Carnegie Hall....

Below is Elder Hoots' letter from July 2.  The holiday week put me behind a little bit.

Also sent with this letter was some more pictures!  The Picture page is updated.

Read below and see what's up in the Mexico City South Mission....

Letter to America,

Dang this week was a good week. Other than it raining cats and dogs outside every night, it's pretty nice here.  In fact, as I write this it is raining and my clothes are getting wet outside where they are hanging to dry, so that kind of sucks.

But all the hard work is finally paying off with my companion Elder Shirley. We have been walking a lot and teaching a lot of Mexicans.  Who knew that so many Mexicans would love two gringos and let them in their house and stuff?

Anyways, this week we had three baptisms. Two Friday night and one Saturday morning.  One exciting thing about these baptisms was that each person we baptized was scared of the water.  So that spiced things up a little bit.  But it was good to get to do them and a great experience.

Friday night, was a lady named Maria Angelica and her daughter Rocio.  It was funny because on Sunday they both told us they wanted to be baptized...on Friday.  So we said Ok and got it done. That was a miracle. But Rocio was scared of the water. The Bishop baptized her and after she came out of the water she literally jumped into the arms of the Bishop and he carried her out. Haha...funny stuff. Then her mom Maria went. The same Bishop baptised her.  When she was raised out of the water she fainted...in the water still.  The Bishop grabbed her arm and was yelling help me help me.   Her husband was running around and tried to help her. It was pretty crazy stuff, a little scary, but kind of funny at the same time. I'm just glad it all ended up going well.

And then Saturday was Cesia. She wasn't scared....correction...she didn't tell us she was scared of the water. I baptized her and when she came into the water, she grabbed my arm and almost started crying.  I told her to relax.  So when I raised her out of the water she got scared and dove forward.  I grabbed her and was trying to help her. After I caught her she was just chillin' there not trying to stand up or anything.  I was gunna say, "umm excuse me. I am holding you here." But after a while she got up. The next day I felt like I went to the gym for three hours, my arms were dead. Haha.

The work is going good here and the gringos are tearin it up in Mexico City. We are working hard and loving it.

I am going to share something with you guys that some special person sent me today. First of all, I would like to start by saying that this gospel and this church WILL change the life of anyone who needs it and lives by its teachings. And you are wrong if you think that you don't need to change because everyone needs to change. With that said. It is not a one step process. There was a general authority who gave a talk about this. Someone who starts playing the piano can't expect to be playing in Carnegie Hall (makes me think of Carnegie Deli...which is delicious) the next day. It takes time and practice. It takes messing up and going back and doing it right. We have to work if we want to play in Carnegie Hall. This is exactly like the gospel. You can't learn it all and live it all perfect in one day. It takes time. Whoever you are and wherever you are and in whatever situation you are in, you can make it to Carnegie Hall. The goal of a piano player is Carnegie Hall.  The goal of a child of God is to return to His kingdom. You can make it there, even if you mess up.  All you have to do is recognize that you messed up, go back and fix it. That's what has to be done.  There is no other way.

There is nothing wrong with messing up. But there is something wrong with not fixing what you did mess up. I don't think Elton John was playing in front of fifty thousand people his second day at the piano. It took years of practice and realizing what he needs to do so that he doesn't mess up. I know that we all one day can play in Carnegie Hall and that is where God wants us to be.  He knows we will mess up.  He is OK with it and He can and will help us fix it. That is why He sent Jesus Christ. I know that I have messed up in maybe a million things in my life. Maybe every day from the time I was thirteen.  But I still have the goal to play in Carnegie Hall one day and I know that that is possible. All it takes is practice.

I love you all. Miss you all a ton. Especially Bear Creek. Number 14 is such a good hole. Haha.

Love,

Haden