March 21, 2011

How pumped is everyone for this email right now, on a scale of 1-10? 1 being the Patriarchs talk after my farewell, and 10 being Black Sea Barricuda. I love the idea of people getting that pumped for my emails. From what it sounds like, there almost as popular as Jimmer Fredette. Who the heck is Jimmer Fredette? Well, to be honest me and him high fived in the Cougareat once, that was pretty cool, but I still dont buy it. We can get into that later, first I am going to tell you guys about whats been going down in Mexico. Well, I am still alive. Mexico has to be one of the sweatiest places in the world, I work up a sweat writing in my journal. Its kinda like visiting Randy and Sandy in the Summer but with less weird people. Burn! Sorry, I didnt really mean that Randy and Sandy, your house was the bomb. Except that time I went running for a little while which turned out to be my closest near death experience. So hot, running through a graveyard, I thought that was going to be it. Well to be honest I dont really know why everyone loves my emails so much, its pretty much just whatever pops in my head as I am sure you guys can see. Well right now I am in Beremijillou, so many dots in that word, and looking forward to making some Quesedillas with Elder Levie afterward. I am pretty sure I have mastered the quesedilla here in Mexico, there is so much more than goes into it than you might think family. Oh, and I am also learning great things about the Gospel and life in general, not just Quesedillas.

Alright lets go over the week recap. Whats been going on? Well, have I told you guys about Jonathan? He is this 14 year old kid who rode his bike up to me my first day in Mapimi and starting speaking English! You have no idea how awesome that was. Well, recently we started teaching that crazy kid, and he has a baptizimal date! And this other day we went with Jonathan to a cool musuem in Mapimi, where Pancho Villa lived much of his life I might add, and who do we find working at the Musuem? Jose Ramirez! Who just accepted a date a couple of days ago. Jonathan is for sure going to be a future missionary, we were the ones who contacted him while my companion was en El Bano. But alright here is the truth family, things dont always work out magical like the way it sounds, we were really pumped about our investigators, but when Sunday rolls around....where are they! Not a church thats for sure. People are so strange, we can have the best lesson ever and they are just soaking it in, but once Sunday rolls around suddenly there is a house to build in a place I have never heard of (Jonathans excuse) or your wife is sick (I actually believe Jose). But no worries, both of these dudes still rock and things are going good with them. Can you guys believe its already around the end of this transfer? My first transfer in Mapimi, Land of the Brave, is coming to a close. But I am 99% sure that I am going to have another transfer here, so let the magic continue. I am doing my best in this area, but my companion is starting to lose steam, so I really hope these investigators we have progress to get him excited. Mapimi is kinda infamous for slowing down missionaries, but I am not going to let it happen to me, I am putting Mapimi back on the map. Well, for the first time on the map. If there is one thing Mapimi likes, its the Virgen Mary. They have all these things called Dances all the time, which are these weird tribal dances which have something to do with Mary. I wonder who decided that worshipping Mary was a good idea, and dancing to her was the way to do it, probably someone from Mapimi. Still they are really cool, and occasionally they give us food, so cant complain. Oh yeah! Hey Jacky and Jacob, are you ready for this? Guess what I ate the other day? A Fish! I know that doesnt sound really cool, but man was it terrible. It was literally a fish on a plate, it could have been alive for all I knew. Apparently the insides were cooked, but I had to cut straight into that guy and all the bones and stuff to get to the meat. Not to mention all those crazy organs. The head was still there and everything! The guy that gave it to us went to town on it, straight up taking bites of a fish head. Think Golom in Lord of the Rings, and that was more or less our Saturday meal. Hopefully you guys are looking forward to the day when we go out to In N Out as a family in November 2012, where I will eat a million double doubles.

So life is good in Mexico, learning something new everyday. This definitely isnt one of the easiest missions in the world, tracting in a straight up desert, but man is it cool. I have experiences I would never, ever have had at home everyday. The people here really are the best, even though they like to drink a lot, they just make me laugh a ton. A few Elders in my district are taking an English test right now and it is the funniest thing ever. One of the questions was like a job interview and the question was Why do you think you would be good for this job? And Elder Valencia said, Just Ask My Family. That was it. Aw man, love these Mexicans. Gerg! I heard you were thinking about renting a house! That pumps me up big time. If you wanted to you could charge 5$ on the weekends for the neighborhood kids to see your pets. Extra 2$ to see Viper eat a Fish. But I also love all of you guys too, so whats been going on? How is life North of the Border with your American Dollars? March Madness should be in full swing and Becky is probably destroying everybody. We all know BYU is not going to win, and Jimmer will get dunked on by a black dude who can really play, but if BYU does win...I am changing my name to Elder Jimmer. And apparently the Lakes are doing good too these days? Thats just wonderful news. I was thinking the other day, what are the chances of us signing Chris Paul or Dwight Howard next year? Come on! Just trade them DJ Mbenga and Phil Jacksons big chair after he retires. I am hoping this Laker legacy is still playing strong when I get back. But I think the fact I am on a mission is only going to help the Lakers, they told me that people I love will be blessed during my mission, and Pau definitely applies to that. Most handsome Spaniard I know. As for my personal game, I finally figured out how to play against Mexicans. Its very dangerous, and you will get punched in the face if you try to drive, but I realized I am taller than them. I am just going to be honest with you family, I destroyed this morning. Being in a place where you cant really understand everybody and everybody thinks your weird because your White, you have to find confidence where you can. Found it!

So if you feel like praying for my investigators, see what you can do about Jose Ramirez, Jonathan, and Alejandra. There our big 3 right now. Well I miss all of you guys and am really excited for the day when we can all be together again, but my mission is the best adventure of my life. Not always easy, but always worth it. Man I had it good back in the day. I am really really happy I have this church in my life, I was imagining the other day where I would be withtout it, and the truth is I would be a total Schmutz. You guys totally know that. Thank goodness for this church, and thank goodness Great Grandfather Abbott decided to join it. This church really is the true church family. What does that mean, true church? Its not really a competition or anything, but the fact of the matter is is that this is Christs Church. This is how we fulfill his and Heavenly Fathers promises. I am a big believer in Eternal Life and I know its something I really want for all of us, and thats a big reason why I am here. Enjoy life everybody and enjoy your delicious American food for me. Miles, eat a bag of pretzels in my honor. I love all of you guys and I really appreciate all the support I have gotten from everyone this whole time. Have a great week, the church is true, and BYU will be out of March Madness by the next P Day. Calling it!

Love,

Elder Abbott