Mexican Moments with Greg and Peg: Happy Birthday Spencer! Here we come Puebla!

THOUGHT: "DO NOT WAIT FOR CONDITIONS TO BE PERFECT TO BEGIN.
BEGINNING MAKES THE CONDITIONS PERFECT!"

Monday, Jan 11th HAPPY 14 MONTH ANNIVERSARY YESTERDAY!!! 4 MORE TO GO!

Today has been a peaceful day. I was able to get some things picked up and thrown away and I was able to work on the afghan I am trying to get done. Greg had all kinds of errands so he was in and out, in and out for most of the day. I got my hair colored by Bonnie so I don't look 100 any more.
We went for a long walk this afternoon and sat on the roof in our chairs for awhile in the sunshine and breeze. It is a beautiful day. My friends called me while they were out to lunch and complained at how cold it is in Salt Lake. Ha! It is perfect here right now. It feels like spring has sprung!
We had spaghetti and went to FHE. President De Hoyes talked to us and showed a movie about the the Nephites and Lamanites and the Book of Mormon lands are in the south part of Mexico and northern Guatamala. The movie was a little long and it was very warm in the room so you know what a bad combination that makes! At least the movie was in English so we could understand it!
When we got back to Teca Once where we live the guy at the front desk handed me the calendar by brother Jim sent me in November. At least it came in one piece and wasn't ripped or demolished! We have been waiting for so long for a calendar. Greg finally gave up last week and we bought one so of course ours came from Jim. It is much nicer than the one we bought so we will use it for the last 4 months we are here!!
Elder De Hoyos read from 2 Nephi 4, 5 - 9 which contains the promise of the Lord to the children of Laman and Lemuel that in the last day they will be remembered, the Lord will be merciful to0 them and "but in the end thy seed shall be blessed." We are seeing that now in Mexico in great abundance. The city I started in and saw 5 people attend services the first week I was there now has a mission, 3 stakes and Elder Renlund is going to be there to speak to them in 2 weeks. Most missions in Mexico have gone from 60% American elders to 85% Latin elders - they come from all over latin america. I review mission applications of young men and women who have neither parent members, and young men and women who have both parents returned missionaries. The Blessings of the Lord are truly being poured out on this land and I am glad I am here to see it.

Tuesday, Jan 12th HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPENCER!!!

Today is Spencers birthday! He is 25 today. Wow! Where did that time go?? Today has been a quiet day around home. We are going to Puebla tomorrow so we got packed, and ran some errands. Nothing much around here today. I wish I could have been home today to take Spencer out to dinner. I think the family will take him out next week! Greg is trying to get the last two missions to agree to let him come and teach their missionaries. We have been to 32 of 34 missions so far. We are going to make it for sure! I made dinner and we had the Griffins over then went to their place and watched a movie! Good times!!

We went to the roof of our hotel to check out the weather!
Beautiful clear day in Mexico!
This doesn't happen very often!

Another pic off the roof of our place!
We love clear air!

Wednesday - Saturday Jan 13th- 16th

We woke up today to a very cold spell passing through. It was raining this morning. We drove over the mountains to Puebla where we saw snow! Yay! I love snow! We made it to Puebla to meet the Stellmons at their mission home. We are training in the Puebla South mission for the next few days.
Their home is quite old and made of cement. It was freezing in their house and their is no heat or air conditioning. Greg got to wear President "smoking jacket" Well, at least that is what it looked like! It was a thick plaid jacket he wore around the house! We sat in the family room wrapped in blankets with a little heater going! Hot chocolate was perfect for this weekend and the Stallions make great hot chocolate. We got up early on Thursday and headed to a zone conference for Greg to do his schpeel. It was in Izucar de Matamoros. Then we drove about 2 hours to another city by Popo the volcano to do the next zone conference in the afternoon. We never did see Popo due to the cloudy and stormy skies. That huge thing hides very well in the clouds! So we did 2 zone conference meetings today and drove for about 5 hours total. We got home around 8 pm. Sister Stellmon had put a roast and potatoes and carrots in the crock pot this morning. That tasted so good after being gone for the long cold day! We love being with the Stellmons.
Friday we got up and took off and did the same thing as yesterday. We did 2 zone conferences again. The most entertaining thing about the meetings this week was that I got to give flu shots to all the sister missionaries. The different personalities about the shots made for an exciting time! We only had to chase a couple of sisters around the room to give them the shots!! I don't think Greg had that much excitement with the Elders. Shots bring out the crazies!!! We got back to Puebla late again and went to dinner at this little Mexican place we have been to before with the Stellmons. We got home and had more yummy hot chocolate and life is good!!! We were going to drive home tonight, but our plans of going to the Basilica got canceled for tomorrow so we are staying in Puebla till tomorrow so we can go shopping downtown and buy some talavera to be sent home.
I didn't get a pic of us with the Stellmons! Dang!

Driving up the mountain pass looking at a tiny bit of snow!

Greg with his ocho vasos de aqua!

Yes! Moses with his stethoscope and medical staff!

Greeting the sisters. I hope I remember not to do
this back in the states, but in Mexico all the sisters greet
with a hug and a kiss on the cheek!
I love it!

One group of Hermanas after their flu shots!

Popo

Popo in the background!

Popo

Another volcano! We have put up pics before of this one
because we were at the base of it but it didn't have snow on it
Iztaccihuatl is the name of this volcano.
We call it Ista (eestaa)