Here in the delegacion (delegation) de magdalena contreras, marriage is free on valentines day. One of the biggest things that holds people back from marrying each other is the cost. It's like 1,000 pesos or something, and we had two couples going to get married the 14th and 3 of them baptized the 16th, but the delegation canceled the free marriage like 4 days before and so we had to tell them that there was another judge out of the state for 500 pesos. I was so tempted just to pay for it myslef. (jkjk) but one of the couple said they were cool, the other, welll...............we got dropped. So close to baptism and then Satanas (Satan) struck us hard.
It was hard to deal with and it put a damper on the usual sunday excitement. Then they pushed my talk back another week and felt no remorse. Ironically my talk is on Christ-like attributes specifically forgiving others; so that actually helped me deal with the 4 week wait on my talk. Then, one lady forgot to bring food to the church, (how it works, is people sign up like 2 months in advance for dinner and on sunday you have to bring it to the church because we have a meeting in another delegation like two hours away).
The lady this time said " oh how embarrassing.....oh well....maybe a saturday or something bye!" so we fasted again...... but now that's all the depressing stuff is out of the way. We finally bought food for the house and I bought a sick manchester United soccer ball. I'll send home a picture next monday.
We've been teaching English to these two sisters who are breaking like every single commandment know to the church, but they went to the church and learned and felt the spirit. We only had 3 this time, but I'm still way happy with it. I always think of how much harder other people's missions are like Tyler's and Eric's and soon to be Christians and it helps me stay humble. This week was pretty cool, finally someone pronounced my name right. We had comp exchanges for a day and I had the coolest Elder come... Elder felix who has so much animo, or excitement) We had a blast, We also went to Wal-mart and I finally bought really expensive peanut butter, it was like 50 pesos, but it never tasted so good. I made him peanut butter pancakes and he ironed (my non wrinkle-able shirt) haha. He actually just wrinkled it more by leaving marks, but the thought that counts. He's way awesome.
I've been addicted to the bread here, it's soo good, they just have a big old bread shop and have all these different types for really cheap. Also I've been addicted to street food, which is the ultimate get you sick fast, but it's soo good and soo cheap. Seriously I could live months off like 100 bucks here. 1 dollar for 5 tacos. It's been raining, thunder and lighting here, and people still are so giving. It's so true that even if people don't have anything they will give you all that they have. For example one investigator that we have, only sells potato chips on the side of the road, but won't let us leave without giving us water and chops with salsa and lime. I have to sneak the money into his pocket because I feel so bad.
Elder Matyhis doesn't even like the new food of the week; fungus that grows on corn. People love it in tacos, but I just pretend it's olives because it's all black. I've been sick though for the last week or so with a bad cold. I don't let it show when I'm teaching, but I can't breathe through my nose. My poops are back to normal finally, I've been here for 2 and a half months and it took way too long.
Oh yeah, we were in a really awesome lesson about the word of wisdom and then the investigators mom showed up and (I'm only going to say this once) "the witch that she is" cast out the spirit and cast us out too. It was hard, but you know how them super Catholics are, praying to the Virgin Mary and all. Here in apostasy land people literally either hate us or love us. The members call us Angeles de los cielos or angels sent from heaven. and everyone else has ...well....other words special too. We have been eating good now. People are less afraid to give an American spicy food, even though I can eat twice as spicy as half the people here. nah jk jk. It's not true. People pride themselves all day long on how they have names for different chilis, and we also had the most delicious burgers I had ever eaten ever the other day. I never thought I would have to leave America to taste the best burger ever.
I tried to part in my hair as well this week, which involved a lot and I mean a lot of gel, because everyone know how much my hair likes to stay flat and be parted. I'll send home pictures of it. We have one more week till cambios or changes and there is a really good chance that my comp is Gonzo, because he's been here for 18 weeks and that's a lot for an area. Which means I'm going to have to know all the streets and actually I learned that my area is way big, I though it was small all this time, but I learned that the areas in Iztapalapa are way tiny.
We are out of chosen investigators..haha...so We are working really hard with some catholics and druggies and what not. We need to find newbies though. We are teaching an ex girlfriend of an investigator and I don't think they like each other but are in the same ward area, so we will see. I'm interested in how everyones lives are, I got like 20 letters the other day. I don't know what happened but they all got stock piled, I was wondering because I went like 4 weeks without anything. We asked to go to the temple this tuesday and go through a spanish session. I'm stoked and we have really good numbers so I'm guessing that we are going to be able to go. I want to go in with all my comps and do a session, that would be so cool.
My shoes are doing good and the power only went out twice this week. You don't know why it does that, but it does... and I learned that mom, your salsa that you make, is exactly what they have here too, it's soo good and way mexican, if it makes you feel good about that. I've been showing my investigators pictures of my friends and family and actually most of them say that I look most like mom, which is weird, but cool.
Keep sending the letters and asking questions. I don't know what you guys want to hear about. Weeks are faster and faster every week and I have plans to buy a ton of fruit and eat it all today. Tell everyone that doesn't get this email that I love them and feel bad that I can't talk real personal with anyone, but have plans to when I return in 20 months....... I love you all and hope to hear from you soon.
keep up the blog going.!!!
Love, Michael!!!! que dios les bendigas (God Bless)
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