Last Day In Old Mexico

Greetings Elder Joe!

Well, tomorrow is a big day, but I’m sure that I don’t have to tell you that. I wonder if you’ll even see this before you have to turn your MTC phone in. By the time I’m starting this note, you should technically be going to bed. How freaking exciting. I’m glad you got to experience a little bit of Mexico, a little bit of what Jacob saw, a little bit of my parents missions, both the missions of their youth and the temple mission later in their lives. You will only know your own experience, but you’re mind’s eye will be well informed when you think about them.

I’m guessing you’re bags are packed ready to go, I’m guessing there are still elders scrambling around, I’m guessing there’s a lot of restless energy that will make a short night even shorter. These are fun experiences for you guys. These are experiences I don’t envy. What I do envy is the sense of anticipation that comes before one of life’s great adventures. I think that’s the stuff of life that defines what living is. Yup, I hope I have more of those experiences in my future.

I can picture the early morning wake up and buzz in the morning, I can remember my ride from the MTC to the airport on I-15. In those days most of the space between Orem and sandy was open with just small clusters of buildings every once in a while as you passed Lindon, and Draper. I remember finding East High School up on the foothills and mentally retracing the path to my house. By then though, I was over any homesickness I had, and I was excited to get to the field. My family and friends were able to meet me at the airport, and to make it even more weird, they could come all the way to the boarding gate past security. I was happy to see and visit with them and I felt something of a departing hero, as undeserving as that feeling was.

We had a layover in Chicago, but I can’t remember if it was long like yours. When we landed in Montreal it was the language and humidity that made the biggest impression. I remember the first night stay in the mission home, but only in glimpses. I do remember the pairing up ceremony with our trainers. The most memorable thing I remember is the three hour drive to Quebec City, it was really beautiful, and different enough to remind me that I was in Canada. We had to stop by the sisters apartment on the way to ours because the stores there closed at six and and I needed to borrow a blanket. That was the scratchiest blanket I’ve ever seen. The cool part was that we had to go through Old Quebec City to get from their apartment to ours. By then it was early evening, golden hour with the sun going down. It was so beautiful, as far as I knew I could have been in old Paris or somewhere in Italy. That picture is solid in my mind.

The other thing we did is stopped to tract till 9. My comp made me do the first door approach. Sounds came out of my mouth, but not words and man did I feel useless. I can confidently say though it only got better from there, there was literally no way I could get worse. We got up the next morning, I expected to feel lost and disoriented, which I did, but what I mostly felt was happy and excited and that kinda shocked me. 

Enough about those ancient days. Things here are normal. Work is kinda busy. Your brothers are done with the semester. It hasn’t snowed for a while. I’ve started walking in the morning and I’m really enjoying it. This time of year I have the trail to myself and I don’t have to be social.

I’m back on the projector cabinet. I just have to mount the cross brace panel, figure out the mounting of the top and how it’s supposed to fold open. Then finish and final assembly. I really like working with that plywood I bought. I may finish it to go with the blue table down there.

Well my fine boy. I’ll be tracking your flight tomorrow and watching my comms In case you can email, message, or call. Love you kid!

Pops 

P.S. three random pictures, sunrise on my walk, a dead frozen weed on the trail, and mom adding final seasoning to her pasta dinner.. Oh, and uncle Tim looking uncommonly handsome.