THOUGHT: "IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO FAIL WHEN WE DO OUR BEST
WHEN WE ARE ON THE LORD'S ERRAND." Elder Ballard
Monday, Apr. 18th
We are under 2 weeks now! Can't believe it! I spent most of the day today making a blueberry pastry for treats for FHE tonight! YEAH! I have made my last FHE treats!! Everyone liked them and I got rid of 2 cans of blueberries and 2 pkgs of cream cheese. Another thing I did today was GET OUR SUITCASES OUT and I started packing. The Pratts are going to take a bag home for me this Friday and I need to know how much weight I need to send so I can get everything home in my 2 suitcases with one carryon. It took me until 3 pm to get the suitcases out. I took everything off the walls and cleaned off the shelves in our place. No matter how small our place is - we still collect too much junk!! I am not sure I have learned any thing these past 18 months! Oh well! Tomorrow I will pack clothes and other stuff. FHE was very fun tonight. The Munoz did it on being like children. He gave a great little lesson in broken English. He worked so hard. Then after the lesson we played jacks, marbles, bingo. Good times!! and Good Treats!
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| Working at my messy, small desk in our apartment |
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| We have kept pictures and notes from grand kids above my desk |
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| Our Mexican refrigerator with our schedules for FHE, Fast Sunday dinners and the clinic on Temple Square. |
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| Peg's beautiful and spacious kitchen |
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| We have kept pictures of our family one our shelves in our apartment for support |
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| Peg's chair where she has knitted and crocheted afghans and Christmas stockings for grand kids |
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| Our spacious bedroom. Barely room to sleep without being on top of each other. |
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| Our narrow bathroom - room really for only one. |
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| The map where we have kept track of all the cities we have visited. |
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| The big view (It is smaller that it looks according to Sara and Rachel. |
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We played games at FHE
Greg is trying to win at marbles! |
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| Family home evening - treats were Peg's famous Cinnamon rolls. |
Tuesday Apr 19th
Today turned out to be a surprise day! I was prepared to do some more packing and cleaning, but Greg had other ideas. He had a meeting at a hospital and wanted help driving there. Then he did some checking and found this huge canyon close by where the meeting was so I ended up going with him and sitting in the car in the parking garage at the hospital. Luckily the meeting didn't go over a 1/2 hour so that was nice for me. We drove through this little pueblito to get to this canyon called Los Dinamos de Contreras. Greg remembers coming to his huge canyon/park to hike when he was here on his mission. It kind of reminded us of Milcreek canyon and we drove all the way to the top. It was beautiful in the canyon. We only got to see one waterfall - probably because it is the dry season so water is not so plentiful. The rainy season is about to start here in Mexico. WE had a very nice ride up to the top of the canyon and back down. We then got to drive through another pueblito to get back to a main street so we could go on with our day. This is by far my favorite thing to do - drive through the pueblitos to see the homes, buildings, narrow streets, people walking around or visiting with a friend and the cute kids playing. They live in their own little world. The people seem happy and living OK lives!! We had plans to meet Pres. & Sister Hall for dinner at PF Changs. We decided to go straight there instead of going all the way home for 5 mins. I am so glad we did because the traffic made it so we got there in just enough time for us to do a little shopping for a friend for his birthday. We ended up walking into the restaurant right at 5 pm so our timing was perfect for once today!! We had such a great visit with the Halls. They go home to Idaho Falls the end of June from their mission. I sure hope we get to see them again real soon! They are great people. We drove home in the usual traffic. We were about 2/3 the way home and it started to rain and then hail on us. Big huge balls from heaven came tumbling down. It was very noisy in the car. I loved it. We even got a little lightening and thunder. Also when we got home we noticed that hail had come in the open window and was sitting on some clothes on the ironing board. All in all - the day was very fun and not planned out this way! Great!!!
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| Hospital Angeles Pedregal |
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| On our way to the canyon |
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| Each pueblo has their catholic church |
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| It is the dry season currently but still lots of green as we start up the canyon - there is a canyon wall in the background |
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| More canyon |
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| Someone's idea of a sturdy staircase |
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| Overlook of the canyon |
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| Mountain stream |
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| There were a few buildings - some little cabins which were very small |
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| More of the canyon |
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| Stream and small waterfall |
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| Looks a little like Millcreek canyon |
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| Bridge over a small lake |
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| They dammed up the creek to make a small pond |
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| Must be limestone because there were tons of caves along the road |
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| 5 pesos to use this bathroom - they would have to pay me to use it. |
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| Canyon entrance |
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| Taking it easy |
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| 200 year old or more catholic church |
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| Trying to get back to the highway - through small suburb of Mexico City |
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| More pueblito |
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| More churches |
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| Pretty bougainvillea |
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| This is a neighborhood of some nice houses - Peg liked the entrance to this one. |
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| Sometimes our gps leads us on a wild goose chase |
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| The gate closes with only a millimeter of clearance |
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| Watch dog |
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| The Pedregal neighborhood has lots of cobblestone roads |
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| Not a very good picture but "Six Flags" of Mexico City |
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| Started raining |
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| Back to civilization |
Wednesday Apr. 20th
We are grounded from our car today due to the pollution regulations in the city. I am happy to be going home to fresher air. Breathing this air can't be good for anyone! We piddled around here for the morning. At noon we left with the Griffins and took Uber to the Ciudadella to do some last minute shopping. The Uber driver didn't know where he was going and it took us way over an hour to get there. I wanted him to get out and let me drive. We would have made it under 1/2 hour. We made it and bought some fun things for the family. We were looking for the Alebrije (colorful painted wood creatures) If you have one in your house they are suppose to bring your family good luck! It starting raining and hailing while we were there so that was an adventure of its own! We caught another Uber back and he knew better how to get around so it didn't take as long. We were only home for a little while and then we met together in the lobby to go to dinner with all 10 couples here in the hotel for ours and the Andersons farewell dinner. We went to La Mansion and most of us were able to walk over there. We had a great time and good food. What more do you want???? Again we feel so blessed to have this association with these wonderful people. We are going to miss all of the associations! The Griffins invited us up for a movie that ended up not working so we watched some stupid movie. I packed a huge bag with the afghans and dresses and stuff for the Pratts to take home to Alpine. Steph will pick the stuff up and keep it until we get home. That was very nice of them to take the stuff. They are going to Utah for their daughters wedding in Provo. Sister Pratt's sister is neighbors to Lane & Steph so that is convenient for us! We won't see them again before we leave! This is a weird feeling that this mission is coming to a close! A whole new adventure awaits us when we get home for sure!!!
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| There was a protest on Reforma - the main street down the middle of the business district of Mexico City - These guys thought that standing in the median in just their underwear would help their cause - not sure it did. |
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| More protesters |
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| On our way to the Ciudadela - lots of people just sitting |
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| Crossing the bridge by our hotel - going to our dinner with our friends |
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| The sidewalk is a mess - rebar showing and holes so you could see down 100 feet to the small stream. |
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| Eating at the Mansion - a steak house by our hotel |
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| They gave us our own private room |
Thursday, Apr. 21st
Today started out with our exit interview with Elder Valenzuela ( 2nd counselor in Area Presidency). He read a letter they have written to us. That was very nice. He then asked each of us how we have felt about our mission. I told him that I have learned to love this mission and Mexico. Also, that I have done 99% of the driving in this crazy place. That has been my mission. I told him that I wished I could have gotten more involved in the ward, but with my bad spanish and wild schedule that was not possible. What I didn't tell him was that I made 15 afghans and 25 Christmas stockings. That kept me busy and awake at all of the zone conferences. He warned me to be careful when I get back to Utah with my driving. I agreed. I will have to take it slow and careful for a long time. It really is hard to imagine how crazy they drive down here. There are no laws and if you turn your flashers on you can stop or park anywhere even in the middle of rush hour traffic. And then there are the BUTTers. It's very frustrating. I also told Elder Valenzuela how much we have come to love all the senior couples we have lived with in the hotel. We first met the Olsons, Ellis, Andersons, Rice, Toblers, Sandbergs, Hobbs, Matas, Montoyas, Smiths, Pococks, Zapatas. Then as they left and new people came we got to be friends with the Hackings, Griffins, Pratts, Longhursts, Munoz, Carlsons, Calderons, Anthonys, Look at all the new friends we have made. This has made this mission worth it! We have had Fast Sunday meals together and spent every FHE together plus all the day trips we have taken to sights together and 2 temple trips to Veracruz and Guadalajara. We have gone to dinners, movies, plays and the ballet. Great times! All of this has been between all of us doing our mission responsibilities and our traveling to 33/34 missions. We have seen almost all of Mexico. We bought a big map and put green dots on all of the cities we have been to. We have done all of this and that is not even talking about going to each of the missions and spending 4-5 days with the mission presidents and their wives. We have some favorite Presidents and wives - mostly the English speaking ones! We love the Stutzneggers from California, Titensors and Madsens from Orem, Mechams from Fountain Green Ut, Whiteheads, MacArthurs, and Egberts from St. George, Birds from LA, Claytons from Alaska, Eggintons from Morgan Ut, Halls from Idaho Falls, Crickmores from San Diego, Greers from Arizona, Georges from Wyoming, Kirkhams from Pocatello, Stellmons from Boise, Nelsons from Oakland, the Lyons sisters and husbands - Garcias and Velez from Mexico, Robinsons from the Colonies. Most of these people we fully intend on seeing again and having some good times together. These are awesome people. We feel so blessed to have gotten to know them. So I told Elder Valenzuela that this has been the best part of my mission.
Peg covered it all mostly. I was able to share some of the miracles we have witnessed and we discussed including a summary of our visits to the missions and the miracles in the history of the area.
The interview only took about 1/2 hour and then we came home to do more packing and run a few errands before we left at 11:30 to go to lunch at Italiannis at the airport. We were suppose to meet the Sututzneggers, Mechams, Titensors and Crickmores there, but only the Stutzneggers made it! These busy mission presidents! I appreciate them trying. We had a nice visit with the Stutzneggers. We drove home and it took us over an hour. The traffic is horrible and there are suppose to be 1/5 of the cars off the road due to pollution. Wednesdays are our day to not drive the car. Anyhoo we made it. the Griffins stopped by for a visit on their way up the stairs to their place. They invited us to watch a movie so we ate a little dinner and went to watch a movie at the Griffins. We watched Insurgent #2 tonight. OK movie I guess! Better than last night!
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| Our good friends the Stutzegars - he is a retired dentis from northern Cal. |
Friday, Apr 22nd
I did not feel like going to the temple today because I have had some gastrointestinal issues (diarrhea)
lately and I don't want to be stuck in traffic and have to go. You understand right??? I stayed home and worked on some thank you notes and did some more cleaning and packing. Greg went to the temple clinic for the day so I had some peace and quiet! I was able to do some organizing and visiting with the neighbors!! We decided to go to a movie with the Griffins and Andersons. We went to see Jungle Book in the VIP lounge. It was a good movie and we had a very nice time sitting in those lazyboy chairs with a little lamp. They had a menu and you could order all kinds of food - we didn't because we went to Olive Garden after the movie! Great Day!
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| We bought seats in the luxury theater |
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| There is a menu behind Peg - you can order a meal while you watch a movie |
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| We had luxury recliners |
