Viva Mexicooooooooooooo!

Hello family :)

My note this week is a little more culturally flavored. However, first I will say that this past week has been challenging. We have lost a few investigators and not many are progressing. I have learned some things though. Life is a lot happier when you stop focusing on yourself and start thinking about other people. Also, there is nothing better than hard work. When you need to feel better, find someone to serve or something to work hard at, or both! My new motto for this week is "Forget yourself and get to work!" There is a lot I still need to learn here but I am grateful for this opportunity to serve.

As for this great country of Mexico, September 16 was Dia de Independencia (Mexican Independence Day) which meant a huge day of celebration for the country. For wise reasons, we stayed inside after comida on Tuesday and did not go out to work. We ate pozole (a delicious type of soup) and chile en nogada. SO GOOD. Both are traditional foods for the holiday. We celebrated as best we could inside our apartment haha. I wore a hat that was given to me by a person that we taught, a shirt that I recently bought, a skirt that I bought at a little stand outside a grocery store, and the bracelet that was given to me by a Church member who was recently baptized. There were fireworks all night long! Fortunately, I was out like a light as soon as I went to bed but my poor companion couldn't sleep. The next day when we went out to work there was no one in the streets. NO ONE. And that is really strange for one of the largest cities in the world. Everyone stayed up all night partying and waiting for the big Viva Mexico shout that they do at night...so the next day everyone was sleeping. Needless to say we did not teach or contact very much that next day haha and the streets were covered in ripped up newspapers and exploded fireworks.

We also got to visit the Centro last Monday. I loved it. Taking the Metro was a great adventure. It is plum loco...so many people, and a lot of fun :) Mexico City is truly an incredible city with an amazing history and culture. (Click on the pics to enlarge them)

We took the Tourbus which in my opinion was a very good choice as far as seeing the sites of the city. Also Hermana Wolferts and I ate McDonald's for the first time since being here. I love Mexican food but it was nice to have a little taste of home :)

Me at Templo Mayor, which are ancient Aztec ruins near the Catedral Metropolitana (Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral)

The Zocalo (main plaza in central Mexico City). Also people in their traditional wear getting ready for the festivities :)

Palacio Nacional (National Palace, the main government building...it is a long building) and us Hermanas being a little silly :) These are taken looking away from the Metropolitan Cathedral.

The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral is pretty impressive. We went inside and I must say it is a beautiful cathedral with great history.

Chile en nogada...Mmmmmmmm...

Life in my area. I love the plants in Mexico :) 

These two dogs are ALWAYS together. We see them often in our area.

The other day I stepped on this hole cover by accident. It flipped and my leg went right down! Thankfully, no harm done haha silly me :)

More of the life in my area :)

Study with Hermana Llaguarima (photo credit to Sister Stutznegger).

Love you! Hugs and kisses!

Hermana Jones