Day trippin' in Nogales, México

Last Saturday, I went on a fairly quick day trip with my parents and one of my aunts to Nogales. We had a really good time! We took off early in the morning in my truck because it's comfortable for long trips and they were paying for gas. There's only one drawback. IT'S HUGE. Roads down there are wide enough for 2 parking lanes and 3 driving lanes in a 3 lane, US sized road.

Ideally, try to take one of these.

Squeezing my 7 ft wide (with mirrors sticking out), 20 ft long truck into some of those parking spots made me wish I had a Toyota or something. Thankfully, for the most of the day, that was the only problem we had. We did some shopping, enjoyed some delicious food, and took in the sights and sounds. All the while I daydreamed about buying a cargo tricycle.

Don't judge, they're only $200

Anyways, the afternoon sun is starting to go down and my mom and aunt only have to go to one more store. I park the truck one street away from the main avenue and hang out with my understandably tired dad. We grab some chairs (my mom plans ahead) from the back of the truck and we chill in the shade.

I immediately realize something's off. This store where I had innocently parked in front of has these two people with walkies-talkies. Cars are driving up kinda slow to the store, one by one most of the time, where one of the attendants walks up for maybe a minute, goes inside, hand something to the driver and then the cars drive away. I quickly realized what's going on and decide that ignorance is the best option.

My dad.... was not so fast on the trigger. After reading his newspaper, my dad looks to me and not using his inside voice asks, "Hijo, why are all these cars driving by?" I try to scream at him with my eyes and tell him, "Don't ask, you'll be happier not knowing."

A couple more minutes go by and my dad asks me again in the same voice, "Hijo, why are those shoes hanging off the electrical wire?" I deduce that subtlety is not strong enough and quietly and lovingly tell him, "That store is selling drugs, don't say anything or we might get in trouble"

Have I said yet that before he asked me any of this, one of the cars had already stopped in front of us and had decided to ride the magic mountain? After maybe half an hour, I'm already getting antsy wondering what's taking my mom so long when a paletero walks down the street and tries to sell us some popsicles. We buy some, and then the guy notices what's going on too and he starts COMPLAINING about Mexico's drug problem at full blast!

Mexico is corrupt! Look at these drugs! Why can't they sell this crap away from the children?! What a waste! Drugs are the worst!

On and on he went while I started to wonder if I was going to die within half a mile of the border (also Scott, this was about when you called me). It was during this that my mom and my aunt showed up. My aunt immediately figured out what was going on and knew the procedure. Meanwhile, my mom is listening to this guy talk about how drugs are ruining the country's young, beautiful women. (also, mom, she was right behind me, I couldn't help but look when he pointed her out).

FINALLY, mom gets the hint and starts freaking out. "How could I subject my son to this?!", she asked, not realizing I'm 30 and have already been to shady places. She shoves us into the truck and keeps talking about how embarrassed she feels for having done that me. Meanwhile, I had already been there for over an hour and was positive that some of the clients thought my dad and I worked there.

Why I believe in God

Back in September, I gave a talk in Church. And some members told me they liked it. So, in following in the proud tradition of posting my talks, here are the notes that I used that day.

Who is God?
-          He is my Heavenly Father
o   I am His child
-          He’s not incomprehensible
o         We can come to know and understand Him.
o   He’s willing to teach us, if we’ll listen
§  Exodus 4:12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
o   Just because we don’t understand now, doesn’t mean we won’t.
-          He is a perfect being
o   He knows a lot more about a lot more things than I do
o   He has given us our agency
o   He has perfect plan
o   D&C 101: 16
§  … for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.

Before I get too far ahead. It’s nigh near impossible to talk about God without mentioning faith. So this is my take on it:
-          It’s ok to doubt every once in awhile. We ARE human and we don’t have a perfect knowledge about just about anything. Many things happen to us that cause us to pause in life and wonder about things. It can be little things or big things, things that someone might say or do.
-          It all depends on what we do with it. Do we use it as an opportunity to learn something new or shrink from it? More often than not, we come out a little stronger for it. We’ve all probably have gone through it once or twice before. None of us is perfect. And we as imperfect beings tend to have a short memory.
-          So here’s my advice; remember. Remember the times you have already overcome another doubt. Remember the times you have received a promise and its reward. Remember the things your faith has already got you through and trust in yourself, and your faith that it’ll carry you through this time. God is there, He knows us by name, and He is waiting for us.

What is His purpose for us?
-          According to His plan, we’re to come to this earth to learn, be tested and find joy.
o   Sometimes it feels like we got stuck on “be tested”. We’ll sometimes feel like all we do is seem to be stuck in sorrow, a trial, a tribulation, a doubt or a pain. And we’ll cry out
o   D&C 121:1, 7-9
§  O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?
-          I believe this is normal for us mortals. Again, because we’re mortal and have a short memory. We tend to look on these things, which can truly be big deals, as the end, or even worse, the beginning of a horrible time in our lives. Prophets and other people with great faith have wondered the same thing! But, it all depends on what we do with this hardship. I believe in a God of mercy, compassion, and who knows each and every one of us. A God that can see the possibilities of our lives and who genuinely wants us to succeed. I believe in a God that has an eternal perspective on our daily and long term troubles and knows that these things too, shall pass.
§  My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;…  And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.

And armed with this knowledge, I know there to be a God.

How did I come to believe in God?
At first it was because my parents told me so.
-          I, having been born of goodly parents.
And then it was because I believed it too.
-          How I came about to wanting to go on a mission
-          Stopped from getting a certain electrician job
o   Coworkers who were good influences
Finally, I knew it for myself.
-          Read book of Mormon
-          Saw changes in people’s faces
-          I've gotten to know my Heavenly Father in a way that I know that he expects so much of us. He expects what, by ourselves, is impossible. We are such fragile creatures. And through it all, our doubts, our trials, and our many opportunities to fail, He will be there to love, encourage and help us.

Why
(Testimony)

Moses 1:39
For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.