Week-#66 Rocking it Seminary Teacher Style.

Me in Texas.. 

Elder Hopper in Texas and I'm still in Mexico. 

Hola Mama,

So this week I was in a trio the whole week with Elder Hopper and with Elder Lopez. Haha they are my new best friends. I really have been able to gain a testimony of the work and that when we are having a hard time to be able to lose yourself in the work is the best way to get over it.

I found out that my new companion is going to be Elder Ninataype. He is a really great friend aswell he always has been ever since we were in the same ward when I was in Cañada.  He is actually coming from the offices so he will get here on Wednesday. Im super excited to work hard and to baptize!

Haha I still have 2 days left with Elder Hopper and Lopez.

I will be going to Saltillo in 1 week and then in another 5 weeks I think.

So I went to the internacional bridge today, haha it was crazy. I was totally in Texas. So our plan was to go as far in as we could. We got to the point where they were going to ask for our papers and then we turned around and were walking back, but then this overly excited border patrol police officer got mad at us. He said that if you are going to enter you have to enter, and then he kicked us back into Mexico. I learned my lesson hahaha

Anyways this week my suit pants were torn from ware and tare, honestly I couldnt repair them, I might need to be buying some new pants. haha I will have to rock it Seminary Teacher Style. 

I love you and I hope that you have a good week!

-Elder Stockman

Hey Dad!

So this week I was a zone leader solo. haha It was really cool to be here with Elder Hopper and Elder Lopez. They are really great friends. They have taught me a lot about losing myself in the work. It has been really cool to be able to just work with them. In between the 2 areas we took 10 investigadors to church. 

So my new companion will be Elder Ninataype!

That is super cool he has always been a good friend. I think he is definately going to be teaching me a lot. He is coming from the offices so he will actually be coming Wednesday morning. 

haha so today we went to the Internacional bridge. haha they almost arrested us. we payed 4 pesos to go and walk over and we made it all the way to where they were going to ask us for our papers on the Texas side. Then this dumb immigration cop came up and started asking us what we were going. We told him that we just wanted to get as far as we could. He got super mad and kicked us back into Mexico. haha I have learned my lesson. 

Anyways this transfer we have a couple of baptisms lined up and the whole zone does aswell. Its going to be a super good transfer. I love you and have a good week. 

-Elder Stockman 

Week #-65 Surprise change

Hey momma! 

So this week I am running a little short on time haha I promise this is not going to be a usual thing. 

Elder White got taken out of the area suddenly haha things like that always heppen to keep us moving, keep us on our feet. This last week of the transfer I will be in a trio with Elder Hopper and Elder Lopez. Im counting them as my companions haha. I am also running the zone alone haha this is a really great learning experience. 

Wow I cant even tell you how excited I am to be able to go to the new provo temple with you guys that will be a really great experience. I remember that it was a really cool thing to see that they were building it. It was really cool the way that they built it too. One of a kind.

so this next week Elder Hopper and I had planned going to the internacional bridge here and taking a picture or 2. I will be sure to send you one,. Love you momma!

-Elder Stockman

Hey Dad. 

So this week there were short changes. My companion got shipped out one week before the transfer. I am running the zone alone hahah woo hoo !

I am now in a trio with elder Hopper and Elder Lopez

We had a really great week this week. I cant believe that tomorow we have the last zone meeting for the whole tranfer. I was really liking being here with Elder White so it was kind of surprising that they took him out haha things always happen in the mission to keep us going. 

This week that is coming I was planning to go to the internacional bridge here and I will send you a picture. I love you have a great week. 

-Elder Stockman

Week #64- free food.. Yes please!!

​This is gringas davis. These are free for missionaries because the owner is a member. Super cool. And they are all you can eat. Gringas, tacos, piratas, campechanas, and coke. haha

​Sunset in Acuña. There is a dirt soccer field over there.

Here is a rooster. Ha,ha!!

Momma,

Where did you get that TORTA!!!! Tortas are the best!

So the baptismal interview was for other elders that are in our zone. Walking across our area would probably take 2 good hours at a fast pace. In a car probably like a 25 minute ride.

Hoestly I have no idea why allende is part our zone, Its part of the stake of piedras Negras and according to the church its part of Piedras Negras. But to the missionaries its part of Acuña. Oh well. 

Man Im excited to go look for good mexican food all over Utah, There is just a lot of food laws in the United States that would eliminate a lot of posibitities. 

Fun to see that Zach and Dad could get to Clear Creek and Back safe and Sound, that looks like its a fun time. So Zach got out of school for that? I never got to go there. 

Too bad that you couldnt get chinese food this year because valentines day was ona sunday this year, but dont worry because that means that next year it wont be on a sunday. 

I just realized that this year is special because it is leap year. It is also the summer olympics in Brazil. I wonder how that would be to be a missionary over there in Brazil during the olympics. 

So this week we sadly ended our baptizing streak. I guess that nobody wanted to get wet this week. Oh well. We have been having a pretty successfull time. We have been working super hard and Have been able to see the results. We are praying right now that Kevin's mom will get baptized. Right now its scheduled for the 5th of march. She is a super cool investigator who has a lot of questions about the church. Her name is Gloria. 

This week I had my interciew with President Rodriguez. While I was there I saw the Familia Velez. He was all the way up here on a work assignment. It was super cool to be able to catch up with them and to talk to them. They are super good friends with president Rodriguez. Because they were work companions before and well both of them have been mission presidents. Its funny to hear President Velex giving advice to President Rodriguez on how to go back to the real world again. haha highlight of my week. Eventhough it will be sad to say goodbye to President Rodriguez. It will be a blessing for him and his family to be released because that man never sleeps. haha maybe he will get another assignment hahaha

Anyways I hope that you have a great week!

-Love Elder Stockman

Hey Dad!

Well this week we broke our baptizing streak, nobody felt like getting wet. haha

It was a good week though we worked pretty hard. Elder Ninataype came with us on divisiones, he came up with president for interviews and then stayed with us and went home the next day in the night, 

I also had my interview with president Rodriguez this week. It was a really uplifting experience. he is one of my favorite persons is the whole world. 

So too bad that you couldnt have the tradicional chinese take out. That totally is a tradicion by the way. Dang I want some real food. Im sick of rice and chicken. hahah

When I was in Monclova I went to Burger King and I thought for a moment that I was in America. 

speaking of that its too bad that Kansas CIty isnt all that is cracked up to be. But BBQ sound good!

That is also really interesting that the Jordan River Temple is going to be remodeled. That will be cool to go to that open house when I get home. I know it wont be for years but you know it would be cool. Also super excited to go and see the New Provo temple. 

Im having a great time here in Acuña. Ther is a lot of work to be done here. You should send me some more pictures of your business trip. 

Have a good week!

-Elder Stockman

Week # 63 "That makes 3 in a row."

Elder Stockman, President Rodrigues(Mission President), President Valez(Stake President).

The Elders.

 Elder Stockman. (These 3 picture where taken by sister Valez and sent to mom and dad on Facebook messenger.) 

Hey momma!

Well I had a pretty good week!

It was cool because we were able to have another baptism this week!

That makes 3 weeks in a row!

I love this area its pretty good. There are a lot of people that we are teaching. I wish that we could have bikes because that would be really useful here. There used to be bikes but now there isnt because there were too many accidents. The area is enormous so its a little bit sad that we dont have one. 

Tomorrow is a zone meeting. We have to give a training about what we learne in Saltillo this last week. How we can help the other missionaries be better in their basic teaching skills.

So I finally got around to buying a new pair of shoes. I took the money out of my acount a while ago but I finally bought them today. 

I get along with my companion really well. Canadians are usually chill. he says sorry a lot. hehehe

Anyways I hope that you start to feel better and that you have a greaet week!

-ELder Stockman

Hey Dad!

to answer your question its a 10 or 11 hour bus ride to Saltillo.

Wednesday morning we lafe at 9:45 am and got there at 7:30 pm. Then we went to grab a bite to eat, then we went and slept in the secrataries house. The next day the meeting started 9:00 am we finished at about 3:00 after eating lunch and all that and then got on the bus at 4:30pm on thursday and headed for Acuña again. We got home at 2:30 am on Friday morning. Then Friday after lunch we went to Allende a 3 hour bus ride to do a baptismal interview for someone in our zone. We returned that night, at 12:30 in the ´´morning´´

Lots of traveling but this only happens in tis zone because Allende is part of our zone. I will be going to Saltillo the first or second thursday of every month.

So on another note we baptized again this week. That makes 3 weeks in a row!

I really like this area and my companion is great aswell!

ANyways I hope that you have a great trip to Kansas City and that you can get back safe and eat some good Barbaque in my honor! haha

Love you Dad!

-Elder Stockman

Week #62 - my faith has increased seven fold"

Elder Stockman, Elder White 

Elder Stockman baptism of Javier Mendoza. 

Happy February!

Hey momma can you believe that it is February! I cant.

This week we baptized again. That was really a great experience because she almost backed out of it. She was supposed to get baptized Saturday evening but she told us that she would rather do it the next morning. We called her in the Morning on Sunday because she still hadnt showed up. She told us that she didnt know if she could do it and she told m that she had a fear of water. It was a really good faith building experience because I told here that I knew that these things were true and that Our Heavenly Father wanted her to follow through. I told her that we would be waiting for her there with the font filled and realy to go. We hung up and waited and prayed a lot. She came at the very last minute and got baptized. It was one of the most helpless and stressfun moments in my life. But I feel like my faith has increased seven fold. 

So that makes 2 consecutive weeks with a baptism which is the first time in my mission. But we are actually probably going to be baptizing this weekend aswell which would make 3.

This week I will be traveling to Saltillo for the leadership conference. We will be leaving tuesday in the night or wednesday in the morning, they still havnt told us. But then we will be going to Acuña again like thursday in the night. This is what we have to do every first thursday of every month. But it will be a great time. haha

That is super cool to hear about Zach fulfilling his calling and honoring his priesthood. He is a great young man.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ANDREW! I was thinking about him a lot this week. Man he sure is getting old. Which means that you guys are getting even older.

I cant believe that there is a kung fu panda 3. Im pumped haha

Tell Abbie to finish her Senior year strong and to keep going to semanary.

Love you guys and have a great week!

-Elder Stockman

Hey Dad!

So im here in Acuña. Its really far away from the rest of everything else. But so far I have to say that it is my favorite part of the mission. The people are super different. We have noticed that a lot ( almost everyone) of people are from Veracruz. So its like they are a little bit more receptive to the gospel. Who knows. But it has treated me well. I am in Industrial B. Intustrial is a branch that has the membership of a ward, like 120 people every week. But it is still a long ways away from being a ward. They are a lot less mature in sence of the gospel. Almost nobody pays tithing, so thats why it cant be a ward. Because there has to be a certian percentage of melchizedec priesthood holders that are worthy and paying their tithing. 

But it has been treating me pretty well. It was really cool. Elder White and I just both got here and we are finally starting to get a feel for the area. But we were able to baptize 2 weeks in a row. It was cool because that was the first time in my whole mission that i was able to do that, and the cool thing there is a really high chance that we will do it again this week aswell.

So I get to go to Saltillo this week for the leadership conference, that will be super duper fun... lots of bus rides.... Acuña is super far away. Remember how i said that when i was in Cañada with Elder Johnson, My area was the furthest south of the mission. Well now I am in the far north corner. The furthest north that you can go. (the closest to home that I can get) haha

Thats crazy to see that everything is changing geographically up there, I hope that I dont get to scared when I get home! haha

keep going to the temple that is super cool and I am super jealous that you can go. Haha

Thanks for being the best Dad ever!

-Elder Stockman