Welcome to Summer (Ive been in it for 2 years) 6/3/2019

Buenos tardes todos!

How has everyone been?! I saw a few graduation pics, to all who are reading who did, and the children of those reading who did, CONGRATS!!! That's an awesome achievement! Don't let it go to waste! Haha, but to them, and all the rest in school, hope you enjoyed the school year! And I hope you have an awesome summer break! It's still summer here, so nothing new there... (I hope y'all have enjoyed almost two years of me complaining about the weather in Florida, haha). It's been a pretty casua week here, nothing too crazy! There was a pretty funny thing that happened a few nights ago that isn't super commomn, but I'll decide later if it's a story I want to tell (don't want to freak out mom too bad, haha). For now though, onto my friends!

We met a few really cool people this week! One man was from Argentina, which is super uncommon, but I love their accent (in spanish), and they are always such kind people. Also, they have some really awesome food...but so do all the other countries so that doesn't mean much. We met a nice older lady named Altagracia who met with missionaries in the Dominican Republic, and Loa who met with them in Venezuela, so those two were awesome! And I don't think I have talked much about Félix. He is from Columbia, and a really awesome dude. He was invited to church by a friend a few weeks ago, and really enjoyed it! He came to a Family Home Evening the next night and loved that too, the way the ward 'feels like a family' is awe-inspiring to him. But, he went into the hospital last Monday for Pneumonia, and so that has been super hard, he doesn't have any family in the states...or friends really, so we are the only ones who visit him. He is also just got kicked out of the room he was renting (for very dumb reasons), so we went to pick up his stuff this morning. He is keeping some high spirits though! 

I am quickly running low on time, but now want to tell the story, haha, so I'll keep this part short. We had to say good-bye to Angelina and Antony, which was pretty sad, but I'll see them before I leave! Will is going through some hard times, but I feel like he will be able to make it though it all and still get baptized! Rosa and Adrian are feeling pretty sick too, but they are doing really good with the gospel and everything like taht!

Now for that story, stuff like this doesn't happen often, but I don't think I've really shared many like it. A few nights ago, some crazy homeless dude jumped out in front of me as we were biking, and I slammed on my brakes. He muttered some stuff, and we determined he wanted to try and steal our bikes, but as things were really getting heated (us just calmly trying to ignore him), another homeless dude kind of appeared out of the brushwork and just yelled "Hey! Leave'em alone! Dem's good people!", and the other guy just got startled and kind of wandered off into the street and started panhandling again after slapping my companion's back fender like a butt...weird times, haha. I don't know how to transition this, but I want to share something I shared with someone real quick.

I know I've shared the quote before, but I gave this advice to graduating seniors, and just wanted to share it again: "Our task is to become our best selves. One of God's greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final." I love what this message from a prophet of the Lord tells us. Yes, we are commanded to do everything we can, give all we got, and even "be...perfect"; but that does not mean that we are not allowed to make mistakes along the way to that goal! If I have learned anything on my mission, it is the fact that God loves us. Every. Single. One. None of us can comprehend just how much love He truly does have for us. So please, never forget that. The most powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing, most perfect Being in the universe Loves You. He wants to hear from you, and He wants to see you succeed, and find happiness! Through Him, His Son, the gospel, your family, your friends, your work, your hobbies, your talents, whatever! He wants to see you be all that you can be, and will help you reach it! So please, never stay down! Never give the devil that satisfaction. Keep going! Keep praying! Keep repenting! Keep getting back up! Keep learning from your falls! And please, keep relying on the Savior! You can and you will find the success and happiness you want! I can promise you all that as a represantative of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, you can! And in His name I testify of that, amen. LOVE Y'ALL!!!

<3 Elder Fox