43 - Traveling and Working

Haha, thanks for the little input about my eyes matching with the tie mom! This week was good. I'll start with p day first. So last night we got on a bus and went and stayed at the house of some other missionaries that was like an hour away. It's a super cool house! It was actually owned by a gringo, but it got broken into and they tried to kidnap his daughter, so they left back to the states a few years back. But the house is so nice! Like really nice! They have a garden in the back yard, with a full size pool! It is so dang cool! And we had 12 missionaries there last night. It was awesome! We played monopoly cards. 

Then today we woke up at like 7, we went over to the soccer field (it is astro turf) and played soccer for like 3 or 4 hours. It was awesome! But I kinda got hurt. I got kicked in the shin, in the ankles and in the knee, so it was awesome! And we had the last game go to penalties. It was actually super fun! We did gringos against latinos, and sadly we lost. But it's okay. We did 7 on 7 and there were only about 3 on our team that could actually play pretty well, so it was hard! But we had a good time. The  kids in my zone are pretty cool, we get along pretty well. 

I loved the remote control in the Christmas package, it was a great idea! And it was super fun. I loved the letters. 

Now on to the rest of the week. So it was super hard, it's really hard to get the members to work with us. It's hard because they are all busy and they don't have time. But we are still trying. We had this one kid and we have taught him a few times. He was like I don't like when people aren't honest with me. So I just kind of got serious with him and told him why we were there and how we could help him. It actually turned out super super good. Then we also found a new family to start teaching, a mom and her 3 kids. The oldest one is 8 and me and my comp both feel really really good about them. We taught them the plan of salvation, and it wasn't the best lesson I have given, but we both felt really really good about it. I could feel the spirit was there, and she had some super good questions and some really good thoughts. She had a good time and she seemed receptive, and we have another lesson with her next Sunday. I really hope things work out. It would be really nice to get a family to work with, and it would be really nice to help a family kind of grow up in the church. It would really mean a lot to me! 

Other than that things are good. We had a meeting at Cardenas this last week with the assistants and president. It was actually pretty fun. That's where the pictures from Sis. Carmack's blog were from. We learned a lot and had a good time. And the food was seriously good! There is some good barbecue here! So I'm happy! I have a few places I'll take you guys too. Don't worry!!! I love you! Have a good week! 

42 - Uno Losses

Hey mommy. Well first off yes, I am just at the other end of the Panama Canal. This place has a high population of black people. The US built them homes to live in while they worked here and they just all stayed there! That's why! It's a good place, not super ghetto, and it's super close to the beach. We got to go there today. A lot of people visit here, like gringos and all! It's not as big as my last area. San Miguelito was huge!

The problem is lately I only have a limited amount of time to email! So I wanna get through my stuff quickly! So I'm sorry that my letters have been kinda short! But it's just how things have been lately! And some of the stuff is just like there isn't really much to talk about! But I'm trying better! 

So now to my week. So we had some super good lessons! We had one with a family of inactive members, and it turned out really good! We talked about our baptisms and how we felt at our baptisms, so it was super good. Then we ended up playing Uno! It was awesomely fun! But yeah I never won. I almost did like 7 times! But sadly I wasn't that lucky. But other than that, not much has been happening. We have been trying to find new people but sadly there aren't many people that are interested in progressing. It really kind of stinks. There are so many people here, but they don't want to work with us. It's hard!

We got to go play sports the other day at the stake center. It was super fun! we played volleyball for a while! and i loved it! it was a great old time! but there wasnt really much.

Today for p day we went out to Portobello. It was super pretty! It's by the beach. There is an old school Spanish fort that they used to send gold and other stuff out of. There were a lot of cool things! A church there had a black Jesus statue! It was cool to see! Pic included! But there were also Kunas there selling some stuff. I got 2 bracelets. They are actually super cool! They have a tooth in the middle and one is of a elephant and the other is an eagle. It's super cool! But don't worry! I did send quite a few pictures! 

But I'm glad you guys are going on a cool cruise. I'm waiting for my turn! Have a good time there in paradise! You will feel how I feel! I love you!

41 - Another Transfer!

Well. This is my photo. Hermana J took a picture of me when I was on the phone.

So now to the news. I got changed. We had Emergency changes due to some problems in the mission. They ended up closing my last area. I’m in Colon now and my old comp went to a different area of San Mig. My new area is called Puerto Pilon. It’s pretty much on the Caribbean coast at the top of the Panama Canal, on the exact opposite side from Panama City. It’s cool. My comp is from Texas. His name is Elder W. We get along really well and he is pretty fun to be with. I’m still a DL, too. But we are in a super difficult area. They haven’t had a baptism in at least 6 months. And no one seems to want to listen to us, so it’s super hard. But I just gotta keep working hard.  I’m ready to work hard. I’m trying my best! I know they just needed me here!

Other than that big news, not much is happening. We went to zona libre today. It’s an area where in the beginning it was companies that couldn’t make it through the canal with everything because of weight. Now it is just a ton of companies that sell stuff for super cheap! You have to have a passport to get in, but they just kinda let us in. I got some good stuff! And super cheap! Like some workout stuff for 5 bucks, a new charger for 2. Some really cool stuff! But that’s about it. Not much this week. Hopefully next week we will have things rolling in this new area. I love you! Keep it real! Tell dad I love him too! 

40 - Happy New Year

Hey mommy! Well first off, I’m doing good! New years eve was insane! And I mean insane! Every one and their dog was blowing stuff up! It was actually kinda cool! And it was fun chilling with a member. It was a good time! That sounds like an awesome party! I really want us to keep partying as a family. It’s always fun! Maybe because we are all super competitive at every single thing we do, so we always go as hard as possible! But that’s just what I think! It sounds like you guys did it pretty good without the help of the dream team, (aka me and Aust) but I’m glad you guys had fun. 

Oh, I spent $40 on the credit. I was at the mall and decided to buy a new electric shaver and speaker. And the speaker is huge! But it’s more of an after mission gift to myself and it was on sale so don’t get mad mommy! haha

But this week was pretty good. We had a good time. We found two new people to teach. The kids didn’t go to church though. But they are both really cool and both really excited to start learning more so that was super cool. There are a ton of religions out there but a lot of them are more about feeling good than teaching the true gospel. But this last Sunday we took a family to the temple. It was actually super, super awesome! We had a great time! And they all really want to enter the temple. One is a lady who lives in Florida. She told us she really wants to join the church; she just has to get her husband to do it! But that’s still good stuff going on. 

Ok, so I know my Spanish is kind of slang Spanish. But that’s how everyone here speaks. So don’t get too upset about that! But everyone says I speak a lot of Spanish for only 8 months. When I ask people how much time they think I have in the mission, they all say like a year and a half or more. So that’s a good thing to me! People think Ihave quite a lot more time! So now I just gotta keep doing better! 

I’m glad things aren’t going bad. It’s better to be doing okay than terrible. But things are going good here. I’m learning a lot and having a good time. Now that the holidays are over it’s a little less crazy. And we have some good investigators so I’m excited! 

But other than that, not much is going on, just working hard. I’m trying my best and enjoying the people. I hope everything is good there! And Marcus emailed me 3 times! It’s weird! I think he is making up for lost time ;) haha love you mommy