July 9, 2015 - Week 2

Familia,

Well we are now on week 3, crazy how fast time flies, huh?? So that is really awesome that you guys are in Seattle this week, Elder Shipley said to take care of it for him while you're there. I love to see all the pictures you guys send so send me all that you post on insta or any cool ones that you have or whatever. And that goes for like the duration of my mission not just for this weekend, haha. It is nice to see what's going on.

So anyways, this week was pretty solid. Each day I think we are settling in more and more and that is a nice feeling. We leave for Obregon on August 3 so that is coming up fast. This morning we got to get up at 6 am and go into downtown Mexico City to get our permanent visas from the immigration office. It was so sweet to get out and see people of Mexico and see the city because at the CCM we are pretty much in America. Like they have this place gated up and it's pretty high security. It is so fun and crazy to drive around the city, it is so crazy. A lot of the parts remind me of NYC and a lot remind me of LA (like the ghetto part) because it is soo big. It took us 3.5 hours in travel time to get from the Northeast part of the city where the CCM is to get to immigration in the central part. It was fun though, I'll send pics of it. There is absolutely zero observance of traffic laws. Or maybe they just don't exist I don't know. But it was really fun nonetheless. It is just a different world that is hard to do justice with my words.

So this past week we have been teaching a lot. It's all in Spanish and I am pretty good at the teaching lingo and I love to teach new people because we get to talk to them on a personal level and get to know them. The Mexican people are so nice. A lot of people here served their missions in Hermosillo o Culican and they tell me about Obregon. Here´s the typical responses: It's very very hot. Like can get up to 130° more or less. The food is very good, they are apparently famous for their hot dogs. And the people are nice. So I guess that's pretty positive, I could really be just fine with like 40 degrees cooler but I'll take it, haha. So Like I said, when I teach or talk to the teachers here I feel like my Spanish is pretty functional and I feel really good. Then I will ocassionally hear a non-teacher latino and I realize that I cannot really communicate that well. Like it is very hard to hear what they say correctly because it´s so fast and it is totally spontaneous. On Sunday we got to watch the Testaments with the MTC and it was so nice. Like any time we get to watch The District or any sort of video it is such a blessing, haha. And for the 4th of July they did a really cool lunch for us. It was burgers, chicken, apple pie, and lemonade. It was super good. Our last meal before fast Sunday, haha. It was weird to think on the 3rd of July before I went to bed about how I won't be getting up at like 8:30 AM and having a brunch and celebrating Lauren's bday (by the way Happy belated BDay Laur!!) with strawberries bananas and blueberries depicting the American flag. And oh how I miss America, haha. We all wore red white and blue on Saturday and sang The Star Spangled Banner, it was really cool. I definitely have a much greater appreciation for the greatest nation on earth. Like unreal. But I love Mexico a lot too, it is such a great place but in a much different, less sanitary, more corrupt way.

I have given talks both weeks in Spanish in my branch here. Well this week it was a testimony, but still. The Calls actually attended my branch this week, which was kinda random but cool haha. And I'm elated to hear that the Lakers are IMPROVING. Dangelo Russell, Kobe, Lou Will, Hibbert, Randle, and I hope we get Jimmy Butler to round out our roster. Anyways that was completely random.

I miss you all and pray for each of you individually all the time, and we pray a ton here so don't take that lightly haha. I remember 7 years ago on a Sunday morning before I received the Aaronic preisthood Dad called me in and read D&C Section 13 where Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the keys of the Aaronic priesthood and Section 80 something I think about the Oath and Covenant. But I am just so glad that I have a dad who would do that for me. I also want to share a scripture with you all. Matthew 7:7-11. It us when Jesus is teaching and it is about prayer but I thought specifically about verse 11 where it talks about if the carnal man can give great gifts, how much greater of gifts our Heavenly Father can give to us. With today being my first birthday out in the field, it just reminded me that no gift I've ever received can even hold a candle to the gift of you guys, my family, my loved ones, and the guidance the gospel gives me in all aspects of life. Yo sé que por medio la expacion de jesucristo, podemos ser limpios y liberados de nuestros pecados y podemos vivr in la  presenicia de dios y jesucriso con nuestras familias para siempre. Y sé que el libro de mormon y esta iglesia son verdaderos.

I love you all lots and I will talk to you in a week.

Les amo mucho y mucho 

Elder Stockard  

PS Tell everyone I'm sorry for not getting back to them, I didn't have a ton of time!!