Elder McKay Arave Quinn: In the office

McKay's first week in the office. He didn't really write a formal letter but answered questions we had asked.

1. Is your new apartment part of the mission home? If not why did you stay there your first night? Where does President live?

House! It is a house we rent. It is huge! 5 bedrooms and big gathering areas! All new missionaries and leaving missionaries stay here! President lives in a different house owned by the church about 10 min from us, his house is apparently even nicer, I haven't seen it... yet :) No one really goes to presidents house, unless invited for a special occasion. The assistants were telling me that he usually invites the assistants and secretaries over for birthdays, etc..

Our house!
So, so, so nice! I love it!

This is where I study! I cannot explain how spoiled I am here. That is a floor to ceiling window that spans the whole wall! It looks out to our Garden! We have this cool water feature fountain and some plants! It's a like a back patio.
We told McKay we were glad he had the first experience living so humble, so 'You could know the good'
His response: 'Me toooo!!!!!:)

Sitting at my study desk.
The box is a fridge we ordered for some other apartment...we have three in our living room right now, and 8 folding tables. We order all the supplies for the apartments to our house and then the Elders have to arrange to pick it up.

2. Tell us more about Elder Winterton's personality and the other missionaries you live with. Elder Winterton is kind of like Anthony, studying computer stuff at BYU. He is great! He knows a lot about the gospel and how to teach simply. He is fun to be around and I get along well with him!

Breakfast this morning!
Elder Quinn, Elder Winterton (Orem), Elder Bray (Cedar City), and Elder Brown (Gilbert AZ) in the back of kitchen. Our cool secret second spiral staircase in the background.

Typical breakfast en la casa amarilla!

Pancakes with fruit!

(You can see our patio/garden in the background)

I asked McKay what happened to oatmeal?

Yeah, I am not going back to oatmeal until I have to!

Hot cakes are so good! hahaha

We told McKay that Tiffany had made us Cajata, Mexcian Carmel made from goats milk and cinnamon. His response: That is sooooo good! They sell it in the super market right next to the syrup...good on pancakes!

3. Are you going to be driving? I think you have your drivers license with you? What is it like driving over there? The roads are crazy here! The mission has two cars, a minivan for president and a Carola para la hermana Valadez, his wife. We don't really drive as secretaries. They told me that sometimes we park for him or rarely rarely drive to go get something. But there really is no need to drive because the public transit is EVERYWHERE! We can get to the other side of the mission in 45-60 min on public transit, (micro or metro).

I know this because this week Elder Winterton and I went to the other side to pay an overdue rent bill. So it only took about 45 min to get there on two metro lines.

4. Did you hear how the Bautismos went on Saturday?

Yes! J______'s son and daughter were baptized on Saturday, and the mom and grandma should be getting baptized in a month when they get married.

The Ward Mission leader of the assistants gave them all this food,
60 street tacos and three litro refrescos!
Left to Right: Elder Bass (Assistant from Texas) Elder Bray (Executive Secretary from Cedar City, training Elder Brown) Elder Winterton (Old Financial Secretary from Orem training Elder Quinn in the ways of mission finances...and how to teach effectively) Elder Quinn, Elder Brown (new executive/reference secretary from Gilbert, AZ) and Elder Sanabria, assistant from Paraguay.

This is torta (La Cubana)! I bought it in the street last week, 52 pesos, it was huge!
I ate half for lunch and half for dinner! So so so good! Three kinds of meat, three cheeses, chili and chipotle. Have I mentioned how good the food is:)
(sitting at our dining room table)

5. Tell us what happens after 2pm everyday when you are finished in the office. We leave to eat at about 2:30 and then arrive at 3. We eat until 4 and after that we usually have a cita scheduled every hour (one at 4, 5 , 6 , and 7) then at 8 we have to get on a micro and head home. It takes 30-40 min to get home because we have to take two micros, it is pretty far, because we actually live in another area (the area of the assistants).

The members are really strong in our ward! Since we spend so little time in the area the members go and visit the investigators and a menos activos (less active), it is awesome! We have a strong ward!

Oh we are having a Bautismo tomorrow! The dad of our ward mission leader is getting baptized! Our ward mission leader is so great! He was baptized 2 months ago and is tearing it up as ward mission leader! They have had like 5 bautismos as a result of just his efforts!

Obedience. Mom I like your obedience quote... thanks! I have never had a problem with obedience here! I don't want to give up the blessings, the lord blesses us according to our obedience! And here in this house with the assistants and my companion being the District Leader we all have the desire to be obedient so it is really easy! I am so blessed to be in these circumstances!