Week 4 update from Mexico City:

Following are portions of Travis' latest update.  Most of the pictures we received were of FOOD.  Perhaps later we will do a collage of all the items he has partaken of and or missed...  He only has one more "P" day in Mexico City.  He arrives in Portland on Sept 11.  So, without further Adieu, here's Elder Jorgensen:

Alright so sadly I have no updates on Vino challenges to give... there are some disputes amongst the district as to the validity of my record because I puked to achieve it... which I understand although I don't necessarily agree with it... it's been a pretty calm week thusfar.

 

Alright actually there is one slightly funny thing that happened... do you guys remember the ping pong net that we had for just under a day?? Well, the cleaning crew comes on Thursdays, and the same guy cleans our house erry week... So freaking last Thursday we are walking up to the casa, and his cleaning cart is outside, AND JUST SITTING THERE is our ping pong net!!!! We all looked at each other and had a brief counsel amongst ourselves, and the verdict was unanimous that if the cleaning guy was going to be stupid enough to just leave our net on the cart, it would be sinful not to take advantage of the opportunity presented us. So, after making sure the cleaning guy wasn't around, I unzipped my backpack and threw the net inside, and later that day we acquired a ping pong ball...:)

 

I FINALLY got you guys' letters that you sent like at the beginning of August last Thursday... I think it got lost or something because there was markings all over the envelope, a stamp that said air mail on it, and whiteout had been used on my address... I mailed my letters back on Friday... . And that's all the mail I've gotten... it's gonna be so nice to be Stateside again. The other night we all started talking about American things we missed... food was up there pretty high..

 

Wes...  Keep taking spanish and that way when I get home we can talk in español!!! Siiii!!!! Alright so they have futsol courts here, pretty much like indoor except concrete and caged, same size, and I am in the process of converting my district to the greatest sport on earth. Yesterday we played and we were playing a group of natives, Latinos who have grown up balling on the streets, and we slaughtered them like 5 to 1... I was the goalie:) It ended up being like the US versus Mexico... because some of the guys in my district were outside the fence chanting ''U.S.A!!! U.S.A!!!''... it was pretty great.

 

 I am doing well, Elder Laing and I have been getting along pretty great, we are learning how to teach with more unity as a companionship. After I emailed you guys last week and after the Temple, I got kinda home sick for the first time. I think it's because school is starting and usually the start of school for me has meant the start of a sport, and I'm missing running a lot. This week has been kinda tough because of that. However, I know that pouting about it isn't gonna help anything, so I just pray every day to be able to focus on the Work. We watched a really cool live recorded devo by Elder Holland on Sunday about how our missions are supposed to convert us as well. We can't come back the same person we left, that's not the point of serving a mission. I really liked that because it made me think about why I'm out here and the goals I have for myself during this time.

 

 Have I told you guys that I have officially lived through 4 Earthquakes?? Supposedly whenever one happens there are alarms that go off and we all congregate to painted circles in the middle of the streets... Not bunkers or like hiding under desks or something, PAINTED CIRCLES IN THE FREAKING MIDDLE OF THE STREET! I wonder who's brilliant idea that was and if there are any good reasons (such as they are DEAD) that they can't explain to me the wisdom in grouping like 50-70 people out in the open during an earthquake... Have I said I am excited to get back to the States yet? Even though the alarms go off, I have yet to feel anything. Supposedly the one last week was like a 6.1 on the richtor scale and buildings in the city right outside the fence were swaying but we didn't feel a thing.

 

Alright mi familia I've gotta peace out... are there any things you still want me to take pictures of or questions you want answered while I am still here? Next week will be my last P Day here so I´ll take the pictures and if you have anymore Mexico specific questions I can answer those too..

Love,

Elder Jorgensen