Me with a big donut. It was good! 11-10-11

Baptism of B. on Saturday. 11-12-11

 Familia C. S. saying bye 11-12-11

 B. y F.11-13-11 When I was saying bye to B. on Sunday, he said to me with a big smile on his face, "I'm mad at you because you convinced me to get baptized." Haha, but I have never seen him happier!

 M. y M. 11-13-11

 E. 11-13-11

B., S., D. y C. 11-13-11

 F's baptism with the member who baptized her. 11-6-11

 J's baptism with the member who baptized him. 11-6-11

  M & M's baptism with the member who baptized them. 11-6-11

 The pink uniform I was dared to wear. And she didn't think I would. She doesn't know me very well! 11-7-11

 Our zone eating carne asada and playing futbol! 11-7-11

Hola =) 11-7-11

Hola familia! 

          Well this week was a great week! We baptised 4 people and it was really awesome! M. was especially cool for me. We have been teaching him for a while and he is going through some tuff things right now, but when his friend baptized him, he came out of the water and just gave his friend (the member) a big hug and started crying and the spirit for me was very strong and it was just a really special moment for me! It is the things like that and that feeling I had that makes everything we do worth it! It reminds me of why I am here and it reminds me of the great blessings that this gospel brings to our lives! I love this gospel and I know there is nothing that can help us more than this gospel! I'm so grateful to be here and I really and truly know that this is the work of the Lord! Today I got to go play futbol (soccer), and we had a carne asada as a zone like we made steaks and it was good! I told one of my converts yesterday that I was going to go play futbol with all the other missionaries today and she dared me to wear her old soccer uniform because it is pink, haha, so I did!!! Haha, it was funny! I'll send a picture. So ya, I took her up on her it, haha. I think she thought I wasn't going to wear it, haha. Also, this last week they took the Elders out of the area next to mine and so the president told me and my companion that we had to work there as well. So now we have two areas! But it's all good, it's more work and we have to be at church double the time on Sunday, but it's good! There are some problems with that bishop but I am working with him, so that we don't have so many problems! I love this work and I'm so grateful to be here! I hope that you  are all doing good! Just know that I am good and that I'm staying safe and that everything is great here! They told me that my package is in the offices, but I still haven't got it. I don't know why, but we will see if I get it this week! I love you all! Stay safe and remember that God loves us and that He does have a wonderful plan for each one of us! I know that Jesus Christ is my savior and I know that He really did die for me and I am so greatful for that eternal sacrifice! Daily I want to be better so that I can help Christ in this work because He really did suffer for every person but that sacrifice is in vain if they don't accept Him! I know that that is my job here to help everyone accept Christ in their lives and help them to receive all the blessings that god has waiting for each one of them! I love you all and miss you all a lot, but I know that I am were I need to be! I love you all!

 

Love,

Elder Despain

 Arizona!!! Haha!!!! 10-24-11

 Me in Centro last week! 10-24-11

Hola! 11-1-11

Hola Familia!

  I hope you are all doing good! I was very happy to hear from you this week and get your letter! This week was hard. The whole week went okay but then on Sunday, 4 people that were all getting baptized... didn't. They all fell through! We are hoping that this week they will get baptized, but it was very hard to have 4 baptisms fall through the same day! But it's all part of this work. I just hope that they all go through with their decision and get baptized this week and don't wait any longer! I love this work and I'm so, so, so grateful to be part of it in the good times and in the bad ones because everything is a learning experience and through challanges we can get stronger! I know that the Lord loves each and every one of us and that He lets us have challenges so that we can grow. Without the challenges, we wouldn't be able to become the person that Heavenly Father wants us to become! I'm grateful for the challanges that come to me, even though at times it's very hard to understand why! But God knows why so we just have to learn to accept it and become better through it! I just want you all to know that I know that my Savior, Jesus Christ, lived and died for me! I love this gospel and I am so grateful for the plan of happiness that God has for us! And I am also so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a part of this great work! I love you all. Thank you all for all you do for me! Mom, they said that they have my package in the offices so I should get it tomorrow! Thanks! I love you all! Stay safe and remember that great plan of happiness that God has for us!

Love, 

Elder Despain

New shoe! Can you believe those used to be the exact same shoe, haha?! They don't look the same, haha!10-22-11 

 In the visitors center in Mexico City 10-22-11

 My new pants that you sent me mom! They are sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 10-22-11

The zone today in the Centro Zocalo! 10-24-11

I Hope You Are All Doing Well!

Hola Familia

   Thank you for the email Kimi and letting me know how you all are! I hope that you are all doing okay. I'm doing good. It was a hard week. Our baptism for this week fell through and that was sad. I just want you all to know that I love you very much. I hope that you can say hi to all the family for me and tell them my feelings for them. The news of Uncle Robert was very shocking. I was in our food appointment when the president called me on Saturday to tell me what had happened. It was a shock and very hard to believe. But I want you all to know that I know that God is a loving Heavenly Father and He does so many things so that we are happy and okay in this life. The very same day, I found out we had already planned to go to the temple to the visitor center. So when I found out, just after I went to the temple less then an hour later and I was there and I was looking at the temple and could remember the plan of happiness that God has for us. I could remember the blessing of eternal families. I know that our families are eternal and I know that we will get to be with our loved ones again. I know that this doesn't sound like much, but it was a blessing for me that I was able to be on the temple grounds that same day. I know God loves me and each and every one of us and I know because of that love He prepared that day so that I would be comforted! And so that I could gain a stronger testimony of eternal families and the plan of happiness! I know that God has a plan for us and I know that this life is just a small part of that plan! I love you all and I hope that you all have felt the peace that I have through the wonderful blessing that we have of the gospel. It truly is a blessing to have the gospel in our lives and to know of this great plan that God has for us. I know that God lives, I know that His son, Jesus Christ, lived and died for us so that we can return to live with God and so that we can have eternal families. I'm so grateful for the gospel and for my savior Jesus Christ, and for the opportunity I have to share this great gospel with everyone around me! I love you all. Thanks for all you do for me. I truly have the greatest family in the world! I love you all and miss you. 

Love,

Elder Despain

The baptism of B.!!! Her brother got the priesthood like 5 minutes before that picture and then was able to baptize her. He was baptized two weeks before I got to this area! 10-16-11

Just a cool building!10-17-11

Hola!!! 10-17-11

Hola Familia! 

   Hope you are all doing great! I miss you all but I'm doing great! I love this area! It is just a promised land for me in my mission. It took nine months to get to it and it wasn't all easy but now I'm here and it is a blessing! I'm having success here and I am loving it! Me and my comp are doing good. He isn't the easiest comp I have had, but not the worst either, haha. I love this work and I'm so grateful to be able to be doing it! I know that it is the work of the Lord and that is why I get to see miracles every day! Yesterday we baptized a lady named B. she is really cool. Her brother got baptized like a month ago and he got the priesthood this week and so he got it and like 10 minutes later got to baptize his sister. It was cool! The mom and the rest of the family is next. It may take time, but I think they will all end up getting baptized! I found out on Friday that one of my packages got to the offices. I still haven't gotten it, but they have it in the offices so thanks for sending me that. I should have it by tomorrow! We had a zone conference this week and the president's wife told us to write home and tell our families if they want to send a Christmas package, then they should start thinking about sending it soon if they want it to get here by Christmas! But I am already getting these two packages so I would say don't worry about a Christmas package. But, I have to tell you what she said or she may get mad at me, haha. I doubt it, she is awesome, but the president might get mad, haha. Tell Jayden Happy Birthday!!!!! Big 8!!!! Tell him I love him and that I wish I could be there for his baptism but that just the happy birthday will have to do this year. But that for sure next birthday I will be there!!! Happy Birthday Jayden!! I love you all! Thanks for all you do for me! Love ya !!!!

 

Love,

Elder Despain

Me and Elder C. with I. at his baptism 10-9-11

 Cheap and yummy tacos al pastor 10-10-11

I Love You All! 10-10-11

Hola Familia!
   This week was a good week! I was getting to know my area and it went good! We had a baptism on Sunday, yesterday! It was really great! He is a really cool kid named I.! We don't have a ton of people that we are teaching right now but we are finding new people and I think that we are going to have lots of success! I am really enjoying being in the DF. I have always loved the tacos in the DF more and I'm really enjoying eating them again, haha! I'll send you some pics of some tacos al pastor that we were eating outside of the metro! They are good and really, really cheap, only 5 pesos a taco, haha! Who knows where they get the meat from but it tastes good, haha! I got to go on exchanges this last week and I was with Elder G., who is my zone leader, and I went with him to do some interviews for him in his area! We found a lady on the side of the road that was selling hot wings so we bought some. They were so, so, so, so, so, so good! Not even close to American hot wings, but just the fact that they were wings and had BBQ sauce on them, they were like heaven to me! It's been a long time since I have eaten hot wings and even longer since I have eaten hot wings with BBQ sauce on them!!! They were good! Me and Elder G. were laughing because it looked like we were two starving kids on the side of the road because we were eating them so fast, haha, like we hadn't eaten in a really long time. But ya, it was funny. We like devoured them, haha. We both miss good hot wings! We are hoping to have a few baptisms this week as well, so that should be awesome! It has been raining again, which is weird. Everyone had said that the rainy season was over, but I guess not because it has rained like every day for the last 4 or 5 days, haha. But it's all good! Well, I love you all and I hope that you are all doing well! Let me know how you are all doing! Thank you lots for your letter Mike. I will read it right now, haha, well print it and then read it, haha! I love you all! Thanks for all you do for me!

Love,
Elder Despain

Hola Familia! 10-3-11

Hola familia! 

  So, I don't have much time today because today was changes! But I wanted to send out a quick letter! I got changed and now am in a new area! My new area is in the same zone as my first area in the mission! The zone Culturas, in the area de Culturas! my new comp. is Elder C.! I'm really excited to work hard and have lots of success! I love you all and miss you all too!

I wanted to tell Christi Happy Birthday today!!!!!!!!!! Hope you have a great day! I am really so very lucky to have such amazing sisters! Thank you Christi for the example you have always been for me and for all that you have done for me! I hope you have a great Birthday! I love you! Also, Happy Birthday Becca on the 7th and Happy Birthday Andrea on the 8th!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Big 10 years old! You are so big!!!! I can't believe you are already 10, that's crazy! I hope you have a great birthday and I hope you know that your Uncle Randall loves you! and wishes you a very Happy Birthday!

I hope you all enjoyed conference. It was really great, I loved it! I loved Tad R. Callister. His talk was so powerful about the Book of Mormon. It was awesome! I also loved the talk that was about how it is never too late to start making good choices and it is never to late to repent! That was great too, but I don't remember who gave it, but it was on Sunday!

We also had the opportunity to baptize two people this week and it  was a really, really great experience! J. on Saturday and then on Sunday, M.! It was great and I love seeing baptisms! It is a truly great experience! I know that this is the work of the Lord and that every baptism is a miracle of the Lord! I love this work and I'm so grateful to be a part of this great work of the Lord! I know that our Savior, Jesus Christ lives and loves us and I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and He reallly does hear and answer our prayers! I love you all and I miss you too! Stay safe and make good choices and every day try to become closer and closer to the Lord! 

Love,

Elder Despain