The gift of... Hands

Sooo things here have been alright, just hot and humid, but what else is new?

So to be honest the people here are just great and love me to death and I am so grateful for that.  The nonmembers are pretty receptive too.  We have a few investigators but we do so much door Knocking it is frustrating.  

It is really difficult trying to deal with a very inefficient compañero.  I love him and all but he just doesnt have that drive that he needs to have and it makes me want to rip my face off like spongebob does (in spongebob).  Like before I didnt think of myself as terribly zealous when it comes to obedience but with my compañero I notice all the rules he doesnt follow and I find myself wondering why I myself follow them. I follow them anyway because everytime I like break a rule or only like half follow one... I really feel like crap and I dont really dig feeling like not 100% errday on the mission.  So ya I try to obey the rules for the most part.

So we have an investigator who has a daughter that she teaches through sign language... Yamilet is the girls name, she is deaf obviously.  

And the more we would go the less she would listen to her mom and would try and sign me, so her mom would sign me the signs and I would repeat them to her to teach her.  AND SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENED! I got to the point where I really didnt need to listen to the mom I could just do it.  And I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE IS SIGNING TO ME! Ask me if im pumped, cuz I am.  Anyway the tough thing is I really cant sign very good if at all when we arent teaching them but when we are its like the light comes on.  So yeah the LORD will bless you with the gift of tongues in whatever language necessary to bring people to his gospel.

So we ended up baptizing them sunday. Originally the mom wanted each of us to baptise one so we both got changed.  I baptised the mom because she wanted me to baptize her. Then I ran to get changed and While I was changing I was hearing a lot of crying and the poor deaf girl was scared of the water and wouldnt listen to her mom.  I had to explain to her -In sign language that it is ok and that the water is safe.  She then said that she wanted me to baptize her, so pobrecito Elder Aguirre already wet in the font asked me to go change and I baptized her.  

So that was kindof a special moment for me.

And I just love spanish and being fluent. MAN AM I BLESSED. To be able to speak without thinking is really the coolest thing.  

So we were doing divisions the other day and Elder Barton from Logan came and worked with me here in alamo for the day.  We were at the chapel at night talking to some people and they said to HIM.  

Oh well dont worry about the language just look and Elder Basile he is fluent after too months.  Just pray like crazy and you will be able to talk like him soon.  

Pobre Elder Barton His face was redder than his hair.  

And I had to explain to them that he has a YEAR in the mission as of last wednesday.  

Idk Im really lucky and I know that I have it easier than a lot of people.  and a lot of missionaries.  Like Elder Aguirre is really cool It just... When I talk with the Savior after this life I just want him to give me a hug and be like

Andrew you know I really am Proud of you... You lived a good life and you were an excellent missionary.  And give me a hug. Thats what keeps me obedient.  

I found some old missionary cards that say

Nunca dige que seria facil, pero que lo valdria la pena

I never said it would be easy but that it would be worth it.  

Thought that was really cool.

Anyway I hope you all made it to the end I love you all and am soooo thankful for your emails.  

Love, Elder Basile

PS. Mom, I just got the package this morning. I love it so muchhhhhh! Except the RZR part.

Last weekend I was trying to carry a box of groceries over my head.   NEVER AGAIN.

 The Day after the hurricane. 

Meet Juan, One day I just started talking to him and he just kept listening.  He doesnt really say much but like I say he is a really good listerner and is always smiling.

I swear Im really in vietnam

  Livin that tropical life.

Shade makes a guy happy here.

I dont know, just laugh.

 Getting Poured out with all the oranges.

Alamo is the orange capitol of Mexico... I love oranges. 

We just sweat to death.. So sometimes you just gotta sit down and take a sip of La Coka.

  Cool little statue.

Me and Benny J.

Mud hut houses are common here in this part of the world.

 I bought this blanket because at night it does get a little cold.  I love it so much its so cool.  AND IT IS HAND MADE!!! WOULD YOU EVEN BELIEVE IT!  

Esperanza (hope) and Yamilet (I dont know what it means in english)

This makes me so happy

 

Cool Statue

His name is nery and he loves helping the missionaries. -Elder Take a picture of me in front of this majestic scene would you please. 

Cool clock tower

Pics

my last Night in Tezuitlan was pretty cool...

 Last time I will have probably ever seen Elder Campos again...

We passed the ocean on the way to Poza Rica!

 Spanish Version of Grandpa Don in the tope floor of his house, a few atiques.

 We played pool my last pday in Tezuitlan

No, I dont know why, It just seemed like a good Idea at the time.

Emilio and me.

Walking down a little street nothin special.

 The things they spend money on when they could be cleaning the place up.

 Im in Alamo.

The giant guy with oranges is big.

So I took this at 10:30 AM

Merica.

 Felipe

 Fani

To anyone looking for a birthday shoutout.

 There are a few things america can learn from mexico.

 Every single store in Mexico looks like this.

The hood. Only the missionaries and the Army dare hang around these parts.

Sweating because there is no such thing as Air Conditioning in Mexico.

-ELDER LETS TAKE A PHOTO TOGETHER-

 

Transfers

Hey Everybody!!! So I am getting TRANSFERED!! WOOHOO, i guess haha.

I am heading to a place called Poza Rica  the HOTTEST place in the mission and my district is Alamo, con another young Elder se llama Elder Aguierre.  I dont know much about him but have heard hes pretty cool.  Tomorrow I leave around 4:30 so I have about a day left with Elder Campos.  

AUTUMN AND THE WITTWERS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE!

American candy is amazing and I love the tie!!!

So a little about Mexico the food here is amazing, we eat un buen because we go and have lunch with the old single hermanas and they are just the nicest ladies in the whole world.  They love having us over and always seem to make food for 10 where there is only two of us.  And you always feel bad to leave food on your plate because it is disrespectful in this part of mexico so you eat a bunch bunch bunch and then try to clean your plate.  The struggle is real in Mexico.  

We eat un buen de beans and rice and tortillas.  They serve tortillas with everything in mexico. It doesnt matter if its cake or if its spaghetti. Everything.  Speaking of spaghetti all the hermanas hear that spaghetti is my favorite food and I have no idea how, and so for about a week like a month ago all the hermanas tried to make spaghetti, and everytime they make... OK at best spaghetti, and they talk about how hard it was but how they wanted to make it just right.  Im so greatful for that but it isnt easy to eat 10 helpings of mediocre spaghetti.  I miss american food a little.  I fry a lot of hot dogs and french fries everynight because its just... good.  

Its so green here, and pretty humid.  The weather is just like at the ranch or like in cedar, except for the thousands of gallons of rain every single day.  I always make sure to look for rainbows because at times Im worried Heavenly Father is trying to flood the Earth again.  HAHA and you think im kidding its loco!

So we get around everyday in little vanlike taxis se llaman combies! They really arent that cool.  They are cheap tho and that is good because here we dont get a lot of money.  And it isnt easy because everything in Mexico and I mean EVERYTHING, is made for 5 foot 5 people, and when the combies fill up naturally we let the women or kids that get in sit in our spots, so if you can imagine me trying to STAND in a van that is at times small for a person that is 5 foot 5 you will inderstand my struggle.  

Speaking of struggle so there is this thing called Planching.  Everyday all the missionaries study and get their normal teaching scriptures and then they get their planching scriptures.  Scriptures in the bible that counter any of the peoples challenges to the gospel or that they arent breaking a commandment or anything.  HONESTLY we try not to planch people.  We in ernest try to teach with love and the spirit.  But like once a week at zone conference or district classes everybody gets together before and like have contests planching Im like a pro planchador, mainly because Elder Campos is like a crazy scriptorian and is always feeding everyone especially me planching scriptures.  BUT AGAIN we really try not to planch people.  BUTTTT the other day we were teaching this lesson to a lady who had obviously just let us in to talk bad about us.  But it was apparent that she didnt really know a lot about the scriptures so Elder Campos kindof inadvertantly started planching her.  

Your first reaction is to pull out our popcorn and soda because when someone is getting planched its just awesome to watch.  

Your second reaction is to whip out your bible and start planching too but fortunately I was paying enough attention to the spirit to kindof change the direction of the discussion and kindof qued elder Campos and we ended up haveing a good lesson after that.  And that is what is really important.

Ok so one last thing! I met DONALDO!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAH THIS MAN IS BASICALLY GRANDPA DON TO A T!!!

Loves the Red Sox, he used to be in the US as an illegal.  He returned to mexico and LOVES antiques.  And just think of grandpa don talking in Spanish... YEPPPP oh my gosh it is him its so crazy! 

So yeah thats about it sorry the email is kindof long.  

I love all you guys and hope everyone is doing good, thank you all for the letters Autumn thank you so much for the package!

Love,

Elder Basile

P.S. whoever is praying for me to have patience- Stop.

 

 Just a little Rancho in Tezuitlan

 This is a Platano tree (Bananas) their leaves are huge!!!

Dont know what this is but it is cool.

My Package!!! Thanks Autumn!

Look mom Im playing and Smiling at the same time!

The gang is all here

 Another Giant head at ADO in Xalapa.

Huehueymico is cool this is the only road to it. 

 Our washing machines here, when we arent at the bishops house

 Caballo de Rancho here pretty grande

Adan and his family they are getting married and baptised this week! 

Overlooking the land of Tezuitlan, found this in the bishops house.

Standing