November 7, 2011

Well just celebrated our first Halloween in the field. Only a few
costume jokes, haha. For living in a Mexican neighborhood, I was
expecting a little more chaos, but it was acutally pretty tame. We are
having quite a few challenges right now. I don't know if you remember
that Isaac guy I talked about, the rocker? But anyway, he was literally
hours away from being baptized before he flew the coop. He just didn't
want to change his image. As such, he spent the last couple weeks
avoiding us. We finally got a hold of him last night and told him not to
expect us to visit him anymore. I think that is the part of missionary
work that most people don't realize. Sometimes, you have to cut them
loose. We can't force anyone to repent and if they don't want to we have
to find better ways to use our time. It was a real shame. Most of the
blame probably goes toward his wife. She was totally undercutting us,
telling US when we could come over and talk to him. Isaac really loved
our message and knew it was true but we just could work around his wife.
When we told them that we had to start using our time in other ways, he
was pretty sad. But he wasn't willing to do what it takes. And his wife
wasn't willing to help us or him make those changes. In fact, she was
persuading him the other way. Again, it was a real shame. Hopefully one
day, he will crack down and do what it takes.

Someone recommended to me that I get the Book of Mormon on CD and get a
CD player and listen to that during my language study. Maybe you grab
those things and send them along. Elder Z. thinks that would be a
really good idea as do I.

I haven't had a chance to work on the Spanish items you want.  Would it
be easier for you to go to a bookstore and get the dictionary and verb
book that you want?  I am also not sure what you have in mind for a
translator.
We really don't have any means to get to the bookstore, I think the book
I want is the Barron's 601 verb book and the 1001 Spanish pitfalls and
maybe a slang book.

Tell me something amusing that has happened this week?
Well we finally had someone come to church. Her name is Margarita. She
was also babysitting 7 kids at the time so we had to round up all those
kids and chase them all over the chapel. It was kinda funny and
ridiculous seeing the kids follow us like baby ducklings.

What did you do on Halloween?
Tracted, with not much success.

Do you have any Thanksgiving plans?
Not sure.

Any thoughts for Christmas?
I think just clothes. Pants, ties, maybe a pair of shoes. I only have
about 3 pants that I wear. I only wear one pair of the two I brought
too.
 Testimony experiences, hmm, I will hand write them.

Do you have a favorite family that often feeds you?
Hmm, I'm not sure if we have had anyone multiple times. They are all
nice.

Any contacts this week?
unfortunately no.

How is your mission president?  Do you see him very often?
He is well. I think I see him a couple times a month.