November 28, 2011

I have not really missed home as much as I did on Thanksgiving. I was pretty distracted all day long and just kept on looking at my watch and thinking, "Everyone is probably eating and watching football right now." Luckily I had Elder Jolley here to keep me focused. On Thanksgiving night we felt like we should do a least something little for Thanksgiving, so we bought a little chicken and cooked it and ate it together as our little American family in Argentina. The chicken was kind of gross and was more bones than anything, but it was good to feel at home for a little bit with my hijito of the mission.

This week was relitavely calm compared to last week. When Elder Jolley got here, he was terrified at the lack of cleanliness in Argentina and most of all, our pinch. He came from a clean freak family where they had spring cleaning every Thursday. To see Elder Jolley so horrified at the cleanliness of our pension was an eye opening experience for me. I think I have just slowly gotten accustomed to toilets that only flush half the contents, showers that half mysterious piles of hair in all four corners of the floor, 2 inch dead cockroaches in all places, and odors that make one shed a tear and feel disoriented coming from the refrigerator. I have become a Laminite savage. Because of Elder jolley´s constant pleading, this morning Elder Jolley and I cleaned the bathroom. I'm fairly sure that it was the first time the bathroom has been cleaned in the last year. I think at least 20 missionaries have used the toilet, bidet, and shower prior to the last cleaning. Needless to say, it was sweet. I will spare lots of the details, but I gagged so hard and so often that I had a really bad headache afterwards. Now the bathroom floor is worthy to be eaten off of.

This next week, Elder Aidukaitis of the Seventy is coming to our mission to review everything. This next week, I will be in meeting with him from 2 in the afternoon until 7 at night everyday. When we heard that Aidukaitis was coming, the mission broke out into a panic. The name of Aidukaitis is kind of infamous among missionaries. He is known for tearing apart agendas and making good Elders cry. I am kind of excited, but mostly scared to talk to him tomorrow and see if he lives up to his legend. I will let you know next week. I am sure he will say lots of things that the mission needs to hear, being a General Authority and all.