week of 10-28-13

Well, it seems the excitement comes in waves from Autlan!  Thank goodness!  I would be having a nervous breakdown by now if every week was like last week.  This week it looks like Elder Williams is celebrating birthdays, walking the streets for contacts and playing soccer with the youth!  Great things to build relationships.  The investigators are going really slow, so keep praying for Elder Williams and Barrera to get some inspiration and help to soften hearts.

Little Girl birthday!

 Two birthday for the price of one!  Got to love those!

Big Girl Birthday!

Boys will be boys especially playing soccer!

Look at those snuggly kittens!  Just makes you want to say... AWWWWW!

"My teaching schedule is usually teaching less actives until the later times of the afternoon.  We haven't had very many investigators to teach because they are all working until 8 at night, only are available some days out of the week, or our lessons fall through because we don't have a member with us.  Street contacting is going ok.  Still don't like doing it because in this small town everyone is working as they walk and can't stop, very catholic, or have screaming kids that wont let you get a word in edgewise (sp?).  It's very frustrating."

In his letter to Brennin, Elder Williams bore this testimony:
"I am glad that you know that God calls prophets.  God loves us so much to send us prophets.  I know that and I am glad to have a prophet on the earth today. "

To his grandfather:
"I am grateful that you are spending some time with my fam.  I am so grateful for the time that we have had to get along and have a good relation.  Thanks for being a great grandpa and I'm glad to still have you in my life."

Well, that is all for this week.  A short one after the craziness of last week!  Thanks for your support of Elder Williams!  Only 10 months left!!!!

weekly update 10-23-13

Once again we didn't get much of an email from Elder Williams the week before, but this week we have some excitement.  If that is what you want to call it!!!  It sounds like Elder Williams was trying to swing from the rafters and the rafters won!  It ended in a trip to the doctor with an almost broken/severed finger!  Way to go Elder Williams!

Yesterday was bittersweet because I had to talk in church and I also almost cut off my pinky.  Yeah you'll know what happened when you see the pics.   This is what happens when a fan is shorter than you thought and you raise your hands really fast.  Any of you remember Newsies?  I tried to be the guy who spins on the fan.....  Not true.  Just me checking my surroundings trying to be the comic relief of the missionaries....  This happened yesterday in the chapel after church was over.  whoopie for me.

SLICE...

DICE...

PUREE?

Nice bruising! 

Exciting food of Mexico????  A little taste of the local cuisine...

Elder Barrera making lasagna!

adding the finishing touches to a Mexitalian meal?

Pig's feet in Pozole!

Close up shot!

And last but not least... some sight seeing around Autlan...  We have all heard the saying, "Your home is your castle", but this is taking it a bit too far!!!!

I want a house just like this one!

Wow!  Now that is a castle!

Well, that is all this week from the wonderful world of Elder Williams!  See you next week!

combo weeks 10-7-13

Sorry I didn't update last week.  Our Ballroom team was having a benefit concert for a family that lost a mother to cancer and I was swamped getting that concert ready.  So, we have two weeks of news and some pics.  Last week we didn't get much because Elder Williams used his P-day to go up to Quadalajara to pick up a new companion.  Elder Williams has his first greenie!  He is now a trainer!  Oh, boy!  He is nervous because he really wants to do a good job!

From Elder Williams' letter 10-1-13:
Well here in Autlan I got some good news and bad news.  The bad news is that Elder Montaño is not my companion anymore.  The "good" news is that I am now a trainer......  I have now recieved my first "son"....  I'm freaking out.  I can't believe that I have been given this much resposibility....  I'm kinda feeling a bit inadequate...  I don't know if I have the right amount of experience to train another missionary.  I am definitely depending a LOT on the Lord now.  I just really need some encouragment from everyone.  I just feel very nervous about this whole thing.  His mission depends on how I do as his trainer.

Elder Barrera from Mexico City.  He is a recent convert of 18 months and is very homesick.  He is the only member of his family but they support him which is good news.  I'm kinda freaking out about having this responsibility.  I don't know how I got put here.   I just hope I can help him stay on the mission.  He is having family and mom withdrawals big time already and it's been 3 weeks since he left home.  I just don't want to fail.

Greenie and new Trainer!

Welcome to Autlan, Elder Barrera!

What a GREAT smile!

From Elder Williams' letter 10-7-13

Dear Daddy:

I am grateful for your advice and your confidence in me.  I am really nervous and he is supposedly really sick after this weekend.  Something hasn't agreed with his stomach and that makes him frustrated and causes his migrains.  I'm trying to find a way to help him not feel so down and sick but it's hard in a different language and not having many resources.  I'm just hoping I'm doing a good job. I really don't want him to have a bad first area and it's not starting off to great for him so far.

Have you seen the Mormon Message "Earthly Father, Heavenly Father"?  If not look it up.  It is amazing.  I love you and I miss you so.  See you in 11 months.  Oh and if I don't get to tell you on Friday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY OL' TIMER!!!!!!!  hahahaha jk.  I love you.

2 months left until I get to Skype you guys.  I think it would be cool too to Skype and have Omi and Opa there too.  I loved that part of Uchtdorf's talk.  I almost cried remembering my Omi and Opa.

I'm so grateful for your prayers, faith, confidence, and love that you send my way every day.  I really miss having that close and not across the country.  I can't wait for the day to have that once again all around me.  I love you so much and I hope that you are doing alright.

11 months.... Wow...  Oh and they are cutting the mission of everyone again another week so I could be coming home 25th of August....  AAAAHHHH!!!!!  CRAZY!!!!

What a great, humble missionary!  We love our Collin! And we might see him sooner!!!???