¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS, VIEJITOS!
Dear everyone that I love,
So,
a bunch of birthdays are about to happen this week, including mine!
I´d just like to extend a Happy Birthday to William, who will be
turning 22 (viejito) on the 18th, Benjamin who will be turning 13
(jovencito) on the 22nd, myself who will be turning 20 (viejito) on the
20th, and my Dad who has the right to remain silent if he doesn´t want
to tell you his age (un poquito más viejito)... Haha! Congrats to the
Wan for finally winning the dance competition and Mr. Viking after 6
tries from the Hutch boys. And congrats to Mantha for getting to be
Catilion Queen! Mr. LHS/Prom King congradulates you both on pre-college
dominance. Haha! Oh, and I´m super excited about big Z´s graduation,
and what is going on with Kamille! (If you don´t already know, find out
from her blog).
Anyway, things back here in Mexico are going pretty
swell. Unfortunately, Rafael from last weeks story hasn´t been able to
see us due to the fact that his family won´t let him, because they don´t
like us because we´re... well "not from their religion" (ironic if you
ask me, because we actually helped him START to excersize some faith to
find out that God was trully there for him, but his family just won´t
leave him alone if he meets with us.) Poor man... but we´ll see that we
get around these obstacles that the father of all lies throws in
peoples way to keep them from trully coming to Christ. However, the
good news is a soon-to-be convert named Dionicio. This man at first
barely talked when we first met him. However, he felt something special
each time we went with him, and now he has opened up and is QUITE
sociable and is probably more active and faithful in going to church
activities than I have been at times! Yep, he´s the man! Also, we have
a great couple (José and Claudia) that´s going to get married this 5 de
Mayo!! They´re doing this in preparation of their baptism to keep a
commandment called the law of chastity, and they are just so PUMPED to
have the wedding and everything. I don´t think it´ll be something
really huge, but I just hope I don´t get transfered out of here all of
the sudden so that I can see everything go through for them! (Because,
yall know how I recieve special transfers... too much, and not always
too well.)
So, as I said, my birthday is this week. I was
talking with our ward mission leader (a recent return missionary), and
we were laughing because we were talking about holidays and birthdays on
the mission and how it´s super wierd because they´re almost like
completely NORMAL days. "Missionaries celebrate more the days in which
they complete one month more than they celebrate actual holidays!" He
said. It sounds funny... and it IS funny... because it´s true
sometimes. Haha! However, I´ve made sure to spoil myself in my grocery
shopping this week bying (in addition to my normal weekly stuff) an
extra tub of yoghurt, a big bag of cheeto puffs, a frozen Tony´s pizza
(especially saved for my birthday), and froot loops (NOT off-brand
cereal for once... But unfortunately there was not Cinnamin Toast Crunch
to be found). Woo! Happy Birthday to me! And thank you all so much,
by the way for all of the emails I recieved this week! (Especially
Mantha for the awesome sign she made me).
Some people may think "what? how aweful to barely
be able to celebrate your own birthday or holidays in the normal way of
taking a vacation or relaxing:" Yes, I have to work on all holidays and
equilly on my own birthday, but I trully don´t want anyone to worry
about it. I don´t find joy in relaxing and resting for a while. You
know what I find joy in? Finding people like Dionicio, José, and
Claudia, having special experieces with them as a missionary and
representative of Jesus Christ. And I have the oppurtunity to do that
EVERY DAY because I am here. Whenever I think of the scripture John
15:13, I think of what the savior personally did for me. And THEN I
think about what I can do to pay him back and to serve my friends and
family in Mexico AND at home at the same time by doing this. I love you
all so much. And I hope that these letters that I write will help
others be inspired to use thier own talents to improve the lives of
others around them. I miss you all, but I pray for each of you
everyday. Pray for me too, but don´t you dare worry about me. I am SO
happy.
¡Hasta luego!
Love,
Elder Christian Hutchinson.