Parrot

That is one big welt that Justin has, I bet that will be nice n' tender for a while. At least the Birthday people had a good time. And Stephanie got a hammock.(that's really Bolivian). Everyone here has one (they are called "macha"). 

And Dad will have a happy 57th birthday tomorrow as I recall. Feliz Cumpleanos a ti!

We were able to find various new people to teach this week so we will so how that goes. We have one reference to people that sell illegal drugs so that should be exciting.

Today in our study, a member called with a very urgent matter. He wanted to know when he should finish his fast. We always get these kinds of calls. You might take it for granted how much you all know about the church.

I am looking forward to the general conference. It is weird though that all the sessions start two hours later. For example, the priesthood session will start at 8 and end at 10. 

Well, I hope you enjoy the photos, I am working on my letter for you guys. 

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Gilbert

Here are some photos of an exotic bird when I went on intercambios (when we have a a different companion for a day).

Cathedral

I assume Stephanie had a fine birthday because no one said anything about it.

This week we went to the Cathedral as a zone and it was quite interesting. It was built in the 1500 or something. 

This week we worked a lot with a family who is having a lot of problems. The problem is that they don't confide in each other  and always fell like they have their separate parts and the other one is doing theirs.  The lessons usually turn into them crying. If there is one thing that I have learned is that  a lot of families here have problems.

We also have a recent convert who is 72 (Hno Lider) old and says the funniest things. Like in gospel principles the teacher is like honesty is a principle of salvation and what is honesty for you Lider. Well for me honesty is a principle of salvation. 

Last week he blessed the sacrament and we helped him to memorize the scripture for two weeks before. And meanwhile we asked him if he was saying his prayers and  is said No because I don't want to forget the sacrament prayer. Then Sunday comes along and somehow he got assigned to say the opening prayer and I thought he was going to say the sacrament prayer, but luckily he just said a regular prayer after a 3 minute introduction.  But now I have the suspicion that he is blessing the bread of his house and friends. 

These are photos of the museum trip that we went to. Turns out the museum was the cathedral in the center of town. It had various articles of clothing of the pope and other stuff. We called it the museum of apostasy. It was strange too because it is a tourist thing and this lady wanted to take our picture in front of the cathedral but the mission limit is where the steps end and the lady was like Come over here across the line and we were like NO we can't, it the limit of our mission. The lady was very confused but took our picture. And here is a little nativity I bought because I know how much mom loves them. Might buy something different next year, or if I can find something cool. This is a rock with little white stone carved statues in it. What do ya think Karen?

Anyway, that all the time I have. Hope you have a good week, 

Elder Gilbert 

Pretty Puppy

I have actually seen a monkey but I didn´t touch it because it was not very nice. They can take off your finger like a carrot ya know. There are bunnies here too. I usually do not touch the animals because they look like they have diseases. One common one is when dogs get bugs in their paws and start to lay eggs in their feet. Then the children come and show me the pretty puppy shoving it in my face and I am like yeah lets put the pretty puppy down.

Today we are going to a museum for an activity.  Hopefully it is not a museum of rice or something.

I have been teaching the natives a little bit of English with thrashing success.  The other day we learned the rule of a or an.  I was explaining to a member how you have to say “an apple” “an elephant” and he is like ahhh “an idiot”.  Yep, that works too, you catch on fast.

My computer still doesn’t upload pictures yet.

I am working on sending a letter to you guys.  Hope you enjoy this short little letter.  I spent too much time looking for something on lds.org

Bird Attack

The long-awaited package has arrived with all of its contents.  I am sure it was the Cross on the front that did it. 

Sounds like every one is busy in the yard, but I am sad to hear that no one has not yet tried to use the machete (the Bolivian tradition) as the prime bark-yard gardening tool. The biggest misconception with the machete is that you swing it around like some actor from the latest action movie. Try to look it up on youtube, so that you can learn an Bolivian art. And also I don't know if you knew, but you can send me a picture. I am anxious to see the truck and the backyard. 

And I feel for mother and her great battle with the bugs. Here is it always a battle with the forces of evil (bugs and nature). Take for example today, when a bird flew in our room during our personal study and went crazy trying to get out. Good thing my companion was brave enough to get a sack and grab it while I stood in the corner with my towel to defend myself in case it tried to attack me. I am just glad the poop landed in my companion's  scriptures and not mine.

This week we were able to find a new family, but then the limits of the ward changed and so they are no longer in our ward. The Parada family went to the campo to work or make the their dulce de leche (it is like when we make chocolates). We have been working a lot with members and trying to find new people to teach. 

Heck, I can never finish these letters. Have a lovely week.

Elder Gilbert

Response to Natalie's e-mail about having tonsillitis:

Pucha che, sounds like you have had a really rough week. You had better lie down and recover energies and just let your friends pamper you. Aproveche la oportunidad. I imagine that you looked somewhat like my companion last week when he got sick. (He contracted the Dengue (For the second time) which makes your whole body hurt, with fever and diarrhea, and feel like your bones are breaking). I haven't gotten yet because I always bathe myself in mosquito repellent, but most of the people who live here have had it 3 or 4 times. 

Something Dad Would Do

This week they closed one area in the ward and redivided the areas into 2. So now the area is huge and I have a new companion called Elder Moron but you say it like Moroni without the i. He is from Argentina and has 21 months in the mission. 

This week was not too eventful other than we had to move houses (my companions old house to my house) using a taxi. Which means throwing a mattress and two dressers to the top of the station wagon and strapping it on top. It reminded me of something dad would do but here it is completely normal. 

At lunch we were talking with family that makes us lunch (their son has a mission call to Ecuador) and how the internet always makes the places look better than they really are. And my companion said it was true because the only pictures of Santa Cruz were in the first ring were everything is nice. And how he also talked to someone in his ward who served their mission here 30 years ago and said that is was hard to find a good bathroom. Then the dad chips in ¨Ya know, that true, 30 years ago we had a hole with 2 boards over it and the only place you could do your business in peace was in the chapel. And heck, all the roads were rivers...¨  The progress of Santa Cruz...

Well I am running our of time Ill have to finish next week

Until next time 

Elder Gilbert

Here are some photos to show you what it is really like here. Not really all that glamorous.