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!