Week 18 - Esperanza - Elder Salazar

HOLA con todo mi corazón!!

This week was a really good week, but really sad at the same time.... haha but to start off I want to just tell you how crazy last Monday was & how protected we are as missionaries!! So to start off we packed up Elder Ramirez, then we were waiting outside of our house, then we started walking & then stopped and thought, its better just to wait for a bus to pass here, so we walked to the shade and when we got there, we heard a tire squeal? then a boom!! and there was a car accident right where we were standing!! haha that was a dang cool experience! Nobody was hurt but it was really cool, because we know that Heavenly Father prompted us to move!! Then the bus came and while on the  bus we drifted a muddy corner in a bus!! haha I was just loving life, (I hadn't felt adrenaline like that in a long time) Then on the way back from dropping off Elder Ramirez's things, we got stuck in the mud on the bus for 20 minutes... and I was still loving life!! haha we were just laughing at NOTHING!! Everyone probably thought we were just "crazy mormons"... haha But I really had a great day, I thought it was funny, I just kept giggling. 

But this week we really tried to work with members. So he took us to one of his elementary teachers... and we already tried to teach his wife, and she is the really, really catholic women... but he is really different, he doesn't have a lot of religion aspect like his wife. He doesn't read the bible and doesn't go to church that often... so we started teaching him and everything went really well, he said he would read the pamphlet and that we can return!! so that was really cool! 

This week we contacted 72 people in 5 days... and I don't think I've seen or have received so much rejection in just contacts... but maybe we weren't contacting that much before, but we only received 22 references! I was a little discouraged and thinking, "what are we doing wrong, what do I need to do?" but we are talking to people for the first time maybe, but I can say that we have found new investigators! People that are facing some troubles and we literally have the answers from God in our message for them!! and I am so happy glad that we found them when we did, I cant wait to share this message with them.

I just want to say, "Let your light so shine forth!" 

 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

be the best that you can be, & be proud that you are mormon, because it is true joy that we can participate!! I got to watch the movie, "Meet the Mormons" and that's what I realized is that they expressed the joy and happiness that they felt with others, whether it was through charity or by helping others, sharing what we know with our friends or just someone. Lets be the light of the world!

Love Elder Horlacher

 Brand New District:

Elder Miller, Elder Salazar, Hermanas, Elder Cruz and Elder Horlacher

 Elder Horlacher's companion hurt his back and so Trevor said that he did

a Doterra treatment on him. He said, "Mom all I had was DEEP BLUE RUB,

so I put that on him and put a warm compress and then put a bag and a towel.

He said that he felt so much better the next day. 

 I think these two pictures are quite interesting, taken a few seconds apart

and one is filled with orbs and the other clear. GO FIGURE!!! 

 ON Saturday, which was my mom's birthday I received this.

 He LOVES his grandma!!

 He said that it looked like this dog just came from grocery shopping

Elder Horlacher, Salazar, Miller and Cruz

Trevor's new companion: Elder Salazar

Week 17-Esperanza - Elder Ramirez~(Transfer) Elder Salazar

Love!!!! I love you all and want you all to know that!! Happy Late Valentines!!

Well, last Monday we went to the flee market and wow its sick!! I bought a green mexico jersey!!! Yep, I'm pretty happy about that buy, because I don't know I just like jerseys now!! Then on Tuesday, we went to Obregon for zone conference, and it was good. I got to see Elder Riech and Elder Wahlstrom again, and they are the ones I took the picture with! Then we went to a teaching appointment with Jose. We asked if we could start with an opening hymn, and of coarse he said, "yes", so we picked the song "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet" so we started singing and right after we finished the first line, the first sentence, he LIFTED HALF OF HIS BODY,  then farted.... and wow it was really loud and haha I couldn't sing after that!!! I tried but I would just ruin the song, so my companion sang all four verses solo, while I was just crying in laughter haha soo bad!! haha dang I couldn't believe that happened. :) but Wednesday, we taught Javier about the Law of Chasity.... haha we taught a 9 year old about the Law of Chasity! Crazy!! We started out explaining about how every person has a box where they can't touch or let others touch, and they just kind of laughed awkwardly haha but in the end we thought that we had taught everything, and my companion said, "is that all?" and I said, "I think so", then I thought, "NO".... and then the point of pornography popped into my head and I said, "no.... we still need to teach about this~Pornography!!" and so we did and when we said that it is really bad, the cousin said to the other boy "I told you that that is bad!!" I was just shocked, that a nine year old had already been introduced to porn.... and how the Holy Ghost is really there helping us teach and puts the thoughts into our head what we need to teach because Heavenly Father knows us and what we need personally!! 

Thursday, we taught the family of gold :) and wow they have a lot of contention in their home. The dad is a drunk, the mom is a planchador, the son I don't know.... the mom just planched all of her family right in front of us, and I felt so bad.  The contention in the room was sooo strong, I was just thinking, wow~ Satan really does find joy in destroying families... but by the end of the lesson, the mom had to leave the room because she was crying, but she said, "oh something is in my eye" I was thinking, "uh huh sure ;)!" In the beginning she said that she likes our church but she knows that its not her time to change religions... and by the end she said, "yes it's my time!" haha. So we invited her and her family to church! And they said, "yes" but the dad, he didn't want to go...

Friday we went to Hornos!! Hornos is a little town (size of Glendale, UT) about a 30 minute bus ride that is in our area! and wow it is sooo sick, cool, sweet, suave, padre, cual quiere. But we found some cool spots, and found some investigators!!! Then when we returned we taught Marco y Conception, my 3rd grandparents :) and that went really good, but Marco is sick with Diabetes... so that's hard for him, he is 80 years old... and his wife is 84! 

Saturday it rained during the night so it was feeling like California or Hawaii!! It was soooooo nice but the people here in Sonora think that it's cold at a 60-70 degree range... so we made hot chocolate for tours, haha and guess what the sun came out and it was hot again, so we were giving hot chocolate to people in the HOT... haha. And also we went to teach Jose again and to invite him to church, and when we were teaching about the commandment of keeping the Sabbath day holy, in the end we asked if he would come and he said, "NO"... and we asked, "why not?", and he just said, "I don't feel good", so I asked how he felt during church, and he said, "I felt good, peace, calm".. so I said, "why don't you want to feel that way again? why would you not want to do something that makes you feel like that again? why?"
 (my first planch in the mission:) and he didn't respond... but in the end I asked him, "Do you want to go to church?" and he just said, "it's that I don't feel good".... so i just said "ooo ok so you don't"... and that was that, and I made him a promise, "that if he wanted to come to church in the next Sunday that God would bless him and open the doors for him to be able to come!" so that was a lesson I wont forget..

Sunday, Javier came to church with his family!!! It was soo cool to see him with his family all singing together, smiling, feeling the spirit!! Ya that was an awesome thing to see!! Then we received our cambios or transfers!!! and it turns out I'm staying in Esperanza for another 6 weeks!! I guess my work here isn't done :) my new comp. is Elder Salazar from my district, he just moved upstairs into my house haha he lived underneath us...Elder Ramirez is now a zone leader in Obregon! how cool!!

Well I love you all thanks for everything!! les amo muchismo :)

Elder Horlacher

 Elder Horlacher with Elder Riech and Elder Wahlstrom

 Javier and his cousins with the missionaries

 Javier

 Trevor showing off his wheelchair skills.

The lady was cracking up because she had never seen this done.

HORNOS

 Trevor has a great friend, "Robert Schwenke" and this is his stance "The Schwenke"

 Don't Touch the water!!!!

THE BUS RIDE

Week 16 - Esperanza-Elder Ramirez

HELLO FAMILIA!!!!

Well this week was pretty good, to start off Monday we went to Sam's and bought 12 liters of milk and I've drank 8 of them already, yep I love Milk and I'm getting chubby. Then we went to Walmart and ate Chinese food, which was really good & cheap-I know it's kind of surprising. I picked up Oreos and Chips Ahoy and I am almost done with them and they were BIG packages. (Oh I am not eating very healthy!)

But Monday, Fui Bien we still haven't been able to play soccer with the family.

(In the background Elder Ramirez-"Hello Family Horlacher" Trevor corrects him and says, "Horlacher Family" Elder Ramirez - "Horlacher Family-Sorry I am stupid, I'm learning English" haha)

On Tuesday we were trying to do a pyramid as 4 of us, but it's kind of hard when we don't have someone to take the picture so we put it on self timer that was hard but all was well. I hope you liked those photos.

(In the background "THE BEST TWO YEARS" music playing and Elder Ramirez singing, Trevor laughing).We also ate nachos and I ate one of the best hamburgers I've ever eaten 

at a members house, Hermano Osoona very good guy that gives us cheap prices for food.

On Wednesday we had Inter cambios with Elder Cruz and we did SOME WORK!!

Contacted quite a bit of people and I sent you pictures of my backpack. I attached a waterbottle at the bottom so that my back doesn't get sweaty to put air in between. 

And during the lesson it was my first day with it, I put it on my lap and the bottle was in between my legs and the dad and the sons were all laughing at me and I was wondering why are they laughing is something wrong with my face? So I started watching their eyes and they all started looking in between my legs and the bottle was in between my legs and it looked very bad.  That's all I'm going to say, it almost ruined the lesson. It took an hour to get started with the lesson again.

I think the highlight of the week was when we got a reference from Elder Cruz and Elder Salazar and we went to go contact them at their house and it was a family and we taught them the first lesson and we felt like they were prepared "CHOSEN". It's pretty cool. Pretty cool family, 

it was probably one of the best lesson I taught, it went GREAT!!!  And in the end they gave us cookies, that made it even better.

Thursday we taught 5 other lessons (Investigator lessons) That was such a great day!!!

On that day we didn't have time to plan that day so we didn't plan and that ended up being one of our best days. So we figured if we don't plan we have better days so we are going with that, we aren't planning anymore. (Just kidding Mom)

Friday-NOTHING happened, absolutely NOTHING - we walked and walked and walked.

Nobody was home or weren't able to listen to use until 7:00pm with absolutely nothing then we went to Hermano Davalos and gave him a lesson and we ate. 

Saturday we gave tours and contacted Jehovah Witnesses, they are so funny they don't ever want to listen but they want to teach, not a good teacher.  Then we gave four lessons with Hermano Davalos and he has got to be the funniest old man that I know. He is 80yrs old and so active. He invited an investigator to church and he straight up told him that he wasn't taking NO for an answer, you are coming and that he would be there tomorrow to pick him up so be ready. 

So the next day we went to pick him up and he was sitting out in front of his house,

He said, " I'm not going to go, It's too much of a hassle for me", he has a sickness that only half of his body works, he only has feeling on the left side of his body and he has to go pee very often. 

Then they told him, "we have been teaching you for hours and you haven't had to go to the bathroom, so just come for an hour and we will bring you home and after this one hour you can do what you want."

So the man said, "OK I will go" 

I really think he liked it, He was happy and told us, "I want to see you tomorrow."

Also 2 investigators came to church, the best that I've seen in my area since I've been here.

Javier's family came to church and that was so good to see. This week has been GOOD!!!

LOTS OF GOOD WORK IN ESPERANZA!!!

Today we are going to go to the market and see if we can find some cheap Mexico Soccer Jerseys.

And I'm going to make oreo balls. 

I hope you all enjoy this, I'm standing in the road talking into this little thing and everyone is staring at me weird, but it's ok they don't understand what I'm saying!! I love you all!

ADIOS, HASTA LUEGO!!!

Elder Horlacher

Trevor LOVES food, he said that this burritos reminded him of ALBERTOS!!

Trevor made a contraption to add to the back of his backpack to allow airflow between his back and backpack, because it's so hot. 

He shared a funny story, The first day with his contraption they went to an investigators house and he had his backpack on his lap and totally forgot about his contraption. While holding it on his lap the family was laughing. Trevor was thinking, "What's on my face?" then he followed their eyes to his lap to the waterbottle. He said that they were not thinking good thoughts and it took a while to start the lesson. 

Elder Horlacher & Elder Ramirez with Hermano Davalos

 These Elder's love that Trevor is so strong and big.

Here he is carrying Elder Salazar with Elder Cruz

 ESPERANZA

 Trevor has transfers coming up, so he is trying to take in ALL of Esperanza, just in case

he gets transfered

 He said that these were the scariest stairs that he has ever used.

 Elder Horlacher cutting Elder Cruz's hair after doing his own.

 The finished job of haircuts

 Working out with Elder Ramirez and Elder Salazar

 Trevor has come to LOVE to cook, so he said that he looks forward to breakfast & Dinner

everyday to cook something new. He asked Cambria to send him the Oreo Balls recipe.

Well here are his Oreo Balls in his refrigerator.

 I think his face is like that because he doesn't usually wear long sleeve shirts or a suit.

He's getting ready for Zone Conference.

 Trevor bought himself a green mexico soccer jersey.

The Red one was from Angel before he left on his mission.

 ZONE CONFERENCE

Week 15-Esperanza - Elder Ramirez

RAIN! MUD... :)

So this week we really tried to focus on contacting at least 10 people in the streets.. and one thing I like to think about when we are doing this is "that every contact or person we talk to is very important or is a little seed we plant in their heart". So we went and the first little lady I just started talking to, haha my broken spanish, but she understood me and she let us put her address down and we gave her a pamphlet! and I can honestly say that we have encountered some good people that are very ready for this gospel!! 

On Thursday we went and taught Annie the first lesson and she was really confused with our principles and doctrine and the Book of Mormon. So we tried explaining it all and try to unconfuse her but it was just making it worse, so I just said lets teach her the first lesson it answers all these questions.So we did and by the end she didn't have any questions! that was a good day. Then after that she gave us some cereal! Man Fruit loops are amazing.... I dont know why I didn't like them before but wow, today I went and bought me some haha.

Friday It Rained!!!! I was soo happy! :) I love the rain, but during the rain we had a meeting with President and all the 6 months and fewer missionaries.. so I didn't get to work in the rain... I was pretty sad but glad I wasn't wet, so that was a blessing:) but I also went on a intercambio with Elder Reich. That was a good day with the zone leader. We taught 2 lessons and contacted 11 people in the streets! haha it was funny to watch people look at 2 Americans walk down the muddy streets and talk Spanish with them haha. Elder Reich helped me with my study's and told me not to listen to people when they tell me that I don't speak good Spanish or anything like that which helped a lot. 

Sunday. Javier came to church with his uncle and with his cousin which are members! I think they really like church and they will become more and more involved in the church. But before church started the other elders contacted a guy on the street and invited him to church and he accepted haha and after sacrament meeting, in the principles of the gospel class he gave a cross necklace to a sister missionary and made her put it on haha it was so funny!! She couldn't say no... haha but after church we went over to Annie's to teach her the 2nd lesson plan of salvation, but they were watching the super bowl and she invited us in to get a drink and I saw that Seahawks just scored and it was 24 to 14 Seahawks... and that was such a temptation... dang football haha but ya we left in a hurry haha but ya that is this week. 

But I just want to say it is important to be happy, because when we really think about it we are children of god!! who loves us so much that we can't even comprehend!! And is always there to support, help, and lead the way for us! we have the Atonement to help us feel this peace and joy and love of our father and jesus our brother!! and by showing your happy in your smiles and such in the street or where ever you can plant seeds in peoples heart about Mormons, or our church, or even like the quote,

 "Live your life so that those who know YOU but DON'T know him, will want to KNOW HIM because they KNOW YOU!"            Love all of you thanks!

Elder Horlacher

Elder Horlacher made Teriyaki Chicken ALL BY HIMSELF!!

I think someone is missing his mom's cooking!!

 GOOFY MISSIONARIES!!!

Trevor's MOTO "ALWAYS BE HAPPY!!!"

 He Looks very BIG in the air!!!

 I don't know what they are doing here, but having fun!!!

Elder Horlacher and Elder Wahlstrom

These people are Elder Wahlstrom's parents.

I met his mom on Missionary Mom's Facebook page and we have been communicating since our

boys were called to the same mission. It's so much fun to meet fellow missionary parents.

We are hoping that they get to become companions!!