Happy 21st Birthday Elder Millet

All is good in Zapandu. The week was good and we have started to see some progress in a few investigators. If all goes really well this week there will be a baptism on Saturday or Sunday. This week we had a multi zone conference and President Leyva came and spoke with us. It was a really good experience and we learned a lot. Yesterday one of the 70s came and spoke to us in our Stake conference. The talks were mostly based on tithing, temple attendance, and topics that can help us as members have a more firm foundation in the gospel. I feel really old. There are missionaries here that are 18, my companion is 19, and here I am between the old, balding ones. This week we had a conference with President Leyva for all the distict and zone leaders. All of the areas from this part of Oaxaca (which is commonly known here as the istmo, which I think means skinny part of land between the water) came and we learned and ate together. Right now I am in an area called Zapandu (which is a barrio, or ward). It is in a city called Juchitan, one of the more well known cities in Oaxaca. It is full of traditions and culture. Today we passed through the market and all the old ladies have very distinct voices for selling their products (tortillas, bananas, iguanas, really whatever you need...) They scream in a really high pitched, piercing cry. I guess its a good technique to get peoples attention. The rains started coming this week. On friday we were walking in water past the knees. I took a picture and will attach it. When it is raining, it is cooler, but after it rains it gets really hot here. Our house here is made of concrete, as most houses are here. Although really old - we do have 2 couches in the house. Its one of the few houses with couches in the mission. Its a good house and covers all of our needs. The shower is that little hole in the wall. Supposedly there was a missionary here who had some anger problems and pulled the shower head off. But, the hole works well haha. My clothes are starting to show a little wear. The collars in the shirts are wearing down, the belt loops on my pants are wearing down, and my belt is getting a little worn. My shoes are pretty worn out, but I only use them on Sundays. I wear my boots most of the time, and they show almost no wear. The ward here is really awesome. In his time apart from being a private school principal, we always see the bishop out doing visits. And although few, there are other members like him that really get to work. There are about 50-60 strong members, and the majority of them work really well, even if we need to pull them a little. I plan to teach my kids spanish, it would be really helpful if they could learn from a young age. I feel very blessed to be on a mission, serving the Lord. I love spanish, I love Oaxaca (the food, people, culture, not so much the weather...), I love being a missionary and being able to learn more every day. I am very grateful for the gift of agency, and the power to act. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and and know that it has been restored through a modern day prophet, Joseph Smith. Thomas Monson is a prophet of God. The Liahona just got here with all the conference talks and I am excited to go back over them. Those that speak are so inspired and I feel so much peace while listening to and reading their words. Les amo a todos. Gracias por todo lo que hacen. Cuidense mucho! Sean seguros, y como papa diria, usen buen