Six weeks!

The package from last month finally arrived, and we were all so happy.  I had completely forgotten about delicious Scooby Snacks crackers, and my companion was freaking out that you can actually buy those in real life, and that they aren't just in a cartoon.  They reminded me that home is real, and not too far away.  I am also happy that you sent so much candy that I can share easily with all the niños around here.  It is so fun to share gringo candy with them.

Transfer news - I will be finishing the mission in the PetroMex Ward with Elder G. Just as expected. It feels so weird to start the transition into my last transfer ever.  Only six weeks left of my mission. 

We had a nice weekend with the baptism and confirmation of Carlos! He is the epitomy of living the law of consecration without having worldly goods. He works going around the city collecting garbage and recycling materials and taking them to the recycling plant, which is certainly not the stablest form of making a living. Things are complicated more by the fact that he lives in a little shack taking care of his 5 grandchildren, whose parents live far, far away and want nothing to do with the kids anymore. But he knows that he cannot turn his back on the hungry and needy, even if it means that he himself will not receive any worldly benefit at all. Life is hard for him. I imagine those kids almost never have breakfast. One of the tenderest moments of my mission was buying wafer cookies and juice to eat for breakfast with all the little kids during the baptismal service. I will never forget that feeling.  Such a good man, and such sweet little niños.  I will sure miss Mexico.

There's a Mexican modismo for catching someone red-handed: te agarré con los manos en la masa.  This is what that looks like.  We were making tamales.

 Just a random guy trying to help a stuck possum.

 We named this a watermelon spider.

Shoes--and 7 weeks to go!

Well, it's good I'll be home soon.  My shoes are definitely showing the wear of 2 years on a mission.  The office boots are actually in okay shape, I just have to get the front part of the sole sewn once every three months or so. The sole is getting a bit worn, too, but nothing compared to a normal pair of shoes. I actually gave the office boots to Elder G last week because his third pair of shoes already got worn down to the point of inusability (not sure if that's a word or not) and we have the same shoe size, so I just gave him those boots. The police boots are still 100% good to go. A little discolored but in perfect working condition, and still completely waterproof. That's the pair of shoes I'll have on in the airport to save three pounds in my suitcases. Those boots were definitely the best purchase for a missionary.

The Sunday shoes I brought, I will most likely be leaving those shoes here, as well. The left shoe is currently ripping in the back where the heel connects to the sole and the soles are about .03 centimeters thick now so I basically feel like I'm walking barefoot.  Those just get worn to meetings.

You'd be surprised how much I have walked in Mexico... probably more than Dad has run since I've been on the misión….

The only shirt I will be taking home is one that Elder O gave me a month ago that looks new. The rest of my shirts are completely trashed. The yellowness comes out after a good wash with bleach, but the necks are all starting to wear out and I've sewn up the sleeves of about 5 of the shirts at this point.

I'm down to six shirts and 5 pants, which means exactly half of my mission wardrobe has disintegrated.  Surprisingly, I'm still good on socks. I've only had one tear in the whole misión.

Elder G and I look forward to the last week of this transfer. We've been seeing a lot of blessings in our finding efforts recently. Most of the investigators we currently have are thanks to one street contact I made in December, Abraham. He is such a great guy, still hasn't gotten baptized, but thanks to him we went with his family and found Ilse, and his family has given us bounteous referrals to go out and talk with. Thanks to one invitation we made 3 months ago we have seen dozens of new faces coming to church and learning more about the góspel!

You can sign me up for the 4th of July 5k, s'il te plait! I'll do the shortest race so I don't hurt myself trying. I will do  my best to beat Savanna, but her legs are so long that I don't know if that is possible.  It was nice last Winter in Puebla because it was so freezing cold that I still got to experience the seasons. This year in Poza Rica I really haven't felt winter, though, so kind of the same deal as Troutdale, I suppose!

I only have a month and a half left now... that sure feels crazy! Next week I will write with the last transfer news I will ever have for my whole life. The most likely news is that I will stay here with Elder G to finish the misión, but anything is possible.

That's the most likely option. President Greer is faced with difficult choices as he will have so many missionaries going and a smaller amount arriving - this requires that certain áreas be closed. When áreas are closed transfers get even crazier. however, it's pretty likely I'll finish the misión here in Poza Rica.

All the missionaries who were together in the Macuiltepetl area of Xalapa are mostly now here in the Poza Rica area. 

At this same conference, I ran into nearly all  of my companions I have had on the mission!  That picture is at the top.

A rainy week (8 to go!)

Elder V is back in my ward, and I am so happy.  We all are working hard and having fun working together.

The current countdown is a quantity of days inferior to 60. Now that is crazy stuff. I get super excited for Mondays, too. It's weird to think that being a missionary is the only time of one's life that one comes to like Mondays above the other days of the week. Usually Monday is the least anticipated day of them all, but for a missionary that is certainly not the case. I'm pretty sure the last three days will be like you say - Tuesday I'll head down to Xalapa and Wednesday head down to Veracruz in a rented bus that will have at least 40 other missionaries in it.

What on Earth is a soap dispenser? I had actually forgotten that laundry detergent is not also used as hand soap.

I guess I somewhat look forward to having my own room again. The weirdest adjustment, I believe, will be not having to be with somebody 24/7. The first few days will definitely be dedicated to some great slumber parties with the guys playing cards and games and talking and wrestling just like the good old times.

I will actually be getting the package tomorrow! President is coming to Poza Rica tomorrow so we can watch Meet the Mormons as a zone.

Gene is finally retiring... he sure did have a great impact on my life all four years of high school, more so than any other teacher I had. 

What I can hardly believe is that general conference is in just a month. After conference I'll only have 3 weeks left.

The first trampoline I have seen in two years!

 Elder G with some cool kids.

 A lot of rain, and no umbrella.  At least my feet stayed dry!

This week (9 to go!)

This week my flight itinerary arrived! It is official. I will be home the 29th of April. I look forward to serving these last two months with diligence, knowing that the efforts I put in these next few weeks will be the last I will be able to give to the Lord in these two years of service.

I’m traveling home with two missionaries that I know quite well.  They are both from Beaverton.  It will be fun to travel all the way home from Xalapa with these guys.

I get along super well with Elder G. He got baptized when he turned 18 and loves being a convert. He says it helps him a lot being a convert and being a missionary -  he's able to understand better what the investigators are feeling and thinking because he's gone through it all already. I'm learning lots of cool things about Peru and South American culture. Elder G is just as obsessed with rice as Elder O was, which means we eat very little spaghetti!

I'm glad I could live in Mexico for two years. I've developed a love for fútbol that I otherwise never could have known. It really is such an important part of world culture and Americans who never leave the country can't completely understand that as hard as they may try. When your economic possibilities are low and you don't have much hope of a bright future, sometimes the only thing you have to hold onto is a ball and some shoes. I understand why the world famous football idols give the kids so much hope here - they give them something to look forward to every day, even so much as watching a game on TV and talking about it the whole next day. Football really does help the people here to fill a gap, in an emotional and social sense.  It's a great way to begin a conversation with a total stranger as well.

Two years ago I wouldn't even have been able to tell you the difference between Barcelona's jersey and Real Madrid's jersey, and now I basically have all the players of the entire Spanish league memorized. I really know a lot more about football than I did before the misión.

(about men without mustaches) Seriously, I'm totally convinced they don't exist. I don't know what that is anymore.

I’m so happy that I get to live with Alex at BYU this fall.  That will be awesome.

I have told you before that Nacho Libre is real Mexico, and here it is.  I can't wait to watch that movie when I get home. 

 I ran into some old friends from two different areas this week.  One from Papantla and one from Tuxpan!

Two whole hands

I remember when I turned 10 and Diane Bangerter told me I was Two Whole Hands old.    Well, now that I have only 10 weeks left on my mission, I thought about two whole hands in a new way.  I am happy to be finishing my mission with such a great companion.  The Lord truly has blessed me with good companions.

We had a girl ready to be baptized this last week, but there was some drama with her family just before the baptism, and we all decided it was better to wait.  She is a great girl and will be a fun addition to this ward, so hopefully things get worked out with her mother this week.

It is good I have only 10 weeks left, because one pair of my shoes is pretty much dead.  The Danner police boots are still perfect, but the Danner office boots are coming apart.  They have been the best missionary shoes ever and have survived miles and miles of rocky and dirty roads, and plenty of rain.

I will miss the delicious food here.  Especially the seafood.

 This is Poza Rica in the background and my really cool companion.  He is so awesome.

 Monday morning fútbol is such a great part of the week.  It will be fun to play fútbol with the kids when I get home.  We will have to go play at a local park so that we won't lose the ball in the backyard over the cliff and into the river like we did with Joel's brand new birthday soccer ball many years ago....twice.  I will miss seeing soccer goals in every possible greenspace.

This week

I let my comp  wear my special Mexico tie for a silly picture.  He is from Peru, and he is super easy to get along with.  I really have been blessed to have so many great companions.  He has been out five months, and his first two companions really taught him how to work, so it will be fun to spend the last two months of my mission working hard with a really great friend.

 We had a baptism for a really nice girl from a really nice family.

 After the baptism we had a delicious dinner with my favorite food here--mole.

 I was so surprised to run into my old buddy this week!

 This was pretty exciting to find!

 We love fútbol.  Can you spot the storm trooper?

I'll be home in 11 weeks.  At least, I think I will be home in 11 weeks.  Everyone else who is leaving at the same time as me already has his plane ticket.  I have heard nothing.  With my history with the missionary department, who inadvertently left me in a black hole while waiting to get TO Mexico, I wouldn't be surprised if something has happened and they forgot me again.  We'll see.  I do love it here, but I am getting excited to see my family.

Mariachi!

I am officially staying in Poza Rica for another transfer.  However, I am losing my buddy Elder O, as he has been transferred to another area here.

Life hack 101.  A super-charged lighter.  No idea how this happened.

 A fun little park in our area.

 Buying elotes.

 Oopsie.

 We have baptized two really special  members.  Their excitement to follow Jesus Christ has been so inspiring to see.

 With a mission buddy who went home today.

 I love mariachi music.  These guys were fabuloso.

 I wish I could pack these guys up in a suitcase and bring them home to Savanna.  Her mariachi dreams would all come true.