February 20, 2012 - Hello Family!

February 20, 2012

Hello Family!

Wow, so this week was not that great, but it’s ok. It’s P-day and we start a new one this week. It has been raining soooooooooo much!!!!! Wow, all the time. I am always drenched but we get back to the house and shower quickly after and get clean and dry our shoes fast. It’s quite the experience here. There are so many parties, like vacations every month. This weekend, today and tomorrow is called Carnival. It’s a holiday of water and it is legal to throw paint, eggs, water, ink, oil, bathroom water, everything at any person. Yesterday it was only waterballoons so we were ok but we have to constantly look up at the houses so that people don’t hit us with stuff. I can’t believe we were not told to stay in the house for this, but whatever. The work is slow because all the world is drunk and partying for four days straight, so it’s a problem. Yesterday, a drunk guy was talking to us and crying, telling us about his problems and how his wife left him and all that. He kept calling me Tio sam. Tio in Spanish is uncle, so it’s Uncle Sam because I’m a gringo, haha. It’s pretty weird but I felt bad for the guy because he has lost everything. We told him that we would come by his house this week when he was sober. I hope we can help him.

We were contacting this week and as we passed by a house, there was a monkey. It reached through the cage and stole my pen, then it wanted food so some kids came by and they gave us a banana. It was so cool to feed the thing because it’s hands were so small, but just like my hands. It would peel the banana slowly, careful not to drop it. It was so cool, I wish I would have had my camera but I don’t dare go into this part of the city with my camera, it’s not safe there even if you only have one dollar.

I almost got robbed the other day. We were sitting in the middle of a round about and two kids

18 and 19 years old came up to us and told us to give them a dollar. I wasn’t going to give them anything but I was eating some salchipapas, which is like french fries and hot dogs. It was good but I could tell they were hungry. One kid was scared but the other had a face of pure hate. For some reason, I wasn’t scared, I just asked them how they were doing, and you guys know how I am a smart allec, so I joked with them and they didn’t think it was funny so I offered them some fries. The one that was scared come up and grabbed one and after he did that he said “gracious” then the other came up and got some. They both left! I can’t believe someone would come up to me and ask me for money when they aren’t doing anything to earn it themselves, but that’s just me. That was a first for me.

Oh, Ok, YES! I finally went to a place to get that stinking ingrown toenail taken care of and yes, it is better now. I feel like such a baby though. Really? I had to go to someone else to take the thing out. I couldn’t get it out myself. I had to pull money out of my account for that! However, the mission is going to reimburse me.

Thanks for everything, guys, really, I appreciate everything and I’m going to try to send more letters to you guys, handwritten ones but the thing is, I’m just really pressed for time. Getting letters written and sending them is a four week job. Sorry, I’ll work harder to do that.

So, I have been talking to Kirby. I’m happy to hear the shop is good. I really miss it there. I wish I could fix someone’s car or something but I don’t have tools. A member had no compression and I told him it was because the seals were bad and it’s going to cost him $800 to change them. Ah, that’s a cut to the heart here. In comparison, $800 is like 4 months rent. It’s a lot of money. Mom, tell crumps to use Allreds so Kirby has a shop going good when I get home I will have a job, haha, I love you guys!

Love,

Elder Profaizer

SarahJ

How are you? It sounds like you are super busy, that’s ok! I understand, take advantage of everything! You’ll only be there for a little bit. I’m so glad to hear you are getting my letters through scanning them. That makes me so happy. I love you Sarah, I hope you have a great time at Jerusalem. Be safe and study hard. Love you, Elder Profaizer