Crazy Week!

Hey Family,                          (Note from Mary:   this is from July 18th, 2016)

So....July is already half way over!!!! WHAT?!?!?! Time is just flying by. It's great to hear all of the wonderful things that you guys are up to. I know that sometimes it can be stressful to be busy, but just look for the best moments in everything. Congratulations mom on your new job!!! I hope that you enjoy it. Just a question.....school starts in the middle of July? That is horrible. What happened to summer? Jackson and Vanessa are going to start high school. That is is insane. You guys are growing up. Jackson looks super tall in the picture at the Temple. Is he growing? Keep working hard you two. Study hard and do your homework;) Vanessa will be a great lifeguard. I want to work as a lifeguard as well coming home...maybe I'll do that with Vanessa!!!

Everyone is leaving on missions!!! That´s amazing. Where is Dane going? And who is Samantha marrying? And Beth? Mom and Dad, I think you guys will love teaching that Eternal Families Course. I love teaching and talking about eternal families. It is amazing to see the eyes of those that we are teaching light up when we talk about eternal families. I love sharing our story of how it is possible for our family to be together forever. It is an amazing blessing.

On Wednesday we had our ward activity that my companion and I planned. We did a ward talent show. It turned out amazing. A ton of members participated, and was a huge success. We had 9 investigators that showed up, and got 5 references. It was a great activity. One of our investigators is a really good singer. She was on ''The Voice Mexico'' and in ''The Academy Mexico''. Those are like American Idol. She came and sang several songs. The ward loved her, and she really enjoyed the activity. The young men and young women did a cultural dance from Monterrey. That was really cool. The Bishop´s son did origami....others sang....played the flute....and danced. It was I awesome. I sang ''You Raise me Up'' in Spanish and in English. It was fun.

Singing at the ward talent show

The youth in our ward have youth conference this week. Then dance that they did in the talent show, they are going to perform in their conference...so the two sisters have been working like crazy to make the cultural costumes for them. On Thursday and Friday, my companion and I went and helped them out for a while. I jumped on a sewing machine (thanks mom for teaching me) and made five skirts! It was a ton of fun. I'm sending pictures, but when the whole costume is finished I'll send the full picture. That was fun to be able to help them out. Turns out that they were way behind, and have been working until super late every night. And one of the sisters is getting married this week!!!! So, they were very grateful that we helped them out:)

Costumes we helped sew!!!

The Bishop's son also had his birthday party on Saturday. There was a ton of people there...but it was awesome. We received a ton of references there as well. The bishop introduced us to everyone that weren't members there. It was awesome. My companion and I did magic tricks for the little kids, and they loved it (We've been learning some magic on P-days).

We also helped in the preparation for Yajaira's graduation party. It's a big thing when they graduate from elementary school here....so we helped them with the party preparation. I made about a hundred jellos, and we made fifty candied apples (With tamarindo (it's a fruit) and Chamoy (chile)). There party was on Sunday night. We showed up at the end to congratulate her, and help clean up afterwards.

On Tuesday we had a wonderful district class. Again we focused on the points of Obedience, Work and Love brings the Spirit. It was really awesome, and I found some new scriptures that go along with each topic. You guys should look them up. Obedience Alma 3:236-27. Work D&C 75:2-5. The Spirit 3Nephi 32:5, 33:1. They are all wonderful scriptures. We talked about everything that we are doing for our investigators, and what we are not doing. One Elder said something that struck me ''We are fighting for the Salvation of their souls, so fight for their Salvation''. We should be doing everything possible to help them reach that salvation. That is where Love enters in. We really have to love them to be able to fight through with them. It doesn't matter what they say, or what excuses they give us....if they don't tell us straight up NO, we keep fighting.

On Sunday, while I was studying I came across a scripture that I really like now. It's D&C 138:56. ''Even before they were born, they, with many others, recieved their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in His vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men.'' We were prepared to come forth in this due time of the Lord to preach the gospel, and to WORK for the salvation of souls. I was prepared in the life before this...to be here now doing what I am doing. It gave me strength to know that I already learned what I need to do, I just need to study and ask for revelation in order to remember it all. And this applies to all of us. We can recieve this revelation if we just ask. The Lord has told us ''ask, and ye shall recieve, knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen''. It's true!!!

This week we got hit with some really sad and bad news. Lady....our investigator has cancer. She doesn't want anyone to know. She hasn't even told her daughters. My companion and I are the only people that know. It came as a complete shocker. We are praying super hard for this family. We have hit a wall....and right now we don't know what else to teach or share. It's really hard, but we are not going to give up. We are just going to keep praying, fasting and studying for the help we need.

Right now it is super hot!!! and hasn't rained....but that's okay. We'll live!!

Anyways, I Love you all. Hope that you have an amazing week!!!!

Love,

Elder Cavenee

Singing in the talent show