Sanchez Families house - that is my mexican family!! As I knocked on the door my body just froze and I got the goosebumps like crazy. Elder Santiago and I saw so many miracles in this house and I was just so excited to see them again.
As they answered the door, they couldn't believe what was happening! They all started crying and just looking at me. they couldnt even talk, it was so funny!! Then we started talking about how their lives were going and it is just incredible to see the progress in their lives. In this family, we helped reactivate 3 and baptize 3. They were talking about how they ware going to go to general conference next year and how they want me to go with them. They then told me that Hermana Mayra´s sister is taking the lessons along with her two kids. They will most likely get baptized soon! They are going to take their whole family to the states next year. They told me that they are going to enter the temple next year for the first time. I couldn't believe all the blessings they had received because of the change they had all made in their lives.
After the feelings I have had of not baptizing and seeings tons of miracles, I have realized that it is so much more than just baptisms. I have realized that our job as missionaries is to allow EVERYONE to enter into the celestial kingdom. Whether they accept or not, it's their choice; but what a great work this is. I cant believe I am IN IT!! This has been one of the greatest years of my life and I can't wait to work and change lives this next year!!
The rest of my week was pretty good. We just traveled around all week doing interviews. Monday we were in Uruapan, Tuesday in Morelia, Wednesday in Aeropuerto, and Thursday and Friday in Zamora. We just got back to our house super late last night. We traveled for about 23 hours this last week!!
It is fun getting to know all the missionaries personally and talking to them each individually and getting to see how they are doing in their areas. We had to check their area books and agendas. It took a long time but it went well and I hope the missionaries can all start working harder and seeing lots more success in their areas.
Traveling with President was awesome!! In the very beginning of the week he told us ¨whatever question you have, this is the week. Ask me whatever you want and I will answer every question you have.¨ We aksed him some pretty intense questions and he literally answered every question we had. It was pretty crazy because he let us in on like a bunch of secrets and just told us a bunch of stuff super straight up! But at the end he he said, ¨and no one else needs to know about the things we talked about...¨ so sorry guys hahaha :/
But I had an awesome week and I am doing great!! This next week I will be having divisions with Elder Maccarthy on Monday through Wednesday. He is like one of my best friends in the mission and probably will be like my best friend after the mish haha! Then on Wednesday we will be going to Apatzingan to have divisions with some of the elders over there. President told us we had to have special divisions with them. None of them are zone leaders but he just wants us to work with them and help them because their area is pretty nuts haha!!
Thank you so much for everything and I hope you all have an amazing week!! Take care and God bless!!
Love,
Elder Mike Payne
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