Happy 29th Birthday, Mom!!!!

Hello and welcome to the next edition of "Where in the World is Elder San Diego?"!

Elder Cadena and I had a great week. 

We had Luisa and Tania's baptism on Tuesday and it was marvelous! My companion baptized Luisa and I had the privilege of baptizing Tania. They are super great and will be great examples of good. 

Also, in Catholic news, it was the Virgin Guadalupe's birthday this week. I'll explain the hubadaboo about all this confused belief and such when I get home but anyway, the Basilica de Guadalupe (center of the Virgin worship with cathedrals built to honor her) is right along the far edge of my area. What people do is come from all over and from different states of Mexico to give thanks to the virgin and sing the mañanitas to her. (like I said, it's a bunch of hubadaboo) So people come walking in what they call "peregrinaciones" (basically parades of people) and they are called "peregrinos" which translated means "wanderers". I think it's pretty funny that they are called wanderers and they come from afar to worship idols. It's just too ironic for me. But yeah, it was all packed up in this piece and there were many a people who came, an estimated 3 million. 

Then, we had a mission conference this week with Elder Daniel L. Johnson, the area president of Mexico for the Church. He talked to us and shared lots of good things with us on how we can improve the already marvelous job we are doing here in this mission. He gave us a statistic that in this mission of every 9 new investigators we find, we baptize 1. In all the other missions in Mexico, they have an average of 1 baptism for every 15 new investigators that they find. In all of Latin America, the average is 1 baptism for every 21 new investigators found. Thus, we are doing good over here. But, more important than that is the work we as members must complete in retention, activation, and fellowshipping. That is what leads to true conversion and makes it possible for us and others to be worthy for the gift of eternal life. 

This week, our stake also had a big Christmas party which was fun. We also found some additional families this week who we are excited to start working with and inviting them to come unto Christ. We are doing great and I hope you all are too! 

Let me not forget to wish a VERY Happy Birthday to my dearest dearly mother!! Happy Birthday Mom! I don't know how it works out, but I keep getting older and you keep staying 29! Crazy. Much love to you, mom! 

We will have a great week and I hope you all do too! If the world really does end, Happy End of the World Day! If not, I'll talk to you next week! I'll get my schedule all set and let you know what time we will Skype next week. Love!

¡Ten fe y se obediente!

Todo mi amor,

Elder San Diego

Luisa and Tania's Baptism!

I helped teach a Christmas song in English to this group of kids along withElder Wood and Elder Durrant that they performed during the Stake Christmas party and it turned out great!