Zone Conferences, BBQ Mexicana, and the Room Formerly Known as the Liddle Bunker

First off, I'd like to wish everyone a Muy Feliz Día de la Independencia Americana. We had to celebrate the Fourth of July, mostly because 2/3 of the office and the mission president and his family are all American. I told you last week about the early Fourth of July BBQ. On Tuesday, we didn't do anything particularly interesting (apparently Mexico doesn't celebrate a US national holiday), but when we were finishing up our work in the office Tuesday night, Elder Harmon and I (the two young American missionaries in the office; the Bakers had already gone home that night) put on the Mormon Channel, which was broadcasting all of the Tabernacle Choir's patriotic music, and we sang the national anthem at the top of our lungs with our good friends in MoTab while we waved around the little American flags we have in the office next to the Mexican ones. Poor Elders Lopez and Enciso kinda had to suffer through our patriotism. Do I feel bad? Nope, (cue music) 'cause I'm Proud to Be an American . . .

The major development of the week is that, as I said in my last email, we had zone conferences all week. Basically I have been trying to get all the pamphlets, books, and other things that each zone needs, get it all packed in boxes, and make sure that each of the 8 zones that had conferences gets their stuff and that I don't mix anything up. It's kinda been taking over this whole week. Luckily, the chaos is over and we'll have a few weeks of peace until we have to start worrying about preparing for the missionaries that are going to come in about 4 weeks.

Today we had a zone activity for P-day. We ended up getting permission from President to watch Moana. It was cool because I and the majority of the missionaries there left for the mission field before it was released so we never had a chance to see it until now. I liked it, especially because it was in Spanish. When I return home and watch it again, it will be like watching it for the first time because it will be in English. Anyway, here is Roma zone in El Cine de las Oficinas (the Office Theater):

We also had a BBQ, because it's BBQ season. A Mexican thing to do with hamburgers is to grill pineapple and add it to the burger. Piña burgers are really good. I dare you all to try it sometime.

The only other thing is that we have been having the What to Name the Room Formerly Known as the Liddle Bunker Naming Contest. I have received numerous suggestions, and they actually all were the same. So, without further ado, I'd like to present the Room Now Known as the Schramm Cram. It is tradition to place a sign on the door with its official name. It's also really fun having people say, "Hey, can you run to the Cram and get this thing for me?"

Anyway, I think that that's about all for this week. Here's to a great (and hopefully less crazy) next week!

P.S. I included this picture because Cerro de la Silla is super awesome. It reminds me of Lone Peak back at home. There's even a temple at the foot of this iconic mountain! It's just like Draper. I'm so glad I have mountains again.

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Elder Jakob Schramm