Sounds like it was good week for you all up there. Hope that everyone enjoyed all of the dancing. And I'm sorry to hear about Braden´s loss, sounds like it was a tough game, but from the score it also sounds like it was close. Keep up the good work Braden! Its also cool to hear that Brady will be going to Puebla! We´ll be really close, I've met a good amount of people from Puebla or that have family there, it also sounds like a really calm and great part of Mexico. EFY was held in Puebla for all of the young men and women last year, while I was in Casablanca. Everyone was always talking about how cold it was there! I'm kinda jealous. But it is cooler here, the sun burns more easily here, but with less humidity, its easier to cool off. I escaped from the heat of the Istmo. But I feel like I'm a little bit more like an Istmeño than a utateco, my first night here I actually started to feel a little bit cold, especially when it rained two days here, but now I'm back to thinking that it still is slightly hot here, I don't feel cold anymore. Anyway, lots of questions, so I'll get going.
(So, tell us about the earthquake! Where were you? Was there damage?)
1. We were walking in the street in a part where there were lots of electric poles and lines. (very safe huh?) We were on the phone with a member when suddenly she says, wait a second I think that its... temblando... earthquaking is a word in English? Anyway, so we stop and see if we feel anything, and we felt a shaking, it was noticeable, but not to alarming. So we stop and are talking with the hermana for about 20 seconds more, then suddenly alarms start up and the ground really starts moving around. Its a weird sensation. The power lines and poles were shaking all over the place, with us below them not really sure what to do. It lasted about 30 seconds I'd say, and it was shaking pretty good. The buildings were rocking back and forth as well. It was interesting to watch the reaction of the people. Some went straightaway to praying, some to swearing, and many did both at the same time. But in the end nothing really bad happened. Supposedly it was an oscillating earthquake, so it wasn't the worst kind. I'm sure you already know, but it was supposedly a 7.8 with the Epicenter in Guerrero. It had several aftershocks, but only one of the aftershocks was noticeable to us, though the alarms announced their presence. Then on Thursday another Earthquake hit, a little bit closer to here, but was centered closer to Pinotepa. Some of the missionaries apartments cracked, and they had to evacuate, but I believe that all is well. The quake on Thursday wasn't felt by us here in the valley. But the alarms went off and people had to evacuate buildings and all of that. So conversation topic number one of the week was the question, "where were you when the quake hit?" From what we've heard it was pretty severe in Guerrero, but that nobody was killed at least. Here in Oaxaca, everything is fine, just scared a lot of people. All of the houses in our area are on a hillside, and they are definitely not earthquake safe. So we visited some members home on the steepest hill parts to see if anything had collapsed or slid down, but we didn't find anyone with problems.
(Tell us about your new area and your new companion.)
2. The area seems to be really good. Its a ward, though it is kinda small. But the members are all really nice, we had a baptism on Sunday. A niño of 13 años. My companion is Elder Nunton, he is from Peru, he lived in a town that is by the ocean. He was selected as a pilot for the Peru Air Force, which is kinda cool. He has almost 7 months in the mission. He is the first missionary from his family, his mom is a convert and his dad still isn't a member. The apartment is amazing, though water doesn't come very much, so we have to conserve it. Other than that its great.
(Did you have to ride the bus to the city by yourself? When did you arrive?)
3. I went with several elders, we didn't leave until 4:30 and got to the city at about 10. Some of the members from the ward offered to take me and my comp to our house, which helped out a ton and made everything a lot easier. But we didn't get there until about 11.
(Did you ever get to do your laundry last week? Are you still washing by hand? How is the food and are you still eating with members everyday?)
4. We didn't get to wash last week, so that wasn't very good. But the missionaries here have a rented washing machine that we are going to use right now actually, so I have to hurry because I need to do a house inventory. So sorry to go fast. The members feed us here as well, some of the foods have been better, but in some ways I actually am missing the food of the Istmo. Some of the families in the Istmo gave us some good food.
(The Pope was in Mexico last week. Just wondering if you heard much about it or if people were talking about it at all.)
5. We heard a little bit about the pope, but not too much really.
(Are you ever allowed to leave your area on p-days or anything?)
6. Only to go and buy things, nothing more. Though with our baptism this Sunday, the zone completed its goal for this month, so the President is going to take us to the temple on Wednesday and also we are allowed to have a zone activity. Don't know what it will be yet, so I will be in the temple on Wednesday morning.
(Do you get to still play soccer in the city like you did before?)
7. I don't think my comp likes soccer as much as the Mexicans, but I believe that the Elders are still playing soccer on p days, hopefully we can go sometime.
(If you need to send some things home, this would be the time to do it. There must be a post office somewhere in the city you could get to.)
8. I'll see if I can do it, it will be really expensive though, and I don't know where to do it at, but I'll let you know if I can send some things.
(Will you be able to watch general conference and where will you watch it at?)
9. We will be able to watch it at the stake center. We will be in Montoya Saturday, and for the Sunday sessions in our own church in Brenamiel.
(The package arrived on March 21. Did you get it yet?)
10. I still don't have the package, I'm going to ask about it tonight.
Well, sorry to have to rush this letter. We have to go and wash our clothes, and I have to do the inventory of the house. I'll talk to you again next week, and will have more time. I love you all, have a great week!
Love
Jordan
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