Milagros

We were biking down the street this week and we saw a man installing a window ac and we stopped to help. He wanted us to come over and share a message with him because he is going through some hard trials in his life. We got his information and he lived in the other elders' area. We didn't think much of it until Saturday. The other elders said we were going to do a service project for Luis. Turns out that he has been mentally struggling for 5-10 years and hasn't left home the entire time. We went to clean his house and it seemed like nobody had been living in the house for 10-15 years. We did a lot of cleaning and rearranging for 3 hours and only got done with a third of the house. We are going back tomorrow to clean the outside of his house. Luis also came to church yesterday and loved it!! It was a huge blessing that we were able to find Luis! The one time he has left his house for the past many years we biked by and talked to him. This strengthened my testimony a lot about the Lord putting us in situations and putting people in our path for a reason. As missionaries we are encouraged to talk to everyone we see and this experience was another testimony builder.  All of the fruits and progress that Luis has made is all from the one experience of God putting him in our path. It is amazing for me to see the power of the Lord in our everyday lives. And amazing to see that the one time that Luis leaves home our paths crossed. I don't believe in coincidences. I know that our paths crossing was divinely appointed by God.

Another thing that happened this week is our apartment flooded! We got home for the night and were putting the bikes in and I looked down and was standing in a puddle of water. We called the apartment maintenance people and they came to look at it. Turns out the pipe to the washing machine next door broke and a lot of water came through the wall into our apartment. The guy who cleaned it had a shop vac and sucked up 30 gallons of water out of the carpet.

My friend the tree

It's tempting to not jump in; luckily I'm a missionary and can't!

La última semana con Presidente Torres

We are getting a new president this month! His name is President Ocampo and he is also from Honduras and the same city as President Torres. Because of the changes this last week we had a big mission wide meeting in McAllen. All of the missionaries meet in McAllen for a training on Tuesday. President talked to us a lot about how to stay active after the mission and to stay strong in the church. He talked about five steps to stay active when we go home from the mission but I think it also applies to everybody to remain active and continue to receive revelation and continue to develop a testimony. They are; plan everyday (know what you are going to do and need to get accomplished), fulfill your calling (including ministering), pray daily, read the scriptures daily, and fast every fast Sunday. He promised that if we do these simple five things we will always stay strong in the church. I invite all of you to also strive to do these five simple things. I know it will strengthen you and bless your life more then you can imagine. 

Elder Blackham with Pres and Sis. Torres

Texas McAllen Mission

Mission Conference

Visit to Corpus Christi on p-day

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi

Una Otra Toementa

This week there was a really big thunderstorm that blew in one evening and we got caught in it out on the bikes. We were trying to make it to our next appointment before it started to rain. We could hear thunder somewhat in the distance. But at one point all at once it started pouring and got very windy with tons of lightning and thunder! The only thing we could do to get out of it was run up onto somebody's porch and wait it out. So we sat on a random porch waiting for the storm to pass. This past week it was also hot. It was 104 but with the humidity real feel was 112-115. As soon as you walk out the door it feels like you just stepped into a steam room. By the time we get home in the evening it looks like we jumped into a pool because of the amount of sweat.

On the porch during the storm.

Una Semana Regular

This past week I received my new companion, Elder Christenson from Spanish Fork. It has been great to work this week and have new ideas and tactics to use. This week was very normal for us. We have been doing a lot of finding because we don't have a large teaching pool currently. We were able to find this one guy through Facebook. A few days after our first contact with him at his home he found an add online for a free Book of Mormon and called! I found out because some sister missionaries from Salt Lake called us and said Arturo had called and talked with them. That same day the sisters called from Salt Lake was our return appointment with him. When we went to visit with him he was grateful that we came. When we gave him the Book of Mormon he got very happy and excited and told us he had called for one. He has very strong desires to change his life and become better! I'm excited to keep working with him and helping him! 

My new companion, Elder Christenson

Facebook a la Pila

This week Ashton joined his best friend Jose in the waters of baptism! About 2 months ago one of the other missionaries in Alice sent them a friend request on Facebook. They accepted and started a conversation. And then with time we had the blessing to teach them and witness their conversion! José was baptized 2 weeks ago and received the priesthood just an hour before he baptized his best friend!!

This week was kind of up and down when it came to people. A family we were teaching had to move away and another one moved to a different place in town. But we also found two other people that are about 28 years old. They are good friends and they both came to church yesterday!! Church is the hardest thing to help people understand and help people come to church. It is always amazing when someone decides use their agency by coming to church!