Catching Up With Time

In case the post title didn't make much sense, it's been a crazy and wonderful week. On Tuesday and Wednesday we taught the Career Workshop to a very small group (9 the first day, 3 the second day). There is something about groups of less than 6 or 7 that makes the group a bit shy about participating... but we love 'em anyway. And this group even had someone who got hired after our first day of workshopping, which is a definite first!

After that first workshop, Taylor and I woke up early Thursday morning and headed off to Mexico City for a temple trip. Remind me next time I go (probably not for a while, because it closes in two weeks) that it takes a lot longer than I was thinking... we left Puebla at 7 in the morning and didn't get back until 9 at night. However, the traveling wasn't too bad and to save money Taylor and I decided to trust his GPS and walk to the temple. The fascinating sights (shaded streets, a huge parks, scooters pulling pedestrian carts) made up for the hour-plus that it took us to make the journey, and the temple was definitely worth it. The big spire was under construction, but it was still enormously beautiful -- inside and out.

Taylor walking ahead of me to the temple. The unusual nature of
maintenance on Mexican streets means that this pole could have
been there for a day or six months, depending on the politics of the street.

Some times in life, you just need to go to the temple. I suppose this was one of them. I was taught, I was healed, and I was strengthened to go forward and do the very best I can -- despite my weaknesses. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. It means everything to me.

We came back from the temple tired but grateful, and Friday we were back in the classroom, this time in a neighboring stake. Our group turned out to be one of the biggest (and best) groups we've taught during our entire stay in the country. For the first time Taylor and I decided to split the group in two, something we'd considered doing after our first couple big groups but hadn't had enough participants to do thereafter. We switched every hour or so, never letting the participants get settled down with one instructor, and enjoyed the different dynamics of the two groups (and the different people who showed up between the two days). There is nothing quite like teaching in this world -- so difficult, but so rewarding when you see progress.

Friday night was marked by our attendance at the local YSA dance! We were hardly the best dancers there (Mexicans know how to dance, and how to party), but we managed to learn a few steps. Taylor has been working a bit on his dancing skills in his spare time with friends, and has made some significant progress. As for me, let's just say a couple of classes would do me good as well. The picture at the right has some killer red-eye (lucky Mexicans don't have to worry about that for some reason!), but shows the general atmosphere. I'm dancing with our good friend Carol Gallardo, and behind me are two gringos (the only two besides me in the whole room). So fun. Though I'm sure a couple of people were wondering how the elders got permission to go dancing until one in the morning...

Saturday I spent the evening with one of my favorite families in Puebla, the Ramirez fam. They are very involved with the youth and young adults, with a few kids right in that age group and an exchange student (Nancy White from BYU-I) staying with them. So I've come to see a lot of them, and decided to attend a BYU Management Society meeting with them in the evening. And then we went out for tacos àrabes in the evening! "Arabic tacoes," translated, though I'm not sure if they're very Arabic. Excellent food though, and better company.

Finally, Sunday was a great experience. We studied one of my favorite chapters in the whole Book of Mormon in Sunday School, Alma 24, and my awesome companion Taylor Fletcher taught the lesson. It was a beautiful reminder of the things I love most about the Book of Mormon. Then right after, I ran to our next ward to give a talk followed by a Sunday School lesson (I'm teaching the "Teaching: No Greater Call" class for five weeks before I go). Such good timing -- though I was as nervous as ever giving the talk, I felt the Spirit so powerfully as I prepared and gave it. I always learn more when I get assigned. And I have the best Sunday School class -- five or six powerhouses every week, plus an incredible manual.

Well, nothing else left for me to do than to say goodbye from my cubicle, high above the city...

Love you all!