Seth said he couldn't get his camera to connect to the computer so he didn't send any pictures for a second week in a row. However, I was looking at the mission blog kept by Sister Haws and found the following.

"We had a special work project in Coatzacoalcos and the Elders in the Zone all pitched in to help get the work done. Moms- they do know how to clean!  It was a great day working together."

Chad has a business trip to Mexico next week so he called the mission office to see if he might take Seth and his companion to lunch. He ended up speaking to the mission president who asked that he not do the lunch thing.  However, he gave a report on Seth as follows. Seth is a hard working, obedient, successful missionary who is already a senior companion. "He is great."

So, Seth wanted to help me know that he can empathize with my snow shoveling - the Mexican way.

Here is what he wrote. "to make dad feel better with all the snow that has fallen, we have a lot of wind here, and we live next to sand dunes, so while the snow plows are working in Utah, we have to shovel and plow almost a foot of sand off of our drive way."

That is the only picture for this week. I will share his entire testimony this time.

"Testifico que tenemos que encontrar la verdadera fe en Jesucristo. Cuando realmente tenemos fe en lo que Él ha dicho, seremos librados de nuestras aflicciones. Cuando lo conocemos, encontraremos amor, y cuando tenemos este amor, nuestras corazones cambiarán, naceremos de nuevo, y entraremos en Su descansa. Al seguir Sus mandamientos totalmente, tendremos mas felicidad que tenemos ahora, aunque es difícil creerlo." 

(I testify that we have to find the true faith in Jesus Christ. When we really have faith in what He has said, we will be liberated from our afflictions. When we know Him, we will find love and, when we have this love, our hears will change, we will be born again, and we will enter into His rest. As we follow His commandments totally, we will have more happiness that we now have, although that is difficult to believe.)

And we're back with pictures from Seth.

First we have a winter-rub-your-nose-in-it picture. Evidently, Seth and his companion run on this beach every morning. Evidently, the river-looking water to our right is a sewer drainage system. He says it looks pretty but smells otherwise.

Evidently, Seth and companion left the apartment, locking the door behind them only later to realize they left their keys on the desk.  Here is his account of how they solve their problem.

"We obtained a screwdriver and a large stick, and my companion used some of the things he has learned in México to open one of our windows, then we used the branch to drag our desks to the window, in the process throwing a lot of things to the ground, but we finally got in after a lot of prayer and running around."

Here is how the apartment ended up as a result of this process.

The big news of the week was that Esteban Cayetanos Rosas was baptized.

Here he is surrounded by branch members who helped with his conversion.

Here's why his letter was short again.

"We have been praying a lot lately to gain the confidence of members here, and to have opportunities to serve. Today we were pushed a little behind because we helped clear a plot of land with machetes and sticks for Hno. Aragon. We received the request from him last night, and although it was our P-day, I didn't want to miss any chances to serve when a member asked us. I didn't take any pictures, but it was a lot of work, and I have a lot of blisters. But I do know how to use a machete more efficiently now to do landscaping."

Seth didn't give me any material this week either. Therefore, I thought I would focus on how long he has been preparing for his mission - specifically for the Mexico Villahermosa mission.

If you have been following this blog, you are aware that "la mordida" is an important birthday tradition in the area where he first served.  He established a connection with his future mission on his first birthday by completing his first mordida in fine fashion.

Certainly, proper grooming is an important part of being a missionary. Here Seth is practicing so he can be clean shaven throughout his mission.

You may not be aware that Seth now sleeps in a hammock. He also began his mission preparation by trying one out in the woods. He wasn't quite ready to solo yet so I helped him out.

Anyone who has served a mission knows you can end up having very small living spaces.. Here we find Seth preparing for the most extreme of /confined living.

On to a more serious note, I thought I would share a note I received when I posted something on Facebook about Seth. It came from his seminary teacher from his senior year in high school and suggests that Seth's starting so young to prepare for his mission has paid off.

"Seth, you were a phenomenal seminary student and class president for me. You will work wonders for the Lord in the mission field and throughout your life. I have rarely seen a young man as prepared as you to face the challenges of the latter days. You are to be highly commended brother! I am so glad that I got to teach at Davis last year and was blessed to have you in class. I hope our paths cross again down the road. God bless you my friend."

Seth didn't have time to write much or send pictures so I will provide a little more information on Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz.

Here is a picture of its coastline at night.

Here is some information that I know you will find very interesting.

The population in 2010 was over 300,000.

Highest elevation 160 ft

Lowest elevation 0 ft

It covers 182 square miles.

One of the interesting sites in this city is the Olmec Archaeology Museum. Here is a portion of the graven image that sits on top of it. I'm guessing it is supposed to represent Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent.

Here is the city's shield. You can see the pyramid on which the above image sits.

Here is Seth's testimony from his last letter.

"Testifico que todo será bien si guardamos los mandamientos primero y nos preocupamos luego. Tendremos aflicción, y tal vez no veremos el fin de sufrimiento, pero siempre si haremos que ha sido mandado, salimos en la manera mejor." (I testify that all will be well if we keep the commandments first and worry later. We will have affliction and, perhaps, we won't see the endd of suffring but, if we we will do what has been commanded, things will go best for us.)

We have our first pictures from Seth's new area.  We will start with an introduction to his companion.

This is Elder Milan. His home is roughly 30 minutes from the MTC so he isn't far from Mexico City. He has been in the mission just over 12 weeks.

Now we get introduced to the house in which they are living. Seth reports, "It´s pretty big especially compared to the one in Carmen, with an entry room, small kitchen, and 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. Even though its about 2-3 times as big, its about a third the price of our previous house."

He didn't comment so we are not sure he knows what to do with that thing which is in the corner.

Here we see beds but we are under the impression Seth is using a hammock.

I was going to guess bathroom for this picture but the next picture and the microwave above would suggest they have an awesome kitchen.

Somebody really has things figured out here. As you can see, they have a table full of reading material available to you before you go into the bathroom.

This would appear to be the stereotypical missionary study area.

Blessings come from above, for sure. Sometimes, other things come from above as well.

A bird was feeling pretty good about his/her aim about the time this picture was taken.

Finally, Seth had a nostalgic moment.

The big cross in the distance reminded him of the huge cross just off the freeway about 30 miles from where we lived in Illinois.

Here is part of his testimony. "Testifico que Él pueda hablar a la corazón de cada persona, y si escuchamos al Espíritu y guardamos nuestros convenios podremos ayudar a muchos de sus hijos a venir a Él. Él nos ama, y siempre cumplirá con Sus promesas." (I testify that [God] can speak to the hear of every person and, if we listen to the Spirit and keep our covenants, we can help many of His children come to Him. He loves us and will always keep his promises.)

The big news of the week is that Seth has been transferred.

He was transferred 344 kilometers (214 miles - 5 hours) from Ciudad del Carmen to Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz. This city s a major port city in the southern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz, on the Coatzacoalcos River. Coatzacoalcos comes from an indigenous word meaning "Site of the Snake" or "Where the snake hides". According to the legend, this is the place where the god Quetzalcoatl made his final journey to the sea around the year 999 and where he made his promise to return. (Wikipedia)

Seth is now senior companion and his companion is Elder Milan. We don't know anything about him yet. Seth was serving in a ward but now will be serving in the Olmeca branch.

Here is Seth's final view of Ciudad del Carmen as he is leaving.

In his new area, he will still be looking at the Gulf of Mexico without being able to get in it.

Seth reported, "I knew that this was going to be my last week in the area, and the thing that surprised me most when I told people was how much they were grateful for what I helped bring to pass. The people that we baptized were very grateful, and it helped build my faith a lot to see how they really have had a grand change in their lives."

Here are some pictures from some of the goodbyes.

They helped Carlos Tello celebrate his birthday. (You will recognize "la mordida" to which we were introduced in Seth's birthday celebration.) In Seth's words, "He has been a huge support to us."

The following two pictures are from when they had a farewell dinner with Hermana Marisol.

Hermana Marisol was baptized with her family last week and Seth says he will miss them a lot. Her son Juan Daniel joins them in the second picture. Seth said, "He is really trying to change his life and we helped him in the process and hope he will be able to be baptized soon and receive all the blessings he can." 

I saved the highlight picture for last.

This picture is of the "baptism of Brandon Jared Ramirez Garcia. We helped reactivate this family and Brandon is 10 years old, so we had the opportunity to teach and baptize him. This family is very diligent now, even though they are making a lot of sacrifices."

We are grateful for the good companions and good experiences Seth had in Carmen. We know the Lord has heard our prayers and those of many others in his behalf.