Elder Millard in Mexico: Triste Guero

Buenas tardes familia y amigos!

How has everyone been? Definitely spaced that it was MLK day, I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend! It was a pretty busy week 6 here in Pachuca!

This week consisted of finishing the rest of the mission's interviews and house checks, taking a missionary who went home early to the airport, and working with president on the TRANSFERS!

So starting with the interviews. On sunday, we went to Tulancingo really early because president had a meeting with all of the stake presidents in the mission, the area Seventy, and part of the Mexico City Temple presidency. They took a break in the middle of their meeting to go the a sacrament meeting. There were almost more presidents than members there hahaha. My companion and I did some house checks in Tulancingo while president finished his meeting. We came back to the chapel, and they invited us to have lunch with them! I did not feel worthy to enter and eat with all of them haha. At first we just listened and ate in silence but then they included us in the conversation and it was super fun! I probably wont have another lunch like that again anytime soon. After that, we headed the HUAUCHI and xico for their inverviews! It was soooo fun to see the area again! It was raining pretty hard and there was fog but I could still see everything. We went back to the LZ house in huauchi where I was and it was nice to grab a few things that I accidently left in the house haha.

The rest of the interviews were done here in Pachuca in the offices. While President was doing that, my comp and I went with Hermana Maldonado for the house checks. Let me tell you, Hermana Maldonado is the funniest person on the planet. She is so savage and sarcastic and just the classic Mexican mom. we are basically are kids which means she has the right to reprove us and get mad at us haha. She always calls us "triste guero" which is technically means "sad white boy" but its used as "stupid white boy" just not as strong of a word as stupid haha. She does it all lovingly I promise, thats just how she is and we love her, its so funny haha.

On thursday, we had to go to Mexico City to drop off another Elder at the aiport but this time it was super complicated. I was the one who took him through immigration and it turns out that his green card was delivered to the church like 4 days prior and they hadnt let us know. So long story short, they wouldnt let him pass without it so the people who work for the visa department in mexico for the church told us to run over to the other terminal which is like 15 minutes away to fill a form that said he lost the green card so that they'd let us pass. President dropped us off while he found parking and we sprinted to the place. It was a miracle we got there because we had no idea where we were going, we always go to a different terminal. There were some other small complications and they had to make a special exception to accept his luggage so late but he made the flight!! I think if we got him there 5 minutes later, he wouldve lost it. Crazy stuff! Our visa people need to be more on top of the game, President was a little frustrated.

In the airport, I had the best gringa Ive ever tried in my life. A gringa is like a quesadilla kinda but with carne al pastor, pineapple and other stuff but holy crap it was amazing. Then we went to President favorite tacos again in the centro and then we went to costco again! This time I bouth rice krispy treats and baby carrots haha they hardly give us carrots here so I was craving them. When we had bought everything, Hermana Maldonado went back in to buy mango smoothies and other stuff for everyone. She made a bet that my comp and President had already put everything in the car but I said that they were still waiting outside for us. I won the bet, and she owed me a carls jr shake. My comp owed her one though from a previous bet though so I kind of just leveled the game out.

Yesterday we almost finalized the cambios. There are 20 new missionaries coming on monday so its been a lot of work especially with all the new houses and stuff we had to buy all week. But everything is in place now we're just waiting for presidents confirmation to let the mission know their changes. Its super cool to be a part of the transfers. He asks us stuff, we suggest him stuff, but he obviously makes the final decision. I'm about to enter into my last transfer as assistant! Next transfer we are going to focus a LOT more on doing exchanges and more training with specific companionships. Im excited!

Last night, finishing the changes and like 10:30 pm, you could just see the fatigue in Presidents eyes. He's probably been getting like 5 hours of sleep average and with dozens and dozens of interviews and challenges. I look up the man. He's working so hard, he cares so much about the missionaries. It gives me more of a glimpse of how the modern day apostles and prophet work for us. Its such a blessing to have the restored gospel with such great men to lead it.

Elder Millard

More Costco Purchases...I was craving carrots!