Chapter 10: Mon. March 13, 2017 5:24 PM

In which Elder DuBose discovers why one should never buy an alarm clock that resets itself  automatically for daylight savings time and then take it to another country...

Why did this shirt look so familiar?? It only took me a minute to figure it out.  Jajajaj

Dear friends and family,

So, it turns out that the day to change you clocks back is different here in Mexico than it is in the United States. That was a fun thing to discover at 5:30 in the morning this Sunday. (Or the alarm clock I have is just defective, but I really hope the day is just different)

So, after I made my little discovery, I fell back asleep, but forgot to reset my alarm, so when we got up, Elder Can and I had forty minutes to get ready for and get to church. So we got ready in like thirty-ish minutes and had about two miles to run to make it to church on time. We tried to call for a taxi, but they didn't answer. So we said a prayer before we left our house that we would find a taxi that would get us to church on time. 

We started walking, and walked for like five minutes when it happened. It might not seem like that big of a deal, but we have never found a taxi coming towards us on that street before. He drove us to church, and we got there like one minute before we started, but he didn't have any change. And I reached into my pocket and pulled out the thirty pesos I had felt like I needed to grab before we left, and we ended up giving him a five peso tip for getting us to church on time. 

He does here your prayers, and he does bless you. Look for those blessings, because they might be a small as finding a taxi right when you need one. 

Love you all,

Elder DuBose

p.s. This week was Elder Can's birthday,

 and some of the members have thought he was from China, so ...

Look at the pictures.

And I found a familiar looking car in the streets this week, too. (It looks just like the one I left at home!)

If you'd like to sent a letter...

Address to the Mexico Aguascalientes Mission Home:

Elder Kline Perryman DuBose

México Aguascalentes Mission

Prolongación Adolfo López Mateos #98-A

Colonia Trojes de Alonso

20116 Jesus Maria, Aguascalentes

México

And it just goes to show you... Mon February 6, 2017 4:26 PM

To my beloved family and friends,

Boy, oh boy, was this week a riot. Elder Can and I moved into a new house, met a few new investigators, and walked around in the hot sun for hours on end. (So, I probably look less like a white kid from Utah and more like a burnt white kid from Utah)

But something amazing happened this week. Elder Can and I were buying some supplies in a tienda near our new house that we couldn't wait until P-day to buy, and as we were leaving  the store, a lady called out to us. We turned around, and she started walking towards us, and held out her hand. So Elder Can and I extended our hands to greet her as well, and it was about than that I noticed something in hand. She handed us one hundred ish pasos. 

Well, Elder Can and I tried to tell her that we didn't need this money and she should keep it, but she kept saying, "Take it. This is my donantion to you and your church." and than she said something that really made me tear up. she said, "Please take it. I'm a mother of two boys about your ages and I want to help you." And right after that, she turned away and was gone before I could adequately express my gratitude. 

My dear family and friends, God is always watching over you. He knows what you need. I doubt anyone knew that I had been having a rough day that day, and espically not that woman, but Someone did. That act of kindness meant so much to me, and I know that mother will be blessed for her kind actions. Please, if you ever fill prompted to do something kind for someone, don't hesitate to do so. It could change there day, just like it did mine. 

The Church is true, and God loves each and everyone of us. 

Love,

Elder DuBose

p.s. Elder Can and I playing zone leaders and waiting to meet the new missionaries in our zone for this cambio. (Our zone leader was a little sick). 

 All of the work sometimes tires an Elder out.

 And a cool little park a short distance from my area. Super beautiful, right?

President Neilson and Finding Joy - Mon February27, 2017 4:32 PM

Dear friends, family, and everyone in-between,

This week was super exciting. So, we've been looking forward to something for almost the whole time I've been out in the field and it happened this Friday. Well, almost happened. Let me explain.

So, a few weeks ago, we got notified that we would be having a visit from President Neilson of the quorum of the twelve on this Friday. We got in the bus at like ten, drove the three hours to Zacateces and sang hymns for an hour just trying to prepare for this moment. I was so excited to meet a special witness of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

And the area president of Mexico comes in. We have a devotional, and he says, "I don´t think President Neilsen is coming. Something happened to his plane. He won't be able to make it."

What a let down, am I right?

So we got home. It's kind of late. I'm tired and disappointed, and guess what happens next. I looked at the general conference edition of the Liahona and I think, I should read the talk by Pres. Neilsen. So I say I'll read it tomorrow, when I get the impression once again. Kind of like, "No. you should read it now." And thank goodness we had just had a devotional about following the Spirit, no mater what it says or when it says it. So I picked up the talk and read it.

And it was all about JOY. This is our purpose on the earth. As the prophet Lehi says, "Men are that they might have joy." This is our purpose on earth. And like Pres. Neilsen said in his talk (and this might be paraphrased), "We need to have joy when something happens or when something doesn't happen."

I testify that this is true. We can have joy no matter what the circumstance. And that joy comes through Christ. Remember that. I also testify that God has a plan to help us to joy. That plan is the Plan of Salvation and it has been revealed in this day and age to living prophets in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know this is His church restored on the earth. 

Love you all,

Elder DuBose

p.s. This photos are of me and some of the other elders. The one in the trunk of the car is my companion Elder Can. 

The others are elders Rojas, Becerra, Plat, and Rocha.

We said good-bye to one of our zone leaders this week. Elder Rojas. I'm going to miss him a ton, but he should do great things back in his home.

So, today, for P-Day, Elder Can and I got to go see a zoo. It was kind of like the Willow Park Zoo, but way bigger. I'm going to try to send as many pictures as I can, but we'll see how many that is. It was really cool. They didn't have all of the features open, but the member we were with told us about a lot of them. They had a zipline that goes over one of the enclosures. How cool is that?

Well, where do we begin? - Mon February 20, 2017 4:35 PM

Dear friends and family,

How are y'all?

Well, it's the last week of my first transfer cycle, and the time feels like it has gone by so fast. 

So, I learned something this week. Sometimes, when I don't understand someone, it's not always because I don't understand Spanish. This Sunday, Elder Can and I had some splits that we went on to help out a missionary that wasn't feeling well. So, I was sitting in my second sacrament meeting, and once we got done, the first counselor came down and asked me to help the choir director by playing the piano for them for the chior practice. That was eaisly the hardest thing I have ever had to do (and to all you out there that know how to play the piano and have a desire to serve, either learn all the hymns, or never tell anyone you can sight read). At points I felt like crying because I had no idea what the chior director was talking about.

And we went to our lunch appointment with all of the elders and hermanas that were singing in the chior that day, and one of the first things that they said was, "Did you guys understand what he was talking about?" And I felt a great relief.

That just goes to show you, that sometimes you think that your suffering alone, but you're not. There are other people who have had similar experiences to yours. 

Love you guys, and see you next week!

--Elder DuBose

p.s. the pictures are of me and a few of the elders. I think I might have sent some of them to you already, but I can't remember. Anyway. We went to a buffet today because this was the last p-day for one of the elders. He gets to go home next week, and it's going to be pretty sad. He's a really good missionary.

When you get to suffer for the Savior. - Mon February 13, 2017 4:09 PM

Dear friends and family,

This week has been an awesome week down here in Aguascalentes. 

I don't have any really awe inspiring stories that happened this week, but I did have a really cool experience in my scripture study. 

I was kind of having a rough time. This is hard. People having agency sometimes is a really rough thing, espically when they turn down the truths you hold so dear to your heart, or even don't really want to listen. And I was reading in the April 2016 issue of the Liahona and one of the articles talked about temple work, but had a reference to a story at the beginning of Acts. So, I flipped to the story and it was about the apostles. (it's Acts 5, if you want to read it to) And the last four verses really caught my attention. Some backstory, the Apostles are in jail, and they go before a council and are told to stop preaching about Christ. So, they get whipped and are sent on there way, and, this is the part that I really like, went rejoicing, consindering themselves blessed that they get to suffer for the Lord.

Wow. That really hit me. Sure, I don't have people listen to me, but they literally got whipped and beaten because of this work, and they were happy for it! I think that is a real example of optimism. I hope that I can be like that too.

Have a happy valentine's day this week. Tell someone that you love them, but remember the one person that loves you even more. And be ready to suffer a little bit to show you love Him back.

Love you guys, and you'll hear from me next week.

--Elder DuBose

p.s. Some of the elders from my zone and me.

p.s.s.  toothbrush number two,

and the view from the roof of the zone leaders house at night.

 

Another busy week. - Mon February 6, 2017 4:41 PM

Dear friends and family,

This week just flew right on by for me, and I hope that it did the same for you guys as well.

I had my very first zone conference this week, and got to share the spiritual thought. It was really fun looking for something to share, and I had been stressing out about how little I have been able to do out here in the field, when I found this scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 64:33. And it was just what I needed to hear. I don't have my english scriptures with me, but the verse basically said that all the little things that we do eventually build up into something big. We are laying the foundation of marvelous works with everything that we do. 

I know that there are no such things as little actions. And I know that, whenever you feel down or you need comfort, Christ will comfort you. 

I love you guys, and look forward to writing you guys next week 

Love,

Elder DuBose

Ask, and ye shall receive. - Mon January30, 2017 4:08 PM

Dear friends and family,

This was one crazy week that we had out in the field. 

The craziest thing that happened was our toliet broke at the beginning, and no matter what we did, we could not fix it. It got to the point where Elder Can and I had to move in with the zone leaders for a few nights. And let me just tell you, praying really works. That morning that we had to leave our house, I knelt down and said a prayer and asked God to help us fix our toliet in whatever way that he could. As crazy as it may sound, it might have been the strongest and most hearfelt prayer I have ever said. And after that, Elder Can and I went out to prosolyte. 

And we stopped by to visit one of our members in our area, and the only person there was the nonmember son. We asked if we could come back in a little bit and help him with something, and he said yes. When we went back, he was changing the oil in his car and said that it probably wouldn't be a good idea if we helped him, so we talked with him and his cousin for a little bit about the gospel and the life in the mission field. And we got to our toilet. And that was when my prayer was answered. The cousin was a plumber and offered to come and fix our toilet for five hundred pesos. 

How awesome is that?

God really does hear us, and really does want to help us with our problems. I can promise each of you that. 

Love you all, and thanks for the prayers and thoughts.

Love,

Elder DuBose

p.s. about the pictures. One is Elder Can dancing with a cup on his head because he knows how to folk dance. 

The other is the same, 

and the last one is some chapel that we say today during our p-day excursion.

p.s. there has been a circus in town for the past couple of weeks. So cool, right. (Just so you know, we didn't go to it, but it sure looks like fun)

And one week down (but it feels like a day)- Mon January 23, 2017 4:12 PM

Or it might feel like a month, depending on how I'm feeling. 

Anyway, that's not important. What is important is how awesome things are here right now. 

Elder Can and I had a busy week, full of everything from finding more food so we didn't starve to having stake conference and to our first zone leader transfer. What a cool expereince it has been. 

The other night, we were tracting in the street and we just weren't having any luck with anyone. We couldn't find our investagators houses and no one wanted to hear what we had to say. It was like this for about an hour or so, when we finally decided to say a prayer. And boy oh boy was that a good idea. We still had about two hours before we went home for dinner, and I have never felt the Spirit more powerfully than right after that prayer. It was like getting a big hug, and I knew everything was going to turn out alright. 

And it did. Shortly after that, we managed to contact two people, one in the street who we taught a lesson to about prayer and another when we accidentally found a wrong house. I don't know whether or not these people will accept the gospel, or even talk to us again, but I know God helped us find them, and how grateful I am for His consteint help. 

Thanks to all of you for your continued support. I love you all.

Love, 

Elder Kline DuBose

Well, this is were it gets tricky...Wed January 18, 2017 3:23 PM

To my adorring fan club,

I've arrived in my mission and have started serving in my first area right now. I'm serving in the San Luis Potosla area. (and I probably spelled that wrong too).

My companion is an elder (that sounds obvious now that I read that out loud) and his name is Elder Can. He doesn't know a ton of english, but he knows a ton about the Bible and the Scriptures and has been helping me out a lot in all of my endevors to learn the language. 

And, just today, I had a pretty cool experience with the gift of tongues. We were at a members house and one of them was talking to me, and I just couldn't figure out what he was saying. I was trying really hard when all of the sudden it clicked, he was saying, "You don't understand much Spanish, do you?" That was one of the highlights of my short time here in the mission field.

This whole experience has made me think about how much God has been helping me out. I mean, I'm in a country I don't know that well, trying to speak a language I don't know to a group of people that can barely understand me. But, I know that He's there. I've felt His presence every single day that I've been serving Him. He's there for all of you guys too. I testify of that, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

love, 

Elder Kline DuBose