All these letters came on the same day. Lots of mail=one happy Elder Alley
Max and Hermana (Rachel) Buxton. They finally met up...and discovered they'd been in the same branch the whole time. Lol These two were in junior primary together when we were stationed at Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas. Her family is the best! I know two moms who were thrilled to get this picture. Thanks for making it happen, Hermana Buxton!
(Elder Alley's camera is kaput so he has to rely on the kindness of strangers for pictures right now.)
August 10, 2014
Well, I can finally say that I now have less days left in the CCM than days I have spent here so far, and that is actually really comforting. The days have gotten better, my study habits have improved, and the time is seemingly going a little bit faster. Nevertheless, each day I am here only makes me that much more excited to get to Vegas. It is constantly on my mind. I can't wait until I am on that plane ride back to the greatest country of all and where I will finally get the see the sun illuminating the land and the people that I will get to serve for the next two years. But, until that day does arrive (in approximately 18 days) I will continue to try and enjoy my time here in the good ol Centro Capacitación de Mexico.
This past Sunday was Domingo de Ayuno (Fast Sunday...see explanation below)* and I got the opportunity to bear my testimony in Spanish in our sacrament meeting which was a really neat experience. I talked about how I know a mission is hard but that even in the short time I've been out I know that I have changed dramatically. Also, (I am a little embarrassed to say) for the first time in a while I really took fasting seriously. I knew, that I absolutely needed the blessings from fasting. I don't know that last time I have fasted with so much on my mind. I fasted for so many things: To help me change as a person so that I could meet the needs of the mission, for my family back home, for Michael on his mini mission and Ashley in Thailand and Jake in Peru. I fasted for so many things and I said so many prayers during the day. I really do think on the mission I will gain a new found love for Fast Sundays. Especially because every time there is one, it means I've survived another month! lol But in all seriousness I really did take this fast seriously and I hope that my faith is sufficient to receive what I had been fasting for.
Other cool stuff. My mom will be super excited to hear this one. I finally found Rachel Buxton! It turns out that not only has she been near me this entire time, she has actually been in my same branch! We are both in Branch 6 here. She finally came up to me on Monday and we started talking and made the connection and it was crazy! We talked about living in Del Rio so very long ago which was awesome because I haven't had anyone, outside of my family, to talk to about living there in forever. It is a bummer it took us so long to make the connection though because she leaves for San Fernando, CA this upcoming Monday.
Speaking of Del Rio kids, my best friend from over 12 years ago should be here next Wednesday! James Norris is going to Ecuador and arrives in the CCM a week from today. I really hope I get to see him. It will be crazy to because he will get here in the middle of my week 5 (on the CCM schedule) which is the exact same time Jake was at when I got here. It will definitely make me feel like I have made progress here. I also saw Elder Pearson who just got here who was in my EFY group last year (when Emily and I went together). It was a cool reunion.
And now for the highlight of my week: LETTERS! Ahhh! I got so many letters this week (like 10) and you cannot even understand the amount of happiness that filled me when I saw them. For some reason they all came on Monday so I was bombarded with dear elders and a handwritten letter from Aubrey. Seriously, thank you sooooo much to Grandma, Mom, MomMom, Vaughn Durfee, Nick, Michael, and even Momma Hilmes for sending me Dear Elders. I was having a really rough day on Tuesday and so I decided to read them all and they lifted my spirits so much. I have felt really isolated down here, but when I got all those it reminded me just how awesome and supportive my friends and family are. Seriously, thank you all so much and please continue to send me letters if you've got the time! (Side note, it takes like a week and a half for letters to get to me down here, so if you send any right before I leave, they will have to forward them to my mission home after I've already left)
A note for Michael and Aubrey, I just mailed home some letters for you today. It'll probably take a week or two for them to get to you and I know Michael is on his mini mission with the Legend of Spokane, Elder Horan, which is legit and I was so stoked to hear that, but yeah just give him his letter when you can.
I can't think of anything else to write right now. The CCM is still one of the hardest things I've ever done, I still pray for strength and comfort every day (actually multiple times a day) and I am still just itching to get back to the USA and the people of my mission, but I know that I am here for a reason and that is to learn how to invite others to come unto Christ. I know with all of my being that Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Redeemer and that I am eternally in debt to him. I know through his Atoning power we can be cleansed, and we can be changed for the better. I know this church is true and I can't wait to proclaim that to the people of Las Vegas in less than 3 weeks!
Mucho Amor
La Iglesia es Verdad,
Elder Alley
*Fast Sunday is typically the first Sunday of each month. Members of the church abstain from eating and drinking for two meals for the purpose of drawing closer to the Lord and requesting his blessings. Members also donate the money that would've been used to buy those meals (or more) to the Church to assist the poor and needy.
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