French-Mexicans...[Jan. 26, 2015]

 Well, this week wasn't all that interesting, however, today was quite different.

We decided a week ago that we wanted to go to Cholula where they have pyramids because neither of us have been able to go yet. We decided that we wanted to do it today, so we asked permission from the Mission President and he said that we could.

We boarded the bus that would take us there, but neither of us knew exactly when we would get there. We were on there for a little over an hour when we got to a place I thought was close, but neither of us knew for sure. Some white people boarded the bus, so we figured we would get off when they did. It got really strange when a bunch of white people boarded on a little later (about 10 to 15) in school uniforms. They were talking mostly Spanish, but with French accents and the threw in some French phrases as well. My companion said that he thought it was just a little bit further, so we stayed on. When the white people got off, we got off too and asked how far we were from the pyramids. Apparently, we passed them exactly when I thought we were pretty close the first time. It was too late by that point to go by again, so we will just have to do it some other time. Also, the white school children that boarded the bus were going to a colony where just a bunch of French people live called Chipilo. Interesting stuff.

This week I also had divisions with the tallest elder in the mission. It went quite well I think.

We also had interviews with the Mission President. I honestly have no clue what I will do when I get back home with English and all. Maybe the gift of tongues works when you have to learn English again.


Have a good one,
élder Seymour.

My Companion Goes Mute...[Jan. 19, 2014]

This week we had a special conference with the Mission President where he talked about things we need to change as a mission. As a mission, we need to have more urgency in the sense of being more on time to appointments and spending less than an hour with members in any visit. He also talked about how we have a problem with informality. Almost all of the missionaries use a bunch of jargon when speaking to each other, and I realized it was true when we tried to stop. Basically, my companion has had to go mute in order to stop using slang words. However, together we will make it through.

Apart from that, I decided to clean all of the dishes that were in the apartment that have gone uncleaned for a while because of a water problem that we had. A couple of them were covered in mold and soiled with old bits of food, but now they are all clean. I decided to not take photos.

Today, we made flour tortillas with some members because they asked me to teach them. For never having done them personally, they turned out quite well. Now I know they should turn out well when I get back home.

This week has also been filled with lots of appointments with recent converts and members in general. One difficulty we've been having is with finding new investigators to teach. I feel that if we really focus our efforts on the most important things first, the rest just works out the way it should.

Hope you all have an excellent week!
élder Seymour.

Check out my new poncho!!

Back to the forest (and Puebla)...[Jan. 12, 2015]

Hola,

Well, I got changed to the ward Bosques (translation forests) in the Amalucan stake (translation Amalucan). Perhaps the weirdest thing about the area is that even though the ward is called Bosques, geographically we are in Xonacatepec (sho-no-cah-teh-pek). The ward Xonacatepec is geographically in Bosques.

Anyways, it is quite an excellent area. We have many more lessons here than in my last area, but I also kinda blame Christmas for that.

My companion is élder Field. I thought at first I was going to have an American companion (por fin), but I talked with him for a bit and found out that he is from Coahuila, Torreón, México. With that said, he is an excellent companion. I remember talking with elder Tonks before and he said, I hope you get elder Field as a companion... well here I am. He already taught me how to use a trompo (Mexican spinning top toy) correctly. I'll have to teach everyone when I get home.

Have an excellent week!
élder Seymour.

Sunset in Bosques
(yes Bosques not Xonacatepec)

My companion elder Field getting
a haircut. I like the leopard print.

Two trompos.
The one on the left is
a wooden traditional one
and the one on the right is
a modern plastic kind that is easier to use.

Water with chía seed,
it tastes fairly good. 

Closed Case...[Jan. 5, 2015]

Last Wednesday I got some terrible news: we have to close area.

It feels like I just got here not that long ago, and now I have to leave. However, I know that I am needed in another place and that is good enough reason for me.

One thing I was really confused with here in México is why they have Santa in shopping malls after Christmas. What are the kids going to ask him for, something next year???

It was also quite a busy week with the monthly numbers report to the stake and all the things involved with closing the area. Part of that included cleaning the apartment really well. My companion suggested that we use some sort of strong acid to clean the bathroom, so we did. It worked quite well even though it left a horrible smell behind.

We also got to celebrate New Years with some members until 9pm. That is honestly the earliest I have ever gone to sleep on New Years.

I am not sure if I mentioned this before, but at least for me, one of the hardest parts of a mission is leaving behind an area that you have been in for a long time. I hope I get to come back soon...

Have an excellent week!
élder Seymour.

My lucky companion got the tire.
We were going to Tlahuapan
in a member's car for a half hour.
It was really uncomfortable for me.



He got tired on the ride back.

 



11 Months

Ven a cantar que ya llegó la Navidad...[Dec. 29, 2014]

Hola,

We had an interesting week this week with La Navidad and all. We spent Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) with some members in the evening where we drank punch and lit off fireworks in the house (actually, they were just the little sparklers but it reminded me that I am not in the States anymore). Afterwards, we went back to the apartment and got a text from the Zone Leaders that the President gave us permission to sleep in on Christmas given that we actually still did our studies.

On Christmas we had weekly planning and afterwards I called the family which was excellent to see them after so long. We also were at the Ward Mission Leader's house when he talked to his children that are on missions which was interesting as well. I have been in this área so long that I knew one of them before he left.

Two days later we had the Ward Christmas Party which ended up being a lot of fun and a lot of food. 


Anyways, have an excellent week with New Years and all!
élder Seymour.

Fun with fireworks

The christmas punch that we drank.
 It should be noted that
we drank it hot as is normal here.

We also ate a christmas crab...
I am definitely in México.

Mt Popo covered with snow.

 

¡50 years of missionaries in San Martín!...[Dec. 22, 2014]

Hola,
This week we celebrated the 50 anniversary by doing a bit of community service, proselyting on Friday, and a show on Saturday. It was honestly quite a blast. I have a bunch of videos to show when I get back.

I also went on exchanges with the zone leaders again and left to their area. It was honestly quite difficult to leave the area this time because we had an incredibly important lesson planned out that unfortunately did not happen. But these things happen from time to time.

We also had the opportunity to help a less-active member put up her Christmas tree.

Hopefully I have a ton of things to talk about next week.
Have a great one!
élder Seymour.

A cake for the 15th birthday
of some young woman.

After we put up the Christmas tree.

Photo from the Program for 50 years.

I forgot to mention that
we celebrated the birthday
of one of the members in our ward
that is always super nice and supportive to us.

I am always weirded out
by all the strange fruits that exist here.

That Korihor guy makes a lot of sense...[Dec. 15, 2014]

Hola,
Here we are in the disturbingly hot during the day but still pretty cold at night even though it is December place called San Martín. I keep expecting that the weather is going to change even though it never does.

The subject for this weeks email comes from one of our investigators in a lesson that we just had yesterday. He told us he was super interested in the reading in Alma 30. We were like, "Really, what did you like about it?" He replied, "I love that Korihor guy...what he said made a lot of sense." The lesson went downhill from there. The moral of the story is listen to the Prophets, they will not lead you astray.

My companion also had his other wisdom teeth taken out but with a faster recovery this time.

We also had the Christmas zone conference this week. I had forgotten how much I love to sing Christmas carols.

Well anyway have a great week!
elder Seymour.
 



The announcement that we put up
for the celebration of 50 years of Missionaries
in San Martín Texmelucan
that we will have this Saturday.

Other pair of Wisdom Teeth

My companion wearing
 one of the sister missionaries scarfs in our ward
as a skirt. He can be a little weird
at times if you couldn't tell.