Goodbye Kukulcan, see you in 22 months

Wow!   What an eventful week it has been here in Mexico and Merida. 

I'm so pumped to write this letter--seriously there's so much juicy stuff to talk about, and some awesome and exciting news for you all. hahaha   Seriously, I've never been this excited to write a dumb letter! haha

Well, let's start on Monday. Well, we go about our day (still not talking), and I just said I've got to hold out till tomorrow, then I can let it blow out and tell my zone leaders about my companion. So I did, and I told Elder Raya, and he was a little shocked and wasn't too happy about it. So he told the Assistant to the President that happened to be at the district meeting, and he wasn't too happy either, and told me to talk to President tomorrow in the interview with him. Oh Bessie--so I did. And I honestly told him everything. 

He started out saying, 'Elder Hall, I read your email from this week, and I want you to express what ever you're feeling right now, good or bad'.  So I did.  I unloaded about my companion. And I just poured out everything and told him exactly what has been happening. I told him when we're at district meeting and on intercambios he just acts like a kid, and its like trying to be a missionary with a four year old. We never say companionship prayer, we never plan, we never set goals. I told him, 'You know, I set my own goals, and plan my own day, and I just follow him.  I say my own prayers and sometimes, if he doesn't wanna pray, I'll just pray and he'll wait for me. What is he gonna do--leave without me?'  And I told him its very hard to feel a purpose here, and its very hard to feel like I need to be here. And he chuckled a little (not in a rude way--like this is pathetic), and said,  'I'm seriously so sorry Elder Hall. We have a ton of missionaries here in the mission that act like children, but I know that you aren't one of those missionaries. I know you're  a good missionary'.   I said, 'Presidente, can I tell you one other thing that's been on my mind?'   And I told him about the pride thing. And I told him, and he was like not happy at all, and he said, 'Well Elder Hall, I'm going to be making an emergency transfer tonight or tomorrow morning. I'll be calling you tonight or tomorrow to tell you where you will be going and who your companion is'. And right after he said that he said,  'Elder Hall may I say a prayer?'  I said sure. And he prayed, and that was our interview! haha,  Pretty stinking exciting--and I was excited.

So after the interview, we were walking home from getting off the camion (idk how to spell it), and I asked him how his interview went and he was like 'good', and he said usted? And I told him I told Presidente everything that has been happening, and told him we're going to be emergency transferred that day or tomorrow and he said, 'You know what Elder Hall?   And I said, 'What?'   And he said, 'Special transfers are for losers'.  And I said, 'Excuse me?'  And he repeated it.  And I said, 'Alright.  I guess Presidente Ruiz is a loser, cause I just told him what happened and he made the decision.'  And Elder Olguin was silent. Dead silent. 

So we went to lunch and he acted like a totally different person, and was like patting my back. And I was like 'Please don't touch me--I don't like being touched'. And the family asked me about what the missionaries had in Tualatin--like iPads and stuff.   And I said, 'Yeah, they have cars and iPads'.  And right as we left their house Elder Olguin literally just unloaded on me, and this is basically what he said--'Elder Hall, you're so prideful.  You have so much pride  You have no charity.  And you have no love for anyone on this mission--all you care about is yourself and, you only think about yourself'. 

Ooooooo--I was not happy. So I quoted a scripture (D&C 4--'booooommm dadddyyy')!  I said,  'You know, we're going to be at the Judgment bar at the last day face to face with God, and He's gonna ask about Kukulcan and my mission, and I'm gonna be able to say I served Elder Olguin and the people of Kanasin with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. And I'll be able to stand blameless before God'.   And I asked Elder Olguion what he was gonna say when God asks him. He said 'idk'.  And I said,  'Well, this is what I think. I think your gonna say, 'Oh shoot! I was so rude and horrible and made Elder Hall feel so terrible about himself.  I called him a loser'. 

And then he pulled my shoulder and like turned me around with his hand.  I took his hand and like hit it away and he got mad. 'Like Homeboy please don't touch me'

So we continue walking, and sure enough we get a call. And the AP says, 'Elder Hall is going to be going to Oxkutzcab tomorrow morning, so you guys need to go home and pack up'.  So we did and it took quite a while. They told me my new companion would be Elder Garcia. 

So that night was a quiet one. I went into the room where we sleep, and he was sleeping.  My bags were packed and I asked him if we were gonna go out tonight and contact or see people and he said, 'idk'.  So I just got ready and got my clothes on and said, 'We're gonna go visit the Tecs at 8 so please get ready'. 

Well he got up and we started to head over to the Tecs. While we were walking I concluded that I had to say 'sorry' or else we were going to have a miserable last couple hours together, and I didn't wanna end it on that note. So I just took the blame for everything and just told him 'Sorry if I had ever done anything to offend him'.  He looked at me and said, 'You know Elder Hall, I just wanna say I'm really sorry. Being a trainer isn't easy. And sometimes I just don't know what to do. But if you ever need a friend to talk to I'm here for you'.  So I thought that was kinda nice of him. 

We arrived at the Tec's and say 'buenassssssa', and we go in. They all sit down and my companion said, 'Well, we have some sad news.'  And they said, 'What?'  He said,  'Elder Hall will be transferred tomorrow to Oxkutzcab'. 

And they were not happy.  Hermano Tec didn't say anything, but Hermana Tec was like 'por que pro que por que'??  

So I said, 'I just wanna leave you guys with my testimony'. So I shared my testimony, and it was emotional (as you can imagine, cause I cry over anything).  When I said 'Amen', my companion started singing a song (I can't remember what song it was but, we sang a song).   (And just a little side note--Bo Jackson gave me a tie before the mission, for someone that I baptize, and to write 'Remember your baptism'). So I wrote that and my name and Tualatin, Oregon and wrote Te Amo. And I know I didn't get to baptize Hermano Tec, but he was honestly my favorite person, and every time I had a conversation with him one on one, I could always feel the Spirit. So I was wearing the tie, and the song ended, and I looked at him and made eye contact with him and I said, 'Hermano' (and I took the tie off and I gave it to him and told it was for him). He choked up a little and everyone was crying and I gave him a hug. 

Before the mission I said, 'You know, I'm gonna love the people'. But honestly I don't think I knew what love really meant. I never knew that I could love these people this much. Seriously--every single one of them. And Hermano Yec, I've loved literally since my first day in the Campo. 

Well, lets talk a little about our new area. Its called Oxkutzcab. I couldn't pronounce it for the first three days, but I think I got it down now. You pronounce it 'oush-coosh-cab'. Its about an hour and a half from Merida. Its a decent size city. Not huge, but a decent size. 

We cover three other little villages that about 15, 20 and 30 minutes away and cost money to get to. We have quite a bit of jungle here. Its a pueblo. Ummm-its the biggest area in the mission and covers the most ground. In the little villages, its all jungle and there's vipers and jaguars supposedly, and crocodiles. Actually, one of the less active members in our ward has a spider monkey and a crocodile. We visit them this week, so I'm pretty excited haha. Its 40 percent Maya 60 percent Spanish here, so I know a little bit of Maya. But I'm not trying to learn it. I need more Spanish!  The houses are about half and half here. Half of them have dirt floors with the bamboo walls and the leaves on the roof, and the rest are just cement walls that are painted. We honestly probably have one of the nicer houses here. Its nicer than the house before. We have a hot tub for bathing, a good size chandelier, and 5 fridges. So we have enough room for lots of stuff.

My companion is Elder Garcia. He speaks little to no English, and so that's been a big blessing to have him. We work so well together. We plan, set goals--do all the things we're supposed to do, and I can see it. I hate numbers on the mission (seriously, everyone talks numbers and I can't stand it). The people aren't numbers--the're actual people, but I'm gonna use a number. We have 17 investigators with another 25 that are futuro, and not investigators yet. Holy smokes!   I don't know most of them, but I'm gonna get to know them all. 

Well, let's talk about some pretty scary and interesting things that have happened here in Oxk. haha   So we were at a lesson with Zulma (who is a investigator), and she has a little two year old.  The two year old was screaming like she wanted something to eat (milk from her mom), and so Zulma picks her up, and the girl like starts slapping her ....,  and she's like 'Okkkaayyy', and Zuloma just whips it out. And I'm just like uhhhhh!!! What do we do???  And my comp is like trying to not look up, and is just staring into his scriptures, and I'm like well, I know the Church is true, and I start sharing my testimony. I honestly have never looked somebody in the eye that hard--in my whole entire life!!!  So uncomfortable!! haha She did it like four times in that lesson. 

Well we set a bunch of baptismal dates in the past two days. 

Yesterday we had church, and literally there's 35 people in our branch. I gave a talk and talked for like ten minutes and I think it went pretty well. My Spanish is coming along pretty well, and this week I've been working on rolling my 'R's', and I still can't.  But I'm sure it will come with time.

We literally fill our days with stuff to do. A lot of the people that we will contact will invite us in to teach them--which is super cool. The people here are awesome, and a lot more humble than in Kanasin. In our area and all the areas around us have these caves that have water in them. They're just holes in the ground. Some you can walk into and some people just jump into.  I'm not sure how they get out. But in Takash (which is right next to us) people have them in the backyards and in the middle of the city. Just look it up on the internet--the're sweet. Some missionaries in the mission went to one and swam and got in some big trouble (but the're still here). 

We also have a bunch of ruins supposedly, but we aren't allowed to go to them. We got little to no paved roads. We have some here in Centro, but once you get into the side roads the're all dirt. We went to one appt the other day and we legit had to walk straight up the side of this little mountain.  Dogs were following us and I was honestly a little scared.  We taught this old lady who we got a date for on Dec. 22 which is super exciting. 

Well that's all I got for this week. Its been an eventful week here, and it will be an awesome week ahead of us. 

Oh hey Mom--the area next to us has boa constrictors. A member had one around his leg and he took his machete and killed it. It was like 12 feet long, so that's cool. A missionary got a pic of it and it looks meannnnnn.. I'm going on exchanges next week there I think. 

Well that's all I got. I'll send some pics. 

Peace Out

Elder Hall

To be honest, this week was a tough one for me.

To be honest, this week was a tough one for me. Emotionally, and spiritually. Me and my companion have had quite a rough week. All week I've been having a hard time. I come home every night and I fall to my knees to have a better day the next day. They have been very long days if you want me to be honest. I feel we aren't doing much here in Kukulcan. we walk all day and never once stop and contact people. I think in my head 'Why am I here if we aren't going to go up to this person?'  They all need it. But I just keep walking cause I'm afraid my companion will just say keep walking or I don't feel good about it. I've heard that phrase a bunch this week, maybe its good idk.

So let's start with some stories.

So we kinda have an investigator, kinda because they don't really show up to appointments. Anyways, my companion had a feeling we should go visit them. Their name is basto yama familia. So we start heading over and its like a twenty minute walk. We get there and they don't answer, cause nobody is home. So we just sat on the "sidewalk" (really just dirt with a curb) and we just waited for like ten minutes. Anyways, we wait and wait, and then I was like, 'K nobody is coming let's go'. So we start walking back and theirs a tienda (store) to the right in this one part, and I look over and there they are! They're like 'Hermanos'!!!  So we walk back to their house with them and talk (for probably too long) and they invited us to eat pastries with them so we said 'Yes!'.  We didn't teach a lesson (which is kinda frustrating), but all in all I think it was a miracle. 

All missionaries had to get shots this week (I think it was influenza). So we all had fevers that day and I had super bad dia...  So that sucked.  Mom--I'm drinking lots of water don't worry.  I wake up every night and go to the restroom cause I drink so much. 

Oh my--they eat this food here that is legit chicken and grease.  And its super impolite top not eat it all. And its super popular here in Yucatan so everybody eats it (or feeds it to us).  So I was like 'I know I'm going to get sick, but I have to do this or they'll think I'm being disrespectful.'   I walked out of that house and about threw up. I was so sick to my stomach.  I was sick for the rest of the night.

Well you guys remember that guy that was my first contact!? Yep--we taught them this week and it went so well. I think it went well, and both him and his wife excepted. So that lesson was our only lesson this week. Don't really wanna go into detail what has happened this week, but let's just say we taught one lesson this whole week.

Well I have been thinking all week (and repenting all week for forgiveness). We had to go to centro for something in the middle of the week. We were walking and we were trying to cross the street, and this guy in a wheelchair was physically and mentally handicapped and he tapped my arm gently, and just said in the best of his ability "Uhhh"--like he wanted to be helped across the street. I wasn't too sure why I didn't help, and I have been thinking all week about it. I walked across that street and I thought about that man for the rest of the night. Just imagine (and I imagined this) how many people have looked at him and walked across the street without helping him. I have been hoping and praying for Heavenly Father's forgiveness for doing that the other day.

Well, I'll just share a little thing that happened at the beginning of the week. So my companion and I had just finished studying and we were going to plan our day. He says, 'Elder Hall plan our day please'.  And i got frustrated a little because I've never been taught how to plan a day or anything like that cause we don't look at the 12 week book at all for some reason. So I just sat there and wrote some names down that I had felt we should see. and he was cooking himself breakfast which was kinda annoying. So I just put my head down and read the antiguos investigators and he came back with his food and he said 'Nope, you don't have the Spirit with you right now'.   I said 'What'?   He said, 'You're in a bad mood and when your in a bad mood you can't have the Spirit'.   I was 'bout to blow my cap. I was frustrated cause I've literally been training myself for 3 weeks.   Then I don't have a trainer I honestly feel.  I kinda told him how I felt and he just said I need to follow the Spirit.   I got real mad when he said that, and I said, 'You know Elder Olguin, I love you, but that is not right. That isn't how the Spirit works. You can't just tell me to plan our day when I don't even know how to plan a day'.  I told him that he needed to actually teach me how to do stuff 'cause that's why he's my trainer.

Well yesterday, I taught Gospel Principles class. It was a lot harder than I expected. It lasted only 45 minutes (which was kinda impressive), then my companion took the rest. 

Oh my--we went to the familia Tec house on Saturday and we had a classic dish here in Yucatan. PANUCHOS. Oh my, they were so good. I invited them to Oregon after my mission so they can cook them for my coming home dinner thingy haha. 

Hey you guys wanna learn a little Mayan? I've been trying to pick Maya up as well.  All of the older people know Maya and will talk to you in Maya if you ask. Its very similar to English. This is how you pronounce it: bashcaloweek< means how are you.  sacoom´- brother  keek-sister

Well all in all, its been a week of testing for me. Me and my companion have had some challenges that have made me wonder what my purpose of being out here is. And I've come to realize it isn't about me. Its not MY purpose. Its the Lord's work, and He's the only person I need to please. Writing Seth and my dad and hearing from Britta and their thoughts on what has happened this week, has helped me realize that other missionaries opinions, my companion's opinion, my leaders' opinion, my mission president's opinion of me don't matter. Sure some people here think I'm prideful cause I say usted listo to my companion. (Literally it means I'm prideful if I say that??) But the only opinion that really matters is Heavenly Father's opinion. 

Before the mission I cared a lot about what other people thought about me, and how other people saw me. But to be honest, I could care a less now. I'm going to let them think I'm a prideful rich (ha) boy from the United States, but one thing they will soon come to find out is that I'm one of the hardest working missionaries out here. I could care less what they think about me. That's just straight up how I feel haha (please don't take it wrong). 

I've missed my family a bunch this week--especially the babies. Seriously, I miss them so much (a tear just fell on the keyboard haha). 

I love you all and miss you all.   Please continue to be yourselves. 

Love God and serve others. 

K peace out.   I'll send my few pictures I took this week right now

K peace 

Elder Hall

This is what I imagine the bug, lowered and two toned!

Wow, what a kinda slow week honestly.

Wow, what a kinda slow week honestly. 

I've been having quite a hard time the past couple of days. My Spanish isn't working too well--in lessons I'm just tired and can't understand anything--not sure why. But I'm trying to work as hard as I can. It really wasn't that bad of a week, but its been a hard couple last days here in Kukulcan. 

But there's one quote I've been living by and its, "Nothing will work unless you do."

So, keep pushing and everything will work out.

So I've been on two exchanges this week. The first was with Elder Nunez, and I can't remember what his area is called. But we went to this house with members for a lesson. The husband works as the agua man around the neighborhood. Down here people drive around with a big speaker and it says AGUAAAAAAA PURRRRAAAA--I can say it perfectly. Aguaaaaaaaaaa Purraaaa. (And some other stuff that I don't understand). 

Their house was literally a tin shack. I've only been in one other tin shack in the mission, but this one was super bad. The front door was a bed sheet, and each room to separate from the other was with a bed sheet. We sat on buckets when we taught, and they have very little. So his wife isn't a member and is investigating the Church. We taught the Word of Wisdom to her. and she drinks coffee. So we committed her to not drink coffee anymore cause its super bad for you, and so she asked if we could take the coffee home with us so she doesn't drink it. So we did. It was so cool. Its honestly so cool and awesome to see people changing. You can see it in their eyes.

So that was Tuesday, and then on Thursday I went to Cielo Alto, which is where the zone leaders stay. So I was with Elder Raya there. Its a nicer part. And we went to this member's house. Let me tell you--he did not like Americans. They lived right outside of Tampa and just moved his family back to Mexico. We go over and he and Elder Raya are talking, and then he asks if I understand. He's talking so much smack about the bishop they had in Florida, and that we were racist and all this stuff. Once Elder Raya told me the story in English I was like, 'Wellllllllllllll, if you wanna get technical.........'  I don't wanna tell the story over email cause some people have different views on different things, so I'll just leave it at that. haha 

Well earlier that same day all of our appointments fell through. so Elder Raya said, 'Elder we need to pray'. So we prayed. and we opened our eyes and started walking. About five minutes later I said, 'Elder I need a  restroom now!'  So we walk super fast to the store nearby, and oh my....  

The rest of the day we maybe got said yes to 3 times. Everyone was like, 'No, no, no, no'. One lady said no to us, and then we were like, 'Let's be here neighbor, and so we said 'buenas tardes''!!!  And the same lady came out and yelled some gibberish in Spanish that I didn't understand, and I guess they just said they don't want it either, so we moved on. 

It was honestly a day of testing our faith I think. Were we going to give up on the work, because people were saying 'No' to us, or were we going to keep going and keep pushing ourselves. We kept pushing ourselves.

Well I'm pretty excited for this coming month. We potentially have 6 baptisms.

Hermano/Hermana tec, lñuis, Josefony y david, y diego

Let me tell you a little bit about Estefony y David and Diego. So we tracted into Josefony the other week and she told us to come back this past week. So we went to the cita and taught them a little bit about the Restoration. We gave Josefony y David el liobro de mormons and I was like 'Diego needs one'. Anyways I gave Diego my personal one that the mission gave me to use for my personal study. I thought 'You know, this kid needs this'. They seemed super interested, and they participated a ton in the lesson which was super awesome. So I'm really exited to see where they go. They're a super young family with a baby. They're maybe 19 each, and Diego is 14.

Well the Puerto Rico Mission is shut down temporarilly due to the hurricanes destroying basically everything there, so we got 4 new missionaries from the Puerto Rico missions. In Puerto Rico they get cars and iPads. So when the missionaries came here, there was one that went home cause he needed these things in Merida, and Presidente said 'Sorry, we don't have those things'. So he went home. Kinda ridiculous. (probably an American ha). 

I rode in the back of a truck this week, which was pretty fun. We were going pretty fast--like 40 or so--yeah that was fun

Oh my--I told you guys about Luis I think last week. So we had another lesson with him. It went so well. We taught about the Plan of Salvation. He came to church this past Sunday and went to all three hours--you don't see that much with members here, let alone investigators. But in Sunday School he participated and volunteered to read so much it was so awesome. I'm so excited to see him grow his testimony. Were planning on poppin' the question tonight at our lesson. And he'll most likely say 'yes'.  That will be the same day as the Tec's baptism.

My companion has been super sick the last couple of days. Him and the other elder ate some bad food the other day when I was with Elder Raya in Cielo Alto. So he's been using the restroom a lot and our room with our hammocks at night literally smells so bad. Imagine someone not flushing and just letting it boil in the toilet. That's our room at night--I can't sleep when its like that

So we started a new challenge with members in our ward. We give each of them a Book of Mormon and by the next week they need to have it given to one of their friends that they think needs the Gospel in their life. Then the following week they need to have that person in their home to have a lesson with the missionaries. I think involving the members is one of the best ways to do missionary work. Knocking on doors is good at times, but its when members are helping and doing the missionary work that real missionary work happens and more people are brought into the Gospel. You get real members that way, ones that don't fall away from the Church

Yesterday I didn't feel good at all. I was sweating a lot more than usual, and then all of sudden I would be cold. So when we got home I checked my temperature and it was normal. Then I  started to get a headache, and my stomach started hurting. So we met with the Familia Tec and literally the whole lesson I couldn't understand anything they were saying--the language was coming to me, and I had nothing to say. I honestly don't know why. But at the end, for some reason the quote from Saratov Approach came to my mind and here it is: "light always overcomes darkness". 

Think for just a minute about what that means to you--really what does it mean? At the end Elder Olguin looked at me for me to say something and I basically said in my best Spaniush I had, 'Sorry for not speaking much tonight.  I'm not sure why, but I just cant talk tonight. But I wanna share one thing with you guys.'  And I told them the quote. And I looked them in the eyes and I said,  'What is that light?'   I paused to let them think and I said,  'Its the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Its the light in our eyes. Its the Holy Ghost. Its Jesus Christ. Its everything we stand for. Its our life'. 

Let me ask you guys something. What is your light? You all know what the True Light is. So my challenge to each of you individually is to find that light. There's one thing someone can't tell me that isn't true, and its that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church upon the face of the earth today. Nobody can tell me that that statement isn't true. And that's the light. So find the light if you don't have it in your life. Its as simple as inviting the missionaries over to your house and having them share the new light the world video. Read el libro de mormon. and with real intent with a sincere heart, ask God for yourself if it is true. And if it is, then Joseph Smith is a true prophet, and he translated the ancient record like he claims he did, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true and everything that comes with it is true.

And you know who you guys are. When I say this I mean if you think this applies to you, then it applies to you. If you're asking yourself, 'Is he talking to me'?   Yes I'm talking to you. So please do it :) 

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions about this--I would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you have. 

Also, another thing that randomly just came to my mind. I feel I relate to the  Mexican people so much.  Coming from Tualatin to this place where the homes aren't the nicest (some are tin shacks which is just horrible) and somehow I relate with them. We're so similar, and I think that's so awesome.

I'll send some pics of me this week. I've been having a blast down here. Nothing too scary has happened yet. Just the cockroaches are huge and scare me just a little. 

K--I'll start sending pics now. 

Love you guys. 

Peace

 Elder Hall

Woohooo!!

Woohoo!! First week down here in Kukulcan. It was a long but insanely fast week.

So at the beginning of the week we had one investigator, and now at the end of the week we have 7, with some more people that might be potentials with appointments later this week. So that's cool.

Umm, let's start with the Familia Tec. They are a family that live five minutes from us. They have a sewing company that the dad runs. He's so fast. He was making these arm sleeves the other day and he was going so fast it was crazy. They have three teenage kids. Hermana y Hermano Tec aren't married, but their like 50. The dad has to get a divorce and then they'll get married. My first day I talked with Hermano Tec for like an hour, just a about what he believes. Then I assigned him a chapter to read in First Nephi. Well, he followed through and read. I honestly would say he's my favorite person here. I would pick him over my companion.  My companion is great (don't get me wrong), but Hermano Tec is seriously my best friend.  He's Chinese. 

So here in Yucatan y Kukulcan they eat a thing called pibe. You pronounce it 'peeb', and we ate it at the Tecs house. The first time we ate it I was starving, so I thought it was so good and everything, and I ate a bunch of it. Then we went to their house for breakfast the next day to eat more pibe, and oh my, that stuff is so gross. Its like baby and dog barf all mixed together. Its nasty. They only eat pibe--three days out of the year for day of the dead.  Its big for the three days. And down here they don't use very many utensils

So I go to shower the first morning, and I turn the shower on and holy smollies, it was so cold. I was like not trying to get wet, but I had to cause I smelled like sweat, and our shower is so bad when you turn it on the water only comes out of three of the holes on the shower head. Kinda fun. So we went to the (idk what the call it in English)--like a convenient store, but a hardware store, idk. And we bought something that heats water. We fill up our buckets and put this thing in it, and it warms up our water. So yes, I bathe out of a buck here. That's basically how it is for the next two years. Its actually not too bad.

A cockroach pooped all over my white shirts this week, so that's cool. 

I literally sweat all day, its horrible. But its better than the cold, miserable rainy days in Oregon. Its like 85 every day, with like idk 80 percent humidity. So I carry around a towel and I just wipe the sweat off. 

We have gone down some pretty sketch roads this week, and at one point my companion got a bad feeling, so we just started walking kinda fast back home. You know, you need to listen to the Spirit when its a bad feeling. 

Oh anyone that wants a hammock--let me know. Their like 3 dollars, and their super, super comfortable.

Yesterday was Fast and Testimony meeting for church.  I was a little hesitant to get up and bear my testimony, but I did anyway. It was kinda cool. You know I'm not the best at Spanish, but I tried my best.  I also played the piano in Sacrament Meeting.

Okay, this week I've been so tired. But its all good 'cause it just means I'm working hard. Every night I come home and I just fall into my hammock for like 20 minutes 'cause I'm so dead. In the Leadership Meeting yesterday I almost fell asleep--it was bad.

Oh we went to Centro today. Its so cool down there. Their streets are all old looking--kinda makes me feel like I'm Italy. There's a huge Catholic Church downtown that's super pretty, but you know what's prettier (sorry my Catholic friends)--the temple! :)  Its so small, but everybody stops and looks cause its so pretty. Its all gated off. 

Oh, here's something super cool. So I promised I'd shared a thought with the Tec family yesterday about temples and they asked if we could go to the temple with them and have a lesson at the temple with them next week!!!!! Woohhooo. I love them so much.  I'll send you a pic of me with them.

My stomach and all my bowel issues are doing alright. I jhaven't had any issues yet. The food down here is pretty awesome. I've been living off of Nutella sandwiches, and granola bars. Drinking a ton of water. And eating lots of apples.

There's some ruins in our city. Its a super, super small one, and I got a pic by it. We aren't allowed to go to the ruins in our mission, even though we have Chitzanitza (idk how to spell it).  But i guess its a really cool one, and its only forty minutes away.

K--well I got to go. 

Peace out--Love you all.  I really don't miss you at all. 

Some insanely sad news--Elder Sibley might be going home, which is just so horrible. He was literally my best friend. Found that out today when we went to the office. Please pray for him.

K--péace dawgs

Elder Hall