From: Elder Joshua Freeman
Subject:
Date: 23 August 2004 12:02:27 PM EDT

ĮHola!

How are you all doing? This week was pretty busy, we had a visit from the Elders in San Ignacio, and we did an exposition this weekend. It was all quite busy. And it was cloudy and windy all week. And today we're going to Encarnaci—n again for Zone Conference, which means that next week is change week again. Crazy.

Last Monday night, we went to Catalina's and mostly just answered questions that they had. Then we went and visited with the Flia. Vera, and that went pretty well. After that we tried visiting someone else, and then went and had a Noche de Hogar with the Flia. Albarenga. That went pretty well, and we had a lot of fun. 

On Tuesday morning, we had our district meeting like normal. The Elders from San Ignacio were going to come but Elder Christensen had called me and said they wouldn't come until Thursday. After the meeting, we went and visited the Flia. Flores and answered a few questions that the wife had about work for the dead and baptism. She seems really interested, but her husband seems a lot less interested, kinda like he's afraid of what we're saying. But yeah. That was it for the morning. In the afternoon, we did a bit of buscar-ing and getting fallar-ed. We got in a charla 1 with a guy we met the other week. And we talked with Rosa about some anti-Mormon stuff her brother-in-law had given her. She didn't really believe it anyway, so it wasn't really a problem. And we got in another charla 1 with a guy that we found, it went pretty well. After that, we set up citas with a couple other people and then came home.

On Wednesday, we got fallar-ed and then went and talked with the Hna. Alejandra and shared a little with her. Then we went and taught a ch. 1 to a guy we met Tuesday, and then did some more buscando before going to lunch at the Acosta's. In the afternoon, we went and read with Emma and Selso, then went and typed up the words of a song for someone, and also printed out some stuff for our poster. Then we went and started the 2» charla with the Flia. Portillo (we originally started teaching them a long time ago, but couldn't find them for a while). Then we went and finished the 2» charla with Cesario, and he declined the baptismal invitation, because he still doesn't quite understand the need for authority. So we talked more about that. After that, we went and started the same charla with Catalina and her sisters, but weren't able to finish. We talked to a couple other people, and then went by the Berdejo's because we had a couple questions for him, and his daughter turned 1. After that, we came home and finally finished our poster. That was nice.

On Thursday morning, Elders Christensen and Bell came, as did the Klevens, the senior couple in San Ignacio, and they brought all the posters the other Elders in the Zone made. They're from California, I think. They're like 70 years old. They're pretty cool. Elder Bell went with us in the morning, and we went and talked to Cˇsar about church (he didn't go). Then we went and visited Emilce y Miguel, and then came home and had lunch. In the afternoon, Elder Christensen went with us, and so did the Klevens. We went to Emma y Selso's and also talked about going to the church, but we were going to concentrate on her, but she wasn't there. After that, we went and visited the Flia. Vera. The Hna. Kleven doesn't speak Spanish, so I translated for her as she told her conversion story. It was pretty cool. After that, Elder Webb went with the Klevens to visit a couple other people, and Elder Christensen and I went and got fallar-ed, and taught a charla 1, and did a verification. Then we met up with the others and they went to the other side, and Elder Webb and I went to Noche de Rama. That was okay. Elders Christensen and Bell stayed with us overnight. 

And then they left on Friday morning, except they were talking to us and made us late. We had to go buy a couple of last-minute things for the exposition, and also went and talked to the Municipalidad (City Hall) and borrowed some big easels they had. Then we finally got to go to work, and got fallar-ed (but we were 45 minutes late for the cita, so I don't blame him), and then went and taught a charla 1 to a guy that's in some Catholic group that prohibits him from trying other religions, or anything about them. But his brother said we could go by. After that, we had lunch with the Flia. Garc’a, and then came home. In the afternoon, we went out and set up everything in a plaza in the other Elders' area. We had a few members come and help us, and we spent the afternoon talking to the people that stopped. It went okay. After that, we went and gave a Libro de Morm—n to a guy we taught the charla 1 to on Tuesday, but didn't have a LdeM with us. Then we stopped by a couple of members before coming home. 

On Saturday morning, we went and set up everything for the exposition again. We stayed there for an hour, and then the other Elders came, and we went and talked with the Flia. Portillo about coming to church. They said they would, but then they didn't. Anyway, after that we talked to a few other people and set up citas. Then we went and had lunch with the Flia. Albarenga. For the first time in my mission, I tried mondongo (which is a pretty popular poor people food here), which is cow stomach. It wasn't as bad as you'd think. But the sheep intestine was. It was an experience though. In the afternoon, we went and talked with Selso, and Emma wasn't there again, and he said he wants to get baptized, but wants to wait. After that, we went and read with another guy, and got fallar-ed a couple of times, and met some new people. Then we went to Catalina's and (tried) finishing the 2» charla. Her sister couldn't understand the difference between having the Holy Ghost and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. And then we had to go. We got fallar-ed a couple more times after that, and then went home. 

Yesterday it was really cold again. We gave talks again in Sacrament Meeting (every 4¼ sunday). It went well. After church, we went and ate with the Flia. Arce, and that was really good. After that, we taught a ch. 1, and talked to a couple other people in the same general area. Then we visited Emilce and Miguel again, and the Flia. Vera. After that, we got fallar-ed, and then went to the Flia. Acosta's to go over the branch directory with them. We were there for a long time, but still didn't finish. After that, we went and visited the Flia. Blanco and then came home and studied.

And that was the week. The last full week in Pilar for this change. But things are going pretty well. Thanks everyone for everything, and we'll talk to you next week.

I Love You All!!!

Love,
Josh