Week #90- I feel like the witch on the wizard of Oz.

​Elder Bermúdez and I.

God bless the USA! That is a golf course in Eagle Pass Texas. And I'm standing over here in Mexico. 

Hey momma!

SO this week it has been really hot in Piedras Negras! one day it got up to 110 degrees farenheit. which is about 44 celcius. I feel like the witch on the wizard of oz- 

Hey you gotta tell all my friends hi and that I expect them there at my homecoming!

A lot of things have changed back home right?

I was thinking that the time really has been going quite fast. I got an email this last week from my first companion in the field Elder Garcia. Can you believe how much time it has been since we were together! I told him to be in the airport in Mexico City we'll see if he goes. Right now we are actually preparing to go to Saltillo again. We will be leaving Wednesday morning, the assistants have planned an epic basketball match for thursday morning. Then we will have the leadership council and I will be back to Piedras Negras Friday in the early morning. 

RIght now we have been looking for a lot of new people to teach. I can kind of see what sister de la cruz was talking about. There are a lot of problems with the law of chastity here. also we have been finding people here and then they just randomly disappear. Then out of The blue they come back and say that they went and tried to cross the river "de mojado" into the united states. Its kind of funny. But its crazy how many immigrants there are here. Always asking for money. always!

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

-Elder Stockman

Hey Dad!

so remember when I had that sweat rag the first time that we spoke in Monclova. Yeah I have to take 2 sweat rags with me here. It is so hot man I am literally melting. I have already lost another 3 or 4 pounds just being here! haha

Today we went and played basketball in the morning with 4 other Elders in the church ( here we live 4 blocks away) and we actually got to the point that we stopped sweating! haha when we went inside to get a drink the sweat came pouring in again! haha

Last week it got up to 110 farenheit about 44 celcius. 🌋

But Im loving it!

My new companion is a really funny guy. we get along great! And the funny thing is that we will be going to Saltillo again this week! can you believe that! We leave Wednesday morning and then we leave from Saltillo Thursday evening, We get back to Piedras Negras Friday at like 2 in the morning! 

Right now there is a lady that we are teaching. Her name is Maria Luisa and her daughter is 9. Her name is Gabriela. Maria Luisa got together with a really less active man and they were living in free union. He was previously married and never bothered to get diviorsed. So that was a really long process that we finally finished was his divorce. Now we are in the final stepps to get them legally married and then Maria Luisa and Gabriela will get baptized. They are really great people! they understand sacrifice... They come to church every week without fail. I have learned a lot from the people that I teach. 

Anyways that all for now

have a great week!

-Elder Stockman

Week #89- I've never felt so much heat in my entire life.

My new Zone in Piedras Negras.

I tried to do a burger challenge here and I totally failed! it was so hard!

Momma,

I am here in super hot city of Piedras Negras. Wow, I have never felt so much heat in my entire life. I think that I am literally melting haha!

So Everything is good with the new companion. We basically didnt do anything this whole last week because Elder Valenzuela from the 70 came and we were the ones in charge of getting it all set up. I also had the opporotunity to go to Monclova to a leadership Council and he taught us how to have better leadership councils. Elder Bermudez is currently on the bus on his way back from Saltillo. He had to ship out yesterday at 10:30 and he got to Saltillo at like 6:00 am. He has to go sign some stuff and get his fingerprints and actually now he is back on his way. 

So there isnt really much else that is happening. I cant believe that Zach is now a grown man and he is in Middle School. That blows my mind!

We should be having a baptism this weekend of a Sister and her Daughter. The sister has to wait on a divorce to finish so that she can get married to the man that she lives with to be able to get baptized. Its a complicated situation but its also unfortunate how common it is here. But we keep our heads up high. 

So I actually still dont have a picture of me with my companion because he suddenly left but next week I will get one. 

love you have great week!

-Elder Stockman

Hey Dad! 

So I actually do know Hermana Aragon. She was a sister training leader and I would see her in the leadership councils. I have never been in the same zone as her but she is pretty cool!

Its a small world right?

You say that at least you dont live in California, and I say at least you dont live in Coahuila! haha Its is a blaze of heat over here. I have never felt so much heat in my life time. 45 degrees celcius with like 100% humidity. Its life threatening. haha

So Elder Bermudez doesn't speak a lick of English. haha. But we are working him on that one. I am teaching him some phrases and so on. We get along great. He really is a great guy. 
I actually still dont have a picture with him though. last nigjt he got shipped out to Saltillo to fix his visa. It was another Elder in our zone from Bolivia also had to go with him. So the whole day I have been with Elder Hall. We went to this place called Gula Burger. It is a really good burger place. I got prideful and thought that I could eat their challenge and not have to pay. There are a couple of Elders that are on their "pared de pecadores" haha. I totally lost. Elder Smith tried it with me but we failed. I have been having a great time this week!

We should baptize two people this weekend. She has to wait on a divorce process to finish and then she can get married to her husband. Its ufortunately a pretty big colture problem here. But Anyways that is pretty much what has been going on with me. I went to Monclova for a leadership council with the area 70 Elder Valenzuela. It was some pretty great revelation recieved. He also came up on Friday and talked to both the Piedras Negras and Acuña zones. 

I love you, have a great week!

-Elder Stockman

Week- #88 I'm going to Piedras Negras.

a picture of a lot of my ex companions. I was pretty lucky to snap this pic.

Elder Hernandez, Elder Johnson, Elder Ogden, me, Elder Vaszuez, Elder Villeda, and Elder Miner

Momma,

Transfer Alert!

Im being shipped off to Piedras Negras Coahuila. I will be serving with Elder Bermudez from Costa Rica. I am finally going to Piedras Negras! I have wanted to go there my whole mission!

Now it will be easier for me to send stuff home so that my luggage can be lighter. That is a great advantage. It is also awesome because I can have Mtn Dew and cool american treats!

WWOOOOO!!!

but on the other hand I am sad that I will be leaving the Aurora and Elder Ogden. we were both here only one transfer! they are shipping him out to Monclova again haha!

Im so excited to see all of those rascals!(cousins at home) thats hilarious that they actually look up to me that much. Who knew?

So I only have 12 weeks left as a full time missionary. I think that it is insane how fast the time has gone! That means that in a couple of weeks here they will be calling me to ask to which airport I will be returning home and I will have my flight plans. AHHHH!

So Elder Wiedmeyer extended his mission and he is now with Elder Johnson and Elder Domiciano in a trio. haha I thought that was interesting. 

Well Im going to start the long and tedious packing process and I dont know how but I seriouslt have like 50 ties. I dont understand but they actually do take upa quite a lot of space. 

So this week we will be having a Multi zone conference with Elder Valenzuela from the area presidency. Acuña and Piedras Negras will all be getting together in Piedras Negras stake Center.  And then on Saturday we will all be traveling to Monclova to have a leadership conference with Elder Valenzuela. Its going to be a crazy week this week. haha

anyways I hope you have a great week, I love you, and see you later.

-Elder Stockman

Dad,

Off to Piedras Negras I go... WOO!

I was here such little time, its crazy! I was only here 6 weeks with Elder Ogden. The craziest part is that neither of us are staying. He is going to go to Monclova again! haha

My new companion is Elder Bermudez from Costa Rica. I know him really well. I was actually his first distcirt leader when he was born into the mission life. haha he is a great guy but he talks super funny! like instead of rolling his r's he just says them like an uneducated american would. haha

So its some pretty melty weather up there in Piedras Negras right now. I am super ezcited though to be on the border again. I totally didnt take advantage of all to cool things up there in Acuña last time. But now Im getting the Mtn Dew on again! Woo hoo!

I was also thinking that I will be sending home a package with some heavy stuff in it like all of my books and papers and stuff. 

haha thats pretty funny that you said you would give Milo 9 mm led poisining. that made me chuckle a lot actually. But if he dies you should totally get a new dog. life is boring without a dog. It makes things more intertaining. 

Anyways Im going to get to packing and not enjoy it haha!

love you have a great week!

-Elder Stockman

Week- #87 The Elders got new wheels.

Elder Stockman pushing Elder Ogden. 

Hey Momma!

So this week I have pretty much been bed ridden with my companion, It has been extremely boring. I have made a lot of progress on my Book of Mormon study. Actually in Heleman right now. 

I have been doing as many divisions with Elders from the zone or with members as I can to be able to keep the area strong, but in the morning and in the evening I am with my companion with his foot elevated. I never realized how much it sucks to have an ingrown toenail. God has really blessed me to not have that problem. I really do feel bad for the guy. 

August is really hot down here in Mexico. It is even more hot when you are pushing around your companion in the blazing heat in a wheelchair that weighs like 40 lbs. 

But its a really great experience to serve. I think that It was a necessary challenge to be able to learn and grow. he still has until Saturday when he gets the stitches out of his nail. haha

We area really hoping to have a baptism of Brisa this weekend. Her sister is a recent convert in the ward. If it doesnt happen this week then it will happen the next. We also have the leadership counsil on thursday and next week Elder Valenzuela from the area presidency will be coming on a mision tour here to meet us and to teach us. 

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

-Elder Stockman

Hey Dad!

So this week was pretty much uneventful, I was with my companion a lot of the time in the house, I had no idea how serious of a deal the whole ingrown toenail thing was, but he has been out for a week, and will be out until Saturday. 

I have pretty much been doing divisions with Elders from the zone or with members to have the most working time that I can. It has been quite the learning experience. I just gets really boring when you are in the house with nothing to do especially as a missionary. Because we can do even less. haha

I will be having an interview with President this week or the next to get my temple recommend up to date. It expires at the end of this month. Dont want that to expire. even though I cant go to the temple, its always important to have the recommend up to date and active. 

We are really hoping to have a baptism this weekend, it would really be a huge blessing from the Lord. If it doesnt happen this week it will happen the next. So this is the last week of the transfer and we are going to work hard up until the very last day. 

love you

-Elder Stockman

Week- #86 "one of the coolest baptismal services that I have ever been in."

The familia Baeza Figueroa on their baptism day. This picture is missing the father and Sister Cahoon(thePresidents wife) they were had gone inside for some reason.  

Last week hike overlooking Saltillo. 

Hey mom,

its great to hear from you this week,

I am going to have to keep my message really short. 

First of all this week we had the baptism of the Baeza Figueroa Family. They are an awesome family that only the dad was a member before. The rest of them were just in their prime moment to hear the gospel. It was a really neat experience to participate in their baptism and what was even crazier is that all of the sudden President Cahoon shows up haha. He came to their confirmation the next day as well. I dont know why but sister Cahoon was inside when we took this picture. Its too bad that she wasnt in the photo. But President introduced himself to the ward and he said later that he really only came to see the confirmation of the family. He's a pretty cool guy. It was probably one of the coolest baptismal services that I have ever been in. And it's pretty gratifying when they open the font doors and there is your mission president who then winks at you and gives you a thumbs up. haha

So this week Elder Ogden got his ingrown toenail cut out, He got it cut out from the root and will actually have to rest for 12 days. It's going to be awesome because a member got us a wheelchair so I will be pushing him around. It's pretty awesome. Today we also did a steak grill out with the Elders from Fundadores. (Elder Bauer and Elder Lee) We actually have a little grill on our roof. 

anyways I love you and hope that you have a great week!

-Elder Stockman 

Hey Dad, 

Speaking about surgery, I decided I definately never want to become a doctor. After watching them cut open my companions toe and rip his nail bed out I'm not to excited about following that career path. It's not that I cant do that whole blood thing. i just looked at the doctor like he was inhumain the way that he was digging around in there. haha I was talking it out with Ogden so that he wouldnt focus on what they were doing to him. Evidently i pulled a face that worried him. He still hasnt taken the bandage off of his toe. I dont know if he wants to any time soon haha.

So this week we were blessed with the baptism of the Baeza Figueroa family. They are an awesome family that the Dad has been a member since he was 9. Now all of the family is super activated and the rest of them baptized. He was actually ordained to being a Priest this last weekend. It was a suprise when the morning of the baptism I get a phone call from President Cahoon, saying "Elder Stockman, when and where for that baptism?" then he came and was actually the only person that showed up on time. Haha, He then came to the confirmation the next day. He is a really cool guy. I have been seeing him actually a lot recently. His wife is an amazing lady haha!

anyways, I love you and hope that you have a great week!

-Elder Stockman