1st email and pics from the MTC (CCM)!!!

-------- Forwarded Message --------

Subject:	¡¡Hola!!
Date:	Wed, 25 Mar 2015 10:15:37 -0600
From:	Brett Hogg <brett.hogg@myldsmail.net>
To:	shogg@wi.rr.com

It feels like Ive already been here forever and haven't gotten to talk to you guys in months!

My first instinct when I got on the plane was to text you and let you know I was on the plane, but then I remembered I wont have it for 2 years lol. It really would have come in handy a couple times here in the MTC. But I did see you guys waving which was super cool.

I was thinking about Louie C.K.s bit about how amazing flying is and hes right, except that the wings were pretty wobbly which didn't seem right lol. I flew with that sister that Sister Cutler was there sending off, we didn't sit next to each other but we talked a bit before getting on the plane. Based on the landing in Atlanta I think dad would have said he wasn't the best pilot. 

When I got to Atlanta I got on the "Plane Train" and that was really cool, found my gate then got a sandwich (which was not very good, it had this weird seedy mustard on it), and I got back to my gate there was another Elder there. Elder H, hes from Arkansas and looks like Father from Kids next door. Hes serving in Mexico City Chalco. Eventually another Elder came, Elder first name Ian from Maine. Hes serving in Mexico City North. Apparently we were all the new elders from east of the Mississippi because it was just us. Its was less crazy after finding 2 guys in the same boat.

The plane to Mexico had the little TV things with tons of recent, cool stuff on, but I just watched our little plane-course-map thing. And the guys sitting by the windows kept them closed till the very end so I didn't see much. When we landed we started seeing other missionaries everywhere. I guess there was a flight from salt Lake that had at least 30 of them on there. 

In the airport we all got our bags, went through the visa person and found the guy from the MTC (or here as its known, the CCM) who spoke no english (apparently being able to speak english is NOT a requirement to work here btw). He checked our names on a list and we all sat on these big steps. Eventually everyone (except who was on the Atlanta flight) got on a bus and went. We stayed behind with a missionary or two and took a van (which, from what I here is far superior to the bus), we left the airport into mexico city and came right back in on the other side to pick up the missionaries who flew out from Arizona.

Mexico city is exactly how you would picture a semi-third-world country city, except it dosent end, like a Flintstones background lol. A lot of the missionaries here are serving here, I think it would be an awesome place to serve.

We pulled in to the CCM and BAM its a whole other world. [Emma] was right, its like an Oasis. Theres always people maintaining the grounds and cleaning and fixing, I dont even think the grass grows.

We went into this room and got all of our study materials in this cool string backpack, got a packet with our schedule, name tags a bunch of other information. We took new pictures, went to an orientation thing (the first of MANY), and went to our Dorms. Were in the dorms by the way, not the casas, which from what I hear is the way to go. We have the dorm (which fits 3 sets of Elders) to ourselves (we cant get into the other bedrooms, but we don't have to share the bathroom!!). We got all settled in, had dinner, then just kind of hung out with a talked with all the other new missionaries. That was the last time we had free time...

The rest of the week, We found out our districts (ours is us, another set of Elders and two sets of Sisters. Hermana M and Hermana M are going to Arizona and Fort Worth *spits* respectively. Hermana N and Hermana K are going to Redlands, California. Elder B (the district leader) & Elder E-B and Elder M & I are all going to Dallas. They're all from Salt Lake, Boise and Twin Falls. We all have class and sacrament meeting together, and we're all super cool. 

My companion is Elder M from Provo. Hes pretty easy going and knows no Spanish.

Elder B is cool, Mr. Mormon. Elder E-B is a big guy, played a season for BYU football before coming out. Hes always bouncing all over the place, always saying crazy/funny stuff, but hes super excited about the gospel and knows a ton about the scriptures and doctrine and stuff.

Every day we have like 6 Hours of study time spread throughout the day and class with teachers. The class is both Spanish AND missionary/gospel stuff. Ill send my schedule home when I leave and don't need it any more so you guys can see. They've already got us teaching an investigator who comes here like every other day. There's still some debate about whether shes really an investigator or a volunteer member or something.

The food is usually pretty good. You can usually choose between 2 different entres and then they have fruit and salad, and for dinner and lunch they have refried beans and usually some type of rice and stuff. For breakfast and dinner they also have cereal. The first days dinner was either chicken nuggets or a more "authentic" looking chicken. For the first day I just went with nuggets. Now I usually take the more authentic stuff and its usually not bad.

Glad to hear the Pinewood Derby went good and tell Sr. Z I said get well! Its cool that you met Nancy, if you see her again tell her I said Hi!! Ive pretty much gotten over the cough but my nose has not stopped running since I got here.

I cant even imagine snow right now! The weather here is perfect most of the time. In the middle of the day it gets a little warm but not bad.

I have the password card here with me lol, Ill send em to you eventually. Also we get 100 pesos a week for the tienda and to buy soap for laundry and stuff. We get it on a bar code thats in our white bibles (our rule book lol).

Well thats about all for now, I think well come email a little bit more later today and send more pictures.
Love and miss you guys!
Elder Hogg

NOTE:  He sent several pictures and more little emails.  Here is the text from the follow-up emails:

Why so many emails and why he doesn't have apostrophes:  Theyre too big to send to many at a time so youll probably get a couple of these. Also we dont know how to to the apostrophe on these mexican keyboards so thats why the last email didnt have em lol.

About our friends being on House Hunters tonight:  Cant wait to watch them on house hunters! Hope their not granite countertops people... lol.

What is P-day like:  So far P-day has been breakfast and emailing lol! 

The pic of the stuff from Delta/plane: This one is of me filling out my visa stuff on the plane. And they gave me I got a sandwich!

I did the pictures as a video... or this entry would be a mile long!  :)
The pictures loop with the song.