Yesterday we got a text from Will, currently in Southern California with a group of friends for a Senior Trip, that his mission call had arrived in his inbox. His mission papers were submitted on Sunday May 21st so based on the timing of other mission calls to his friends, we knew that Tuesday the 30th might be the day the call arrived. It was. We had discussed what he would want to do it he got the call while in California. Joel and Sarah both recommended that he go down to the beach and open it on his own. No need to wait, no need for a big gathering and no need to then pretend to be excited when the call was to a less that favorite place. Will did just that. He then Facetimed his parents and siblings to read the call to them. Then he had a second opening on the beach with his friends. Here is a video of Will reading his call:
He is called to serve in the Mexico Xalapa Mission. He enters the Mexico City MTC on September 25th. He is very happy. Two years of high school Spanish (augmented by homework helper and quiz/test preparation helper Marie) will certainly give him a boost in the learning process. The mission was created in 2012.
Xalapa is also spelled Jalapa and pronounced Halapa. It is the capital of the state of Veracruz. I have travelled the road between Puebla and Veracruz twice in my life, but I think both times I followed the southern route. Xalapa was not a city in Mexico that I had ever noticed or focused on. It was nice to have a handy road atlas with a map of Mexico in it to get me oriented.
When I first started teaching at BYU, I was assigned to teach the Geography of Latin America. I had never been south of Tijuana so teaching the class required a significantly steep learning curve for me. One thing I soon learned was that the mountainous Spanish colonized countries of Latin America all refer to zones of climates, vegetation and crops in their countries (Altitudinal Zonation) by the same names. Some of the first words in Spanish I learned that year were tierra--land, helada--frozen, fria--cold, templada--temperate and caliente--hot.
That first year of teaching, my class was full of returned missionaries who had served in Latin America. I felt intimidated by their in-country experiences, so I convinced my department chair that if I was to teach the class again my second year, I needed to see Latin America for myself. He agreed and provided funding for a three-week trip to Ecuador and Mexico (summer 1993). In Ecuador I loved traversing the country from the top of Cotopaxi (19,347 feet) down to the beaches of Guayaquil and seeing the potatoes of the tierra fria, the coffee of the tierra templada and the bananas of the tierra caliente.
When I got to Mexico, I was surprised to notice similar patterns, particularly as I travelled from Mexico City to Puebla, and through the state of Veracuz to the city to Veracruz and back. The city of Veracruz is certainly tierra caliente and Pueblo tierra fria and looking at the above map I would guess Xalapa is tierra templada. Most European settlers preferred templada or fria located cities over the heat of coastal caliente cites like Veracruz.
A fruit market in Veracuz shows the wonderful array of tropical fruits gown in the hot zone. I highly recommend the liquado mango con leche (fresh mango milk shakes)
Heading up the eastern slope of the Sierra Madre Oriental (mountains) I noticed road side stands selling bags of locally grown coffee beans in the tierra templada.
Higher up near Puebla in the fria zone, corn was growing (it grows in all three non-frozen zones)
and Agave--which is used to make tequila.
Far in the distance, glacier capped Mt Popocatepetl (17,694 ft) illustrates the frozen zone (tierra helada).
I hope Will gets to live and serve in all three zones and experience the nice variety of temperatures and local foods.
It was on that trip that I first tasted tacos al pastor. Prior to that the only tacos I had ever eaten were from Taco Time or home made with ground beef, tomatoes, lettuce and cheese. I loved tacos al pastor. Our whole family loves tacos al pastor from Don Joaquin's down the street. I think part of Will's excitement in his call is that he is going to the heartland of tacos al pastor.
Family dinner of tacos al- pastor at Don Joaquin's the night before Joel left for his mission to Ghana.
Mexico will bless Will with many great foods, wonderful people, and beautiful lands and cities. And Will will bless Mexico with his witty humor, his smooth football moves and his love for Jesus Christ. Way to go Will. We are proud of you.
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