Come Together

I finally got an email from Grover with a little more insight into my project! This is what he said concerning the purpose of the project:

"The purpose of this project is to help under the Church in Mexico by collecting the stories of the early members and their conversion and coming into the Church."


Excellent!


This is one of those great moments where exactly what you were hoping to do connects with what what you are required to do; this purpose lines up directly with my desires and intentions in completing the project. You see, I wanted my project to be something personal, something that would be a benefit to the saints in Irapuato. I wanted them to be able to read this history and say: ¡Qué gran herencia que tenemos! (What a great heritage we have!). This purpose fills all of those desires that I had by making my history personal for the people. This path will also help me to get the members excited to participate in my research.


The way has become clearer. The questions before me now are more focused. The first two of these being:


Primera: How will I publish this in Spanish so that the people can read it?
Segunda: Who will I interview? How will I know who to interview and how will I find them?

To the first one- I have a great resource in Fernando Gomez, curator of  The Museo de Historia del Mormonismo here in Provo and Mexico City. Perhaps he will be willing to help me translate my history into Spanish. He also might be able to give me some pointers in the right direction as to whom I should interview as well.

¡Felicidades!

When in Rome, Haga Como Roman

(do as Roman does)

Today I met again with my friend Roman and we helped each other practice our languages. I like studying with Roman because he is in a similar situation to the one I will be in in a few months. He is the one from a different country, el extranjero, trying to learn to speak the language, and so I can relate to him. And though none of us has ever been to Rome, we both realized that sometimes it's hard to do as the Romans, especially when it comes to something as "simple" as conversation.

Roman explained to me about the vocab tests that he has to take to learn English, and the difficulty he had when asking some Americans what some of the words meant. They knew what the words were and what they meant, but they had difficulty trying to explain them, even in their own language. Our conversation has become so much of a second nature to us, that we can't even explain it, and so when someone wants to learn why things are done or said that we, even if we are willing we have to be able to explain it.

There is so much to learn when you visit another country, and, try as you might, you can't learn without proper communication. Without you having the ability to ask, and they having the ability to explain. I was trying to explain to Roman today about how I wore a beanie today because I had hat hair. From this I learned that a "sombrero" is only a Mexican or cowboy hat, but that a "gorro" is most other types of hats and the "gorra" is the baseball cap. I was trying to help pronounce some words and as I looked at them on the screen I couldn't believe that that was how we pronounced that random sampling of letters. I mean how come "accepted" and "accused" don't rhyme?

Sometimes we learn the most about our culture while trying to explain it to others.

El Desconocido: Or A Sketch of The Unknown

So I've discovered that planning for my project is a rather interesting challenge. I know so little about what is actually going to happen that sometimes I feel like I am shooting in the dark. I have discovered, however, that I can sort of map out what I do know and get an idea of what where I am headed. It's kind of like being given a blank canvas and being told to create a masterpiece. Where do you even start? But I suppose that if I start sketching some ideas in pencil that something will come to me. I mean, I don't have to fill in all of the shading and color until I am there in the field right? So here's a rough sketch...

I kind of have two halves of my painting that I have started sketching, the first is my look into the interest that I have, which I will discuss more in another post. The second aspect of my parameters and requirements though I have thought through a little more, so here goes a quick dumping of my mind art into black and white letters on this blog.

First I must first ask myself if I am bound by the interview techniques and specified outcome that my Mentor Señor Grover uses in his research. Will my findings be in collaboration with his work, or just tailored after that manner? If I do follow his structure completely then that gives me a greater sense of direction and I am not shooting in the dark as much. On the other hand, I don't even know to a full extent what the finished outcome of his work looks like. I may have to adjust my plans and my interests.

If I do work in tandem with Grover's work, then what do I have to work with? I do not yet know what the structure of his work looks like, nor have I seen an example of the finished product. He is currently on sabbatical leave right now, but should be coming back soon in February and I will be able to get a clearer idea of his work. But for now I only can speculate, which doesn't always provide accurate results.

If I mentor with Grover, but do a work separate in style and function from his, then I also need to consider my options. However with more options to consider it may be harder to decide on matters. I will also have the challenge of making sure that my project retains academic experience and fits within the requirements for the ORCA scholarship (which I have applied for and am hoping to receive).

As you can see there is a lot to think through, and so far this is just considering what I may or may not be required to do. I still need to consider what I would like to do, and the practicality of those views. But instead of starting with oil paint or pastels on the canvas, I have definitely found it helpful to create a few rough sketches on some scratch paper and see what I like.

Ahhh, art. :)

Statement of Intent

I will collect and compile historical data and short stories concerning the beginnings of the LDS community within Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. I will then write a history of the LDS church within that area that I will submit for publication in the BYU Studies Journal. If time permits I hope to write a simplified version of this history in Spanish as a gift to the members in that area. It will be on display at the History of Mormons in Mexico Museum in Mexico City.

I hope that through the conducting of interviews and other oral research that I complete in the field that I will enhance my skills with the Spanish language. This immersion into the Spanish and Mexican culture will hopefully provide me with such skills, which will come in useful to me in my career as a high school teacher.

My purpose in this field study is to discover the cultural, spiritual, and historical significance of the historical experiences of the early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints within the area of Irapuato, Guanajuato Mexico, and to discover what affect this history has upon the current members of the church in that area. This will bring a sense of unity to the current members within Irapuato, and will provide an academic look into a particular part of Mexican history.

Me Gusta Esta Clase

I had a lot to think about for class on Friday. I really liked what our teacher Ashley said about putting all of the pieces together for our project. She articulated quite well different ideas that were still floating around, half-formed, in my brain over the past week. She spoke about the difficulty of combining ideas such as our level of interest, the parameters and qualifications we have upon us, and the location and time we will be there.

I loved the analogy of of the jigsaw puzzle because I could see how everything in my project was related. As I was considering my different options, like I did in my last post, I noticed myself going through the process of critical and careful project reform that we talked about in class. I now have a better idea of my interests in Mexico, and I wonder a lot about the parameters that I have to work within.

What is remarkable to me is how much I am learning about my project. I came into this semester thinking that I was extra prepared because of the work I had done to apply for the ORCA grant. Now I am beginning to see how little I know about the area, the project, and my interests.

When this class first started I thought that the question assignments were rather redundant. But they have been one of my greatest helps as I really begin to question WHY I am going to Mexico and WHAT I am going to do there.

I hope to take these next few months in this class and really put them to good use. I am glad for this preparation class. Ya me enseñó muchas cosas ayudables. (It has already taught me many useful things).

Benjamín

Amigos y Ánimo

Amigos

I just got back from a "study buddy" program tonight which connects people trying to learn English with people trying to learn their respective languages. I got to make several friends like Roman, Carlos, y Gabriel while I was there. They are from different parts of southern Mexico y ellos me cayeron muy bién/we got along really well.

We were only supposed to talk for a few minutes tonight but I stayed and talked with them for over an hour. It was so much fun for me to practice my Spanish with nativohablantes/native speakers. I asked them a lot about the different words that they use in México and had tons of fun learning about little things that they say.

For instance, I learned the difference between tal vez (maybe) and quizás (perhaps). I learned how to say "Yo medo dos metros aun cuatro centímetros." (I am 6 feet, 8 inches tall [2.04 meters] ). I also learned the difference between chiste (joke) and broma (prank), and that "padre" and "chido" are the most common ways to say cool. Needless to say ya estamos buenos amigos/we are already good friends.

Ánimo

Ánimo is an interesting word in Spanish, there is not an exact word for it in English, but it basically means Excitement, excitement mixed with faith and hope and courage and all good things (or so is my faulty understanding). But while talking with my new friends I grew more and more excited about going to Mexico, I gained ánimo. One of the people I talked to served his mission in the area of Guanajuato and told me that I would be eating a lot of strawberries in Irapuato. Several of them said that my Spanish was pretty good (though I know I still have a lot to work on). But it was just the fact that I spent an hour talking in Spanish with some native speakers, and that we got a long well that got me so excited. I was practically skipping on my way home and had I started I may not have stopped until I got to Mexico.

I am now good friends with Roman and the others, and we are going to spend a lot of time together this semester. I can think of no better way to prepare for my trip to Mexico than to pasar tiempo/hang out with some Méxican nativohablantes. Y tengo ánimo por eso.

Benjamín

Thesis Question [o, la necesidad de preguntar]

There is this song by Jack Johnson called Questions which has been on my mind and my speakers lately. The further I get into my project the more questions I have about it, and the more I realize I don't know what to do yet. Like Jack says in his song: "Please tell me that there's time to make this work for all intents and purposes--and what are your intentions. Will you try...?" And though I don't know all of the answers and outcomes yet--I will try.

So here goes. What are my intentions? First, before I give my "working" thesis, I'm going to put a few questions before you, my wonderful readers, that have been on my thoughts concerning this work and my intentions, as Jack puts it.

Q. What, with my given parameters, can my history of the LDS Church in Irapuato be? and what possibilities lie before me for what I can do with my project?

This answer must be prefaced with a little background. As I was looking into a field study I had no idea what type of project I wanted to do. I heard of the ORCA grant, which motivated me to find a mentor to help me on my project. I was lucky to find Librarian Mark Grover, who has done a lot of work collecting and compiling histories of units of the Church within South America. I was (and am) excited about doing a project connected with the Church, and especially one that focuses on communication like the interview based research of this project. I gladly signed up!

The problem here arises that I don't know exactly what the finished product will look like. I will be using the interview rubric that Mark Gover has used in his research, so I feel as if I need to be working towards a specific end, one that I am not familiar with. Entonces...

A. As my first order of business I need to get a better idea of what I can do with what I have chosen. I have had a few ideas like compiling a history of the Church with an analysis in patterns in growth and compiling a collection of short inspiration stories from early Mexican members of the church to name a few. But I will need to get a better look at what options are really available to me with the path that I have set out upon.

Q. What do I want my project to do? or What influence do I want it to make?

Answering this question will provide valuable insight that will shape everything I do with my project including the way in which I approach it.

A. I want my project to be meaningful to the members currently living in Mexico. I want it to be valuable to them in some way, whether it be a collection of inspirational stories from their fore bearers, or if it will provide an insight into what they can do to develop a rich environment for growth in localized membership.

All these things taken into consideration I have learned that I still need to think a lot more about what I want my project to be, in collaboration with my mentor of course. Because of this I feel as if I can at this time only present a working thesis question.

Thesis Q.

What is the cultural, spiritual, and historical significance of the historical experiences of the early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints within the area of Irapuato, Guanajuato Mexico? And (optionally) what affect does this history have upon the current members of the church in that area?

A. ... ?

Yo vaya a mostrarles cuando la descubro.

Veinticinco Preguntas

Aquí están mis "25 Questions" que necesito para enfocarme en mi proyecto.

1.How will I explain my role in the community to those that I meet?

2.What can I do to make sure that I can make the right impression?

3.What are some things that I should avoid so that I do not offend anyone?

4.Who should I be asking to help me with my language skills?

5.Are there some things that I should just not ask about?

6.How do I make sure I am not imposing upon my host family?

7.What is the appropriate level of involvement I should adopt among the natives and their conversations?

8.Should I bring my cell phone?

9.Should I bring my computer?

10. Will I be able to attend the temple while I am there?

11.What types of books and resources should I bring?

12.What other classes should I take during spring and summer semester?

13.What is the best authentic Mexican restaurant in Irapuato?

14.What will be the best way for me to get food daily?

15. How will I fill my days productively?

16.What are all of the questions that I should ask?

17.How will I know who to interview?

18.What type of books should I be reading to prepare?

19.What are some of the best language building activities that I can participate in while I’m in Mexico?

20. Should I feature inspirational stories in my history?

21.What kind of work will my finished product turn out to be?

22.How long should my short history be?

23.How much should I go into the History of the Church before they came to Irapuato?

24.How much should I go into the basic beliefs and background of the Church?

25.Who is my audience?/ Who am I writing this for?

Mis Esperazas y Mis Sueños

No sé sí este viaje vaya a cumplir todos mis esperazas y sueños, pero hay algunos cosas que quiero aprender de mi experencia en México. Y, ¿quién sabe? Tal vez mis sueños más disparatados se convertirá en realidad.

So what do I hope to gain from this Field Study? I will tell you.

First off, I want to be able to better communicate is Spanish. That is one of my main goals. Perhaps it should be something less selfish like end world hunger and bring peace to earth and goodwill to men, but it's one step at a time. First I'll focus on learning Spanish.

Some of my other goals though are a little less self-centered. I do hope that the work that I do will be of use to members in the area. I will try to find some inspirational stories, quizás with some cool "pioneer of the faith" stories about the first members in Irapuato and the surrounding area.

I want to get to know the culture of Mexico better, and build some lasting friendships. I am very much interesting in little aspects of culture like different idioms and the etymology of different words. I wouldn't mind learning about things like that.

I like to learn about people, and so I am glad that my project will involve a lot of talking with people and getting to know them. I want to know what they like to do, to eat, to talk about, etc. Those little things are fun for me.

I am sure that this list will continue to evolve as time goes on and I get a better idea of what I want to do there and what it might be like in Irapuato. One thing is for sure, I am definitely looking forward to it.

Con Ánimo,

Benjamín

Al Principio

¡Hola mis amigos!

Bién venidos al primer blog de "Altísimo: A Muse of Mexio" Usualmente este blog será en inglés, pero, a causa del gran "chido" de español, no puedo evitarlo (ní lo quiero). Entónces, a veces este blog será en "espanglish" que es muy mal escrito.

Well, first off, I am very excited to officially begin my Field Study with the prep course that is provided. I hope that as I go along in this course I will learn more of what I can do to maximize my experience in Mexico this summer.

Let me explain my research project. During my three month stay in Irapuato, Mexico this summer I will interview many long time members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints within the area of Irapuato, and I will compile a History of the LDS church within the Irapuato area.

In the past there have been some broader histories published concerning the Church in Mexico as a whole, but very few research has been done on the spread of the LDS faith within a smaller, more localized area of Mexico.

I will be working under the direction of Librarian Mark Grover, who has completed many similar histories in different parts of Latin America. He will teach me how to conduct the necessary interviews and transcribe them so that they may be used in my history of Irapuato.

That is my project, insofar as it is yet developed, in a nutshell. I have several questions concerning what I can do each day towards my project while I am in Mexico, as well as what type of things that I can do to get to know the people and the culture better. I also am concerned with enhancing my language skills and what in field methods will prove the most effective.

I hope that as this blog goes on through the semester, and is carried on in Irapuato, that both you and I will discover a little more about what it means to be an LDS member in Mexico, what it is like to be "the tallest," and what wonderful things we can learn of our brethren in Mexico from this upcoming cultural sojourn.

With Love,

Benjamín