Ship on the river in Ramallo
Harvesting soybeans
Argentine pizza, with ham, red peppers and green olives Hello family!!! It's great to be able to write another day and to tell you about my past week. I enjoy hearing about everybody's plans. That's very exciting that Holly and Scott are going to St. George to study, and that David is doing great with his job. As for your new house, I can't believe how fast it seems to me that it will be built.
Today's been pretty good so far, even though, or maybe because of, our losing our pet bird today. Like I've mentioned before, Tony is 100% my comp's bird, so he feeds it, cleans up after it, etc. I believe he's been feeding it eggs and chicken legs (raw) and he says that Tony really likes the eggs. Well, it turns out today, or possibly late yesterday, he escaped from the new habitat Elder Faldmo built for him. It's too bad but we're happy because if he escaped, it means he can fly now and is probably ready to be on his own again, a free bird.
Shortly after that, the power company came and shut our power off. It's too bad that the one area where we don't have money to pay the electric bill is the one area where the company is on top of it and actually cut the power. I've come to live in penches where the electricity hasn't been paid in years! Of course, those were only in the big cities where things are out of hand, but here in Ramallo, everything's well taken care of. Being in the Buenos Aires province, it has money, unlike for example the Santa Fe province, so it's clean, organized, and on top of things (well, at least more on top of things.) Well, it's been a month since we paid the bill, and it turns out here, that a month's the limit!! We're trying to get a hold of some more money, because for some reason our electricity bill was 900 pesos! (about $217. in US dollars.) Neither of us have close to that. We don't know why it was so expensive this month, either. So we'll be like camping without electricity for a few days, which should be pretty fun. I don't really mind too bad, although my comp says he can't live another minute without it, so we should get it fixed soon, don't worry.
Anyway, after that for Pday my comp and I went over to the church and just kicked the football (soccer ball) around and loved playing in our cleats. They're great and make soccer a whole new sport almost! After playing some soccer, we came straight here, so it's been a fun day.
This week in church was good, too. We had about 70 people in church, 5 of which weren't members. Oh, how I love baby blessings!! Well, it was in big part due to our efforts, too, having reactivated a family of 7 that came this Sunday, and other families too, but there were a few other families that came just for the blessing. We talked to them so we hope we can keep being in contact with them and they can continue coming!
I got two slingshots this week. The Rios kid, Juan, made me the first one, and then President Cansion's son Ezekial saw it and so he decided to make me one too, so I ended up with two. They've since broken, but I fixed them so they're good again. They throw really far and could definitely do some damage if misused, but for now it's just fun to have. Pictures to come, as soon as we get power I'll charge my camera and send some pics, or maybe I'll just charge it at someone's house, so look for pics next week.
My official release date still seems to be a mystery. In my interview with President Guiliani, he looked at his agenda, and he asked me if I'd like to go home the week before or after, because of that conference. (Eric was originally scheduled to be released on November 8, which now has to be changed because of a special conference which the mission presidents must attend.) I told him after, because I wanted to hit two years as a missionary and nothing less. He then asked me when I started, to which I replied November 4th. After that he looked at his big agenda again and said that actually he would be in the mission home until the 5th, and so he could release me the 4th and leave early morning of the 5th. I told him that's fine, I would be okay with either the 5th or the 15th, so we'll see how things go.
I just hope I can get my package before then! Yes, I still haven't gotten the package you sent through the Kradolfers!!! The zone leaders went in to the mission home last week, but the office elders forgot to bring the package to them, probably because it's a not a normal package through the mail and in a weird type of packaging, so they maybe didn't recognize it. So I'm out of luck for now. Maybe for transfers I'll get it.
I had my doctor's appointment scheduled for a few days ago, but as is typical here, when I went there, the secretary informed me that the doctor wasn't going to make it in that day, so all the patients for that day will just have to come back another day next week.
I enjoyed hearing how you guys are trying to be missionaries and answer people's questions. I think it's so cool that you can always be a missionary and help people your whole life. Here in Argentina, most people's questions or concerns are 1. Tithing (probably due to the obscene amounts of churches here which sole purpose is to make money), 2. A specific true church (the general belief here is that all churches are true, and that a specific church is not necessary for salvation, which of course is directly opposed to their main religion, Catholicism, but they don't even know that) and 3. Word of Wisdom. And the list could go on, but those are the major concerns. It's okay for people to have questions, doubts and concerns, as many people once doubtful, later become strong members of the church and faithful followers of Christ. I wish that people with serious doubts could just accompany me around (or any pair of missionaries) to see the miracles and hear the testimonies, both from the missionaries and from the people's conversion when they realize this is the only true church for them, and if that is, then it's the only true church for all.
Anyway, I better get off. I love you all very much!
Eric
P.S. Happy Anniversary Holly and Scott
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