I love fruit snacks

I have the same curse in the mission. (Note from Mom--I had written to Abram about how our dishwasher had stopped working....not unusual for things in my life).  Everything I touch breaks. I had forgotten that in the States we have machines that wash our dishes for us... how weird it will be to go back...

The first Dorrough cousin to get married! Holy cow!  Also, please tell David and Michelle a million thanks for their package. They have no idea how grateful I was to eat the fruit snacks - I was seriously jumping up and down in excitement remembering food at home.

I was thinking about Grandpa this week, too. It's weird because it doesn't seem like he's on the other side to me still. I know he is always watching out for me.

The Lord really is watching out for me.

Random questions...How many people live in Bolivia? In La Paz?

On Sunday we performed the confirmation of the 3 younglings we have baptized recently. Little Jareth was wearing a whole glob of gel in his hair and my hand almost slipped on his head, which was funny. I testify that the mandate to ''receive the Holy Ghost'' is not simply a statement but rather a commandment we are given through all our lives beginning in that moment. We must take His name upon us, always remember him, and keep his commandments to always have the Spirit with us.

The weather here has been up and down crazy recently... my comp is getting sick from it. From 10 degrees to 30 degrees within a few hours. apparently the whole mission is getting sick. but not I. I refuse to get sick any time on my mission.

Papantla is a fun little city. I still haven't gone to Tajin yet, but rest assured in my several months here I will and I will take many a picture. Apart from that these recent Mondays I have gone to play soccer on a field where I have used my tacos. Last week, I actually scored a goal, which was a miracle. I'm by no means good at soccer so that was a surprise to me!

Until next week.

Another week in Papantla

The mountains here go on forever and ever.

Thousand pardons for leaving you hanging last week. My comp was very strict on the 60 minutes rule. Because his trainer was very strict on that... So we'll do the best we can with 60 minutes. I miss Elder S.

I trust in Noah's awesome dominance in everything he does. Thank you for the French books and advice. It should be pretty easy to pick up, I hope.

How interesting that it snowed back home! That means I can finally answer the question everybody asks me ''Does it snow? The US is so cold!'' So now I can say ''a veces''.

Anyway! This week the mission developed a completely different teaching model. We were asked to throw away our old lesson to memorize (thank goodness I did that a long time ago) and now we're asked to study a list of points that are basically the same. And use a lot of scriptures. According to the zone leaders, it's going to be very much up to the companionship what to teach and basically just use Preach My Gospel and the Spirit. I hope.

I have forgotten to tell you. It was very extremely demasiado cold these past couple weeks. I actually used my coat that I bought in Teteles because I was so cold. It was a very random and weird winter weather phenomenon that has certainly interrupted my sleep since I got to Papantla. Today was the first warm day I've actually had here.

Also, after the conference with Elder Valenzuela he asked President why the mission never adopted the no-backpacks rule when he saw every single missionary in the mission wearing a backpack... so the deal is now that we can use our backpack hasta que no sirva and then instead of buying another backpack we have to buy the one strap bag thing that I only know what it's called in mexico and it's not a nice word. Normally a backpack in Mexico lasts a good 4 months or so. The good news is Mountain Hardware has a tendency to last forever so I'm not worried about that one.

The city is beautiful and the ward here is so great.  This is a happy place to be for the next few months.

 This is how we go to church.  One member drives his fruit truck around to pick up those who need a ride.

These are two niños who were baptized last week. 

Papantla me encanta

This week the mission had a visit from Elder Valenzuela of the 70. He gave the talk ''Small and Simple Things'' in conference in October and is a member of the Mexico area presidency. Too many details but so many good changes are coming... again.  A whole lot of things I can't remember at this moment due to time. But it was excellent.

Part of his visit was to emphasize the need for everybody to be studying a second language. Now that a 70 told everybody face to face, they're likely going to do it. Also, the mission President says that I need to study a 3rd language during language study now... so the question is, which? French or German? Or another random suggestion? Respond soon because I need answers and study materials...  (Note from Mom--of course, I told Abram French and shipped him off a box of my French study materials).

After only about 12 days with Elder C, I can say one thing for sure: 19 year olds are much more mature than 18 year olds. Holy cow. It's a struggle especially because he likes to be contentious, but I'm working with him as much as I can. I haven't felt as much frustration since Elder P. But it's all good. It depends on how I choose to react.

I love my ward. From the Bishop on downward everybody does what he needs to from visits to scripture study to family home evening. Therefore it's a miracle ward of Mexico. For example, it's been a long time since I heard a member randomly quiz me on what Zeniff did in the Book of Mormon. It's also been a long time since I saw two recent converts get the Priesthood the very next week.

Papantla is a fun city. I think it's one of the smaller six cities in the mission (where there is a stake also). The downtown has a European feel to it and outside is all jungly 3rd worldness. The power went out one day this week and we taught several people using candles as lighting. Also this week we went to pick up investigators and members in the ward mission leader's giant fruit truck. We had a whole bunch of people herded up like cattle in the back all so we could save our money on taxis and eat instead. But hey, it's Mexico - there aren't traffic laws here!

 One member owns a Chinese restaurant.  it made me remember there’s more than just tortillas, rice and beans to eat.  Aside from pizza, I legitimately can’t remember what I ate before the mission.

La bici no es mía.

Buenos dias from Papantla!

Elder C is my new companion. He is the youngest Elder in the whole mission! He turned 18 in June and left for the mission in October. He just ended his training. I've put a big emphasis on the Spirit with him. He's definitely very very calm... almost too calm at times, but it's better than uptight.

And my house! It's so wonderful! I can't even believe it's Mexico. Apart from the humidity and Mexican food in the fridge, it would look like any other American dorm apartment. The best part... I STILL HAVE HOT WATER! I greatly appreciate the Elders who found this place because I will be very comfortable living here for 4.5 to 6 more months.

Biggest shocker of the week - in Teteles about 35 people on average attended Church, of whom 4 were missionaries and 10 were little children who aren't members. This Sunday more than 230 people attended the ward meetings. And they stayed all three hours. (jaw dropping) I didn't even know what to do. It scared me at first. The sad part... there's only a keyboard in the sacrament room... and the piano is in the primary room. I don't know whose idea that was, but at least I can play on an actual instrument for the bajillion little kids to sing like angelic monsters.

Papantla is all hills. Up and down and up and down and my legs get a great workout every day. I love it because some of these hills really shouldn't be legal. There was actually one case 2 days ago in my area of a car that hit and killed a lady at the bottom of a hill here (and because this is Mexico there's still blood on the street) but with my guardian angels I know traffic is of no concern to me.

Thanks to my fun zone activity at the beach, I don't have a lot of time to write today, but I am very excited to be in Papantla.

Love, Abram

My last picture from Teteles.  By the famous Atempan school mural with Tigger and his arm coming out of his head.

 My companion and I at a recent convert's house.

Papantla is all hills.  This one is about a 70-degree climb.  This should not even be legal.  I do love this city.  All of those hills are covered-up Aztec ruins, and Tajin, some of Mexico's most famous ruins are in my ward.

 From our zone activity at the beach today.

¡Hasta luego, Teteles! ¡Te adoro!

The changes formally arrived... both my comp and I are going! I will miss this beautiful place a great deal, but I have worked hard and hopefully left this place better than when I came.

Things I'm going to miss about Atempan and Teteles:

The Church bells. The 400 year old Catholic churches that to this day still ring the bell every hour so all the people know what time it is. It's one of the first things I noticed arriving here. As you know, I am very audio-oriented in my observation. Who knows how it will be going to civilization and having to look at my watch again...

Locuras. Mexico is basically one big relaxed go with the flow system, but here in Teteles it has been extraordinarily fun to see how people deal with problems with as little involvement as possible. For example, when a car crashes into a light pole, everybody simply drives around it in the street instead of cleaning it up. A week or so later the government will get it, no worries, guys. Or the fact that everybody steps in the new wet pavement just because and nobody says anything.

Hermano C. He made my life here liveable. The coolest branch member a guy could ever ask for.

My little house. I live in a little neighborhood of equal houses, but it's the only one in my whole area. The rest of the place is dirt floors with metal sheet walls. It did make me so grateful to be living with a comfortable roof over my head and a ghetto water heater in the back to take warm showers.

Combis - combis are a Puebla thing. The rest of the mission is all Taxis or buses.

Nahuat - how is it that people in Mexico don't even speak Spanish still? Is it just my way of thinking or is that a really weird thought?

The economy. Yes, there are some nice parts, but the many of the people live very sad lives in poverty. It breaks your heart, and also makes you so appreciative for the basic things I have.

One thing I'm not going to miss is the universal mindset. I talked about this with my comp. As soon as you cross the mountain from Teziutlan to Atempan, you discover everybody has the same brain. They're all just as tradition bound as they were 400 years ago and it's almost impossible to change. It's not even a matter of being right or being happy, it's a matter of doing what your parents did just because that's what you do even if it makes you horribly miserable.  It sure makes the missionary work slow here, but the branch is full of happy people who are making something of their lives.

Thankfully we did find three golden investigators who actually  were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ. It may not be like the rest of Mexico, but the Church slowly is growing out here in the mountains.

The baptism today! What a special way to end my time here.  She is my favorite convert of the mission so far. She is such a sweet lady. She's the one that more than 4 months ago Elder S and I got to her house and the storm had knocked over their cornfield so I said, ''To heck with teaching, let's fix up your crops!'' And we spent 4 hours chopping and stacking corn. She's the one who was robbed by a 12 year old member at a family night in the house of prayer. She's also the one whose mother died soon after I gave her a blessing releasing her from this life. More than 4 months of teaching and progressing and she finally nourished the seed that was planted in her heart so it grew. Such a special day today - and likely the only Monday baptism I'll have!  The niños are her grandchildren, and they are so adorable.  They just said goodbye to me and gave me besitos.  I will miss them.

 My comp has been so fun.  He is a hard worker and likes to be goofy.

 I took a picture in this same spot soon after I arrived here 4.5 months ago.  I will miss this beautiful mountain valley.

 My comp and I took some cool shots in the moonlight.  I was pretending I was a model.

My last letter from Teteles,

Elder Dorrough

Papantla, here I come!!   My new adventure will be super fun--my new companion is from Bolivia!

This week

The park in ''downtown'' Hueyapan. The sun has been out for 4 days in a row and we saw a radical change in temperature from -1 degree and icy to about 20 degrees and sunny overnight. It was really weird, but we're enjoying it!

Well, what did I do this week... at the end of the week in Teteles it's really hard to remember what we did. All I know is I worked my keister all stinking week and my comp happily marched along for probably upwards of 15 km a day teaching and preaching.

Things with my comp are good.  One thing he pointed out (because he has also realized that this area is quite difficult and no matter what missionary is here and no matter what he does the baptisms will be low here for some time) is that in comparison to other areas this area is extremely hard because the people are, well, very closed. He told me that in order to see even one soul come unto Christ in a place like this you have to work your tail off just getting that one person to come to church, to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, and take the initiative to endure. ''Now that you have four months working as hard as we have these past two weeks, when you get transferred to another area you're going to see huge miracles. Working in the same way with a more open area in Mexico, you're going to see a lot more miracles.'

I've been spending more time in Hueyapan recently and have picked up a little bit of Nahuat. (I think that's how it's spelled.) It's still incredible to think that over 500 years after Columbus landed there are still people that don't even speak or understand Spanish here. So far I just know the pronouns, a few other words, basic grammar structure... let's just say I know why Mexicans are grateful the Spaniards gave them their language, because it's a lot more efficient than what they spoke beforehand! Notokai Elder Dorrough. (Me llamo Elder Dorrough)

Some big missionary changes in Mexico were announced this week.  One of them was that in all Mexico the Latino missionaries are required to study English an hour a day. Instead of District classes being in just Spanish they will now be 50% English and 50% Spanish.  Not that speaking Spanish all the time ever bugged me!

¡Feliz año nuevo!

This was an interesting week. Elder S left at 6 in the morning on Tuesday and it wasn't until the next night that I really started to miss him. I realized why... I hadn't made another close friend in 8 whole months.

So, I went on exchanges Friday with Elder D, my District Leader! It was the best day of my mission. I just worked hard contacting referrals and teaching all day long until 9 o clock. Elder D got to see all the people of my area but also got to meet J, the girl we baptized 2 days later. She is our newest member, and her grandma is an angel.

We came back to my modest home... Then the party started. It began with a gingerbread house. I finally bought aluminum foil to make the base so we got started! The artsy fartsy side is Elder D's work. The not as artistic but equally as tasty side is Elder Dorrough's work. Let me tell you that eating just a gingerbread house for breakfast is probably not a good idea for your tummy. We stayed up laughing and joking and having an awesome time. Elder D has also become a good friend of mine. We may or may not have kept curfew. ''Elder Dean, can we stay up late talking?'' ''I don't know, let me ask my District Leader...'' So I got to share with him many aspects of my life and family and personality that I haven't shared with anybody for a long time. 

In the morning Saturday I finally had the comp study I've been wanting to have since I left Vegas over 6 months ago. We were able to listen to Conference talks and discuss their content and significance for us. I finally felt like Abram again! It was fantasically splendiferous.

Things with my comp... well, they're interesting... he's from Monterrey and that's basically all he knows how to talk about. He's very proud to be from Monterrey. The fun part is he's my first Norteño companion so we both talk the same. 

I had a super fun New Year's Eve with fireworks... yes!

Until next week!

Love, Abram