Elder Geoffrey Palmer: February 27th, 2012

Looks like Geoffrey's letter this week is answering my (mom's) questions....

To answer your questions:

Dont worry about not having sent a bunch of packages. You have sent more to me than all of my companions have received, and I am truly grateful for all of the things you send me. I LOVED the little water dissolving healthy tablet flavored water things (nuun I think is the brand). And both my companion and I loove the fruit rope things. Also, the lemonade is delicious. Other random things like pictures of Christ, or post-its or pens are also great. If you feel a desire to send white short sleeved shirts, (Van Heuson is my favorite) they would be well received...just like 2-- one for me and one for my companion.

And as far as shoes, I have had to repair the doc martins 3 times. I am wearing some from the army that I bought from an hermano for 250 pesos. Shoes I can buy here.

As far as money goes, I am good right now, they have to reimbolse us a lot, so that is why I am taking out a lot of money (for rent and pasajes, etc.).

My companion is amazing, but he comes from humble circumstances in comparison to the united states, but i think good circumstances for Mexico. If you can send the talk THE FOURTH MISSIONARY in Spanish for him (maybe even by email) that would be awesome! Also, he loooves cooking, so if you have some recipes he would like it. What is the recipe for Texas caviar???

I just threw out a bunch of ideas, don´t feel obligated to fulfill all of them.

Here are a few more questions....

How is your stress level? ...in Xochimilco I focused on developing patience, and that helped me a lot.

How is your Spanish? Do you still work hard on the accent and learning new words?

I could always improve more, but I am doing well...a mexican companion makes a world

of a difference...it is sooo weird for me to talk in english. I am focusing on trying to help

Elder Rios learn English, because he knows very little. he has a year in the mission, and Im

his first gringo.

I am interested to hear if you decided to move or not. We decided to move within the neighborhood we

are in right now, because it is like the crossroads of all the little towns we visit for

another month. we reserved the house in Concordia for, in a month, if they authorize

services in Concordia or something we could move there to a house really nice with

room for the church services in the patio out back.

Can you just leave an apartment easily and go to another or do they have contracts?

Sometimes we make contracts, but it is pretty easy to change whenever.

Any idea what an apartment costs? The normal rent is about 1,500 pesos (116 dolars)...for a

pretty nice house (relatively to the area).

What do you eat for breakfast and lunch..do you eat much with members or not so much in your new area? Honestly, we don´t eat as much in this area...it is a very humble area. But almost always it is

beans, tortilla, rice, and generally chicken. And in this area a bunch of fried fish.

Have you been sick any more like you we're at the beginning, or do you feel pretty healthy?

( This answer is censored-for mom only)

Have you gained or lost weight? I am about the same...just a little "softer" haha.

What do you do for exercise? We play basketball...sometimes a little competitively, but it is way fun.

I am feeling the need for more day to day details can you tell? Ya, I can tell.

I am sending photos of the new house we are moving into...I am really happy too because there is a mango tree full of huge mangoes in the patio. But it is rather small...two rooms...and the bathroom out back.

And that iguana I'm holding...ya. we ate that.

Mom, also, you can just copy some of what I wrote for the blog, because I ran out of time.

Love you like a Mexican loves tortillas,

ELDER PALMER