Week 31 - I Mean.... I Guess it's Hot

Sup my homies? How's it going? Here? It is just pretty dang hot so that's fun! It's not as everyone says though, so there's that.... My desire to go swimming has dramatically increased in my first week here. But it's ok because... well, it's not ok. Oh well.

Monday: Last day in Ozumba :( As a district, we went to a "park" nearby and made a fire, roasted marshmallows, hot dogs, had some chill music playing (gospel music, missionary appropriate, don't worry guys). It was fun!

Tuesday: Went to the changes and saw Christopher and Angeles, my first converts! They are the best! So I am going down to Cuatla to a small town called Jonacatepec. It's pretty hot down there. My new companion is super chill, Elder Palomares (I'm really excited cause he's my first comp that doesn't speak English). He's super nice. He has 15 months in the mission, from San Luis Potosi. He wants to learn how to speak like a black so he says, "What's up nigga" a lot (but it isn't offensive as it sounds cause he sounds funny when he says it, don't worry). Good first day. And we got two baptismal dates!

Wednesday: Funny story from today - We were at a member's house for lunch and a close family friend of theirs showed up form the US with some of his friends. Only this friend knows spanish. The other 3 are refugees from Syria. They speak some english. It was so hard to talk to them in english! My english is not that great anymore. 

Thursday: Our area is pretty big again. The cities in our area are: Jonacatepec, Tenango, Tetililla, Chalcatzingo, Apotonilgo and San Gabriel. Pretty cool names, I suppose. Today we taught the Candelara Salazar Family. Super humble and super nice. All 4 of them accepted a baptismal date! They need your prayers.

Friday: So all the pueblos we have are far away and today we found out there is a "trail" that connects two of them. We decided to try it and long story short, it did NOT work. It was fun though.

Saturday: We had a lesson with this girl, Atziri, this morning. She's been through a lot, but she knows God can help her. Super cool. We put a baptismal date with her too. Please send some prayers her way too.

Sunday: I gave a talk today (it is just a branch here, by the way. Good people, awesome area). I killed it, I think. No one came :( but it was a good day. 

A good first week! We worked hard and there is a lot of potential here. Did I mention that it is pretty hot here?;) 

Love y'all! Have a good week!

- Elder Quist

First sunrise in Jonacatepec

Week 30 - Changes Again

Hard week honestly. Didn't really get a ton done. We were getting ready all week for the 4 baptisms we had planned. Let me tell y'all what happened.

Monday: We went to this place called Ixtapaluca last week to go to Sam's Club (it's out of the mission boundaries, but we are allowed to go). We went to Burger King and walked around this nice mall. Later we went to a cave with some members called "The Cave of the Devil." Cool stuff.

Tuesday: So our church flooded and we spent hours cleaning it up. It was crazy. But hey, now the church is super clean so there's that. haha  Later we had a lesson with Erik and Yamileth. Here's their story: They have been receiving lessons from missionaries for 4 years and have been waiting 6 months to get baptized. Erik grew up in a huge polygamist colony nearby and the church has been having problems with them for awhile. So he needs a special interview with a Seventy. It's taken awhile, but it's finally going to happen this week!

Wednesday: We went to Ecatzingo today. We committed Grizelda to baptism! She was a contact from last week. Her date is for the 12th of May. Pray for her. :)

Thursday: We just filled out a ton of papers today so I will just share a few thoughts from the week: We are never alone when we stand with our Father in Heaven (Thomas S. Monson); Be a representative of Jesus, not just a member of His church; It may have already happened, or maybe it will happen in the future, but we all must pass through Gethsemane; I believe the Lord does everything He can so we can truly, honestly, and deeply change. Becoming a Latter-day Saint and a disciple of Christ is not just a question of deciding to adopt certain attitudes, it is to witness a profound change in ourselves; And I'll finish with this quote by Gordon B. Hinckley: "It is not enough to be good. You must be good for something. You must contribute good to the world." 

Friday: We had Erik's interview this morning with Elder Dyches. He now has to pass that info to President Nelson! The prophet is going to give Erik permission to be baptized. That's freakin legit! But he can't get baptized for a few weeks, so those 2 baptisms were cancelled for this week. Later we had the interviews for Kenya and Fidelia. One passed and one didn't. They want to wait until they can be baptized the same day. So all 4 baptisms were postponed. :( That's ok though. God's will, not mine.

Saturday: Just the usual.

Sunday: So today was the last Sunday of this cycle. We got our changes. I thought that I would be staying and Elder Gastelum would leave. But I am going down to the state of Morelos to Cuatla! Super sad actually because I love it here.

Until next week! Love y'all!

Elder Quist

 After our district bonfire in the morning

After cleaning the flooded church.

Week 29 - Hakuna Matata

Hi All!

This week was good so let's get to it...

Last Monday, we went to Chalco to get more Book of Mormons and pamphlets (cause we are teaching machines - no big deal). Then we went to Ixtapaluca and bought some brownies at Sam's Club, aka, missionary heaven.

 Harmless entertainment at Sam's Club

Tuesday: Everyone go read "The Donaldson Papers." Even if you aren't a missionary, it'll help you understand the gospel better. It's fuego.

Wednesday: MIRACLES. We have been trying to find this chick, Cecilia, in Ecatzingo, for about a month and today we just ran into her and talked for awhile. THEN, we were trying to find a house, but we both felt like we weren't close. So we knelt down and said a prayer and found the house like 5 minutes later. THEN! So background: Ecatzingo is about 40 minutes away driving, or 2 hours walking. The combi's from there to our house end around 7 pm. Ok so we finished a lesson at 6:50... and we LITERALLY SPRINTED to the road where they pass by. There weren't any around. Like 10 minutes later, a combi passed by that wasn't officially working and asked if we needed a ride. Miracles.

Thursday: Just the usual.

Friday: Got some carnitas today. Then I went with Elder Britez to Cuijingo and contacted for a bit. We put a baptismal date for Erik and Yamileth, super cool people.

Saturday: I really like this scripture I found while reading: 2 Nephi 1:21, "Arise from the dust, my sons, and be men..." Besides finding that scripture, we just walked around a ton.

Sunday: Church was good. No investigators came, but it was still good. We went to Tepecoculco today. Good time. 

Good week this week! Sorry it's so short. I love y'all. You are in my prayers!

- Elder Quist

 a cool painting in Ecatzingo

 and a cool sunset

 and a cool cave outing

Week 28 - Keeping Busy in México!

Hey all!

A week ago p-day, we went to a place called Paso De Cortez and then to this cool waterfall! Also, General Conference was the bomb. It is such a blessing to have a living prophet on the earth to lead and guide us. He is the only person that can receive revelation for the whole church. I hope we all remember to listen to him, the apostles and the other leaders of the church.

This last week was awesome! Lots of work! Elder Gastelum and I are honestly too busy to study a lot some days. Blessing and a curse. 

Monday: Elder Gastelum stayed with the assistants in Chalco for the night and I stayed with the Zone Leaders because he needed to go to Mexico City to renew his visa and I couldn't go. We went to some cool waterfalls in the morning and then played pool as a zone. I had some Chinese food for the first time since September. Chill day.

Tuesday: Temple trip!! So last week we met some cool people in Ecatzingo... Fidelia and her daughter, Kenya. They are planning on getting baptized April 21st! They came to one session of Conference and today we are going to the temple with them! They brought their cousins too (and we committed them to baptism later this week too!). So all in all, we had 5 investigators go to the temple. It was the bomb!

Wednesday: Lots of walking.

Thursday: Interviews with President Zapata. It was good. President is a super cool guy. I wish you all could meet him. 

Friday: Today I did divisions with Elder Britez. He's cool. This is his first cycle in the mission, so he is still pretty new. We practiced how to teach and contact. 

Saturday: We taught Fidelia and Kenya as well as Denis, Alexis and Carla today. Literally their only doubt about the church why there are oxen under the font in the temple. haha! We explained that so now we're good. I also ate the feet of a chicken today. So that was fun.

Sunday: We had 5 investigators come to church! It was awesome. They are good people!

It was a busy week! Lots of work here in Ozumba. It makes the time fly by. I miss y'all! Que tengan buena semana!

- Elder Quist

 The volcano with new snow in April!

Week 27 - That One Soul

Hey everyone! 

This week will be a little shorter. I'll fill you in with all the weekly details next week, but today I just wanted to share my testimony.

Being here on a mission has given me a lot of time to think. I am serving a mission. I am not "on my mission." I am on God's mission. In Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16 it says:  

  

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

I have realized that the "one soul" is mine. The purpose of serving this mission is to bring souls unto Christ. BUT how great shall be my joy if that soul is mine. I certainly did not come here to Mexico completely converted. I should say, I did have amazing experiences spiritually and I know the church is true, but converted? Honestly, no. Did I pray every day? No. Read the scriptures? Really only in seminary. Know what it was like to follow the spirit? Not really. The biggest and best convert on this mission of God is and will be myself. The amount of miracles I have seen and the amazing experiences I have had teaching others has literally changed my life. I forget at the moment who said it but someone in Conference said, "Things that don't change remain the same." I don't want to go on a 2 year "fun time teaching people, we baptized a few times" experience. I want to go on a mission. And I want to come back changed and converted. I know I am doing the Lord's work for 2 years of my life, and I am doing it because I love Him. I know that the Book Of Mormon is the most correct of any book on the planet and it contains the fulness of the Gospel, and that by and through that book any person can gain a testimony through diligent scripture study and prayer. I have seen the changes people have made in their lives to have the message that this Gospel brings. I know that God will give us trials and afflictions to test our patience and faith and that by enduring those hard times we can gain a new and special witness for ourselves that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. He is at the head of this church and directs the work of salvation through his living prophet Russell M. Nelson, and through the apostles. I know that if we put every ounce of our faith in Him, we will never be led down the wrong path and that we can withstand the temptations of everyday life. 

I hope everyone felt spiritually uplifted and had an amazing conference weekend! This regularly scheduled program will continue next week...

Love you all!

Elder Davis Quist

Week 26 - Hiking Popcatépetl

Hi All! A run down of my week --

Monday: Last week for p-day, we hiked/drove up Popocatépetl, an active volcano nearby. It was pretty awesome! Don't be jealous.

a view of the active volcano from our area

 hiking with the district

Tuesday: We had a multi-zone meeting in Chalco. We left our house at 7:30 am and didn't get home until about 4 pm. Long meeting. We were so tired. Walking up a volcano the day before is not too easy on the legs.

Wednesday: We have been looking through our area books (we have a ton) to find people to teach again. We visited one this morning. She wasn't there, but we talked with her a little bit and she is really interested! We left her a Book of Mormon and she really wants to read it.  Later we went to Ecatzingo (a town in our area). We have to use a combi or a bus to get there because it's so far. Without traffic, it's 30 minutes by bus. But. It's probably my favorite place to visit so far in the mission. 

Thursday: We went on splits with the Zone Leaders in Ecatzingo. We were there all day. There is not a flat road in this place. It is pure hills. One road is literally more than a 45 degree incline.

Friday: I don't think y'all knew this, but no one in Mexico has toasters. I have not seen one yet. I really miss them. And bagels. I miss bagels. I thought about American food a lot today.

Saturday: We traveled a ton today! When I go to this area, we received a branch. The other Elders never worked there, so President Zapata gave the area to us. It's called Tepecoculco, and it's also quite far in a combi (30 minutes) and about 120 pesos. That's a lot... we had a really good lesson in Ecatzingo in the morning. Then we met with the Tepecoculco Branch President in the afternoon and visited some less active families. Long, good day.

Sunday: We had a really cool lesson in the afternoon. I felt the spirit during the opening prayer and this lady we taught was like, "whoa, I've never felt the spirit like that before." Great lesson. At the end, I felt impressed to promise her that if she prays, she will feel the spirit strongly. She prayed and the spirit was definitely there. She felt it too. Super cool!

Overall this week was awesome! We got 12 new investigators and worked SUPER hard. I really miss bagels, but besides that things are great! I love you all! You're in my prayers!

- Elder Quist

 the pig (aka, the carnitas) from last week

Week 25 - Carnitas, Carnitas, Carnitas

Hey there! This email will be shorter. Sorry. My new area is the Ozumba 1st Ward and a branch in Tepecoculco. Just know these names aren't too easy for me either. ;) My new companion is Elder Gastelum. He has 11 months on the mission and is from Chicago, but his parents are from Mexico. 

Monday: We played soccer as a zone in the park close to the church. It was hot, but fun! Later, I packed up my things. Oh, we had cake with the Jimenez Familia, Brenda y Ingrid. Good times. Later that evening we had Lime Pie with the Garcia's. It was the best! Good last night.

Tuesday: Changes. We had carnitas as a district. Carnitas, are, well, THE BEST THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO ME (so far) in this new area! haha! Later for lunch we had quesadillas and gorditas. Then visited some contacts.

Wednesday: Our area, geographically, is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in the mission. Some names of cities in our area - Loma Verde, Atlautla, Tepecoculco, Tecomaxusco, Ecatzingo, Mamalhuazuca, Tlalamac, Ozumba, and Tlacotompa. Have fun trying to pronounce those! We are trying to establish a house of prayer in Ecatzingo, so we checked it our today. It's super pretty, small and ONLY hills... my legs are gonna look gooood when I leave this area! In the evening, we committed Teresa and Paulina to a baptismal date! Pray for them.

Thursday: Nothing too special. Just walked a lot. Checked out the area.

Friday: I forgot to mention - on Wednesday, we helped Hermano Victor kill a pig (he makes carnitas - super good carnitas). This morning we had carnitas from the pig we killed.... We spent the whole day in Ecatzingo (only like 5 hours) just getting to know the place and we got 12 accepted contacts! This place is far away so missionaries never work there. This cycle will be fun over there!

Saturday: We met with a less active family in Ecatzingo. We helped them make carnitas. haha! We had carnitas 3 out of 5 day this week.

Sunday: Teresa and Paulin came to church! The ward here is one of the oldest and best organized wards in Mexico. Just trust me.

This was an awesome week! Love you guys!

- Elder Quist

Week 24 - Champions!

Hey everyone!

At this point, I don't know what to talk about. Mexico is good. I'm loving the mission! If you are wondering what a mission is like, or if you forgot, well, it's good. Like 80% of the time, things don't go as planned and you get frustrated and the other 20%, things don't go as planned and you have a really cool experience.

Monday: This day was the bomb. In the mission every 6 months, we have a Sports Day. With team (Zone) jerseys and all. We play basketball, soccer, and volleyball as a zone against every other zone. Our zone, Helaman, won! It was so fun to see the whole mission, all my homies, in other zones. Good day!

Helaman Zone

 Bus ride to sports day

 Elders Peterson, Rowberry, Crockett and Quist

 Zone Trophy cause we are the best

 My dad - Elder McDowell

 with Elder Braithwaite, my homie 

Tuesday: There really wasn't anything super interesting about this day besides having a district meeting and a super interesting lesson. So we taught a lesson about the Gospel of Jesus Christ to about 20 people... it was an Alcoholics Anonymous group. Haha. It actually went really well. 

This cycle has ben hard, not gonna lie. But I found these scriptures: Mosiah 23:21-22 - "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten His people; Yea, He trieth their patience and their faith. Nevertheless--whosoever putteth his trust in Him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people." I've come to realize a lot more clearly that I'm on the Lord's mission, not my mission.

Wednesday: We had a zone activity today in area Zapata and I went with Elder Oehler, my homie. We contacted 6 or 7 people and they all accepted soooo we killed it. We walked a lot today. They said I would gain weight on my mission, but I honestly don't see how that's possible. haha! We never.stop.walking.

Thursday: We set 3 baptismal dates today! Ana Maria, Wendy, and Jade. They all seem really interested so I hope it works out next cycle. 

Friday: Another zone activity, but this time it was in our area! 20 elders walking around contacting for 2 hours. I was with Elder Barcenas, super fun morning! Then we had lunch with the Garcia's. We had some tacos dorados ( like taquitos in the US, but better). They were the best, as usual. 

Saturday: This morning we helped this cool member, Sergio (he has a glass eye). We moved a giant metal staircase. It was huge, good service though!

Sunday: Just a normal Sunday. No one came to church. It's transfers this week and I found out that I'm moving down to Amecameca! 4 1/2 months here in Valle de Chalco has been so awesome! But I guess it's time to go. I'm excited though! I'll be closer to the volcanoes. :)

Have a good week! I miss y'all!

- Elder Quist

Week 23 - "...being an instrument in the hands of God"

Hello! How is everyone doing? You know, the longer I do this whole mass email thing, the harder it gets. Like, how many people actually read this?? Anyway, If you read this, send me a quick email. I'd like to know. ;) 

Last Monday was p-day. Super relaxed. Didn't do a ton. We had a FHE with the Garcia's and I taught. The lesson wasn't perfect and neither was my spanish, but the spirit testified so strongly, which was super, super cool! 2 Nephi 3:24 "...being an instrument in the hands of God." It's a cool feeling. I've been praying a lot lately for, well, help. I'm on a mission, but this past week or so, I haven't felt like I'm doing much. This lesson helped me understand a little better that I'm here doing God's work. Literally. Not what I think is God's work. Does that even make sense?

Tuesday: Has anyone read the book of Job? I read about it in the Bible Dictionary - pretty cool. "The Book of Job suggests that affliction, if not for punishment, may be for experience, discipline and instruction." God doesn't give us trials to punish us (well, sometimes). He gives them to us to make us better people. 

Wednesday: Today was a party. I went on divisions with Elder Parker in his area for the day. There is this area call "Las Tablas" and it is super sketch. Elder Parker said they never go there after 6. 'Cause you'll die. Anyway, it is always fun to do divisions. And it was fun to be with someone from the US. Good day.

Thursday: We had a zone meeting this morning and 'twas a good time. This zone is da bomb because it is only elders. There aren't any sisters, so we are super tight. Just a heads up: If you tell a latina that you really don't want food, they will still make you food. We visited a recent convert/less active member and talked with them for awhile. He asked me to say a prayer. That was a pretty inspired prayer as he said it was exactly what he needed and they are really going to try to come to church again. 

Friday: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!! The big 5-0! 

Saturday: We had a zone activity this morning contacting people in another area. I was with Elder Martinez from Nicaragua. He's super cool. Hey if y'all have time, go read and seriously ponder Alma 5:14-15.  It's kind of like a member self quiz. 

Sunday: Church en la manãna, fue bueno, estuve muy cansado. Tuvimos Almuerzo con la familia Hinojosa Herrera y tuvimos helados de fruta. Sinceramente es mi segunda comida favorita, despues el pay de limon de Angeles. Tuvimos una junta en la tarde por pocos Horas, entonces tuvimos tiempo a descansar. Buen dia. Que Tengan una buena semana!  (Church in the morning, it was good, I was very tired. We had lunch with the Hinojosa Herrera family and we had fruit ice cream. Honestly it's my second favorite meal, then Angeles' lemon pie. We had a meeting in the afternoon for a few hours, then we had time to rest. Good day. Have a good week!)

Elder Quist

a view from our area  

Week 22 - 20%!

Hey all! 

I just finished about 20% of the mission and hit the 5-month mark. Super exciting stuff! This week was really slow. Probably one of the more difficult weeks so far. But then I found a scripture that really helped. 1 Nephi 20:10, "For behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Sometimes God gives us trials in life to test us or to learn something because he has chosen us to do something important and wants us to be ready. If we put our trust in God, He will help us!

Monday was super busy. We packed up our house for a few hours, then played basketball and soccer at the church for awhile. I got a haircut too. It's fresh. After a quick lunch, we moved all of our stuff to our new house! This house is the bomb.

Tuesday we only had one lesson, but it was probably one of the best! It was with Mariana and her niece, Angeles. We committed Angeles to baptism, so that was cool.

Wednesday we had interviews with President. They lasted quite a while. We missed 2 appointments. We try to call when we miss an appointment, but half the time this is what happens: we say "Hey sorry about yesterday. We called, but the number doesn't work." Them: "Oh yeah, I don't pay my phone bill, but I have a number. Just call if you're not going to come, alright?" HUH??? Some people...

Not much on Thursday to report.

Friday we walked so much. We had do something on the computers and while we were on, I watched Jeffrey R. Holland's talk about Peter when he says "Feed my sheep." Cool video!

So this member we ate with on Saturday mentioned like 4 times that I need to visit after my mission and marry his daughter. hahaha Ohhhh Mexico....

Sunday was Sunday. Anyway, that was my week. Super exciting! Y'all need to write me. I'm a lot funnier in personal emails.... :) 

Love and miss you all! 
Elder DQ

My new desk arrangement

(he promises more pics next week!)

Week 21 - Still Haven't Been Robbed (Part 15)

I'm doing great, fam! Still a little sick, but it's ok. I'm livin'. Valle de Chalco is fun! Lots of nice drunk people. I actually saw some guy just fall over in the road because he was so drunk. Good times. OH!... And there was an earthquake last week. It wasn't too near, but we felt it. Still alive though. 

Monday: We played soccer as a zone today and I killed it (just kidding, it was so fun though). We had some really good quesadillas later. Kind of sketchy, but what isn't here? 

Tuesday: Our district meeting was good. Elder Parker taught about having patience. 'Twas a good lesson. Sidenote - Sorry I say "good" a lot in these emails. My english vocabulary has drastically reduced.

Wednesday: We had a multi-zone meeting in Chalco with Elder Pieper, an Area Authority. He said a lot of helpful things, but what I liked the most was, "Revelation is not an explanation. It is a declaration." Lots of good stuff. Super long meeting like 5 hours. 

Thursday: I really like these scriptures. I read during my study time: Mosiah 2:22-24 and 2 Nephi 1:20. The rest of the day was not too fun.

Friday: SUPER exciting day. So we were walking around, contacting people when a guy was like "Hey, where are you from?" And it is usually fun to talk to people that speak english so we talked with him awhile. This guy has LIVED. He knows like 6 languages, has lived/travelled all over the world, super funny guy. Ok dad, here's the best part: He lived in Elko for 10 years. For those of you who don't know what/where that is. It's a town like 3 hours west of Salt Lake in Nevada. Lots of mining. And this guy worked in one. "You know, I really like Americans. Hard workers, even the women. One time I was assigned to work with Matilda. And that's a girl's name, so I was pretty excited. Maybe she was cute? When all the other workers found out, they said, 'You're dancing' with Matilda tonight!' Turns out, Matilda was the name of a jack hammer. I don't like Matilda anymore." Haha!! This guy is hilarious. Anyway, later in the day there was a BIG earthquake in Oaxaca (Wuh-hawk-uh) and we felt it. Our electricity was our for 2 hours. Fun stuff.

Saturday: From study - "If you treat an individual as he is, he will stay as he is. If you treat him as if he were what he could be and ought to be, he will become what he ought to be." Sorry, I don't talk about investigators a lot. We currently have like 30, but none of them have come to church (literally zero).

Sunday: Ward Conference today! We had 145 people come. A new high! Afterwards we negotiated for a new house (it's sick, I love it). We'll be moving tomorrow! We had a zone meeting in the evening. 

Busy week! 2 to 3 lessons every day. I love y'all. Hope life is treatin' you well! Email me! :)

- Elder Quist

(no pics from our boy this week, but grateful to the Garcia family for sending some!)

Moving Day - The Elder's previous apartment wasn't in their area (10 minute walk to their area). So they found and negotiated a new one in their area. Thanks to the Garcia family who helped them move! 

 Transfer day for Elder McDowell