Pictures from Papantala

150 stairs- something typical of Papantla (you can´t see the bottom in the pic)

The big tree atop the 150 stairs that says ¨Vote for PRI¨(political party)

On Monday me and Elder Eichelberg took the hike up to the statue of the volador and took some pictures. We later went with the hermano that lives in front of us and ate some tacos. Elder Eichelberg right now is either on a plane or waiting in an airport to make it home to South Dakota. It´s crazy that people actually go home, and that those people only have one transfer more than you. . . I have a feeling two months is going to go by way too fast. Especially when Carrie talks about signing me up for Calculus and Public Speaking. . . 1. I hate math and haven´t been in a math class since Junior year (aka 3 years ago) and 2. I´m going to be public speaking when i don´t even speak english correctly now. . . we´ll see how it goes.

The statue from my house

Me atop the volador (flyer) statue

My house from the statue (its the green one, top floor)

"Greenie" is "verde"!

I am doing great. Tuesday I went to Tampico and got there around 9ish. It was fun to be around/talk with all the office staff that is still there in the office houses. I got my haircut and started washing my clothes that I had brought up from Papantla. Wednesday morning I was in the offices getting things off of the computer that I had left and organizing other things that I needed from the offices for my area. The new guys were getting trained and then went off to immigration to get their papers in order. Later we went to the mission house and recieved the training from the Assistants and Pres. and sister Moss. It was pretty sad, it was the last time I´m going to see them here. They did give me a picture of them with a little note on the back though. It was nice. We got paired up with our new companions, mine is Elder Lewis from Eden, Utah. He is a really good guy, but fits the definition of ¨verde¨ perfectly. He really does not understand a lick of spanish and still has a long way to go to speak so that the people understand. He´s pretty quiet and not too outgoing, so that helps me with being more talkative with the people. At around 5 we got on the bus and made the journey back to Papantla. We got home at around 10:15, unpacked and hit the sack.

Me, My Hijo (Elder Lewis), Pres. and Sister Moss

On Thursday we went and visited some members, set some appointments with investigators, and bought some necessary items for the house. We ate lunch and later went to another town called Gutierrez Zamora to help the missionaries there with an activity they were having on the beach in Tecolutla. It was pretty crazy getting everything organized and sorted out, but it ended up being a good activity. I was in charge of water balloon volleyball, and we had a good time with it actually. We went to an hermano´s restaurant and ate some pretty good tacos. We got home pretty late and made it to bed.

The ride to the beach in tecolutla

My station, waterballoon volleyball

Me with a globo de agua

Sweet is the Work!

Friday we visited with some less actives before eating. Later we met with Karina, who was supposed to get baptized Saturday, but she was being really shy again and wasn´t too excited about it. We taught her the commandments and later she told us she would like to get baptized another day. We put a date for the Fourth of July. Let´s just hope that she sticks to the plan this time. Later we visited with Martha and taught her about the Gospel. When we invited her to be baptized she just said she would like to make it out to church before putting that goal. She is working on Sundays but says that the sunday after next will be able to go with us. Later that night we visited with Margarita and she said that everything was going well with her and her husband and said that their plan was to still be baptized. On Saturday we ate lunch and later contacted, one lady let us in to drink water, but left and so we taught her sister. Later we visited with some children who are members, but their parents need to get divorced, then married to get baptized. We found some more less actives and old investigators, then visited with Gaspar and Margarita to find out exactly what the missionaries before had taught them. They told us they were going to church and we were going to pick them up the next day.

Voladores

Sunday while we were getting ready we saw the voladores flying in the plaza from our window and I got some pictures. Later we passed by for them but his mom said they got in a little fight and left. We are going to visit them tomorrow, I hope everything goes ok with them. Later we ate and visited with an awesome Hermano from the ward. He is eager to help us with the work and also help my companion learn and speak spanish better.

The voladores flying in the plaza

Today we went to Tajin with pretty much the whole district. It was pretty fun going back. We even saw the voladores up close this time and got our picture taken with them. I saw a lot of gifts that I could bring home in August, but I was just wanting to know if there was anything special that anyone wanted.

Me at Tajin

The Elders at Tajin

Me Levatating

Knocking Doors in Tajin haha

More ¨voladores¨

Me and the Voladores

Que?

Well, things are going good. I feel like I have a big responsibility to help out my companion, so that will keep me pretty busy. It´s definitely different than I thought it would be. I would like to speak more spanish with him, but he doesn´t understand my spanish and I don´t understand his spanish, so its pretty bad. But he is trying so it can´t go anywhere but up from here. I love you lots and can´t believe that Aubs is getting home in less than 4 weeks. I don´t remember if there was anything else I wanted to tell you. If you have pictures of Reddin in Papantla send them to me please, or tell him to sent pics of him here in Papantla via email or something. I hope everything continues to go well for you. I love you lots. Bye. Elder Evans

Chillin

In a hammock at the Beach in Tecolutla

Me and Elder Horton drinking our coconut water

The Humidity is a Beast!

Things are going good here in Papantla. It is really hot and wet. I just heard yesterday that 6 of the 9 greenies are coming in tomorrow. I most likely am getting one of them. The companion I have right now is E. Eichelberg and he goes home in about a week. But he´s going to Tampico with me and not coming back. Right now he is a traveling elder and is helping filling holes in the mission where people still don´t have their companions and things. Humidity is just a pain. I long for the dry weather again. I always have to have the fan on me or else drops of sweat just fall from my face. I definitely got spoiled in the offices with the AC though.

ME, Elder Eichelberg, Elder Avila, Elder Avila (yes, they are brothers)

The Work Progresses

This week went really well. It was kind of calm, considering my companion goes home in a week and was kind of trunky, but we actually got a lot done. We visited a lot of less actives that he showed us, he was born in this area. Later a member showed us two referrals- Carlos, a retired teacher in a wheelchair and also Martha, a less active Jehovah´s Witness that is not content with her worship in that church. Her son is also a recent convert. My companion knows a lot of scriptures in the bible to prove wrong a lot of the JW´s beliefs, so he used those and she was really surprised to see so many new and different things. My comp takes pride in his bashing knowlege, even though he doesn´t like the word ¨bash¨. Carlos probably isn´t going to progress much, but I think Martha has already been converted. She is already planning on becoming a member of our church, we just haven´t rushed anything with her. She works on sundays but is going to ask for time off to be able to attend church. The last time we visited her she told us that she thought of us as angels because we found her and were teaching her new true things. I was suprised, normally it is only the members or recent converts that say that about the missionaries.

On thursday night we got permission from President Moss to go to the fair that is here in Papantla. There was a cultural program where they told the story about the history of the totonaco people and the ancient ruins in tajin. There were some pretty cool dances and there is a famous ceremony where 5 guys climb up a really high pole, 4 tie a rope to their legs and jump off of and spin around the pole down to the ground while the 5th one stands atop the pole and plays a flute. It was very interesting but towards the end the dances and music got really repetetive and they drew dances out longer than they needed to be. But in the end it was all worth it because there was a big fireworks display. It was very enjoyable.

The Stage

Fireworks

The End