Hey everyone! How are you all doing? I hope you’re all super. This week in Oaxaca was a long one with a lot of traveling once again, but also was very special. I feel super blessed to have made it this far and to have seen so many blessings in my life up to this point. Here’s the week!
*Mission Tour!* This week I was able to go on the end-of-mission tour that the mission president takes us on. It was really fun and a looong awaited excursion (like 2 years long waited haha). The tour had 4 parts:
1*.* Monte Alban This is a huge archeological site of the ancient people that lived here. It basically is a bunch of platform-pyramids, temples, and a huge civilization that existed on top of the mountain. It was pretty incredible to see and the tour of it was pretty cool too. We also had a race between all the elders where we ran across this giant field in the middle of the site (300 meters). I didn’t win, but also didn’t come in last so that’s a win for me! After looking at the ruins, we went to the little market outside and bought (with much bargaining) a lot of cool souvenirs.
2. Mitla This is another archeological site, but we only went to the market on the outside because it is full of native handmade shirts and other cool trinkets. We went there, bought everything we wanted, and it started to rain just as we were leaving. On the way to the next place we stopped to get some donuts and wait for the rain to hopefully stop.
3. El Tule The rain did stop, and thankfully just in time before the next part of the tour. This part consisted of El Tule, the widest tree in the world. It would take 42 adults holding hands to reach all the way around the tree! We went there and this little kid pointed out a bunch of “animals” that can be seen in the tree (by the way that the branches are formed and whatnot). After touring the tree, we went and got this really good Oaxacan Ice Cream and hopped back into the van to go back to the mission offices.
4. The Oaxaca Temple At the mission offices, we got all changed into our suits and walked to the Oaxaca Temple, about 15 minutes away. We went through a session there that was really special and spiritual, I think a lot more than any other time I’ve been to the temple on the mission. Between all of us elders who went, we really felt how close we are to the end. Sometimes it is hard to believe that 2 years have passed, but that’s just the reality of things. But even though the tour might have the tendency to make missionaries more trunky than before, for us it really gave that needed boost for the next two weeks!
*The Work* Because I was in Oaxaca City the whole week and my companion was in another area working, we really weren’t able to put much time into Zicatela. It was a little unfortunate because we have a LOT of work to get done here and so little time. However, we were highly favored of the Lord this week too because the two days we were in our area, Saturday and Sunday, we saw a TON of miracles. On Saturday we spent most of the day just finding people and were able to complete our weekly goal in just one day! Then on Sunday we had a lesson with this guy Omar who is struggling with some addictions and we really were able to help him make a plan and get started on this long process of fixing his life. Such blessings were shown to us and I am so grateful for it all!
Pictures! -Monte Alban (Archeological Site) -El Tule (Tree)
Have a great week everyone! Take care! -Elder Ord
[image: Tour2.png] [image: Tour1.PNG] [image: Tour3.png]
*Mission Tour!* This week I was able to go on the end-of-mission tour that the mission president takes us on. It was really fun and a looong awaited excursion (like 2 years long waited haha). The tour had 4 parts:
1*.* Monte Alban This is a huge archeological site of the ancient people that lived here. It basically is a bunch of platform-pyramids, temples, and a huge civilization that existed on top of the mountain. It was pretty incredible to see and the tour of it was pretty cool too. We also had a race between all the elders where we ran across this giant field in the middle of the site (300 meters). I didn’t win, but also didn’t come in last so that’s a win for me! After looking at the ruins, we went to the little market outside and bought (with much bargaining) a lot of cool souvenirs.
2. Mitla This is another archeological site, but we only went to the market on the outside because it is full of native handmade shirts and other cool trinkets. We went there, bought everything we wanted, and it started to rain just as we were leaving. On the way to the next place we stopped to get some donuts and wait for the rain to hopefully stop.
3. El Tule The rain did stop, and thankfully just in time before the next part of the tour. This part consisted of El Tule, the widest tree in the world. It would take 42 adults holding hands to reach all the way around the tree! We went there and this little kid pointed out a bunch of “animals” that can be seen in the tree (by the way that the branches are formed and whatnot). After touring the tree, we went and got this really good Oaxacan Ice Cream and hopped back into the van to go back to the mission offices.
4. The Oaxaca Temple At the mission offices, we got all changed into our suits and walked to the Oaxaca Temple, about 15 minutes away. We went through a session there that was really special and spiritual, I think a lot more than any other time I’ve been to the temple on the mission. Between all of us elders who went, we really felt how close we are to the end. Sometimes it is hard to believe that 2 years have passed, but that’s just the reality of things. But even though the tour might have the tendency to make missionaries more trunky than before, for us it really gave that needed boost for the next two weeks!
*The Work* Because I was in Oaxaca City the whole week and my companion was in another area working, we really weren’t able to put much time into Zicatela. It was a little unfortunate because we have a LOT of work to get done here and so little time. However, we were highly favored of the Lord this week too because the two days we were in our area, Saturday and Sunday, we saw a TON of miracles. On Saturday we spent most of the day just finding people and were able to complete our weekly goal in just one day! Then on Sunday we had a lesson with this guy Omar who is struggling with some addictions and we really were able to help him make a plan and get started on this long process of fixing his life. Such blessings were shown to us and I am so grateful for it all!
Pictures! -Monte Alban (Archeological Site) -El Tule (Tree)
Have a great week everyone! Take care! -Elder Ord
[image: Tour2.png] [image: Tour1.PNG] [image: Tour3.png]