Dia de los Muertos

 

Things are going pretty great down here Mexico. It has been a pretty slow week with investigators because everybody has been celebrating Dia de los Muertos. It has been cool to see all the traditions that they do during this weekend. Friday almost everybody made bright orange trails of flowers going to their front door. We also visited a member and got to see a table dedicated to their grandparents. It had flowers, candles, and pictures all around it. On Saturday and Sunday it has been a massive party in our pueblo. Lots of cars are parked on the streets from visiting members and dance music lasts late into the night. There have been a few artists who have painted murals as well for Dia de los Muertos. I did not have the opportunity to take pictures of them today; so I will send them next week.

A regular day for Elder Clawson and I starts at 6:30. We say our companion prayer and personal prayers right when we wake up. Then we start heating our water for showers in a bucket with resistance cords (it takes about 30 to 45 min) Then we do our daily exercise and cook breakfast (cereal or pan from a panderia). Then we bucket shower and get ready for the day. At the beginning of each of our studies we start with a prayer. We do Personal Study for an hour, Companion Study for 2 hours (usually one for regular missionaries but I am still in training), and one hour of Language Study. After studies we leave the house at 12 and hopefully go and give a lesson with an invistigator.We have lunch with members around 2:30 to 3:30 and eat great food (I left my list of the names of food at home). Then we travel around to other pueblos using convies and buses teaching, contacting and contacting until we return home at 9. Then we plan who we are visiting or teaching the next day for 30 min. Then we usually cook pasta and go to sleep at 10:30.

We have had a few opportunities to serve this week. We got to cut down 8ft tall malierbas with a machete at 7 am. After we met an investigator named Elizabeth who was very kind and gave us atole (super good hot chocolate/oatmeal/cinamon drink thing) and tomale sandwiches. We also helped a member who owns a ribbon making factory. He had 100s of foot long cardboard cilanders that we had to throw away. After, we got to eat Milanesa for lunch with him (super good chicken burger thing). After a hard day we also got some pity burritos from a local restaurant. They were super good.

 

The pictures are from our zone activity today sorry I dont have a lot of time to explain.

I'm out of time

Love you all,

Elder Thompson

Valsequillo & New Trainer

 

So this week was my first time out in the field, or in other words my first time actually being a missionary. Monday I got to meet my companion, Elder Clawson. He is a great missionary, obedient, and is very helpful.

On the way to Puebla I got to see the volcano Popo, but I did not have my camera on me to take pictures. Puebla city is just like Mexico City. There is the central city and then little pueblos just outside or connected to the city. Most people and we missionaries travel to these different pueblos in buses or convies (white vans) for a few pesos. It is sad to see how little people have here. Most people build their houses out of concrete with a store in the front where they make their money. We once visited a man with lamenium (sheet metal) for his walls and roof in a 10 by 10 house. They can basically build where ever they want, the government does not regulate to many things.

All the food I have eaten has been pretty good here. I have only had stomach aches on one night. I have tried Puebla's famous mole and it is good and very spicy. Today we had soft tacos with the other missionaries in our zone at a restaurant. The tacos were very good.

This week I had the opportunity to teach a few different investigators. I especially enjoyed teaching Mario and Martha. They own a little food joint by the road and have fed us some good food when we eat there. They are ready to get baptised but Mario needs to get divorced from his ex-wife so he can marry Martha and then be baptised. Apparently this is a common problem down in Mexico. People get married and then separate to other people without getting divorces. The other man that I enjoyed teaching was Luis. I had the opportunity to extend Luis the baptismal invitation and he accepted, but first he needs to come to church a few times. I also was able to take part in a confirmation of a woman who was baptised before General Conference.

We live in a house with two floors, but our boiler and the showers do not work. So we have to shower with buckets that we heat with resistance coils. We also have to do our laundry by hand and air dry. It is a nice house with a fridge, a place to study, and comfy beds.

I hope you all are doing well. If I forgot to talk about anything or something does not make sense email me so I clarify.

Last Week at CCM

This week has been pretty crazy. It is my last week at the MTC and then I am going to head of to Puebla on a two hour bus ride. I got called to be the travel leader, which means I have to tell everybody what they are supposed to do when I am not that sure myself. However, I think I got it all sorted out for everyone. It has helped my spanish trying to explain what we need to do to the Latinos going to Puebla.

This week I feel a little bit better about communicating in Spanish. I can have pretty good conversations with the Latinos in my casa now. We talked about swimming, movies, and music. However, I feel like communicating in TRC was very hard. TRC is where less active or actual investigators volunteer to be taught by us, the missionaries. Elder Trendler and I had the opportunity to teach the brother of my teacher, who has not been baptised yet. During this lesson it was very difficult for me I felt like I was not connecting with him, and could only understand half of what he said because he spoke so quickly. However, I think I did an alright job bearing my testimony at the end of the lesson. We also taught a less active member named Luise. I could understand more from him. He cleans houses and is going to college. I felt like I actually could communicate decently with him.

Elder Trendler started having feeling sick yesterday. So we stayed in the casa yesterday for GYM time so he could get some rest and I was able to work and study. Today he seems to be doing a lot better. Talking and hanging out with the whole district has seemed to help him alot. Today I also got my first hair cut in Mexico. I think this is the shortest my hair has been since I was five. They go hard core with the clippers here, but at least I do not have to worry about combing my hair in the morning.

This Tuesday we also had the opportunity to listen to a live broadcasted talk by Elder Bednar one of the Apostles of the Twelve. Elder Bednar talked about how 45 years ago he had the opportunity to watch General Conference in the MTC, but it was called something else. He taught us how he liked to take notes in General Conference. He takes a sheet of paper and divides it into 3 columns. First column is Doctrine and Principle. Second column is Invitation. Third column is Promised Blessings. Then he listens for those three things in the talk and writes them as well as the Spiritual promptings he gets. He can then restudy the talk, apply it to the scriptures, and live it. I have included some pictures of the notes I took for the clips of talks he showed in order for us to practice.

I love and miss you all,

Elder Thompson

PS. Here are some pictures of Elders we liked playing ultimate with, the comedor, my classroom, and the streets of the MTC

General Conference

 

It´s been pretty good down here. I have just been having regular days with lots of class. I am really enjoying teaching fake investigators. Our teachers pretend to be someone that´s close to them who is not a member and we teach lessons to them. Its been great practice for my Spanish because we are not allowed to use scripts. We can only bring our scriptures into the lesson. We have also been practicing with fake investigators with other missionaries in our district.

We just barely had two districts leave from our zone. They were all great missionaries and I know that they will do great out in the field. Elder Trendler and I have also been called to the positions of zone leaders. I have grown more close to our district as well. Everybody is hilarious and super nice. I know that God put me in my district for a reason. They are such great examples for me of diligence and spiritual power. The photo below is of our district. Right to Left: Hermana Petersen, Hermana Alvarado, Hermana Richardson, Elder Topou, Elder Trendler, Elder Mills, Me, Elder Roundy, Elder Bohor, Elder Smith, and Elder Thomson. ​

General Conference was a great experience for me because I had a lot of questions answered. I loved Elder Bednar´s and Elder Rasband´s talks. One of the key points of Elder Bednar´s talk I really enjoyed was this phrase "We must give everything unto Christ". It reminded me of another Bednar talk I had watched which explained one of Christ´s main characteristics. In this talk Elder Bednar stated that while we as imperfect humans turn inward Christ has always turned outward. Every story we get of the savior he turns outward to help others. I like Elder Rasband´s talk because he explained the importance of remembering spiritual insight. His quote "Don´t Forget... Please Don´t Forget" comes to my mind frequently.

Week Three Latino Missionaries Left

 

Sorry for my Pday change. They had to change the day I had free time so I could go to get my passport sorted out today. The other missionaries that are heading to mexico and I all went to extend our Visas out for two years. It is always interesting to ride through the city because of the crazy driving tactics and to see all the little shops crammed together.

I am really excited for general conference this weekend. My first few weeks year it seemed like we watched a devotional with the twelve a lot more frequently. Everything is going great here at the CCM. There is not much to talk about. I am in class for about 12 hours a day learning the language, how to teach, and gospel doctrine. The other few hours I get to eat, play frisbee or workout, get ready for bed. They have everything planned out here.

It has been pretty crazy here the past week. We had an Elder in my zone, who got seriously injured. He has to head back to the States for some more surgery, but he is handling it very well. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

The latinos in my casa left for the field last week. I know they will be great missionaries. They have such cheerful spirits. I am starting to understand more when they are speaking and my speaking skills are improving as well.

I also had the opportunity to play the piano for my zone´s sacrament meeting, which was nerve racking and awesome at the same time. I love music so much and I miss being able to listen to music on the radio. However it is nice not to have to listen to terrible music as well.

I hope you all are doing well. I pray for you all.

Week Two Mexico Independence Day

 

So I left off with the celebration of Mexico's Independence in the last email so I need to finish that. For Mexico's day of independence they made lots of different meats for tacos, which all tasted good. We also had the opportunity to watch some traditional dances that night. It was nice to hear some music (we are not allowed to have any here at the MTC).

I do not have a lot to talk about because I am just in class all day. All the people in my district are cool and are working hard to become missionaries for God. I also like my teachers a lot because of their testimonies and willingness to help. I also went to the temple again on my Pday today which was awesome but I could use some time off. I really love the devotionals here they are filled with the spirit and provide me with great strength and knowledge.

It seems like time is really starting to fly. Hopefully I can learn enough of the language by the time I am out of here.

Week One CCM and Elder Trendler

 

So the first day was crazy. I met up with about fifty other missionaries in the Mexico City Airport.

Then we all got on buses and traveled to the CCM (or MTC). I would describe Mexico City as a bunch of square concrete buildings, some of which brightly colored, SCRUNCHED together against hills, and all of them are covered in graffiti or murals. Traffic is crazy the cars are inches apart most of the time on these winding streets. The weather is about the same as Colorado, which is nice. At night you can constantly hear cars going by and dogs barking throughout the night. The Independence Day of Mexico is also today!! So for the past week we have been hearing canon shots almost every hour of every day. We have a big Mexico celebration today I wish I had already seen so I could tell you guys about it.

I was assigned to my companion the first day I got here. His name is Elder Trendler and he is 6 foot 7 inches (Yes he is very good at basketball).

The missionaries in my district are also very cool. We have six elders and only three hermanas because one went home due to homesickness. I also had the opportunity to see Spencer Webb, Johnny Ronco, and Sam, which was very cool.

The latinos in our casa are very friendly and super hilarious. They have a devotional with us gringos every night. Although I can not understand all that they are saying I feel their love and the spirit when they bear their testimonies. My teachers Hermana Torres and Hermana Vite say hi.

 

Daily life at the CCM is very busy. The food is okay. They have their good meals and Meh ones. I am loving class and I am learning so much about the spirit and Espanol. The Latinos have been a big motivation for me to try to learn the language so that I can understand what they are saying. I am also trying to speak Spanglish so I get used to incorporating Spanish into my daily life. On my third or fourth day here My companion and I had to teach a fake investigator in Espanol. It was hard the first time but it has gotten easier every day. However, it is hard to answer questions that you have not prepared for, and I hate just reading material to them. Hopefully I will get a bigger vocabulary soon!!! During Gym time I have played Ultimate, Sand Volleyball, Basketball, and Ping Pong with the other missionaries. There have been three devotional broadcasts from the qorum of the twelve since I have gotten here. I have had the opportunity to listen to Elder Christopherson, Elder Ballard, and Elder Cook all of which were highly spiritual.

I also had the opportunity to attend the Mexico City Temple today today. It was awesome even with the little language barrier. Hopefully the pictures will be able to send through.

Thank you all so much for your letters. I am so happy to find out how each of you are doing.

I love you all,

Elder Thompson