Eric with Ramon and Guiliana Perezand Elder Petersen
BAPTISMS!!!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!
It's great to write you again, sorry last week I didn't have as much time, but this week I have a little more time. Firstly, WE HAD TWO BAPTISMS SATURDAY, WOOHOO!! You're probably very surprised since I didn't talk about anyone being close to baptism, because frankly, no one was close to being ready. But, two got ready!! Here are the names of my first two baptisms...Ramon Perez and Guiliana Perez!!!!
Ramon is 19 and lives with his girlfriend Veronica, who is 17. They have two very cute little girls. They're not married, but are working towards it. Ramon and Guiliana are brother and sister. Guiliana is 13. They are some of the best people we've met. Guiliana has never even smoked (EVERYONE does here!) Ramon's done a lot of drugs, but he's awesome, he stopped doing drugs after we started teaching him, took out his earrings, and has his life in order. Anyway, the reason why we didn't expect to baptize them so soon, is because Ramon and Veronica couldn't get a marriage date. They still haven't gotten one, and are fighting the system every day to try to get one. But we were able to baptize him because Ramon agreed to move out of his house (their house is a small one-room house, and the entire HOUSE is about 1/4 the size of my BEDROOM!!) Their home has a stove and a bed, that's it. Anyway, since they can't sleep in the same bed till they're married, Ramon agreed to live with a member of the church in their spare room, until he can get married, it's so cool!!! He didn't want to move out and leave his wife alone during the night, but they really wanted to be baptized. Anyway, the official baptism date is Feb. 13, 2010, Saturday, and the official confirmation date is Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010. Anyway, I was very excited to be typing all of this, so I hope I didn't leave out anything crucial that you'd want to know. Feel free to ask me whatever questions you have about it in the next email!!!!
Cesar and Victoria are not doing so well. They could be such a cute little family. Victoria is about 16 and they have 4 little kids together. (People mature very quickly here, many 13-year-old women look like they're a mother of two, and sadly, it's usually because they are.) I remember at the beginning, when we were teaching Cesar and Victoria the lessons, how strong the spirit was, and then when we'd return to teach them some more after they had gone to church, and were keeping the commandments, all these good things made their lives so different, like night and day. Their home was so much more peaceful and happy. Their family all got along great, and I just loved going over there! The gospel truly does bless families and bring happiness. However, Cesar began to have many doubts about marriage, por ejemplo (for example) he doesn't want to get married because if he does, his wife will inherit his huge debt, it costs too much money to get married, etc. They stopped keeping their commitments and living the gospel, and stopped going to church. As a result, I saw the same family that had started being so happy and hopeful, go back to being worried and unhappy. We're trying to help them, but they've just become lazy and haven't even gone to church the last 3 weeks. It's so sad for me to see how they've lost their happiness, their free agency, and have gone back to doing drugs. Well, they're still good people, and I hope we can help them turn back again to the gospel so they can be happy and have a good family life.
I'll try to answer some questions now. Okay, I will go to a doctor, maybe tomorrow. I don't like going to doctors, but if you are so concerned about this sickness going on this long and you say it's bad for my ears being clogged for so long, then I want to get medical help.
We can't drink the tap water here, although we do anyway, because when we're out working and the members offer us an ice cold drink (the people fill jugs with tap water and put them in their fridge) we can't say no. But frankly, it's their cups that are the scariest, because people here just don't clean things. Anyway, in our pinche, we drink clean water out of those big 5 gallon jugs. A guy comes around twice a week selling them, and that's when we buy them. Also, people here love sodas, we get offered sodas pretty often, and we love it because the tap water is not safe and tastes bad, too. The people will drink soda with every meal usually. But, the dogs all drink out of the open sewers, and after a rainstorm, even the little kids will sometimes drink out of the sewers, yuck!!!
Right now it's summer and so the kids don't have school. I don't know exactly when it starts again, but I know it's coming up. Many kids don't go, though, which is why so many people we teach don't even know how to read.
In our area, there aren't any big stores, and everyone just works by doing little things to earn money to make a living. A lot of people run a kiosko from their house, or wash cars, or fix cars, or are maids, or other little things like that.
The rain storms here are huge!!!! When it rains, it really rains, and since they don't have drainage here, it floods really bad. The sewer trenches fill up first, and then the entire street floods, knee high for us usually. Last time it was really bad, I remember laughing really hard when I watched a kid riding his bike through the streets, with the water up to the handle bars. I think it's really cool to see, though!
We can't drink mate, which is sad, because everyone here offers it to us and I really want to try it. But we can drink Coke if it is offered to us (we just can't ask them for it) so that's a plus.
For transfers, I'm still here in San Martin VT with Elder Petersen. We were very excited to be together another transfer! Also, I'd really like to know my priesthood line of authority, and was wondering if you could order me a copy of mine, since I can't from here.
I'm glad to hear that Marisa and David's baby is doing good so far, and I want to know every change and update they hear!!! I can hardly wait!! Uncle Eric, ha ha! It sounds like everyone had a really great Valentine's Day, so that is cool!
We're going to get a ward mission leader and ward missionaries!!! Once we have those, the work will be a lot easier. Also, a guy is coming to fix our air conditioner Friday, so that'll be nice, and the shower...well that still sucks, but I'm getting used to ice cold showers, ha ha.
This week has been awesome, and we had the best meal I've had yet, with that guy I told you about that's "wealthy." He has a good job, and travels to Utah twice a year for his work, so they have a more American type home. Anyway, we had a very typical Argentine lunch with them. Salad with lots of crazy dressings, chicken melanesas (Mom's note: I looked it up, and melanesas are a slice of meat, dipped in egg and then bread crumbs, and fried in oil), and mashed potatoes, and of course a doble cola and a pritty for drinks. (Two very common drinks here, the doble cola is an imitation coke, but tastes like the real thing, and pritty is a lemon drink which is one of my favorites.) The meal was so good, I had probably 10 huge melanesas, 10 glasses of soda, and lots of potatoes. As usual if a member feeds us, they make enough food for an army, so there was still plenty left!!
This week we did that activity with the members here, called the Trip to Hawaii, where it's a simulation of the Plan of Salvation, our death, 3 kingdoms, etc. We had done it in our ward a few years ago, if you remember. We did ours very different here, though. We played games the whole time, and while they were playing games Elder Petersen and I would go out separately (yes, I taught it all in Spanish myself) and pull people aside to teach them the gospel. If they accepted and listened they'd get white pieces of paper, which were their covenants (but we didn't tell them they were their covenants, just that they were important to the Lord). Then later, Elder Wilkinson who was playing Satan would go over and offer them fake money which they could use to buy the pizza and drinks we had made for the activity. Well, you'd think that most people would hang on to their covenants, right? NO ONE KEPT THEIR COVENANTS! Even all the branch presidents sold their covenants!! Well, long story short, the only people that made it to the celestial kingdom were a few little kids under 8, ha ha. The people were all amazed and wished afterward that they had kept their covenants. Hopefully they do in real life at least.
Well, I'm out of time now, just want you to know I love you all, and am glad for all you do for me. I'm having a great time in Argentina, and we're having a lot of fun and success, and this next transfer is going to be even better!! Oh, I didn't mention before, we got Standards again even though we had one less day of work because of zone conference!!!! Also, we slaughtered the Standards this time, going the extra mile.
Anyway, love you all, hope you're doing good too. Loving Argentina, the people, the penche, comps, everything.
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH,
Eric
Ramon with Veronica and their two girls
Guiliana, their mom, Ramon, Veronica
and other family members
Ramon with Eric
Guiliana with Eric
Eric's housemates Elder Carrillo and Elder Wilkinson
___________________________________________
Dear family,
BAPTISMS!!!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!
It's great to write you again, sorry last week I didn't have as much time, but this week I have a little more time. Firstly, WE HAD TWO BAPTISMS SATURDAY, WOOHOO!! You're probably very surprised since I didn't talk about anyone being close to baptism, because frankly, no one was close to being ready. But, two got ready!! Here are the names of my first two baptisms...Ramon Perez and Guiliana Perez!!!!
Ramon is 19 and lives with his girlfriend Veronica, who is 17. They have two very cute little girls. They're not married, but are working towards it. Ramon and Guiliana are brother and sister. Guiliana is 13. They are some of the best people we've met. Guiliana has never even smoked (EVERYONE does here!) Ramon's done a lot of drugs, but he's awesome, he stopped doing drugs after we started teaching him, took out his earrings, and has his life in order. Anyway, the reason why we didn't expect to baptize them so soon, is because Ramon and Veronica couldn't get a marriage date. They still haven't gotten one, and are fighting the system every day to try to get one. But we were able to baptize him because Ramon agreed to move out of his house (their house is a small one-room house, and the entire HOUSE is about 1/4 the size of my BEDROOM!!) Their home has a stove and a bed, that's it. Anyway, since they can't sleep in the same bed till they're married, Ramon agreed to live with a member of the church in their spare room, until he can get married, it's so cool!!! He didn't want to move out and leave his wife alone during the night, but they really wanted to be baptized. Anyway, the official baptism date is Feb. 13, 2010, Saturday, and the official confirmation date is Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010. Anyway, I was very excited to be typing all of this, so I hope I didn't leave out anything crucial that you'd want to know. Feel free to ask me whatever questions you have about it in the next email!!!!
Cesar and Victoria are not doing so well. They could be such a cute little family. Victoria is about 16 and they have 4 little kids together. (People mature very quickly here, many 13-year-old women look like they're a mother of two, and sadly, it's usually because they are.) I remember at the beginning, when we were teaching Cesar and Victoria the lessons, how strong the spirit was, and then when we'd return to teach them some more after they had gone to church, and were keeping the commandments, all these good things made their lives so different, like night and day. Their home was so much more peaceful and happy. Their family all got along great, and I just loved going over there! The gospel truly does bless families and bring happiness. However, Cesar began to have many doubts about marriage, por ejemplo (for example) he doesn't want to get married because if he does, his wife will inherit his huge debt, it costs too much money to get married, etc. They stopped keeping their commitments and living the gospel, and stopped going to church. As a result, I saw the same family that had started being so happy and hopeful, go back to being worried and unhappy. We're trying to help them, but they've just become lazy and haven't even gone to church the last 3 weeks. It's so sad for me to see how they've lost their happiness, their free agency, and have gone back to doing drugs. Well, they're still good people, and I hope we can help them turn back again to the gospel so they can be happy and have a good family life.
I'll try to answer some questions now. Okay, I will go to a doctor, maybe tomorrow. I don't like going to doctors, but if you are so concerned about this sickness going on this long and you say it's bad for my ears being clogged for so long, then I want to get medical help.
We can't drink the tap water here, although we do anyway, because when we're out working and the members offer us an ice cold drink (the people fill jugs with tap water and put them in their fridge) we can't say no. But frankly, it's their cups that are the scariest, because people here just don't clean things. Anyway, in our pinche, we drink clean water out of those big 5 gallon jugs. A guy comes around twice a week selling them, and that's when we buy them. Also, people here love sodas, we get offered sodas pretty often, and we love it because the tap water is not safe and tastes bad, too. The people will drink soda with every meal usually. But, the dogs all drink out of the open sewers, and after a rainstorm, even the little kids will sometimes drink out of the sewers, yuck!!!
Right now it's summer and so the kids don't have school. I don't know exactly when it starts again, but I know it's coming up. Many kids don't go, though, which is why so many people we teach don't even know how to read.
In our area, there aren't any big stores, and everyone just works by doing little things to earn money to make a living. A lot of people run a kiosko from their house, or wash cars, or fix cars, or are maids, or other little things like that.
The rain storms here are huge!!!! When it rains, it really rains, and since they don't have drainage here, it floods really bad. The sewer trenches fill up first, and then the entire street floods, knee high for us usually. Last time it was really bad, I remember laughing really hard when I watched a kid riding his bike through the streets, with the water up to the handle bars. I think it's really cool to see, though!
We can't drink mate, which is sad, because everyone here offers it to us and I really want to try it. But we can drink Coke if it is offered to us (we just can't ask them for it) so that's a plus.
For transfers, I'm still here in San Martin VT with Elder Petersen. We were very excited to be together another transfer! Also, I'd really like to know my priesthood line of authority, and was wondering if you could order me a copy of mine, since I can't from here.
I'm glad to hear that Marisa and David's baby is doing good so far, and I want to know every change and update they hear!!! I can hardly wait!! Uncle Eric, ha ha! It sounds like everyone had a really great Valentine's Day, so that is cool!
We're going to get a ward mission leader and ward missionaries!!! Once we have those, the work will be a lot easier. Also, a guy is coming to fix our air conditioner Friday, so that'll be nice, and the shower...well that still sucks, but I'm getting used to ice cold showers, ha ha.
This week has been awesome, and we had the best meal I've had yet, with that guy I told you about that's "wealthy." He has a good job, and travels to Utah twice a year for his work, so they have a more American type home. Anyway, we had a very typical Argentine lunch with them. Salad with lots of crazy dressings, chicken melanesas (Mom's note: I looked it up, and melanesas are a slice of meat, dipped in egg and then bread crumbs, and fried in oil), and mashed potatoes, and of course a doble cola and a pritty for drinks. (Two very common drinks here, the doble cola is an imitation coke, but tastes like the real thing, and pritty is a lemon drink which is one of my favorites.) The meal was so good, I had probably 10 huge melanesas, 10 glasses of soda, and lots of potatoes. As usual if a member feeds us, they make enough food for an army, so there was still plenty left!!
This week we did that activity with the members here, called the Trip to Hawaii, where it's a simulation of the Plan of Salvation, our death, 3 kingdoms, etc. We had done it in our ward a few years ago, if you remember. We did ours very different here, though. We played games the whole time, and while they were playing games Elder Petersen and I would go out separately (yes, I taught it all in Spanish myself) and pull people aside to teach them the gospel. If they accepted and listened they'd get white pieces of paper, which were their covenants (but we didn't tell them they were their covenants, just that they were important to the Lord). Then later, Elder Wilkinson who was playing Satan would go over and offer them fake money which they could use to buy the pizza and drinks we had made for the activity. Well, you'd think that most people would hang on to their covenants, right? NO ONE KEPT THEIR COVENANTS! Even all the branch presidents sold their covenants!! Well, long story short, the only people that made it to the celestial kingdom were a few little kids under 8, ha ha. The people were all amazed and wished afterward that they had kept their covenants. Hopefully they do in real life at least.
Well, I'm out of time now, just want you to know I love you all, and am glad for all you do for me. I'm having a great time in Argentina, and we're having a lot of fun and success, and this next transfer is going to be even better!! Oh, I didn't mention before, we got Standards again even though we had one less day of work because of zone conference!!!! Also, we slaughtered the Standards this time, going the extra mile.
Anyway, love you all, hope you're doing good too. Loving Argentina, the people, the penche, comps, everything.
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH,
Eric
Ramon with Veronica and their two girls
Guiliana, their mom, Ramon, Veronicaand other family members
Ramon with Eric
Guiliana with Eric
Eric's housemates Elder Carrillo and Elder Wilkinson___________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment