Week 2: Learning differences in culture and mighty miracles

Hola everyone!

This week has gone by quickly, mas o menos. It kinda does that when you have every minute of everyday planned out! First off, i want to tell you about some things that've happened in the last two weeks:

1. Apparently it's not okay to do the whole rhythmic door knocking thing we Americans do, in Mexico. Elders Chase and Stevens found that out the hard way! haha Elder Nielson and I had a good laugh! Incidentally, we started noticing that when a Mexican driver is mad, theyll honk "shave and a haircut"

2. Blowing stuff up in the middle of the 2nd largest city in the world is considered bad form in America. No one bats an eye in Mexico. We don't think it harms anything, but it goes on from one spot to the north of us at random times, usually daily. BOOM! Then smoke rolls out from the hillside. Normal. 

3. It was La Dia de Independencia por Mexico last week. There was a really cool show that happened in the auditorium. They brought everyone in and had this dancing group come in and do traditional Mayan dances that were SO COOL! They also danced some more modern Mexican stuff to a live Mariache band. 

4. Our Maestro Villalobos, which means Wolf Town in english, has become a legend in our district. We make so many Wolftown jokes, which are similar to Chuck Norris jokes, only He's a 25 year old son of a seventy!

5. A bit about our district: 

Elder Tracy: Very funny, sometimes a bit over the top, invented the spanish verb "Kobir" which means "to sink a shot into the trash can across the room with a yogurt botttle."

Elder Watts: has a pilots license. Pretty good at Spanish.

Elder Blair: Speaks fluent French, can do every accent imaginable flawlessly. Enjoys saying weird things to our teachers in Spanish. Amazing testimony!

I'm out of time, I would like to tell you more, but Ive got to go to the temple here in a bit. Before I go, I'll leave you with this:

Si leemos El Libro de Mormon, y si oremos cada noche, puedemos ser la verdad de los todos cosas!

Nos Vemos!

Love you all!

Elder J. Lewis

P.S: If you want to tell me something during the week, look up missionary package mexico. it's The best way to send things to me!

The following is an excerpt of what Elder Lewis sent me in my personal correspondence with him. I thought it was a great example of the miracles that come with devotion to the Lord.

Our Savior is so merciful, and all He asks is that we let Him help us. I'm learning that lesson more and more, bit by bit everyday. That makes me so happy! God is wonderful! I know that miracles happen. There was a kid here at the CCM that was hanging on a soccer goal and it tipped over and crushed his face. Bad. He had to undergo some very complicated procedures last week and He is back on his feet being a missionary this week. Crazy what happens when you have 1000 missionaries praying for you, and you have faith. I saw him this week, and it is a sight that I won't soon forget. he has stiches going every which way on his face, and it looks like he should be in the ICU, but there he is.

this excerpt was from a letter he sent Rebekah

There are all of the usual sports we have in the U.S here! They have basketball courts, tennis, volleyball, soccer, a track, ping pong, a gym, and basically anything you want! We aren't allowed to play american football or rugby though, because they are a bit dangerous! Soccer here is called Futbol. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day here. We have usually have a good mix of mexican and kind of american food here:) There are some really cool flowers, I'll try to send pictures next week! We drink lots of water, but there's also lot's of fresh juice! I'm kind of getting addicted to pomegranite juice! Yum:) I think the gospel is awesome too:) in spanish its called "'El Evangelio"'  Love you Boo! Keep asking questions, I love answering them! I'll try to send you a picture of a parrot:)

To the family members who sent him a letter in his luggage: 

To all those that wrote letters to me that I found in my carry on. 

I wanted to write a hand written letter for this, but knowing that it would take quite some time to reach you, I'm going to tell you now. THANK YOU! Those letters literally have seen me through some really rough days. When I found them the first night, I couldn't stop the tears that came. The advice and encouragement was so what I needed. I want to thank you all individually, but time does not permit. Thank you, you don't know how much it meant to me.

Muchisimo Amor,
Elder J. Lewis