And we begin

We have officially begun our mission and are in our assigned location in southern Oaxaca, Mexico. The past week has been very eventful, exciting, and enjoyable.  We completed 5 days in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah last Friday.  On Saturday, we flew via Mexico City to the city of Oaxaca where we were greeted by mission leaders.  We spent the next two nights living in the mission president's home, attending a district conference two hours away in Nochixtlan.

Monday morning we received our car, a Toyota City.  We followed our mission president and his wife, Presidente and Hermana Madsen, on a 6 hour drive over the Sierra Madre Mountains.  Never have we been on such a windy, mountainous rode.  It was like driving on Lombard Street in San Francisco for 6 hours.  It was a beautiful drive, however, and we were very glad to arrive at our new home in Huatulco, Oaxaca.

We are getting acquainted with our new apartment which is quite nice.  The apartment and our car have air conditioning which is a blessing because it is very hot here in Huatulco.  On Tuesday, we were able to attend an activity with the Huatulco Zone missionaries.  The activity was at a secluded beach at Puerto Angel (40 minutes west) where we played volleyball and frisbee, had pizza, and played in the sand until the missionaries had to return to their work since this was their substitute preparation day.

Huatulco is as beautiful as people have said.  We are doing well and are very happy here.

At the mission office with Pres. and Hermana Madsen

At the District Conference in Nochixtlan

Beautiful Hispanic niñas at the church on Sunday

Cooking lunch after District Conference outside of the church

Our new home--on the second level with all the plants

The beach at La Puerto Angel

Hermana Johnson and Hermana Madsen