It finally got cold!!! (from July 30, 2012)

Why hello everyone!

I hope that you all had a great week! This week was better for me this week than last week, so that's a good thing.

So, winter decided to finally show up here in Sucre this morning. It's absolutely gorgeous, but this is Bolivia, so there's no snow here- ever. Just some hail once in a while, which is a really uncommon thing. But we woke up today with the city completely covered in fog and clouds and cold, so it's a good change of pace for us.

So, my ward had a talent show this past Friday, which was pretty awesome. We Elders did a skit about doing a movie, and being stupidly over dramatic and ridiculous, so it was a lot of fun. All of my investigators that have baptismal date did participate in their organizations though, which was awesome. My investigator, Wendy Callahuara, sang a song, and man, does she have a voice! She's got soul! But one of my favorite events of the night was that an inactive member came to the talent show, who is an amazing musician. He sang some of his own songs, and then invited me to sing a song with him. It was soooo much fun for me! It was a very successful activity.

We also visited a crazy old church/museum last monday. It was way cool because it was full of super old original paintings, so I couldn't take pictures(but I have an 8 minute video to show you guys when I get home!), but it was awesome. These paintings and sculptures have at least 400 or 500 years each, and it was pretty awesome. But to be kinda honest, a bunch of the pictures freaked me out a bit. It also has one of the largest trees in Bolivia- it's so big that it takes at least 8 people to be able to wrap the tree. And the legend is that if you walk around the tree 3 times to the left, you get three wishes. And if you walk around the tree 3 times to the right, you get married! But, don`t worry, I walked around the left.

We had some very cool lessons this week with the Familia Lopez. We've been teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ this week and when we got to baptism, after we explained thoroughly what it consists of(including the covenants that they'll make) they were still very willing to be baptized next weekend! I'm so excited. The girls from this family haven't missed a Sunday in 6 weeks, which to me shows that they are very committed. We also had a great lesson with Wendy Callahuara, also talking about baptism, and she says that she will be ready for baptism next weekend, so I am getting very excited for next weekend!

That's all for now!

Dad- Glad you're having a lot of success with work! And, yes, time is flying too quickly. But that's just the way it is! Have a great week!

Mom-Actually, my mission is (unfortunately) coming quickly to an end. But I am living in the moment, working hard til the end! Have a great week! P.S. I will NOT share a room with Emi. ;)

Aly- I love the music of Wicked- I've played a bunch through being in band, so I know how good it is. Have "fun" with your work this coming month. This should be a very busy month for me too. Have a great week!

Emi- YOU! Are still adopted! ;) You know what I mean. I've always wanted to try wake-boarding, so I'm now officially jealous. Have a fun week, cuz summer's spiraling to an end for ya!

Have an amazing week everyone! Don't forget about a poor Elder in Bolivia!

-- 

AEA

Elder Craig

Semana loca!!!! (Crazy week in Spanish)

Hello everyone!

Ok, so something funny to start this week's letter with, last night I was saying Good night to my roommates, and I  said "Buenas noches, everybody!"(A bit of Spanglish) and the other Latino in my house(not my kid) who understands a bit of English goes "Everybody, ¿como todo cuerpo( every_body)?" So, Elder Bilanzich and I laughed as we explained the meaning of it in English.

This week was an interesting week for me personally in the mission.  First thing is that having sister missionaries in my district has been an interesting experience for me. They call me a lot so I can help them out with Priesthood things that they can't do themselves, so it's been a cool experience. Like today I get to go and dedicate their new apartment tonight. It's just so new, I can't really wrap my head around it still. But it's all for a reason, to help me learn and grow, just like the rest of the mission. Also, the sister missionaries work super hard. They had a baptism this week, and man did they have an investigator of gold. He got baptized after three weeks, and in his interview, this guy had a huge testimony already of the Restored Gospel. I was also able to attend the baptism, and it was a great experience.

We also did a bunch of service this week! The first service project that we did was dig dig dig. We dug a hole for sewer pipes for a member. It was tough work, because we also laid the pipes(I know, but the member who supervised knew what he was doing, so we did alright!). We also helped our Zone Leaders change houses. It wasn't too hard, but we did have to carry all of their stuff down 7 flights of stairs(for some reason, we as missionaries live in the top of a building, or on the bottom), so that was exhausting. But it was really good to be able to serve both missionaries and members. It helps the unity a bunch to be able to do that.

We have also made good progress with our investigators. We had a great lesson on  Saturday with our investigators Wendy and Noemi Callahuara. We focused on talking about the Book of Mormon, and we were able to back up our teachings with the Bible, which really helped A TON with that lesson, so that at the end Wendy said" Wow, I'm really starting to feel that these things could be true" They are making such good progression, I know that things are going to be fantastic with them.

Dad- The planes are new-ish, I would say 10 or 15 years old, so they're not bad, but not great either. And, powder skiing(and boarding) sounds amazing right now. Awesome that you got interviewed by Ski Utah, kinda ironic huh(the weather and everything). And about the family tradition, I'm not gonna follow it, don't worry,

Mom- Meetings are fun, no? As a leader I got a ton of trainings to do and classes to give(Like tomorrow!), so I kinda feel ya. And I'm ok with $$ Haven't used any of my emergency todavia, so I'm fine. No I wasn't transfered, just traveled apart from my companion. He's doing great, by the way. He's learning a lot and teaching me a ton.

Aly- That blows about your washing machine, just buy a reliable whirlpool, and you're set! Good luck with your SOAR thing with your divided group. Thanks for the pic of your shoes, I guess. But, they do look really good! I need new running shoes.....but I can wait till I get home. Can't trust those Bolivian brands too much.

Emi- Glad you got to go to the Temple. It's my favorite place in the world, no matter which one I'm in. Keep going regularly and you'll feel a difference in your life. Nice Sienfeld reference, and I forgive you!

Until next week!!!!

-- 

AEA

Elder Craig

Hey hey hey!

Well hellooooo everyone!

I hope that you all had a great week this past week! It was a pretty good week for us here in Sucre.

So, first thing, this was a week in Quechua for me. Two of the Elders in my district had two baptisms on Saturday, but I needed to interview them before they could go through with the baptism. Well, the wife only speaks Quechua, so I had to do the interview in Quechua. I did as much as I could on my own, but then I had a member who was there to translate for me when I needed the help. But it was a super cool experience for me because I was able to do that. I don't know if it'll ever happen again( I hope it does!!!!), but it was definately once in a lifetime.

Also, my companion and I went knocking doors as missionaries do, and on Friday morning we literally had half of the doors we knocked talk to us in Quechua. So, I ended up speaking what little Quecha that I know to try and get into the house, but unfortunately we didn't get into any of those houses. But I did speak a ton of Quechua this week.

The coolest lesson we had this entire week was yesterday. We returned to a house where we had been knocking doors and the wife had invited us to come back yesterday. So, we went back and the first good thing that happened there was that they were there(because most of the time they just say to come back and aren't there.). Next was that they let us in. But the lesson got super spiritual when the husband admitted to us that we were the first religious preachers that they've allowed into home- EVER. And they explained why. The husband of the family told us that his current wife is actually his second wife and that he had gotten a divorce. But then he read in the Bible that that was a sin, and started asking all of the preachers, priests, and whoever about it. And everyone told him that he was going to hell and was living in a horrible horrible sin. So, it was actually pretty incredible that they let us in. So, we were able to teach him about the atonement of Christ and that he wasn't condemned. It was such a good lesson that I almost cried.

Dad- That blows that they rejected your offer. There's a house out there for you! Don't give up hope. And way to go boosting your numbers!

Mom- Sounds like a good time with D'Ann! And well, I can't send pictures cuz memory readers suck. Have a great week!

Aly- Time off! Whoot! Have a great day off this week!

Emi- Way to go! Did you kill anyone? Jk, I know you did great. And now you'll wait just like the rest of us did. ;)

-- 

AEA

Elder Craig

Workin' hard in Bolivia!

Hey everyone back in the US, Chile, Argentina, and elsewhere!

I hope that you all had  a great week. This past week for me was awesome! My companion and I had huge success....but with success comes some difficulties.

So, we finally had a lesson again with Jesus, Carla, and Dorian( they are the 3 college students that we're teaching, if you didn't remember) and we were chatting with them and Carla mentioned that they had recently gotten out of family problems, and so we asked if it was anything that we could help with....and so she told us. Carla is pregnant, and her whole family just about had a heart attack. So, we changed our lesson plan and taught the group about the law of chastity and repentance. It was a very spiritual lesson, because since the beginning we've felt like there was something blocking us getting to know Carla to be able to really teach her, and now we know and we are able to reach out to her and be able to apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ to her life.

Progress is coming, I can feel it.

We also went out teaching with our pensionista and boy, did we do a lot of contacts! And the majority of them were in Quechua. It was cool because I understood the jist of about half of what they were saying. We were also able to contact a family that lives a bit aways from the church that sometimes go to another ward because its cheaper for them(they only take one bus when to get to our church from where they live it takes two), and we now have a service project to help them out with next week- Building a bathroom! That'll be lots of fun, let me tell you.

I also had leadership training this past week. It was actually a really good conference because we had lots of classes that taught us things that will really improve my teaching as a missionary, and that things that I am now teaching to my district. Things are looking good for my district, cuz we have lots of baptismal date lined up for next weekend.

Dad- Happy Father's Day! It sounds like you had an amazing day. Hope work is treating you well. Have a great week.

Mom- Yeah, we hear weird healing stuff like that too here, so it's pretty common. And yes, I had a bruise from that shot to the head. Have a great week!

Aly- I had PIE this week! A member made it for a lunch that we had with her....so we had pie at the same time! That makes me happy. Have a great chill week at work!

Emi- Hope summer vacation is going well! Don't kill anyone in Driver's ED, work hard at work, and don't get grounded. ;)

That's all for now!(I have pics, but the freakin' USB ports don't work on this comp. :P )

-- 

AEA

Elder Craig

Wadda week!

¡Hello Family and friendssss!

This was a good week for us here in Santo Domingo!

So, this week I started off sick. I got chills and a fever and diarrhea(yup, being honest here) and I was just all nasty and what not. It was really a rough way for us to start the week, and I was kinda down a bit to be honest to have the week start like that. Oh, but during the day before, we went as a zone to go play paintball. Yup we shot high flying paint balls at each other. Yes, I did shoot people, and I got shot in two of the places that you never want to get shot while playing paintball............the head and the hand(what were y'all thinking....hahaha!). I actually got shot twice in the head- Once in the face(don't worry I was wearing a mask, so I didn't feel a thing) and the other time in the side of the head(I got a welt- can't see it but I can feel it.) And the shot I got to the hand(my left pointer finger) made me bleed blood. That hurt like crazy, but all in all it was an adrenaline rush! I honestly would love to do it again. But, then I got sick.

And I had to do more of my responsablilities as DL. I had to pay rent and pension (food). That means that I had to carry around more than $1000 in Bolivianos (around 8000bs) to go pay stuff. To be honest, I did not feel safe carrying around all of that money, especially since the ATM's closest was in the middle of a busy market. I used a kangaroo pouch so that the money was against my body and not in my pocket. And I was able to pay everything without a problem.

This week we had an activity in the ward called a "Zapato Misional"(Meaning Mission Shoe). All four of us from the ward split up with one priesthood holder and a group and we went to go visit less active members. It was super cool. With my group we found one member who was having lots of problems and the ward mission leader and I were able to give him a blessing. And it was just a great experience in general.

Unfortunately this week three of our baptismal dates fell through- Of Jesus, Dorian, and Carla. My companion and I weren't able to find them this week, and a bunch of college celebrations happened this week, so we're a bit worried about them. But we had a bunch of investigators come to church on their own this week, which just made this whole week better!

Dad- Yes, busy is good. where are you looking for houses? Have a great week!

Momma- A new bishop that I still don't know, huh? That's cool. And I didn't even know that Ryan was dating anyone. Congrats Pancho! Have a great week!

Aly- Yeah, heart disease is a problem in our fam, no? Just be healthy and you'll be fine. Could you send me Kalina's email. I'd like to send her a email to encourage her. She'll definately be in my prayers. Freaky when that happens to a friend. Have a good week.

Meemerz- Hey, congrats on being an almost normal teenager! That means we'll have the same driving level when I get home, hahaha! Work hard this week!

That's all for now!

-- 

AEA

Elder Craig

A busy week!

Hey everyone!

Ok, so I'm pretty sure that I've used that title before on my emails, but whatever. This was a good busy week for me here in Santo Domingo.

So, my companion and I are haveing some good times here. We have three college kids that are listening to us right now, named Jesus, Carla, and Dorian. They all live together(Jesus and Carla are siblings) and are all listening to the Restored Gospel, and they are amazing! They are accepting all of the commitments that we've given them, and they also came to church with us yesterday! Things are looking well with them, so we're really excited. We were also able to go and find the parents of two kids that we're teaching. These kids are really good and are also loving going to church. We've been looking for their parents for a while, and so when we found them, we were super excited! The problem is that the dad works in a mine 12 hours away, so he's almost never home. And his wife always is traveling with him, so she's never home either. But we were able to teach the both of them, and they are willing to listen to us when they are home.

I also had my first baptismal interview this week! To be honest, I was pretty nervous, but things went well. It was for one of the companionships in my district, the elders from Delicias 1. It was an 18 year old kid who is now the only member of the church in his family. He had a very strong testimony, and the interview was a very spiritual experience for me.

I also had to do my first interview as a district leader. I did it also with one of the elders from Delicias 1. It was with Elder Salmon, an elder from Alabama. He's a really cool elder that I've known for a while, and we did lots of work together. It was fun to go and work with him because he's a really good missionary, and he knows the scriptures really well, so he's able to help his investigators really well through the scriptures. It helped me learn even more about how important it is to know the scriptures well. That's something that has been a struggle for me throughout my mission, and I'm still working hard to over come that weakness of mine.

I hope that everyone has an amazing week, and I wanna hear from all y'all for next week, yeah? :)

Dad- Thanks for your advice, Dad! I hope you have an amazing week!

Mom- Including me and my companion, I have 8 missionaries in my district. I hope you have a good trip to Boise!

Aly- Don't stress! It'll be a great week! Just relax and enjoy it! Have a good week!

Stinky- Happy summer break! Enjoy it and work hard at your job!

  

Until the next time...... ROCK ON! XD

AEA

Elder Craig