Signs of the Times and Apostles

Last Monday the weather was really nice, so as a Zone we played volleyball at a Sonic. A few days later it snowed.

South Texan Blasphemy

I guess the East Coast was hit by a snowstorm, so we were lucky to get a little bit. Man, the people down here were freaking out, taking selfies and making little snowmen. For a lot of them, it was the first time ever seeing snow in their life. The last time it snowed down here was 2004 I think. I've been in South Texas the past three winters and I kinda missed snow... 

Proselyting in sleet

Elder Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles came to our mission accompanied by Elder Uceda of the Presidency of the Seventy. Their talks were literally perfect. They mostly talked about missionary work and gave us tips. My favorite part by far was when Elder Cook testified of Christ. We were all spiritually numb immediately after the talks, and I barely spoke for a few hours. It was awesome.

Love ya'll.

Elder Gray 

Bureaucracy

Hello!

So a quick update:

About a year ago, I started to get some back pain. I wasn't sure what it was but it became unbearable in Corpus, causing me to see the chiropractor. It helped a little bit, but continued until recently when I went to see a family doctor about it. He ordered x-rays (which got lost for 20 days) and the radiologist deemed my back to be normal and recommended physical therapy.

Well, I knew he was wrong because 'nothing' doesn't cause this much pain.

On my own, I found a member who is also a radiologist and got an MRI, and he found a lot more than 'nothing'.

My spine is degenerating and my disks are bulging in multiple levels, messing with the nerve and causing numbness and weakness in my legs. He recommended I do a therapy to decompress my spine so we sent a request to Salt Lake City.

Which was promptly denied. 

So now we're going BACK to the original doctor (who said I was fine) to get a referral to a back specialist and I start the process over again. I've been waiting for the referral for five days.

In the meantime, since they can't/won't treat the actual problem, they keep giving me drugs to help the pain. One makes me depressed and high, the other does nothing, and the last one prevents me from sleeping. I slept 3 hours last night.

I'm a LITTLE frustrated this is taking so long. God give me patience with these people (and my back). It hurts to sit or stand too long, so I occasionally have to lay down in the car for like 10 minutes to ease my back.

The All-New Hidalgo District

In other news, they completely moved out all my sisters and replaced them. The two on the outside are brand new, straight from the MTC! Everyone in this district is straight fire, and I'm excited for this month.

The city of Hidalgo does a lights festival every year for Christmas in which the entire main street is absolutely covered in festive lights and decorations. Our chapel which sits on the main street couldn't be left out, and lights were put on our roof! I didn't know we could decorate our churches like that, but I'm happy they did.

Overall, things are going really well. I'm excited about this week, we have a Seventy and an Apostle coming to visit us, and we don't know why. Mysterious right?

Love you all,

Elder Gray

Transfer 10 (double digits)

This final week was fantastic.

Earlier in the week we were working in a certain neighborhood and as we drove out on our way to out next appointment, we both felt the Spirit super strong as we drove down a particular street. We both told ourselves we would come back and figure out why, and find who was waiting for us. A day or two later we came back intending to knock all the doors, determined to find out why the Spirit was felt on this street. 

We began to tract and the very first door we knocked let us in, and we had a lesson with the family. It was a very good lesson, the mom was in tears.

When the Spirit speaks, LISTEN. It always works out. 

Good luck in your next district sisters!

Transfers were announced, and the changes will happen tomorrow. Elder Grannis and I will be staying in Hidalgo for another 6 weeks. I've never stayed with a companion for 3 transfers before. The bigger surprise was they are taking out every one of my sisters. The new companionship will each have one brand-new greenie! I'm pretty excited for this next month.

The last 10 minutes of the transfer on Sunday night we got food poisoning, and we both threw up. It was a great way to end the transfer.

 We have been adopted into the Balboa family

I love you all!

Elder Gray

Spiritual Riches

This last week our sisters' car was in the shop and were unable to make it out to Hidalgo, so we came to them and had District meeting in a park! I brought a uke for some hymns and we discussed our notes from Elder Pearsons visit. It was one of the most chill meetings I've been a part of.

I've been collecting change I find on the ground for the past few months and finally filled up a bottle. I cashed it in today and got like 30 bucks.

In the serious side of things, this past week was one of the best I've had. The theme was change. I believe in the past I've written about the personal change I've seen in myself, but it keeps going. This week I've seen change in other people. I watched people cry and tell us we are an answer to their prayers. While with a family that hadn't attended church in many months, we sang a hymn and asked them to say a prayer, asking if it was time for them to go again. They came to church the next day.

Watching other people change and realize who they really are is what it's all about. Seeing their testimonies grow into conversion has strengthened my own. This past transfer was likely the most difficult so far, but I learned more than in any other. This next week is the last and I know there's still something for me to learn.

Much love,

Elder Gray