I have quite a bit to write about, and I am grateful for all of you sending me emails and so much more. Thank you for your support. So in the final days in the MTC I went to Main campus for In-Field Orientation, where I learned a lot and are already applying much here in the Miramar area. The next day I bid my fantastic teachers at the MTC goodbye, and packed away my class materials. I may have mentioned this in the last letter, but the last few days I was in a trio, and because I already moved aparments to arrange for room, I was packed ready to leave for a week.
The travel to Tijuana was way fun! There was 24 new missionaries from the Provo MTC, and about 4 more from Mexico. Those from Provo left the MTC at 6:30ish in the morning, took the train to the airport, flew(!) to San Diego where our Mission President was waiting. We then took a caravan of vans across the border, and learned very quickly how crazy Mexican Drivers are.
My companion's name is Elder Jiménez, and we are assigned to a region next to Tijuana, which covers Miramar, Mirador, and Los Rachos in the canyon, which is about a hill and a half of the classic landscape of California. We can see San Diego from the Street in front of our apartment. Everyday we eat a meal at a member's house. We often eat soup and then a dish of rice, beans, and some carne followed by postre, but we have had Chicken Noodle soup from a cup, hamburgers, ricemilk, and I just finished a Mexican Chinese lunch. Hopefully soon I will eat some cactus or fish. Our area is unique, about half of the roads are paved. The canyon area is where we spend most of our time. Most of the stairs there are made of tires, there is always an annoying Tortilla truck playing somewhere in the background, and when it rained it was a blast getting from one side of the filthy stream that divides Los Ranchos to the other. The houses at the top and far side of the hill are made of concrete, and the low ceiling homes of the makeshift homes are very quaint and intersting. Todo me parece bonito! Elder Jiménez and I have half of the Ward, while two other elders have the area from the other side of the canyon to the Playas, where the Hermana companionship has. From what I've picked up, That is the Beverly Hills equivilant of nearby. Centro Tijuana is to the East of us a ways.
We teach all sorts of people. The Bishop has a huge house down the street from the Capilla, the churchhouse, and it is way fun to clamber through the in and outs of Los Ranchos to teach 9 year old boys, menosactivos, a timid lady on the other side of the gorge, or to find a house in the weirdest place. The streets are not straight, the houses are in random places, and I have difficulty distinguishing the difference between the grafiti and the streets. We have not had any baptisms, but we have made some big commitments from investigadores. Most times the families are crazier than the amount of dogs roaming around. The miembros have been very supportive, and a good number of them have faimly who moved to Utah or nearby. Even though my Spanish cannot keep up yet with the people, it is hilarious to see what everyone has incommon. How families treat one another, sarcasm, how half of the things here are U.S. Products, and the interests are also closely follow those of my friends. The district leader was interested when we saw a calender from one of our investigators who works at the theatres. There are some good movies coming, keep an eye out.
My Companion is incredible. I am his first trainee, and he has been here for four months. He is from the Estado de Mexico, in a city south of the Capital. He really loves the music he brought on his Ipod, which is what else than The Piano Guys, Les Mis, The EFY Medly, and other LDS intruamentals. He is organized and humble, and I aplaude him for his efforts to teach a lesson with my limited knowledge of the language. He learned some english, and in the morning we practice learning language as part of the extra time. As for me, I am loving it. The temperture here in Diciembre is like it is in Utah around Sept-Oct. The Humidity has not bothered me, but it is strange to see my breath in the morning when it is this warm.
This past week is was an Elder Tepox's birthday, and we spent some time at a member's eating cake before we returned to the apartment. On Wednesday night the ward celebrated the Posada, and we brought some menosactivos and investigadores as we watched The Polar Express in Spanish, and I had the chance to see the ward as a whole. With Navidiad this week, we are taking half a P-Day today and half a day on the 25, only on the account of most of the town is vacationing. A world where there is no snow for christmas, that is one way to some up tha area.
I love you all and I am grateful for the chance to come out and serve the Lord. I know I need to write more, and I will send picture and verify my address next week, but I am pretty sure the one you have Mom is right. Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, happy New Year, y buenos años nuevos!
