From: Elder Joshua Freeman
Subject: It's been a while since I clapped so much
Date: 29 March 2004 11:34:54 AM EST

ÁHola!

How are you all doing? Things are going pretty well here. This week was a lot of getting to know the area and the people. Still. And we've done a lot more clapping than I've done in a long time, partly because the area's smaller, and partly because the people aren't as open and willing to talk. So that's not really too fun, but still. But yeah, on to the week.

Last Monday night, we walked from one end of our area to the other, which took around a half hour. And we also visited a few people and tried to find others that weren't home. It was fun.

On Tuesday, we had our Zone and District meetings in Republicano. They were pretty normal. There are actually quite a few people in the Zone that I already know from before, and some that I didn't. It's a pretty good Zone though. And after we were done, some of us went and ate at Pizza Hut. That was something I'm not used to. But even the Pizza Hut pizza here isn't as good as in the US. But still. After we came home and studied, we went and didn't find a lot of the people we were looking for, but we did  find an inactive guy and a few contacts. We finished the night off visiting members, the Aquino/Laneri/Romeros (The Laneris are the recently married couple, the Aquinos are her brother's family, and her mom is Romero. A little confusing, but yeah.) and then the Flia. Ram’rez. Well, we met the dad anyway. No one else came out. But yeah. That was good. 

On Wednesday morning, it turns out we had to go to Barrio Herrera (that's where the mission office is) because Elder Allred had a Zone Leader meeting, so we had to bring back Elder Gardner. Then when we got there, we found out that we were also taking Elder Gardner. But this Elder Gardner just got here last week, and now he's in „emby with Elder Smith, who is the other solo Zone Leader. So anyway, we came back and Elder Workman went with Elder Gardner to their area, and the younger Elder Gardner came with me to our area. Are you confused? We got fallar-ed on a charla and ended up making contacts until lunch, which we had with the Flia. Ram’rez. It was pretty good, and there was a lot of it. After that we studied, and then the 4 of us went back to the oficina and came back in our normal companionships. It was interesting. So then we went and found a couple more of our investigators and got to know them a little. Then we went to Noche de Rama. No one else (besides the Elders) came except the Pte. de Rama, his 2¼ consejero, and the Laneris. So we talked about what we're going to do to help out the Rama. It needs a little help. The President's last name is Borva, but I'm not sure if that's how it's spelled because in spanish b and v sound exactly the same. But yeah, that's what we did, and then went and got something to eat, then went home.

On Thursday morning, we went looking for some inactives that we didn't find, made some contacts, and found an inactive lady that we weren't looking for. And then we came home and had lunch. After lunch, we went and had a charla with Juio CŽsar. He's a little odd, something not helped by the fact that he used to o drugs. We talked to him last week and he seemed pretty neat, and we were thinking of giving him ch. 2 and a baptismal invitation, but it didn't turn out that way. We got sidetracked and had to talk about the Apostasy, and then about Christ's role in the Plan of Salvation and how he wasn't just another prophet. It was interesting. After that, we visited the Formiglis, who are an older member couple and she does our laundry. And after that, we got fallar-ed on 3 charla 1s that we had fijar-ed, but did meet some of our other investigators. That wasn't too exciting.

So on Friday morning, we looked for inactives, and found the houses of a few, if not the people that live in them. I guess you can't win them all. And right before we went home, we finally taught a charla 1, which was really nice. In the afternoon, we looked for more inactives, and some other people that the Hermanas met but didn't teach yet. It was interesting. Some of the people are pretty cool though. And we took the branch directory that we have to Hno. Kike, the 1¼ counselor, and he told us who had moved and who was in our area and stuff. That was helpful.

On Saturday morning, we went to the church to do a little beautifying. We did that all morning, cleaning out rooms and painting tables and burning trash. And such. Then we had lunch with the other Elders and came home and studied. In the afternoon, we finally met the last of our investigators, ad got fallar-ed on another cita, and found some inactives. And we talked with the Flia. Laneri about the Red de Contactos that they had started. Then we went and got something to eat and came home.

On Sunday morning, we had our church meetings like normal. After that we had a little meeting with the leaders of the rama to see when we can have Consejo de Rama. Then we came home for a little bit before having lunch with the Flia. Sanabria (the old branch president's family), then came home and studied. In the afternoon, we go fallar-ed then didn't, then looked for other people, none of whom were home and one who moved "just recently", according to her mom (5 or 6 years ago). So that was a blast. And after that we came home and studied.

So that was the week. We're now in Republicano, and we're going to eat a pig in a little bit. That should be pretty good. Yeah.

So thanks for everything. One thing Mom, if (when you send me whatever you're going to send me next) you could get me an issue of the Ensign from the October Conference, that would be neat; I never ended up with one. And I saw it in Spanish, and I have the Liahona of it, which is in Spanish, so I still haven't experienced it in English. So that would be neat. Other than that, I'm in good shape. Haffa Gud Tay.

I Love You Alls!!!

Love,
Josh