HOME!

¡Hasta La Vista!

Russ comes home Wednesday!  This is a picture of him with his group at the mission home.  He'll hang out here for the night then it's off to Buenos Aires and a flight to the States.

Last photo with Pres. and Sis. Levrino

Vaya Con Dios

Familia!

Sup? sorry I ditched you guys last week. We had a monster storm a couple of weeks ago and the lighting messed up the internet here but now, I'm here! Glad to hear all is good in Utahville. Its been pretty chill here this week. Well, actually more hectic then chill. I’ve haven’t been able to work in my area all week!

So Monday was my kid's birthday. Elder Allan turned a healthy 20 years old. It was a fun-filled day. We had nepolitana for lunch and in the night we had his birthday party. There was cake and everything. Here it's the custom to shove one's face in the cake so Allan got crubstomped in his cake by Presidente Angel which escalated into a full-fledged cake war and well, the picture explains it. Other than that, my comp was gone almost the whole week in Salta to do his papers. He went with another elder from San Pedro that had to do his papers so I stayed and worked in San Pedro with the other elder's comp. His name is Elder Membreño from Honduras, he's a cool kid. I think he knows Tanner Colledge.

The pench of the San Pedro elders is in a members house. It's like a super exception because they live with the district secretary (who is 40+ and unmarried) and his mom who is this little old lady. I woke up in the morning to find the Hermano (the 40 year old guy) in his undies looking for his gaucho boots and his mom yelling up from down stairs, "Little Miguel! Have you found your boots yet?" and him saying, "No mom! Gosh! I'm looking for them! Gosh! I can find them on my own!"   That’s all I have to say about that.

We got back to the area and worked for just like a couple of days. It was district conference yesterday and guess who got sustained/received the Melchizedek priesthood? Hermano Alderete! Yes sir. I gave him the Aaronic priesthood last week and yesterday I gave him the Melchizedek. It was such a cool moment. They were so happy the Alderetes. Oscar is the new branch mission leader and Hermana Alderete will be in the relief society presidency. President Levrino and the Hermana Levrino met them yesterday and Presidente Levrino told their story in his conference talk about of how the Alderetes met us. What a cool moment, I was thinking about that yesterday and how grateful I am for that experience. To see them just bask in the blessings of the gospel. What a great day it was.

Well, yes, it is my last week. It doesn’t seem real it is all coming to a close but it is. This is the last week to really just work hard and do great things in Yuto. Pray for me that I can do that, teach up a storm and what not. But yes, that’s about all for this week. ?´s

• Do you have anything planned for your last week?

I have a leadership conference in Oran this Wednesday so I'll be gone for all of Wednesday But I think Saturday we´ll do something cool in the capilla.

 

• I saw a photo of your shoes. What did you do about that?

Nothing.

• What's the first American food you want?

First thing we do when we leave the airport we are heading to Crown Burger. I WANT A BURGER SO BAD!!!! NO JOKE!!!! That and some legit chocolate milk. We´ll start with that for now.

• Am I right that this will be the last letter? You won’t have computer time next Monday will you?

No I wouldn’t imagine. I'll be traveling to Salta that day so yeah, I don’t think so. Maybe I could drop something short but I would imagine this is the last letter.

That is pretty weird saying that. Man, oh, man. I never thought this email would come. I really don’t know what to say. I guess the only thing to say is what we've been saying all my mission: "It´s all good." Its always been good, even when it wasn’t looking good it was all good. It has always been good. What an experience. What a trip. Going home seems like a dream and I'm sure when I am home the mission will feel like its been a dream but what a good dream it is. I'll write a bigger sum total of my mission when I'm home, for the blog and such but till then, I'll see you in a week. The church is true. I love you guys so much. It´s all good. #seeyousoon

Con mucho amor,

Russ

I'll do anything for tasty cake!

See you in about a week!

Skunked Again

A few weeks ago there were fires in the jungle around Yuto (the town Russ lives in) and since then they have had sporadic internet connectivity.  Today there was no internet available.  We received a message from someone in his branch telling us we would not be able to hear from him today.
We did get a photo earlier in the week from another member showing the sad condition of Russell's shoes.  This is his last pair and he was hoping they would last him until the end of his mission.  I am not sure what he is going to do between now and then but luckily he only has to make them work for 16 more days.  Maybe he will come home in flip flops.

Viva Zapatos!