Ahoy hoy!
It’s the second week here and it’s still going great! I had a great week this week; it’s BLAZING hot but it’s great! We taught a lot of people this week and a few people we’re teaching are going to have their baptisms pretty soon. It’s really fun to teach even though you're sweating up a storm because no one (and I mean no one) has air conditioning so that’s a blasty blast.
The Spanish is coming along pretty good. I did a couple of street contacts and taught and testified in lessons but there have been more than a few times that I just don’t know what the heck anyone is saying. But it’ll come along soon.
Again I have to apologize cause this keyboard I’m writing on is pretty much the poorest excuse for a keyboard. I tried to send some photos on the card but this computer is not reading them (they said that happens sometimes) so sorry, no photos this week but I’ll keep trying.
I got to play a guitar again! It felt sooooo nice. It was so weird to play it again but it was very nice. I also got to play this thing called a Charango which is like a mix between a ukulele and a mandolin and it is soooo cool. I think I might get one in the future because they are so fun!
I love it here cause they have little stores like everywhere! Just randomly, in a quiet little tiny neighborhood, there are little stores where you can buy soda and treats and stuff ( I wish we had that in the States). I also had some Argentine pizza, finally. Elder Rasmussen and I bought these 10 peso pizzas and ate them on the roof with Elder Shaw and Elder West (our roommates). All the sudden, out of nowhere, it started raining like crazy and we were instantly soaked (including the pizza). So we got down from the roof and watched the storm from inside the pench. The lightning storms here are nuts! They are way cool! There are also about a bajillion-billion dogs here. In this one part of town the dogs are kind of mean and we were walking through it and some dogs tried to get me and Elder Rasmussen so we picked up all the rocks around us and clocked every dog in the head. It was comparable to the Shoot Out at the O.K. Corral. The people here hate the dogs too so they cheered us on for getting rid of the dogs (or "perros" but here you pronounce it like "pear-ja-os").
Here you can run into some odd people. When we were going to lunch this guy came out of his house and, in incomprehensible Spanish, "cursed" us. It apparently happens a lot and when it happens it’s about the most hilarious thing of all time cause this drunky, John Ratzenburger-looking guy stands in his doorway, flaps his arms around and tells you: "I don’t want religion in my neighborhood!" It’s quite the sight, I almost had to clap after that.
We went to a city called El Carmen today which is like the equivalent of St. George here. It was fun. We got to eat a bunch of Argentine desserts and walk around. We also got to watch a futbol game on TV at a member’s house. We watched the Barcelona vs. Shakhtar match and idk if it’s because I haven’t watched TV forever but I have become a huge futbol fan as of late. We play it a lot in the morning and, for some reason, it’s just about the best thing ever ha-ha.
It smells like Disneyland here; there’s always a lot of cigarette smoke in the air mixed with motorcycle (or here we call them “motos”) fumes but you get used to it. Everyone here drives motos, like, nobody has a car and it’s just better to have a moto here because of the roads. All the roads are just dusty and rocky. The buses here are a trip! We don’t take them all that often but the buses here are meant for off-roading cause they make for a very bumpy ride when they go!
Now I’m going to answer your questions Mom, in the order you sent them:
- I’ve got 2 “dear elders” so far. They were ones you guys sent me right before I was about to leave the MTC. They were very nice! Thank you so much for them. It was a very nice surprise to get them.
- Elder West from San Diego and Elder Shaw from Sandy are my roommates and they are awesome. Elder west is a really cool guy who likes the same music I do and he is a skater. Elder Shaw is also a cool, nice guy.
- The pench is nice! we have a super air-conditioned sleeping room and it is so nice. We have two bathrooms and a kitchen and everything. It’s the nicest pench in Jujuy.
- I do take warm showers. There’s a science on how to work the showers but I’ve got it down.
- The laundry is quite the process but it’s all well and good. It’s exactly like we saw in the pictures but there is this thing we have that looks like a little garbage can that spins your clothes dry. IT’S AMAZING! I want one back in the States.
- We have a good-sized area. It’s really close to the pench so it’s really easy to work in.
- Our ward is about a good 50 people. They are very nice, especially our bishop--he is way cool.
- We eat at the members houses about every other day.
- There are about 6 wards and 3 branches in the stake here...nice!
- I’m not sure how many missionaries there are in the area. Our district has 8 people in it.
- The food is soooo good here. I’ve had Milanesa, empanadas, pizza and a lot of little desserts and stuff so far. The soda here is actually amazing and, yes, they have the 3 liter Cokes--it’s just the best!
Well, that’s what I’ve been doing this week. Teaching, preaching, and having a ton of fun to boot. I hope that sums up this week well enough and answers all your questions. Again, if you have any more questions, just ask them.
This mission is so amazing. The people are just so amazing and I know this is really where I’m supposed to be. I’m so thankful and soooo happy to be here. I love you guys so much and I miss you but just know everything is great here and I am fine and dandy and I’m having the time of my life.
I love you guys sooooo much and I’m looking forward to possibly getting some mail from you guys tomorrow in the pouch. I love you guys so much, it’s all good.
con amor,
Russ
p.s. Elder Rasmussen and I are the same exact people...like, it’s crazy how similar we are, so just know that I couldn’t have asked for a better companion!
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