Week 31 ~ Etchojoa ~ Elder Miranda

Hello A Todos!!

Well this week I Learned a few lessons.......

So this week we really focused on visiting the less actives in the ward, and with basically all the members in the branch, to invite them to the family home evening as a branch in the church building. It went REALLY good, we visited with almost everyone! But when it came to the FHE, the people that came were the President and his wife and her sister... and a few teenagers, only because seminary just got out... the total of people were about 12... and half was our investigators. Bulmaro and his family came which was good, they really enjoyed it and had a great time! 

We went and visited Jose the 80 year old and talked to him about baptism, and it is something that in the lessons before he told us, "NO, I'm not going to get baptized in water, I might die"... he was terrified and got really mad.. haha he wanted to be baptized in another way... but this time when we were talking to him, we explained that its something that is necessary! something we have to do in the right way! The same way Jesus showed us! and he understood and agreed to be baptised! but he still needs to come to chruch 3 more times!

This Friday well....... this Friday I learned not to leave my scripture bag in a room where the outside door is open...I started using my scripture bag to carry all my stuff because, dang it all fits!! But this Friday, I left it on a table when we went to eat in another room and when we were going to leave, I was looking everywhere, but it wasn't anywhere to be found.... MY SCRIPTURE bag got stolen!!! all the stuff that was in it includes: my BoM, Bible, my 2 hymn books, pamphlets, and MY CAMERA...  we spent the next 3 hours looking everywhere for the the robber! but we couldn't find anyone!! My heart was broken, I'm sorry mom I didn't know how to break this news to you. I was trying to be real responsible and not let anything like this happen because I know how much things cost and to replace them is more money. I'm so sorry, and that is that... but what I learned from this experience is 2 things, to ALWAYS have my bag in sight, and to be able to FORGIVE people I don't know.  Hopefully they read the scriptures. I have learned to forgive my self for the stupidity, and to forgive this person that has stolen almost EVERYTHING that I do from day to day life as a missionary. I feel clueless, I feel lost..but all is well...Sorry again Mom! I'm NOT in UTAH anymore!!!

I just want to say to all of you BE SMART (smarter than I was.) and to ALWAYS FORGIVE! Forgiveness is Love, Be like a little child again!! Do as the scriptures say! :)

LOVE,

Elder Horlacher

 Elder Horlacher and Elder Miranda

Week 30 - Etchojoa ~ Elder Miranda

Hola y buena semana!!

This week we had a lot of visits to do! no joke... we visited with every less active and every member this week, because I had to introduce my new companion Elder Miranda, and a marriage couple of missionaries (Elder y Hermana Becerra). We went around and did our visits in a little smart car... haha it was so funny to watch people watch us get out of the car! Two big missionary's getting out of the smallest car possible haha.. 

But this week, I had an experience of how dedicated I was to the mission.. so this is my miracle of the week.. we were going to all of our appointments in the night.. but like normal, nobody is home, haha so we went to contact the small amount of people in the streets.. and haha what do you know, there was nobody.. like no body. The streets were dead and it was 8:55pm and we were already outside of our house, and if we aren't in a lesson and its 9:00pm we should return to the house. So there was the temptation, that its almost times up and there is nobody out here. When my companion asked me, "well there's nobody out here, lets go back to the house." And I just thought, "wait, give me a card"... soo we stood on the corner in the dark when out of nowhere a girl carrying her baby walked up, I hurried and contacted her and she is really cool, she is learning English, and was really interested in what the card said. We put a day on the card to go to her house and teach her. Her name is Gaby. We went and taught her the first lesson. She had lots of questions about every lesson that we had to teach. haha so we only taught the first lesson. The next lesson we taught about the Restoration of the church and gave her a Book of Mormon, and challenged her to baptism, she accepted and her date is on the 20th of June. She came to Church The next day so her Date still Stands!! She came with her husband, And he is a Hippie haha but he has a big knowledge of the Savior! and I think he likes the church! All is going good here in the mission.

All of our other investigators didn't come to church so... we will see what happens.. but I know that we need to be strictly obedient, we keep the commandments in everything that we do. haha one saying my last companion said a lot was "Is it worth your eternity?" so really is it worth it? Do all we can while we are here! (me specially in these two years i have!!) 

LES AMO :)

Elder Horlacher

but Hey Dad, the Battle is just this, that IT IS A BATTLE mentally, spiritually, and physically. This is one of the hardest things I have ever done. But it is one of the most beneficial things I  have ever done, I have learned so much about me, about others , and most of all I have learned so much more about the Savior! I have learned to trust in him more and more. It's something I want for you guys, for my family! I love you guys so much! I hope you guys truly know that! I am so happy that you are going to start reading the Book Of Mormon as a family! You'll truly be blessed more in your daily life, you will feel the spirit more in your day! It's amazing what that book can do for us! i will keep the pictures coming haha don't you worry! haha but same goes for you guys! 

Love you so much dad! thanks for writing me!

 District President Ticona with Elders Miranda and Horlacher on Sunday

 He said that these were Campaign stuff that they gave the missionaries

Week 29 - Etchojoa - Elder Hernandez (Transfer) Elder Miranda

So this week I'm not going to write that much because I already skyped you... haha 

But this week we went and visited with Javier and his sons, and Javier is really progressing. He said his first prayer out loud infront of us! which is pretty good for him! he really is trying to change to be baptised! We had Changes today, and my new companion is Elder Miranda. He is from Mexico City... I have had 4 out of 5 companions from there! haha but he is good. We will see how we do after this week. 

But one thing is that I really love my family! After skyping that is something that I really realized how much I depended on them, how much they have meant in my life! I just want to tell you here in my mission it's something that I have realized how important it is to have time as a family, and especially progressing in the gospel as a family! Because that is the way the church has put it, the family progress! not the dad, or just the mom! NO The Whole Family! Read the scriptures as a family, sing a hymn. We learn in the home. Love you all and hope you can feel my love for all of you! 

Elder Horlacher

 Pictures from our Skyping time with Trevor

 We were all eating so he was at the head of the table!!!

 Sydnee loves her brother and misses him sooo much!

All 3 of my girls miss their brother so much!!!

TRANSFER DAY!!!

 Elder Horlacher said Adios to Elder Hernandez and HOLA to Elder Miranda

 Elder Hernandez, Elder Miranda, Elder Hutt & Elder Horlacher

 Like I said, I get a picture of an animal every week!!!

 Transfer Day - Elder Horlacher said that his companion from the MTC, 

Elder Walker is his Zone Leader

 He loves his very first companion from the MTC - Elder Walker

 LOVE selfies!!!

Week 28 - Etchojoa~Elder Hernandez

So we made some sacrifices...  this week we decided to stop teaching José. Because he wasn't progressing, he wasn't reading, he wasn't praying, and hasn't received an answer yet.  But the biggest reason is that he kept putting "buts" so we left him for the future. But what I learned the week is that when we make sacrifices God will open doors.  Right after we left Josés house we went searching for a referral that we received,  and when we finally got there he was reading the Book of Mormon! It was like wow!  His name is Bolmaro.  He has 3 children, and he & his wife are very interested! They took a tour of the church and felt the spirit!  We taught him only 3 parts of the first lesson.  But it went great! He already knows so much!  We are going to challenge them to baptism this week! 

Javier didn't come to church but he will still have his date because his family came to church.  And we put a baptismal date with him this week for the 16th De Mayo! So we are getting work going.  

We also heard from a seventy  on Friday.  And he told us or spoke to us about keeping the Sabbath day holy,  and about the importance of teaching the gospel in the home.  I advice very one to watch the talks given by Russell M. Nelson,  and Dallin H. Oaks again from this past conference.  And put into use what they teach! 

Love you all,  and to all the moms have a Happy Mothers Day!  Specially to my mom,  Tonya! Love you mom!
Elder Horlacher

 They were at a birthday party for this little perlita.

 This is what Etchojoa looks like as they ride through their area.

You can almost feel the heat of that sun!!!!

 I love all of the random pictures my son sends. 

I'll take any picture with him in it!!!

 Elder Hernandez just chilling on the side of the road.

Week 27 ~ Etchojoa ~ Elder Hernandez

This week has been good. We started off by getting bikes for us. Those bikes before were just bikes we borrowed. So we went and found some bikes that some members had that we could fix up and have for ourselves! And we found 1, and when we went to get it fixed at the shop... wow I was really frustrated haha I mean I knew how to fix it better then the 2 teenagers that were trying to fix it!! I was just thinking, they'll learn from their failures haha, because dang it it took them like 1 hour to replace the tire tubes! but all is well! we went to Las Guayabas again on the bikes and taught a lot of less actives! which was good. we are going to be going their a lot more because we have bikes now! 

This week Jose was really sick with the flu. So we went to teach him but he was really exhausted.. so we let him be and rest. but the good news is that he came to church! but only came for the sacrament meeting. We want him to stay for the whole time but he just is really tired he says.. so if you could pray for him, that he will be able to have the faith that he needs to receive his answer and desire! that would help so much!! but our other investigator is the husband of a member, his name is Javier and we have only taught him once but he has came to church twice!! That's really exciting for us, because his family aren't baptized so if we baptize him then 2 of his kids will be baptized too!! Really cool to see the results finally come!

We had the chance to show the, "Meet the Mormons" movie in our church building on Saturday and it went good, the first showing we had about 35 to 45 people come. I love that movie! haha its so good, but im not going to lie... I want to watch it in English! haha but the funny part is that after the movie finished, we had 2 old ladies come up to us and say thanks for everything, I think it was because the last story was the missionary's and they thought that we were soldiers or something ;) I mean we are in the armor of truth and righteousness! haha but it was cool thing for them to see and know more about us!

This week I want to encourage you all to fortify your faith. search scriptures, chapters, books of the church! Have the faith that the Savior will help you carry your load when you are in need. Always show your faith in the way you act. In everything. BE A DISCIPLE!

 Well I love you all!! really do!!

Elder Horlacher

 Trevor and  his companion. He looks so BIG on this bike.

 The things this kid takes pictures of.

 This is Trevor's bike

This is the type of bike that Trevor and his friends

would launch into a lake with, now he's riding on his mission.

 They are living in one room as they are putting

tile in their house. He is sooo excited for tile.

 That's his closet in Mexico.

 Riding their bikes to church.

Week 26 ~ Etchojoa ~ Elder Hernandez

So this week.

This week was pretty eventful.  Wednesday was the first time I rode a bike in the mission! I was so excited to ride a bike!! but like the first 5 minutes I realized that this bike wasn't one of Navy's bikes, it wasn't a nice bike nor was it a comfortable bike. The seat would move up and down, the crank was bent, the seat was broken plastic! haha fun day.By the end of the day my butt was bruised from all the pot holes in the dirt road, and i was drenched in sweat! I would just hear dad's voice telling the story of him riding bikes in his mission in Australia and how he would sweat and the members would have a towel waiting for him!! haha 

This week we taught Jose (the 80 year old man) and WOW! how he is ready for this gospel! he knows a lot already, he asked us if we believed in spirits. And we said yes, so he told us that he believes there is a place where the spirits go to rest! and we just smiled and told him that he is going to love everything we have to teach him! he is so cool! I can honestly say, for the first time, that I want to go and talk to him, I want to listen to him talk about his life. I feel a special bond with him! He is a Friend.

This week the old lady that I bore my testimony about grandpa to last week, her husband died on Thursday morning, the day after I gave him a blessing and I just blessed him with the comfort he needed to go and told him that he can protect his family from the other side.  We helped a lot with his funeral, my companion gave a talk and after we had everyone wait outside while we changed him into his temple clothes and garments. My comp, President Ticona (of the branch) , and I changed him! They do things a little different here in Mexico. They don't embalm and they change him after the services. That was quite an experience for me, I've never done anything like that before. But it was really spiritual. 

This week was good we found a lot of new investigators from families of less actives.There are many members that have people in their family that aren't members!! So that's good work for us to do! Well I LOVE YOU ALL! and I just want you all to show your love for your friends and family, people you don't know, because we never know what's going on in their lives, we could be helpful without even knowing it. Or even we don't know how long we have here in this life! Show your love, there is no better time then now! LOVE You all!

Elder Horlacher