A lot happened this week. It was quite wonderful. Its freezing in the mornings now...Bucket showers in the morning = not cool. death. Trumpos = super cool. I saw some grown men playing some FIELD HOCKEY a couple days ago, quite "feminine" if you ask me. I had to stand there for like 30 seconds because I was so shocked.
They do it in Europe...but....that's Europe, they can do those things. Here, no. NO BUENO. We tried to take a shortcut through the ecological park this week too...long cut. NOBODY told me there is a fat canal thing after that lake that runs all the way up it. But we got to see the ecological park and walk in open areas, that was pretty sweet. I got to walk on some grass too...that was even better. Then RANDOMLY some people were like "ELDERS, COME EAT SOME TACOS." so....we did. Then we went and had this epic lesson with Marium, which I´ll talk about later.
They do it in Europe...but....that's Europe, they can do those things. Here, no. NO BUENO. We tried to take a shortcut through the ecological park this week too...long cut. NOBODY told me there is a fat canal thing after that lake that runs all the way up it. But we got to see the ecological park and walk in open areas, that was pretty sweet. I got to walk on some grass too...that was even better. Then RANDOMLY some people were like "ELDERS, COME EAT SOME TACOS." so....we did. Then we went and had this epic lesson with Marium, which I´ll talk about later.
Because we are in the Christmas season, obviously we have to do Christmas things right? So, we went Christmas tree SHOPPING!!!! not with the intent to buy, but just to bargain and pretend like we were actually going to by one. It was epic. We probably will do it every single week :) Then they set up this HUGE tree in the ecological park with about 30 stationary bikes around it that create power to power the lights. legit. obvi we rode them. I actually became famous that day because everyone stared at me because I was going SOOOOOOO FAST in the same place and was pretending that I was winning the race between Elder Hernandez and I. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera with me that day---dumb...so we didn't get any sweet pictures. But it will happen again. I was riding bieeeeeeen machin though it was pretty ridiculous, at the rate I was going, I could have gotten up Mt. Washington in a good 20 minutes. It was SO cool though, we should do our Christmas lights at home the same way and have Monica and Megan (because they are the ones at home) ride bikes to power the house. :) good idea right girls!? Anyway, I touched this weird cow looking thing too that tried to ram me and then I petted this donkey. I think it was the same one Mary rode.
We did lots of service this week. We helped a lot of people out with Christmas decorating, which is the best decorating there is, of course. We, well actually just me because my comp is short, put up some lights and those greet things that look like big snakes and a tree. We got to decorate it all toooooo and I took an epic picture. Then we ate hot chocolate and bread----epppppppic. We are working with Hermana Graciela to keep keeping the word of wisdom (she had a smoking problem) She totally stopped though the day we challenged her and has yet to do it. Armando on the other hand though, CAYO the other day and was tempted and smoked one. He felt pretty bad but we talked about overcoming temptation and the power of prayer that we can use to help us overcome addictions.
I finished Rough Stone Rolling. I apologize for calling it Rough Rolling Stone, which I think I have been calling it the entire time I´ve been reading it. It just hit me this week as I looked at the cover again. I read like over 200 pages this week though, finished it, and then gave it to Ben the president's son to read before he leaves. IT WAS EPPPIC!!! Seriously I just want to read all my favorite parts with all of you and share all the epic quotes, but it would take forever. One because I don't have the book anymore and the other because there are TONS of things to share. I learned SO much about the prophets life, pretty much all of it, and know tons of crazy things I never knew before, things that nobody ever talks about. super legit. The parts where it talked about knowledge and revelations were my favorite, especially when the author expands on what Abraham writes in Abraham about the universe and space. Then a thing I found suuuper interesting was when Joseph smith gave the King Follet Sermon, a sermon that we only know though the diaries of 4 men. It would probably be the most interesting and most mind blowing sermon if we knew everything he said to the saints in it. It is epic. So much so that I took a picture of the book hahaha so I could remember and write you what it really was. Joseph talks about God and what God is and the hierarchy of Gods and dips WAY into super deep stuff----you guys totally need to read this chapter. I´ll drop some quotes on yall.
"God never had the power to create the spirit of man, God himself could not create himself. Intelligence is eternal and it is self existing."
IT went way deep into how intelligence is eternal and how God, being God, was more intelligent than all the free intelligences, and that the earth and universe is a school for all of these free, self existing intelligences. Ah, it is so interesting, but as you all know I am not the best explainer. Another quote I liked though was:
"God nurtures the intelligences, giving them laws to help them progress to a greater capacity. "God has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences that they may be exalted with himself." He is their teacher, not their maker. Each one is free to choose. The intelligences have independent, self-existing wills, and each one must make the decision to ally with God or not, to join the order of the gods or not."
It talks about how God organized the matter rather than made it, and seriously, clarified some of the thoughts I have always had in my head---like if there is a God of God and stuff. And if he went through what we went through to be God. In this sermon, Joseph Smith explained it more, but we don't have it super detailed for lack of resources, but he said God had to go through the same things, and there is a hierarchy of gods. It said at the end "Hierarchy, though certainly a benevolent one, is installed at the center of intelligent existence." It is really interesting. Grandpa Dick, you should read it if you haven't. :) Same with you mother and father. I came across a crazy word this week too... "ELEEMOSYNARY" it means charitable, or benevolent. The dictionary said it about 5 times to me but I still couldn't pronounce it hahah.
You should look up more about this speech in Church history or something. It will bloooow your mind. I´ll share one more quote about it and ya---ya. it was what William James said about the spirit of Joseph Smiths theology during the sermon. He pictured God, when we are talking about what I said above, saying to the other spirits at the time after the organization of matter:
"I am going to make a world not certain to be saved, a world the perfection of which shall be conditional merely, the condition being that each agent does its own "level best." I offer you the chance of taking part in such a world. Its safety, you see, is unwarranted. It is a real adventure, with real danger, yet it may thing through. It is a social scheme of co-operative work genuinely to be done. Will you join the procession? Will you trust yourself and trust the other agents enough to face the risk?"
Cool to think about. Cool Read. Read it. Love it.
I lied. I forgot to talk about the sweet time part when it talks about Abraham. Check this sweetness out alright:
"Abraham's astronomy envisioned an ascending order of planetary rule based on slowness of time. Whenever there was one planet or star, "there shall be another planet whose reckoning of time shall be longer still; and thus there shall be a reckoning of the time of one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob, which Kolob, is after the reckoning of the Lord's time; which, Kolob, is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order of that upon which thou standest." The series moved from the earth's "order" of planet upward though ever slowing planets, moons, suns, and stars to Kolob." Yes. Coolness. AH, its all so awesome.
I was reflecting upon, also, where it says in the book, and also in D&C, where it says "if a person gains more knowledge in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the wold to come" and it was super cool for me to think about because it kinda just hit me when it says "though his diligence and obedience." So its not just through studying a bunch of books we are going to gain knowledge. We have to be OBEDIENT and DILIGENT to gain it. And that goes for more of the spiritual knowledge, but tha'ts whats important right? obvi we need to gain earthy knowledge to help us in this endeavor, and God wants that too, but we always need to remember that through our obedience we will receive those revelations and experiences that will help us gain a greater "knowledge" both spiritually and temporally. That's why when I get back I'm going to go the the temple a lot. I have this weird desire now to gain tons of knowledge, spiritually and temporally...it's weird...because I've never had any such desire before. But it's true, and I've also been reading my patriarchal blessing a lot and it has been helping me out, and I can know where some things have developed that were said in my blessing. I love my patriarchal blessing, it's so perfect and really brings peace every time I read it. But we should all reflect upon how willing we actually are and how strong our desire is to obtain this knowledge, spiritual and temporal, and how we are going to accomplish it, and HOW obedient and diligent we are going to be to obtain it.
"knowledge is power & the man who has the most knowledge has the greatest power."
"the principle of knowledge is the principle of salvation."
"The earth when it is purified will be made like unto a crystal and will be a Urim & Thummim whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom on all kingdoms of a lower order will be manifest to those who dwell on it." We will know it all. Legitimate.
"God was one of the free intelligences who had learned to become God." That's cool huh.
I've been thinking a lot this week. Surprise surprise right. Its been excellent, and gives me sweet dreams too hahah.
So we totally might have some baps on Christmas eve and Christmas day confirmations. THAT would be a legit Christmas. I would have to bail on talking to you fam..but.. NAH JUST KIDDING NEVER WOULD HAPPEN. We have been teaching Esteban Muñozs daughter-in-law and kinda her husband, but he works 24/7 so he's usually not there. BUT they are great, came to church on Sunday, reading the Book of Mormon...awesome. cumpliendo compromisios = bueno. We watched the Joseph Smith movie with Rackelle (the wife) different Rackelle this time. She loved the movie, we pretty much entertained her 1.5 year old the entire time. SHE LOVES ME. She likes to hold my hands and then step on my feet and then jump around and we laugh and go crazy and it's super awesome. But ya we play with her every time we go over there. She's the cutest little girl ever. This is the best part, I taught her how to bite---bahahahah not good. but GOOD. So I fake bit her and she was laughing and then we kept doing it because that's what little kids do, laugh for the repeated jokes forever. And then after she totally bit my companions arm and it was HILLLLLLLLARIOUS and he just let her cause she doesn't bite that hard...hahah she is so funny though.. I love playing with little kids.
Weird fact: Tons of people wear sunglasses to church. 2 that bore their testimonies on Sunday were wearing like aviators .... weird. Should not be allowed. It's kinda common sense.
We found tortas de milonesa with avacado, onion, quesillo, and frijoles 10 PESOS!!! BEST THING OF MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!! I just ate one.
We found a newbie when we walked into this Bizarre to check out the weird stuff they had. He was the owner and started to ask us who we were and then after like 20 minutes told us about all his problems and we started teaching him right there and he's going to come to church this Sunday. Gave him a Book of Mormon. I think good things will happen with him. That's why I DON'T JUST walk on the sidewalks. I check out cool stuff, and then I find people doing it....legit way to work, and always has...always will.
THAT grass head thing you gave me dad...I think it's called "Grow a Head." IT'S LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEGIT!!!!! I started it the day you gave it to me and there is a little fuzz now on the top of his head and soon it will turn into grass and I can style it and cut it and everything....so cool, probably one of the coolest things you've ever sent me...I love it. And that stamp with my name on it...is it a stamp? and that shirt is hilarious and I love that too. I'm just a lover. I love everything.
I went on divisions with Elder Brown. There area is HUUUUUUUUUGE, unlike mine, which is tiny tiny tiny. It was so awesome to see farm animals again!! and fields. and concrete floors in super humble homes. I miss that so much. If I'm going to be here in Mexico, I wanna be in those poor out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere places....way cooler than pure concrete and ricos. But I love it here to. It goes with my philosophy of dying here too, how lame would it be to get hit by a car when I could get machetied in the middle of a cornfield right!! Well anyway, divisions were awesome and we found some new people and hiked up some sweet mountain and went into this concrete floored house to teach, remember the good times when we were teaching, and then ... at the end of the night. when it was freezing. we climbed on the roof and drank hot chocolate. it was SOOOOO sketch. It would be the 3rd floor the roof of their 2 story house, and I carried 2 metal chairs up this sketch ladder with one hand because I was carrying the chairs ahhaha and then I had to call down to come out and give me a hand and get out the window so I could make the last step. It was great though. lame part was when we woke up at 5:30 to go to some meeting with the stake president----who didn't show up by the way... but I got some legit photo doing a Michael Jackson one handed handstand in the middle of the street between the waves of cars.
Oh almost forgot. Marium lesson. We taught this sweet plan of salvation lesson, poderoso, directo and it was going super well until the end after everything when something about the temple and sealing came up and she cornered us in this suuuuuuuuper awkward moment when we had to say how men can be sealed more than once if the wife dies but women no. Then she said that if we were one of those male dominant churches she didn't want anything to do with us. We backed it up though and went a little deeper for her and then kinda revered it in her mind....did a little mind warp to get her back on track but ya...sketch. Never will talk about sealing to that depth again with someone hahahah i told her it was too deep at first but then she asked some other question that kinda screwed us over and then we had to answer the sealing one. Hard to explain. Point of story---talking about how many times you can be sealed = BAD IDEA. Good lesson though :) She has a wayyyyyy nice house too, nicest I've been in on my mission. Well I love you all. Hope you love my bazillion bowling pictures!!! :)
So I love Christmas. Josh Groban Christmas rules. I put some lights up in my room. That's pretty much it for today. I LOVE YOU ALL and I miss every single person that gets these.
Love,
Elder Bertha
