From: Elder Joshua Freeman
Subject: What happened to Dad's fingers?
Date: 13 September 2004 11:20:01 AM EDT

ÁHola!

Well, it was hot all week until Thursday, and from there on it's been cloudy and sprinkly with a little sunshine on Sunday morning. This week started out relatively normal, but it turned all funny at the end. So stay tuned. 

On Monday night, we went to talk to the Hna. Asunci—n's son-in-law, but he was busy, so we just shared with her. After that, we looked for a couple other people and talked to the Flia. Acosta about a reference family that they're preparing for us. Then we came home. 

On Tuesday morning, we had our District meeting like normal, and after it was over, we went and talked to a couple of people before coming home and having lunch. We went and actually found a guy we talked to a while ago, and talked about Joseph Smith and recommitted him to read and pray. Then we went and taught a ch. 1 to a family we met a couple weeks ago. It went okay. After that, we looked for a few references, and actually found some, and got in a charla 1 and also a charla with some inactives (Soilo y Porfidia) too. So that was all good.

On Wednesday morning, we looked for some references, and made some contacts. In the afternoon, we went out to get Nicolas and took him with us to Celso's, where we finished the ch. 4. He drinks a little, but he said he'd stop. So that's good. After that, we went and typed up a sign-up sheet for people to tell us when they're available to go to charlas. THen we went and talked to Cesario, and he resolved his own "no one can see God" doubt by himself, and we once again tried to do a charla franca, but we had to go before we could finish. We had a Noche de Hogar with the Flia. Vera, and then we went and got fallar-ed a few times because everyone went to bed early because it was cold and rainy. And we taught a ch. 1 to a guy and a couple of his sons. That went pretty well. 

On Thursday morning, it was pretty cold. We got fallar-ed and so we had time to find a couple of references, and then we went and visited Emili for the first time in a while. In the afternoon, made some contacts, and, once again, we looked for references. That's actually something we had a bit of success with this week. Well, finding references; the looking's not the hard part. Anyway, we also visited the Hna. Magna. Then we got fallar-ed, and then went by Estela's and the Hna. Silva's to get all the kids and went to the church for Noche de Rama. We taught them how to play kickball, and even though they didn't quite get it all (like force outs), it was really fun, and they all loved it, since everyone here can at least kick a soccer ball. 

Friday was kind of a weird day. To start with, we went and taught a ch.2 to Sixto y Pilar (who we taught a ch.1 to a couple weeks ago) and they still aren't sure about the Book of Mormon (and therefore not baptism either), but they said they'd sincerely read and pray, so we'll see. After that, we went to the Flia. Portillo's, and, by surprise, they made us empanadas and juice. And then told us that they wanted to wait to get baptized. They told us they have a doubt that they want to get worked out first, but they won't tell us what it is, so we can't really do anything to help them. From their member friends talking to the other Elders, I guess a bunch of their friends asked them a bunch of questions and now they're confused. But they're still reading, praying, and going to church, and asking questions to their member friends, so we're not too worried about them. After that, we went and had lunch with the Flia. Garc’a. In the afternoon, we got fallar-ed, so we went and visited Abel, and the whole visit was in whispers, because his brother's newborn daughter was sleeping. After that, we went and talked to the Hna. Flores, and she said she missed us and that she loves the Libro de Morm—n, and there's something about it that just gets her excited to read it. It's too bad she doesn't have any support, or we're pretty sure she would get baptized in not-too-long. Anyway, after that, we went with Blanca and visited her inactive sister again. Her name's Susan. And we got fallar-ed a few times, but on one of them, the guy came and found us and told us they wouldn't be home. THat doesn't happen often. Also, we were standing there thinking of what to do next, and a kid walked up who I had happened to talk to in the Exposition we did, and we hadn't been able to find his house, but he took us and we met his Grandma and some other relatives. And after that, we went and had a Noche de Hogar with the Flia. Albarenga, which was pretty fun.

On Saturday morning, Elder Gilbert came over and called Elder Christensen because he had called to tell us that Elder Gilbert had to go to Asunci—n to sign some papers, and we needed details. We finally worked it out that Elder Gilbert would go with Elder Webb to our meetings in the morning (since he needed to go to church, but their rama meets in the afternoon), and then he would go to Asunci—n and Elder Webb would stay in San Ignacio with Elder Saltern, since Elder Payne also had to go to Asunci—n. It was all quite confusing. But yeah. So we spent most of the morning changing citas that we had made for Sunday. We also taught a ch. 1 that went okay, but they didn't seem very sincere in their commitment to read and pray. After that, we did a verification from Wednesday, and it went pretty well. Then we went to the Flia. Vera's to take pictures because one of their daughters turned 4. Then we came home and ate. In the afternoon, we went and talked to Celso, and he hasn't drunk since Wednesday, so that was good. After that, we went and met an inactive lady and talked a little with her, and then went and taught her mom the 1» charla. That went pretty well. After that, we talked to a couple more contacts that we had made earlier in the week, and then went out to the Flia. Arce's to have a Noche de Hogar with them and a reference family that they had for us. The family didn't all come because they live kinda far, and the roads were terrible and they have a 1 year-old daughter, but the dad came, and he was great. He said he's been studying all sorts of religions, but they're all missing something, and that's why he wants to join our church, because it's the closest. Needles to say, we were more than happy to meet him. After that, we came home and planned since we wouldn't be able to do it on Sunday night. 

Yesterday, Elder Webb and I went to get people to go to church, and then we met up with the other Elders, and I came back with Elder Ryan. It's kinda funny, I've noticed that he picked up a lot of things from Elder Urling (his trainer). Anyway, we went and got fallar-ed and invited a few people to church. Then we found a family that the missionaries had been talking to before, but then they moved, like 6 months ago. So we had a nice visit, and some of them even went to church. After that, we came home and ate and studied, and the other Elders stopped by and ate, and then left. After that, we went out and talked to a couple more people to make sure they were going, and then went to the church. They have their meetings backwards, with Sacrament Meeting last. They actually have a class for investigators/new members, and we taught that. In Sacrament Meeting, I helped bless the Sacrament and also gave a short talk. That's the way to use your visitors. After church, we went and got fallar-ed, and then went and had a Noche de Hogar with the Flia. Portillo and the Flia. Rojas (their member friends from the other Rama). We talked about the Book of Mormon and then played a trivia game with them, and it was pretty fun. And after that, we came home. 

So that was the week. If there was anything you didn't understand, or that was confusing or seemed out of place, it's because I didn't write in chronological order, just whatever I remembered first, and I did a lot of cutting and pasting.

Tomorrow, we have a Zone Meeting again in San Ignacio, and tonight we have a charla with that reference from the Arce's. It should go pretty well, and I'm excited. It should be a pretty good week. 
So thanks for everything, and we'll see you next week. 

I Love You Guys!!

Love,
Josh