Is Your Mama a Llama?

Dear Fambilys,

Blast it all!! Another late day! I’m so so so so so sorry but again, it’s gonna be something short. But I’m so glad to hear about your week and that all is going well.

What a week. We got mini missionaries this week: Mini Elder Torres from Positos, Salta and mini Elder Coronado who is a Jujanio. Elder Torres is an 18 year old chill, cool kid who is a recent convert of almost a year, likes to sing salsa cumbia all the time (and I try not to hit him for singing salsa cumbia all the time). He is my comp. The comp of Elder Moriño was Elder Coronado who has 28 years and he is just like Octavio from King of the Hill (Anna or Lauren would know who that is). Well he’s a mix of Octavio, Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite, and Garfield the cat. He will only talk about 3 things: His tropical cumbia group, MetLife, and how there is no bread in the pench. He went home from his mini mission today so we are in a trio now.

The minis are cool. Super not accustomed to mission life but yet chill. It took me awhile to realize but I’m the only gringo in my pench and only one of 2 in the district but yet I’m totally content with that. I’m at the level now where everything is just all good, I feel fine. So I got that happening. I did papers este semana and it went well. I have to go back this week but its all cool. I got the 2 packages you guys sent me in December. Thank you thank you!

We also had a baptism this week of a guy named Jesus. He is a super cool kid. I baptized him and was tempted to say "But I have the need to be baptized of thee." I didn’t tell him that, ha-ha. When we got in the font though, it was COOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was Titanic scary freezing cold and my body hates cold! We braced ourselves for getting even more cold but as I said the baptismal prayer the most incredible thing happened: My body felt like it was on fire (in a good way) like I wasn’t in the water, like I was wrapped in the most comfortable, warm blanket and in a super, peaceful beyond peaceful state. Like I can’t even begin to describe how incredible a feeling it was. I would be foolish to even attempt to try but we definitely knew 100% it was the Spirit. I baptized Jesus and afterwards he said "Did you feel like you were on fire?" I was just astounded. I didn’t know how to responded after such an experience. The only thing I could say to him was "The church is true." Which it is.

Well Family, I leave you with that right now and I’ll answer your questions I promise I promise I promise next week. We just had a lot of things happening today. We had to take mini Elder Coronado back to another part of Jujuy and a bunch of other stuff but do know that its all good and I’m doing great and I appreciate, more than anything, all your love and support and prayers. Keep on doing that and keep on keeping on. I love you guys so very much! It’s all good.

Con Amor,

Russ

P.S.

Hey!

Here are some photos. I was reading the Liahona the other day and I saw this article about chastity and how they interviewed young-adult members about their stances on it. As I was reading it I noticed that one of the interviewees was dear cousin Lizzie! I about skweeled! I took a picture of it. It was a great article. She is just about famous in the church now. Do tell dear auntie Mary to tell Cousin Lizzie I said "Props Cuz!” Sorry if there’s any mistypes or misunderstandings or bad grammar in my letters. I'm writing fast and I haven’t spoken in English for awhile now. Sorry.

Ayulen's Baptism

Love you!

Jesus' Baptism
 



Lizzie's Famous!



Corrillo's Llama Skin

Not a Good Smell

 

Llama Face!



Either I'm really tall or these palm trees are tiny!

 

Tongue And Peanuts--What Could Be Tastier

Hey family!

I'm writing this quick as I don’t have much time. It’s super to hear that its all good with you guys. Everything is all great in the hood here in Aeorparque. I ate cow tongue and peanut soup for lunch a few days ago which, no lie, was super, super good. Weird, but one of my favorite dishes. Oh, and we had a baptism this week. Ayulen, the sister of the sisters we baptized last week. It went really well and we’re hoping to baptize her brother next week. Pray for that.

We had some changes today. It was inevitable that Carillos was leaving as he was ending his mission but elder Corrales left as well. He had like 9 months here. So we heard what the plan was: I’m going to be here in Aeorparque with Elder Mariño from Formosa, Argentina. He’s super cool and way chill. He’s in my group. Tomorrow we are going to both get minis and in February we are going to get kids.  Yup, I’m going to be a trainer. I heard that Zulauf is going to be training at the same time as I am too. So that’s super cool. I’m nervous but it’ll be alright.

Thanks for the emails, they really helped calm my nerves. Well, I have to go do my papers in Salta tonight (which is way cool, I’ll get to see my old district and everything!) so I best be going. I’m sorry for the short email. But I’ll write more and send photos next week. Thank you so much for everything. I love you guys so much. Pray and keep on keeping on. I love you, it’s all good! (it really is all good).

Con Amor,

Russ

Check Out My Tan Line

Family!

Hey hey. Its Monday once again and I’m so happy I get to hear and write to you. I don’t have that much time but I’ll write you guys something quick. Sorry I couldn’t get you the pics last week. I found out the problem. A lot of the computers here have viruses and my card got one that I can’t see the pics on my card. They are still all there but they just don’t show up on the computer. Strange. We’ll have to figure that one out on another day but just not to stress, the pics are still there on the card!

This week was great; full of nothin' but the good stuff. For lunch one day this week we had mundungo (innards) empanadas. Which were actually super good. I hate mundungo in any other form but dang, the empanadas were impressive. They were highly complimented by the catholic "3-king parades" which have been going nonstop around the clock. You have to look it up but man! It was cool at first but after the 9,000th time of trying to teach a lesson while having them pass by with their drums, flutes, and dancing and playing for blessings, I tell you what... It always seems to happen during the spiritual high point of the lesson, that’s when it gets old.

I’m glad the letters got there. I hope you enjoyed them. I got the package you guys sent me with the chocolate orange and stuff. It was much appreciated—tank ya', tank ya'! As another package request, can you send me my sunglasses? I have a great need for them and now we can use them. I had a pair that were perfect. They were in my car. I’m not sure if they still are there.

I’m back in Jujuy which means 5 billion times the sexual-harassmenty snakes. They hoot and holler and sometimes, when you're trying to talk to people on their doorsteps, they’ll call at you from the street as they pass by. It’s not like it's wholly unpleasant or anything while you’re trying to talk about the gospel. I’m gonna file suit.

It’s still at least 10,000 degrees here. Though the heat really doesn’t get to me, it does sometimes. Elder Corrales and I were walking in the desert part of our area yesterday almost dead. I think it was somewhere around the area of 44 degrees Celsius (110° F) there the other day.

So I've got a year in the country now. It’s weird reading my journal entries about being in the same place one year ago. I read about old investigators and its giving me the ganas to go back and visit a few—could be fun!

We had a baptism this week. It was a kid named Julian. He’s 14 and his friends are members so the other week I gave him a book of Mormon then a few days ago he said he knew everything and wanted to get baptized. So now he's all done and baptized—most excellent! Good kid, that Julian. But other than that it’s just good times in Aeroparque. I love my comps, I love Spanish, I love the food, the people, the mission, the gospel, and all that good-timey stuff. Well, onto questions...

• How does a mini mission work?

Its kids in the mission boundaries that are of priest age that when there is a shortage of missionaries they come in and fill the slot, they become a mini missionary. We had "Elder" Frias for example....but only for like 2 days cause they needed him in another area.

• How much bigger is your area now than it was before?

Like double the size. We have the communist "Tupac Amaru" neighborhood as well. Which includes a neighborhood called "Che Guevara"...the commie guy. But it’s good. It’s got potential.

• Are they expecting to be getting new missionaries in the country?

Yes, they got a group of like 15 or 30 coming in pretty soon. But that’s just the word, ya know

• Have you learned to like eggs yet? Or at least hate them less?

I can stand them. I don’t like them but I can stand them. I like them with a nepolitana (my favorite dish here) I’ll send you a pic of our lunch we had today that we picked up in Centro...You see it’s got eggs on it....you like eggs?

• Any bugs in your house?

No, not much. The few mosquitoes but really, it’s pretty chill

Well well families I best get going. There’s gonna be a bunch of changes by the time we chat again. So do pray that it will all be alright. I know it will. I know if I just trust in the Lord and just go for it then it’ll al be good. Though it is nerve racking. I’ll just try to do my best to let the boat do all the work. I love you guys. I’m so so thankful for your support. You are more than amazing! I hope you guys have a great week. Keep on keeping on and just being great. I love you, it's all good!

Con Amor,

Russ

p.s. The pics are of my tan, my lunch, and Elder Carrillo’s super-fake counterfeit Pokémon cards he bought. I about busted a gussett reading them. They are a good laugh. The other is Julian’s baptism. In pic we have (left to right) Elder Carrillo, Hermano Erquicia, Hermano Armella and his cute (reminds me of Molly) daughter named Luz, Julian, Joaquin (he baptized Julian) he's a cool kid, he plays guitar and we jam from time to time. Next we have Elder Valero who is my zone leader and just about one of the greatest people on the planet earth. Such a cool kid and one of my best best buds. I hope he´s still here if I do the whole DL and kid thing 'cause he will help me out a ton. Also the other zone leader is Elder Eve who is also super and is my good bud. Oh, and I’m also in the picture, at the very end...just saying.

Fish-Belly White

Take that, Lipitor!

Gotta Fake 'Em All!

Julian's Baptism

Return Of The Native

Hey family,

As I write this, a chunky kid’s big rear is ever so close to my face as he watches his friend play Assassin’s Creed next to me. It’s just the right touch to start an inspirational letter. How the heck are you guys! it’s good to hear from you and that you all had a most happy New Year.  We celebrated our Nuevo by buying Neapolitans and watching the movie 17 Miracles (which, the second time that I saw it, I did not burst into tears— stiff upper lip and what not....Ok, maybe just a little teary).  Afterwards we went on the roof and watched the fireworks and welcomed in the new year.  It was very nice.

It’s good to be back in Aeroparque. It’s now all one area so I now have to get to know the other area buts it’s all good. My comps are awesome. Elder Corrillo is from Tennessee and is going to end his mission at the end of this transfer.  He is super chill and funny.  He’s got a Spencer Harris vibe to him—awesome kid.  Elder Corrales comes from Peru but lives in Buenos Aires and is just about one of the funniest and best kids on earth, way way cool. We had a great week.  In fact, we had 2 baptisms:  Karen and Anai.  They are two teenagerly gals that are so so very nice and sweet. The baptism went well and I lead everyone in the intermediate hymns. We sang like 6 hymns because it took everyone forever to change.  My arm almost fell off from conducting but it all went well.  As a last minute thing at church yesterday (I mean like, we were up in front of everyone and someone asks me to confirm her) I confirmed one of the girls.  It was a nice moment. 

Church was an interesting experience. I got lots of hugs, “how are you”s, and almost besos. I saw all the old group including my converts Ivan and Esteban. The fact they are attending just brings a great peace and happiness to me. I’ll tell you more in the questions but it was really nice to go back.

We got a mini missionary today. His name is Elder Frias from Salta. He was in my last stake. He’s a cool kid. He has one of those evil villain soul patches—dope! He’s just a great guy. 

Yes, this week was filled with work work work. It’s good to be here and working hard. Well, qeztions?

Is being a threesome great?  How are the boys?

• It’s great, really great. We all get along so well. They are both so chill and cool. We make smoothies every morning for breakfast so if that doesn’t say "We are the 3 best friends that anyone could have" then I don’t know what does.

Do you think you will stay with your Peruvian companion there in Jujuy when Elder Corrillo leaves? I imagine he will leave next transfer, right?

• Well here’s the thing, here’s my fear.  Elder Corrales has like 8 months here so he’ll probably be jetting out at the end of transfers too and the zone leaders are telling me it’s a possibility that when my comps leave I’ll become district leader and maybe get a kid. I kinda want to pass out every time I hear that. I’m feeling relatively calm about it but I say that now... Pray it’ll be all good, ya know?

Are you in the same pench that you were in before?  Are you in the same ward?  Same bishop?

• Same everything: Same pench, ward, and good ol’ Obispo Sardinas! He is such a cool guy. He gave me a big hug yesterday at church and had me bear my testimony and reintroduce myself at sacrament meeting yesterday. It was cool.

Can you go back to the turtle man’s house, Spanish it up and explain that you are now great at the language? 

• Speak of El Diablo—I saw him at church yesterday and he says, "So, Elder Allphin, you’ve come back to punch me, hahaha”.  We laughed and hugged....Oh little does he know what’s about to come—justice!

How is your bed?  Do you have air conditioning in this place?

• Great! And yes, the magic of the air conditioner is still here.  How I am ever, ever, ever so grateful for it.

What’s up with your old friends Maxi and Noiella?

• Oh....they are in problems. They had their baby! He is so chunky. His name is "Tizano". The problem is that Maxi has gone back to some old habits and they have family problems. We are working with them again. They still haven’t been baptized or married. They are fervently in my prayers.

Well, well family. That’s about it. I’m gonna try to head to another cyber to drop off some pics for you guys but I just want you to know I love you. You're all so amazing and mean so much to me.  Have a great week. I’ll pray for you and you pray for me. I know you always do. I love you guys. it’s all good!

Con amor,

Russ

p.s. The computer is being dumb but I got the owner of the cyber to upload these two pictures for me.  The one is of the baptism and the other is some frog or toad we found.