Casa of Death

Excerpts from Elder Turnbulls Email dated Thurs Jan 22. ” ¡hola!

This week has been the week of the walking dead. Friday-saturday half my district got sick with strep throat. They were down and out for a good 2-3 days. It was horrible. Then after they started to get better…The other half got a flu virus (me included) It was nasty cause our casa smelt like DEATH. 4 sick people with one bathroom.
Not only that, as we recovered , we found out half of our zone also had the flu.

<District would be a class and Zone would be everyone in your grade>

I feel fine now but ya it was horrible cause i wasn´t able to go to class. One of the healthy Elders in my district gave me a blessing and it really helped and I got over it after a day. I feel bad for my companions though cause they got hit hard with sickness. But at least when you are sick you have alot more time to study the scriptures!

Classes are really nice here. I´m learning alot and my spanish and teaching skills are getting better. I really hope i can be well versed in spanish to be able to communicate a little bit with the people in my mission. We are learning alot about grammar and also how to teach from Preach my Gospel. I find it so helpful! Really glad we don´t have to memorize all the lessons like they did before.

I still can´t believe I only have 12 more days here and then I´m off to my mission! Holy cow! It feels like time is going really fast and then really slow at the same time. But i can´t wait to go out and help people on my mission. oh which reminds me I met 2 Latin-missionaries going to my mission! Elder Perez and Elder Florez. They´re really nice. I haven´t been able to talk to much with them but they say the food outside is way better then it is in the CCM. I can´t wait to try it! Now that I feel better.

I´m finding praying here is honestly really helping. I´ve been able to do things I didn´t think i could do and it just feels great. I love being on my mission and even though i know it´s going to be hard ; I will charge straight at it will zeal and courage! Obviously there are things I still need to work on but I know that the Lord will strengthen me!

This morning Elder Ybañez and Elder Gibson and I went out to Mexico city for our residency cards so we can stay in Mexico.

Mexico city is so nice. They have a Scotiabank here in Mexico! I found that so cool.

but wow Mexico city is so great. We went through the richer areas and the central park and it´s really beautiful. I can´t remember what it´s called but we went to this official government building where I’m assuming where they take care of immigration and such. There were people from all over there. I saw someone holding a Japanese passport which i thought was cool. (really wish i could speak it but that´ll have to wait until after my mission.)

The ride to and from was a long time because traffic is sooo crazy here! but it was obvious when we started getting into the nicer neighbourhoods. Which is sad.

Just wow so many people here! I feel really grateful for the greenery and space we have back home in Canada. So many people that deserve better but they still manage to be happy, it just makes me feel really grateful for what i have back home.

Our MTC/CCM President was released on tuesday and went back home. I loved President and Hermana Pratt. Apparently he gave a talk during general conference and in a descendant of Parley P. Pratt. They´re farewell talks were really nice and apparently they have been serving as mission presidents, MTC presidents, Area of 70 and other such me callings almost all their lives. I think it would be cool to be an MTC president.

and ya it´s been nice being the zone leader, we got some new missionaries last night but I haven´t met them yet. I love our zone though it´s the best. We get along really well. My district played volleyball against the other district in our zone and it was alot of fun. We totally beat them -just wanted to say.

I only get 1 hour of computer time here at the CCM so ya it´s hard to give more detail & write everyone sometimes. Tell everyone I am sorry about that. Ahhh exams…I do not miss those! but tell Laura good luck and oh sounds like fun!

I totally forgot it´s actually winter! the weather is so nice here!

Hopefully soon I will be able to help those here in my mission. I miss you and everyone else! Hope you are all doing great and will have a great week!

Love: Elder Turnbull!”