From: Elder Joshua Freeman
Subject: Surprise!
Date: 22 December 2003 8:15:37 AM EST

ÁHola!

Last Tuesday, they surprised us all by announcing that we would get an hour on Monday to write email. Today is change day, and Elder Bybee is leaving, so we have to go to Centro to the change meeting and stuff. But I'll elaborate more on that later. First, I'll tell you about the week.

Last Monday night, I went on divisions with Elder Davis to their side of Ytororo because Elders Bybee and Madruga had dentist appointments in Centro and weren't back by 6:00. So, we got in a first charla and a few member charlas as well.

On Tuesday, we had our Zone Meetings like normal. They told us we'll call on Wednesday and we get 45 min. So that's the news about that. In the afternoon, we had a few member charlas and a few normal investigator charlas that went pretty well.

On Wednesday, we visited some inactives mostly, and we cut one lady's grass because she left (like to go to the store, not for a trip or anything) and it really needed cutting. So I got a few nice machete blisters on my hands. It was a lot of work, and it was really hot. In the afternoon, we had a charla with the kid who's 11 and not baptized but his parents are and we're going to baptize him at the end of the year, I think. Then we visited a couple more investigators, then went to the church for Noche de Rama. We had a few investigators there, so that was nice, because they met people and stuff. It was really good.

On Thursday morning, we talked to some members implementing the Red de Contactos (the Net of Contacts)(the new reference-getting activity we learned in the last Zone Conference), with the couple that are Young Mens president and Relief Society president. It worked out pretty well. We also met an inactive guy that used to be a counselor in the Branch presidency and on the Stake High Council, but he got upset because some of his relatives got some stuff stolen by some other members (in „emby) and so now he's inactive. But we had a good talk with him. In the afternoon, we visited some inactives, then we went to the church because some of the men of the Rama were cutting grass and stuff. So we helped them out and then cleaned inside and stuff.

On Friday, I finally got my voice back (it had been missing all week), which was nice. In the morning, we went out and met new people before lunch, and got in a pretty good 1ˇ charla. Then we had lunch with the familia Benitez like normal, and were surprised to find out that ReubŽn and his wife moved out, and who knows if/when they (or maybe just him) will be back. Actually, it wasn't really too much of a surprise at all. They just couldn't take it. I have a feeling though, that ReubŽn might come back to work, and if he does, he'll for sure get baptized. So we'll see how that turns out. After lunch and studies and stuff, we went out and visited all sorts of people. We went to Valdelise's house, and were surprised to see her husband (well, not really husband) there (he wasn't supposed to be home until New Years). So we taught him the first charla, and it went well. So we'll see what he thinks. After that, we went to Eugenia's and shared a little and they showed us some pictures, and vice versa. It ended up being the last charla(-ish visit) with them for Elder Bybee, so it was a good one.

On Saturday, we went out to the Duarte's (that's the Relief Society/Young Mens pres. family) (but there's also the family of the unbaptized kid that's Duarte too, but don't get confused) and she finally went to the hospital to have her baby. She thought it was going to come at the end of November, but, not quite. So they weren't there. After that, we went to Valdelise's and read with her and her daughters. Then we met some new people, visited some members, and then came in and studied. Then, we came to „emby to sing with the choir in one of the plazas there. It went pretty well, I suppose, but I was in the very back, so I couldn't really tell. After that, almost all of us missionaries (like 60 or more) piled into a bus and went to Fernando de la Mora, and we did the program again. It went well. We didn't finish until around 8:45 por alli, so we got home late that night and went right to bed.

Yesterday morning, we had church like normal, and Valdelise and her daughters were there, and so was JosŽ Duarte (the kid who we're going to baptize), so that was good. After church, we had Correlation Meeting with the Branch mission leader, then came home and had lunch. Then we went in to Fernando de la Mora and met with the rest of the choir, and all hopped on the bus to Rama Centro. It's a 2-story building, and pretty nice, and there were a whole lot of people there. So that went well. After that, the bus took just about everyone in Zonas 2, 3, 4, and 5 to their main capillas, and we found out about our changes. Elder Moon goes home today, I'll miss him; he's been my Zone Leader the whole time up until now. But yeah. Elder Bybee is going to be a District Leader in Pilar (about 6 hours south), and I'm getting Elder Urling, who was in my Zone when I got here and has almost a year. So that will be fun.

So, that's it. Another cambio gone by. Man, the time flies. Today, we're going to the Change Meeting in Centro. Hey, Hermana Diehl (from Cornville) goes home today too. I'll tell her to tell you high the next time she sees you.

Oh yeah, and Liss, could you please send me another check (and cancel that one) because in opening the box (they always open the packages to make sure there's checks in them) the oficinistas (office guys) cut the card (and the check) in half. So, yeah. Sorry about that. Thanks for the shoes Mom, they're great. A little big, but not too much.

So, I'll talk to you on Thursday (once again, it would probably be cheapest if I called and then you sent me money, but I'm not sure, so I'll tell you then to call me back or not). Feliz Navidad y un prospero a–o nuevo.

Thanks for everything.

I Love you all!!

Love,
Josh