Mi querida familia, como los amo. Oro por ustedes diario. Se que Dios los va a bendicir muchisimo.
I arrived to Tuxtla Gutierrez on Monday evening. I LOVE it here. It´s so green. There are miny mosquitos here that eat me everyday. As long as I drench in mosquito spray i´m fine, haha. I´m getting pretty adjusted to the heat and humidity. It´s really not that bad.
Monday evening when I was sitting down waiting to eat dinner all the trainers walked in and Sister Hernandez sat next to me, when she did I felt a very special feeling towards her, like an instant bond.
Tuesday morning we met with our Mission President (then Pres. Cardenas) and he assigned our mission companions. I remember seeing Hna. Hernandez´s photo pop up, and the area of Coita and I just knew she would be my trainer... and she is! I love Hna. Hernandez, she´s such a great example to me. She walks so fast, it´s great because I just can´t go slow.... Hermana Hernandez is such a wise teacher. Sometimes I wish I had a tape-recorder with me so that I could remember everything she says, hahah.
My first area is called Ocozocoautla, it´s a pueblito 40min. away from Tuxtla (the capital and where the mission home is). It´s a very beautiful area, very hilly, incredibly green. It rains a lot here, it´s humid and very hot. But I don´t mind it. I´m INCREDIBLY blessed. My house here in Coita is very nice, definitely not what I expected.
Some things that i´m really growing to learn by being a missionary is how important it is to be here for the right reasons: to want to serve the people, to serve with love, to take each day one at a time and more than anything to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ with the spirit. The spirit is the key to conversion.
A couple of awesome things that happened this week: a member fed us fish, eyes, bones, all and all. It´s the best fish i´ve ever had. On Friday when we were street contacting it randomly started to pour, we were soaking wet and still had 3 maybe 4 hours until 9pm, our branch President told us he´d give us a ride to each of our citas so that we didn´t have to walk. Since we´re not allowed to be in the truck with him we were standing up in the back of his trunk. I tried using my umbrella to block us from the rain but it kept flipping inside out because of the wind. Oh man, it was soooo much fun, we couldn´t stop laughing. Days like those just make my heart swell with happiness.
Our investigators here in Coita are semi-solids. I know they have felt the spirit and have faith but they are lacking in action. We had 7 investigators planned to come to church and I was ecstatic until they all fell through the day of for different reasons. I was a little bummed sitting in sacrament meeting until we met Angel, an 18 yr old young man who´s dating a less active mormon girl who decided to just show up to church. They came to sacrament and me and my comps. class on temples and family history. We have a cita set up with him tomorrow.
Some of our goals here in Coita are to have two baptisms this Month, and to have 20 street contacts every day. So I meet 140 new people a week. Street contacting is my strength as a missionary. I love getting to know people and hearing their stories. It´s so interesting. There are SO many things i learn simply by stopping and talking to people. These past few days me and my comp. have really tried contacting men, we Need more priesthood holders in Coita to make our branch a ward.
New Mission President: President George. He´s a farmer from wyoming, man on man do I already love him. I met with him this past Saturday. At the end of my ¨get to know you¨ interview I asked him if he could give me a blessing, upon which he gladly did. It was such a neat, bonding experience. Afterwards he told me, ¨I sure wish I could give you a hug right now¨, I smiled and gave him a ¨hand hug¨.
I know the Lord knows us all, individually and personally. There is strength and power in the Doctrine of Christ. I love being a missionary. It´s definitely spiritually, mentally and physically draining BUT The Lord re-strengthens us (missionaries) each day. I know this because every morning I wake up with energy and strength to continue strong. I love declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ. It seems like every time we talk about the restoration of the gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith a LARGE distraction comes up out of nowhere. Even with these distractions i know those we teach are still able to feel the spirit.
There is nothing more beautiful to me than to teach a lesson and have my whole soul be filled with joy. Each time I teach or bear my testimony, my love for the Savior is deepened. This truly is the work of Salvation.
Be Bold, share the gospel. There are So many people who need to know that Jesus Christ HAS restored His Church upon the earth. The one, and only true church. Here in Coita there are many religions, mostly catholics by name but what I do know is that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the ONLY church with the 4 fundamental truths that Have to be in a church to be the Church of Jesus Christ: Revelation, a Living Prophet, the Priesthood, and 12 apostles.
Never doubt it. Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. Kneel down, open your heart and the Lord will fill your heart and mind with the Spirit of truth.
I love being a missionary. I love this work and I know this is where I am needed. Please pray for me and my investigators.
5 lessons, 5 church attendances = 1 Baptism = 1 Soul Saved :)
Keep the letters coming. I love the love.
My address is:
Hermana Bethsaida P. Coronado
Mision Mexico Tuxtla Gutierrez
Calle Jazmines #210
Fracc. Los Laureles
Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico
C.P. 29020
With Love,
Hermana Coronado
p.s. Mexico is SO americanized, the music, the food places (carls jr, mcd´s, applebees). It´s pretty interesting.
My bedroom, left bed is mine, not hot water in my shower but I actually prefer it. After sweating all day, cold is good. haha
View from my house´s balcony
Where I study w/ my comp every morning
Where me and my comp. wash/dry clothes
Zoque = Ocozocoautla Dialect
We have investigators way up in what I call a Mini-mtn., and the view is so worth the hike up. It´s so beautiful.
The fish!!!!
The streets of Lucio Cabañas (very humble people)
(sorry for the email overload!)
Know that I am VERY happy. Love you all!
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