Dear Family,
Every week I
think to myself that I just barely wrote this letter and that there is not much
to write...then I start thinking about all the things that happen in a week and
I realize that there really is a lot to write.
This week we
started a project with the ward in a little pueblo of about 7,000 called Santa
Ana Hueytlalpan. There are several members there (inactives) about 40 minutes
away from the church building in Tulancingo. There used to be a good amount of
priesthood but they all are working in the U.S. This is the next closest pueblo
to Tulancingo and there are a ton of little towns out there waiting for the
gospel. We are going once a week with the priesthood from our ward to activate
and baptize and hopefully create a branch. Tulancigo is a small town...but this
place is really small. Most of the people work in the fields for the food that
they eat and most of the town doesn`t have paved roads. There are cows and
horses and chickens all over the place and it is awesome!! I would say that
about 90 percent of the people have never heard of the church before so there
is a twofold mission of preaching the gospel and establishing good public
relations. The four missionaries went on Friday to check it out and see if
there was potential. Everyone told us that we should be careful because the
pueblo was a little dangerous seeing as how there is quite a bit of witchcraft
in Santa Ana and that after dark every one carries pistol and shoots first and
asks questions later. We left before it got dark but I am so excited to see the
work finally roll forth in Insurgentes. Our ward (look at it on ldsmaps) is
huge...about 7 hours wide and contains thousands of little pueblos and cities
that need the gospel. We are growing from the center out and starting the work
of preaching the gospel to all nations and tongues. The people in Santa Ana
don`t all speak Spanish...there is a dialect callled Otomi. Usually the older generation
doesn`t speak Spanish very well but all the adults and young people do. I don`t
really plan on learning the dialect but I am picking up a phrase here or there.
As we were visiting the less active on Friday several started to cry. They had
been so long without a visit and felt a little abandoned. We had two or three
families come again on Sunday from Santa Ana so I am really excited to see that
grow.
We had my
last Zone Conference on Wednesday so it was my last time seeing a couple of my
friends here in the mission. Elder Reynoso and I were in charge of taking care
of the food for the conference. It was a multi zone conference with a total of
about 45 missionaries. We had a sister in the ward make guajolotes (the famous
original thing from Tulancingo). It is a sandwich made with a large roll with
enchiladas and beans and meat in it. They are pretty good and they are pretty
cheap too. Normally it costs about 15 pesos so we fed them all for about 3
bucks a head.
I assume
that I will go to the temple again but we get the calendar for July on Thursday
in the Zone Leaders Council. The temple closes in July but I`m not sure which
day. I really want to go to the temple again before I go. I love it in Spanish
and I love the Mexico City Temple.
We are working
hard and seeing miracles, time in the service of the Almighty just flies and I
just wish it would never end. I`m anxious for in a couple months when Cameron
has the opportunity to serve because you just can`t describe it...you have to
experience it. Thank you for the USB drive...I got it this week and I printed
the pictures.
One last
problem.....debit cards expire and mine has swiped it`s last swipe. I had a
little money from my personal card in cash in my suit cases just in case and I
used it last week at Teotihuacan...but then afterwards I went to replenish
it...and the card expired in May. I haven`t been able to get a hammock yet
because this part of Mexico doesn`t really use them that much and I haven`t
found a place that sells them...but de todos modos (anyway) if I`m going to buy one for
Darci and Joe I need a new debit card...kinda quickly. Just some food for
thought. Thanks for everything you do for me. Thank you for your prayers.
Love,
Elder Nelson
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