Elder Russell Allphin: Fuzzy Fur Feet

Ah Ferngullys,

How goes it? I imagine from what it sounds like, great! I saw the pic from the zone conference. I’m glad to see I look like I’m 5 years old, haha. Yes, I’m glad you got to talk to Grizzly Adams and, yes, the packages he’s sending are just what he said. You can open them if you want when you get them—as long as they just get there.

Well, while you’re enjoying your last days of oh so wonderful UEA, you can hear about our week: It was, well, ok. We kicked the week off by having lunch at the familia Gastelos house (where we had bone marrow soup last week). When we went over there we found out the gas has been shut off all over town. They couldn’t cook so they whipped up the next best thing: Old canned fish and onions—a nightmare! I took a bite of it and thought, "this is really bad chicken....wait....FISH!" Sooooo gross and possibly the stinkiest dish of all time. It´s like lutefisk's little brother. SOOOO NASTY! But I got it down, not happily, but down. Then we had to pay our respects after to the baby Jesus. Yes, they love their saints down here and one of favorites is the Niño Jesus. The prayer scene from Ricky Bobby races through my head each time I see an 8 pound, 10 ounce (don´t even know a word yet) Niño Jesus statue. Good times!

I got letters from Grandma and Grandpa Allphin, Brother Sandburg, and that Packer talk Grandma Molly sent me. Good talk! Packery but good.

We are working with this family in San Lorenzo that has a girl ready to be baptized. She was totally ready for baptism I guess but the missionaries just stopped coming by so we are working with her now. She is very cool. Her name is Camilla her mom is the Hermana Sanchez. She is a lady who lives in San Lorenzo in this super-cool house but she and her family used to live in Orem, Payson, and Spanish Fork for about 3 years. We talked about all the places in the Valley including the great Stone Drug (which she had been to). I noticed they had a few English books on the shelf. One of those books looked really familiar. I took it out and, lo and behold, it was Fuzzy Fur feet himself—from the great Foot Book by Dr. Suess. I talked about my absolute terror every time I see that page; very anti-foot fetish right here, I’m sorry. But the family is really cool and we’re gonna keep working with them.

Other than that, we had a very o.k. average week. We had sacrament in San Lorenzo and I rode there in the Hermano Golenburg’s truck. He had John Denver, Israel Kalowookiepookiesomewhereovertherainbow and the worst of the Mamas and Papas (is that the same as the best of the Mamas and Papas?) playing in the car. Just being on a nice, short Sunday drive was very tranquil. We had yet another nice, humble sacrament meeting. Very cool. Well, other than that, Q´s?

Do you do as much walking in Salta as you did in Chijra?

Yeah, almost. But it’s all on paved roads, thank heavens!

Do you have a lot of dogs there?

Not as many as in Jujuy but the little ratty, loud dogs are twice as plentiful here.

Do you have a lot in common with your companion?

Yeah, he´s a cool kid. We have similar tastes and we love to tell stories from high school and stuff—he´s a good little kid.

Tell us about one of your investigators.

We are teaching this guy named Santiago who is 52 and almost ready for baptism. He went to church yesterday and said during sacrament that there was like something in his chest or in his heart. At first I thought, "Crap! Heart attack!" Then I was like, "Wait, no, it´s the spirit." We taught him a little bit more about the role of the Holy Ghost (which is one of my favorite things to talk about) and that went really well. We are hoping to have more success with him soon.

How long does it take to get to San Lorenzo?

About 15 minutes by bus. Such a pretty place.

Well famz, it´s been real. The mission sent us this survey thing we have to fill out so I guess I’ve got to go do that but I love you guys and pray for you. Hope all is well ‘cause it totally is. I love you! It’s all good.

Con Amor,

Russ

p.s. Sorry the computer is being dumb again and the usb isn’t working. Next week for sure I’ll send pics!