I Never Thought I'd Say This, but I'm Really Going to Miss This Place

Hola familia!

I’m so glad you got my letter I honestly didn't think you would! It is so true snail mail is the worst, haha. And also mom I just want to let you know that your letters mean so much to me and I carry them in my coat pocket and bag just so I can read them when I need a boost so thanks again! Sorry I forgot to answer some questions last week I realized... well there is a tienda here at the CCM where we get to buy food etc., so it’s pretty nice. Also we never ever get to leave the walls ha. It was just a one-time deal [to go to the Mexico City Temple] which is pretty sad because I don’t know if I will ever see Mexico City again, but it’s all good.

How’s life back home? Anything exciting going on? I’m glad you guys got to go to the temple, and thanks for keeping me on the prayer role and in your prayers as well, I really need them!

Okay, well they are letting us email today instead of tomorrow obviously, but I forgot to tell you in my last email so I hope and pray you

My district with my favorite teacher, Hno. Trejo.

read this today. Well, to start off I have some bad news. My mission president actually said we cannot call home from the airport, so I will not be able to call home tomorrow morning. It was very hard for me to hear that because I have been looking forward to that for weeks now. But I need to follow the rules if I want to be successful, so I pray that it will all be okay. Also, ha so my teacher Hermano Trejo is coming up to Salt Lake for General Conference and he wants to meet you guys, so plan on a visit from him on the Saturday of Conference. I already gave him your numbers and address and I promise he isn’t some psycho coming to visit, haha. He is my favorite teacher here at the CCM, so I hope you actually enjoy meeting him, and Dad I told him you are fluent, so freshen up that Español, haha.

Hno. Ortiz. I love this little dude.

Well this week was a much better week for sure. The language is still tough, but I know that’s how it’s going to be either way in Cali, so I am just accepting that fact now, haha. On Friday we had in field orientation which is one class from 8:30 am to 8:30 at night with no gym time or breaks, just for meals that’s it, so it was so hard to sit all that time, haha. But they made it fun and interesting, so I’m not complaining. Yesterday was the Goodbye Assembly for my District and 4 others, and it was sad to realize that I made such good friends in only 6 weeks here, and now half of them left for their missions this morning and the other half leave tonight. It was tough saying goodbye, but I know they are all going to be awesome missionaries! Today we still have class but it’s going to be weird with half my class gone and just knowing that we have less than 10 hours left in Mexico. I never thought I would say it, but I really am going to miss this place so much! Every day here is so hot and I love it especially since I know I’m going to Cali with the same climate, so I’m stoked for that, haha. I’m nervous for tomorrow though just like everybody is because the language, not knowing what to expect, and also it makes the actual "beginning" of my mission. Being here I don’t really feel like a missionary because nothing changes and our investigators aren’t real, it just gets to your head now realizing that I am going to be with real people and real problems in less than a day. It’s pretty weird to think about, but I am excited for the challenge.

My district at the Goodbye Assembly...front row seats.  They're really going to miss us.

Thanks for the water skiing challenge that you compared in your email mom, it is so true! You don’t know what it’s going to be like until you put on the skis with a little duck butter and jump in, haha. The water is cold at times, but gets warm over time, just like a mission will be rough at the start, but continue to progress overtime. That’s at least what I like to picture it as going.

Elder Dougherty, a great companion.

I’m going to miss my companion. He really was a stud and I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to get to know him. I truly learned a lot form Elder Dougherty. He will be serving in Anaheim, California, so maybe I will see him along the streets of Cali, but who knows? Elder Wheten and I are the only two here that are going to be on the same plane to Phoenix and then to Long Beach, so I’m at least happy I don’t have to do it alone, haha, especially since we have been challenged to place LDS Articles of Faith cards and bear our testimonies tonight to random people in the airport, which I am honestly so nervous for, haha.  But either way, as long as they at least take the card regardless of understanding me or not, I count that as a solid placement, haha.

There's even a Holy War in Mexico City. Go Utes!

So Hermana Carlson in my district, she left this morning for North Carolina, she is literally one of the coolest people ever, haha. So for about 3 weeks now we have been having a "holy war" here in the CCM because she likes BYU and I like Utah, so we have been leaving tons of paper slips with either Utah or BYU on them and we hide them in each other’s bags or jackets or water bottles just whatever we can find. It’s pretty funny because sometimes I will be in a lesson and open my scriptures and a piece of paper will fall onto the floor or something small like that, haha. It’s just a way that we keep ourselves entertained here. Yesterday however, we sticky noted their casa patio and door with a giant U to kinda one up them, haha. It was fun, but then this morning as we were having to come here, there was a container by our door step with a note that said" GO BYU", haha.  They left here at 2:00 in the morning, which means that’s when they must have dropped it off, which sucks for me because that means I lost the war because I have no way of getting her back, ha. But it’s, whatever, I’m just glad it kept our whole district entertained, haha.

Last Sunday with our Branch Presidency.

The famous Mission Map.

I met Elder Johnson at the Salt Lake Airport on the way here.
He's now on his way to Ecuador. What a stud.

Well I won’t be emailing you probably until next Monday which I’m pretty sure is my P-day in Cali, so have a great week!! Stay safe and know I love and miss you all so much! You are in my prayers everyday!

Hasta luego familia!

Elder Woffinden (Superman)