Elder Ahlstrom from Caliente, Nevada and Elder Porter from American Fork worked together for while in Veracruz when Elder Porter was a new missionary. We think it had rained the night before. This is why our missionaries don't wear raincoats. Why bother? Elder Porter had been here for 2 days. Welcome to Veracruz! The rainy season starts now.

This is random. The only brand of hot dog you can buy in Mexico is called "Fud", pronounced "food." They don't really taste like food. But, for some reason, one morning in front of a hospital and just up the street from a supermarket was the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile. That makes me want some fud!

All day long and every night, Mom does this. She talks with sick missionaries, two-thirds of them in Spanish, about eveything from headaches to hemmorrhoids, rashes and diarrhea (the most common), athlete's foot and ingrown toenails, bug bites, dog bites, scorpion bites, monkey bites (only once, so far), and scabies, vertigo, migraines, glasses needed, toothaches, lost fillings, root canal needed, broken bones, sprained ankles, blisters, and plantar's warts, sore throats, colds, strep throat, and blood poisoning (just once so far), gastritis, conjunctivitus, home sickness-itis, and just this week for the first time, chicken pox. She is quite the little general practitioner. It was a lot easier to treat the ills before Mexico recently passed a law that you have to have a prescription to get antibiotics. Bummer.


Can't you just hear her saying, "Pobrecito"-- "Poor baby."

We really liked these pictures of the zone leader council which was convened on the 16th de Septiembre.


Elders Campos, Holman, and Canseco


The Mission Leadership
Click on the photo for a larger view.

September 16 is probably the biggest day of celebration in Mexico, next to New Year's eve. It is the celebration of their day of independence. The night of the 15th is one of dancing, singing, fireworks, lots and lots of food all night long, and lots more drinking. On the night of the 15th in 1810, a Catholic priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla ordered his parishoners to go to the sheriff and demand the release of a group of pro-independence prisoners. About 80 were freed. At 6 a.m. the 16th the church bells were rung and Hidalgo gave an impassioned speech which started the war of independence that very day. So, we celebrate.

Street vendors sell lots of stuff like these cool bigotes which we all bought for 10 pesos each.


FINALLY! I can grow a moustache along with Elders Ray, Redfern, and Holman.


Elders Castillo and Redfern are ready to enjoy preaching.


Elder Goodworth looks almost ready to go out and work in the sun digging potatoes in his hometown, Shelley, Idaho.

Then, Elder Apaza came in from Bolivia two days later. He was a visa waiter and had been serving in Bolivia for a couple of months. He is one of the most humble and faithful young men we have ever known. Everyone wants to be his companion.

This is that same generation of missionaries with their trainers all decked out in their official Misión México Veracruz neckties.