December 10, 2012

Right now there is a huge wind and rain storm outside. There is tons of chapa (I don't know what you call it in English. Google it up y'all.) flying around in the streets and cutting peoples heads off. Only slightly kidding. The storms here are never really that bad, but the people are so dramatic. It's super funny. One drop falls and everybody runs as fast as they can and don't leave thier houses for the next week, not for church, not for anything. 

Meanwhile, Elder Reynolds and I walk around soaked and loving the cool weather. I know the thermometer doesn't show it, but it has been so so hot lately. The thing is that even if it is 75% outside, it's totally uncomfortable because of the constant 98% of humidity. Lots of sweat. None of my shirts are really white anymore, more like a greying cream tone with a tint of green (of mold). I think I will be leaving pretty much all of my clothing here when I go home, just the clothes on my back will be making the journey. And Mom, there is no way I am leaving my sleeping bag here. I love 7 day a week sleeping bags. I have found a better way. You don't even need sheets!

Remember the family who didn't come to thier baptism? We went to thier house a few times this week, but it was all in vain. I don't know what happened with them, but it seemed like all of the good desires that we helped them to develop have dried up. We told them that we would be back in 2 or three weeks. Hopefully that will refresh thier minds and spirits. Bummer, but what are you gonna do?

As a result of dropping the Alvarez familia, we have lots of time to look for new investigators. Finding in Tolosa is a totally different experience that I have not had in my mission. Almost all of Tolosa is pretty wealthy, so doing contacts is not affective at all. In other more humble areas, 1 out of every 4 people will let you in. So Elder Reynolds and I are doing our best to work through the members as much as we can. I am starting to feel like less of a missionary and more of a personal mission work coach. We have been visiting a lot of members and helping them feel brave and calm about inviting thier friends to visit with us. We are having mild success, but surely it will pick up later on.

This week we had a little bit of a scary and in the end funny experience. Last Monday, we got a call from one of the pairs of sister missionaries in our zone at about 11:30 at night. I answered the phone and the Hermana just started screaming in the zone that something bad had happened with her companion and that we needed to go to thier apartment as fast as we could. At that point in the conversation, the phone cut out. My comp and I dressed as fast as we could, a little scared ourselves from the phone call. We called a remis(kind of like a taxi) that took us on the 40 minutes trip to the Hermanas apartment. While in the remis I called President and told him what had happened and he told us to move as fast as he could. We also got a hold of the Hermanas again, who were still freaking out and were not able to communicate to us what exactly was happening for thier hysterics. I stayed on the phone with them trying, without success to calm them down. We eventually got to thier apartment and realized that the power was out in the zone around thier apartment. The Hermanas were waiting outside, in there pajamas with a flashlight and crying. Apparently they had just talked to a schizophrenic investigator who said a lot of mumbo jumbo that the Hermanas interpreted as a voodoo spell. They left his house, went home, and got ready for bed. They were both still really scared and decided to sing hymns to calm themselves down. Right as they started to sing hymns, the power went out, and they freaked out and called us. We gave them blessings and blessed the apartment. They felt better, and thanked us, and we made the long trip home. It was just funny because they were freaking out and scared each other more than anything. Now that I write out this story, it sounds less funny and more scary, but it was funny. I promise.

Other than that, things are going well. My biggest worry right now is if my last pair of shoes is going to make it for the past two months. Other than that, I'm good. All is well. Life is good.