Holla from Houston!: Chuck E. Cheese and Cockroaches

one transfer in houston DOWN!!! i feel like i say this all the time, but time is seriously flyyyyiinnnggggg! i am staying in this area for another transfer! yay!

okay so last monday we went to visit Manuel and his parents to teach them their final lesson before baptism...and when we rolled up at the apartment where they were staying, their cousins were like "oh...they went back to Mexico" PLOT TWIST! So that was kinda a surprise...

we recieved a referral and decided to call the number and it ended up being this guy named Irving who is 23 yrs old, from las vegas, and is going into the Marines. after only talking with him in spanish for like 5 minutes, we figured out he is bilingual! the funny part is, he thought we were native spanish speakers!!! he had met missionaries in las vegas four years ago and knew a TON about the gospel...like thomas s monson, gold plates, temples...he even said he had a bike and would ride around with the missionaries sometimes! we were like wait..we need to meet this guy...so we set up a time to meet the next day! he was NOTHING like we presumed...he looks like he is twelve! haha but he is full of questions and really intune with the spirit. when we were talking to him about the importance of being baptized by proper authority or something all of a sudden he goes, "okay..im not about to play you guys...ive actually been baptized in your church. like..im a member" PLOT TWIST!

he came to general conference and could not contain himself..he kept saying "Wow! oh wow! that guy is talking RIGHT to me!" he also kept leaning over to me with questions so i gave him a pen and paper and told him next time he had a question to write it down and wait to see if one of the talks answered it...i was a little nervous when i saw him write the question, "I pray to God to ask if i can be President of the United States like Abraham Lincoln. This is my goal. i just want to know if God approves." but good ole Uchtdorf was up next and gave his talk on learning to recognize truth for ourselves by understanding how Heavenly Father speaks to us specifically etc etc etc Irving was so pumped that all of his questions were getting answered!! he leaned over to me again and said "Im ready." "for what" "I'm ready for God again" YAY!!!!!!!!

so on friday we went to swing by some members for the little daughters birthday and when they opened the door...MANUEL AND HIS PARENTS WERE BACK FROM MEXICO!!! PLOT TWIST AGAIN!!!! but it gets even weirder...they invited us to Chuck E. Cheese for Jashly's birthday...so (with permission) we went! and taught a causal gospel lesson in CHUCK E. CHEESE..definitely not something i ever anticipated to do on my mission...it was weird..i didn't really like it..but oh well! whatever it takes! Manuel and his parents ended up coming to a session of conference and LOVED it! its such a beautiful thing to watch people invite the gospel into their lives and really see that change in them...that change for the better...makes it all worth it!

Oh! visited another family from Colombia and the grandma LOVES US!!! she gives us the HUGEST BEAR HUGS..kisses our cheeks for days..even pinches them! and she calls me "MAMI" which is like an endearing name for a daughter...ill take it! they had me try on one of Flor's big skirts/outfit from Colombia and taught me a Colombian baile!! they said they are going to make us our own!! LOVING THIS CULTURE STUFF!

speaking of culture stuff...yesterday in between sessions we wouldn't have time to run back to the apartment to eat so we decided to pack ourselves a lunch right? smart right? WRONG. inbetween sessions the hispanics have a FEAST!! tortas the size of footballs, rice, beans, eggs, potato salad, etc..AND one of the elders recent converts made a feast for JUST the missionaries: rices, chicken/soup, pie, ice cream, juice, etc...its like they think we are cows or something..i dont have four stomachs i promise..

last night we were getting a ride home from our last appointment and we were like a block or two away from our apartment at 9:20pm....the rule is to be in by 9:30pm right? we are in a car..no problem..but then there was a lady with her car on the side of the road we were going to help... and then people decided to pull over and help her out..bless their hearts...but that also meant we ended up sprinting home!! we tried to cut through an apartment complex, but when we got to the exit there wasn't a door! without thinking i threw off my bag and went to climb the fence when my amazing comp goes "hermana, dont you think hopping the fence would look bad? in a skirt and everything?" hahah she was right!! so we just ran all the way back around and looked like maniacs h a u l i n g down the street to get to apartment in time....WE MADE IT!!! just in time to catch a cockroach the size of africa on its way to our bedroom!! church is true.

general conference was amazing! i hope everyone had the opportunity to watch it!! and if not, go online! and also re-read the talks when they come out in the ensign!!! the prophet and apostles really are the Lord's mouth piece...its amazing how much we can learn in just four hours! this conference helped me realize how many things i need to work on...but im stoked for the chance to take the advice of the prophets and follow the saviors example in all that i do! this church is amazing and sooooo true, i promise!!!

sorry this email was kinda all over the place but that's just our lives these days!!! have the best week ever and dont forget to pray about e v e r y t h i n g...the Lord really knows what he is doing--take his advice ;)

LOVE YOU ALL

hermana hull