Final week in the CCM 9/20/2017

Hola Amigos y Familia!

How are y'all doing? Thanks to everyone who has talked to me so far! Really love reading about what y'all are doing! Because I feel like I'm in this little safety bubble and really wanna know what is happenening in the real world, haha. Any ways, this week has been really interesting, and quite a bit has happened, so I'm just going to get right into it.

First off, this is my last week is the CCM! This means we get to go to a ton of meetings and "workshops". I love them so much...! (I have no idea how to type sarcastic enthusiasm). In all honesty they are not bad, but I feel like they are kind of redundant and I just wanna practice my Spanish more, but if they think its important, there must be some reason...right? Anyways, other than that, we are finishing up on our class lessons and learning some wierd advanced spanish like "passive voice". We also finished up our lessons with our practice investigators. I feel like they were useful and stuff, but I just didn't like doing them, because they just felt fake and like I was just being tested on how I say stuff, but I guess in a way that is what will kind of be happening in the field, so not super bad.

Other than that, 100% spanish (more like 90%) has been really neat. Although it has made me realize that they do not teach you nearly any nouns that you would use in normal life, so its been useful to realize things I say a lot and find out how to say them in spanish. It has been super fun talking to latinos and stuff though and actually feeling like I understand what they are saying very well and not taking a solid minute to form every simple sentence I wanna say! I mean, I do not feel any where near ready to be dropped into a latino's home and feel like I am not making a fool of myself as I talk to them, but I'm improving. Wouldn't be anywhere near this point though if it weren't for the Gift of Tounges though. I've known that spiritual gifts are a thing, but I've never full on experienced the power and miracle of one daily. Its insane!

Since it is my last week in the CCM I wanna talk about some interesting stuff that I have refrained from talking about to spare my mother XD. One funny thing is that the CCM is literally down the street from a Mexico State Prison, haha. We are also surrounded by a ton of houses and we hear party music every bight for like hours, its awesome. We also hear between one and three gunshots a day, so thats fun. They also really like fireworks down here, so those go off a ton. The fireworks they usually use are more like firecrackersthough, just a bunch of loud snaps in row. Pretty neat, also the wall around us in like 10 feet tall concrete with 5 foot of barbed wire stuff in the top, pretty gnarly. There is only one entrance/exit and it is gaurded by two security booths with big metal gates. I think its all really neat.

I also figured out I missed both labor day and 9/11 while I was in Mexico. Which was funny because I didnt find out until a few days after both times. I did get recompensation though! We all found out that the 16th was Mexico Independence Day! We found out when we got a ton of really cool super traditional food all day, and than at night where there were fireworks and music blasting all around us! It was incredible! Sleeping was pretty hard that night XD. There is also a rule that none of us can step outside our dorms after 9 because another common tradition is to shoot pistols in the air...and I think thats more American than America. The only downside is that the balls have to come back down. There is often some car dents and stuff, but we were told no-one has died from it (on record), but it would really heart and likely require a trip to the hospital. 10/10 would witness partying in Mexico again.

Last point is kind of a downer, sorry. Y'all remember that 8.4 mag earthquake that was 650 miles to the east a few weeks ago? Well (for any who haven't heard), we had a 7.1 mag 70 miles south yesterday, it was pretty neat to really expirience an earthquake, but I feel super bad for all the people who have lost their houses, loved ones, or lives. There is actually a really cool story along with it though. In 1985 there was an 8.3 mag right in the middle of Mexico city, and it was (as you can imagine) terrible. Thousands died, and the city was basically destroyed, so every year on that day (Sep 20) the city does an earthquake drill at 11:00ish to remember that tragedy (kind of like our 9/11). Earthquake drill at 11:00 and suddenly at about 12:00 real earthquake. I like to think of it as a blessing that so many people were just so much more prepared because of that "coincidence". The epicentre was down in Puebla and there was also a wierd spike in power right in Mexico city, but where we are, there is a little blue safety circle (we are the black dot in the corner in the picture below) where the power suddenly dropped, its crazy! I do not know anything like death counts, but I was told 30 buidlings collapsed in Mexico City alone and 4 had people inside. Please send your prayers to them and their families. They are not just a number to tally up, they are people and its crazy how much realler that is when I am closer to it. Sorry for the that, but its really sad to think of all the times I have seen a "death count" on a news story and just kind of gone like "oh wow, thats a lot" or "huh, not too many, thats good", so please dont do that, thanks.

Pretty neat-o final week in the CCM so far. Oh yeah, one more thing, I keep forgetting, but when we got here, my favorite hymn, suddenly popped back into my head, and I have thought about it basically every day. I would really appreciate it if y'all could find some way to really use the lesson it gives, because helping someone out, is the best way to feel happier, promise :D

Have I Done Any Good?

Have I done any good in the world today?

Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?

If not, I have failed indeed.

Has anyone’s burden been lighter today

Because I was willing to share?

Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?

When they needed my help was I there?

[Chorus]

Then wake up and do something more

Than dream of your mansion above.

Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,

A blessing of duty and love.

2. There are chances for work all around just now,

Opportunities right in our way.

Do not let them pass by, saying, “Sometime I’ll try,”

But go and do something today.

’Tis noble of man to work and to give;

Love’s labor has merit alone.

Only he who does something helps others to live.

To God each good work will be known.

[Chorus]

Then wake up and do something more

Than dream of your mansion above.

Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,

A blessing of duty and love.

Sorry if that was wierd for any of y'all, but I felt the need to share. Anyways, yeah, awesome week with lots of crazy stuff! Thanks you all for your continuing love and support! Y'all mean the world to me! Talk to me if you wanna :D Talk to y'all next week!

<3 Elder Fox