Letter 32

Familia,

Meetings, meetings, and then a little more meetings this week. I got a taste of another side of being a Zone leader that I wasn't too excited about, but all of that changed. After our Leadership Council Meeting on Friday, I was way excited and anxious to share all that we had learned in our meeting to the rest of our zone. The Leadership Council started on Thursday night, all of the 16 zone leaders and the 4 Sister Training Leaders were in attendance. President announced the calling of his new 1st counsler, Hermano Reyes. We don't really know much about him, except that he's from President Derbez's ward here in Juarez and that he also has a son who is serving a mission (and that he is chorcho [he's rich haha]). He does show much enthusiam about working with us, and we are excited to have him.

Part 2 of the meeting started Friday morning at 8, and ended at 2. We went over new saftey rules, proselyting techniques, and a new plan we are going to start implementing with The Work Of Salvation in all 6 stakes of the mission. We had a few special guests during the meeting, the Juarez Institute Main Director (Hermano Hernandez), and the stake president from the Juarez North Stake (President Robles). They came and we coordinated with them new ways that we can start involving the single adults from Institute to help us with The Work Of Salvation.

We also had a High Council Leadership meeting on Wednsday. During these bi-monthly meetings, all the Zone Leaders usually just report data to their local High Council member in charge of Missionary Work for the stake.

Aside from the meetings, we also had a great work week. On Tuesday, I went to Janos, Chihuahua with another missionary (Elder Birchett) for some immigration stuff. We left at 6 am and were back in Juarez by 3 pm. Going to Janos just drains my energy sometimes, but it's always neat to take new missionaries and get to know them on the bus rides to and from the 2 towns. Sometimes I just sleep for all 6 hours though because I am pooped.

Elder Webster and I have been giving a basic English class for a couple of less active moms in the ward who want to teach their kids english. But in order for us to give them a class, they have to bring an investigator to the class. We started with a sister, Hermana Araceli and her daughter, along with one of her best friends (Brenda) and her daughter. We taught them basic stuff (introducing themselves, parts of the house, commands) and then taught them how to pray in English and invite them to church. Well, last week, none og the investigators came to church. Elder Webster and I got a little bummed out, but we decided to keep going and really show them the importance of coming to church. We talked to Hermana Araceli, and she got excited to help us out. She brought 2 more investigators to the class, and they even came to mutualon Thursday! They then told Hermana Araceli that they want to go to churchon Sunday! We are super excited and have faith that they will go!

Well, that's all the time I have for now!

Elder J.A Velazquez