Week 19 (January 26, 2015)

David and new companion - Elder Wray

Breakfast :)

Is the apartment with all boys stinky???

Hey guys!  All is going great here again!  I got a new companion - his name is Elder Wray.  He's from Utah and has been 11 months in the mission!   We work great together and we are really kicking things into shape. We've worked really hard this week, and have basically doubled all the results of the last few weeks!  And we're going to keep on doing it too!  

We found a new house.  When we move in, I'll take pics.  It was cold at the beginning of the week, now its been getting even colder.....  But oh well!

I'm getting better at cooking and teaching!

One thing about missionaries..... We're basically like inhuman supernatural creatures to the Jehovah's Witnesses here (they think we are).  They see us walking down the road, and they stare and start whispering to each other.  It's hilarious confusing them in their own words.  But we're working hard, and the only supernatural thing about us is how fast we can walk when we really need to be in a hurry!!!!  

Love you guys!  And remember that the Lord answers all your prayers!  In the time and manner that HE  wants, not how we want!  With that, I love you guys! The Church is true! The Priesthood is powerful!  And I love cooking!!!!! :D

Week 18 (January 19, 2015)

Baptism of (almost) whole family!

Street soccer

Found a mouse in the washer :(

Hey guys!!!!!  Sorry I don't have much time again!  SO this week was freaking awesome!!!!  And really cold.......  So we had divisions for 4 days with the zone leaders.  It was freaking awesome! I learned so much, and I'm ready for anything and everything! My training is officially done and over with, and I'm ready to serve the Lord with all my heart might mind and strength!  Nothing can stop me!!!!! Muahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!  Not even these really bad headaches that Ive been getting from a throat infection Ive had these past 2 weeks!  But I'm ok!  I'm on medication now to kill this infection!  And I'm pressing forward, on and on and on!

SO remember that lady who was risking divorce?  She and her kids were baptized this week!!!!  And her friend!  It was a great experience!!! Now, my goal is to bring her husband to the party.  Haha Hooyah!!!!!  As long as her husband doesn't shoot me, I think it'll work out great! ;)  Haha no worries... Was only a joke.....  

We're heading to Chihuahua again tomorrow!!  We have changes!!! Elder Narvaez is heading off somewhere.... Getting a new comp!  We'll see how that goes! :D  

Here;s the pic of the mouse I found in a washer during divisions! And the baptism!

Now spiritual thought........   You guys should read the chapter in Jacob that talks about the Lords vineyard!  I don't remember what chapter, maybe 3 or 4?  But anyway, I want you guys to focus on those servants of the Lord in the end........   After you read this------->  We all have this opportunity to be part of the Lords work. You don't need a missionary plaque, its something you can do every day!  "We are all enlisted until the conflict is o'er! Happy  are we! Happy are we!"  Its your opportunity to be part of this work!  We were all saved for these last days for a reason!!!!  Fulfill el maximo of your potential!!!!!!  

Week 17 (January 12, 2015)

Baptism of Dora

This week has been pretty crazy!!!!  We had a lot of divisions going on so that we could split up and get more things done.  The zone leader and I spent a lot of time in my area talking with a lot of different people, fixing up our relations with some of them because my companion easily offends people.  Anyway we baptized a young girl named Dora this week!  Her brother and sister are close behind her!!!  My mom has the pic so she'll have to post it! 

So quick spiritual thought that I wanted to share! We are literally in the last days before the Second Coming.  We are warned in the scriptures about these days, and tells us of many things to watch out for. One of the things that we need to watch out for is pride. Pride is the great downfall of many nations, and many people.  Even those people in the church need to watch for this, because it is something very easy to miss in yourself (very difficult to see in yourself), but easy to see in others.  In the scriptures we learn of a time when the members of the church begin to raise themselves up in their own eyes, because of the many blessings the Lord gave them, and who began to persecute members of their own church. Look in Heleman 3:33-35 to see what these members did, and how the lord blessed those who continued to be humble.

Week 16 - Happy New Year - (January 5, 2015)

Hey guys! Another week of adventures in the world of Mexico!  Its going pretty well down here - it's been getting really cold lately (which is why I love that new jacket so much, mucho calor cuando yo lo llevo!!) and its been a pretty fun week. 

We had divisions twice this week, and the house that we went to for food on the 31st was the mas chorcho in Parral!   They seriously gave us an amazing meal. It was almost like a Thanksgiving dinner it was so amazing!

We have so many investigators now, its crazy difficult to get everyone in for lessons every day. I feel like I'm running around everywhere, which is great!

The New Years Eve was pretty awesome, though we had to enter the house at 7 (instead of 9) because of mission rules.  Then, at midnight, we woke up to a rush of gunfire!!!!  They have a tradition here where the just shoot their guns up in the air to celebrate the new year!  Its crazy!!!!!  We have a cement roof so we were fine, but it was still crazy awesome!  We were joking around with people the next day about the rain of bullets that result from this......   But we were all good!! 

One of our investigators has an incredible amount of strength.   She has had her answer from day one, that this is the true church of god, she knows without a doubt that this is the church of God.  The only problem is her husband. He told her that he'll divorce her if she keeps coming to the in his words "gringo iglesia"(only gringos here are the missionaries).  He's out of town now, but despite this, she still has a strong desire to be baptized.  She knows this is true.  She has no doubts, and even though this could ruin her marriage, she wants to follow what she knows God wants her to do.  Following God, and doing those things that God would have her do, will give her happiness for the eternity, and not just this life.  She knows this, and this is why she wants to continue in this path of God.

I just want you guys to know that I do know this is the true church of God.  This is the only place on earth, where we can receive the covenants and promises that have been promised to us.  There's not a doubt in my mind that God will give to those who ask him, and that He gives us trials so that we can grow and become stronger.  God will always be there to support us through our difficult times.  Always.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and this book has continued to help everyone who diligently search it, looking for answers.  My challenge for you, is to stand strong.   Stand strong in what you know is right, what you know is true.  It may be difficult, but I promise you, that you can do it.   Have faith in God, and he'll always be there, and in the sacred name, of our savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Siempre Fuerte,

Elder David Pettingill

Week 15 Christmas! (December 29, 2014)

Fire Christmas Eve

New sweater from Grandma and Grandpa Pettingill

Playing with fire ;)

Hey guys!  Time for another week of adventures to be jam packed into a small and quick email! 

To start off, here's a pic of what the money my Gma and Gpa Pettingill sent me bought! It is SO warm!  Muy caliente!!!!!  Its perfect, cause its been getting really cold lately..... I bought it when we were contacting a whole bunch of people outside of Walmart!!!!  We contacted so many people in those few hours!!! Using the cards ël es la dadiva!  

Look up "he is the gift"on youtube, or on Mormon.org!  It's an amazing 3min movie that we've been sharing with people all of this month.

Christmas eve was lonely... Me and my comp weren't invited anywhere.... So we had a fiesta in our house!  We had to be inside by 6... But we still had a great time!  We made a fire in our fire pit!  I was even a wizard for a night! My mom will post the photos!

The next day, we had a White Elephant gift exchange with our zone, which was pretty great! Then I got to see my family!  It was so freaking awesome!   On skype of course... But it was still great! My sisters are growing up so much guys! Its crazy!!!!!   And spiritual thought of our week?  Watch the video and you can see my spiritual thought!

Week 14 - Early Christmas! (December 22, 2014)

They both got Broncos shirts for Christmas :)

David and... the cartel?

Sharing a Christmas message through song in Parral

Hey guys!! This week was great! I'll try to tell you real quick. We had a lot of people stop taking lessons, then we also had a lot of people not progressing, so we dropped them. We were in the dumps emotionally recently, but we've been working hard and we've actually found a lot of new people that seem ready to accept the gospel!

This past Saturday we went to Chihuahua for a Christmas celebration! All the missionaries went!  It was so much fun! SO MUCH GOOD FOOD!!!!!! They had chocolate fountains, and my table of 8 elders got 2 huge turkeys all to ourselves!!!!!!! Then we got to watch a bunch of different people take turns swinging at a pinata which was hilarious! Big dog pile of elders at the end!!!!  Then we got our packages!!! Special shout out to The Frodshams!!!  Uncle Nathan, Aunt Rebecca, and the kids!  Grandma Frodsham, Aunt Christina, and the Wayments!!!! Thanks so much you guys!!!!  You really made this Christmas special!

Me and my companion met the cartel the next day!  Got a couple pictures with them and their big guns!

That same Sunday night we had a huge choir/contact activity in the middle of central in Parral!  I was in the choir, but then decided to go out and contact instead of being part of it!  Was great!  We found so many people that day! And I barely had any difficulties in talking with them!

Hope all is going well.  And even more special shout out to my sisters and parents!!!! They sent a lot of great stuff too (including a jacket which was really needed because I lost mine while walking in another area) .... But its all good now!

Special thought of the week?  John 14:15!- "Ïf ye love me, keep my commandments."- Jesus Christ

Siempre Fuerte,

Elder David Pettingill

Week 13 - he got to play Nephi! (December 15, 2014)

David got to be Nephi in the ward Christmas play

Hamming it up in the apartment

Ward Christmas party with pinata

Ward Christmas party

All right guys time for the next weekly update! So this week has been pretty crazy awesome! I'm loving the missionary life!  Its going by so fast.... Can you believe that I'll have been out for 3 months in 2 more days?  Wow!   I miss you guys like crazy!  And hey, I want to thank you all for all the support you've given my family!  It means the world to me that you guys love them so much and I want you to know that I pray for all you guys every single day!

SO this week was pretty crazy!  Geronimo's family, one of his sisters sons got very sick.  He's in the hospital right now..... He's been slowly getting better, and we're doing everything we can to help them.  

 

We had a Christmas party as a branch too!  That was a ton of fun!  had a pinata!  the kid that knocked it down almost killed a couple kids cause he kept on swinging, but I was able to catch the stick before he hit anyone ;)  

Also we had a Christmas play!  My companion and I were in the choir, but then a couple of people didn't show up for the play... SO me and my comp filled in!  I was the prophet Nephi (from in the days of Christ's birth), and my companion was the angel Gabriel! It was great!  Everyone loved it! Sent pics to my madre so I hope she shares! :D  

 

Spiritual thought of the week?  Hmmmmmm, a lot of people here think that baptism is only something that's necessary to get into a church.  Not true!  I want you guys to read 2 Nephi chapter 31! Tell me what you guys think ;) 

 

Love you!  Hope all is going well! Oh and it rained a lot this week! The streets were literally rivers!!!!!!!!!! We got so wet... But I had a rain jacket (Thanks parents!) so I was all good :) My comp borrowed my umbrella!

 

Siempre Fuerte,

Elder Perigill (how they pronounce my name here)

Week 12 - found a rat! (December 8, 2014)

Baptism of Geronimo

Got his Christmas package!

I ate a rat...

The rat just before we caught it...

David got to play Santa! With Geronimo and Elder Narvaez

We found a rat in our house, and then we caught it!  I was really hungry though, we probably walked like 13 miles that day easy!  So I ate it.....   Haha other than that, this week has been great!  Baptized a 14 year old named Geronimo!   His family is coming close behind him too!  We keep finding new people! Sometimes I get discouraged when we're rejected by people, but it's all worth it!  Not even Jesus was accepted by everyone.... 

Everyone is getting into the Navidad spirit now!  Its crazy beautiful!!!!  Having fun, and learning more and more every day!  

Siempre Fuerte,

Elder D Pettingill

 

[In case you're concerned, the rat was a glow in the dark rubber rat we sent for Halloween, but had just gotten there :)]

Week 11 - Thanksgiving

It's a chihuahua in Chihuahua! :)

 

Thanksgiving dinner at the church

Pondering the greatest of life's mysteries...

Hey guys! Another week in the mission and its going great!  Had Thanksgiving this week!  It was a surprise, and it was good!  I kept finding little bones everywhere in the food, still trying to get used to that.  And the rocks in the beans, those are interesting!

The older a lady is here, the longer they want to talk your ear off.  Even if you try to say something they just go on and on and on...... I start speaking in English so they'll take a quick break, then I get a chance to say a quick principle to them!

Everything is going great and I miss you all!  Thinking of you!  Its weird, I feel like I walked into the MTC last week!