October 5, 2015

My Mom's favorite talk of conference was the one about Mothers. Yeah all the missionaries were sitting there thinking about how our moms are probably balling their eyes out hahaha. This conference was super special to me and it was really interesting how much there was about women and marriage and moms. Like a ton. It was so amazing and probably the first time in my life where I actually wanted to watch it. I mean I was always like woo conference but never like WWWWOOOO Conference haha. But I learned a ton. I learned a lot about myself and what it means to be a leader here in the mission and also a missionary in general. I learned better ways to teach and better ways to help those become converted to the gospel and dispel their petty concerns about the church. I learned a ton about the importance of women and how that is going to matter for me in 2 years hahaha. We also went to Xalapa on Tuesday for a meeting with all the trainers and their kids. If I have yet to tell you, I am finishing the training of Elder Chiñas so we went to Xalapa! haha It was like a crazy short work week. Like we went there all day Tuesday, woo 14 hours in a bus hahaha. I learned a ton though and really calmed my nerves about being a señor and training so early and how the heck am I qualified to do this. Then we worked like normal for 3 days and then conference! All in all I have been just amazing to tell you the truth. I almost have 6 months in the mission and that is absolutely crazy because I don't feel like that at all. This change was the fastest thing of my life. It is weird being a trainer and being oh so responsible for my area and real peoples lives. It is so different from anything I have done in my life. Like literally all I did before was sell chemicals to people with pools. Now I am helping people progress to eternal happiness. Like this means much more than any video game or college class I could be doing right now. That stuff will come but this is where I am supposed to be right now and I know that. I pray for you guys like every single night and that is what means the most to me is that you guys are fine. We also went to Liverpool again and ate food to say goodbye to the 2 leaving our zone. Elder Martinez and Elder Meza. They are good friends of mine and I have learned a lot from both of them. It was fun and good food so woo! Love, Elder Bigelow

September 28, 2015

Well this was not the best week of my life haha. We worked really hard but there was a couple of days where literally no one was there. To tell you the truth, I felt like a real failure because this is the first transfer that I am the mayor and it hasn't been going super well. We have investigators and everything but it just doesn't seem like we are doing what is necessary because otra vez (again) no one went to church. But I was reading in PMG and it said that when we let ourselves get disseminated and worry, we impede ourselves from hearing the promptings of the Spirit. So I cheered myself up and we are going to keep working!  In the end I don't have to worry about if i am going to be a leader or if I am going to serve as minor my entire mission. I don't really care what other missionaries think about me, as long as I am good with the Lord and I am trying as hard as I possible can to work then I should be happy. I can't control the decisions of my investigators, I can just invite and help. So that's what I am going to continue to do.  I am working on adjusting my teaching more to teach people not lessons because I feel like I am stuck in a groove and am not teaching exactly to what my investigators need. I am going to plan better with my companion and I am going to follow the spirit more. Today has been a really relaxed p day because the money comes tomorrow or the next day haha. So, we have nothing to do anything crazy fun with. But also cambios (changes) are in like 2 weeks which is crazy because I just started this transfer with Elder Chiñas and now it is already ending. Also I have a surprise trip to Xalapa!  hahaha because I am training there is a capaticion for new missionaries so I get to go to Xalapa tomorrow with Elder Chiñas and learn some more from Pres. and the other trainers and elders. I am excited haha. It is like the hardest thing in the world to fast to be honest because we fast without water, and I neeeeeddddd water! But I am super excited for this weekend because it is general conference and it will be different than all the other general conferences. To be honest I always had a pretty bad attitude about churchy stuff because I felt I know most of the stories. Even up to the end of studying my scriptures before my mission, I mean I did it but never really applied it. Now I am loving learning because it is the type of learning I love. That I can apply these things in my life and so much of the parts of the gospel and things in the temple make so much more sense hahaha. I love you guys! Elder Bigelow Another Bus Ride

September 21, 2015

This week was pretty weird lol. We had the Mexican Independance day and everything and that was like the worst day ever because we had to be back at the house at like 6. We had a class with the Pres. until like 2. So we had about 2 hours to work. We weren't able to visit all of our investigators and it really showed when no one came to church. Kinda hurts when you are the mayor and none of your 10 investigators come to church. But I am happy to go and teach them a lesson about the dia de reposo (Sabbath) and have all 8 of them that are still investigators go to church this next week!

We did have an awesome baptism this week. We were able to help Hermana S get married on Monday and then baptized this Saturday! woo! She is really funny and everything, and bought me and my comp a bunch of food lol. I love having baptisms!

My district leader Elder Wadman left this week to go to Xalapa in the offices! So, we got a new district leader named Elder Moore. He is always willing to help so I am happy. Elder Wadman was from Arizona and I guess his friend found my blog and was talking with him about me. lol 

I was with my zone leaders the other day and we were talking about what I would have thought if I had been called to be the district leader to replace Elder Wadman. I said that I would do all that the Lord calls me to do but to be honest that would be really scary. I am having a hard enough time being a mayor let alone having to worry about other elders. They said that when president asked them who should replace Elder Wadman they told president me. They have been telling me that I need to prepare myself because I will be a leader really fast in the mission. Like that is really exciting and all but I am really really scared about this. I have so many other things to worry about. But I know the Lord will provide a way to do all things. 

We went fishing today and it was super weird because it was with a bottle and string. It was like the weirdest looking fish that I have ever seen in my life. I kept on thinking about Black River and all the crazy things we would do.

Love,

Elder Bigelow