I Survived Another Week! (Week 2 at the CCM)

Max sent a bunch of pics this week, but didn't have time to caption them so some of these I'm guessing about and the others will become a "make your own caption" game. Good luck!

This is at the Mexico City Airport with some other new missionaries on their way to the CCM. I've deduced that this must be at the Mexico City Airport because they have their luggage with them. (Watching BBC's Sherlock has done wonders for me.)

This is a guy selling stuff. (How do you like my gift for obvious captions?) Aubrey saw this and was like, "Whoa! Isn't that dangerous?" She's our resident Safety Officer (well, her and Michael.)

Ciudad de México

More views from a bus

The official missionary name tag: Ta daaaaa!

Class room pics. This is where the hard work is done.

Speaking of hard work, here's some missionaries studying hard.

                           Translation, please? I think that one thing says Elder Alley, baptize me. Lol

                                                                      Living quarters

                             Actually a lot neater than I anticipated for a guy's room. Good job, Elders!

Wait, I can tell from the bedding and the cinch bags that the top bunk is Max's, but I'm confused...because his bed is made...so that can't REALLY be Max's bed...or can it? The mission's made him a better man already! *Note to those attending the CCM: While they do provide linens there, Max was really glad he took his own. He said it just feels more like "home".

*2nd Note to those attending the CCM: Bring your own hangers. The ones they sell in the tienda there leave "paint" on your white shirts. It comes out in the wash, but all of Max's shirts looked like this until laundry day. Qué triste, ¿no?

Closet with the white shirt staining hangers. Hey, I can see our family pictures in there. 

We're there with ya in spirit, Max.

  Max and his comp in the CCM

                                                                CCM Campus Pics

Hay muchos árboles. (There are many trees.) Bustin' out my high school Español, yo.

                                                                 

 It's really pretty

The campus used to be a school, hence the playground.

The picture the whole family's been waiting for! Max & his cousin, Jake.

The photo did not disappoint. (I took the liberty of adding the caption.)

August 1, 2014

Overall this week was sooo much better than that first stretch. My biggest struggle right now in the MTC is the large number of hours that we are required to be studying on our own. When we are with a teacher or teaching a lesson I forget about everything else and am able to just focus on the moment. But with the hours upon hours here during the day where we are supposed to be forcing ourselves to study, I find my mind wandering. Don't get me wrong, I am trying to study. In the morning I read the Book of Mormon almost non stop for an hour while taking notes of any thoughts I have just about every day. I work on flashcards and practice memorizing scriptures and summaries of important church events in Spanish and try to do all that I can, but it is just a lot to have 16 hour days of nonstop working. I've been making progress with how long I can study before my mind wanders, though.    

I have been getting along with my district good. The hermanas are super nice in our district, too. One companionship of sisters got all the elders cards with candy taped to them that said "We love our Elders!" and that absolutely made Elder S's day. He was so touched that they would do that for us.

Other random thoughts. Well, I feel pretty good with my Spanish in lessons. I am able to have legitimate conversations about the gospel on most of the subjects in the early lessons of the PMG which is a cool feeling, Every lesson so far, though, has ended with me pleading with the investigator to please read and pray about the Book of Mormon and then us meeting again later to find out they didn't do it. That is pretty frustrating. 

My district came up with new names for the days of the week. it goes: Monday, 2nd Monday (with pizza for dinner, though, so its ok), Pre P-Day, P-DAY!, Post P-day, Almost Sunday, and Sunday. 

So I've decided here's some things I'm looking forward to once I'm out in the field:

1) The food. The food here has done bad things to my digestive system and I need some good ol american grub back in my stomach.  Ahhhh In n Out burger sounds like heaven right now and I know they exist in my mission.

2) The people! I can't wait to be in a ward and in a stake again! I miss stake centers! I want to meet families and RMs and wise older members with good life advice.  

3) Walmarts. This sounds strange, but one of the things I miss is just being able to walk into a store like Walmart and get whatever I need. The tienda in the CCM is pretty limited. Plus you get to meet lots of people in public places like that. 

4) The weather! Mexico has confirmed that my mood is directly dependent on the weather. It rains and storms here a lot here. The constant sunshine of Vegas will be welcomed with open arms. 

5) The mail! When I am in the states it will be sooo much easier to mail things, especially letters. It will be comforting knowing that I can write a letter and send it in the mail and it can be in Mom or Dad's hands in potentially 3 days! Expect lots of letters here over the next two years.

Now, let me off set that list with some things that I am grateful for now:

1) I am grateful for a sister, a brother, a cousin, and many friends who are all serving missions the same time as me. I can't tell you how many times the thought that I am not alone out in the field has gotten me through the day. I want to be able to be an RM in two years with all of these people that I love and admire and I can only do that if I serve faithfully in MY mission. 

2) I am grateful for Priesthood Blessings. They are real. They work. Something awesome happened the day Jake took off for Peru. Right before he was supposed to load onto the bus for the airport, he asked me if I would give him a blessing. It was the first one I have ever given. I could feel the spirit guiding me with what to say, and I was able to say it. I just thought that experience was so fitting because Jake was able to give me a blessing when I first got here and I know that that gift has been getting me through the MTC experience. Then I was able to give him one right before he left. Very cool bonding moment for us. And now we can officially say "We will always have Mexico."

3) Your support. The letters and emails you all have sent my way and the prayers I know that are being said for Ashley, Jake, me and soon Michael are very helpful. I cannot stress enough how much it means to me to get a letter or an email from someone. It makes me feel good and it makes me feel loved.

Thank you for your love and support. I will say without any shame, keep writing me. I love hearing from you all. I would say, though, try to keep it to email for now. DearElders take over a week to get to me (my mom sent one on the 17th and I got it on the 26th). Emails will be great for now, but when I get to the States again feel free to send actual letters because the mailing system will be so much better. 

In closing let me bear my testimony.

Yo sé que la iglesia es verdad. yo sé que José Smith fue un profeta de Dios y mediante él el evangelio de Jesucristio fue restaurado. Yo sé que Dios vive y nosotros somos sus hijos. Yo sé que tengo le mejor familia en todo del mundo y le amo con todo mi corazón. Estoy agredecido por este oportunidad a servir mi Padre Celestial. Yo dijo estas cozas en el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

TCIT/Love, 

Elder Alley

*(TCIT=The Church is True)