January 2, 2017 - 3 hours away from Chihuahua, and no way to get there!

Ok, so I finally have got some time to write, so Ill let you guys know about the last two weeks! 

Ok, first, Christmas!  What we did Christmas Eve is we were invited to go and eat with a family in the branch. We ate turkey, and ham, and mashed potatoes, and honestly, everything tasted super great!!!!  I haven't had a turkey dinner in a LONG time!!!! 

 

Received gifts from family, and opened them up the morning of Christmas! It was great to feel the love from family in those packages!  The best part is that they even thought of my companions there, and sent gifts for them as well! So we were all able to enjoy Christmas together.

The next week after that we were focused on changing houses cause the contract we had for the current was expiring.  We actually found a house 2x the size, 2 stories, with a balcony, built in closets and a bathtub!  Wow!  We were super stoked when we changed houses, and changed just in time to enjoy the balcony for New Years Eve!

We had a ton of food and everything, it was great! Even had board games, however my comps were boring and decided to play chess....  Woo.....

It was still great, though!  

We were having a lot of dificulty finding new people this last week, until we had the idea to give some members some lessons and then ask for references after.  We ended up finding a lot of people that way, and this week they are all going to be contacted, however not by me.

I just got changes!!!  I'm heading down to Chihuahua, where I think Im going to be for my last 3 cycles.  Super excited, and now that I'm nearing the finish line, its time to start sprinting even faster!  In a race, you always want to finish strong, and that's my mentality here in Mexico!!!!

  

Only one slight problem...on my way to Chihuahua (yes, they sent me solo.... que miedo (how scary)...) I got stranded in a city 3 hours from Chihuahua.  Apparently the gas prices raised up, causing everything else to as well, and in every city in Mexico (from what I hear) there are blockades going on the the highways until the government lowers the price again.  So, unofficially I'm in a Tri companionship until the highway opens up and I can get to Chihuahua! 

 

So, all is well.  I'm in good health, I'm working hard, and God is watching over me.  I couldn´t ask for more.

Elder Pettingill

December 26, 2016 - MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas!

This letters going to be super short cause I don't have enough money to be on a comp for enough time....

Christmas was great!  Got a ton of packages from family!!!  Shout out to the Pettingill fam back at home!  Also to the Amazing Richards family back in Utah with their super delicious cookie thingys!  Super delicious!

Got to talk to fam over Skype! WOOOOO! Everyone looks great, and happy!  Looking forward to giving them hugs in 4 months!!!!

Ate a ton of turkey and delicious food this week! Felt sick this morning.... But I feel better now!  Love you guys! More details next week!

Elder Pettingill

December 19, 2016 - Baptism of Kenya!

Baptism of Kenya!

Making corndogs!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

WOOOOOOOOO How crazy is it that we're already here in Christmas time????  I remember it as yesterday that everyone was talking about Black Friday!!!!  

This last week was pretty crazy, but hey, I got good news!!!!!!!!!!!  Kenya se bautiso!!!! Kenya got baptized!!!! 

She was super excited for her baptism, and wanted to have corndogs at her baptism.  So we made corndogs with her the morning of her baptism!  You know, making home made corndogs is super easy, cheap, delicious and fun!  They turned out pretty yummy, and everyone loved them in her baptism!  

This last week, we struggled with finding new people to start teaching.  We're looking pretty diligently though, cause there's a lot of elect of the Lord out here, we just got to find them!  

We had the ward party this last week, super fun!  We had a ton of investigators come, and it was a blast! We did a special musical number, then it turned into a karaoke time!  It was kinda funny watching everyone sing!  (they don't sing very well here......However I still love them all!)

The weather is still confused about what time of the year it is.  Sometimes, it feels like its still summer!  Other times it finally decides it wants to be winter! Its super confusing, however the one constant is that its ALWAYS cold inside our little cement house. There's no heating system in the house, so I sleep underneath three big cozy blankets at night.  Super comfortable.  The rest of the time I wear a different sweater every day, just trying to keep things mixed up!

This week for the NAVIDAD a lot is going to happen!!!! First off, we're having the Mission Christmas Party tomorrow!  Pres Montoya is going to bring a ton of food, and packages from our families tomorrow.  We're going to eat, show some theatre stuff that we've been working on (a small little nativity) for the Christmas party, and I'm sure there will also be a Piñata!!!!

Then, even better yet, this Sunday is LA NAVIDAD!!!!!!  Going to chat with my family on Sunday through skypé, going to be super awesome!!!!  Then from there, the next time I see them, will be in a big airport in Denver before Mothers Day!

Love you guys a ton!

Elder Pettingill

December 12, 2016 - it's SO cold!

Hanging out at a studio!

Mis amados hermanos, hermanas, y familia,

This week has been pretty good.  We've gotten a ton of work done, and have a lot of miracles going on.  We're finding some really cool families who are coming to church, and more people prepping for baptism!  This week, a youth named Kenya, is getting baptized this Saturday!  She's worked super hard to get this far, and is super  excited to get baptized.  Shes super cool, and to describe her, shes honestly a like a mix of my two little sisters, Amber and Emily!  

The cold is still here, and lingers throughout the whole day!  The worse part is that its even colder inside the houses! All the houses are made of cement, which just hang onto all the Cold from outside during the winter, or when its summer, its an oven inside.  No fun!

Now and then there are some houses that have their Christmas decorations up, and all the houses we visit all have their Christmas trees put up!   Nothing like the states, however I'm super excited to see all the houses with their decorations  next year!

Lets see.... I know my letters haven't been super exciting recently!  Shoot me a small message about what you guys want to know about Mexico!  

December 5, 2016 - Juan got baptized!

Baptism of Juan!

Hey guys!  

The cold has officially begun.......   I can't decide which I dislike more, the cold or the heat...... In the summer I was melting, yes, however now I feel like I'm being frozen into a popsikle!!!!  (Yes I'm forgetting how to write English).....

Training Elder Mendoza is going great! He's still learning a ton, and is loving his time here in Mexico!  Yes, we're still leaving every morning to go running, even though its a whole lot colder, that just means I have to run harder to heat up faster!  

Remember Juan? Who found the Book of Mormon in the trashcan?  Yes, he finally got baptized this last week!!!!!!  WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!  Super great story, and a life changed completely.  I know for sure that Juan will stay strong forever, because now he's preparing to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, and to go to the Temple in a year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

We've got a lot of great plans for this month in sharing the message of the Restored Gospel!  Once we've put some into action, I'll tell you about it, cause there's a lot and some were so big that other people thought it would be impossible to bring about so they canceled it.....  Its ok though, I'm humbling myself sufficiently to accept it, even though I knew exactly what would have to be done, and how we would have to do it.....   

Being Humble, the biggest struggle of any individual to master.  Still working on it, however for those who think that humility is a trait that is undesirable, I highly suggest to look it up, and study it.  Humility, with courage can defy any power that believes its unstoppable.  How? Well, when your humble, first you know in who you must depend. Which is God.  If you know your doing His Will, then that will give you the courage to accomplish what you know is right!  

Love you guys a ton,

Elder Pettingill

November 28, 2016 - Burgers for Thanksgiving!

Hamburgers for Thanksgiving!

New comp Elder Mendoza!

Hope you guys had a Happy Thanksgiving!

This last week was a great week, getting everything started with the training of Elder Mendoza. So, hes from Bolivia. Has an interesting accent.  And is almost as tall as I am!  Its crazy!  I never thought that I would see another Latino as tall as me!   Hes super excited to be starting his mission, and hes sharing the gospel with every person he can!  Its great!  

Now, you're probably wondering what we did for Thanksgiving...... Well, that day the family that invited us over to eat forgot that we were going to eat with them.... But its all good!  My wonderful and loving mother had told me (the last time I went to write) to buy some food and make a great Thanksgiving feast! 

Well, my oven wasn't big enough for a turkey.... So, I went for the next best option!  I made American style Hamburgers!!!!!! Made them from scratch, then grilled them over a charcoal fire in the backyard!  SUPER DELICIOUS!  All the burgers they make here in Mexico are as thin as paper....  So it was nice to have a change.

Now we're entering December!  Woo!!!!  Love Christmas!!!! Guess what?!?!?  It'll be my THIRD CHRISTMAS in the mission!!!!!!!  :D WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  The only missionary who can say that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This month is going to be crazy, if you guys want to see why, check out mormon.org ...... Its Awesome!

November 22, 2016 - Transfers

I'm not dead!  Don't worry, just didn't have time to go write yesterday because I was in a bus all day long for transfers......

Guess who has a new son?!?!?!?!  Soy yo!!!!!!  I'm training Elder Mendoza, who's from Bolivia!   Brand new, and day 1 in the field.... Wow, I remember that day all that time ago...... I'm going to be training him his whole training, so I'm going to be here for another 2 cycles in Jimenez!!! WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

He is super awesome, almost as tall as I am, and is totally down to go running in the mornings!  And he's wanting to do the same stuff that I want to after the mission!  We get along great! And I'm super excited for this opportunity to create the best missionary possible! Even better yet is that there are no bad influences (from missionaries) out here in Jimenez, so now, all the molding is in Gods hands, and mine!  Woo!!!!!

Teaching with the Spirit out here!  Got several investigators who are learning a ton! Super happy!

Alright, spiritual thought.... Better yet, spiritual question!  We all know that we are children of God, and that he has given us this opportunity to be here on earth to learn and to grow. Now, question...... What is your potential?  Why has God given you this opportunity? What can you become, if you follow the gospel?  The answer, is plainly stated in the scriptures, however its also written upon our very beings.....

When a dog, has a baby, what does that baby grow up to be?  When an Eagle has a baby eaglet, what does it grow up to be, and what can it then do?  You as a child of God, what can you grow up to be?  How can you get to that point? That's a question I want you to ponder in the spirit of prayer, I love you all!

Elder Pettingill

November 14, 2016 - Happy Birthday to me!

Birthday cake face!

Making tortillas!

Hey guys! This week went by so fast that I don't even remember what happened!!! Jk, however it did go by super fast.

The birthday was great, I got my face smashed in a cake that my comp bought me.....  However it was a pretty fun night!   

Everything's going great with the comp, he's just as hilarious as always, and still goes out running with me every morning.  Super awesome, transfers are next week so we'll hope that we don't get changed.
The two baptisms that we had this week fell through, however we're still working with them and we're all working hard down here in Jimenez!  Teaching by the spirit, finding new people, and working well with the district!

The district is doing great. They're happy, and starting to get better results.  All, in all its been a good week. I heard that Trump won.  Lets see if any angry Mexicans try to kick me out of their country now!   

Love you guys! Here's a photo of me making tortillas today!  I'm trying to cut down my grocery costs, so I figured if i made tortillas and beans at home, that'd make things a whole lot easier.... and its turning out great!

Love you!  
Elder Pettingill