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!!

Week 14-Esperanza-Elder Ramirez

Hi Mom. I am glad that you liked the pictures, and well ya I think the pills helped me sleep, and ya I sleep like a champ in my bed now! (When we packed for his mission, many missionary moms suggested that we send Melatonin with our missionaries because they sometimes have a hard time sleeping with all of the stress of learning the lessons and language. He got a new mattress and it was killing his back and he hadn't been able to sleep, so that's what he's talking about) I got the pictures of me surfing with grandpa watching me from heaven, and I think I'm going to make one of them into a cover for my planner! I REALLY like those pictures!  

 

WE SENT TREVOR A PACKAGE & he sent a video when he got the brown sugar. He saw that the brown sugar said "LIGHT" Brown Sugar and he instantly thought that it was a FAT joke. He's never seen the brown sugar in the bag so he didn't know that it was about the color of the sugar. We laughed and laughed!!

Thanks I love the ties and so does everyone else! ooo ok thanks mom for the brown sugar! and the shirts are great!!! exactly what i wanted! and the garbage is great Elder Cruz loves it haha , Oreos were a dream, I already finished them :( but ya wow, and the Liahona magazine, we have them here mom so don't worry about sending those... but thanks I have a personal General Conference one now:)

(I sent Trevor a voice recorder and this is what he sent me, not bad for the 1st one)

Hello everybody, this week has been really weird and good at the same time, First off with Alfonso he was never really home and his phone was always turned off when we went to go visit him. So we never got to teach him again. I don't know he kind of disappeared for this week. Then after church today we were walking down the street and we saw him walking so we hurried up and caught up to him and asked him how he was doing and such. And he pretty much cussed us out and told us that we were of THE DEVIL and we were NOTHING but FIRE. Soooo ya that's a 3rd time he has told us that he didn't want ANYTHING to do with us. 

So I guess we will see where that goes. 

Other than that we have been teaching a less active family and they have a grandson that is a non-member who hasn't been baptized, he's 9 yrs old. And he's actually REALLY smart and wants to be baptized so we are teaching him the lessons right now and trying to reactivate his family. But his parents are having a really hard time, His dad has problems with drugs and such. His parents have problems, but his grandparents are really neat people and THEY REALLY LOVE THE GOSPEL. But they can't come to church because they work on Sundays. So yesterday we went with a member to talk to them about this and the member pretty much told them that they needed to QUIT their job and have faith that Our Heavenly Father will put another opportunity in their path for a better job. IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY POWERFUL!!

We had an activity with the ward on Saturday, "ONE DAY IN THE MISSION" for the members they could come and we give them capatacion (lesson) and then we practiced with them. The teaching went really well, Elder Cruz and I taught, "How to Teach a Lesson" It went pretty good and then we took them out to visit  the Less actives. We didn't have that much success because NO BODY would open their doors or they weren't home. But we did teach that one lesson with Javier and his familia, it's the one that I talked about earlier.

OH MOM, you kind of jinxs me with getting planched, I had my interview with president this week Friday. But I DID NOT get Planched. He actually kind of reenergized me with the mission work and made me more excited about the work and it went really good.

He asked me (me laughing) if I ever had problems with Homosexual feelings, he's been asking all of the missionaries that, I don't know why-maybe there's a problem, THAT's Pretty funny!!

We walked a lot yesterday like at least 7 miles.It was CRAZY!!! Well I really Love all of you and please continue to pray for all of us missionaries.Have a GOOD DAY!

Elder Horlacher

 Elder Horlacher has a little friend that is getting a piggy back ride.

I'm sure he can get a lot further than walking on his own.

 Typical streets in Mexico that they walk all day long.

Mexico is pretty great!! but its really hot here.. like its still in the 85 almost 90s! its crazy! haha but ya everything is going good. I'm to the point where I can understand mostly all Spanish now haha its so hard to speak correctly tho... but all is going great!! my area is good, small little town dirt roads its cool! but everyone is catholic or a jehovahs witness haha and everyone drinks.

 I'm trying to find out the story behind these pants.

I'm hoping its just dirt and NOT ruined. He told me that he sat on dirt and didn't realize this happened.
His wonderful companion captured the moment.

 He said, "Mom, this is SOOO true!!!"

He LOVES having this knowledge!

 "I Belong to The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,

I know who I am, I know God's plan, I'll follow him in FAITH.

I Believe in the Savior Jesus Christ, I'll Honor his name.

I'll do what is right, I'll follow his light,

HIS TRUTH I WILL PROCLAIM !!!!" 

 More beautiful sunsets, you know my son~HE LOVES THE SUNSETS IN MEXICO!!

Week 13 - Esperanza, Elder Ramirez

HOLa! 

That is sooo crazy!! Cecilee has her wedding dress!! What the heck! I'm actually sad that I'm not going to be able there to witness it... or participate in it.. 

This week was a solid normal week, with some crazy Book of Mormon stories in it too!! Well, to start off we found & contacted A LOT of new investigators this week. We had a lot of lessons and mas o menos (more or less) success. But we taught Alfonzo on a Tuesday and it went good but he is really confused and doesn't have confidence that he can stop smoking... we offered to give him a blessing and he denied that, then we asked if we could say the closing prayer kneeling and he said that was too much for him.... so I am wondering what he is going to do or if he still wants to listen to us..  but we bore our testimonies on how we know that God his Heavenly Father can and will help him if he shows his faith and takes action!! But I don't know if he really took it to heart. 

We didn't really get to talk to Annie about what we gave her because she wasn't there or didn't have time, until a Friday. We went there and started talking and then they asked me if I liked football american and I said, "YES of coarse! I play it" and then I asked who was their favorite teams and haha Annie's reaction was so funny, she was all like "OOO my team is The Packers!! and his is the cowboys and we beat him haha!!" I was laughing so hard, then she invited me to come watch the game on Sunday of the Seahawks and the Packers!!  I had to explain that we have rules in the mission and things we sacrifice for the mission and part of that is TV :) but then we planned a soccer match against us 4 elders vs their family!! haha and there are tacos on the line. Losers have to buy tacos haha and that is happening next Monday, so I will tell you all about that next week! but also we didn't get to catch up on homework we gave her because we were teaching and showing Mormon messages to her husband. But ya she is excited about us elders and knows a lot about our church!! It amazes me haha.

A teenager that we are teaching came to church!!! His name is Joshua he is 12 and is really smart, he knows a lot of English!! He really likes the church and enjoys the time in the church and with the other kids. But the challenge with him are his parents.. they are really Catholic and right now have him on a really tight leash no joke! But he knows and wants to be baptized but is scared of his parents I think... (Please pray that his parents hearts will be softened towards the gospel)

Service this week we gave one of our old mattresses to an investigator that was sleeping on his chairs and really has nothing.. I was really humbled when I walked into his house.. its sad so me and my comp went and got our mattress and gave it to him!! haha we walked about a mile with the mattress on our heads! People were looking at me like I am a white person or gringo! haha but after that we felt good, warm and fuzzy no joke:) 

Well I love you all! and mom what you said about prayer is so true and awesome, I'm going to start saying a new prayer every time I pray to my Heavenly Father!! thanks I love you all so much!

Love, Elder Horlacher

 This cracks me up especially after he explained that they walked a mile carrying this mattress to one of his investigators that had nothing to sleep on.

 He gives "BED HEAD" a new meaning!!

We sent Trevor a package and he asked us to please send him a backpack because the shoulder bag was hurting his back. So here he is modeling his new backpack.

 He is pretty excited!! He is also modeling one of his new ties to match his tan pants.

 I sure love my boy and miss him like crazy!!

Week 12 - Esperanza-Elder Ramirez

Hello Home.. 

Well this week was a normal good working week.  We visited with our convert (Lourdez) and she is doing great! lShe has so much faith in Christ! I am amazed at how much she is learning and everything she tells us is just wow!!!.. She is already an example to me in this gospel! She reminds me every visit how lucky I was to be born into this Gospel... Honestly, I never really thought about that before.. how lucky are we to be born into this gospel with our family to support us in the church and everything... this is a very great huge blessing in my life! and I want to bless others with this blessing that I have been blessed with!! So from now on, I am going to give all I have and plus 10 percent!

This week we were showing a video called, "Who are the Mormons", it shows basically everything about us and what we believe and do.. and in one lesson with a new investigator, Annie, after showing the video we asked her what she learned new about us and what she liked. She replied normal.. but then she just got into deep thought. 

(and she has been taught by elders before like 5 months earlier) and she looked at my companion and asked, "why would Elder Horlacher get called to serve here in Mexico? and he pulled out the scripture in D&C. Then she said, "yes, ok your commanded of God to places"... then she said, "why wouldn't he get commanded to go to somewhere he can speak & explain it is easier?".. then she looked at me and said, "explain it to me! why?" 

And I'm not going to lie, I was pretty nervous, but the spirit was really powerful. 

 So I just said, "well.. why I think and believe why I was called to come here to Mexico and learn Spanish is, before this life we lived with God and everyone that has ever lived in the world and we all needed to come to the earth to receive a body and be tested, and I believe that I knew people there, I had friends there and I promised them that I would find them here on earth and that my purpose or reason for coming here to serve is to find my friends and share this joy, happiness, knowledge that I have with them!  So that they can live with God again." 

And she just looked at me with, I don't know what to call it, but it was like she was pleased with my answer or was just feeling the spirit as strong as I was and nodded her head up and down like you do when you agree or understand.. and then she had questions about the Book of Mormon and really was confused on why we had the Book of Mormon and in the Americas and such.. so we thought we should give her the reading assignment to read 2 Nefi 29. and we´ll check up on her on Tuesday. (Please pray for Annie and FOR ME & my companion that we will be able to answer her questions & help her understand the gospel more clearly.)

But  Sunday, no body came to church.. no investigators... we went to get Alfonzo but he was feeling bad and was still asleep... But we taught him on Friday and all but we really focused on getting him to read the Book of Mormon, and he told us he will so I guess we´ll see.. I have faith he will!! (Please pray for Alfonzo too!)

And I have had troubles sleeping lately... I think it's because the new beds are hard.... really hard.. I don't like them that much but I guess I'm just going to have to get used to them & suck it up, haha.Bbut the mission life is all about being tired.. having your whole body tired all the time, that means It's been a good day! haha but I found vitamins in the house and I'm going to see if they help, so here we go!

I love you all!! and so does God and Jesus our brother!! Don't forget that!! Have a great week!
Love, Elder Horlacher

 Elder Horlacher met Elder Wahlstrom

I had met Elder Wahlstrom's mom on the mission Facebook page and she messaged me

that her son was leaving for the mission and to please have Trevor look out for him.

Well Trevor sent me this picture. They both look pretty happy.

 Trevor messaged me in one of his letters to please send him the recipe for cocoa rice.

I did and he made it. He said that it was soooooo delicious and that his companion LOVED IT.

He said that he told him, "Why can't I stop eating this, it's so GOOD!"

(I did tell him not to fill the pot too much because it will overflow and make a mess!)

 Absolutely beautiful fields 

 After singing the song from his last baptism

"I Like to Look For Rainbows"

 Rainbows take on a new appreciation