Month 2 Done - What time is your name?

Hey everyone!

First off sorry I didn't write last week it was the 16th of September which is independence day here so everything was closed!

I guess tomorrow is my two month mark out on my mission and today is three weeks in Mexico. These past two weeks have been so much better! I can understand everything and I've gotten over my fear of speaking to people! Let me tell ya when you understand what people are saying and can actually respond its so much better!! 

My area is called Hidalgo B. I like it a lot, there is just quite a few differences between here and the states! Like first off the police. The police here drive around in trucks all painted in camo and theres like 4 or 5 sitting in the back all in full SWAT gear carrying fully automatic assault rifles. So basically every time they drive past me I try not to feel like they'll hit a bump and accidentally shoot me. We ate at a members house that is one of the police officers and found out that in spanish handcuffs are called esposas or in English wife!! That basically made my day. Another thing are the taxis they have little green death defying taxis here. Whenever Im in one my knuckles are basically white the whole time. They weave in between semi trucks like they were born doing it. After taking a taxi anywhere I don't feel so bad about walking anymore. Yesterday was the first day that I didn't rain here. That is 26 days of straight rain! I never thought that I would ever love an umbrella but that thing has a special place in my heart. 

Among some of the biggest attractions here is the Bull fighting arena and the Tigers Stadium. Everyone here is either a die hard tiger fan or a die hard rayados fan. Its a little scary when you see someone wearing a tiger jersey and someone wearing a rayados jersey walk past each other on the street. As for me I try to keep my distance. Because me and my companion are both so white, people are always shouting out English at us as they drive by or walk past us. One of our favorite things to hear is What time is your name? I usually tell them about 2:45 but it depends on the day. They love calling us guero or white kid so we get that quite often. 

Luckily here people dont eat too much hot food but I make sure and ask before every meal. Whenever they ask why I tell them that when I eat hot food my hair catches fire and thats why its red. I havent had any food so far that I havent liked. Just lots and lots of tortillas! They literally give them to us every meal and a lot of the time I dont even know how Im supposed to eat them with the food! 

Some people are wondering if Im still sleepwalking and yes yes I am. Just about every night. And its getting worse and worse. Last night I woke my companion up and told him in Spanish that we were late to a lesson. He asked me if I was sleep walking and I told him na man this is for real Its time to preach the gospel. Luckily my comp is patient with me but I need to get this under control! 

We got a boiler today! No more cold water! It came just in time for winter so basically 1 times better than Christmas, But now that I say that Ill probably end up being transferred to a place that doesnt have hot water just before Christmas. 

This Thursday I went on divisions with Elder Wells. He is a redhead as well. So probably the only two red hair people in Mexico were companions for a day. If I thought I stuck out before you wouldn't believe how much we stuck out Thursday! It was really nice to have a break from my companion for a day.

On Wednesday we played basketball with all the young men and ONLY in Mexico would I be the star player! They were all asking me if Im going to play in college and stuff when I get back..... I may have stretched the truth and told them that Im probably playing for the Jazz when I get home. I just left out the whole Junior part. 

Love, 

Elder Ahlmer