June 1, 2021

 Hi again!

(Insert comment about how fast time is going by here)

First and most importantly, we had an amazing baptism on Saturday; Hugo and Patricia are now members of the church, and we couldn't be happier for them! It was such a special experience, and you could just see the happiness radiating from them as they left the water. The Spirit was so powerful in that room. I can only imagine how they must have felt. It's something I think we tend to forget, those of us who are born into the church. We're kind of used to feeling the Spirit, what with going to Sacrament Meeting every Sunday, opportunities to serve in our communities and in the temple, we get quite accustomed to having the spirit with us. But just think for a moment about the people in the world who haven't had that experience. This is the most powerfully they have felt the influence of the Spirit in their entire lives! It's a testament to me, how important it is to strive to be worthy of always having the Spirit to be with us. 

I've always been pretty great with words, but if it was just me speaking, nobody would actually listen. It is only through our efforts, combined with the Spirit, that the work of the Lord can progress. Hence, my challenge to all of you: Take a few moments in the morning to say a prayer, and ask that you may be more receptive and open to the Spirit, and that you will be able to recognize and act on the impressions you receive. I know that when we are making a consistent, conscious effort to invite the Spirit into our hearts, we will be blessed with increased capacity in everything that we are doing during the day, from the important to the mundane. It is more than worth it, I promise.

=÷= Food Section =÷=

That's right, it's time for that part! This week had no shortage of amazing food. I decided to master making omlettes, and since eggs are cheap here, it's a great way to have a cheap, easy to make breakfast! The best part is, they're super variable, you can add pretty much whatever you like, cheese, onions, ham, chicken, steak, potatoes, all sorts! Plus, there's always plenty of hot sauce down here, if that's your thing.

Speaking of hot, I had probably the spiciest food I've ever tasted this week. We made Chilaquiles, which are... sort of like nachos? If nachos actually tasted, you know, good, and had a sauce with apparently not one, not two, but three whole jalapeños? Yeah, so I loved it, but my mouth did not appreciate me. Fortunately, we have Horchata, the ultimate weapon against spice. Good times.

Moving on from food, I'd like to wrap up with a few quick stories. First up, an Elder in our district, Elder Jarvis, had a birthday this week. So of course, we went out for tacos, which were delicious. Campechanos are quickly becoming a favorite of mine. They're a mix of Pastor and Chorizo, and they're delicious. Definitely would recommend. 

Actually moving on from food (yeah, my bad), we met the coolest guy the other night! On the way home from tacos, we bumped into someone who had been referred to us, but was actually already a member before the pandemic. His name is Victor, he's 16, and he's an absolute legend. He can skateboard, beatbox, speak English and at least some Japanese, and do card magic. Yeah. He's awesome. And he's in our ward, so we get dibs! ;) 

In other news, the Mexcio City temple has moved to Phase 2! That's all live ordinances, which means a lot of recent converts will be able to start attending soon! Very exciting opportunity, and it looks like things will only keep improving from here! Fingers crossed, maybe soon we'll actually be able to eat with members again or something! I know, crazy, but you can't blame a guy for hoping. :P

According to my word counter, this is now long enough to be entertaining, but not boring, so I'll call it there before I overstay my welcome. I'll be here next week!

- Elder Blankenbiller 

Photos:
1: A cool restaurant made out of a plane 
2: Omlettes and pancakes with Horchata
3: Birthday tacos for Elder Jarvis
4: Baptism of Hugo and Patricia