Adios little bro...

See that studly one there? 

Well, no, that's me, but I mean the one with the suit on-

no, again that's me. 

Look, the one we're all holding up, see him?

Yeah, that's him, that's my little bro, Bryce.

He's a missionary now.

Its been a little over a week since he left, 

and I still can't believe he's a missionary. 

I mean to me he's still the dorky 16 year old kid he was when I left on my mission.

Now he's the dorky 19 year old kid that's on his mission. 

Weird.

But I'm dang proud of him. 

He's gonna flood the country of Argentina with the good news, the Gospel.

Speaking Spanish. Like a boss. 

He and I were good friends growing up.

My favorite memories were going fishing in the Uintahs with our dad.

He's always been too lucky for his own good. 

I've never met a kid that could do things so well, so quickly.

It frustrated me growing up, but now its just a part of what makes Bryce Bryce.

Our birthdays are close together, it always seemed like we were celebrating them simultaneously.

We shared a room for many years as children.

We would always keep each other up late talking and goofing around.

When I finally got my own room (right next to his), we still kept each other up,

we bought these walkie talkies for our birthdays, and we'd talk til late.

I can't for the life of me remember what about, but I'll never forget it.

Here's to you Bryce, 

you're gonna be a great missionary,

and you're in for the time of your life.

I love you brother.

A tribute to Mexico, mi segunda casa

I know what has just now flashed into your mind. Mexico...is hot and dusty, with cacti and mustached men in sombreros shaking maracas. Yep, that's about it. NOT.

This is the idea of Mexico that we grow up with taught to us by cartoons, TV, and movies. Sadly, it is a very ignorant view which robs us of opportunities to learn so much from this beautiful country and culture.  And unfortunately, the state of the border and the Mexican drug war hasn't exactly been helping its world image either.

But I will stand as a guardian and defender of Mexico, its people, and its culture. I love Mexico. That's why I called it "my second home" in the title. There is so much beauty and rich traditions that have opened my eyes as to who the Mexican people really are. Not the mistaken view so many have here. Most of the time you're judging Mexico based on a generation of Latinos that were probably born here and have never set foot in Mexico, and American society has screwed them up. Those are the troublemakers. (not all of them, I know personally many respectable and good young Mexican-Americans with values. I'm not talking about them) Real Mexicans, not the drug traffickers, or the gang-bangers, but REAL Mexicans, are humble, faithful, happy, down to earth people who work hard for and love their families. Those are the people I love.

And in case you didn't think it was beautiful, this is a video portraying the state of Mexico where I served my mission, Veracruz. Just take a look:

Veracruz is breathtakingly beautiful, a place wholly unlike anything we have here. Its like a different world. One of my greatest dreams would be to have months off where I could explore what parts of Veracruz I haven't seen, and the rest of Mexico. It is an amazing country.

Sure the government is corrupt, the water is dirty, the sanitation system isn't very advanced, and the educational system is lacking, but in spite of everything, I love Mexico. I love the Mexican people. And I REALLY don't like it when people make fun of Mexicans or make Mexican jokes, even if they're not trying to be mean, or hate them. I just don't like it. Its the same kind of ignorance I unfortunately came across sometimes in Mexico, but the other way around, targeting Americans. If we're ever gonna learn to get along and love one another, we have to stop being so ignorant to other cultures. We have put ourselves in their shoes, which is what I did for two years. And now they are my brothers and sisters.

I'm asking you to give up your bias of Mexico. Judging them as drug-traffickers and law breakers would be like them judging us based our own criminals, or worse, on our air-brained celebrities they see on TV (which unfortunately they do. Who could blame them? What would you think of America if all you had seen were episodes of Jersey Shore and Keeping up with the Kardashians?)

All I'm asking is, give Mexico a chance.

Until next time...VIVA MEXICO!