it has been two and a half weeks here at the CCM and this coming sunday will mark three weeks left before I leave. Let me try to answer all of the questions mom asked me.  As far as the weather goes, it is very pleasant, it stays between 65-80 during the day, we can check the weather in McAllen, and it has been in the upper 90s all week! (P.S. I found out that Lerado is in my mission, which is kinda sketchy, but it will definitely be an exciting area, for sure!) yesterday was the first day that it hasnt rained ad we walked back to our apartment at the end of the day, at 9:30. that was very different. I bought a watch at the intienda (store at the CCM) finally, it took them two weeks to get mens watches in stock, and I wasnt going to wear a womens one, like Elder Fuller in my district! I also got another umbrella because the lock on my walmart one broke. it only costed about 17 dollars total which doesnt seem like that much. but Hermano Cruz told us that the the minimum wage in Mexico is 5 US dollars a day and over half the mexican pop. makes that much. so someone would have to save for a very long time to buy these two things that I take for granted!

I have been sick all week! I got sick on last P day and just barely got feeling back to normal two days ago. President Pratt got told from Salt Lake that we (everyone at the CCM) are not allowed to shake hands until the sickness leaves. I dont think they are that worried about us, but more these missionaries going to some 3rd world country that make the CCM seem tame. I am very glad to be feeling better! the first night I had to wake my roommate for a blessing. He gave it with our neighbor Elder Bonzo. It was my companions first blessing I could tell. it was more of a prayer of gratitude than anything else, but I guess it helped.

We play soccer nearly everyday. that or ride the stationary bikes in the Gym. it is so weird here how random mexicans will just stop everything and watch us play soccer just because they love the sport so much! The town would absolutely blow up every time mexico scored in the World Cup, which just so happened to be during our sacrament meeting on sunday. but they lost, so all the workers were depressed for like half the week. During Sacrament I gave a talk. we all get the same topic and everyone writes a 5 minute talk in spanish, then the branch president just randomly picks 6 people to speak. mine went very well I think. I think I cracked just enough jokes to have the Branch President grateful that he didnt make me District Leader! next week everyone in the branch has to bear there testimonies for 2 minutes.

We finished our first fake investigator this week, and the man became our night teacher. which I think is very smart. because he just spent the last 5 nights evaluating our strengths and weaknesses in spanish, as well as teaching. His real name is Hermano Galacia, and he is a very good teacher. I felt the spirit very strongly during his lesson last night on helping our investigators pray.

During devotional on tuesday we had an area 70 come and speak to us, and our branch had to sing "Grande Eres Tu" (how great thou art) for the special musical number. it went very well considering, we only had like two days and 2 hours of practice.

I am glad to hear about the car and everything else going well, I hope you all have a good 4th of July, here all we could do was draw patriotic things on the board and sing the songs we have in the hymn book. I learned this week what Mexico means, apparently it means the Moon's bellybutton. it supposedly comes from some ancient myth. it was very weird to learn, but noteworthy! hence me telling you!

Love you all lots! 

-Elder Duerst