Week 11 (Fithos Lusec...)

Well for starters, hello and sorry for my absence of an e-mail last week. I spent so much time sending pictures that by the time that I was ready to write an e-mail, everyone was ready to go. We still don't have much time to write so I ran out of it. Hehe, anyways, it has been interesting being out here. For starters, this is a very rural place. Everybody loves horses and has stables in their yards. Not EVERYONE, but more than I have ever seen. Since I have gotten here I have had spicier things than I ever would have imagined, and my first Sunday I ate a cow tongue taco. It was really good. I believe I will be having menudo some time soon which is cow stomach. I was suprised at how much hot stuff I could handle. I've had all kinds of hot salsas and spicy peper hamburgers and everything. For those who know my ability to digest things spicier than the traditional europeans cuisines have to offer, you know that this is quite a feat. It's exciting, I really like hot stuff now. haha. Anyways, just yesterday our third-wheel companion left to go home. It has been interesting having him around because he was thinking and talking a lot about home. In a way that could have been bad, considering that I just got out here, but I have tried to make the most of a challenging situation such as that. Some thoughts have come to my mind and feelings to my heart that I would like to share. Having this Elder who was all about going home, and couldn't stop talking about it, it led my mind to think about that day when I go home as well, just a little more often. It was a challenge as I tried to keep my thoughts positive, but this is what I got out of it. As my thoughts turned to a lot of things that I cannot have right now, and will not have for a while, such as family and friends and the luxuries that make life special in a way that I didn't always realize before, I realized something...since those sources of comfort (family and friends) could only come a week or a letter at a time, my mind was taken to the only other place that I turn to for comfort. I found my prayers to be more meaningful because of the constant connection I am able to have with my Heavenly Father through it. I came to the realization that even when all things dear are gone, there is one constant source of strength, comfort, and peace that we can turn to, no matter what. I have always known this, but have felt it more literally applied to myself in these past two weeks. My appreciation for the gift of prayer and the realtionship that I can have with my Heavenly Father and my Savior has grown immensly. Heavenly Father is always there for us and will never abandon us. He has given us prayer, and the Holy Ghost to act as sources of comfort at all times. I have felt the love of Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father greatly in these past two weeks, and I am grateful for the way in which I have personally felt it. Last week in my e-mail I also would have mentioned a baptism that was going to take place for a man named Henry last saturday. It ended up not happening because someone very close to the person being baptized was going to be sick and not able to make it. He will get baptized on the 24th instead. The work is very exciting. We have another baptisimal date scheduled for a lady by the name of Sylvia whom we commited to baptsim last night for the 31st. People are ready if we look for them. The joy that comes into their lives is an irreplaceble memory and testimony to me that true joy and happiness can only come throught the ordinances and blessings that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has to offer. The people that we teach all speak spanish, but about half of them can speak english aswell; especially the children/teenagers. So sometimes we go somewhere and they will suddenly start speaking english. The language is coming slowly. Now that our trunkie companion has left, I believe that Elder Suarez and I will be able to do a lot more. Hopefully we can speak spanish more too. We had a Zone Conference on Monday and it was really nice to see president Craig. I have to go, so I'll send a few more pictures and be off. This work is exciting and rewarding with the right attitude and intentions. Take care!

-Elder LaPorte =)