I CHANGED TICUL - TICUL CHANGED ME - SEPTEMBER 5, 2016

Ismael y Sergio

Wow... so yesterday I got THE phone call. The dreaded phone call that I was going to leave Ticul. I can't tell you how sad I was. After 4 months in Ticul, 4 months of hard work and progress, I am not in Ticul anymore. I think the hardest part of the mission is having transfers. After months of literally giving my whole heart to everyone in Ticul, I have to leave them out of the blue and leave them in the hands of other missionaries. But lets just say, my months in Ticul were amazing and I learned so much. Yesterday was probably the best way to end it... let me tell you why.

Yesterday at church we sat waiting for the investigators to show up. 10 INVESTIGATORS SHOWED UP. TEN. The most I have ever had in my mission. I was so excited. A new investigator and her cousin showed up. Her name is Arumy and his name is Carlos. They are 14 and 11 and both super interested in the church. We had been teaching them a couple weeks and they finally went and stayed the whole 3 hours and loved it. Are getting baptize this month. Iliana and Maria from Sacalum went to church for the third straight time. It is tough with them because her dad doesn't want us to visit them anymore, so we haven't been visiting them, but they went to church anyways! Will be baptized this month. Alex and Joseph, 2 of Ismaels friends went to church. And many more. I felt like every person we have been teaching went to church yesterday. We had 83 people at church. When I showed up, there was about 40 at church every week. I also had the chance to participate in a baby blessing yesterday which was amazing. 

So we were going to baptize Viviana, right? Well, lets just say this week was a HUGE test of my patience. We had to send another letter to the Area President and we were waiting for the response until we realized the branch president didn't send the letter till Friday night. So basically, we still hadn't heard the answer from them and she couldn't be baptized yet. And it was a huge test of my patience and faith. Makes me so sad I wont be able to see her baptism personally this week, but I know it is the same no matter what :)

Also, a way that I know i was in Ticul a super long time is by the way that people finally started saying my last name with confidence. The first 2 months, the people don't know how to pronounce it so they just don't. Then in the third month they start doing it without confidence. And in month 4 everyone knows my name and says in confidently! Now to restart over again...

Over 4 months in Ticul I learned so much. It truly changed me. And I am happy to know I could change it a little. I could baptize Rudy, Monica, Sonia, Carolina, Ismael and Viviana (almost). I saw  a ton of people get reactivated in the church and start going back, and I saw a change in the Pueblo. I know the Lord sent me there for a reason. In the way I must also trust that He is taking me out for a reason.

Felicitous after baptism interview

So I am now in ZONA MERIDA as a zone leader again! I am in a ward called Arboleda, which means a grove of trees. I live in a colony of Merida that is called Leona Vicario. This is actually the same zone where I was in Kukulcan about 8 months ago! This area is literally RIGHT NEXT to my old area in Merida. So I can see it and go there in divisions to visit my converts there, Nayeli, Joana, and Darwin! This zone has 16 missionaries and I am so excited to be a part of it. Even though I am in the city of Merida, it is basically a little pueblo because it is on the outskirts of Merida. I am with Elder Luna... no, not the Elder Luna from last year! He is a different one. He has 11 months in the mission! He got to this area about 2 weeks ago so he hardly knows it yet. He is a new Zone Leader so i have the chance to help him know how to be a ZL! I am super excited. He is from Tampico, Mexico!

New Home in Arboleda

Well, that is all from me this week. I just want you guys to know that I am super excited for this next chapter of my mission! I love you all and know that God loves you more than you can imagine. Thank you for everything you do for me. I feel your prayers.

Elder Plowman