THE WORK:  We have been busy with missionary referrals from missions around Mexico, but have done almost nothing here at the MTC.  The mission counselor over us is a former mission president, very capable and spiritual; and we think he is doing all of the work here for the MTC MH issues.  I’m sure the missionaries are really blessed by both him and his wife, but that plus the fact that the census is so low means we have had time to get our files organized.   Some days we are swamped (it seems to come in clumps).  Other days, we have no referrals.  Yesterday we had 5 sessions, one of which was a very serious situation in which the missionary needed to go home to get more intensive help.  He thought he had cockroaches crawling on him and other issues.  Sad.

THE TEMPLE:  We have a new assignment—taking a busload (41) miss to the Visitor’s Center every Tuesday morning:  8AM to Noon.  The temple will be open in September.  We hope then to be able to serve as escorts for those who have never been to the temple before.  Now they visit the beautiful Visitor’s Center—the Christus—some interactive displays, a small museum of the history of the Church in Mexico, a Distribution Center, and very small bookstore with LDS gifts.  Once the census increases—summer—there will be many buses which go each day.  Right now, there is only one bus per day. 

THE LANGUAGE:  One of our biggest frustrations.  Mexico is NOT like other countries in which we have served.  We always could find teenagers who could speak English.  Usually, it was the old folks (over 60) who knew none of it.  Not so here.  Everything is Spanish…we can’t answer or call on the phones, we can’t understand the documents or speakers for committee meetings we are required to attend, we can’t understand many of the devotionals because the 70s who come often don’t speak English (although they have an interpreter), we can’t understand many of the mission presidents with whom we speak on the phone each day.  Going to Walmart or Costco is agony, because NOONE who clerks at those places understands English, and we do not know the store layouts, nor can we read the labels on the objects to know if we are buying hairspray or laundry starch!   Shopping is always stressful—hot, and we are under pressure to hurry because the two other couples (although they are very nice and deny they mind waiting) are waiting for us to get done. We worry that we are keeping them waiting.

The phones are challenging also because they have a different prefix for missions in a certain geographic distance from Mexico City than from those within the boundaries of the city, so a Mission Pres could have one prefix, and his missionary have another.  The keyboard for the computer is a Spanish one, so we are working hard to reprogram ourselves to learn that.  The staff here (the nurses and receptionist) are WONDERFUL to help us with our bzillion questions every day.  The computer programs, the old files and new, the calendars, the emails we get from Mission Pres and staff on campus are all in Spanish…so to scan something or even print or to use the copier….you get it is a challenge.  People have been so nice to us, so accommodating, but we hate to be pests.

When missionaries come to us so frustrated because they can’t learn Spanish, we have a DEEP sympathy for them.

SOLUTION:  We have learned by sad experience that the way to combat that frustration is to make our list, go to Google Translate, write it out in Spanish and have people in the stores read it.  That does not work so well on the phone.  We also have written out the words on the medical documents we need for committee meetings. 

ACTIVITIES:  We have been out to dinner each Friday night, to the store Saturday mornings, to the laundry room 3 different days, and that about sums up our adventures. 

We have FHE on Mondays with several couples…sometimes in English, but we are the only ones that don’t speak Spanish in the group (5 couples), and so it really isn’t fair for them to have to try to translate everything.   In 3 weeks of FHE's we’ve had a farewell for the Browns (Xio), Pictionary, and a spiritual lesson on the frailty of man:  A video of a small speck, magnified many, many times, and then compressed to a small molecule and atom.  We also saw the video of Emmanuel Kelly, a severely disabled Iraqui singer, who was adopted with his brother to an Australian mother.  Very touching story.  See Utube.

We have met the Area Doctor & his wife (they live and work about 1 hour away in the Area office).  They are so nice…I followed her blog before we came here.  They spend almost 24-7 on the road trying to visit all the missions in Mexico.  They have organized a group from the Area Office to go to see the big pyramids Teotihuacan (about 1 ½ hr away) and have asked us to join them.  We were thrilled.  Two of the couples from here will go with us and drive (thankfully).  

Neal was motivated enough to hire a taxi to get there if they had decided not to go.  The one couple (going home in July) has seen all, done all….the Mission counselor and wife go on their own a lot, so we are thrilled to be able to go and do something like this.  Neal can’t drive because we don’t speak Spanish, and it just isn’t safe..can’t read the signs…and if stopped, couldn’t communicate. 

MOSQUITOES:  Without a doubt, the best thing we brought with us was our mosquito net.  We hear the little stinkers buzzing around our ears at night, but there is a gossamer angel-haired net between their proboscises and our succulent flesh.  When they get us, their bites swell up and itch for several days…they are nasty.  After killing 10-11 every night for a few nights, we hung it up, and have been so much better since.  Our poor neighbor next door has bites all over her.  Her daughter and family are coming from Alabama next week, and she has asked the daughter to bring her a net after seeing ours.  Our poor receptionist said she can’t sleep at night because they keep biting her.  I tried to find a net to buy her as a surprise, but we just couldn’t find one in Walmart.

FOOD:  I think we are both gaining weight—good for Neal, bad for me.  We eat one main meal a day at the commodore—cafeteria.  Lots of fruit and veggies there, very, very good food.  At our health meeting they said they think many of the elders suffer from gastritis from pouring picante (HOT) sauce on everything from popsicles to salad.  We often don’t eat at night, or just Cherrios and Raisin Bran, and of course, breakfast is oatmeal and toast. 

EXERCISE & SLEEP:  We try to keep mission rules like the missionaries, though of course, Neal gets up between 4-5:30 most mornings.  He runs around the whole campus (93 acres) while it is still dark.  There are a couple of guard stations, and he invariably sets off the alarm when he runs back near the their box.  He said this morning he set it off and it rang all the while he ran down along the wall.  He’s in good company because the Mission Pres Counselor (that we travel with all the time) is a marathon runner, and they often run together and set the alarm off together in unison…..

Sometimes Neal goes with me to one of the two gyms here, and I ride the bike, but I’m not as committed as he is.  There are two lovely gyms---a weight room, with bikes, and a big basketball court—ping pong, foos ball, volleyball fields, and soccer fields, and baseball fields….We do try to have scriptures together and separately, and are very good at hitting the sack at 10PM….usually dead tired.  We are reading, “Boys on the Boat” together.  Neal has never read it…I loved it…the three couples have all read it and passed it on.    That pretty well sums it up.  We don’t have much variety to regale you with.  Mostly, we spend long days here trying to stay on top of the dictation and the sessions.  We are grateful to be able to serve.  We had some remarkable sessions with these sweet young missionaries, who have had some pretty hard things in their lives.  We are learning a ton!

 This is the walk to Sacrament Mtg--Birds galore--Sacrament is in a classroom in the building far left

 Sunset in this Beautiful Place

 Our Apartment--last one on the right--Mosquito Heaven-but beautiful in the Fall!

Above:  Just one of many lanes of classes

This 2nd picture (B) is what you see first as you drive through security onto campus 

 Close up of the Welcome Plaza

 Jacaranda Trees line campus streets in Spring

 Two shots of the Clinic where we work.

Traditions:  Death--burial is done immediately because no embalming is performed.  At one funeral, the casket was open, the mourners almost climbed inside to kiss, hug, and touch the deceased honoring him after his decease.  Very sad, but they had a Mariachi band playing throughout. 

The week:  It has been a huge learning week!  Our first week on our own.  We had 5 missionaries the first day, 2 the next, 2 the next, 1 the next, 6 the next, and 2 the next.  Only one was from the MTC.  The rest were from other missions.  We have had phone calls from 3 Mission Presidents in the outlying areas. 

I'm playing for a choir preparing for Elder Bednar next week.  The piano music is quite difficult, so I have been practicing a lot.  I'm also playing for a duet and soloist for other Devotionals. 

We went to a farewell/welcome traditional Mexican Dinner at the Mission President's home.  Wow! do they ever go all out.....They had barbeque spare ribs, chicken, and several Mexican dishes--refried beans, rice, salads, and of course, tortillas.  It is a beautiful 5 BR home with lovely wood furniture (like you would see in a lovely home at home).  They are very gracious, but we understand just about squat....of the language.

We have been to three meetings with the MTC leaders. We understand less than squat.....but we are picking up little things here and there.

The CLINIC:  We have modified the arrangement of the clinic.  Neal has the large office Xio had.  (All the offices are lovely by the way with BIG windows).  I decided to take the desk out of the little office adjacent to his, and turn it into a living room setting with overstuffed chairs facing each other, a buffet (lovely) and a little end-table with tissues.  I use the very large Mental Health Reception office as my office for typing and greeting, etc...So we will both use the living room office and then do our calling and office recording in the other two places. 

We have told you our census is extremely low:  186 I think.  It is the lowest it has been since the MTC here started.  They anticipate July-August it will really climb quickly.  We are grateful for the reprieve to get our feet on the ground.  We go to a lot of general meetings (especially on Sundays). I played for another branch last week, then attended our own--where Neal serves as Counselor to Br Pres.  He really enjoys that calling and the Mexican brethren with whom he serves.  They spend lots and lots of hours--all of them doing counseling--interviews, etc.  Today is Mother's Day. 

We were trained last week in the computer labs to know how to help the missionaries call their parents.  The computers are set up to begin timing the call when someone answers the phone.  Then the timer goes for 30 minutes after which they are cut off.  If they have parents in two places, the timer goes only for 15 minutes for each call.

We spoke with the parents of a missionary serving here this week.  The mom said, "Do you know Mark Beecher?  He served with me in the Milano, Italy Mission."   I had a piano practice with some singers here in our apartment.  Of course, their comps came with them.  After the practice one of the fellows said, "Your son lives in my ward in Spanish Fork."  We checked, and sure enough!

They played a beautiful song as part of R.S. in the auditorium this morning.  It probably came from UTUBE.  I want to play it for your dad.  It is a male singer with the Tab Choir: "Through Heaven's Eyes" is the song.  It is from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, by Schwartz.  

We have had mosquitoes every night (except 3 nights) in our bedroom.  We got some things yesterday that you plug into the wall that are supposed to kill them.  I also "Raided" the outside door that has a crack an elephant could traverse.  The rainy season hasn't even started.  We did bring a mosquito net and may yet hang it. 

We really love it here.  The people are so nice.  The park we live in is like the Garden of Eden--really...beautiful birds...like an Aviary...palm trees....green...just lovely.  We look right up on the mountain with the B from our windows....Neal is just itching to go...It looks so close almost like we could see inside their windows (which we probably could with the binoculars).  But it is very dangerous there and outside our walls--our sanctuary.  So, we live the rules......

Last night we met with the couples for a movie night.  (we meet with them Friday nights for dinner out, Saturday nights for movies, Monday nights for FHE).     We watched Captain Philips...oh my what a powerful movie that was.  It is violent.....a true story of the Somalian piracy event.  Oh my word.  I can't believe a little tiny skiff could take down a huge big well-equipped ship like that.  Unbelievable. 

For the grandkids or FHE:  A story of old Mexico:
             I spoke at length with the Executive Secretary's wife, Sister Rubuclava, about early Church History in the colonies, where they currently have a home (when not on a mission).  In the late 1800's many North American Mormon families came to Mexico to preserve their families intact when the Manifesto went into effect banning plural marriage in the U.S.  Pres John Taylor bought a large tract of land from the government of Mexico where they could settle.  He bought it sight unseen.
           When they arrived, they immediately put in irrigation ditches and sowed their crops.  When it started to grow well, some people arrived (native to Mexico) and told them they were on the wrong land had to abandon that land and move to another area leaving all they had worked to preserve.     They picked up and moved, very discouraged...When they arrived at the new place, they found it had no water, and was very rocky and hilly....very poor land to cultivate.  They were devastated, and so prayed and fasted earnestly for help.  They were at their wit's end.....the day after their fast, there was an earthquake which knocked down the hills/mountains around them, and created a river near where they hoped to cultivate.  It was one of the first of MANY miracles for their early settlement.  

          Today, there are two "Mormon colonies"....not really just Mormon any more.  Colonia Juarez and Colonia Durban (I think those are the right names).  The Rubuclavas lives in Juarez.  Many of the homes there were built originally after the pattern of Nauvoo homes:  red brick.   They have an Academy which is very prestigious (quality of education) that is built exactly like the Provo Library.
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For the adults: Bishop Causse  told of a friend who served as a mission president in Africa some 20 years ago, having been assigned to rebuild the mission after a period of evacuation.

One day, he and his wife found themselves trapped in the middle of a military coup. They and eight of their missionaries took refuge in a villa located in the city center.

Leaving to seek food and water, they were captured and taken to the headquarters of rebel forces, where they were questioned in a threatening manner.

“In spite of the brutality of the situation, I felt a power grow inside of me that enabled me to speak with a firm voice, without being aggressive,” related the mission president.

Told by someone that the captors said they were going to kill the president and all of the missionaries, the mission president felt the Holy Ghost come over him with overwhelming power.
“Even [the rebel leader] must have felt it, because his physical appearance suddenly changed, and completely unexpectedly, he asked me, ‘Do you have a Bible?’” the mission president related. “I replied, ‘Yes, of course.’

Then he asked me to read Psalm 91 from the book of Psalms.”
That psalm speaks about the protection the righteous receive from the Lord, Bishop Caussé noted. “At that point, the rebel leader excused himself for his bad behavior. He set down his machine gun and ordered food to be brought to the missionaries. About 45 minutes later, French soldiers arrived with two armored vehicles to evacuate the president, his wife, and the other missionaries.”

Bishop Caussé commented that the story demonstrates a principle that applies to all missions: “Total consecration to the Lord will enable you and your missionaries to call down the powers of heaven. Therefore, one of your priorities as a mission president will be to work unceasingly to help your missionaries elevate their level of personal consecration.”

Psalm 9:10-14  There shall no evil befall thee. . .for he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest though dash thy foot against a stone. . . therefore will I deliver him."  Bishop Causse:  "The capacity of a missionary to call upon the powers of heaven will depend upon the level of personal consecration he gives."  Bishop Causse

One of many, many plaza's at MTC

Neal in front of the MTC Bookstore 

Xio's farewell dinner-Italian: L-R:  Xio & Pauly Brown, Nancy Gill (nurse), Pres & Sis Call, Jackie & Neal

Earthquake safety:  I checked, they are 2 for every block

Elder just sat down to watermelon & torillas

Then we caught him putting HOT sauce on it!

Waiter at Italian Restaurant.  They all had lanyards with reward medals for excellent service.

One of several mousetraps at the comidor-cafeteria

Neal at the least expensive ATM in the Reception Center across the street from our dorm

Neal in front of a mirrored fire safety box filled with hoses.

We live East of the main street,  this is facing West.  

You can see some of the 50 cottages which surround campus for the missionaries to live in.

Looking East at our dorm

Pres & Sister Call

Reception Center from front door.

Sister Gill-nurse & Dr.'s wife.  He can't leave the Clinic or grounds because he is the only doctor here now for awhile.

Xio & Pauly, our predecessors--Farewell Dinner

 Isn't she darling?  The kids are just adorable.

 Yum!  Would you like some?  Head and all?

 Outside of the market.

 Another picture of the outside of the market.

 Sister Call (husb is the Miss Pres 1st Couns) & Neal in market.

 Street vendor.....the sign says...Layaway is available

 This is his shop--bigger than a phone booth, but very small

 You don't buy a coloring book, you buy coloring sheets

 Neal among the peppers

 Lady sewing in the middle of the market

 More market shots

 Murals like these are everywhere.

 Neal amid the piniatas....we see whole shops just with piniatas

 Market

 Roses:  2 doz for $1.50.  Aren't these pretty tulips.....

 Sister Call and I just getting out for a bit

 Street vendors

 Typical street

We see altars everywhere---this one in the market, but we see them on the streets every few blocks

 Lady marketing her wares

 Pauly & Xio Brown.  We are doing this shopping this week and last mostly for them because they want to get a few things before heading home.  Who is that old woman?

 Older still....resting while Xio shops.

Much of Mexico reminds us of the Philippines and Kenya both.