New Recipe and One Year Mark

Buen Día

That´s too bad that Scooter passed away. I just guess I will have to smuggle in a fun, cute animal from Bolivia (that will shake mom up for sure).

To tell you more about the area: The area is nice. It has a small town feel to it (It is about the size of Brigham City). There is only one branch here. And the Branch president reminds me of Mario from Nintendo.  My companion is from Lima, Peru. There are only two other missionaries here Elder Nuusa (Somoan) and Elder Alvarado (Peru). It is really pretty (I will have to send more photos..forgot to bring my camera memory today). The house has hot showers and there is a parrot next door that says funny things.

We are teaching a doctor whose son is a returned missionary. He a good soul. The family that was going to be baptized went to La Paz but got sick because of the altitude and are in the hospital.  Hopefully they will return soon.

I had the privilege to eat pata. It is something that you will want to add to your recipe book. What you do is you take the hoof of the cow (we helped our less active carry buckets full of cow hoofs (with the ankle still attached) out to her car to sell) and you boil the livin' daylights out of it and then take out the bone and add some milk and some other things. You end up with a nice jello that has a slight meaty flavor. They say it is good for the bones.

Yes, everything in the package arrived including the tripod. The only other thing that you could send is possibly another flash with music. I don´t know what happened to the other one but there is only 70 songs that play, although I can see others on the computer. But on this flash only put instrumental. I have a craving for hymns on the piano. I love the songs by Paul Cardell. Perhaps you could download him and the song ¨Divine Redeemer.¨

Well tonight we have to travel to Santa Cruz for the conference tomorrow. We get a night bus ride to Santa Cruz.

God Bless,

Love

Elder Gilbert

As you all know, it has almost been 1 year from since I left home. I found this photo of me from when I arrived at the MTC and took a picture yesterday of myself. It  is crazy the comparison. 

Mystery Photo

I got the package that you sent. It was wonderful to have new insoles.

As far as the books go, I think I would like the ones that are written
by apostles or prohets, Church history. I also liked the the history
books. Also be sure not to throw anything cool away, old photos, cool
shirts, the film or anything.

This week I was not able to write much because the internet here is
slow sometimes and it is hard to look at all the photos.

Yes, I would like a copy of the talk at the funeral.

To be brief, I had a little but of Camiri Days this week. It´s like
Manuta days. The only bad thing is that the people got drunk and were
hollering and hooting all night and they kept waking me up. The Pope
also came to Bolivia and everyone went to go see him.

I also can´t believe that Scooter is still alive. And by the way what
merit bagdes did Justin earn?

Well, hopefully this week will be a little more calm than the last.

Oh and by the way, did somebody recognize what the mystery photo? It is
a dog eating a cows head. I guess that's the tradition here.

Love Elder Gilbert

Climbing Hills

Hopefully you all had a great 4th of July. Well I am in Camiri! It is
pretty here and the people are nice. The only bad thing is that this
city is built on a mountain. When I first got here I didn't
think the car was going to make it up the hill. But now I have the
grand privilegde and blessing to climb up all these hills. (If you see
where I am standing and city below--yes we climb this hill about two
or three times a day). I live in a house that the missionaries have
lived in for 30 years. And there is a grandma lady who lives on the
first floor (we live on the second) and she is always like "you
boys...!" Thankfully the hot water device got fixed just before I got
here. I am with Elder Gonzales he is good and kind of a little gobber
(the kind of person who practices a Brazilian karate art or
something.) I like the people here. They are very nice and sociable.

Well, I am surprised to see that boat burned (that actually did stun
me). It reminds me of that one commercial about the boat (the boat,
the boat, the boat...) I guess now you have to ask yourselves "What
will we do with the burnt boat?"  Well it makes for a good story in your
journal I suppose.

For the funeral, let me know how it goes. Who else is speaking?  I
remember that grandma was always willing to help me. She helped me to
read and whenever I was bored I would go over there and tell her and
then we would play Chinese checkers, or eat bagels with peach jam (and
watch wizard of oz). I think she was my babysitter.

Well I have to get going now. Hope everything turns out okay.

Love Elder Gilbert