No More Tracting!

Hey guys!

What an exciting week we had!

First big news: the way mission work in Mexico has changed drastically. We are no longer allowed to knock and contact. Instead, our work will be focused on working with members and getting them to participate in missionary work and lead us to those who are prepared for the gospel. 

As a mission, I would say that we understand the Spirit better than any other mission in the world and how to recognize it and acting upon its promptings. I will have to tell you later about our way of working with members, but suffice me to say that it is incredible inviting the Spirit with members and see it work in them and inspire them so we can receive references from them. We are already starting to see the fruits of our labor that we will soon have. How exciting! The Lord is definitely speeding up His work and changing the way it is done for the better. We are going to see amazing things happen in this mission. I know the Lord has a grand work for us to accomplish and we will surely do it. 

I love you all! Have a great week!

¡Ten fe y se obediente!

Todo mi amor,

Elder San Diego

Elders of Martin Carrera

Conquer the hill!

"Families Are Forever!!"

Hey guys!

This week was okay. We are still working hard and trying to find good investigators though. We had one good experience this week with a young guy. His name is Luis and he is 17 years old. When we were knocking we found him and he invited us to come back to talk with him. When we went in we talked to him a little and he ended up telling us his dad died about a year ago from a heart attack and he felt that God was unjust and has sort-of lost a little bit of faith. We recognized his need in that moment and taught him about life after death and why God allows what we say to be bad things to happen to good people. The spirit was really strong and he felt it and regained more of his faith. We didn't have enough time to explain baptism to him and invite him but we are excited about him and he is really good. So, we will continue to work hard.

Hope you all are doing great and continue to do so! Love you all!

¡Ten fe y se obediente!

Todo mi amor,

Elder San Diego

I Know This Church Is True!!

Hey!

This was a good past week. We continued to work hard but saw just a little bit of success. Somehow, all of our investigators got sick this week so we weren't able to see any of them. But, we did baptize finally. We baptized a grandson of some members in our ward and his name is Emiliano. He's a good kid and loves to learn and go to church so it's good. We should have a few more in the next few weeks once our investigators get all better. In the meantime we will continue to work hard and find more people.

I know this church is true. I know God shows us our weaknesses so we can be humble enough to receive his blessings. I know the work I am engaged in is true and that it is the Lord's work. I know as we truly rely on God, we receive guidance and love and help from him.

I hope you all have a great week!

¡Ten fe y se obediente!

Todo mi amor,

Elder San Diego

Martin Carrera missionaries

Emiliano's baptism

¡Conferencia General!

Hey hey!

This week was just conferences, conferences, and more conferences! Tuesday we had a Mission Conference, Wednesday we had interviews with President Tervort, and Thursday we had a Zone Conference. Whew! Lots of good stuff heard and learned. 

During the week we got some good work done and started involving the members more and relying on them to help us out in the work. Cool story: Friday night we ran out of appointments and we had an hour left to work. So, we decided to set out and knock some more. As we knocked, we weren't having success, but then we got into one house and found a big family of 9! Needless to say, we received a great blessing to find them for being diligent. We are going to meet with them this next week and they are really good so we are excited to meet with them.

So, greatest part of the week..... General Conference!!! Yay! It was sooo good. Highly recommended by me for you ALL to watch it again on lds.org. Some highlights from conference!

A temple will be built in Tucson, Arizona! Yay!

The new age for young men to leave on a mission: 18! New age for young women: 19! So great! The Lord is truly ready for the youth of the church to become great leaders and disciples of Jesus Christ.

"Once we are out of neutral ground, we can never return."  - Quentin L. Cook

"I'm Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it."  - Ann M. Dibb

"As we do the things correctly and we live the gospel, we will grow to love it."  - Ann M. Dibb

"When we rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can overcome all trials in life."  - Shayn M. Bowen

"Ask the missionaries! They can help you!"  - Russell M. Nelson

"Take joy in the journey. It's not a race. We can't be so focused on the final goal that we fail to realize the happiness we receive on the way."  - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"The problems of tomorrow can be gone if we follow Jesus Christ today."  - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"We must be men that women, children, and God can depend on."  - D. Todd Christofferson

"Take His hand and with Him enter in."  - Boyd K. Packer

"Observe then serve."  - Linda K. Burton

"God needs disciples forever."  - Jeffrey R. Holland

"To know is not enough. Conversion comes through doing and becoming."  - Russell T. Osguthorpe

"All things are fulfilled by faith."  - Marcus B. Nash

"The future is as bright as your faith."  - Thomas S. Monson

Needless to say, it was an amazing General Conference. Read the talks again! It will serve you in your life for the problems you face.

Well, have a great week! I love you all!

¡Ten fe y se obediente!

Todo mi amor,

Elder San Diego

"Trust In The Spirit And His Power To Testify!"

Hey folks!

Great week!

Not much time to write, but I'll just give a brief update of some things that are going on.  We have one investigator, Bertha, who is amazing.  The first time we taught her, we taught about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  When the Spirit was among us, we used the six steps and identified it with her.  As I talked about baptism and the importance to follow Jesus Christ, I was scared to invite her to be baptized because she had told us she was a Christian and I was a little nervous to resolve her possible doubts.  But, I trusted in the Spirit and his power to testify and asked her if she had followed the example of Jesus Christ to which she responded, "no".  We then invited her to follow Jesus Christ's example and be baptized and she accepted.  She has gone to church and a baptismal service both in which she has felt the Spirit strongly.  She loves everything and feels great.  We even had the opportunity to invite her brother with us to the baptism and he also loved it!  As I was talking to him I invited him to also prepare to be baptized with his sister as he had just seen in the service and he said he would.  We are doing great and learning lots of things.  Great times and more stories to come next week!

I love you all!  Have a good one!

¡Ten fe y se obediente!

Todo mi amor,
Elder San Diego

We ate at McDonald's today and one of the workers came up to us and asked if we wanted to contribute ten pesos to a McDonald's Charity fund here in Mexico and I said "sure!" Ronald McDonald, you saved my life by giving me a scholarship to go to school. For that, I thank you by eating in your establishment and giving ten pesos to help you out among the Mexican people.

Climbing up "the Hill"