7-13-09

How was the drive back? was it really hot? Its so much cooler here in Monterrey than in the frontier. Miguel Aleman it was high 40, here its only the low 40. Today is pretty warm, but still a lot less than Miguel Aleman, one correction, I am in San Nicolas, and the colonia is Fomerrey. I am right in between San Nicolas, and Monterrey the city. Its really cool here.

Today we went out to eat at this buffet in the middle of nowhere west of Monterrey, it was legite home cooked Mexican food. It wasn't my favorite but it was pretty good. and then we went to downtown Monterrey, where the huge market is with the family, because he needed to buy stuff for his hamburger stand. It was really cool and really huge. Its like pikes place market, but 6 or 7 times bigger, and that's the place for food. there is another market for clothes and more craft kinds of things. I will send some pictures.
My companion right now is pretty cool. We get along really well. I have a lot more confidence in my Spanish here. And really the people are a lot nicer. On Sunday I gave a talk about Alma chapter 5, I think it went pretty well. But i think it was a little to complicated for my language ability, so I didn't get it across like I wanted to. The stake I am in is Moderna, and then the stake next to me is Apodaca.
Our area is absolutely huge, but we really only work in a small part of it, and most of the members life here by the house. All the different colonials are very different, We have some really nice areas, and some areas that are not so nice, and some areas that are somewhat bad. When we where walking home Sunday evening, a whole bunch of different drunk people kept trying to ask us questions and it got really annoying. One of the guys had talked with the missionaries before and was really nice, but one of the other guys there at the house kept saying how god didn't exist, but he believed in the bible and Jesus Christ. and then he would say there is a god, but he didn't exists. It was pretty funny, and all of his friends where making fun of him.
We had a baptism on Saturday. It was really extremely good. Most of there family are members, and they live up in Texas, they all came down from there. It was really entertaining. After the baptism everybody went to Pollo Loco, and ate lunch. all of the spoke English, so i had a really good time talking with them. There are Mexican, but none of them really like Mexico. The one guy was making fun of the waiter, and what he should call him. We were suppose to have a baptism this Sunday but the father of the daughter got really sick, so we are doing the baptism this Sunday. We have another couple that want to get baptised and they have everything, including the interview, so we just need to give them another date. The first baptismal date got ruined, because she had here baby.
Happy birthday to dad and Kaden. I am pretty surprised that I actually remembered. But I thought of you guys.
This week my companion completes one year in the mission. On Thursday, so we are going to go for hamburgers and have a little fiesta, I am really excited. I completed five months on Sunday. Its really going by fast, its kinda sad. But it is more of a reason to enjoy it. I hope all is well. I am doing really good here in Mexico! I love you all and have a good time.

ELder Mayberry

7-6-09

Well I got a new area today. Now I am in Monterrey in Apodaca. Its really different here. Our area is absolutely huge and we are walking the whole time. So i am going to be really tired here for a while. Its a lot cooler here which is nice because it was getting really hot out in the frontier and it was getting really annoying. Right now its raining off and on and we have some gnarly thunderstorms. It feels really good its a nice change from the heat of Miguel Aleman. My area is a lot cleaner but its kind of a ghetto. It's not to bad, buts there is a lot of people here. Most of Apodaca has a lot of money so I'm pretty sureIi got one of the few areas that doesn't have a lot of money. But I have heard really good things about our area and we have a really good ward. We have 4 baptisms this Saturday which will be really exciting. Really I am just happy its not as hot. I saw a lot of people from my generation today because we had the transfers. Elder Boucher was telling me about how everybody is talking about how its gonna get really really hot next month, like 40 or 45. Well its been 45 in Miguel Aleman for the last month so, I had to laugh at that.
My new companion is Elder Del Toro. He is kinda of quiet but he seems a lot more laid back then Elder Moro was. So I think he will be a little easier to work with. But I was telling Pres. Mendoza today how I was really grateful for the opportunity to work with him because I learned a lot of patience and obedience. I have a lot of photos but I don't have any batteries that have energy so I cant send pics. I might try. So I think next week I will send a bunch of pictures again. I have to admit i was sad to leave Miguel Aleman. It was a really fun town and it was nice and small. Monterrey just keeps going and going and going and it seems like its never going to end.lol.
It sounds like you guys are having a lot of fun in Idaho. How much longer are you staying there?

I was kinda bummed I missed the fireworks this year. I was thinking that I would be able to see them in Texas, but then one of the hermanos told me ¨ No they are all Mexican they don't care about celebrating the 4th of July¨ so that was pretty funny. And then on Sunday we went and visited Hermano Torres and we had the best horchatta ever!!!!!!!!!! It was from El Salvador and wow, it was really good to say the least. We had some really good food Thursday, Saturday and Sunday last week. And my companion was telling me we get some really good food here in the area. We are going for Hamberguesas tonight at the house of one of our members. So I look forward to this area. I am a little bit nervous being in the city like this but I will get use to it. I think that is everything. Drive home safely. I love you all and hope all is well.

Lata
Elder Mayberry

6-29-09

Wow it sounds like there has been a lot going on!

This week has been pretty calm. We had 2 more baptisms yesterday. Both of them were older men. I don't think any of them were ready, I taught them lesson 1 and then my companion asked them to be baptized and then we never taught the other lessons. But its not my responsibility. The mission is really a lot different then what I thought it would be. Pres. Mendoza always tells us the missionary work is hard. I really don't think its hard, the missionary work is the best thing in the world and its really not that hard at all. I mean going out and talking with different people all day and sharing the gospel. I love doing that. What is hard is working with your companion and getting along. I don't understand. All the people here are here to serve missions but there are some elders who just don't want to work with other people, and then there are some people who just want to be friends with everybody. Its really interesting the clash of personalities, especially with Americans and Mexicans. But I am really learning a lot. I have been trying to study really hard the past couple weeks. and its really paying off a lot. I am learning a ton about the scriptures and about the gospel. Currently I am reading the book of Mormon is Spanish but it is pretty slow.lol.

Really my Spanish is pretty good. I can communicate and understand pretty well. I have a lot left to learn but i have learned a lot. I am pretty satisfied, because the president of the mtc told us if we worked really hard and studied we would be able to communicate and understand within 5 months and i feel like I have achieved that. But of course i have to keep learning a lot.

The packages to Mcallen I get during conferences( which are about every 3 weeks) and sometimes when I see the zone leaders. So really about every 2 or 3 weeks. And don't send anything to Roma right now because transfers are next Monday and I have a chance of getting transferred because I have been here for 2 transfers.

When do you leave for Idaho? is the whole family going? like aunts and uncles? Take some pictures to send me so that I have them! Its a lot more beautiful there and here. Mexico is beautiful but there is so much trash and its so dirty and so its only really kind of beautiful.
I found out some interesting information this week.
My companions family is moving to Vancouver Canada, and so when he returns and I return we will be neighbors. He has about 6 more months than I do. So I will return shortly after he does. I tried to use this as an excuse to be better friends but he was pretty neutral and didn't seem to care much.
I think that is all right now. I hope all is well. I am really jealous you get to go to Idaho without me. I love you all.

Elder Mayberry