Queretaro Mexico Mission: 15 Weeks Left

  This week was pretty normal, nothing big to report. We are working hard and life goes good. We recently reactivated a less active family and their son asked me to baptized him! The water was cold, so he didn't like that very much :) But it was pretty dang legit. I don't know how many people I have baptized and I made it a goal to not count! 

I feel good about this area. I still am frustrated from time to time but I would be ok with finishing here. I like the ward a lot and even though I might not have a freak ton of baptisms here, I am cool with that. The missionaries in the zone are working hard, I couldn't be prouder of them! The sister missionaries have calmed down a freak ton! And everything is simply chill here:) This p day was quite fun. We went and played pool, then had a carne asada (barbecue mexican style). It was delicious and I couldn't move afterwards. It was a good week all in all! I love you guys and miss you! 

Love 

Elder Alex Chadwick Eaton

Photos

1)Baptism

2)Carne Asada!! (It was flipping hot!!)

Queretaro Mexico Mission: 16 Weeks Left

Elder Eaton, is responding to finding out our sweet Gracie dog was put down. 

Wow........ honestly, that was like a punch to the gut. But, it will be alright :) I am sure she is in good care with Grandma Sauer. My favorite memory of her would be whenever I would laid down on the floor and she ran onto my chest to give me some not so sweet kisses. I am sure going to miss her. 

This week was like the others, hard work, we found 3 new investigators but no one came to church. Again. It is just a little frustrating not going to lie. This is definitely the hardest that I have worked on my mission, yet I see less results. I was talking with my companion about this and we had no idea what was going on. I was asked by the bishopric to prepare a talk. When I asked what should the talk be about, they told me that it could be whatever I wanted. Welcome to the mission! I decided to share a talk on endure to the end and the discouragement that we will encounter on our life here. I chose it not only because I knew that the ward needed, but also I did too. So, as I was reading about the great missionaries with thousands of baptisms, I started thinking "why them and not me? what more do I have to do?!" So I was looking for something like a secret. Something that if I changed, I would be great like them!....... I didn't find it. But I found my answer.

In Alma 26:26-27,29-30. This is when Ammon is giving a brief summary of his mission as it comes to an end. And he talks about the beginning of his mission. And I started to understand that this was the only difference. They were super disheartened and wanted to go back, but then the Lord told them that they have to go again. But THIS time, He would give them success. So they taught them everywhere (like I have been doing). They taught them in their houses, streets, workplaces, in the middle of nowhere! Then they were cast out, made fun of, spit at, hit, stoned and thrown into prison. The only two things that haven't happened of those on my mission where stoned and thrown into prison. The rest yes. But like they say, God always saved them. In 30 is what I like is when Ammon says that they suffered this that they might bring at least one SOUL unto God. ONE. In 26 they wanted to save some souls. But in 30 it says they would have been insanely happy with even ONE. 

I shared this with the ward, and I did a self reflection. Have I made a difference on my mission? Yes. it is hard when you would like some more. But sometimes, we need to recognize that our best effort isnt enough, and maybe God doesn't have these people planned for baptism right now. But I sure as heck can prepare the way. I may not gather the harvest here but I sure can plant a seed. I am making a difference :) I love you guys and miss you a ton. 

Love

Elder Alex Chadwick Eaton

1)"Surprise!"-Nacho Libre

2)Before: Heck yeah!

3)After: KILL ME! 

Queretaro Mexico Mission: 17 Weeks Left

The investigators are doing pretty great, actually one of them went to church!! It was the first time in a long time that happened. He asked for a ride from an awesome member because he banged up his knee pretty bad in a bike accident, but he loved church! His name is Eduardo and he is 25 years old. Super chill and accepts everything and prays a ton. He is for June! As for my comp, he is doing alright, still gets frustrated from time to time but I make sure he ends each day on a good note. 

To be honest with you guys, this was the hardest week I have had in the mission, but in a good way. I worked so hard and contacted more than I can count, got addresses, but at the same time, almost all of our plans fell! When our plans fell, we went with our backup plans, but they weren't home either!! So we ended up contacting on the streets. It would have been so easy to get discouraged, but  I tried so flipping hard to keep it up, as well as my companion. It wasn't easy, we only found one new investigator, but this is the week I have most been satisfied with my work. Even though we didnt find a lot, we both agreed that we worked insanely hard and we were more than satisfied. I gave it all, 110% this week. The Lord is definitely proud of me. :) The zone meeting was great, and the sisters are doing good. Nothing to complain here! I love you guys and miss you!!

Love

Elder Alex Chadwick Eaton

Photos

1)Its not every day you find a reptile in your sink while washing dishes

2)ZONE!

Queretaro Mexico Mission: 18 Weeks Left

Hello family! We are doing better here, we found 4 more investigators to teach, so we are pretty happy! My comp worked as a floral arranger and wedding designer before the mission :) We are working hard, he is just kind of a self-frustrater, like me, so I have been helping him with that. Nothing more to report, the sister missionaries in the zone are getting along great now, they just started a war with their district leader because they were offended by something he told them about how some of their investigators don't count in the sacrament meeting they complained about that but I talked them away from the gun for that. Tomorrow we are going to have our Zone meeting, so it will be a long night of preparation. I will for sure keep Michael in my prayers. I love you guys a ton and miss you! BYE!

Love,

Elder Alex Chadwick Eaton

1)Meet the comp. 

2)last zone leader and sister training leaders conference. President whipped out the water bottle at 1....2......3

Queretaro Mexico Mission: 19 Weeks Left

Well first off, Happy mothers day again mom :) I love you a ton and words cannot describe how grateful I am to have you in my life. You are one of the principal examples in my life of how to live the gospel. I love you. Second off, if you want, you can continue with the countdown, I am ok with it. I will give it my all no matter what. So my new companion is Elder Martinez.  He seems pretty legit and we are already getting along pretty well. I think you guys know pretty much everything that is going on in my life, So that is great and well :) This week we will be focused on just finding a bunch of people! I will tell you guys how it goes next week, so I be on top of that. I love you guys and miss you!! 

Love

Elder Alex Chadwick Eaton

Photos

1)Before 

2)After. I can do hard things! Arent you proud of me mom? ;) hahahaha

Queretaro Mexico Mission: Week 83

First off, and this is what I know you want to hear: I will be talking May 8th (Mother's Day) instead of the 10th! I will be able to talk with everyone together, so I am pretty dang happy. And that is amazing what has happened with Michael! God is always there to provide the way to overcome our struggles. This week I had a pretty great experience with the power of prayer as well. We were having an open house in a chapel here in Celaya and it was a 3 day thing, Thursday and Friday for 3 hours each day and 6 hours Saturday. We coordinated with the other zone of Celaya and sent missionaries to go ahead and help out because the stake asked us to help out. 

Thursday, not a single member came to help out and we were on the street contacting the 3 hours bringing people in. Friday the missionaries told us that it was the same. We called the stake president and told him what had happened. He promised us it would not happen again. Saturday the members finally helped out but there was almost no one that was coming. Elder Alonso and I took a break and we prayed. I said the prayer and it was the most honest straightforward prayer that i have ever uttered. I said that we felt frustrated and we wanted people to come in. So please help us. We left and all the missionaries started having success with their contacts. The church started filling up and everyone, members and missionaries got excited. And Elder Alonso just looked at each other and smiled. We knew what had happend ;) We have found some new people to teach, and the truth is that I am growing in my faith. i am pretty happy right now! I love you guys a ton and miss you. Take care!

love

Elder alex Chadwick Eaton

Photos

1)Sweet grafiti

2)We went to dairy queen today. and it made my week.

Queretaro Mexico Mission: Week 82

Well, the work is going MUCH BETTER! These past few weeks have been pretty dang hard!  But this week  I was thinking about if it was all worth it. The last week we didnt find anyone and I was asking myself if all this obedience was all worth it. I have been pretty dang obedient my entire mission so i was wondering if all this effort and hard work was worth it. I have had success up until this point, so if I had only found 1 investigator in 2 weeks in this area, whats up? So we went from house to house Tuesday and it seemed like everyone was against us. Finally we decided to go with one more house and knocked on it. A lady came out and told us she had no time. I was really getting down at that point, then all of the sudden her husband came out and invited us in!!!!! We talked with them and they were willing to hear and to learn! It was super amazing!! I left that appointment feeling on cloud 9. I have learned a lot in this area, that it really DOES make all the difference. Just try one more :) 

My companion and I get along great still. We have an investigator that committed to baptism and we are pretty hyped about that! Now, about Mothers Day, it will be Mexicans Mother Day! D: But tomorrow we are going to have interviews with president Mejorada, so I will ask him special permission to see if it can be Sunday. He trusts me so i think he will say yes ;) I will let you know next week. Anyway, this Sunday we ate with a super cool sister that cooked us hamburgers that TASTED LIKE HAMBURGERS!! :D They also gifted me some barbeque sauce!!! :,D I cried for sheer joy! I haven't had real barbeque sauce in a year and a half!! It WAS AWESOME!! She also shared us a video that sums up the mission in 5 minutes.  http://mormonsud.org/arte/version-misioneros-mormones-hello-de-adele-viral/. It is pretty amazing! i love you guys and miss you a ton!!

Love 

Elder Alex Chadwick Eaton

Photos

1)We ate it all. We felt so sick after

2)Baptism of a less active family. They are strong in the gospel.