Another Week in Othello

So I think the best thing to happen this week is it wasn't a million degrees outside. In fact quite the opposite happened. Out of nowhere on Wednesday we got about an hour where it absolutely stormed around us. The winds were blowing dust everywhere from the freshly harvested fields plus the rain was coming down extremely hard. Makes for a nice difference from the 100+ degree weather we were having.

So one of the cool things about working with the Mixteco people is they LOVE basketball. About a year or so ago, they had started something at the church called Mixteco-ball. The missionaries opened up the church so that all the Mixtecans could use the gym one night a week to play some basketball with the Elders. It got so big that at one point over 80 people were coming on a weekly basis. Well long story short it got cancelled ‘cause some stuff happened but our Bishop is pushing for us to start it again. So every Friday night now we get to play basketball for an hour and a half fellowshipping investigators and non-members, and even getting them in for church tours. It’s only been going on for about a month so we are still trying to get the word out but I can honestly say I never thought I would be able to play basketball and call it missionary work. I guess it’s time for me to get over my long-standing hatred for the sport.

But for sports that I do like, one of the perks of working with Hispanics is they LOVE soccer. We had a ward party on Thursday night celebrating Pioneer Day (the day the Mormon Pioneers first entered the Salt Lake Valley) with all the wards here in Othello. Several investigators and non-members came plus there was a TON of awesome food but after everyone had eaten, a soccer game kind of broke out. We joined our investigators playing for what we thought was gonna be just a minute but ended up being like an hour. Pro tip: dress shoes do NOT make good soccer shoes. It was a lot of fun though. Good fellowshipping plus some soccer. Couldn't have gone better.

And in the random department this week, we stopped by someone’s house to see if he had a few minutes we could come in and talk. He didn't have too long so we just talked for a sec on his doorstep and then one of my companions says "Well, we will get going now ‘cause your tortillas are burning." He turns around and lo and behold, there were a couple of pitch black tortillas sitting on the stove smoking like crazy. We all chuckled and said goodbye. It’s these moments that take an ordinary day and make it interesting.

And thus ends another week in the Mission. Here’s a quote one of my Zone Leaders gave me before I left my last zone to start my adventures here in Othello:

"Act like you've been there before."

More often than not, if you don't say anything, no one will have to know you're brand new.

And with that, I'm off.

Elder Kupferer