June 8, 2021

Hey everybody!

I know how much you all look forward to this part of the week, so rest assured, I'm here to entertain and enlighten, as per usual. But first, the all important question: what did I eat this week? First and foremost, it's lychee season here, and for those of you who don't know what those are, you're missing out. Imagine a very large, very flavorful grape hiding inside a tough skin. They're delicious, the season is very short, and I'm eating them every chance I get. Also on this week's menu: Steak omelettes (just when you thought they couldn't get any better), homemade enchiladas verdes, a whole lot more horchata, and to top it all off, a member brought us some ice cream one day when it was really hot. If that doesn't prove that the people down here are amazing, I don't know what will. 

Speaking of amazing people, we're teaching a couple of families at the moment, one of three girls, Gabriela, Regina, and Valentina Pinzon, and another of Abigail and her three daughters, and let me tell you, it has been one of the best teaching experiences I've had thus far. They're all so eager to learn, and there's something so powerful and special about seeing families grow closer together as they read the scriptures, pray together, and feel the Spirit in their own homes. There's really nothing quite like it. I would definitely recommend the experience to anyone who's interested in that sort of thing. :) Coming up this week, we're hoping to take two of the families on tours of the temple Visitors Center, and invite them to be baptized! I'll let you know how that goes, but in the meantime, any prayers you can send our way are greatly appreciated! There are always a lot of challenging things in life, and that's especially true when we're trying to follow the Lord's commandments. But even though it's hard, I know that they, and we, can all be blessed for our efforts as we turn our hearts to Him who is mighty to save. So keep a positive attitude, and keep on keeping on!  

In other news this week, we're finally working our way into the rainy season, which of course means that we often end up drenched by the time we get home, as seen below. So that's added a bit of fun to the day, trying to dash home as fast as possible as soon as the rain lessens slightly. The puddles stay around forever, though. The drainage systems aren't the best here, so the water tends to just sit wherever the lowest point is, and that's often just in the middle of the street somewhere. Across from our church building, actually, there's a big road that has had absolutely terrible traffic for the last week or so, because there's sort of a pond that has formed for a few hundred feet. That slows the flow of traffic right down, but it's kind of entertaining to see all the little cars trying to make their way through the flood. That's just Mexico, I guess.

And finally, a Spiritual Thought for you all, since you've been so patient. From the Old Testament again, because I think that's a rather untapped well of knowledge. Deuteronomy 16:11, 14-15. This chapter talks about all of the different feasts and holidays that the People of Israel were commanded to observe. The main purpose of these holidays was to help them to always remember the Lord, and to give thanks to Him. Actually, that was basically the purpose of all of the commandments given to the Israelites. But specifically in these verses, we are told specifically that we are to rejoice. Rejoice with our friends, rejoice with our families, and rejoice with all those that we know, because of how great the blessings of the Lord have been in our lives. So this week, I want to give you an excuse to throw a party! (Circumstances permitting, of course, beats me what the whole lockdown situation is like in the U.S. right now :P ) But seriously, get some friends together, have a dinner party, play games together, just enjoy being together as friends and family! After all, it's a commandment from God; life is meant to be enjoyed. :)

Anyway, I've no time for parties, so it's back to work for me, but I hope you all have a wonderful week, and I'll be here for the next one, don't you worry. 

- Elder Blankenbiller

Pictures:
1: Field trip to the mall

2: Lychees!

3: Elder Kreutz and I on exchanges, having just ridden through the worst part of the storm 

4: Steak omelettes, and fresh bread from the bakery