Family! Always a treat to do a little emailin. All these P Days are really starting to add up aren't they? It probably feels like you guys get emails from me all the time, I am totally entering the old news part of the mission for everybody back at home. I could totally see someone in the ward asking Mom, "Hey Karen, how long has Tyler been out for?" "Who's that? Oh yeah! I don't know, a really long time." Ok maybe not that bad, but considering that one time I was mistaken for Sam, our dog, it could definitely happen. So a random story just popped in my head about Me and Mom that I don't think I told you guys, and this deserves to be told. I remember one day I came home from school, and Mom just looked at me and said there is a list of things I have to do in this exact order. There was the weirdest things on that list, like go outside, turn on the hose, turn it off, go upstairs and bring Mom a book from her room, and tons of other random stuff. Turns out the test was to see if I had ADD, and I can't even remember if I passed the test, but I like to think I did. I think that story popped in my head because lately I have had a hard time remembering things, all that extra space I had in my head has totally been filled up with Spanish and I can never remember where La Hermana Panchita lives so we can eat with her for example. But thats okay, someone told me that's normal for a missionary around my age, so I'm not worried. But anyways, life isn't too bad family, it's just kinda going right now, always work to get done around these parts. I know this probably won't be my favorite transfer I am going to have in my mission, but I am still trying my hardest to get things done and work smart. Definitely some bright spots of course, for example Tarabilda and I shot baskets for hours today, so very nice. Nothing quite like shooting baskets in the middle of Mexico, something really special about it. Our bodies are kinda quitting on us these days and we lost any sort of hops that we used to have, but happy to say my jumper is looking good. Okay, so thats probably not the first thing your interested about hearing from me in my email, but I thought you might like to know. I am trying really hard to remember what has been going on this week, and nothing too crazy is coming up. Oh ya! We had a really cool service activity a couple of days ago. We went out to Poanoas to help reconstruct this nice lady's house, but I kinda feel like we did more destroying than reconstructing. We went over there pretty early and before you know it we are just taking down walls. Plus the whole time, two of the ladies kids just slept through everything! Literally the walls around them were coming down, and there were sleeping like a rock, gotta respect that. So we took down a few walls, took down the roof, built a little wall, and then well, we took off. So I am still not perfect with my Spanish, but I was almost positive we were doing a good thing, and I hope it turned out that way. I think we might head back out there another day and actually do some building, unless they like their massive sunroof they now have (which pretty much means no roof). Still, it was really fun and the lady was really grateful, so I feel good about it. Building houses is actually not too hard in Mexico, its really similar to Lincoln Logs actually, my years of experiences with those really helped me out with this. I think it's kinda like the mission actually, you take down some walls which isn't always easy, but you build em back up even stronger. Greg, how much did you love that metaphor right there?
I am still a resident of Mapimi and doing my best to put it back on the map, but the people just aren't the easiest. Crazy nice and friendly, but really into their family traditions. Mapimi itself is super old and super Catholic, so I am still figuring out the nicest way to say "your family was actually wrong about all that and you need to change all of that right now." I am actually getting better at it, and I see a some potential in this little Pueblo. It's so weird, I have been there for about two months now and it just feels like home. Like I was born and raised in Mapimi all my life, hard to imagine anything else. But thats cool, I promised a few of the members there that I would live there after my mission, hopefully they knew I was kidding. Don't get me wrong, Mapimi is a cool little place, but it's hard to beat the Beach, Disneyland, Camelot, Concourse Bowling Alley (okay maybe not the last two).
So what has been going on with all of you?! Me and Tarabilda had a bet for March Madness, and I am happy to say that I won that bet. Thanks to UCONN, TB now owes me a coke, which I am triumphantly drinking as we speak. So nice. Seems like life isn't too much different "on the other side." That's what a bunch of people here say when I tell them I am from California, "Oh, the other side?" It's like they've wondered all their lives whats on the other side and have never found out, I try not to make it sound as cool as it is. A lot of our investigators think we take nice, freezing showers in California too, so keep it a secret. But anyways, what is new with everyone? Gregorious, tell me about the house! Does it have good size, how's the 30 year fix? There are so many random phrases like that I have heard from my brothers in my life, and I still have no idea what they mean. So Greg, how's the 30 year fix? I guess that's what you get being the youngest, and one of your oldest brothers served his mission last century. I actually talk about Vicky a lot around here, I tell everyone how excited I am to talk to her more in Spanish when I get back from my mission. And it's true, get ready Vicky, we will finally be able to talk more than just if I have a novia or not! And just so you know Vicky, Pues en la verdad, puedo tener muchas novias ahora, pero yo siento bien para despues, voy a decirle cerca de todo despues, yo voy a neccesitar su consejo, gracias! I feel like there's going to be another baby coming into the family, but I have no idea from who yet. People in the family who are due: Mike and Vicky, Greg and Devon, Mark and Heather. Here's my prediciton, Mike first, Marvelous second, and Greg never. Come on Gregorious, we need to be thinking about the next generation of Abbott basketball players! We're due for an Abbott NBA appreance. Which brings me to my next topic, NBA. Lakers apparently have been struggling a little lately, which I think means I need to work a little harder. When the going gets a little tough down here, I can just think of Fish or Lamar, and suddenly I find my legs. Don't stress about the Lakers, the Lakers are a playoff team and get a little bored during the season, wouldn't you after 20 years of so much basketball? This team can be so good when it wants to be, and it will be come this June, when Lakers win another ring. I will wear my Kobe shirt underneath my white shirt and tie for that entire week.
Okay, so I think this about all I have got for you right now. Just know that I am learning a ton, some lessons are really hard to learn, but I am glad I am learning them. I guess I just feel more prepared for life in general, just like all the little things that I need to do, like washing clothes better or something. The missions great because you can learn all these little things, as well as the big picture who I want to be kinda things. Still haven't got everything down perfectly, but I like to think I am getting somewhere. Thanks so much for all the support you guys are for me, probably means more than you guys know. Make sure to be happy out there on the other side, there's really so much to be grateful for. Man are we blessed as a family, we gotta make sure to appreciate it! Keep doing the little things in your lives that make differences, keep the prayers coming, keep reading the scriptures, and good things happen. If you take a step back and think about it, we are blessed every single day, we just gotta look a little harder sometimes. If you ever feel like sending your Uncle Tyler some wonderful American snacks, please feel free to do so. I love all of you, and definitely didn't appreciate you guys enough before my mission. Thanks for everything you guys are, and listen to Rock & Roll by Eric Hutchinson for me, it's been stuck in my head this week. Don't worry, I have hymns stuck in my head all the time too. Take it easy! Love you guys!
Love,
Elder Abbott
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