Week 5: Tongue in Cheek

Subject:	Week 5: Tongue in Cheek
Date:	Mon, 27 Feb 2017 10:08:57 -0600
From:	Brett Hogg

This week went by super fast.

Elder P and I have been taking turns being sick. First I was sick, then he was really sick, now I'm sick again. We've been blowing our noses and and sneezing and coughing for like the last 2 weeks now haha. We're both pretty much over it now, for the most part.

On Wednesday we had exchanges with the APs (which every new missionary has to do), and so I got to spend the day with Elder B, so that was awesome. We met this Indian Muslim painter guy. He was really good and wanted us to help him get his name out. I would have actually commissioned him to paint something but he was like $100 for a small thing, but I told him we'd return with a Book of Mormon for him since he was telling us all about different holy books and how they've all been corrupted by man. He was super cool. Elder B might actually commission him to paint something for him when he gets home in a couple weeks. 

(AP = Assistants to the Mission President; Missionaries that work with the main office.  Usually missionaries that have been on their mission for at least a year.  Also he mentioned Elder B - who he was with in the Mexico MTC 2 years ago..and one of the guys that picked Brett up from the airport last month!)

Speaking of that, exchanges are next week, and Elder P is pretty sure he's leaving, this is his 4th transfer here and the average is like 3. I'm guessing he's staying, but we'll see. 

(We sure hope they can be companions for at least one more transfer! See my previous post on explaining transfers and such!)

We also had 2 baptisms on Saturday! That was awesome. I also confirmed the one in sacrament meeting, in Spanish! I kind of struggled through it mostly because as missionaries, we're only supposed to use the Usted (the formal "You tense") form when talking to people. But! During prayers and blessings you're supposed to used the Tú (the informal/personal tense), but I've pretty much forgot how to use it all together, so I pretty much did it in Usted form and threw the other form every once and a while. Anyway it all worked out.

(Grandma Debbie & Aunt Carrie - you will love this next part!)
I also tried for the first time this week, tongue, head and cheek tacos! Apparently the best tacos come from sketchy little kitchens in the back of gas stations. We helped a member deliver a bed the Guatemalans that I talked about before (the mom was one of the baptisms this week!), and after he took us to get tacos. He said the best kind are tongue and cheek (no pun intended), and also the most authentic. So I got one of each, and a head taco ( another one he said was authentic). Later someone told me head tacos means brains, but I don't know, because it definitely had a normal meaty texture. Either way they tasted fine, honestly just like shredded beef. They looked different but texture and taste wise, the same.I asked someone later and they said they peel off the taste buds/the top layers of the tongue so youre just eating the meaty inside. I didn't get a picture but next time I eat them I'll get one for ya.

Anyway not much else to report. We've taught a few lessons but no one really solid yet, the problem is we baptized all of our really solid people lol.

I haven't read your emails yet but here's this one right away!

Elder Hogg

I saw this (Wisconsin) licence plate the other day! I saw the bumper sticker and was like wow, that's funny that someone in Texas would care about Russ Finegold, then I saw the license plate.

Walked into the church with the slappy thing going on with spatulas this time.
(If you are reading this out of order - you will have to go back to understand what the heck this is about!)

I got a picture with Elder M!
(Elder M and Brett started their mission together. They were in the Mexico MTC as each others' first companions. The weird thing is that Elder M is about to go home now!  It was great that they were able to reconnect!)

Photo-bomb.. haha