Week 6 in Esperanza-Elder Islas

Hola de aqui in mexico... 

All is well here. but this week was really slow because like half of my district thought they were going to leave to they spent alot of time together. It is kinda rough.. but all is well. but last pday we made hand made tortillas!! aww they were so good and actually fun to make..  

Tuesday we had interviews with president and all my district and zone got planched (like getting put straight? i used to say hammered?) haha but i had a 5 second interview... he didn't even shut the door.. haha but i guess he planches, hes a plancher haha they say i'll see in my next interview... but all is well i need it:) but Tuesday I brought my English scriptures with me cause i had to study at the church, so i was carrying my scripts all day and we took the bus to go to mutual that night and i forgot my scriptures on the bus!! in mexico... o my i was so depressed, but my comp. asked me if i wanted to go try and get them, ( earlier i studied about faith and how we need to act for god to bless us) so i said yes lets go, as soon as i said that i started a prayer and just kept asking and asking that i could be able to get them back.. when we got to a spot where all the buses come back to, and waited for 25 minutes. then finally it came back and we ran on and asked the bus driver and he just said oooo.... then turned and grabbed them from his side and said these? ah man i was so feliz!! so so happy so much gratitude! man i mean its just scriptures but it had sentimental value you know?

Wednesday we taught a women whose name is maria lourdez and we taught her the first lesson.. and it was my turn to teach how the gospel blesses family's, so i did then i bore my testimony of it and how i can see the blessings in our family. then later on the lesson i was going to teach on the earthly ministery of christ when i just felt like i should ask her if she feels the holy ghost and she looked at me alittle confused but then realized, and it just hit her(the spirit) she teared up and said yes.. i felt it when you bore your testimony on families and i want that unity in my family.. man that was a great lesson, we didn't get to all the points because of my bad order.... but esta bien.  but something my companion said after the lesson that was a eye opener was he said " you know why she was chosen for us?" i said no what do you mean? and he said " well she has had missionaries over before but didn't have them return... its because she could understand everything you said! " i just knew wow.

but the rest of the week nothing really exciting.. i mean Sunday, we got our transfers....I am getting a new companion today, his name is Elder Ramerez? ya. Elder Islas is going to Navajoa, he has a coastal city!! but ya 3 missionaries left our district. so i'm teaching my area.. haha man.. hard life here as a missionary.. ;) but we walked around all Sunday saying goodbye to members investigators, I saw tears, not ready for more goodbyes.. but as my comp. was packing I decided to clean. haha and rearrange because who ever knows me and my room knows I love to rearrange :) I'll send pictures soon.

Miracle of the week: is two Sundays ago we were walking back to our house at like 9 when we were right around the corner when i noticed a white little car following us... then it sped up and got in front of us and the window roled down... then i heard "elders" in a crying panicky voice of a women.. she was in a hysterical crying depression... i couldn't understand anything she was saying... i felt so bad. but we cant counsel with her so we took her to the bishop. then we left and went back home.. then i asked why she was crying and my comp. explained to me that she has had problems with her son and drugs and he one time punched her because of the drug problem.. and she planned that night on killing her self. she was going to drive off into the canal and kill her self.. while she was driving to do it she saw us and knew that god still loved her and knew it wasn't what she could do. that is just so amazing to be just a tool like that to save someones life with doing nothing.. just being a servant or a tool of god. it just proves to me that god loves everyone of us, and he knows us! because there is no coincidence? when your doing gods work. i know that it was his hand in putting us there so she could see us! i love our heavenly father so much! helps me everyday! and all of you we just need to see it! recognize it! i love all of you!

Love,

Elder Horlacher

I cannot tell you how much I love seeing that face!!!

He loves his PDays when they get to learn how to make new things.

 Elder Horlacher making tortilla's he said they were delicious!!!

 He said that they had this carnival in town and SOOOO wanted to go on the rides,

but one of the workers said that he was too big, but he could play Foose Ball. haha

He said it actually was a lot of fun, and he never has fun playing foose ball.

 He wanted to show me his new blanket that covers his whole body.

He said that he's made some rearrangements on his room so we will most likely see a new view.

 He said that the Cemetery's are CRAZY!!!

Here are a few different views of the cemetery.

 

 

 He absolutely LOVES the sunsets their in Mexico.

 He said that he eats a lot of corn at mutual every Tuesday night.

 I don't know how this picture is doing this.

It must be a feature on his camera that he didn't realize.

But he said that this was a Nino.

Week 5 in Esperanza-Elder Islas

hola familia....

este semana not much has happened but ill try to explain it the best i can....

First thing we went and knocked on doors of some investigators.. no answers so we contacted a guy... not much happened with him. but we then went and invited a less active member family to church and they excepted and said they would come. oooo and also while we were teaching they gave us some water that... o my the cups had brown stuff on it and the ice in the water had yellow floaties in it.... and when it melted aww man i did not want to drink the water anymore but i didn't want to offend so i just looked up and chugged it.... wow!!! haha that was rough :) haha but then she asked if i wanted more i was just like NOOO  I'm good thanks tho... (but in Spanish more or less). but next we taught a women that lives by the canal and she liked what we were teaching but her grand kids were just so crazy and distracting... the lesson took awhile to feel the spirit but when we did feel it we jumped on it and asked if she would be baptized and she said yes ( of coarse when you feel the spirit that strong who could say no:) and plus it takes a lot for a Mexican here to say no... man kinda frustrating at times get our hopes up for no show or don't keep their commitments.. but the women that lives by the canal said she will come to church this week... so help pray that she will come. this is the biggest struggle here on the mission is getting them to come to church, because if they don't come to church then no baptism... but her baptism date we set for her is December 3rd, so hopefully she keeps her commitments and comes to church then she´ll get baptized that day!! 

But also we went by Rafeal´s house ( lately they have been avoiding us.. ) but this time they were outside in front sitting so no way they could get out of this time.. but we asked if they like us teaching them, and how they feel when we are teaching.. they said good, and i know they feel the spirit while we are there.. and they really could use the gospel in there lives.. but we taught them the importance of coming to church and they excepted and said they'll come.

Also this little carnival rides thing came in town... man they look so sketchy!! but soo fun at the same time! I wish I could try them out! they have the one that does the full circle ( but remember they are all miniature compared to america) , a rollercoaster, a farris wheel? Foosball tables... we played Foosball today and man OH man that was so fun! i haven't had fun playing Foosball before I'll be honest but that was so fun! we spent like 30 pesos playing haha..

But Sunday came around and its time to see if investigators are coming to church... and we waited and waited and nobody... really kinda heart breaking.. but i don't know i feel this next week will be better. ooo and this next week is my first cambios (transfers) here in mexico.. so we´ll see if i get a new comp or not.. 

I love you all so much! thanks for all! everything! todo! en verdad! gracias! Mucho amor para ustedes. 

Love, Elder Horlacher

While we were online together these were a few things that he shared with me:
I asked: Did you get a blanket? Yes mom it took me a while to find one that would cover my body. The lady helping me said that I was TOO BIG!!! haha It cost me 127. I FREAKED OUT and said, "$127.00 for a blanket?" He sent back, "HAHA sorry to freak you out but I know you've missed it, but WHO freaks you out now that I'm gone? NO mom its 127 pesos, that's like $10.00"
I asked him: Have you seen any cartel?  i saw my first weed ever on the bus last Sunday!!! i was so shocked! i wanted to take a picture but i didn't want to get shot... so i decided not to  haha
I asked: How is the language coming?  Mom I'm doing good! a little rough at times... when people tell me they don't understand me,, that's just a heart breaker you know... i'm trying my best and its just a punch in the throat..

Week 4 in Esperanza-Elder Islas

Que tal familia?

So Wednesday I got a hair cut during lunch, he gave me a really good haircut haha. it feels so good to have my short hair again! but definitely not as good as Jeff!! haha but during my hair cut i heard the song by one direction, steal my girl haha it is a really catchy song... i kinda like it haha too bad i cant listen to it right now. but also i haven't heard music that i can understand in like a week so that was nice. but after the hair cut we went to our investigator (oscar) and he had already pre-read the pamphlet and only had questions about joseph smith but we taught him the 1st lesson just in case, then he really didn't have any questions at the end haha but that lesson was the first time that me and my companion went subject switch to subject! it went great! I was so amazed at how strong the spirit was when we share the time!! The, I asked my investigator how he was feeling at the finish and he said "bien" (good) then I testified how the holy ghost works and how he can feel this feeling again when he prays and reads. it went great :) but we haven't challenged him to baptism yet.

ThursdayIi went on another inter cambio with Elder Orrenall, he's a good elder but he knows how to get under peoples skin by doing certain stuff... but he just threw me into the lessons with out warning... he said " i throw you into water, so you can learn how to swim" haha in a mexican voice.... haha but that day ended pretty frustrating... pero esta bien.

Friday, We walked with no answers, so we contacted some people that were in their front yard, and they told us that we can come back another day and teach their whole family so that was exciting, but we`ll see if they mean it or not.. some people say yes to get you to leave or just don't say no... kinda rough.. just like leonarda and rafeal.... they have stopped answering our knocks and yells... we can see them at times and know they are in there but they just don't answer its really sad... that they made that decision. 

Saturday I gave my first tour of the church!!! haha i didnt know words for everything so i just kinda walked and nodded.. but prayers really do get answered! i know that for a fact that heavenly father listens and answers every single question in his own time and way. i had two experiences this day with prayer, first i prayed that people would soften their hearts and take the tour and listen to our message.. and we only did tours for 1 hour but we all had a tour at the same time!! like boom boom boom, just like that i was just thinking wow... but the second experience is we were just answering questions that Oscar had, not teaching a lesson just checking up... and he was asking questions and i didn't know, i was really tired and it was dark and i started to almost fall asleep, and i knew that Oscar was sincere with his questions but i couldn't really understand (my spanish is rough with understanding...) so i was getting tired.. but i knew that i need to pay attention so i said a prayer in my heart that i could get energy or receive help to stay awake and right then i felt like my eyelids were lightened and i had no desire or tiredness the rest of the night! we are really lucky we can pray (talk) with god! so my advice is PRAY(talk) sincerely with him.. take time to pray. 

Sunday was stake conference... really small still smaller than one ward, different but cool. nothing happened this day... 

Monday played soccer for the last time... it is now a rule that we can't play soccer because a hermana was playing with elders and got bumped and cut her face, shoulder, leg... and the bill is really big.... so no mas soccer, so if i come back fat now you know why ;) haha but really.... i'm really depressed about that... but today we made home made doughnuts at a members house and they were alright, but i think i would rather just buy them haha. 

I love all you. Really, DON'T ever doubt that! I miss you tambien. Hope all is well.

Love, Elder Horlacher

 PDAY with some of the Elders in his area.

The last time playing soccer.

 I can't get over how much bigger he looks than the other Elders.

Look at the size of his neck, legs, head!!!!

 He was pretty excited about being at a Carl's Jr. that reminded him of home, 

Clean & yummy food.

 He said that it was REALLY nice

 He got his burger to go and ate on the bus.

 He said he enjoyed EVERY bite!!!

 Learning to make donuts at a members house.

 Elder Horlacher taking his turn in making donuts.

 He's showing us HIS donuts that he made

 A full pan of donuts

 He said that it was fun to learn, but would much rather just buy them.

 "Delishioso"

 Random pictures Trevor takes

 I hadn't seen him wear his khaki pants during his mission yet,

so I asked him why. He tells me, "They remind me of "Dad pants" and they are HOT!

 I told him that I want to see them on him and he better send me a picture.

He will never know unless he tries them out.

 So he sends me these pictures and says,

"Mom, I wore these pants for you today! I was right, THEY ARE HOT!"

(He did just get done playing basketball)

 But they are more comfortable because I've gained weight and they are a bigger size.

 He's telling me that he LOVES me!!!!

 Yes that is one of his companion's behind him.

He looks like a GIANT compared to him.

I sure LOVE my BOY!!!