Week 38

So finally for those of you worrying…I had a really good week. I also got my first good burn of the season out of the way, as I got fried on Saturday building a house. I also finally learned some Paraguayan cooking. So y’all know I loved that. I guess that’ll be the best place to start this week as it was at the beginning.

So, I had eaten more than my fair share of homemade empanadas from the Hermana Cantero.  One night I asked her to teach me sometime.  Well, Tuesday night was the night. So we get there, and were expecting some little thing with me, Elder Menchaca and her family.  Nope.  They are having like a family party -- grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, the whole works. Her dad is even in from out of town and making his famous Asaditos.  And my empanadas are part of the planned meal.  Well, I tried to back out. Ya, I’m a wuss, haha.  But in the end, they turned out really well. At least everyone told me they did. They aren’t that hard to make either. It was so cool! I do love to cook.

 

Then Wednesday, we did service for the Hermana Blandina. We had to cut down a tree and install a lock, and yes… I’m being generous with the word lock on her house.  But first we had to find a machete. So after running around to find one, we got one but it was crazy dull.  So off to the closest garage, who used a grinder and gave us an edge again.  Then back we go to Blandinas, and  Elder Menchaca decides to do the tree work and I’m in charge of building the lock.  So by a lock, they wanted a block of wood that would hold their door shut and kinda be some resistance. Well, at first I had to cut wood rough with a machete.  So off I go to a carpenter.  Then back to the house and by the way, Paraguayan nails suck.  They all bent on me, but I finally got it up and working.  They loved it, so I guess it works for them.  

Then that night we had to do a division. So, originally it was going to be us and the elders in Rama 5b.  Then the Zone Leaders decided to join in.  So it became a 4 area division, which was rather chaotic.  I ended up with Elder Jenson as my comp. Well, Elder Menchaca is just going with Elder Wall here in Rama 5.  So I traded with Elder Wall and took the new kid, Elder Worsham,  all 6 foot 8 inches of him to the meeting place.  We get there and  Elder Jenson calls me and says he forgot about the division.  So I pick up Elder Page, and we walk to Rama 1 to get Worsham.  On our way there, we talk with my favorite homeless drunk barba (barber).  He’s crazy!  Then we wait in Rama 1 for 30 minutes or so, then finally Elder Jenson gets there.  So it’s off to return home.

We went out to Romero Cue. Now this is over an hour from my house and so far that the map in our house has been labeled inutil or “useless” on this part.  But I had a plan of contacting old investigators out there.  Well, that went out the window when I forgot the papers with the maps in the house. Oops! So, we started contacting and found some really awesome people.  Then, we talked to current converts in Santa Ana area.  That went legit as well.  All-in-all a really good day!  Best division by far of the mission.  

Also that night we helped Camila with her application for a trip to the States.  She’s a smart girl.  Her English was really good, and she used some pretty big words considering it’s her 5th language.  I was impressed. 

Then back with Elder Menchaca on Friday.  And it also turned out to be a good day.  Our original plans all fell through, but we had a legit visit winging it.  So we were just walking in the street when we saw Micheli.  Now Micheli is a former investigator of mine and Elder Anderson’s.  She wanted to come to church, but her dad wouldn’t let her.  Then she got pregnant, and he kicked out of the house.  It was a crazy story.  We saw her for the first time in months, and we talked and these experiences have really changed her so we taught her again and it was just awesome.  She has really grown up and wants to change and is ready to hear us now.  She even came to church on Sunday. It was legit! We also ate cotton candy, so you know that was good. 

Then Saturday was house building day.  So we’ve been planning on building this house for months, but the person got evicted before the plan actually got put in motion.  So we worked a solid 8 to 5.  It was only the 4 missionaries really.  Hermana Benitez bought the supplies, Hermano Miguel brought the tools and helped, and Hermano Bustamonte saved the day when he finally showed up with his power saw. Anyway, it is really sad what they live in down here. First of all, the house was like half the size of my room in the States.  It was 9 feet by 12 feet more or less.  Then the wood was terrible.  There are holes everywhere!  My grandpas would both have died seeing how it was done.  It was quite the experience.  I wasn’t expecting to be there all day, so I didn’t use sunscreen. Yes, mom, I know.  Anyways, my sunburn got pretty ugly.

 

Then we ate burgers that Lucia was selling as a fundraiser to get money for her mission.  Then we watched Piki Voley. It’s freaking legit!  Note:  Piki volley is popular in Paraguay. It is played on a sand volleyball court, but rather than using one's hands, one uses the head, chest and feet to get the ball over the net.

That about wraps up the week. It was a good week, and I definitely learned to appreciate what I’ve got in life.

Love you all, and will talk to ya next week.

 

Elder Frost