HIDALGO

Hello, friends and family all over the world. 

On p-day last week we went laser tagging as a Zone. This was probably the craziest laser tagging I've ever done, the guns looked real and had red-dot sights. We played several game modes in a realistic mini village. We got smoked, despite me and Harris teaching our team mates squad movements. But the real winner that day was friendship. 

The next day about 6 of us tasted the worlds hottest pepper, the Carolina Reaper. We each had a piece smaller than half the pinky nail but it still lit my mouth on fire. Man, I was red, sweating and crying. We drank like a gallon of milk and a tub of ice cream trying to cool off.

Transfers are tomorrow! I got the word... I'm going to Hidalgo Zone! I don't know where exactly, with whom or doing what but I'm excited. It's closer to the border so hopefully, there's going to be a lot more Spanish and Carne Asada.

The new love of my life, the Banjo Ukulele.

I also got a Dear John letter. I've always wanted to get one on my mission, and now my dream has come true.

Love you all,

Elder Gray

Baptism by Chocolate

Hey ya'll!

These past few weeks have been a few of the most rewarding on my mission. A while ago a man requested a Book of Mormon online and the rest is history. We had the opportunity to teach this wonderful man. My all-time favorite thing to watch is how people grow, within the span of about a month I could see his whole life change. He got happier. As a person learns more about the Gospel and practices self-mastery and repentance you can visibly see them change. He was confirmed last Sunday. 

He That Eats Thereof Shall Never Hunger

Last Saturday we helped out with another baptism! We had been teaching the adopted son of the most fire couple in the ward. The kid's so smart he basically taught us, but we went through all the lessons and he decided to be baptized. The baptismal service was amazing, and the real cherry on top was the chocolate fountain which adorned the dessert bar.

I can probably leave the area happy now. Things here are starting to roll forward!

Love ya'll

Elder Gray

Double Spirituality

An investigator gave us a bag of sea glass, so we made art

Buenas Dias!

So we went down to McAllen on Thursday for a leadership conference. It was kind of like a missionary Revival, we got all pumped up. Two stake presidents and an area 70 attended, and our president presented plans of how to work with members like never before. I'm really excited, so many things are going to change for the better. We slept overnight for the conference and had a slumber party in some abandoned apartment. It had rained on all our mattresses, so we slept on the hard tile and I got like two hours of sleep. 

The next morning we woke up early and had a zone vs. zone dodgeball tournament. Corpus Christi got creamed, but we won some weird relay so it balances out. 

Quorum of the Tropics

In other news, I also recently completed my collection of tropical ties. 

La Boda

This week we participated (crashed) a wedding / baptismal service held in the Spanish Branch. There was a super cute wedding service, some pictures were taken, and they went directly into the baptismal font. The newlyweds in the picture and their friend were all baptized. They all bore a super sweet testimony at the end of their baptismal service. 

Some of you may have noticed I don't exactly write much on my blog, especially about spiritual things or personal matters. I do this due to the intended audience. I tend to keep those in my personal emails, but I guarantee that my mission the spiritual high point of my life so far. Every time I think "My faith has never been so strong as it is right now", it get's stronger the next day. I've learned more about the Gospel than I thought was possible. I've had the joy of watching people change their lives, find their faith and live up to how Father sees them. I've even had the opportunity, through the study of the Atonement and introspection, to change myself.

If there's one thing I've learned from my mission, it's that now is the time for change. Changing others, my surroundings, and myself.

Love you all,

Elder Gray