Elder Jack Anderson: Week 5+: Tihuatlan

Hola Familia y Amigos!

Week 1 in the mission field is in the books! Not going to lie, I probably think it has been the hardest week of my life. I am still so far off with the language, the culture, the weather and everything and it has been a week of adjusting and growing. Here's how it went:

We left the CCM at 10:30 and from there we took a bus to the airport, and then a 5 or so hour bus ride from the airport to Xalapa. From there we ate some dinner, had a meeting lead by our Assistants to the President and President Esquihaus, and then got our trainers! My trainer is Elder Almonte, hes from the Dominican Republic, doesn't speak really any english, and is in his 21st month in the mission. So hes pretty much a vet. I can see the confidence he has and it helps me know develop my own confidence. Im excited to see what I can learn from him. After the meeting Elder Almonte and I went and stayed at a missionary's house. Then in the morning we got up and took another 5 hour bus ride to our area!

My first area is Tihuatlan. Veracruz, in the Poza Rica Zone. The other missionaries refer to the Poza Rica zone we are in as the Inferno. The heat, especially at this time during the year is killer. It is so humid and so hot that most missionaries bring towels that they were around their belt like a Quarterback. I have started doing that and it has blessed my life. I also where a pretty sick hat that keeps the sun out of my eyes and apply sun block daily, but Im not quite sure if that's enough. Regardless of the weather though Tihutlan is great. It has a Christ statue that is apparently bigger than the one in Rio and they are very proud of it. I love looking up at it and pictures don't do it justice. Our little branch that we have is so awesome and the members make the most delicious food. It is a known fact that I am the only white person in the whole town so I get stared at from time to time. Its not racist, I'm just different haha. A lot of them are also obsessed with my blue eyes. I'm like a novelty here I should make people pay me to look at me.

Anyways this week was really tough but I have learned so much. Being with a Spanish speaking companion has really improved my communication and my involvement in the language, something I never really was able to do in the CCM. It feels like all the vocab and grammar that I learned over the years of class in school and my time in the CCM have been coming back to me in a flood, which is crazy and really a testament to me of the power of the gift of tongues. I know I could not learn a language without it. But then again, one of the keys to having the gift of tongues is working diligently for it, so I write down and look up words I hear often and am unfamiliar with, and I try to get at least 10-15 a day. Its been a good experience and has really helped me.

We have been teaching these triplet 11 year old girls who are getting baptized with upcoming Saturday. I am super excited to participate in my first baptism, it has been so exciting getting to know them and seeing their progression. They even wrote me these cute notes and drew my pictures.

I would just like to end with the importance of relying on God in all things. I have never relied on him more than I have in these past 7 days. I know this process of learning the language and adjusting to missionary life is going to push my limits and I know I will not be able to do it without the love and help of my father in heaven. I challenge everyone to rely on him in all things. It doesn't matter how small or how big it is. The Lord wants to bless and help you.

I love you all so much and am so grateful for all of you in my life.

Elder Anderson

Pictures!!

1. A picture of a street with the Christ statue in the background

2. Me and my best bud my hat

3. The notes the triplets wrote me

4. mirror pic