CasaBlanca

Dear Family,

Hola de Casablanca Oaxaca.  I hope everything is going well for all of you.  It's still a little weird being somewhere different.  The city here is alot more crazy and the way that you do missionary work changes a little bit.  But I now know that the people who told me Oaxaca (the city) isn't hot, actually weren't lying.  I didn't believe then when I first got off the plane, but having returned here after Union, the temperature is soooo much better here.  It's still frying hot in the sun and during the day, but it cools off, unlike the Istmo.  (The Istmo is the name for the Eastern part of Oaxaca)  And when I sleep, it's actually cool enough to put a blanket on and be nice and cozy.  Its not cold, but its actually cool at night with the wind blowing in through the window.  But aside from just talking about the awesome weather change, I'll get on to the questions.

 

(How is the new area?)

1.  Casablanca is a really cool area.  Aside from the climate, it has a beauty to it.  It's nothing I think anybody would say is beautiful, but it's so different here.  I dunno, but it's a cool area. Our area extends up onto the side of a mountain, and there is just this crazy, unorganized spread of houses and roads, its just cool to see.  But it does kinda stink for missionary work, the roads are too steep for motos to go up, just to give you an idea of how steep these roads are.  Its hard work on my legs, I never felt so tired at the end of the day in Union, just kinda exhausted and sick of the sweaty heat.  I don't sweat as much here, but hiking all over on roads that are steep enough to repel down is hard.  But its a cool to see all the crazy makeshift ways everything is built here.  Contacting people is alot harder, people are less accepting, and they actually have doors to hide behind.  In Union, you can't have your door closed unless you wanna bake yourself alive.  It's also really nice to have a ward with good members to use.  I'm not saying that Union is bad.  I loved and miss Union, but there is alot of things that I really love here too, especially a good shower every morning.  Everything else I can think of is asked in other questions.

 

(How is your new companion?)

2.  Elder Pimentel is a really good companion.  Although he doesn't speak anywhere near as much English as Elder Jimenez, he can speak a little, but he doesn't very often.  Which is a good thing.  My Spanish is still terrible.  We're getting along, and everything is good between us.  He is a good teacher and everything.  He's been out 16 months, about double Elder Jimenez, but he is still working hard, and he is a good companion.  Elder Pimentel is from the state of Hidalgo.  A little bit North of La Ciudad de Mexico I think.  So he's actually not extremely far from his home.

 

(How is the new apartment?)

3.  We are going to move next Monday to a different apartment, we should get the money to do so this week.  The new apartment wont have anything, but we are here in Oaxaca and should be able to receive things faster than the many weeks it took in Union.  But the apartment I'm in now even has a water heater.  And the Mexicans who built it were smarter than the people who built the MTC.  Cuz like the MTC you only have boiling water and ice water, but here you can mix them for a perfect shower.  It makes my morning infinitely better to take a nice warm shower, since at 70ish its still nice and cool.  Its actually funny cuz Elder Pimentel has to put on a sweatshirt in the mornings cuz he thinks it cold, I love it though.

 

(Are you close to the mission office?)

4.  Casablanca is the name of the ward.  But the church building is in the are called Casablanca.  I guess its like a suburb, it has a name, but I can't remember it right now.  But our area covers Casablanca, Monte Alban, and one other part.  I really can't remember the word, but its just like an area of the town.  Haven't travelled to the mission office, I have no idea how to get there from here.  I need to figure out the cement maze that is my area first.  And figure out how to remember the names of all the members here.

 

(Do you still get fed every day by the members or do you cook yourself?)

5.  We are still fed by the members.   The only day that we aren't fed is today, our pdays.  But I wont lie, I've enjoyed the food up here a lot more.  Its not necessarily because that the members have more money, but I dunno why, they eat better stuff here.  Plus, the tortillas are better here.  I don't know the difference aside from being bigger and tasting better.  But we have eaten chile rellenos twice, they are really good, but extremely spicy.

---------------------------

So we got a call from a member who was really sick and wanted a blessing.  So we went, and then right after got another call from a different member.  Sorry, but the work of The Lord comes first.  So sorry I can't answer all your questions.  We just returned really quick right now to send what we had.  We had expected to be able to return after, but both calls ended up taking our time until the District meeting, and now we only have a little bit of time to send this and shop.  So, sorry, I knew that you'd be freaking out though, and I'll have to wait to send pics, but I'll hurry through the questions, ask again if you want more details.

 

(Do you still walk, or do you get a bike?)

6.  Yes, only Etla has bikes and we are on a mountainside.

 

(How big is the area you cover now?)

7.  Pretty big, like a crazy maze, and like the cliff face of Mount Everest, without the snow.

 

(Why do you have to get a new apartment with only 2 Elders in it?)

8.  An area Seventy made the rule, I don't know any more.

 

(Who are the other Elders in your apartment now?)

9.  Elder Flores and Elder Martinez.  They don't wake up on time, so you can generalize from that statement.  Ask again if you want to know next week, but I should be somewhere else.

(Do you still have to wear your shirt and tie on your p-days?)

10.  White shirt and tie, yes.  We went to a church and played soccer this morning.  Really fun, with our zone.  I started this email from an internet across the street from the church, now I'm by the Bodega Aurrera.
(Any investigators?)

11.  Our person we were supposed to have baptized yesterday had a family problem, they're strongly against it, and the baptism didn't happen.  We found a family this week who actually came to church and I think we will have success with.  More details next week.

(Do you know why they transferred you so soon?)

12.  No.

(Have you had zone conference yet?)

13.  No.  Zone conference is this Wednesday.

It should be easier to get packages to me while I'm here in the city.  One of the other elders received one last week without zone conference.  Sorry for having to have this email cut down.  But I love you all, I hope that I can send photos next week and tell you more about investigators and this area.  I really am loving CasaBlanca.  All is well with me, have a great week!  I love you all!

Love,
Jordan