From: Elder Joshua Freeman
Subject: Buses
Date: 30 August 2004 12:10:56 PM EDT

ÁHola!

This week was pretty full, with Zone Conference and everything, and up till right now (we're in Ayolas), we've spent a lot of time on buses the past few days. It rained towards the beginning of the week, and now it's already started to get hot again, which isn't so fun. 

On Monday, we went to Encarnaci—n, and pretty much just kinda chilled at the capilla and then went to eat. Elder Webb and I stayed with Elder Bridger and Elder Stewart (who started in Pilar). Yeah.

On Tuesday, we had Zone Conference, and it was pretty cool, like always. I really enjoyed it. They talked a lot about how our mission is to call people to repentance, a big part of which is about extending invitations (like to read the LdeM, get baptized, etc.). Also, Pte. Gavarret told us that starting in October and being finalized in March, there are going to be changes in the mission program, the biggest one being a switch from 6 charlas to just 4. So that will be interesting. After Conference, we stuck around and had interviews, and then came home, around 11:00. It was a good trip.

On Wednesday morning, we went and got Javier (Ben’tez) and did a verification from the week before, and read with the guys. Then we made a couple contacts and talked to the Flia. Flores a little before going to the Acosta's for lunch. In the afternoon, for the first time since I've been here, we had a meeting with Pte. Barreto about the Rama and the missionary work. It went really well, and we're definitely going to try to have them more often. After that, we went and got fallar-ed a lot, then visited an inactive, and made some contacts. After that, we went and visited Estela and her family, and then visited a couple more people and made a couple more contacts before going to the Hna. Nelly's for a Noche de Hogar. They planned almost everything, and they did a really good job. So that was nice.

On Thursday morning, we went out to CŽsar's, and he told us that he's moving again, this time to Asunci—n. So we'll see if he comes back this time. After that, we went to the Arce's and helped them move a big pile of rocks and stuff. It was pretty cool, we found a few big spiders, lizards, toads, and a snake egg. And after we were done, we ate and then came home. In the afternoon, we went to Emma y Celso's (I think that's how his name is really spelled) and read with them. She went to Asunci—n on Saturday for a couple of weeks, but said that when she gets back, she'll start going to church and everything. Vamos a ver. After that, we went to the Flia. Portillo's and finished the 2¡ charla with them, and put a baptismal date with them (There's the mom and dad and a 14 year-old daughter and an 8 year-old son). And they all came to church on Sunday except the daughter. So that was nice. After that, we went and talked to Cesario for a little bit, and then went and invited people to Noche de Rama before going to the church. There weren't very many people there at all, but it was still okay. More or less. But yeah.

On Friday morning, we went to one of the Catholic schools here because one of the students had invited us to come and participate in a discussion about the origin of man in their class. The only other guy there was a biologist, and we both talked about what we think, and then answered questions. He actually said a lot of stuff we agree with, but thinks the Bible is just all symbolical. But it was a really good experience. That started at 7:00, so when we were done, we came home and had breakfast and studied and then went out working. We got fallar-ed a couple of times, and then visited the Hna. Asunci—n, and then the Flia. Flores before going to lunch with the Flia. Garc’a. In the afternoon, we went and talked with the Hna. Silva, then got fallar-ed, and did a little exploring and contacting in a part of our area that we don't work much in. And Blanca took us to the house of her inactive sister, and we met her and shared a little. Then we went and had a Noche de Hogar with the Flia. Vera, and it went really well. After that, we got fallar-ed, and then went and had a charla franca with Catalina and her sisters. They said they like to talk, but aren't ready to commit to anything. That's pretty much what we figured. After that, we did a ch. 1 verification, and kinda taught it again, because there were other people there that weren't there the first time. Then we came home.

On Saturday morning, we went to Cesario's and read a little with him. Then we went and talked to the Flia. Portillo, and mostly answered questions that they had. Then we came home and had lunch. In the afternoon, we took Pte. Rivas with us to Celso's and read a little from the Libro de Morm—n. Then we talked to some inactives, and then got fallar-ed. Then we went and visited Estela's family, and then had a meeting with the branch and district leaders in the capilla. That went okay, and after that, we talked to a couple other people, and went to the Flia. Albarenga's. Their sister-in-law was sick, and they asked the Flia. Albarenga if we could come by and share a little and give her a blessing, which we did. It went really well. And that's how we finished the night. 

Sunday morning was about the most beautiful Sunday (weather-wise) since I've been here. But, we had the lowest number of people since I've been here. I don't get it. Anyway, we had to teach Sunday School, and that went pretty well. After church, we came home for a little bit, and then went and ate with the Arce's. After that, the Hno. came with us and visited a couple inactives, and we tried visiting a couple of investigators, but they weren't home. After that, we went and talked with Javier, and then tried talking to a bunch of people that weren't home. After that, we visited the Hna. Balbina, and then went and made some more contacts. Then we went to the Flia. Albarenga's for a Noche de Hogar (which is what we had planned to do on Saturday night), and that went really well.

And this morning, we came here to Ayolas to visit the dam again with the Zone, and then we'll stay the night here and go to San Ignacio tomorrow for the Zone Meeting. So yeah.

Thanks for everything. It sounds like everything's going pretty well there with school and everything. And go BYU!!

I Love You Guys!!!

Love,
Josh