.: June 27, 2012

Mi Familia,

What's up everybody? Yes, yes I'm still alive even though this email is coming in very late in the week, my apologies, it's been a crazy week for la mision Mexico Tampico and for Elder Stockard. This week was transfer week which is a very fun process I must say. It's like Christmas once every six Sundays haha. This transfer was one week short becuase President Call leaves tomorrow and President Jordan gets here tomorrow, so Pres Call wanted to finish everything with transfers this week so that things wouldn't be so crazy for President Jordan. For the last few weeks, I had been pretty confident that I would stay with Elder Castro in Francia one more transfer, but as the day came closer this past week, I started to feel more and more confident that I would probably get switched. The anxiety only built when they switched P day and Transfer day to Tuesday instead of the normal Monday. President Call likes to keep everyone on their toes with transfers I think, so nobody ever finds out who is going where until very late the night before transfers. That normally is Sunday night, but in this case it was Monday night.

I really had high hopes of staying in Francia for one reason only: La familia Preza. Their progress has been seriously incredible to watch. All four of them were at Church last Sunday and had an incredible experience. Their 14 year old son Jose was really funny last week. Elder Castro and I told them that there was a good chance that I would be leaving after this week, and they were all kinda bummed since we were the two missionaries that found them. At church on Sunday, Jose told me that in all his prayers last week he was praying that both Elder Castro and I would get to stay. They are all reading the Book Of Mormon every single day as a family and praying and everytime we taught them the spirit has been super strong. They are incredible people and will have no problem for their baptismal date in 2 weeks, but the Lord had other plans for me, I guess, than to see their baptism.

Late Monday night, our zone leaders told us that both Elder Castro and I would be training and that I was going to Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas that is the farthest zone from Tampico in the mission. Elder Castro is staying in Francia and I am taking over the training of an Elder that arrived the last transfer. He is a super awesome Elder named Elder Castillo from Baja California. But yeah yesterday was nuts, we had trainings in Madero with President Call until 5 and then my bus left for Victoria at 5:30. I rode with my boy Elder Rodriguez, from Uruguay Dad and we had a really good time. We got to Victoria at like 9:15, so I don't know like anything of the area so far, haha. We cover two wards here in Victoria, Barrio Mainero y Barrio Victoria. The Church here in Victoria is very strong and is growing very rapidly. I'm really excited to be here, to be training and to be a missionary. It's been a really fun crazy last few days on this side of the Border! I'm really sad that I won't see the Baptism of la familia Preza, but I feel very good leaving them with Elder Castro and his new son and also seeing how strong they are.

So that's been my week so far! Saturday, President and Sister Jordan and the assistants are coming up to meet with zona Victoria so it will be super fun to meet them. I don't know anything else about my area or about Victoria except here flour tortillas are much more common than in Madero, in Madero its all corn.

It sounds like this week the fam is finally gonna have some time to enjoy summer vacation. I'm so glad that everything is going so well and that you and Lauren had such a great time in Hawaii. That's awesome that you were called as sunday school teacher, Mom! Im very convinced that that is the greatest calling in the Church and it is of vital importance. Do you best to make your lessons interactive, open to questions, and fun. Brody always did that and I learned a lot. Remember that even when the kids look disinterested or lost, they are learning and the Holy Ghost is going to teach anyone who allows him to.

I love you all. Mom, have a great time at the Temple with Hadley and make sure you go!!! Go twice if you can there is nothing more important than the temple so make sure that you go and that Hadley goes. Love you all so much thanks for all the letters, love, prayers, and support.

Hashtag143,

Elder Stockard