Reality of the mission

Another fast week. If only it could slow down just for a week or so. Gotta be honest we did a lot today and I'm burned out. Don't get mad 'cause the letter is gonna be short. This week we were spending all the office time preparing for changes and getting ready for the old missionaries to leave. It's really weird to watch new and old missionaries come and go. The champions are always so sad to leave. I completely understand why. The mission is a wonderful place to be during the ages of 18-26. Here in the mission you get to meet many members, and almost all of them talk about the missionaries that used to be in the ward, or about when they were missionaries. And for some reason we always talk about how you shouldn't go without the right reasons. You shouldn't go obligated or for any type of reward.

This past Sunday my companion and myself gave talks about missionary work and how it's blessed our lives. Verdaderamente amo trabajando en la viña del Señor. We also were so blessed to speak to the primary (who consists of only ten or so kids here) about what it's like to be a missionary. What's hard for us and what's easy. Most the kids asked if we missed our family, our pets, our friends, jobs, school, everything pretty much. And the answer to be honest is always yes. When I first left my house, the 22nd of July 2015, I knew I wanted to be a missionary. I had heard hundreds of stories from my own family, friends, members of my ward. I remember going to mutual activities where we had "missionary moments" in which a member would explain about his mission. It always made me super excited for the time to be a missionary myself.

When I first showed up I'll be honest it was difficult. Harder than anything I had ever done before. You don't speak the language, you don't know the lessons, you get sick from the food, you don't understand the money and what's cheap and what's expensive, you don't get along with your comp, etc, etc, etc. Lots and lots of new things to get used to. Almost every missionary can say at one moment or another they wanted to go back home. But I can seriously say it has been the most amazing decision I have ever made. I have truly come to love what I'm doing and love the sacrifices. I enjoy talking with random people about the gospel. Sharing how it's blessed my life even my family! I have loved loved loved all the studies we do as missionaries. I love to read the scriptures especially the Book of Mormon. I know it's true! It's the keystone to our religion and the way that people can find out for themselves that this IS the true church of Jesus Christ.

I love serving my Savior and I enjoy day by day becoming a better person. Precept by precept, line by line. I know this is the true church. I know you CANNOT find true in any other church. I know it. This is the only place which with authority can seal families forever. For all eternity. It's only possible in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love this church and I love each and every one of you!

Have a great week!! Enjoy the pictures of Naolinco and some other fun activities we did this week!!

Elder Babcock

Alma 5:62

Awesome week and some awesome new investigators! We recently found this older lady named Celia. Her daughter lives far away, BUT was recently baptized in the church. Within a week the name of Celia was in our referrals. We tried to visit lots of times but she was never home. Until one day we found her! And she opened up her door and said thank goodness you're here.. (obviously she spoke Spanish but it's basically what she said). We stayed more than an hour teaching the entire first lesson, about some commandments and finishing with a baptismal invitation. She told us after all the teachings that this is what she needs in her life. She accepted. This Sunday she was there 20 minutes early waiting for us. She told us that she hasn't had the desire to smoke, or drink alcohol, or drink coffee... (as she was consuming all of those things days before we showed up). She is so amazing. A perfect example of someone that the Lord has worked with to prepare her for us to come and teach. I love missionary work. I hope you all can find some way to be missionaries as each and every member of the church should be. Go out of your way to help someone feel the spirit and you will not regret it. I love you all and hope you have a great week!!

Elder Babcock

This is the world's smallest Bible

Amazing experiences in Xalapa

What a week! Had some amazing experiences that I will never forget. It was really slow in the middle of the week. We spend most day in the offices. BUT on Saturday we had a baptism as well as a ward activity. We had invited tons of investigators but weren't sure who would show up. The baptism we had was a young man by the name of Samuel. Yes that's right Samuel. (he's pretty cool) Anyway well one day they said hey Samuel isn't baptized you guys should teach him! And literally three weeks later we had the service! He's an awesome dude and he loves Harry Potter. Well the day came and we showed up to the baptism to find out that four investigators were there waiting! And then when we went to the activity after another two showed up!

It was such an amazing experience to have members talking and getting to know the people we are teaching. A couple we are teaching went out and started to dance and even played volleyball with us! Then on Sunday we went to church and hermana Guadalupe, our recent convert, was asked to share her testimony and experience getting to know the church. In short she's awesome and she cried a lot. She said that she has received her answer to the question if this is the true church and if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. She's sooo poderosa. We got talking with her afterwards and she said I hate that we can't hug you guys cause you have changed our lives.

I'll tell you what, I'm so happy to be here. Knowing I'm changing lives makes me wanna stay even longer. Who knows maybe I'll prolong my mission until the 22nd of August (; (my mom's gonna kill me for even suggesting that hahaha) I love this place and I love the people. I would recommend anyone to come serve a mission. It's life changing and what really is two years? It's nothing and it'll not only change your life but others as well.

To end we went to this place called Xico today for our P-day activity. SUPER huge waterfalls and lots of people who wanted me to buy their knick-knacks and patty-whacks. You'll probably see my UTAH flag picture #goutes don't have to be in Utah to represent hahaha love you guys tons and miss you guys more! have a great week!!!

Elder Babcock

The will of God

This week went by too fast. We have been getting super busy in the offices. End of the month and end of changes are when it's most crazy here. Poor Elder Ix is always busy. He's the financial secretary and has to deal with LOTS of stuff. He said he's ready to leave the offices hahahaha. I actually really love being in the offices. Although it's tough at times to be only allowed the afternoon to go teach people it really makes you prioritize your time and who you visit. We spent two days in immigration making sure our missionaries don't get deported.

We also did divisions and for those of you who know Andy Oblad from my ward, well I got to spend 24 hours with his son, Elder Bowen, who is an amazing dude. I got burned so bad while with him. #walkingfordays I got to meet his investigators and some new people. We were searching for a family (who we both think gave a fake address) and eventually contacted this one house. The husband and wife came out in Morelia jerseys (a soccer team in Mexico, close to where my brother served his mission). We got talking a little outside about the team and other things, like the Olympics. Everyone asks if I'm watching and I'm like no., and they say too bad 'cause the US is winning. Someone will have to tell me if that's true or not hahaha. But after a little while he invited us in the house and we talked a good thirty minutes. Just a normal first talk with him. By the end he had accepted our invitation to come to church and to be baptized.

That night we were watching some Mormon messages on our little DVD player that the mission gave us and one of them is called "The Will of God". I love love love this video and would recommend it to all of you at home. We thought of our experience earlier that day. That the reference we had looked awesome. A family that wanted to listen to us. And when we couldn't find it, I'll be honest we both got a little upset. Like we were trying so hard, contacting all the houses how is it that we couldn't find them. But that well maybe it wasn't the right time and God had different plans for us.

God has a plan for us as well as all of his children and knows the best times and ways for us to grow. I love this work!! This Monday I completed 13 months in the mission and the time is going way too fast. It seriously seems like in no time I'll be home. This time last year I was in my final week in the MTC. Crazy huh? I love you all and hope you all have an amazing week!!! 'Hold tight, knuckle white!' -Brother Lawrence

Love,

Elder Babcock

Short letter

HELLO! Another great week in Xalapa, Mexico and lots of more rain! This is my first week with Elder Ix and it's been a great time! Got to participate in the confirmation of Guadalupe and Michelle which seriously was the coolest thing ever! Gotta be honest but I have no idea what to write this week. This week has been awesome in that some of my older converts I found out went to the temple to do baptisms and that seriously made me so happy. I love this work and I love you guys!! Forgive me for the small letter!!! Enjoy this picture of a dog cleaning up after himself and a huge spider I killed with bug spray and fire!

Love,

Elder Babcock

Watch out for Earl

Well another couple days have passed and I'm writing on Saturday! Because the new missionaries show up on Monday and well I have to help them out with all their paperwork. Gonna be a long Monday but today was an awesome P-day! We were able to go to this anthropology museum in Xalapa which I found out is like the second biggest in all of Mexico! Got to see tons of statues and paintings from the ancient people of the state of Veracruz. We got in for only 25 pesos as Elder Ix still had his student card and they let us in as students! This place was HUGE and we spent a good two hours there. We met TONS of people speaking English and actually found two families, one from Washington state and the other from Michigan who both served their missions here back 20 years. They said it's worth the sacrifice of time to come back after.

Other than that this week has gone by super fast as it's only Saturday. We had some really powerful lessons with one of our investigators who lives with a guy who is already married but waiting to get divorced. We talked with her about baptism, that they should wait until they get married to live together, even if it takes a long time. We were expecting a response like it's not possible but she said she's going to put her faith in the Lord and tell him he has to move out until they get married. She is such a poderosa investigator. Everyone thinks she's a member from her testimony. She told us she wants to stand up this week and bare her testimony! It's been a privilege to be a part the lessons and learn from her as well. Later today we are going to confirm the two baptisms it looks like we will have for tomorrow!! I'm super excited and I'll be sure to shoot some pics on Monday if we do have a baptism.

Not sure if you have heard but there's a tropical storm heading through Xalapa at the moment named "Earl". There has been lots of wind and rain but the WEATHER DEFENDER has kept me dry! hahaha but yeah everything is swell and perfect here! Getting ready for changes has been tough but I've come to love where I'm at. I don't think I've told the normal schedule we have, but it's normally Tuesday through Friday 10am to 2pm in the offices. then the food, and then we leave to work in the streets and visit our investigators. Only Saturday and Sundays we can work all day. Anyway I love you all and I'll send some pics on Monday!! Stay safe and I'll watch out for Earl.

Love,

Elder Babcock

The importance of sacrifice and service

What is up people!! This was another amazing week and some truly special! This was a great week in the mission and we had some perfect lessons. I want to start talking a little about this little family we found about two weeks ago. Actually they went to another ward for four weeks but we have been able to teach and get to know them as they live in our ward boundaries. It's Guadalupe and Michel. It's a mother and her young daughter, who looks 8 but actually is 12. THEY ARE SO AWESOME. Truly 100% chosen people in this time of their lives for the gospel. It has completely fortified my testimony that there are TONS of people waiting and ready to accept the gospel every day, they just cant find it!! Guadalupe is almost 50 and has been living alone for about five years. She has accepted the gospel and its teachings and boy is she one happy mom! We had a very special talk with them this last Sunday where we asked them about their personal and family prayers and reading the Book of Mormon, and she just started to cry. She told us that the other day we went to visit them, not to teach for too long just a little visit to see how they are and offer some service. She said after we left her daughter asked her, "mom have you felt the difference?" Guadalupe asked her the difference in what? Michel told her that she can feel a true difference in their house from before we started to visit them and now. Guadalupe told us that she too has felt this change and that it's all because of our visits as well as those of the members, and the prayers and scripture reading that they have started to do daily. She told us that in almost six months that nobody had come to visit them, and the fact that us and the members of the ward would be willing to sacrifice our time to visit her truly made and impact on her. that she wants to show that love to other people and help them find this truth as well.

I LOVE THIS WORK. IT'S TRUE AND IT'S WONDERFUL! My current companion if you all don't know is actually named Elder Grundvig, (I just found that out yesterday that elder Ix is in trio with us). I wanted to talk about how cool he is and the example he's given me. For those of you who don't know he's my first gringo companion! WHOOO and he's from Highland, Utah. He went to BYU for a year before the mission but I somehow have found a way to love him for what he's doing now and not his past mistakes (; that's a joke I love all BYU fans. Anyway after a good two weeks of being trained by Elder Grundvig I've learned about his qualities, his strengths and his weaknesses. I'd love to share one of his amazing strengths. He is very very very patient. In my two weeks here I've made LOTS of mistakes and put his patience to the test. However he has never been unwilling to help me or give up his time to help me out. He's an amazing example of what I want to be better at, showing love and being able to wait, while being completely content. I'm truly going to miss him as this coming Tuesday he will be leaving, but we already have plans for after the mission, some soccer, some games, and lots of Nintendo 64.

Anyway I love you all tons and I'm doing really great here! I love this place and I love my mission! Little by little I'm getting to know and love even more my mission president, President Greer and his wife and they are just amazing people. Stay true to the gospel and it will help you get through all your problems!

Love,

Elder Babcock

Elder Ix cut his hand so I used my medical assistant skills to patch him up

Pez altar

Which one is Carl and which one is Junior?