dear family,
It is a nice and almost not-too-hot night here in the Yucatan. Sometimes I wish that you could all visit me for just one minute or one hour or one day so that you could all see the sky that looks like heaven and feel the sun that beams its light a little too close and a little too much. Beneath the heavens and the sun this week, a lot of good things happened. But before the good things happened, I started off t with a really bad haircut. Like super bad. I don't know if it was my lack of Spanish skills or just a really bad understanding, but it resulted in Hna Huerta having to re-cut my hair and console me with the fact that hair, like most things in life, will always grow back to normal. U'm, Im just hoping that it grows back really soon.
Despite the haircut, this week was full of good lessons. On Thursday we taught Hno. Alberto, a sixty-something year old man who has listened to the missionaries once before. I loved him even before he opened his wooden door, and I knew that you would each love him to because his house is hidden under the branches of a grand tree that guards a home of hanging plants and wooden ladders and green doors that lead into rooms full of bookshelves with old books and old globes and old notes from his grandchildren. To make this all the more better, Hno Alberto is the picture of an old weathered sailor. We think he worked on a ship for years because he wears navy blue shirts with anchors and sail knots, and he has the hands and disposition of someone who has learned how to work hard. We taught him about God and His eternal happiness and how this great plan leads us to eternal life. He started crying because his wife passed away four years ago — four years and he still cries because he loved her and still loves her in an infinite and real way. I want to learn how to love like he does.
We have also begun teaching an investigator that is progressing really, really well. We have been praying for a long time that God could lead us to the people that are truly prepared to receive the Restored Gospel, and God answered our prayers by leading us to Hno. Tony. He is a twenty year old without a religion, and for the first lesson we taught him about the Restoration outside his house under a starlit sky while his five year old brother accompanied us with his two newborn kittens. It was perfect and in that moment I knew that God gives me experiences like these to remind me why I am here and to remind me that there are always good people who are looking for good truth. Hno Tony is one of these good people; he is someone who has always believed in God but has never felt like any of the other religions have filled his expectations and beliefs in God and His principles. He came to church this Sunday to watch General Conference (which was probably slightly overwhelming for his first time at church, but hey, he came and he liked it and he wants to go back). I am always the happiest on the mission when people start feeling the good seed of the Gospel begin to grow in them, and when they start acting on these feelings. I like it when people promise to do things that will help them come unto Christ. I think it takes courage and bravery and faith to do that, and I like it when we find the courageous ones.
The other happenings of the week included a missionary activity for our Stake, which included a mini Visitors Center that we created in the Stake Center, full of rooms depicting the life and miracles of Christ (shoutout to mom for sending me with things that other missionaries don't think they need, but that save the day when we have to create our own mini visitors center — you saved the day). We also got to watch Conference on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday I got to watch it in English with all the other Americans, and it felt so good knowing that my Father still speaks to me best in English. I have been able to feel the Spirit much more strongly lately — I feel him speak through me and touch my heart more than before. I felt the Spirit really strongly during the first Saturday session of Conference, testifying to me that every word from these called prophets were good and right and something joyful. The Gospel is perhaps the most good and joyful thing I have ever experienced. It is something familiar, and something that I want to have forever.
So happy to hear that Coronado was just as good as it has always been. I thought about each of you more than usual this week, knowing that you were all together. Love you and miss you always.
all my love,
Hermana Rhondeau
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