Monday 26 January 2015

Scary Experience

Hello Everyone,
     This past week has been pretty good! My new companion, Elder Mayorga is awesome!! We are like best friends and we work great together!! This has helped the work here in this area a lot. It's a lot easier to have the spirit when we get along as a companionship!!

     So this week we found some new investigators that are pretty interested in learning more, so hopefully everything goes well!! As for baptisms...we have one on Friday!! At 4pm. And guess who is performing the baptism!? That's right, yours truly, Elder Strate haha. And the chapel is still under contruction, so we are going to have it in the beach!! Again!! Oh yea. I'm super excited!! We are baptizing a girl names Jessica. Her family are all members, so she's the last one to be baptized. Which is pretty awesome!! I will definitely get some good photos so you can all see in my letter next week!!
     Okay, this week we had a bit of a scary experience. Not too bad, but enough to frighten my companion and I. So on Thursday we were walking down a street to look for a family of members. We entered into an intersection and started walking into the next street. Just then, we saw two people fighting on the side of the road. One was a woman, about late 20's maybe early 30's in age and the other was a man of about 50 or 60. So this man was trying to rob a bike from this woman. But this woman wouldn't have any of that. She was big too. About my height and was a lot bigger than me (in terms of weight haha). And the man was skinny and a bit shorter than me. So you can probably imagine who would win this fight haha. However, this man had a huge butcher knife in his hands. It was pretty freaky. Anyways, they were fighting and tossing the bike back and forth. Then the woman got the man in a headlock and started feeding him punches and it was kinda funny to be honest. But at the time, it wasn't funny. I thought for sure that she was going to get stabbed by this guy. It started to get pretty intense. My companion and I were not too far away, but we decided that we needed to call the police. But we don't know the number. Luckily here in Mexico the police are always driving around. So we walked back around the corner away from the fight and we saw a police truck. So we flagged them down and sent them around the corner to were these people were fighting. It was a freaky experience. But I know that we were guided to the police and they were guided to us. Luckily no one was hurt and the man got arrested.
     I know that the Lord was watching over us and that we were guided to the police so that they could help us. I know this is the Lords work and that he loves every single one of us. And he wants us to seek for help in our lives, even though it may be difficult at times. Thanks for all your love and support and prayers!! Until next week!
Love,
Dawson

Monday 19 January 2015

New comp

Hello Everyone,

     This past week has been a bit crazy haha. First of all, last Tuesday I went on exchanges with the zone leaders. I went with Elder Martinez in his area called "Zacil-ha". It was pretty fun. We ordered pizza afterwards haha. 
     Then on Wednesday we had special transfers. I went back to Cancún for a few days. And then I today I came back here to Playa. Transfers were this morning, so I'm back here in my same area. But that's okay, I love this area! So I've been in Cancún for the last 5 days. And I've had about 5 different companions haha. The first two nights I stayed in the house of the President's Assistants Elder Juarez and Elder Hardwick. Then the next 3 nights I stayed with some other missionaries in Kohunlich, which is another ward in Cancún. I stayed with Elder Hernandez, Elder Vega, and Elder Rescalvo. The first time I've stayed in a house with 4 missionaries haha. I will just say that we had a good time haha. So because of these changes, I don't have really anything to report about my area this week. But, I did play basketball on Saturday! For the first time here in Mexico! The Assistants and Secretaries have their P-Day on Saturday, so I got to play basketball with them. It was awesome! I was on a team with Elder Anderson and Elder Hardwick. The team of whities haha. Elder Anderson is from Utah and Elder Hardwick is from California. It was fun to play ball again. Elder Hardwick is 6'8, so I just fed him the ball underneath every time and no one could do anything about it haha. And then when they would all guard him, I would just shoot it or take it to the other side of the hoop. Needless to say, we worked pretty well together! 
     Also, while I was in Cancún, I saw my old companion Elder Tito!! It was great to see him again. We had a good conversation and caught up a bit on "old times" haha. 
    And my new companion is Elder Mayorga!! I don't have a picture of me with him yet, but I will send one next week! Elder Mayorga is awesome, he has a great spirit about him! I feel like we are going to work really well together and we should have lots of success! Well, that's all for now folks.     
     Thanks for all your love and support!! Sorry If I didn't write anyone back personally, I don't have much time to write. However, I will keep trying to reply to eveyone if I can!! Thanks for all the love and support!! 

Love Dawson

Monday 12 January 2015

Onto my six month!





Hello Everyone,                                                           January 12, 2015

         This week has been good. The Campos Family says hi to everyone and sends their love! They are a member family here in Playa, and they are amazing. They love us and are always helping us missionaries! 
         It's been a normal week here in the mission. Nothing really new has happened. But we have contacted some new investigators, so I hope we can get rolling with them! The other day a Sister in our ward gave me a pair of tennis shoes haha! They are awesome, the brand is called "Slayd" seems legit. I don't know when I'm going to wear them lol, so I might send them home.
         Oh, a funny thing happened this week. We were walking in the street, and this old russian guy started talking to us. He asked us if we were Jehova's Witnesses, and we said no. He was covered in tattoes and he was smoking in our faces haha. He started talking about the Soviet Union and how communism is the best type of government lol. And I think he was trying to incorporate Jesus Christ into communism or something. I was totally lost haha. And then he explained to us the significance of his tattoes lol. I understood for the most part what he was saying, but I couldn't figure out how it all fit together or why he was saying it lol. But ya it was a funny experience! He wants us to visit him, but hes kinda crazy so I don't think we will haha. 
            Ok Bree, I want more details. Maybe your dream is a vision haha. Who did I marry!?!? Lol. Love you two so much!! Can't wait to see you again on Mother's day!
Thanks for all your love and support and emails! Keep writing and sending your love!

Love,

Elder Strate  

Monday 5 January 2015

Happy New Year!

Hello Everyone,

     First of all, Happy New Year!!!! To be honest, my new year was pretty boring haha. We had to be in our houses early on New years eve. Normally we enter at 9 pm but on the 31st we had to be in the house at 6pm. We didn't really do much, just lounged around basically. However, I did buy some pop, ice cream, and pan dulce (sweet bread). So I enjoyed that!! I hope everyone had a great New year's celebration! 
     As for the missionary work, this past week has been pretty slow. Lots of people are on vacations and are not home. So we haven't had very many lessons, but still a few. However, this next few weeks coming up look promising. Once our investigators get back from vacations everything should get going again. 
     This new year is a great opportunity to start. Every year we make goals to change. In whatever aspect of our lives. Eating habits, exercising, and whatever else we feel. But this year, we should try to focus more on the Savior and all that he did for us. That we have the wonderful opportunity to attend his Church every Sunday to learn, and to become clean of all our sins. Also, we need to take the opportunity to count all of the blessings that we have received in this past year. I know I've had a bunch! I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve the Lord. May he bless each and every one of you personally, and as families. As we strive to live the Gospel, keep the commandments, and go forth with faith, the Lord will bless us! I know this to be true. I love you all so much! Please remember me in your prayers!!

Love,

Elder Strate