Vaquero Por un Dia

Hola Familia,

This week was both a hard week and a fun week. Thursday, the day I was looking forward to most, ended up being a big flop because we had to run from one pueblo to another and waste a ton of money. This week was also a fun one because I got to attend the birthday fiesta of Mi Amor (three-year-old Giovana), have a lengthy conversation with a lawyer about baptism, and be a vaquero por un dìa.

Giovana and her brother, Javier (who turned five), held a big fiesta to celebrate their birthdays. Of course I couldn't miss out on attending the biggest bash in the Tres de Mayo community all year. There were Spiderman and princess piñatas, lots of jello (popular dessert here), balloons, and very annoying loud whistle toys blown by twenty three wired up children. Madhouse. Mi Amor looked elegant in her Tinkerbell attire and she assured me at the beginning (with a big-eyed nod) that she could fly with her wings. I love Mexican parties.

Sunday evening we sat down in the home of investigator E___ to chat with his dad about E____'s baptism. His family, like the rest of Alpuyeca, is related to some other people we know, namely, the family we rent from (and this family has a child that was baptized and served a mission). Over a bowl of caldo [soup] (I got the neck nerve meat from a cow or pig, I don't remember, but it was like rubber string cheese that you can't chew), E___'s father, a lawyer, told us that he respected his child's decision to be baptized but wondered why we had rushed things. I knew E. Anderson wouldn't know what to say (I remembered being in those seemingly impossible situations where you don't know how to respond when I was companions with E. Blair) so it was up to me to reply. I told him the things that came to my mind. I explained to him that Eric has taken the initiative to know the church and its doctrine. I explained the interview process before the baptism and the parent signature. Apparently my response was sufficient because he asked where to sign the paper consenting to his son's baptism. Speaking of E____, he is boss. He has already told people he is Mormon even though he hasn't been baptized yet. He is also inviting people to come listen to us. Woo!

Today we went at six in the morning to a pueblo called ''Los Idolos'' near Tilzapotla (which is south of Tehuixtla--yes, I know none of these place names mean anything to anyone but me, but aren't they cool?). We were vaqueros por un dìa [cowboys for a day] with J_____ (our convert) and his dad, the owner of the rancho. We milked cows, watched a cowboy stick his arm into the uterus of a cow and pull out the placenta, met a crazy bull, attempted to lasso cows, and wore sombreros. Misael, J_____'s father, invited us to the pueblo of Tepetzingo's party next Monday where we will watch his crazy bull try to kill some crazy people. I think we may go.

Misael is the rough cowboy type that drinks moonshine and swears every other word. E. Anderson commented to me, ''I can understand normal conversations, but cowboy talk is so confusing.'' I told him it was because it was all swear words, and then laughed because I thought it was funny. E. Anderson also said that milking a cow is like pulling on an old person's face. I got a kick out of that description. Misael has had quite a bit of contact with the church and has told us he is interested, but content with his life. I don't think he wants to give up the tequila. He is a cool guy and would be even cooler if he decided to be baptized.

Life is always interesting and different in Mexico. I love this place and plan on coming back one day. Yes, it is dangerous and the evils of the world are more prevalent here than any other place I have been to in my life, but I love it. I love the people, and my heart is attached to Alpuyeca. I love how people have enough time to stop on the street and chat with you for a few minutes. I love how one is always welcome into the home of a friend. ''Mi casa es su casa'' is interpreted very literally here.

I think it is about time we baptize A____, E____, and A____; it is just a matter of A_____ giving us the time of day to perform the service. We are gunning for 6 baptisms this month and it looks like it is going to be a close one.

Con amor,

Elder Bosque


Elder Anderson and me at Mi Amor's fiesta


El rancho


Elder Anderson milking a cow