The Temple is Really Cool

First off, I'm training again! My new Hijo is Elder Nava. This will be short because we literally had 2 hours for P day today. On Saturday, there was an earthquake, probably a 4. I just laughed internally at all the missionaries from Utah that have never experienced an earthquake.

Mexican Independence Day. Yesterday was Independence Day so there were a bunch of fireworks and stuff but mostly M80 types. They are literally gunpowder wrapped in newspaper and a wick. I guess I'm in Mexico. And there have been Mexican flags flying everywhere for the past week, so when it was 9/11, it was weird. I had my own little moment of silence and thought, well, maybe someone here will think, oh, this is the day some planes crashed in the United States, but nothing more. So I had my own little memorial in my mind for respect to the people who died and their families.

Templo. On Sunday was the rededication of the Mexico City Temple, and I got to be in the temple for the first session.  It was really cool because I could feel the difference from when I entered and when I left. Elder Holland and Elder Eyring were there. But I didn't get to shake their hands or anything. Today we went to the temple as a special session of missionaries. It was really nice to be able to enter the temple again. And it is a lot more special than the open house. It was different from the first time, and not only because it was in Spanish. I really liked it.

The Cultural Celebration was really cool. I got to learn some Mexican pioneer history, how the Book of Mormon was translated to Spanish and a lot more cool things. The coolest is that the Book of Mormon is their culture. And when they used the prophecy that the land will bloom like a rose. It was really a cool expereince. Mexico is the Land of the Book of Mormon. I'm going to say it again.  I win for the coolest mission.

Guys. guess what. Guys...I'm district leader.  What¿ Yeah, I'm nervous, but yeah I have been companion of the district leader my whole mission. I kind of knew it was coming. Yeah just keep it on the DL... 

Yeah, I'm terrible.  I know.

Elder Alvarez my fifth companion. And Elder Nava mi segundo hijo.

My chemistry tie

I love you. I love my family. I send Hugs. I loved the temple and I'm really glad I'm here. If grandma hasn't sent the package yet, can you send my necklace too? the whale tail. I don't know.  I want it but I don't want to lose it. If you put Jesus stickers on it it will be safer.

Your son is doing well here in Mexico and loving the Culture. Loving the mission. I'm happy.

One cycle, three companions

OK, I might have set a record but I don't know, i dont think so. But yeah I have a new companion. Elder Rosado is on his way to Ciudad Juarez. And I am with Elder Alvarez. [mom comment.  I'm glad the record wasn't being held up for a third time in six months!]

So I have talked about tianguis [open air market], but one of the principle things missionaries buy in tianguis is.... Can you guess? Yes, ties! SO I started my mission with 7 ties.  How many do I have now? 27 and they are almost all really good looking.  And they are really cheap. I have probably spent about 10 dollars worth on ties, for 15 ties. That's right.  Be jealous.

On Thursday, i found a tie that I really liked.  Dang it. I forgot my camera. It's a tie of the periodic table  :{D 

We went to the open house of the temple Saturday and it was really cool. It is a lot bigger than the Newport Beach Temple. There are escalators. Wow! And the thing is the rooms aren't bigger.  There are just more of them. And there is a full scale industrial laundry room. Like 10 foot tall washers. Oh, but it was so cool and there was tons of white and gold. And lots of symbols. Like some of the ones I have described before. But in really cool places in the temple. 

It's interesting the words they use here in English.  They use wow and what but pronounce it with a g at the beginning. And bye and hi, but then there is the occasional person that says "What's up bro?" It's like it's the only phrase they know. (I'm pretty sure it actually is).

9/7/2015

It's weird to think General Conferance is coming up because General Conference was my first Sunday in the mission. I'll understand it more now. And it felt like it was just last month that it was General Conference. 

I'm doing good with guitar. I know like three songs and a bunch of chords. 

[mom asked what sounds good on missionarypackagemx.com]  beef jerky, rootbeer, cookies that aren't Oreos or Chips Ahoy. (There are similar ones here.)  A lot of things we can find but I just don't buy them.  Poptarts would be nice.