We were able to wash the cage where the bishop keeps his dogs, then bathe the dogs. They're two very friendly pit bulls who are huggers and pee A LOT. So there was definitely some work to be done in that cage and I by the time we were done bathing them, we were about as wet as they were. But we definitely enjoyed 45 minutes out of our proselyting clothes and we've been re-invited into ward council. I would call that a WIN WIN.
We spent the day on Thursday in a city about an hour from Chilpancingo called Iguala. Iguala is super hot and EVEN MORE boring than Chilpancingo. But it was great because we had a Multi-Zone Conference with Presidente Avila. It was fun to see some missionaries I knew in Acapulco that are serving in the Iguala zone and it's always great to hear what Presidente and Hermana Avila have to say.
After the conference, they feed us, which is always awesome. They put a more mild salsa on the food for the white kids that don't eat spicy, and then chile on the side for those who like to eat spicy. So Elder Guerrero and I were talking to Hermana Brinton, an hermana from Utah, and we were talking about how when we first got to the mission, we didn't eat anything spicy, but as time goes on you get more accustomed to eating chile. Well at some point, Hermana Brinton said, "Hey Elder Guerrero, what would you give me if I eat this chile whole?" Elder Guerrero responded, "Medio kilo of tacos al pastor." And before he even finished the sentence she had that chile in her mouth. She was spitting fire for like the next hour. But Hermana Brinton wants you all to know that there are no regrets. Smart people do dumb things for the sake of a medio kilo of tacos al pastor. It's worth it.
A few weeks ago, we were informed that we are in charge of overseeing the missionary work in Barrio Chichihualco, a ward in the Chilpancingo stake that doesn't have missionaries at the moment. So on Friday, a very insistent bishop of the ward convinced us to go to Chichihualco for the day, because of all the work they have for us to do there. We took the combi through the old, bumpy, super curvy mountain pass, along with 13 other people who I can only hope were planning on bathing upon their arrival to Chichihualco. We arrived to receive a disappointing, lukewarm welcome. We met the ward mission leader, who informed us that there isn't work for us, then we visited an investigator who doesn't want the missionaries passing by her flower shop, then we got back on the combi to return to Chilpancingo. Where is the love?
Today, we made a trip to the Chilpancingo Mercado. The mercado is chaos. Sometimes it smells like somebody put too much cilantro on your burrito, sometimes it smells like feet. It always sounds like everybody hates Donald Trump and never would any of those shops pass a health inspection. But there's a dude who gives free smoothies to missionaries and it's ALWAYS worth the trip.
PICTURES
1) Hotel Las Vegas in Iguala.
2) I found a tree and I liked it.
3) El Distrito (minus the hermanas from Centro. They went to Cuernavaca and missed picture day.)
4) Bus station selfie.
Well, folks, that's a wrap. I hope everyone has a great week! I love all y'all!
-Elder Tyler Steven Aldrich
