April 4, 2011

Family! Has it been a long week, or is that just me? This has been in probably the top 5 longest weeks of my mission, and I have knocked on so many doors that if you feel my knuckles, they feel like doors. I dont really know what that means, but thats what one of my buddies told me today. I like to think thats a good thing when a missionaries hands feel like a door, means I am doing my job, right? Well family, we just had transfers last week, and we have a new companion, and its that guy. The guy that everyone says Oooh after they announce that he is your companion, the guy that has had problems with almost all of his companions, and the guy who is actually shorter than Cameron. Yep, we got that guy family. His name is Elder Limon, and has the worst case of Little Man Syndrome I have experienced in my life. But dont worry, I am happy to say things are getting better everyday. Sure it was a litte rough at the beginning, but we are making improvements. The first couple of days he kinda liked to verbally attack me for really weird things and I was just more confused than anything. So after one especially intense attack, I just sat him down, and I said OK, we are going to make a list of things that I need to change for you to be happy. One of those things on my list, My Personality. So still not so sure what this dude wants, but its actually been a little better ever since. Happy to say we are working, building up the friendship little by little, and I am still just learning a ton about life and people. But also, Heavenly Father cut me a very nice break. My best friend in the mission, Elder Tarabilda, is offically in my district. My district in the end of the world of the Mission and there is not too many of us, but Tarabilda got assigned in my district and its has been awesome. Its almost like Heavenly Father said, I understand you have had some tough companions, so I am throwing one of your best friends in your district. Me and TB absolutely destroyed in basketball this morning against the infamous Castanadas, the richest and cockiest family this side of Beremijillou.Thats right! He was the Pau to my Kobe. For so long I have battled the Castanadas in hoops every Monday morning, and usually they actually beat us. But now we got TB, and the behind the back passes and draining jumpers began. It felt good. I still get hammered everytime in the paint, seriously hammered, but my ability to make And 1s has definitely improved.

Socially things are getting better and better in the mission. I have a really awesome tight group of buddies, and all four of us are from California. Super cool dudes who I am thinking about living with in the future at ol BYU. They love a little Vampire Weekend, a little PTI, and I click with them really well. Always good times on P Days with those dudes, and dont worry, I am being nice to everybody. but they are like the new Drew, Rick, Daniel, and Braeden. Something about Californians I just click with better, no offense to any Utahians out there, Heather you rock! Well I am still in Mapimi, and still doing my best. I am a little worried about this transfer, the work is getting a little slower and a little harder to Mapimi to tell you guys the truth. How can everyone be ironing their paints, all the time! Thats the usual excuse, they cant hear our message, because that iron just refuses to wait. Well whatever, if we keep pressing on things will work out. Thats the beauty of life I think, do the things your supposed to be doing, and things will work out for you. They always have for me, this is clearly demonstrated by the Lakers winning two rings in a row, and a third on the row. Heard the Lakers are still tearing it up, which just makes me so happy and really motivates me to work harder. I always thinking about it today, Brothers, can you ever imagine a world where Tim Duncan is not playing NBA basketball? I definitely cant. By the time he retires from the NBA, I will have retired from whatever I am doing with my life.

So how are all of you doing? Thanks for everything by the way family, man I cannot thank you enough for everything you do. The support and prayers and all that you do on my behalf really does make a difference. Like for example, everytime we are looking for a ride back to Mapimi from Gomez or somewhere, and we have something important we have to do, someone always picks us up right in the clutch! I attribute this to all of you. So thanks for all those little tender mercy things I experience all the time. So whats this I hear about a family secret about Mike and Vicky? Maybe I wasnt suppose to say that, but whatever, I am in a different in Country and totally out of the loop. What happened!? I smell another neice or nephew on the way, and if so, that is awesome! Can never have enough of those, bigger the better as far as I see it with this family. Only adding on to our Abbott basketball team, which will someday challenge the Youngbergs and the Francis family for Kings of Via Madera. Or maybe Mike and Vicky bought a new car, or got a cat or something, who knows. All I know is something is going down, and I have a right to know! So spill it family. But anyways, sounds like things are getting better and better in the home front. So pumped about Greg and Devs new house, oh speaking of which, Happy Birthday Devon! I know it was like last week, but better late than never, so Happy Birthday Devo! Did Greg ever tell you the story about the time I tried to light the candles on the cake for someones birthday, and lighted like 9 of the 10 candles, and got scared of the fire on the last candle and blew out the match and also all of the other candles I lighter? It took me forever to light the first 9, and afterwards I just ran outside. Man, I have so many emberessing stories, so many. And all of you pretty much know all of them, just one of the many perks of being the youngest in the family I guess. Well just so all of you know, I love hearing from all of you. Friends and family a like! I am pretty sure you get blessings for writing missionaries too, just so you know.

Well, life continues to keep going out here in Mexico. Its hard to imagine living in a world where people actually speak English and not eat tortillas with every meal. Man, we do have it pretty sweet in the US of A, definitely appreciate it, its not so much like that in other parts I am learning. Spanish is pretty natural these days and I am starting to feel The Change when I become pretty fluent. Definitely not the best at Spanish of all the Gringos, but I am doing the best I know how. Also, you should know, we have Sudoku on our cell phone in our companionship, and when we were waiting for a bus, I broke the record for fastest time. So we may have not had a baptism this week, but man did I shatter that record! Dont worry family, the baptisms are coming, Mapimi has been due for an explosion of baptisms for years and years, so I am doing what I can to make it happen. Have you guys ever heard of Chicharito? He is a native of Mexico and plays for Manchester United with Mr. Wayne Rooney, Mexico loves that guy. Check him out, he sounds pretty legit. I will bring back 40 Chicharito jerseys from Mexico for a family. How many do we have now a days? I lost count after Jackson, which was like 7 years ago, my bad. But hey, I love all of you guys and am so grateful to be apart of this family. Seriously, how awesome is the Abbott family? And by the way Jackson and Jacob, guess which of your Uncles just ate goat feet? Thats right! You should feel very proud of your Uncle, and enjoy your Macaroni and Cheese while you can!

The church is just as true as ever, and something that is reinforced in my life every single day of my mission. Heavely Father does deinitely work in mysteries ways, but he does work. Just keep doing our best, find joy in the journey, and enjoy life. There really is a lot to enjoy, so live it up. Can you guys believe that you can drive down the road and buy pizza for 5 bucks!? That totally blows my mind, aw man, the life I lived. So much pizza. Well I can eat all the pizza I want in a couple of years, for now, I think there is some Mexicans that need the gospel first. Take it easy family, and keep doing what you do. Listen to Graceland by Paul Simon for me, it has been stuck in my head all week, and I love it. Church is true, and I love all of you!

Love,

Elder Abbott