Week 5

 The Big Sleep Over!

The lone Saltillo Missionary in the District

Dear family and friends, 

This will be the last update you receive from me while I stay at the Missionary Training Center here in Mexico City. This coming Monday morning, I will be flying out of the Mexico City airport at 6AM and will land in Saltillo, Mexico, around 8AM. I can't believe how fast the time has gone here at the MTC (CCM). My MTC experience has provided me with ample opportunities to make friends I will have for the rest of my life and grow my testimony in ways I never imagined possible. 

This week, the director of all international MTC's came and visited and gave an incredible talk! He spoke all about the motivation of true missionary work and the infinite potential each of us has in the hands of the Lord to improve the lives of others. I loved it!  He came in and spent a day in our district and I had to teach with him watching!  

Also, there was an epidemic at the MTC this week. We had over 100 of the 400 missionaries here go down with sickness and miss class and teaching appointments. Vomiting, diahhrea, fever, chills, soreness, you name it, it hit. It was bad. The other two Elders in our district both went down and missed a day but luckily my companion and I were totally fine. We survived "La gran epidimia del CCM". We had an entire district of 8 elders go down in our zone. Now we are all good now!  One good repercussion of the epidemic at the CCM was that we were able to have a big Casa 30 sleepover in our family room on Monday night! Since we had guys sick and throwing up in our Casa, we moved all of our mattresses into the family room, like 12 of us, and it was a blast. 

I am incredibly excited for the field! On Monday morning, I will say goodbye to all of my awesome American companions and will travel to my mission with 7 other Latinos. I will have no choice but to speak Spanish!

I know next week will be one of the most difficult weeks of my life. I probably won't understand the half of things that people say to me but I know that if I stay patient, humble, and pray to have the spirit with me, I will understand the things that I will need to understand to spread the wonderful message of Jesus Christ and his infinite atonement. 

I don't know when I will be able to send another update or how long I will be able to write you individually next week in the field, but I do really appreciate all your letters and eagerly anticipate the next opportunity to talk with you again. 

Sincerely, 

Elder Shipley