New Area, New Companion, New Baptisms

After a few week hiatus, Elder Jaramillo is back with a letter.  As of this week he only has two more months to go.  He will be home before we know it.

Check out the letter to hear about how he feels about coming home and his new area!  The map on the right of the page is updated so you can see where he is now.

Dear America,

It's super crazy to me that February has come and gone. Sorry I have been really bad at writing letters. But all I want to think about on P-Day is how long I can nap for.  haha.

So this week they sent me to a new area. My new companion is named Elder Marlowe and he is from Virginia. He is kind of new, he's only been on his mission for about 4 months. He is a cool kid and he makes me run in the morning.  It's good for me and helps me wake up, but it got me sick. So I don't know if I like him that much. Haha.  He is cool.  He was a boxer all his life so 1. I try not to make him mad and 2. he is teaching me how to box.  I can't do it, I am too much of a baby. He is teaching my how to defend myself and I am horrible. He pretends to hit me in the side and I put my hands down and when I look up I see a big, 16 ounce blue glove flying right for my face. And it stops like right at my nose. Not that fun, not gunna lie.

Because he has only been out for four months I am trying to help him with Spanish cause it is not coming that easy to him.  Everyone calls me the Spanish teacher because I have been with four American companions who are new on their mission so that I can help teach them how to speak it.  It is hard, but it is good to learn patience.

My new area is called Azteca. It's really close to the soccer stadium Azteca. It's legit. It's so much better then Iztapalapa which is where I have been my whole mission. Iztapalapa is like the ghetto of Mexico City, and this place is a little bit more normal. It's cool.

We met some legit people this week.  First, we have this lady we are teaching named Sandra. She is going to get baptised this weekend. She is ridiculously prepared. And when we asked her if she wanted to be baptized this week she waiting for like 0.5 seconds and said yes.  I'm excited.  My first baptism in two months, the first baptism of this ward in 8 months and the first baptism for my companion in his whole life!!!! Booo yah!!!!

Then we found this family of four. We found them Thursday, taught them Friday and they went to church Sunday.  As we were teaching them about Joseph Smith the room was really quiet and even the little kids were calm. The Spirit was way strong and we all felt it testifying to us that what we were teaching was true. After the lesson, they didn't have any questions and on Sunday they came to church. We hope that soon they will be able to make the decision to be baptised cause that would be cool for their family. But we will see how things go for them this week.

This ward is cool, a lot of good people. It is so much more calm then where I was before and I feel like I don't have to be watching out for my life on every street. People are nice and normal here. Haha. The best part about this ward is the food that they give us. It is so good. Needless to say, I am happy to be here. Haha.

Its crazy that I come home in two months. The time has definitely flown by. I don't know where Iwould be without my mission in my life and I am so thankful that I didn't give up on it when times were hard.  It seriously has helped me have a change of heart and I don't plan on ever returning to be the person I was before my mission. I have had a lot of baptisms on my mission and I have seen a lot of people accept the gospel 100% and seen them change their lives. Many people have been converted to Jesus Christ.  But my favorite conversion is the one that I have had in myself.  I am kind of nervous to come home, I want to stay here and continue to grow and change. But I have to learn quickly because that day is going to come even if I don't want it too. I feel like, with anything that we do in life we are nervous to start, but we have to just do it, and keep on going and doing it.

I am proud of Ali (Scott). For the decision she has made to go on a mission. I know that she will be a sweet missionary in Korea...eating dog. Over the last few years we have had a good friendship and to be able to see her to make the decision to serve is awesome. I heard that her farewell talk was this week, I feel like she is so prepared and ready. Thanks for your constant support throughout my mission and I support you in your mission too.  I'll miss you when you are in Korea but go for it and never look back.  We will all be here when you come home in a year and a half.  Love you.

Well another week in the books and just a few more weeks to write. I look forward to having many more stories to tell you guys in these next nine weeks and having a lot of baptisms. I need 11 more and just two months to meet my goal. Can he fix it? Yes he can! (Theme song Bob the Builder)

Love you guys. Talk to you next week.