Alright... well news from this week. We went with a member to a little pueblo 30 minutes away to do splits. I went with an 18 year old that is preparing to serve and my companion with the older member. Background, Equadorians don't say "s" at all. And the youth speak with a lot of slang. Needless to say, while walking the streets, I was really confused. But then I taught him useful slang in English, such as "Hook me up, breh. How you doin' baby gurl, and You just got pwned. He was pretty sick. But yeah, we visited a lot of less actives. About 35 of them live in this pueblo. Then after we played soccer with them all. It was pretty sweet. I am slowly slowly improving. My companion played for BYU Hawaii, so he is teaching me a few things and teaching me the strategy. Yeah, strategy in soccer, ball in goal, I know. But apparently there is a lot more than that.
Other than that the two who were baptized couldn't come to church this past Sunday, so we have to wait until this Sunday for them to receive the Holy Ghost. We also had a pretty sweet discussion with the father/dad, who didn't baptize, about the Book of Mormon and the history of it. It was pretty sick. He is doing a little better with it now.
Weather here is warm, with rain. I love it. Well, one day our umbrellas broke then it wasn't so fun. But apart from that... great. In the mornings, when we run, I just wear a T shirt, basketball shorts, and then sometimes a beanie. But it has been nice lately.
Today is a good day. Craig's birthday and 8 months for me! It's really hard to tell if it goes by fast or slow. But it's good. This month I have been like broke. I had to take out 20 euros of home money because we had to spend a lot for the baptism, and we haven't been reimbursed yet. This last week was a lot of pasta noodles, boiled and with tomate frio, which tastes exactly like Spaghettio sauce. Then a member always gives us a flat of eggs, which is like 30 eggs, so I eat eggs with everything. Ha,ha.
How is the U.S. doing in the Olympics? It's funny here because no one has said anything about the Olympics. If it isn't soccer, no one cares. But I am definitely stoked for the world cup. If the U.S. and Spain play each other, I am going to have to watch it. I hope U.S. beats them, if it even happens. Spaniards could use a little humility.
I asked a Catholic where in the Bible it says that we should worship the Virgin. She didn't know. Then I asked if she believed in the Bible. She said yes. Then I asked if she thought Moses was a prophet, she said of course. Then I asked here what was her definition of other Gods and images, she said she was in a hurry and had to go. Alright.
Stay Pretty
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
I LOOK GOOOOOOOOD!
Hey!
I look good... but especially in white. No, but really, it was a good service. Wow! The best way to learn about opposition is try and have a baptism. From not knowing if she had to work to members being stumbling blocks they finally were baptized. I ended up doing it because the bishop, who was suppose to, had to be interviewed by the stake president. So, I did it, but did not know that was going to happen so, I wore my wet garments the rest of the day. Ha, ha. It was pretty legit. It was funny too because, for a Bolivian, the mom was pretty tall and there wasn't that much water in the font. So, I like had to push her down a little harder than I wanted and I think she wanted, but she was baptized. The daughter was a little bit easier. And the water, yeah. Pretty much a jacuzzi. So yeah, real good. Then after, she bore like a way sick testimony. (And mom, you better not cut out my slang from these letters. Actually, just copy word for word, including this, then everyone can see how hard English is to remember.) Anyway, we also have 3 more dates set, 1 for the 14th of March and the others for the 21st. The work progresses!
Yeah. Crazy things are happening with missions right now. Did I not tell you? The Bilbao, Northern Spain mission is closing and dissolving into the mission of Madrid and Barcelona. And we are going to receive the Canary Islands. Yeah, I'm going there..... one day. Besides that on Monday two of our appointments fell through and it was snowing. And I mean snowing! And windy. So our umbrellas broke and we were in a far off little pueblo so we knocked buildings and got soaked. Pretty legit. Reminded me of Utah so yea.
Saturday, we got out of a lesson at like 6, and walked out into the street to hear music. We investigated and there was just a giant parade for like 2 hours. We watched a little bit of it then felt bad so tried to contact. That failed so we kind of gave up on the night and went back to the parade. It was pretty cool. Every float had music on it and people dancing around it. Different than our 4th of July parade. Then when we went into the piso that night, during planning, we heard fireworks so I opened the window and PERFECT. Fireworks exploding over the giant beautiful cathedral outside of our window. Ha, ha. Toledo is so good. Yeah and news is that we, as missionaries, are out the 4th of May. So From August 25 through May 04 in one area. Go me.
Stay Pretty,
E D
I look good... but especially in white. No, but really, it was a good service. Wow! The best way to learn about opposition is try and have a baptism. From not knowing if she had to work to members being stumbling blocks they finally were baptized. I ended up doing it because the bishop, who was suppose to, had to be interviewed by the stake president. So, I did it, but did not know that was going to happen so, I wore my wet garments the rest of the day. Ha, ha. It was pretty legit. It was funny too because, for a Bolivian, the mom was pretty tall and there wasn't that much water in the font. So, I like had to push her down a little harder than I wanted and I think she wanted, but she was baptized. The daughter was a little bit easier. And the water, yeah. Pretty much a jacuzzi. So yeah, real good. Then after, she bore like a way sick testimony. (And mom, you better not cut out my slang from these letters. Actually, just copy word for word, including this, then everyone can see how hard English is to remember.) Anyway, we also have 3 more dates set, 1 for the 14th of March and the others for the 21st. The work progresses!
Yeah. Crazy things are happening with missions right now. Did I not tell you? The Bilbao, Northern Spain mission is closing and dissolving into the mission of Madrid and Barcelona. And we are going to receive the Canary Islands. Yeah, I'm going there..... one day. Besides that on Monday two of our appointments fell through and it was snowing. And I mean snowing! And windy. So our umbrellas broke and we were in a far off little pueblo so we knocked buildings and got soaked. Pretty legit. Reminded me of Utah so yea.
Saturday, we got out of a lesson at like 6, and walked out into the street to hear music. We investigated and there was just a giant parade for like 2 hours. We watched a little bit of it then felt bad so tried to contact. That failed so we kind of gave up on the night and went back to the parade. It was pretty cool. Every float had music on it and people dancing around it. Different than our 4th of July parade. Then when we went into the piso that night, during planning, we heard fireworks so I opened the window and PERFECT. Fireworks exploding over the giant beautiful cathedral outside of our window. Ha, ha. Toledo is so good. Yeah and news is that we, as missionaries, are out the 4th of May. So From August 25 through May 04 in one area. Go me.
Stay Pretty,
E D
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTT!
I don't know if I have related this experience to you before, but missionaries don't use any system of time but transfers. It's not, "I go home in three months...it's I go home in two transfers." I guess we still use weeks, but months, no. So really the start of a transfer is like new year's for missionaries. We just set lots of goals and make big plans. The point of this story is I will now be titling my emails like I do to President.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER DUNN! Yeah, so the dad backed out of his baptismal date so only the wife and daughter are being baptized. It's good though as he says he still wants to one day, but right now can't. It's kind of like a surprise every time we go over there how his mind has changed. One Friday, he said no, then Sunday he said yes, then 8 days later on Monday when we started asking for the details, he said he doesn't feel ready. Some surprises just suck.
About getting my package, we are only going to get letters twice this transfer, next Tuesday, and then Zone Conference. So assure yourself that it is here by March 11th ish and you are fine. And about style not being important at the present,(this refers to Scott's complaint about the new glasses I am sending and the fact that they are not stylish enough) I don't think you understand how many American girls we run into that are going to school here. They are so grateful for people who speak English that they will actually listen to us talk about God as long as we do it in English. It's pretty legit.
Oh, tried praying in English the other day, pretty sure I sounded like a three-year old. I couldn't remember how to use thee, thou, thine and all of those words. Spanish is like 4.5X easier.
Mom, can you play All Creatures of our God and King? I am learning that one right now. Well, the left hand. I can pretty much play all the hymns with my right hand at almost the speed they should be but whoa....... left hand costs me. That is my favorite song to play and listen to at present. And to respond to Matt's blog, every time we have a residency appointment there is a Burger King in a mall right by the place, so all the missionaries who had residency go to Burger King after. Also, Burger King is more than double the price here, so be grateful for cheap food. And every time I talk to the Argentines in our ward and tell them I have friends in the Resistencia Mission, they always apologize. I am not sure what that means but I am assuming they have quite a humbling experience over there.
Oh, and so we are for sure going to stay open this transfer, and then one more. So until May 05. And if we can get the ward rolling they will keep it open. So I am going to kill off my companion now, then have to area train a new one for 1-2 transfers. I could be spending half my mission here. My district leader is in his 8th transfer here, going to complete 12 months ish. So could happen. And tell Allen to be quiet and get to work. And as for Elder McBride, he went home the same time as my trainer and he was a spectacular missionary. Good thing you tipped him a lot. Where were you guys? And yes, Spencer is in the mission of the parents of one of the assistants here. And also, Katherine, if you remember her, lives by this Elder's sister. Small world no?
Stay Pretty,
ED
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER DUNN! Yeah, so the dad backed out of his baptismal date so only the wife and daughter are being baptized. It's good though as he says he still wants to one day, but right now can't. It's kind of like a surprise every time we go over there how his mind has changed. One Friday, he said no, then Sunday he said yes, then 8 days later on Monday when we started asking for the details, he said he doesn't feel ready. Some surprises just suck.
About getting my package, we are only going to get letters twice this transfer, next Tuesday, and then Zone Conference. So assure yourself that it is here by March 11th ish and you are fine. And about style not being important at the present,(this refers to Scott's complaint about the new glasses I am sending and the fact that they are not stylish enough) I don't think you understand how many American girls we run into that are going to school here. They are so grateful for people who speak English that they will actually listen to us talk about God as long as we do it in English. It's pretty legit.
Oh, tried praying in English the other day, pretty sure I sounded like a three-year old. I couldn't remember how to use thee, thou, thine and all of those words. Spanish is like 4.5X easier.
Mom, can you play All Creatures of our God and King? I am learning that one right now. Well, the left hand. I can pretty much play all the hymns with my right hand at almost the speed they should be but whoa....... left hand costs me. That is my favorite song to play and listen to at present. And to respond to Matt's blog, every time we have a residency appointment there is a Burger King in a mall right by the place, so all the missionaries who had residency go to Burger King after. Also, Burger King is more than double the price here, so be grateful for cheap food. And every time I talk to the Argentines in our ward and tell them I have friends in the Resistencia Mission, they always apologize. I am not sure what that means but I am assuming they have quite a humbling experience over there.
Oh, and so we are for sure going to stay open this transfer, and then one more. So until May 05. And if we can get the ward rolling they will keep it open. So I am going to kill off my companion now, then have to area train a new one for 1-2 transfers. I could be spending half my mission here. My district leader is in his 8th transfer here, going to complete 12 months ish. So could happen. And tell Allen to be quiet and get to work. And as for Elder McBride, he went home the same time as my trainer and he was a spectacular missionary. Good thing you tipped him a lot. Where were you guys? And yes, Spencer is in the mission of the parents of one of the assistants here. And also, Katherine, if you remember her, lives by this Elder's sister. Small world no?
Stay Pretty,
ED
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Commitment Phobia
Well,
News? The investigators with baptismal dates are coming. Every lesson the father/husband changes his mind on being baptized, but right now it's an affirmative.... Still on for my birthday! Other than that, Dominicans are awesome. They are probably the most laid back, chill people I know, but they are sweet. A member talked to us one time after we took a bus to Madrid and he asked us for the directions to the capilla. We gave them to him and then Sunday, he brought another less active. Then the next Sunday this guy brought a non-member friend and his non-member brother. That's the cool thing about them, their culture is like, "Hey, wanna go to church? Sure why not?" Bad thing is, commitment really isn't their thing. But it's not mine either, so I can't judge. (Sorry ladies.)
We spent quite a bit of time doing business contacts for my glasses. We talked to like two 30 year old Spanish people for like 20 minutes about glasses then "futbol" then whatever else. We were laughing and joking and then when we brought up that we are missionaries, they were like yeah, we don't care. Ha, ha. That is Spain for you. They love to talk, love to joke, but will not listen about religion. And since our area is closing soon, mostly we spend contacting time asking Spaniards cultural questions and just talking with them. Planting seeds you could say. It's funny, because nobody knows how the beso (kissing on the cheek) tradition was started or the origin of the Catholic church. Oh man, go Spain. But alright, that's it from Spain today.
Justin, my metro friend, got his call to London. He is going to get to enjoy Europe too! Hah. Include this part in the blog, my friends will laugh. And I can't open pictures on this computer, so I will send another email later with information about your choice in glasses.
Stay pretty,
Elder Dunn
News? The investigators with baptismal dates are coming. Every lesson the father/husband changes his mind on being baptized, but right now it's an affirmative.... Still on for my birthday! Other than that, Dominicans are awesome. They are probably the most laid back, chill people I know, but they are sweet. A member talked to us one time after we took a bus to Madrid and he asked us for the directions to the capilla. We gave them to him and then Sunday, he brought another less active. Then the next Sunday this guy brought a non-member friend and his non-member brother. That's the cool thing about them, their culture is like, "Hey, wanna go to church? Sure why not?" Bad thing is, commitment really isn't their thing. But it's not mine either, so I can't judge. (Sorry ladies.)
We spent quite a bit of time doing business contacts for my glasses. We talked to like two 30 year old Spanish people for like 20 minutes about glasses then "futbol" then whatever else. We were laughing and joking and then when we brought up that we are missionaries, they were like yeah, we don't care. Ha, ha. That is Spain for you. They love to talk, love to joke, but will not listen about religion. And since our area is closing soon, mostly we spend contacting time asking Spaniards cultural questions and just talking with them. Planting seeds you could say. It's funny, because nobody knows how the beso (kissing on the cheek) tradition was started or the origin of the Catholic church. Oh man, go Spain. But alright, that's it from Spain today.
Justin, my metro friend, got his call to London. He is going to get to enjoy Europe too! Hah. Include this part in the blog, my friends will laugh. And I can't open pictures on this computer, so I will send another email later with information about your choice in glasses.
Stay pretty,
Elder Dunn
Monday, February 1, 2010
Money is to be spent...???
Mom,
You really shouldn't give me money with the expectation that I will use it for the intended purpose. Well, my intention was good, then we went downtown. I have been looking at glasses for awhile now. I have found some pretty sick ones, but yeah, they cost a lot. So I will keep looking for another week or two but I might just have you send me a pair. I did pull out money in case I found some, but then we went to Sol, downtown Madrid, and there were "rebajas." Rebajas is the best part about Spain. After Kings' Day, the big gift day here, everything goes on "rebajas." And it just keeps going down in price till it's gone. I bought a sick sweater for like 9.90 and a sweet Spanish white shirt for 14. So yeah, just know that I am happy and you love me, even if you are broke in a little while. Thanks!
Baptism for my birthday continues in progress. They asked about baptismal clothing, so they are pretty legit. Other than that, now starts the 6 weeks till shutdown. Yeah, the point in spending 4 hours walking the streets contacting people that can't be baptized, I don't see it. So I think we will be doing a lot of bus riding to members' houses the last few weeks we are here.
And it makes me happy that you can play the piano. I am improving quite rapidly myself. That means I practice like 30 minutes a week. But I am pretty good.
We just had zone conference. Pretty exciting because I got packages and letters. Girls from home came through, thanks girls. I think I had the most letters out of any missionary. Special shout out to Brie Allen for the sickest package ever. I now have a different ducky tie, well same design but now I have it, and pajama pants that say stud on them. Yeah, I am going to wear the ducky tie to all zone conferences and interviews with the president. Pretty excited.
Well, I am going to go teach some English to South Americans that don't understand English. I can only talk so slow and teach them the same thing so many times before I lose hope because they don't understand. After three weeks of practice they can all say, "Hello I am Jorge, what is your name? I am from Bolivia, where are you from? I live in Toledo, where do you live? I have 2 brothers." It's pretty awesome.
You all stay pretty.
Elder Dunn
You really shouldn't give me money with the expectation that I will use it for the intended purpose. Well, my intention was good, then we went downtown. I have been looking at glasses for awhile now. I have found some pretty sick ones, but yeah, they cost a lot. So I will keep looking for another week or two but I might just have you send me a pair. I did pull out money in case I found some, but then we went to Sol, downtown Madrid, and there were "rebajas." Rebajas is the best part about Spain. After Kings' Day, the big gift day here, everything goes on "rebajas." And it just keeps going down in price till it's gone. I bought a sick sweater for like 9.90 and a sweet Spanish white shirt for 14. So yeah, just know that I am happy and you love me, even if you are broke in a little while. Thanks!
Baptism for my birthday continues in progress. They asked about baptismal clothing, so they are pretty legit. Other than that, now starts the 6 weeks till shutdown. Yeah, the point in spending 4 hours walking the streets contacting people that can't be baptized, I don't see it. So I think we will be doing a lot of bus riding to members' houses the last few weeks we are here.
And it makes me happy that you can play the piano. I am improving quite rapidly myself. That means I practice like 30 minutes a week. But I am pretty good.
We just had zone conference. Pretty exciting because I got packages and letters. Girls from home came through, thanks girls. I think I had the most letters out of any missionary. Special shout out to Brie Allen for the sickest package ever. I now have a different ducky tie, well same design but now I have it, and pajama pants that say stud on them. Yeah, I am going to wear the ducky tie to all zone conferences and interviews with the president. Pretty excited.
Well, I am going to go teach some English to South Americans that don't understand English. I can only talk so slow and teach them the same thing so many times before I lose hope because they don't understand. After three weeks of practice they can all say, "Hello I am Jorge, what is your name? I am from Bolivia, where are you from? I live in Toledo, where do you live? I have 2 brothers." It's pretty awesome.
You all stay pretty.
Elder Dunn
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