"Is every week like this as a Zone Leader?"

Hello Family!

The subject of this email was one of the very first things my new companion asked me after a ridiculously busy week.

On Monday Elder Galvan and I had our last day of work together, we went to the Temple to pick up some new missionaries and work with them for the day before they received their new trainers on Tuesday.

Tuesday we headed out to the changes meeting at the Temple, and we dropped off the greenies with their new trainers. Elder Galvan got changed to the Aragon/Moctezuma/Vergel Zone, and I received a new Zone Leader, Elder Robles. He's awesome; obedient and hard-working. What more can I ask? Tuesday we only got to work in the afternoon, but we were able to find a new investigator named Eleazar. He accepted all his commitments and accepted his baptismal date. We'll see more of his progress this week.

Wednesday morning we had Zone Leaders' Council from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon! It was really good actually, and the Asisstants gave us an awesome class about humility. We got back at about 5 o clock, which gave us a little bit of time to get Magui's interview done. The secretaries called us right after the interview, and told us that we need to head to another part of our Zone to look for a new house for new americans that were going to be coming to the Zone. We headed out and were out looking for a house all afternoon to no avail...

So Thursday we left the house early and headed back to continue looking for a new house. We ran into some other street preachers that wanted to fight with us, but we did our best to just not listen to them. They very "politely" invited us to embrace what they call the truth, but we continued on our house-hunt. We finally found a good house, and right afterward we had to head back to the temple for Magui's special interview. Then we came back to our Zone with the secretaries to sign the contract for the new house.

Friday we held a District Leader Council in our Zone, and right afterward we went back to the Temple AGAIN to pick up the new missionaries in our Zone. One of the new people didn't show up to the training meeting, so we had to head out to a place called La Paz (kinda far...) to pick him up. We brought the new missionaries to their house, set them all up, and got to our house at nine.

Saturday we got to work normal and went the whole day looking for new investigators, contacting everyone in the street. We got two more interviews done and set up everything for the baptismal service on Sunday.

Yesterday Magui and her two children, Vianey and Luis Angel were baptized. It was an excellent way to end the week.

This week, we'll actually have time to work in our area! Woo hoo! And PS, my airplane will be arriving on May 28th, at 12:30 in the afternoon! And the records secretary hooked me up with the window seat!

Love you all, have a great week!

Elder Budge

The General Epistle of Elder Budge

Hellllooo Family!

How's it going back home in the Gabacho? I hope everything is going well, everyone nice and cozy, watching TV and eating Pizza as I roast in the hot sun on the Mexican street out here in Neza! This past week was a blast for my companion and I, because I'm now 21 years old! Is that weird or what? It's a strange feeling and I don't want to think about it anymore, but I must because I have to tell you how my b-day went here.

So last Monday I took myself shopping, bought some sneakers and a T-shirt, and we ate some delicious Domino's Pizza, courtesy of Jared and Monica Budge. Then on my actual birthday, an investigator named Magui bought me a delicious cake and a brand-new, beautiful tie. That's how we can tell she is ready for the Gospel, right?! Then yesterday another family bought me another cake, equally delicious, and some chocolates. All in all, it was a really good birthday!

Anywho, back to business. This past week Magui has been progressing so much. She is absolutely incredible! I don't know if I told you last week, but she fixed her work schedule so she can go to Church every Sunday, and this past week we were able to teach her two children as well. Her son, Luis Angel, is really shy, but has been reading the Book of Mormon on his own and has prayed about it. Her daughter, Vianey, is really awesome as well. We watched the Restoration video, and afterward when we asked her how she felt about it, she started to cry and wouldn't tell us why. I asked her if what she was feeling was positive or negative, and she said that it was positive. That's good news too! Long story short, Magui will be baptized this coming Sunday and her kids next Sunday.

My companion has transfers tomorrow after six short weeks together, and I'll be training yet another new Zone Leader. Time flies!

I really love the Gospel, and I can't believe I have so little time to continue sharing it as a full-time Missonary!

Elder Budge

Las Fotos:

1. Me with my new shirt and shoes!

2. Again...with my new socks as well! (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!)

3. Pizza and soda and my companion Elder Galvan.

4. Magui, her three kids, the cake, my new tie, and my companion.

5. Our last photo together....