My first 3 days in Mexico!!!

I got here safe!!! The travel was easy. Some of the other elders had never been on a plane before and that was pretty fun. The airports were easy and we all had plenty of time to relax and not feel stressed. It was actually funny that it took longer air time to get from Utah to Houston than it did to get from Houston to Puebla. We were all trying to figure that out but quickly gave up as we realized it doesn’t matter how long it takes to get here. CUZ WE ARE HERE!!! FINALLY!!! It really felt like I was never going to get here. MTC forever. Not the worst fate but this is much better. haha. Now I´m sure you all interested in knowing what Puebla is like and how I am doing here. That is, after all, the purpose of this blog and why you are reading right now.

So here was my first impression of Puebla as we drove to the mission home at 9 at night. "Hmmm..... This looks a lot like Texas at night..... I really hope it looks different in the day....." That is not to dis TX but I really wanted something different. We got to the mission home, we got to know Presidente Rex y su esposa un poco. They fed us. We went to bed. We woke up, ate, had interviews, went to meet our trainers, we all prayed the whole time that we got a native, well, all except one elder. My name was called. The world stood still. The birds stopped and the crickets held their breathe. "Elder Heath with....." It felt like forever. "......Elder García." WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That´s right ladies and gentlemen. My companion is a native. He is was a ZL and previously worked with the finances of the mission (I forgot the name of the position) and he is currently  a District Leader. Every time and elder sees us, he tells me "Your comp is the MAN!!!" And what do I say in return? Why even ask? Of course I am polite and humble with my response. Of course I express my gratitude to them for respecting him. Of course I say, "I know." I am, after all, his last companion. He goes home in 4 weeks. He is getting a lil trunky but I´m doing my best to keep the conversation off his gf and his family. He is doing great work here and it´s not over. I just have to remind him of that. He is ok though. He is still eager to go about the work of the Lord.

So.... Spanish is amazing..... yeah. It´s true. I´m picking it up pretty well. I can actually see my progress in these past few days here. Now I’m still far from mastering the language but I am more comfortable with it. The kids here are going to be the easiest way for me to learn the language because they think that my accent is hilarious and then they help me learn new words and phrases. All the people here are very nice. No mocking when I mess up (except one brother in church.... but he was funny) just quiet correction to help me along. It’s so great!!

What´s really funny is walking down the street and having people on buses spin their necks to see the tall American. HAHAHAHA!!!!! It´s so funny!! In fact, I spoke in church this domingo and afterward we went to a member´s house to eat. They have kids and the youngest is a 14 yr old boy. He asked me how tall I was. I didn´t know how many centimeters I am so I told him feet. He was confused at how small the number was. His face of confusion.... priceless. He is really great though. I hope we eat there again.

Speaking of food. IT. IS. FAN. TASTIC. And my body is doing pretty good at holding up against it so far. They like chile which is very very picante. My stomach.... not so much. But I take it graciously and even add a little more to what they give me because it is apparently rather important to them since it´s home made. I´ll live. I love the food. The only thing that I DON´T like is when they asked me to put chile powder on a watermelon....... ew. And they pile it on. Mega ew. But that´s ok because I probably won´t have to do that again. I hope.

We played basketball and soccer today. It was very very very very very very very very very very very fun. If you can´t tell, I really liked it. But my face is now a lil pink.... oops. I´ll have to get used to that though. I´ll be brown in no time.

As for the work that is going forth here in Puebla, we have 2 baptismal dates. One for 2 weeks from now and one for 3 weeks from now. I am very excited!! We are working with 4 new people since I have been here. So very amazing. I don´t know that I have ever been so excited to be alive. And I KNOW that I have never been so excited to wake up each morning. I never could have imagined this. It is simply that amazing. I am safe, I am healthy and I am bringing hope and peace to people´s lives by teaching about he restored gospel and the work of God here on the earth today. What more could I ask for?

Well.... If I had remembered my camera and cord, I would show what more I could ask for. Haha. Just kidding. But seriously, we live in a dump. The last elders did NOT take good care of it at all. I went to clean dishes that they left and I noticed something was blocking the drain. I poked it with a spoon. It was gray and spongy. We have mushrooms growing in our sink. Yum. The dishes are still not done. Eventually, but not yet. We have no warm water until tomorrow when we get a new tank of gas so every shower thus far has been an epic battle of mind over matter. My mind says "I need to be clean!" My body (aka "matter") says, "HECK NO!!!!! IT´S COLD ENOUGH AS IT IS!!!!!!" My mind wins thank heavens.

Well I´m running out of time and I don’t think I have anything else to report except of course this last part. Dearelder works down here. I already got 2 from ppl that did not know that I was not in México yet and on that used the wrong address. It´s all good. I´ll have to write to those next week though because I don´t have time today. More lessons to be taught. We haven´t needed to knock doors yet. WOOHOO!!! Also. I kinda miss the MTC. My body didn’t hurt ALL OVER there. and my feet were blister less.......

On that happy note, I love you all and I can feel your prayers. I keep you in mine.

Elder Heath logging off. (English is weird)