13 July 2015

Brief update from behind the Zion Curtain

Proof positive he's no longer in Mexico
The stunningly patient and mighty fine SML and I are noticing a change in our communication to and from TMFKATB since he was reassigned behind the Zion Curtain. Since we are quite familiar with his environs, we are not asking him the litany of questions we peppered him with weekly when he was in Tuxtla. We were so eager to hear as much as we could from him about his area, the people and all that he was experiencing. Now that he's "This Is The Place" adjacent, it's a different line of questioning. Suffice to say, it's not quite so in-depth. His letters are no different in terms of the detail, not that his letters from Mexico were encyclopedic in their information. Today's letter and updates were no different.

He described a conference he attended that left him highly motivated and happy. He and his companion met the performance goals that have been set in his mission and that also left him very excited. His companion's mission is ending in a little over a week, which means a new assigned companion. He's hopeful it will mean full time Spanish work.

They are being well taken care of by the people they are serving. The picture of the pizzookie should be proof positive of that. He also raved about the homemade torta de cochinita with Yucatan seasonings he got.

Torta
It may not look like much but he said it was amazing. These two pictures illustrate the beautiful war of opposites that is being a "SpanAm" missionary. One minute, you are immersed in the culture of the people whose language you have learned. The next you are enjoying the artery clogging hallmarks of the diet that makes your country infamous famous the world over. One minute you are helping to explain the inner workings of the US government to a newly arrived immigrant and the next you are doing the same for the American that has lived here his whole life. But you love the people in both cultures and both languages. You cherish every minute of it. As a former "SpanAm" missionary myself, I know I did.

So while his update was brief, he reminded us that all is well. He's happy. Hence, we are too.


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