Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Helping People Change Religious Traditions

Hello!! Family, how's it goin!? It is really good here. This area is sooo loaded with money, so I think I'm good, haha. It is getting hotter and I have some allergies. I loved how in conference they talked about how members should use Preach My Gospel. It's so true cause we're all missionaries. 

Mom, to your question - well for us we need to be kinda strait up forward or they won't listen, so for us what we say works. This is how it goes and it might sound weird but I'm translating it so..." We don't wear the cross or hang up the cross in memory of Jesus because we don't want to remember him like that. We know he rose from the dead and has a body of flesh and bones, perfect and glorified and it's like this - if you got into a car crash and had blood spill all over you would you want people to take a picture of you like that to remember you?" Obviously they would say no, so you say "it's the same with Jesus". Then they will be like "Oh, OK, well, I won't do that or wear that." So that's how we do that. We don't pray to Mary because in the scriptures it says there is one God we worship. He is above all others.There are a lot of scriptures in the Bible that we use that says basically not to. We respect her because through her Jesus came into the world but the Father is our God. He created us and we worship him. Something like that. It's hard in English

I miss Utah. It's just so different here. I am learning many things and love it here! We have to move houses cause the sister missionaries are moving to our appartment. We get fed the nicest food. I am trying to get the recipes from the ward sisters, haha. They laugh and say sure. I've noticed in this area like 50 maybe more percent of the people speak English. Also, they look American. It's just weird to think of white Mexicans. You always think of Mexico and see brown but it's not true. They're white too. It's just weird

Oh, also, in conference was that Brynn Hallstead!? In the choir? Also the man that said the closing prayer,  Hoyos (Elder Benjamin De Hoyos of the Seventy, who gave the closing prayer in the Sunday afternoon session), I know him. He comes to our mission a lot.  He's awesome. I speak to Dane (Gabe's friend who is a missionary in Equador) in Spanish when I type him. Well, not always, but a lot. He sounds like he's doing good. The people here have the best dessert. I need to make it when I come home. I make it a lot in our apartment. Mexico is cool. I miss the United States. Seriously, Alpine is the shire of the world. Literally. Alpine is the Shire. I miss it. Sometimes it's just gross down here.  I won't say why or anything until I get home. I like Juarez - lets just say I'll never live here after my mission. I love serving here, though. The people are just so nice and loving. They are embarrassed and ashamed how everyone knows Juarez as all the bad things and not the good things. I am careful and I obey with exactness because if not, oh, it's like fresh meat on the street.  It's freaky but we're safe. We have God so we don't fear. 

I hope everyone is good over there. Elder Brown reminds me of Andrew and Jake. He has the voice of Jake but not his personality. Some expressions are exactly like Andrew! Anyways, it's fun with him. We're tight friends and we laugh, work hard and have fun! And eat well! I miss you all. Lots of people here that remind me of everyone over there - it's weird. If you have questions just feel free to ask! :) 


Love you all. Hope you have a great week! It's vacation here for two weeks and its hard cause we don't have like any investigators right this second. But anyways, its all good. Have a good week!

Elder Castleton

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