Elder Thompson: Veracruz, Mexico/ Bakersfield, California Missions: week 1: solo for a day

Elder Cox and I at the CCM

Week 1

A lot happened this week. I got here Tuesday night and got settled into my room. My roommate was Elder Stevenson from Cedar Hills. He graduated from Lone Peak this year. We had a devotional on Joseph Smith and we watched the Joseph Smith Movie. My companion, Elder Rigby, still hadn't arrived when we went to bed. The next morning Elder Stevenson's companion arrived. After breakfast I found out that my companion didn't get his Visa in time and so he was transferred to the Provo MTC. I got put with Elder Cox because he had the same thing happen with his companion. He is from Sacramento and going to Oaxaca. So Wednesday, I got to move rooms after unpacking my stuff which was fun.

Wednesday night my companion got assigned to be district leader. My new two roommates are Elder Miskho and Elder Bailey. Elder Bailey is from Indiana and is going to a mission in Mexico north of Mexico City. Elder Miskho is from Arizona and going to Veracruz too. I also found out the shower flooded in my new room, so needless to say, we took very fast showers! But we got it fixed so all good now. The other Elder's in my District are Elder Stevenson and Elder Heiner, my old roommates, and the Hermanas in my District are Hermana Noel, Hermana Parker, Hermana Brough, and Hermana Johnson.

I have a two different teachers, Hermano Munguia and Hermana Resendiz. Hermano Munguia went to another part Mexico for his mission and is super awesome. He's a really great teacher. My other teacher, Hermana Resendiz, went to Uruguay. She doesn't speak much English so it really pushes us all to learn.

I've been really busy with class and I've been learning a ton. I miss all of you, and I hope you're all doing well.

List of Cool/Funny things

1. Hermano Munguia got hit by car while riding his skateboard and still came to class the next day.

2. There are a ton of fireworks that go off here and at first we thought they were gun shots.

3. We heard actual gunshots Saturday night.

4. On the fourth of July we sang "The Star-Spangled Banner "and "America, the Beautiful" before class.

5. We saw a bird fly into a building and when we tried to scare it out, it flew into a classroom and we left it there.

-Elder Thompson

Bits and pieces from family phone call:

I'm now in district 14E.

I saw Hermana Hopkins from my home ward. She gave me a bag of popcorn which was so nice. The other elders commented that popcorn is hard to get and is kind of like a drug at the CCM, so they have now seen their first drug deal.

I'll be here 6 weeks, so my departing date to Veracruz is August 5th.