39 People Came to Church this Week!!

 39 people came to church yesterday, up from 30 the week before!  The old branch president and his family did not come. We had a lesson planned with them on Saturday, and when we got there they were eating, and so we told them that we would come back later, but when we came back later they were not there. 

One investigator came to church, his name is Rogelio. He is 13 years old, a big kid. He and his brother and sister and mom were a referral from Juan Manuel, and they are awesome! I am going to send you a photo of me and Elder Hernandez with them. Also, a lady named Alicia came with her son.  They moved here from another part of Mexico 2 years ago, and were baptized over there, but came to church for the first time here in Tuxpan on Sunday. They were also invited to church by Juan Manuel, who also brought his nephew to church, who is not a member. The first counselors daughter from a previous marriage came to church as well. She just graduated from High School in California a couple of weeks ago, and speaks better spanish than us, the Americans here, but speaks english much better, we are pretty sure that she came here for the summer to get baptized:).We also visited many less active members and part member families this week that I think will come to church in the following weeks.
  
We are really excited for this week, and I think that 50 people are going to come to church this week, oh, and another less active, Miriam came to church this week as well, we have been teaching here once a week for all of my time here in Tuxpan, and she came to church for the first time this week.

This is a picture of the 4 elders here in Tuxpan. Elder Mills is the other american, and Elder Cervantes is the other Mexican, Mills is from South Sevier and Cervantes is from Hidalgo, Mexico.  We climbed up to a tribute to the virgin or something this morning.

The names of the 2 kids in the picture are Rogelio and Lalo, Rogelio is the older and bigger one. They came to the church for an activity on Friday, they were 2 of the 3 people there other than the missionaries for much of the time. Hardly anyone came because it rained.

I did 1650 push ups this week, and am just trying in vain to eat better, but oh well, I guess that is not the most important thing right now. We were not able to find Oscar and Luz Maria this week. Lola and her family did not come to church this week. Next week is transfers, but I do not think that I will be going anywhere. I passed the Sacrament again this week without any problems. We are also teaching another part member family, Josefina who is a member, and her son Juan Carlos, and her daughter Alma. She was not able to come to church on Sunday because one of her sons took drugs and got drunk again, and they went to pick them up. I do not know if you guys were praying for me this week, especially you and dad about the problems that I told you guys about last week, but if you were, thanks, because I felt like it went a lot better this week.

I am going to Guzman because we are going to pick up Elder Velazquez. His companion, Elder Rogers is resting in the offices of the mission because he had a serious surgery on his butt, and his companion was working with the zone leaders, but they have to go to Guadalajara for something. It has been kinda funny this transfer because it seems like I have ended up being in Guzman a lot, like I am not quite ready to leave yet. 

Speaking of being ready to leave yet, there is a birds nest outside of our house, and they baby birds have just left the nest, although they come back occasionally to be fed by their parents. It kinda made me think of me and the time that I was living at home and going to college before my mission, what I refer to is that the birds are too big now, they just take up all of the space in the nest and eat all of the food, maybe a little bit like how you guys felt for a little while with me there, haha, alright, I have got to go now, thanks for the great letters as always, I love and miss you guys!

The shoes that Juan Manuel bought me also got here this week, but he is going to go back and trade them for ones that are a half size bigger. I wrote to Lindsey and Zane this week and it sounds like they are both doing well. 

I am lacking a little bit right now in church pants, socks, and garment bottoms, just so you know, thanks, have a great week!