A Ward Feud

Well sounds like a regular good time at home jiggin' around. I had a good time too. I eat lots of food (see the attached picture). Speaking of food the two foods that I really like here are salteñas and pica machu.

To answer some questions

How many investigators do we have?

I think there is about 15-20. And then about 10-15 less actives and recent converts and then there are old investigators which are the people who do not progress. I counted all the people in our binder and I think there is about 60. 

That package? 

It doesn´t really matter how as long as it gets here. Some other things you can throw in if you have not sent it already:a multi-color pen, the my family pamphlet completed in spanish, instructions on how to use family search to find your ancestors and send to them to the temple,

What happened this week?

Our ward mission leader (Brother Peredo) has a lot and there is some dispute about who is real owner. Anywhere the other supposed owner showed up and Brother Peredo didn´t want them to pass and so the other guy called the police saying that Brother Peredo tried to kill him with a machete. So the police showed up and took him to jail along with Israel (super enthusiastic teacher ) and Richard (the second counselor in the Bishopric) who were in the house. Then the Rodriguez family (5 more men) go the jail to defend them so now there are 8 members in our area that are in jail . I think there court appearance is today so hopefully they get out. It reminds me a lot like that episode of Beverly Hillbillies where they start a feud.

Something else funny. We asked one of are investigators we he didn't go to church and he said because of the rain. Uh..hermano, it didn't rain on sunday. Oh that's right , it didn't, I don't remember why. Then this week we asked him again and he said it was because he didn't have any clothes. Oh man.. the things they come up with these days.

Wheelbarrow and Bolivian Culture

First of all, I will be calling home today on the phone to confirm the plans for Thursday so don't leave the house because I will be calling soon.

Sounds like Natalie had been having a fun time. Having your temple bag stolen and then have Grandma Miller to plan your social dates. And it was your birthday what more could you ask for.

Can't believe there is not any snow yet. But 40 degrees, whew, that is really cold. Here we never drop below 65. Today is a cold day because it has been raining. Raining so hard in fact that it was hard to leave the house because the yard has been filled up with water. Then on the bus the water started coming up through the floor and I got sprayed. But it is a good thing we are not in the rainy season. In the rainy season the water comes up to knees.

What happened to me this week-it was quite regular. We macheted somebody's yard and sholved a mountain of dirt. I actually fell over trying to haul the wheelbarrow over a bump. I was pulling backwards to pass the bump and I pulled soo hard that I fell flat on my back. The investigators are doing well. They are always so funny. We were teaching a family and the daughter is a member about the age of Natalie but the rest are not. So whenever we would ask a question to the family she would always chime in and give the answer and even when we asked them to be baptized she was like Yes, yes I will. Then we had to remind her that she was already baptized.

One thing that I have learned about Bolivians is that they just do whatever and just go with it. Nothing really phases them. If they have an church activity they show up at the planned starting time and decide what to do then start an hour and a half late. If someone where to come and graffiti their house they would just look at it and say oh well I guess it is just my lot in life. That is why I think it is so funny to hear Natalie calling the police over such things. What would Bolivians do. Nothing and go take a nap. Oh how the Bolivians love to sleep. The whole country goes asleep for an hour after lunch. We ask people what they are going to do for Christmas and they usually say I don't know sleep and eat. The Latinos are just more matter of fact too. There is no offense taken if you call someone fat or describe to someone "so-and so is the fatty with glasses". It is kind of funny.

Anyway prepare the internet for Thursday and have a Jolly good time. I will be getting in touch today.

Elder Gilbert

Hair Loss Remedies

Ahhh.. Stephanie´s hair is falling out. What would the Bolivians do? Well probably one of the 3 following things: 1. Nothing and accept the reality of your life 2. Don't go to the doctor because they is too much money 3. Drink some Chicho it is a drink that tastes like dirt, looks like dirt, and feels like dirt when you drink it.

I have not yet received the pillowcase with letters in it yet. And yes things do get taken out of packages (they also took the deodorant, but I can buy some (they keep it looked up behind the desk at the store) ) . Candy will usually always makes it, just put it in something that does not melt because chocolate here melts at room temperature. I don't know but I guess this is a test to see if your smarter than a Bolivian.

Yes I get to talk on Christmas day hopefully through skype. Not sure exactly how but I will let you know.

Ahh and it even sounds like my ward has surpassed the tenth ward in Sacerdocio (Priesthood). Pucha (heck) I think all the priesthood quaroms are bigger here. (diacono, maestros, presbiteros, elderes, y sumo sacerdotes) There is your spanish lesson tambien. But our area is about the size of a stake and there are three areas of elders in our ward. If you want to know where my area is it is where the eigth ring meets with the cumavi and tres pasos al frente. That box is my area and the fourth side we do not really know where it is--it is out to the boondocks.

Investigators: The Parada family accepted a marriage date-so we will see how that goes. They are a funny people. Leonida, the wife is really fat like a polynesian and has this blouse that the buttons look like their about ready to burst, and in fact one of them did and so she ways puts her hands over it to cover it up, kind of funny. I am currently writing a letter for you guys to let you know all about the details.

Anyway I think that my time is almost up.

¡Que le vaya bien!

Elder Gilbert

This week I also dug a crap hole. Put that on my resume. It was 6 by 4 and 5 feet deep.

Happy Birthday to Natalie! I have been to a couple birthday celebrations here, the Bolivians do it in this manner: everyone stands, sings in english, claps and sings in spanish and then sit down.

Serpiente!

What! No snow ! What is this Bolivia--where it like 95 degrees. 

1. Yes, I have been the one taking out the 75 dollars, I use it buy stuff, like a music player and such. 

2. The Christmas package got here, the only thing that wasn't in there but said it was was the music and deodorant. 

3. More to send. music on a flash with the song of color of the wind but in piano, i cant remember who is the artist but it cames on pandora. THe pual cardell piano hymns, and all the other songs. and those binder punch hole reinforcers. and some cinnamon, they dont sell it here.

This week was great. We did a service macheting someones lawn and I found a snake so I screamed snake but none off the latinos knew what that was so I screamed serpeinte and my companion came over and chomped it in half. That the end of that sucker. And naturally the recpients of the service had lunch ready to pull magically out of their back pocket so we had that lunch and another at another house.

Chunllo- it is a potato that they throw in the river for a few days and let freeze and it turns black. Then they take it out and break it apart by stepping on it with their feet and then cook it and serve it as food. And everyone in BOlivia loves it. It things like these that I just put in my mouth and swallow it with the beverage like a pill.

I don't have much time this week to write, tal vez I will send you letter. The post office is in the Santa Cruz north mission so we have to wait for the next week to ask president to leave to the mission to mail letters. Basically the north mission has all the cool stuff like the zoo, rich people and houses, water parks, and   cool animals. OUr mission has the distribution center and botony observatory. 

Elder Gilbert

Happy Birthday Karen--Want a Machete?

Happy birthday to mother, good´ol Karen. But don't worry about getting old, hermano Bismark (lives in the ward, executive secretary, he is like 29 or 30) says that you guys are young. His parents are like 70 or 80 and he has like 11 siblings.

i give up with the shift key. it is missing --too hard to type fast.

it was a regular week as usual.

thanksgiving: people don't like turkey here. it is too dry they say. so you cant really buy it anywhere.

christmas. yes i get to call home and we are looking for a member with a computer to skype with. there are about 2 members in all the ward that actually have a computer.

he is the gift. it is a big initiative by the church i am sure you guys have seen it but it is here too and we have these cards to give out and ask people if they have seen it before and how (to see which is the most effective campaigning tool)

Photos. this week i learned the art of machete. how to cut your lawn with a machete. it is really the only way to do it since nobody has lawnmowers or lawns for that matter. it is just whatever grows in your yard. but you have to watch out for the ants because they will bite ya alright (photo of my ankle it from the ants)

I also still need a photo of the house with lots of snow and the christmas tree also. people are perishing in unbelief about how christmas really should be. here it is hot and sunny and they call it christmas.

some others things that i could use: index cards, family home evenings ideas (can send to me through email) and games to play. there are lots of people who don't go to church because they don't know anyone so we have multi family home evenings and need good games to help people to know each other without conspicuously being a get to know you game.

 i was also in a theatrical production this past week. the ward had an activity where the organizations acted out a scripture. the missionaries got alma the younger conversion and somehow i got cast as alma the younger . turned out ok but very awkward

elder gilbert (people say either heel-bert or jill-bert)

Ant bites