From: Elder Joshua Freeman
Subject: It‡ 2005
Date: 3 January 2005 11:13:53 AM EST

ÁHola!

Happy 2005!!! ThatŐs kind of weird. Time just keeps on moving. This past week was all-but-normal because it was change week and it was New Years and there was just stuff going on all over the place. Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion.

On Monday, we went and played fśtbol with most of the zone and a few members that came. It was a lot of fun, and a lot of running around. And it was pretty hot as well. In the afternoon, we had to work again like last week, so we went and paid the light bill and the Elders from GuarambarŽ came so that Elder Marshall could do MartinaŐs baptismal interview. That went without a hitch. After that, we visited a few other people, and then had to go to the church because the Asistentes called and said we wouldnŐt be able to use the baptismal font in the new capilla, but that they would be bringing the portable one from Ytoror—, because the chapel there is finally done. So we had to go make sure there was somewhere to put it. After that, we went and visited the Flia. Vega and then came home.

Tuesday was a normal work day so that we would have the Zone Meetings on Wednesday and then they would be able to just call us and tell us everyoneŐs changes. So, we were going to go do some service at an investigatorŐs house, but they werenŐt there, so instead we went to the church and helped clean. In the afternoon, we went to MartinaŐs and talked with her to make sure she was alright not getting baptized in the new capilla, and she didnŐt have any problem whatsoever. So that was nice. After that, we visited some members and then had to go to the capilla because they were bringing the font. And that went fine. Then we went to the Flia. G—mezŐ and had a nice charla with them, and also dropped by BlasŐ real quick before going out to the SilveroŐs house in Las Piedras. They made us dinner and we ate and then came home.

On Wednesday, we had the Zone Meetings, and those went pretty well except everyone kind of had a hard time staying focused. After the meeting, they called and told us the changes. Elder Lloyd, of course, was going home, and they told me that I was going to train a nuevito. So that was interesting. After the meetings, we ate and stuff and then came home. In the afternoon, Elder Lloyd packed and then we went to make the baptismal program. After that, we went to MartinaŐs to practice the ordinance (it was JavierŐs first time doing a baptism) and talking to her about bearing her testimony. Then we had to go by a couple of places to get recuerdos, uhhh, souvenirs for Elder Lloyd. Then we came home and got everything ready, and went to the chapel. The baptism went pretty well, except for some people coming late and having to rearrange the order of things. But it was really good. Right after the baptism, the branch had the end of the year dinner, which was convenient for Elder Lloyd to say goodbye to everyone. And then we came home and he did last-minute stuff and we finally got to bed. 

Thursday was a pretty wacky day. We had to go to the office early with all of Elder LloydŐs stuff because he was going to the temple and then just staying in Asunci—n until his flight left Friday afternoon. Our taxi driver got us there fast, but broke about every transit law in the process. Anyway, once we got to the office, Elder Edwards, who was in Zone 3 with me and whose companion also went home, was also free, so we did divisions in his area, Pinos‡, Zona 1. We visited one of their investigators and also ran a few errands. We were buying stuff for lunch in a supermarket and I was lucky customer number whatever and won a free cake. That was neat. So, we went home and had lunch, then headed back to the office for the change meeting. Except the nuevitos werenŐt getting there until later, so all the trainers had to wait for them to come, until 6:00, por all’. They came and got capacitated and us trainers got capacitated and then we met our new companions. Mine is Elder OŐBrien, and heŐs from Payson, Utah. HeŐs a pretty cool person. After all the meetings and stuff, they brought us Pizza Hut pizza and then we came home and he unpacked and stuff and we went to bed.

On Friday morning, we went out to the Flia. Mart’nezŐ and had a charla with them, and also had a charla with the Flia. Quintana. And we had lunch with the Flia. Largosta. Elder OŐBrien already speaks pretty well for a nuevito, and he understands at least some of whatŐs going on. So thatŐs good. In the afternoon, we went to some investigatorsŐ house and found out that they had moved. That was interesting. But we found them later in the week anyway. But in any case, we went and visited Leticia, the inactive we recently met. Then the Karns came to the LargostaŐs to talk with them, so we went and helped translate. Then we visited the Flia. Fern‡ndez and the Flia. Taboada, and the Flia. Garrido. After all that, we went to JavierŐs house, and they made us dinner and it was good. We were both pretty tired, and we went home and went right to bed. Just out of curiosity,  was it 107ˇ where anyone else lived? Just curious.

On Saturday, we had a half P-Day again, but we didnŐt do anything at all, just bummed around the house and cleaned a little. In the afternoon, we went and visited an inactive lady, and then went to talk to the QuintanaŐs about the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. Then we went to the Flia. CaballeroŐs, and while we were there it rained a lot. Then stopped. We went to the Flia. G—mezŐ and talked to their relatives that were visiting from the city. Then we went by the Flia. VegaŐs and then went and talked to Martina about the Confirmation. That went well. And then we came home. 

Yesterday, there werenŐt a lot of people in church again, but everything went well, including MartinaŐs confirmation. In the afternoon, we went to the Flia. Mart’nezŐ and talked about temples. Then we got fallar-ed and went by a couple member families to find out why they didnŐt come to church. Then we went by JavierŐs and he went with us to Clides and MilciadesŐ house, and we had a good visit with them. Then we came home and planned and stuff.

Today, we all went to take out money, because thereŐs no bank or ATM in our zone, so we went to „emby,  but the first two places we went were out of money, so we ended up going to Real. The store. And while we were there, I saw Lu’z Fretes, from Ytoror—. That was pretty cool. Then we came home.

And thatŐs it. ItŐs going to be an interesting change and a lot of responsibility being a trainer and a Zone Leader at the same time, but I suppose if I couldnŐt do it, I wouldnŐt have been called. But I know IŐll have a lot of help. Thus it is, Amen.

I Love You Guys!!!

Love,
Josh