i'm chilango

Hey everyone! Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm sure you've all been so worried because you didn't hear from me on Monday! ;) There's a lot to write about so get ready. It's become pretty common that people yell at me, usually two or three times a day I'll hear "*expletive* guero!" or "ese guero" or just "guero" but my favorite that I've only heard once is "bolillio" like the white bread! 

I've gotten pretty accustomed to riding in la micro, which is basically a bus that you squeeze as many people on as you can and you pay four pesos and you go where you need to. It's awesome. 

So I got as close to America as you can get here. We finally made it to Wal-mart and there was a McDonalds inside. It was crazy. 

We ate with Hermana Carbajal last night. We had spaghetti, pizza, and flan, just like Tuesday nights in the ccm....felt like home. 

I went on my first exchanges after my first service project, which let me tell you was crazy. I wish I could have brought my camera. So we climbed up this lady's house onto her roof, and then used this stick thing to pick challotes from her trees. There were limes that were as big as small watermelons. Guys, Mexico is crazy. You just chill on roofs, and pick challotes and limones that are ginormous. But then for the exchanges we tried to visit a lot of people that weren't home, and then found Brian who is now a new investigator for Elder Alva.

I'm sorry to tell you all that I've been converted. Not from Mormonism, but the Coke here is way better than Dr.Pepper in Texas. I'm sorry. 

Also tortillas de maiz are better than those de harina. I bought a KILO of tortillas today for 12 pesos. That's like 75 cents. A KILO OF TORTILLAS. I love Mexico.

Also speaking of conversion, I had my first interaction with testigos de jehovah. The first one was quite grosero but the couple we talked

to were nice about why I'm going to hell.  We made a trade. 

My favorite food is now sopa de fideo. Everyone google it and eat it. It's delicious. We eat it quite often with members. Speaking of eating with members I had my first meal in a restaurant in Mexico. We went to eat at a sister's house and she was like here's 100 pesos. So we ate at a restaurant and they served alphabet soup. Alphabet soup. Also spaghetti and pork but alphabet soup. It was so funny. 

I have a permanent chichon. A chichon...I can't remember how you call it in English but you know when you hit your heard super hard and have a lump? Well Mexicans are pretty short so every doorway I slam my head on because I'm too tall. 

There are dogs EVERYWHERE. Everyone owns a dog and there are millions of dogs just on the streets EVERYWHERE. 

So here the concept of agua is pretty weird. Agua is not water. Agua simple, or agua natural is water. Agua means limonada or horchata or jamaica or however you spell it it's weird but delicious. 

So to my family and anyone else who has visited Jamaica or somewhere like that....you know those crazy people that walk in the street while all the cars are doing whatever they want and almost dying? That's now me. Trust me. It makes sense. You just kinda go for it and hope they slow down. 

Okay everyone this is crazy: so ya know the story 4th floor last door? Well now I have my own, and it's 5th floor 2nd to last door. We knocked every door in unidad las trancas edificio 14 and finally someone answered that 2nd to last door and so are gonna teach them on
Saturday. 

I saw a Mercedes G Class which was weird. 

Also met a man with a toe for a thumb. 

Also met a man who I contacted and then at the end of the contact he started speaking English and I didn't understand what he was saying. It was super weird. 

Okay, funny story...we went to visit a member and we were waiting outside his house and there was a kid who had a shank around his neck. He starting to come towards us and I'm about to freak out and he's like "you guys waiting for Gustavo? He just ran some errands he'll be back soon." We started talking to him and compa asked what the shank was, turns out it's a probe to work on cars. 

Almost out of time so last thing I gave my first talk this past Sunday. We got a call on Saturday night that the people cancelled so they asked us if my compa and I could speak? 10 minutes each is good. We arrive on Sunday and he's like so you guys are ready to speak 15 minutes each right? And that's the story of my first talk in Mexico. 

Baptism update: none yet, but 1 this Sunday,and then FOUR next Saturday if they keep their commitments. 

I hope you all are doing great. I miss you guys, but Mexico is legit! 

Con Amor, your favorite elder, Elder Jones