Happy New Year

Okay, I’m gonna respond in the way that you all wrote cause that’s easiest mom I love you and will be glad to be your hermanito! [mom had said, now that he’s so old, and she’s always told everyone she’s “29” she’s going to start telling everyone he’s her brother!!] I love you and your quirkiness I believe that’s how its spelled I’m losing a grip on my English, but everything’s been great so far and I do love the adventure, as you said! Even if I’m your little brother you always be my mom. And thank you for the quote I like it!

I’m glad to hear that the party was fun I’ve got some pics to send you of ours! I didn’t think I was turning 21this year [he didn’t, but is close!]

te quiero tambien hermanita mio! feliz año nuevo [I love my sister too! happy new year]

Okay so Ian asked the question well Ian I hope that you like the pictures that I’ve got to share with you!

Gerrit dang who’s that? Oh wait he’s the goofy one that lives down the street right? 'course I miss you dude happy new year take care of everyone for me. [Gerrit, one of Charles’ buds, was here for a sleepover and took a minute to write a quick note to Zach as part of our weekly emails]

Gracias for looking for the things I mentioned Katie I’d ask a question of you: you know what type of music I like?! Help me out huh? If you could I’d request a version of: this is the Christ and a few classic primary songs nothing to goofy but you know the old good ones: Army of Helaman, I like to look for rainbows, follow the prophet, and well I’ll trust in your judgment! muchisimas gracias!

You all never said whose name I drew [our 7nelsons family tradition is to draw names at Christmas] you’ll have to give me the one I missed 'last year' and the one I’ll get this year and I can 'pay my debt' when I get back.

I love you all. Now here’s a quick explanation of the picture I’m attaching! btw if they take too long or can’t open them and I’ll send fewer!

Actually I’ll just split them up this time cause I’ve got a lot I would like to share:

The tree and nacimiento as they call it here are in downtown Atlacomulco.

A Christmas display, what they did for Christmas here downtown

We fried conejo with members to eat for new years they invited us over for lunch and we had some great spicy chicken!

Then we ran to the store and got food for dinner since we would not be eating with members.

I gotta go love you all! 

Vaya Con Dios

Eldr ZachNelson

A Mexican Birthday!

[Zach's younger brothers were concerned that birthdays may not be much of a big deal on a mission. Well, thankfully they were wrong! In response to a question they asked about his 20th birthday, Zach replied that they had a zone conference on his birthday, and while at the conference all the missionaries had a birthday party for him!] He sent the attached minute or two of video....be prepared...its a tad graphic!

Feliz Navidad!

(Christmas Day is one of the two days we get to actually talk to Zachary. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, we were able to Skype with him from Mexico! Thanks to a church member in Atlacomulco, Mexico with a laptop, wi-fi in Zach’s ward building  and a new Iphone 4S for me for Christmas [wahoo!] we were able to video chat with Zachary. Grandma was here, so she got to share in our ‘Christmas present’ from Mexico! We had two common comments: ‘he looks good’ and ‘we didn’t know an hour could go so fast’!)

So what’s up with you all this week? You looked good! Well almost as good as me! Unicamente una broma: [only a brother?] there’s a new word for Kaitlyn "broma". Hmmm, well let’s see -- since last week we’ve gotten a lot of walking done… and I love talking to you all, but now I don’t really have anything to write. Hmmm, well lets see last night we went and hung out with some other elders then we went and returned the members laptop we borrowed to call you all and left a thank you note too. As you can see we got haircuts this morning and I wanted to show off my lovely tan line. In a first for me the stylist used a straight razor to trim my neck and side burns and she made a joke which I thought was: she had never cut anyone’s ear off, as she was trimming above mine. Apparently I responded in a way that conveyed I did not care if she cut my ear off which she thought was just hilarious.

We’re finally gonna head to the store today. We went once and that was all we had time for! In three weeks we lasted about 2 weeks off that food and have been buying tortillas and ham and cheese from the tienda [store] down the street to make sincronizadas (I think there is an h in there some where but I’m not sure) [this is a tortilla-based sandwich of ham and cheese between two tortillas]. Transfers are today Elder Bell and I are staying in Atlacomulco. The district leader got transferred out and there’s a new elder coming in. I don’t remember if I told you but Elder Bell goes home in February.

Other than that yesterday was muy chido we walked to church and it was so odd, we have to walk thru the downtown all the little tiendas were closed and no one was out but us. Then again it was 9 am on Christmas morning but it was still odd compared to the usual hustle and bustle of downtown. I’m sorry to say that’s really all I’ve got to write today I hope that you enjoy the pictures I can’t remember which ones I clicked on so if you have any questions let me know!  I love you all wish everyone a Merry Christmas for me and send a photograph of everyone Tuesday night [we had David’s sisters Margie and Shirley and their families here for a late holiday bash] for me please I love you all and living the life here in Mexico.

Muchisma Feliz Navidad Y Via Con Dios

Elder Zach Nelson

This is the last time I’ll get to write you until next year…Oh, wait I had a Katy moment, never mind! I love you Katie

Here's some pics of Zach's mission apartment in Atlacomulco, Mexico; his little Christmas tree; and the mountainous area he's in

Montezuma visits, but only for a day

Alright it's still dry and hot here in Mexico. Where is the snow? Oh well, what to say? Thank you for the weather report, the sad thing is that’s the temp around noon; in the mornings it gets down to about ohh, I’d guess 40 or 50 and the same thing happens around 7 or 8 at night. Well not that fast but the temp starts to plunge instead of falling after about that time. So we had the sniffles the other day after we forgot our jackets the night before, and, yes, mom I can hear exactly what you are thinking desculpeme por favor.

Elder Bell and I are gonna use a member’s laptop in the chapel, its got wireless, lets see if you could be expecting a call around 4 that would be awesome! (We get to phone call or Skype twice a year with our missionary: at Christmas and again on Mother’s Day). It may be a few minutes later than that but I will be calling! Hmm, let’s see what you all wrote this week!? Please give a huge thank you to the Downs for me and also to Sis Hantz: muchas gracias mi amigos!

Let’s see: the way mail works for me here is like this: once it gets to the mission home, it gets distributed with all the other pouch mail to the zone leaders when they have meetings with the assistants; and the zone leaders give the pouch mail to the district leaders when they have their weekly meeting; and the district leaders hand out individual mail when they get it . . . Seeing as how its about a 3 1/2 hr bus ride from here to DF it'll get here eventually!

  

Glad to hear that even an old hand (like you), no pun intended, can shake in his boots. (I had written to Zach last week that I had the chance to teach in High Priest group lesson last week, and it made me pretty nervous!).

What else: congrats on the new bed Katie! I hope you like it! No cookies here but I have gotten to probar algun de los dulces aqui in mexico y yo quiero decir son muy bien y picante! [try some of the sweets here in mexico and I mean very good and spicy!]

Isaak: I was so excited to read your letter thank you for it. It’s wonderful to hear from you I’m glad your practicing with the hymnal, its fun to sing  and thank you for the story you sent me about the sheep.

Ian: who you calling old man??? Just kidding! I love you Ian I hope you have a good Christmas too!

If you can imagine an inverted triangle of raw meat on a spit which is rotating in front of a flame hot enough to keep it warm, that’s how they make tacos pastor. They reach up and slice off some of the meat and throw it on the grill (flies and all) but yeah, I’ve decided to blame my encounter with montezuma on those tacos! But he left after one day, so it wasn’t too bad. Good job on your pillow too!

I’m almost insulted: Mexico actually reminds me a lot of Missouri!

Vaya con Dios

Elder Zach Nelson

For a little culture of his new area, Elder Nelson and Elder Bell toured this gold mine during one of their P-days (preparation days). Too bad, he tells us they weren't handing out samples on the day they visited!