Brother Dennis Paggi and I decided to go to Mexico in October for our yearly visit and to give a study weekend for the brothers and sisters in the Guadalajara area. We had a pleasant flight down and were met by a smiling Sister Cynthia Paiva de Lopez. Brother and Sister Gabriel and Cynthia are the resident missionaries, and always make us feel very welcome. After we arrived at their house, we spent some time chatting and catching up, and then looking at all the fruit trees in their garden. This time of the year is very pretty in Guadalajara. The rainy season is almost over, and the flowers are all in bloom. The temperature is very pleasant, and the skies are filled with beautiful cumulus clouds.

After a delicious dinner, Sister Cynthia invited us to take part in a Bible Reading Class during which we read portions of the chapters, and each participant in the class gave their observations, and what stood out for them. Several participants joined us virtually. After the class, we were able to chat with Sister Cynthia for awhile about the Truth in Mexico.

For our Study Weekend topic, Brother Dennis had been studying the last week of Christ’s ministry, and so we decided to use that as a basis for our topic. We observed that at this point in his ministry, Christ was to be leaving soon, and the disciples would have to continue the ministry without his presence on Earth. Therefore, much of what he taught that last week has strong application for disciples through the ages, and so we can take these lessons and apply them to ourselves. Our overall theme was “Building Disciples: Lessons from His Last Week.” Brother Dennis was to give the introductory class on Saturday, and the exhortation on Sunday on the topic of the Seven Sayings from the Cross. I would give the other three classes, one on each of the three parables: The Vine and the Gardener, The Ten Virgins, and The Parable of the Talents. I was to give two classes Saturday and the third and final class Sunday after the Memorial Service.

On the first day of the Study Weekend, we had a tasty breakfast of beef soft tacos on the way to the venue. The Jalisco Sur Ecclesia currently meets in a locale rented by Sister Guadalupe Hernandez which is a small grocery store in the front, but has a large back area which works as a meeting room for the small ecclesia. After the first two classes, one given by Brother Dennis, and the other, by me, we went outside in the patio area behind the store and enjoyed a delicious lunch and fellowship with the brothers and sisters, before we went inside for my second class, the third and final class of the day. About 16 or 17 were in attendance, including several who attended in person, and others who were online. There was lively discussion during the classes, both by those in person and those online, and many deep spiritual insights. Brother Gabriel and Sister Cynthia did a wonderful job organizing the day, and Cynthia worked hard throughout the classes, making sure that the online attendees could see the PowerPoint slides, and could hear and participate in the classes.

On Sunday morning, we left for the meeting venue, and stopped on the way to have another tasty breakfast of soft tacos. While there, we picked up birria, which Sister Cynthia had ordered beforehand, to take to the venue and eat for lunch. Birria is a rich tender meat stew made with beef, lamb or goat, which is simmered slowly in a seasoned broth, a delicious, typical Mexican dish. Our birria was made with goat meat.

During the Memorial Service, Brother Dennis gave his exhortation on the Seven Sayings from the Cross, a powerful talk on the significance of these sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ. After Memorial Service, I gave my third and final class, on the Parable of the Talents. After this, we all enjoyed a lunch of birria, rice, corn-on-the-cob, and warm tortillas on the patio behind the store. All in all, it was a very uplifting weekend, and we all felt refreshed spiritually, and thankful to have been able to participate.