Week 9 (11/16/2015)

Hello everyone!

I feel like I need to apologize for such a short email last week. There's a lot to say and I neglected to say most of it. Haha!

Piedras Negras is fantastic. It's really weird too just adjusting but I think I'm pretty well settled by now. The appartment we are living in is kind of a dump but It's sufficient for our needs. Our area is pretty big and we walk a lot because we don't get a car and they got rid of bikes in the mission several months ago. My legs are sore most of the time but I think part of that is because Elder Muñoz and I do P90X every morning. I think this is the first time I have consistantly exercised. It's really necessary, though. It gets us ready for the day and all the long walking.

The ward in our area is really big. There are 4 missionaries assigned to it in two different areas. The ward mission leader, relief society president, and the second counselor in the bishopric all live in the apartment below us. They're all one family if that was confusing. They are really nice and they let us use their washing machine for our clothes. They also give us lunch sometimes. The hermanas in the ward sign up for different days to give the elders lunch which is very nice. We usually make our own breakfast and don't eat dinner most days. We simply don't have time for it...If we do it's usually ceral or a sandwich. The food here is really good. Last pday we went shopping which was actually really stressful not only because I had no idea what I was doing with all the Mexican products but we were fasting too...Being in a grocery store during a fast has probably been the hardest thing so far. We will usually have eggs, smoothies (with Elder Muñoz's protein powder), and quesadillas for breakfast. I have a much deeper apreciation for the simplicity and deliciousness of quesadillas now.

Piedras Negras has been really hot up until this Thursday. It started raining on Thursday and it's been fairly mild since. Elder Muñoz isn't used to the cold so he has been freezing the last few days. I think it's not so bad simply because I like the cold much better than the hot. I'm glad I'm starting in the cold part of the year but I think I'm going to die in the summer.

We have had lots of contacts and several good investigators but the only ones that are actualy progressing are named Antonio and Lorena. They would probably be baptized by now except Antonio is trying to get divorced from his previous marriage and then they need to get married...It's kind of a waiting game right now. We also have a family that I really hope progresses because It was one of my contacts and I know that we can help them.

This Sunday I was supposed to give a talk in church and I had it all prepared but Elder Vielma, one of the other missionaries in our ward, gave a really long talk so I'm going to speak next week.

Finally, the bird list.

-House Sparrow -Gorrión Domestico

-White-winged Dove -Paloma Aliblanca

-Rock Dove -Paloma Domestico

-Great-tailed Grackle -Zanate Mayor

-Golden-fronted Woodpecker -Carpintero Frentidorado

-Eurasian Collard Dove -Tórtula Turca

-House Finch -Fringílido Mexicano

-European Starling -Estornino Europeno

-Merlin -Esmerjón

-Great Kiskadee -Bienteveo Grande

-House Wren -Saltapared-continental Norteño

-White-faced Ibis -Ibis Cariblanca

-Common Ground Dove -Tórtola Común

-Inca Dove -Tórtula Colicarga

-Green Parakeet -Perico Verde Mexicano

-Northern Mockingbird -Cenzotle Norteño

-Virginia's Warber -Chipe de Virginia

-Pyrrhuloxia -Cardenal Desértico

-Northern Cardinal -Cardenal Norteño

-Red-tailed Hawk -Augililla Colirroja

I'll do one more week of every bird I see but after that I think I'll limit it to new ones. Also, apparently there are Greater Roadrunners here and I just haven't seen them. I really want to see one of those, Groove-billed Ani, and a Crested Caracara.

I love getting emails from everyone and I try to read them all but I'm going to write the weekly email and my family first from now on. If I don't respond one week please keep emailing because I can usually read everything but don't have time to reply.

Thank you for everything! Also, for packages and letters the address is

 Eulalio Gutierrez #1057

Colina Las Praderas
25295 Saltillo, Coahuila
Mexico

I love you all!

-Elder Steiner