From: Elder Joshua Freeman
Subject: Wind
Date: 16 August 2004 10:13:12 AM EDT

ÁHola!

This week was pretty windy. So in one direction, it was always nice, easy going, but in the other direction, it was terrible. There's so much dirt in the air that it gets all in your nose and ears and mouth and everything, and it's not too fun. But yeah. Other than that, the week was normal.

On Monday night, we went and visited some members and had a Noche de Hogar with the Hna. Nelly and her family, and Karen and Nilsa and their family, and then we tried visiting a couple other people, but they weren't home, so we came home.

On Tuesday morning, we had our District Meeting like normal. And after that, we visited a family that we taught the ch. 1 to last week and shared a little with them before going to lunch and then studying. In the afternoon, we went and visited an old inactive lady and she gave us some really good grapefruits. Then we finally taught a ch. 1 to a family that we found like a month ago. After that, we got fallar-ed by a couple of people and got in a charla 1 with some not-too-excited-people. Then we dropped by the Flia. Arce's real quick, and then visited Miguel y Emilce, the inactives. Then we went to Catalina's and read a little with her and her sisters. They actually make intelligent questions and comments, which is kinda surprising. After that, we went to the Flia. Albarenga's and talked with Tasiana about baptism and stuff like that. The branch president wants to wait to baptize her until there's someone else getting baptized, but that might be a little while. But yeah, that was it for Tuesday.

On Wednesday, we got fallar-ed and then went and talked to Cesario for a little bit, and got fallar-ed again, and then went to the Acosta's for lunch. In the afternoon, we went and got Dany and went with him to Emma y Selso's, and we finished the 3» charla with them. After that, we got fallar-ed some more, and went and visited Blanca (a member girl), and a couple other people that weren't home. Then we had a Noche de Hogar with the Flia. Ben’tez, and that went pretty well. Then we got fallar-ed again, so we came home and worked on our poster.

On Thursday morning, we went and did a verificaci—n with a guy we taught the charla 1 to a couple of weeks ago, and we read with him. Then we went and visited the Hna. Asunci—n, and set up citas with a few more people. We were riding by CŽsar's house, and he was home. That was a pleasant surprise. He said he just didn't fit in in the campo. Or something like that, I'm not sure how you would translate it into English. But yeah, he still wants to baptized. In the afternoon, we went to Emilce y Miguel's and cleaned up their yard a little, cutting grass and stuff. Then we tried going by a couple people who weren't home, so we made a few contacts. After that, we went to do a ch. 1 verification, and actually pretty much taught the charla to the guy's wife, who wasn't there last week. After that, we went to Estela's. It was Pamela's 9¼ birthday, so we had a little charla and then ate cake and cookies and stuff. Then we went and picked up all the kids at the Hna. Silva's and went to the church for Noche de Rama. We had a little soccer tournament, of sorts, and it was a lot of fun.

On Friday, we did divisions with the other Elders, and I went with Elder Gilbert to their side. We spent the morning getting fallar-ed and reading with a couple guys who have the 1» charla. THen we went to lunch at the house of their former branch president. They have 6 kids, and 1 granddaughter, and we all sat around one table. It reminded me a little of home. In the afternoon, we went and typed up a letter to give to the mayor to ask permission to do the exposition in one of the plazas. After that, we had a charla with a guy who has read the Libro de Morm—n and Gospel Principles, but won't come to church, because he doesn't think he's ready. It was hard to talk to him, because he talks a lot without stopping very often. After that, we went and read with a really neat family they're teaching. Their problem is that the husband has a broken leg and won't be up and about again until November, por all’. But they're excited already to be baptized, and married in the temple, and stuff. And she's a really good cook. She made us some sort of spinach soufflŽ that was really good. But yeah. After that, we went and had a Noche de Hogar with a less-active family. They have twin 1 1/2 year-old girls, and a 3 year-old, so that was a handful, but it still went pretty well. Then we went and met the other Elders for hamburgers. It was good. 

On Saturday morning, we went and got our mail. I finally got your package Mom, and the card works fine and everything. Thanks a lot. We got fallar-ed after that, and visited a family that has the 1» charla and read a little with them, and then went and taught the end of the 3» charla to CŽsar. After that, we made some contacts and went to the Arce's to get some empanadas that the Hna. made as a fundraiser since her husband was sick and hasn't been working. In the afternoon, we went to the capilla for a D’a del Ni–o party and taught the kids a tag game, and ate a little. Then we went and got fallar-ed and tried talking to a couple their people. Then we went to Adriana's, and there were a lot of people there. So we read with them a little. Then we went and taught a charla 1 to a guy we met last week. And then we went to the church. Elvio (remember, he got baptized a little over a month ago) got married, his girlfriend, well, wife now, is the sister of the Branch President of Rama 1, and she's a returned missionary. It was a pretty nice wedding. After that, we went to a dinner thing, but had to take food with us, because it was getting late. 

YEsterday, it wasn't cold, for the first Sunday in a while, but you couldn't tell it from the number of people there. But the meetings went pretty well. After church, we came home, and then went and had lunch with the Arces. After that, we came home and studied, and then went and got fallar-ed, and talked a bit with Cesario. Then we visited the Hnas Balbina and Asunci—n. Today was her 65¼ birthday, and the 467¼ of the city (Asunci—n). After that, we visited the Flia. ArgŸello, and then got fallar-ed a couple times before coming home.

So, that was our week. Happy Birthday to Will and Trish!! I think that's about it from here. Thanks for everything!

I Love You Guys!!

Love,
Josh