We have been blessed in so many ways, especially in that we have met so many good people and
have made many good friends.
Our good friends the Zapata's were able to come back here to Mexico City after having gone home to Arizona fo
r a short time to help Elder Zapata recover from some health issues. We are glad to have them back and look forward to spending more time with them. They were reassigned to the Mexico City West mission office and will be entering baptismal records and referrals. They have decided to stay here in these apartments as they are bigger and much cheaper and will make the trip to their offices every day by taxi. We were able to find a member of the church who has a taxi business and is transporting them and giving them a very good price break.
One of the customs here and in other parts of the world is the 12 days of Christmas. This is different than what we do in the states. We celebrate the 12 days before and they do it the 12 days after Christmas. January 6th is the day they celebrate el Dia de los Reys ..with what is called El Rosca de Reyes. On this day they have a special bread that is baked in a circular or wheel shape.Inside the bread is hidden 1 or more little plastic baby Jesus. The person who gets the baby in his slice of bread is blessed in that he or she is to treat the family or group on Feb 2 to a party..most specifically with a tamale and atole party. Atole is a hot drink much like our hot chocolate but is made from either ground up corn or rice with either milk or water and different flavors such as chocolate, strawberry, etc. February 2 is significant in that it is el Dia de la Candelaria or Day of the Candles or Candelabra. This is 40 days after the birth of the Savior and is the end of the purification period of Mary and is supposed to also be the day that Jesus was presented in the Temple. The candles are to remind us that Jesus conquered the darkness and brought us light.The day January 6th is also important to the children as it is also a day of gift giving from the Wise Men or Kings..that sought out the Bay Jesus. They awake to find gifts that have been left by the wise men. The Rosca bread traces it origin back to France and has spread to other parts of the world.
We bought Roca bread at the bakery and had it there for missionaries as they came by...and the good fortune was ours in that both Brother and Sister Anthony got the little baby in their slices of bread!
We met a new missionary couple, the Binghams from Arkansas, who are serving in the North mission. We showed them part of the historic district the other day and got to know them a little. We look forward to spending more time with them.
Elder and Sister Rojas, the directors at the Visitors Center, completed their mission and left January 19th. We wish them well, they have served here in Mexico city in different calling for 4 or 5 years. They were excited to get back to their family in Gilbert. We also welcomed Elder and Sister Lines from Arizona who will be the directors at the Center. They are excited to be here, they returned from being the office couple in Argentina about 6 months ago and are now here. Interesting to talk to them and see how things were run in their old mission. We are learning that so much depends on the mission President and how he wants to do things.
With our last changes here Elder Dillon was transferred out after having been in the offices for 9 months...we will miss him. He was here for half of our mission!We are having fewer and fewer missionaries leaving...and getting fewer and fewer in return. We are getting mostly latino missionaries now which is gratifying to see. This is a slow time for missionaries in that many potential missionaries are in school and just waiting for semester and term ends. As we were making out the schedule for arriving and departures we were shocked to see our names there!
Time is getting short!
The other day the Elders came running into the office to get their cameras all the while yelling there's a lion outside a baby lion! So off we went and sure enough there was! Right there in the parking lot! We had a fun time petting the lion...and by the way they have really rough tongues..like being licked by 120 grit sandpaper!
We picked a good winter to be away from Utah as this year they have gotten lots of snow! This winter has been very nice here, it has been cold(high 40's) a few nights and only in the upper 50's some days, but for the most part in the 70's most days and beautiful sun rises!
Lots of beautiful flowers too.
We have been blessed to be here with such wonderful missionaries, other couples, and the friendly people of Mexico! We love our friends and family at home and feel their support too, so we are doubly blessed!
