Hey there family!
This week was a bit interesting. In terms of the work, it has been a bit slow. On Thursday, Elder Huber (zone leader) came and worked with me. It was really weird to be working with my buddy from the MTC. He is a really good missionary. It was a bit frustrating because his Spanish is a lot better than mine. I still learned a lot from him and it was good to work with him.
We have been teaching a young teenager named Venancio a lot this past
week. He has been to church a bunch with his friend in D.F. We taught him all
of the lessons and were preparing for him to get baptized this Sunday. We
however decided to wait another week so he could attend another week here in
Valle. He is really nice. He is a bit emo. He told us. Kinda odd, but really
nice. I think I told you last week. On Saturday we were talking to him and he
said he might be late to church. I asked him why and he told me that he was
planning to go to Misa (Catholic Mass). ughhhh. We just explained the
Restoration and how this church was created during the Great Apostasy.
Apparently he has some calling as some time of missionary in his church. He
still wants to get baptized, but this week we need to talk to him clearly and
tell him that he can’t participate in this other church because this is the
Church of Christ. I am sure it will be hard to change his lifestyle, but if he
really has a desire to be baptized, then I am sure God will help him make the
transition.
So I guess the weird, most note worthy day was this past Saturday. Wow
was it odd. One of the weirdest in my mission. The morning was pretty normal.
We went to some of our appointments and people weren’t home. We visited some inactive people who said they
would return to church (they didn’t go :( ), and we went to the church where
some members gave us food. The weirdest was after the food.
1. We went up to go find Venancio’s house. We have always taught at
the church, so we went to go find his house and meet his mom. He was planning
to go work with us for the night and then have an appointment to meet the
branch president. We went up to Loma Bonita 1/2 in taxi and the other half
walking. Loma Bonita is a BEAST! I’ve been up there about 4-5 times during my
time in Valle. Super pretty, but super high. We went to the school where he
said he lived next to. We started asking people and no one knew where he lived.
Finally we found someone and they said he lived up higher. We went higher and
asked someone else and they said higher. And once again and they said he lived
up higher. Some kid ended up taking us through the woods on this path to his
house. He literally is the LAST house on Loma Bonita. There were about 30 dogs
up there. They were super scary too. I kept a rock in my hand to defend my
self. My companion almost got bit. We finally found Venancio and met his mom.
It was then time to go to our appointment with the branch president so we
walked although down the mountain, walking through a herd of scary dogs. I kept
thinking about the snakes in 17 miracles where the little girls said a prayer
to escape from all the rattlesnakes. I just had a prayer in my heart that they
wouldn’t bite. haha. We then took a taxi and arrived at the church.
2. Bruno and Concepcion brought someone they knew to this primary
activity that was going on. It was this guy and his 9 year old daughter who has
down syndrome. I shook the little girls hand and then she kept holding on to
it. She then took me to this little bush tree thing and pretended to do
something with her hands. I think she was "prettying herself". She
then pulled off leaves of the tree and took me to this bench and kept holding
on to my hand. She told me something but I didn’t know what she was saying. I
think she wanted me to sit. She then threw up the leaves in the air and tried
grabbing my other hand. I was freaked out. She was this down syndrome girl and
I had no idea what to do. I yelled "companero!" but he was with the
other people and didn’t realize what was going on. She tried pulling me down
and then looked up at me trying to kiss me! I was trying to pull my hand away
and then she took my hand and just kissed it, but as I pulled it away she ended
up just slobbering all over it. I then quickly left and got mad at my
companion for not helping me get out of that awkward situation. blehhhh. I was
so creeped out. I know it was so little and an innocent girl, but I felt like I
needed to talk to someone about it. hahahaha. Everyone thought it was super
funny. I later told my companion at night that that was the most
"action" I’ve had. haha He thought it was pretty funny
3. The last weird thing was later at night we went to visit this
family where the girl seems to have interest in the church. We were talking to
the mom and the daughter at the door and there were all these fireworks going
off from the Catholic church. My companion was plugging his ears and then this
couple walked up and asked him if he was scared. He said no, he just didn’t
like the sound. They asked where he was from and kept talking to him. They were
in their late 20s and very drunk. I kept talking with the people at their door
and then I felt this tickle on my shoulder from my companion. I turned around
and they were taking a picture. I jumped into the picture because we can’t take
pictures with girls with just one missionary. I realized that her arm was
around my companion. No no no! I was like "No, we can’t do this! We have
rules! We are missionaries!" I just freaked out. I shook the girls hand
and she tried to give me a kiss on the cheek which we don’t do as missionaries.
I just stood there and told her we don’t do that either. I didn’t know what to
do. This girl was so drunk and was clinging onto my companions arm trying to
take a picture. I was trying to keep calm as I talked to this family at their
door and control this conversation behind me. The family was like "does
this happen often?” NO! haha. The couple ended up taking pictures with us and I
made the girl get her arm off of my companion. They then entered into the door
of the family’s house and took a picture with them. We said bye to the drunk
couple and the lady blew us a kiss... I apologized to the family, but it was
super funny. I was trying to be as obedient as possible. Who knows, maybe you
will see a picture of me and my companion on Facebook.
So anyway, that was the weirdest Saturday of my mission. Lots of
people trying to kiss us and weird things happening.
So this is my last week possibly in Valle. I really want to stay
another change because I feel like there is still work for me to do here, but
we will see this Saturday.
Valle is super pretty. We went to la Peña today with a member in the
branch. Super pretty, but some guide took us and made us hike through these
little caves. Not the easiest to do in church shoes and tie. It was a fun
memory though.
Also on the 6th of January they celebrate when the 3 kings arrived to
give gifts to Jesus, so they give gifts to the kids. They also have special
bread they sell. Elder Medina and I bought some. They have some baby god’s
inside the bread. Apparently you have to buy atole and tamales if you find the
little babies. My companion is scared of them for some reason.
So that is my odd and interesting week. Hopefully my stories make
sense. Some odd situations. I miss you all family! Hope you are doing well!
-Elder Thomas
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