...placed the fork on one of the tables and ran...

This week we had a baptism! He`s the first in his family to become a member of the church, but we`re trying to talk to his brothers and mother, as well.

We`re in the situation of finding a new place to live that`s actually in our area, rather than living an hour`s walk away as we do presently. We found a house that isn`t asking much, but it`s a little sketch. It`s like a little jungle shack and the bathroom is out back and it`s just a whole in the ground. And the roof is a thin-warped plank of metal. But they said they`d put a toilet and shower in. It`s looking like we`re going to be living there.

 After our baptism, we went to look for a restaurant to celebrate and treat ourselves to something nice. We entered a fancy restaurant, and it was all nice and there was live music and the guy was singing "creep" with all the bad words and we found out afterward that he was from Boston. Anyways, we didn`t like the menu options so we took off. It wasn`t until we entered another restaurant that I realized I still had my fork in my hand from the first. Embarrassed and ashamed I returned to the first restaurant, fork in hand, with EVERYONE staring at me, and placed the fork on one of the tables and ran. Many people laughed, but I`m quite used to that. Whenever I hit my head on something in public (which is more often than you may think), people think it`s the funniest thing on earth.

My pentionista.

Anyways, we ran into an investigator in the street yesterday, after not being able to find her all week. She told us she had been thinking a lot, and praying, and she decided that she needs to be baptized. She`s set for the 7th. We`re also teaching an awesome family of five. They`ve been having marriage problems, but we`re helping them and we have a goal for them to get married. We`re praying a lot for them. They`re really a great, and super-nice, family.

Sending Much love,
Elder Alexander

We visited a sweet old lady and she picked us some coconuts from her tree and cut off the shell with a machete. Which was nice.

Something crawling up my back

I´m in Huanuco right now because someone in my district had to go to Lima and couldn´t travel alone. Now, I´m stuck here until Wednesday with Elder Camacho, an Elder from my district in Manti. I suppose the most eventful thing that happened this week was when we went to contact a lady who was washing her clothes outside. The area we were standing in was kindof swampish. We chatted with her for a good 5 minutes and then headed off to our appointment. As we walked, something bit my companion on the arm. And then on the leg. and then something bit me on the leg. When we got to our next appointment and could finaly see,

... dozens of thumbnail-sized red ants covering my socks and lower part of my leg. I kept impressively calm, asked to use the investigator´s bathroom, took off my pants and picked red ants out of them for the next hour (no exaggeration). I got bit quite a few times, and it was not an enjoyable experience. I took off my socks because they were too covered in ants to pick them all out and when we got to the pentionista´s everyone was scared of my socks. And then this Saturday during a ward´s baptism I felt something crawling up my back and had to walk out early with my companion. We went to the bathroom, took off my shirt, and found the largest red ant I have ever seen. Only in Tingo Maria are these normal things.

We´re hoping our investigator can get baptized this next coming Saturday. She´s doing better, but struggling with much social pressure. We´ve been having many new investigators and tons of people to visit, but nobody has been progressing well towards baptism. On Saturday, we prayed sincerely, asking the Lord´s help, that the people we teach would feel the necessity to progress and be baptized. That day, we left the room, and subsequently, set baptismal dates with 5 different investigators, and got baptismal permission from a kid´s parents that were, before, against the matter. He might get baptized this Saturday, if not, the next. The problem is we´re in Huanuco right now, until Wednesday for a zone conference.

Thanks for all your letters, support, and prayers. Your prayers really do make a difference, here!

Much love,

Elder Alexander

Sorry, no pictures. I didn´t bring my camera when I left for Huanuco. Next week, I´ll send lots! 

Kind of swampish.

I´m in Huanuco right now because someone in my district had to go to Lima and couldn´t travel alone. Now, I´m  here until Wednesday with Elder Camacho, an Elder from my district in Manti. I suppose the most eventful thing that happened this week was when we went to contact a lady who was washing her clothes outside. The area we were standing in was kind of swampish. We chatted with her for a good 5 minutes and then headed off to our appointment. As we walked, something bit my companion on the arm. And then on the leg. and then something bit me on the leg. When we got to our next appointment and could finaly see, .... to be continued (Gabe must have run out of time).

It won´t be long before I get a reputation here.

Well, I went to Huancayo for the week to have district leader conference. It was edifying and I ate Burger King, Pizza Hut, and KFC. A success, in conclusion. But I did have a day and a half to proselyte in my area, which was nice.

Our investigator is having a hard time. If you could remember her in your prayers. She´s in the repentance process, but it´s not easy, especially here. Everyone gives her a hard time just because she wants to do the right thing. Even her family. But I know God is already helping her a lot.

On the other hand, I´ve been stepping in poop a lot lately. Like, an abnormal amount. At least once, every day. I know that´s not the most pleasant thing to hear, but I feel I should be honest about my difficulties here. This morning, I stepped in dog poop twice, on my way to breakfast. And the worst is that I have to wipe it off dragging my shoe in the grass, and EVERYONE stares at me, knowing exactly what has happened. I figure some of them have even seen me do it more than once. It won´t be long before I get a reputation here.
Anyways, I love you all very much and am thankful for all your care and prayers sent my way!

Much love,
Elder Alexander