With my companion in front of the temple

My First Week at the Mexico MTC

The MTC, or la CCM in Spanish, is alright.  We just study all day long and it’s hard to stay focused for so long.  All the other districts take breaks and play games and stuff, but not the 12D!  Everyone in my district is in hardcore missionary mode and they like to only study then have a little fun in between the studying.  I swear they must have put me in this district for a reason.  Just like Chandler said, they give the hoodlum California boys a strict companion... except that's my whole district!

I don't think the food is bad, but it's not the best either.  It's cold in the mornings but gets like 80-90s during the day.  The best part is we have gym time every day and I've been playing soccer and volleyball.  We are at 7,000 ft and it's so hot that I die every time.  It sprinkles most days while I've been here but it has never fully rained yet.

My companion's name is Elder H.  He is from Ogden, Utah and he's kind of a goober.  He is super tall and skinny.  He does some weird stuff in the way he acts and talks, but it's just different, and I love having him as my companion.  He is definitely teaching me more of the Spanish and spiritual aspects and I'm kinda bringing him out of his shell and stuff.  We work great together.  We are super close and it's good because I am learning a lot from him. 

This Sunday was fast Sunday and I prayed super hard to receive an answer as to why I'm her and if I'm doing the right thing because it's not super hard here but it's hard to stay focused and excited about the work.  Well during class that Sunday I was telling a story and that's when I got my answer super strong.  I told everyone and I even cried a little.  It was weird.  

My teacher is Hermana Haz and she is really cool.  She had interviews with everyone and during mine I ended up really opening up to her.  It was kinda weird for me!  I told her about how I grew up in the church so I was always taught it was true, but other than that I never really gave much effort in the church.  So during my interview I told her all my prayer and she said that's exactly how she was in the MTC.  

She said she could teach me how to do everything from studying to teaching.  So that's rad that we are super close now and she's going to help me out.  She also said that my companion and me are like a super companionship because he has the Spanish and all the gospel stuff down, and I have the kind of outgoing attitude that will really draw investigators in and they will like it.  So, I guess I have that going for me.  

I have actually learned so much in la CCM so far, and we have taught this investigator three times already.  We just got back from the temple and it was pretty cool doing a session in Spanish. The best part is that there is a friend from college here so I see him every time we eat and at big devotionals and its nice to just talk about stuff we have done or what is going on with someone we already know.  

Here are some pics.  They are of me and my companion, me and my district at the temple, and the view from my room.

Some pictures my first week

With my companion Elder H.

Stank face

With my district at the Temple

The view from my room

I made it to Mexico!

So I just got to the MTC 20 minutes ago and it's pretty cool.  After I got off the plane I met up with like 10 other missionaries or so and they are pretty cool.  A couple of them are going to Ecuador so I was able to talk to them about that.

We just got back from dinner and I already saw two kids I know from college.  It's weird.  Everything now is so religious.  Like at the airport and on the bus, people were making jokes but they all had to do with being missionaries or the scriptures... it's different.  But ever since I got here it almost feels like I shouldn't be here.  Not like I don't belong or I don't like it, but it's weird to think I'm at the MTC and on a mission now.  

Every once in a while I think, "Oh wait, I'm a missionary now!"  It's funny, the MTC is just like high school.  Everyone that's been here a while walks around and makes little comments to all the new kids.  And if they are really cool, they say it all in Spanish so you have no idea what they say.  It's classic.

Ya, well I've only been here for half an hour and I don't have much to say so see ya!

Airport Farewell

Set apart as a full-time missionary

On our way to the temple