2/24/2014 2nd week in Brownsville

There are few things sweeter in this world than sharing hope with a child who wants to be happy and loved by telling them that God loves them and knows them by name.  I don't want to ever forget the wonder and hope in her voice when she asked, "He does?" And how I hope her parents will accept the gospel!  

1. Helote man

    There are dark blue raspy vans that drive through the neighborhoods here like ice cream trucks, but instead of selling ice cream, they sell helotes, "Helotes! Helotes! RRRRrrrrrrrica! con mayonesa, chile, queso!"  An helote is corn cob on a stick that is covered in mayonaise, chile, and cheese.  I tried one for my first time this week, and we got a picture with Havier, the helote truck driver.  But after we gave him a card and invited him to church I realized I had forgotten to pay him for the 2nd helote! I realized this just as he rounded the corner and started running after him but it was no use.  I just have to pray that I find Havier the helote man again. I felt super bad! I don't think helotes taste very good though.

2. We met Edgar and Edel who have come to church for the past three weeks with their step-sister, which means they can get baptized this Friday with parent permission, and assuming we can teach them everything in that many days!  I wish I could describe things better.  Missionary work is such a rollercoaster.  We met them, but then we couldn't have a lesson with them, and we didn't think they could come to church, and then they came.  They are best friends with 3 neighbors, Rachel, Amanda, and Michelle, who are prepared to hear the gospel as well.  We stopped by with a member and when Rachel opened the door the member we brought and Rachel already knew each other and talked like old friends.  That member played a huge part in the lesson, and now they want to get baptized on March 23rd.  They are our most solid investigators right now.  We will probably get to see them every night this week because we will be teaching Edgar and Edel and they pretty much live at their house.  They honestly feel like family, it is hard to believe it was only this week we met them. The little girl I first talked about is related to this family.  It was hard when they didn't come to church because less than 24 hours later we had taught them the importance and they were so excited.  I'm pretty sure this is like the only mission where people just up and decide they want to go to another country that's 5 minutes away instead of come to church.  

3.  Last Friday there were a bunch of kids playing in kickball in the street, and you know me, I DESPERATELY wanted to play too.  So I asked them if I could and we all became instant friends.  Then when we tried to leave and give them a card, they all wanted to all the different cards so they could each have a book of mormon, a Christ video, and visit mormon.org, and they all took us to their houses to meet their parents.  I LOVE CHILDREN!  Then they begged and begged that we would play another round of kickball with them, so we did just for a short time before heading off.  

I love this area, and I love life, and I love the gospel!  

Love,

Hermana Campbell

p.s. we deep cleaned behind the refrigerator and stove today where all the cockroaches hide and it was sooo scary!  but we got them all with Permytherine.