Elder Mike Payne: Week 74 - January 14, 2014

So yesterday we just added a zone in our mission called Guacamayas. It is down by the beach and we now have 14 new missionaries in the mission that we took from that zone. One of the zone leaders that was over there, Elder Cantú is now my companion. He is super cool and I think we will have lots of fun and lots of success together. He is from Monterrey, Mexico and he has the same amount of time as I have in the mission. Elder Garcia (my last companion) got transferred to the new zone.

This last week President Camarillo gave us a new standard of excellence. It's pretty crazy. We are working our butts off to complete the standard and its nuts!! He has some pretty lofty goals, but we'll try our best!

So we ended up not marrying that family last week. They are so ready and so excited but as they were filling out all their paperwork, they saw that they have to take a 4 day long wedding class that will prepare them for marriage hahaha! They have been together for 10 years but it's a city rule over here. They had their first day of classes yesterday so hopefully they can get married this weekend or next week! They will be baptized very shortly after their wedding! Keep praying for them.

This last week we also had a super crazy experience hahah! Mom and Dad dont get scared. I was deciding whether or not to share this story and I think its appropriate 0_o. So Elder Garcia and I were teaching in this pueblo called Ixtlahuacan. It's a pretty sketchy place but we have lots of investigators over there. Anyways, as we were walking to a house we hear this loud noise hit the gravel road. We stopped and looked behind us and there was nothing. Then another loud noise. This time we noticed that a rock had fallen. The third time we finally realized that some teenagers were throwing rocks at us from their roof! Not like little pebbles but some good sized rocks. My first reaction came in and I wanted to fight these kids. But then I looked down at my badge and realized I was a missionary....SO a fight did not go down hahahaha!! But I told Elder Garcia to not look up and to just keep walking. These 16 and 17 year old kids threw probably about 30 rocks and we didn't get hit once!! They either have horrible aim or we are like Helaman just dodging arrows like bosses (sorry for those who dont have Book of Mormon knowledge)!!

Also super cool story!! So I don't know if you guys remember Denisse and Rosario from my first area of the mission. They were my first investigators in my mission. Denisse was my first baptism that I had as a missionary. Her mom smoked a lot and still wasn't ready to be baptized while we were teaching. They later moved their house and we lost all communication with them. Well yesterday I saw some elders in the mission office and they told me they she has stopped smoking and she is getting baptized next month!!! I am soooo happy!!!!!

Well I am doing great and I have had another great week!! Thanks for all the love and support!! Love you all and have an amazing week!!!

Elder Mike Payne