2nd Area

I had transfers Monday and I am now serving in the Barrio Chappingo (Chappingo Ward). My area is enormous! I am the district leader of four companionships, but the distance of my district is so huge that I still haven't met my elders in person. My companion is from Torreon Coahuila and his name is Elder Hernandez. He also doesn't speak any English and we have been on our missions for the same time. 

You would not believe how big my area is (22 Miles long). I think I went from the smallest area to the biggest in the mission (new and old areas outlined in yellow. Tanner’s new area is ⅓ of the whole mission area. The Red outlines are the Missions in Mexico City).

It’s pretty funny because my first day we went to work and I asked my companion a little about the boundaries. He said, ¨Look where ever you want, to the mountains and everything, that is all yours and more. Just go where you want and baptize because it is all your area.´´
On Thursday we walked for an hour to eat dinner with members, and then we walked an hour back to where there are actually people to teach. We wasted three hours just for food, but we did get to know each other pretty well. My comp has a horrible memory so he doesn't remember anybody he has met, or any of the little pueblos (towns) in our area. We are doing a lot of asking around but in one week I've gotten to know the area pretty well. (Actually only 5% OF THE AREA BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN THE OTHER 95%!)

We spend most of our day either walking or in a combi (a combi is a little van that does circles in a route) and we take these to go to little pueblos or towns in the mountains. I love it here! I can go where ever I want in the mountains to look for people to teach,... but its also very expensive to pay for all of the combi rides. We are also learning how to work with strategy. We can’t just plan lessons wherever we want because it’s an hour to each pueblo, so we work in one little city or two each day depending on where we are going to eat that day.

The area is super cool because there are springs of water in the mountains and a lot of history about the king of the Texcocans, Nezahualcoyotl. When I get home I can tell you all about who he is.

Mt Tlalok

The streets are almost all cobblestone, resembling little walkways in the mountains. However, there is also a huge plaza three blocks from my house with McDonalds and Walmart. The only problem is that we are super pobre (poor) because we use all of our money in the combis.

This week I will take some pictures and send them to you so you can see where I am living right now. It is awesome. In this ward they are strong and the converts are awesome and there is even an active ward mission leader so I am excited to work here.

Love,

Elder Shumway