Chapter ?, in which The Rain comes rushing down! - Mon 9/11, 3:52 PM

Some of the Elders from our Zone

Dear friends and family,

It rained almost everyday this week. Haha. It was crazy. We didn't see the sun for like five days straigt. 

The good news, the rain did let up Sunday and Saturday afternoon and gave us sometime to contact a few people outside of there houses, because, for some crazy reason, when it rains we don't see anyone for days and days on end. One of these people that we talked with was sweeping up he front porch, and Elder Barragan took her broom and started to sweep and I started talking to her. We had a lesson with her on Sunday, and she told us that she really liked what we were teaching. 

It is incredible what service can do to open people's hearts. I'm really grateful for the example Elder Barragan has been to me of that. He is a machine with service, and it really opens people up to our message a little bit more. 

The Church is true and so is His love!

I love you guys a ton,

Love,

Elder DuBose

p.s. we went to the Bufa again, and the muesuem. The pictures are an old organ from a house here in zacatecas,

 me with some heroes of the Mexican revolution ( a big battle was fought here in Zacatecas, I think),

 a scale modle of the Bufa

and we went to some burger place where they sell giant burgers!

Feliz Cumpleaños Elder Barragán! - Mon 9/4, 6:52 PM

Elder DuBose and Elder Barragan

Querido familia, amigos, y cualquier otra persona,

Today was Elder Barragan´s birthday. It was fun. We got to hike up a hill that is like a huge turiost trap thing here. It was fun.

And we worked. A lot. We have been trying to work with the members here. They have a really big desire to help with the work. It's kind of a humbling experience to see people trying to help, even if they don't quite know how. 

I love it here!

Love,

Elder DuBose

p.s. me and the birthday boy, some other elders from our zone, and the bufa!

That awkward moment.. Mon 8/28, 4:42 PM

Dear friends and family,

So, not a whole ton has happened since last wednesday, or at least that I can remember. Haha. That´s kind of awkward. 

But, I learned a lot about the importance of the Sabath Day this week. Really, just how important the Sacrament is. In section 59 of the Doctrine and Covanents, the Lord told the early saints (and us) that in order to keep ourselves more unspotted from the world, we should go to his holy house every Sunday and offer our sacraments to the Most High. Later on, he tells us that this day is a day given unto us to rest. We were talking about this experience with a less active member and I told her that the weeks when I have not participated in the Sacrament have been harder to bear. That though my body was rested, my spirit just felt kind of drained. So often we focus on the rest of our bodies that we tend to forget that the sabath was made to help our spirits recharge too. With that insight, the Sacrament ment a lot more to me this week. It is the most important part of our Sabbath day observance, and the recharge it gives us is so real.

I know that the church is true!

Love,

Elder DuBose

p.s. I  bought new shoes (that say I Can Do all Things in Christ)

Study Area

Kitchen

So, a funny thing happened this Monday... Wed 8/23, 10:39 AM

Some of the members of our zone playing futbol on p-day

Dear friends and family,

So, we went to go write everyone in the ciber down the street from our house, and the internet was down. And we haven't had time to come write everyone for the past few days. How awesome is that?

Zacatecas is super awesome. I get to hike a mountain everyday, and the members really love having the missionaries here. 

I don't have a lot of time, but I would like to tell you all that this is the church of Jesus Christ restored here in the earth. He guides this church through modern prophets and we can be protected if we listen to them. 

I love you guys, and hopefully I'll get to write you next Monday. I guess we'll see.

Love,

Elder DuBose

p.s. it rained a lot this week

Behind us, just a small hill in Zacatecas

Just an itsy bitsy spider.

Egg drop soup, made Elder Kline DuBose style.

On last miracle before I leave... Mon 8/14, 4:34 PM

Dear friends, family, and anyone else who might be reading this,

This week, we had transfers. I got pulled out of Matehuala and sent about five hours away to the city of Zacatecas in the state Zacatecas. It's really beautiful. I love it here already!

So, the miracle is this. The friday before we left, we got a call from one of our investigators who had a baptismal date. She told us that she couldn't be baptized this Saturday, and then the zone leaders called us to tell us that they are closing our area. Yup. That was a bummer. We had to do divisions, so I taught an english class and Elder Cornejo went to go see what he could to. Long story short, we had a baptism Sunday morning before church! It was really cool. 

And we went to go visit our investigators before we left to tell them good-bye. One of them has a baptismal date for this next Saturday, the 19th. We walked in, and she told us, "Don't worry. I don't care who the missionaries are. I'm going to be baptized in your church. I'll send you the pictures too. Know that all your work wasn't in vain." She then told us about the conversion she had had over the past couple weeks. It was one of the most powerful things I have ever heard. 

But, I know that those people are in really good hands. I know that it is God who sends us to our areas, even if we don't quite understand why, He knows what He is doing. 

Well, that's about it for this week. Love you guys!

Love,

Elder DuBose

p.s. Our baptism

 some investigators

my worn out shoes,

one last selfie with Elder Cornejo

the first of many with Elder Barragon

our house,

and the best pictures I have of Zacatecas so far!

The long grind... Mon 8/7, 5:57 PM

This morning with my District

Dear friends and family,

We got a little bit of an adventure this week. This last week, the landlord of the other elders in our branch said, "Well, my wife is going to have surgery, and I need your house, so get out." To make a long story less interesting, we've got for elders living in our house right now, and things are cramped and loud. 

But, I have to say, it is really fun. It gets really hard sometimes, but really fun.

I was reading an article in an old liahona by Elder Quintin L. Cook called "Looking beyond the Mark" and what he said has really stuck with me for the past couple of days. In the article, he talks about how we tend to think to much, or how we tend to put our attention where it doesn't always need to be. In this article, he shares a poem and the lines I can remember go, "But harder is the daily drag, To smile at trials which fret and fag, and not to murmmer nor to lag," and then it says something like, and you'll have made it!

The truth is, there is a lot I don't understand, but I feel like I can trust God and the plan He has for me. It might be hard to see that final picture, but I know that keeping his comandments will bring blessings. It might seem like one long grind, but in the end we are so much the better for it. 

Love you guys!

Love,

Elder DuBose

p.s. I don't have a lot of pictures, but here is one of a birthday card I thought was pretty funny.

I should really just stop telling you guys about the weather...Mon 7/31, 4:36 PM

The House across the street, when the rain came down really hard...again.

Dear friends and family,

So, I think I've figured out why the weather gets so weird here. Whenever I write to y'all about the weather, it changes to the furthest thing from what it was.

But, to make a long story less long, it rained cats and dogs this week. Elder Cornejo and I got to work, and it was one of the hottest days that we have had in a long while. After lunch, we were walking back to our area (it is usually about a thirty minute walk) and out of the blue, somone dumped a lake on us. I would have taken out my camera to take a picture, but I know that cameras don't hold up so well in lakes. 

Other than that, it was a really good week. We found a few new people, and got some work done. 

I love you guys a lot, and I want to thank you for all the prayers. 

The church is TRUE!

Love,

Elder DuBose

p.s. my soaked shirt (you can't really tell, but trust me),

 and I hope you can tell what this is. Haha