Don't freak out but I was in JAIL . . .

Elder Lythgoe's version of the story. . . 

So I had an experience this week and I dont want you to freak out because it wasnt dangerous but i was in jail for a day. Me and two other missionaries were travelling to Tuxtla to be legalized and we only had copies of passports and they put us in jail for not having official documents. We slept  on cement beds and it definitely was not an Alma and Amulek experience or nephi and leih experience. president cardenas rescued us the next day with our passports luckily. then we still had to go to tuxtla so that was a three day experience.

I (Tyler's mom) happened to be on  Elder Palmer's blog - a missionary in Tyler's mission and I came across this . . .

Cool story: 3 missionaries got put in jail last week close to Tapachula, but Pdte. Cardenas didn´t know that they were in jail or where they were. They were going to tuxtla in OCC, and the records said that they boarded the bus, but in Tuxtla they weren´t there. President Cardenas sent the assistants to a conference in Oaxaca while he went looking for the missionaries. He had been praying very hard, and after asking many immigration people and having many of them say that they had no idea, a man came up and offered to help. He made a few phone calls and found out that they were sent back to Tapachula in a prision there. As Presidente got there, they wouldn´t let him see them until they had done the paperwork so that they could leave (which takes a long time). After the whole ordeal, he saw them come out. Their shoes and belts and ties were taken away, so they looked really funny, but he saw them super happy. He asked them, how are you?! And they responded that they were so excited and had just taught one of the guards and were sending his name as a reference. They contacted and taught -- even in a little bit of a different situation. That is being a missionary. But they didn´t get hurt or anything, all was well. (but this is not to scare you, it is just a cool experience that happened to a few missionaries)

We can't wait to hear all about it in two years.

Gratitude

I have more time than i thought so i wanted to share some thoughts about gratitude. We have been working with a less active family. 7 people in the family and the live in a house about the size of my room at home. The ten year old works every saturday to help pay for stuff as well. Houses here are often cement walls with cement floors with metal sheets for a roof. when we eat with members they give us so much food and sometimes dont eat or give themselves and their kids only a little. this is extremely hard for me but i have to eat all my food and i feel horrible. some families are more well off but there are some super poor areas. people think they understand but they dont. I had no clue until i actually got here. This has taught me that humility leads to happiness. These people are so loving and yet they have nothing. The ward mission leader has been a member for about 6 weeks and he doesnt really know anything about church organization or missionary work but his attitude is contagious. Attitude makes all the difference. I remember one time last week just feeling happy and sweating and smiling for no reason and this old lady walked off the sidewalk to shake my hand when I smiled at her. This simple act of service can make someones day.

Remember every day to thank God for what you have because someone always has it worse. 

Remember to smile through afflictions because Jesus Christ went through the same thing FOR YOU and he didnt have to.

Remember God always loves you and he is sad when you are sad.

This last week has been super frustrating but I am learning great life lessons. I figured out why the mission is the best two years. Because you study, live, and allow the gospel to change you. Never before in my life have I lived and studied the gospel like this and when we are obedient we are happy. Helping others and teaching others is great but the joy i have comes from living and teaching not just baptizing.

For anyone struggling read DyC 122 8. I think. It is the one that says Christ has descended below all... think ye are greater than He.

Quiero compartir mi testimonio en espanol. Dios quiere que seamos obediente y cuando somos obediente, podemos recibir mas bendiciones. Hay muchos mandamientos pero muchas veces los mandamientos pequenos son mas importante come leer las escrituras, orar, y asistencia a la iglesia cada domingo. Podemos superar las tentaciones del diablo por medio oracion. Jesucristo puede ayudar en cualquiera cosa en nuestra vida proque El sufrio por todo en el jardin. Recuerde! Dios nos ama mucho

I love you!

Semana Una

Dear family,

First off sorry for any typos but this computor is horrible. so i must have been the most prideful person in the world. i am in tepachula for my first area which is six hours from tuxtla and closer to guatamala than tuxtla. i dont even know where to start right now.

in the mexico city airport we had no clue what was going on and luckily there were missionaries leaving who translated for us haha. presidente cardenas is great. doesnt know english. his wife went to high school in huntington beach and speaks a little english so that was fun. basically the first night was awful because i forgot bug spray so my face got eaten and swollen. talk about good first impressions of the gringo. my first meal was a hamburger and the next day after orientation sister cardenas made spaghetti and chicken cordon blue. what the heck. then i met my trainer. elder gamez and yes i spelled it right. he is from monterrey and he knows like ten words of english so this is fun. also he said he speaks faster than most other missionaries so i need to tell him mas despacio all the time. plus the people in indeco (my specific area) apparently talk faster than the rest of chiapas. not kidding but i probably only understand 5% but at least my spanish will be good. the first meal i had was amazing. soup chicken and tortillas. the next meal was beans eggs and some nasty pork but i ate it and told the hermana it was delicious because people are so poor and her stove was broken so food was cold.

also we went and visited the bishop and he gave us home made pan which was amazing and warm chunky milk... i about threw up... the ward here is amazing... there are five young men about 17-19 and one of them goes out with us every time because elder gamez is new to this area also so we know nothing. also he said our apartment es the worst of the mission haha. it is a really poor area and it rains every day and is super hot but the people are so loving. except the drunks on sunday morning.

in church the first counselor told the ward to help us out because we are new and i dont speak spanish and everyone just looks at me and laughs. also all the young women literally watch my EVERY move and its a little creepy being the only white person. i am in so much culture shock right now its unreal. oh well i love being in the field.

i had my first two lessons yesterday. first one i didnt say a word and i dont even know what elder gamez taught. the second we stopped by the house of this man who was in the area book. federico. we taught him baptism and i undertsood that he asked about infant basptism so i taught from moroni 8 and he agreed and then i shared my testimony at the end and we committed him to baptism. i didnt have a strong spiritual experience or anything but it was pretty exciting.