Monday, May 30, 2016

Tolhuin, Zona Rio Grande - Week 3... Dog Fight

Alright, here's the report. 

This week was a total grind! Once again, Elder Wilhelm and I had 150 contacts and 21 lessons, with 8 new investigators, so were slaying the numbers. As for actual progress, that's another story. Around here, it's really easy to get in the door and teach lessons. The hard part is coming back. The people here are lazy as ever, so even if they seem interested, they don't answer the door or they send their kids to the door to say they're sleeping legit 80% of the time. Another 10% is them saying that they "actually can't meet today, and need to reschedule." We cherish the 10% that we actually get back in and teach again. As for progressing investigators, none of the new or old people are really progressing yet. We didn't have any less actives at church yesterday, even though they all told us that they would come. No investigators either, even though we taught a house full of wasted people, and they SAID THEY WOULD COME. Alchohol lies man... I didn't actually expect them though haha. The surprising thing though is that there were actually only 9 people at church yesterday, counting me, Elder W, and the group leader from Rio Grande with his wife. So that was a bit discouraging haha. But I've gotten really good at staying positive and having perfect hope through Christ, so were gonna keep grinding, keep praying, and hope for miracles. And even if we don't get any baptisms in this area for a while, I know that every contact, every lesson, is adding a square foot to my Celestial mansion so if all else fails, that's gonna be dope. 

To answer some of Mom's other questions, the pensh is still awesome! Elder Wilhelm and I have been keeping it clean and semi tidy, so that's good. For laundry, we have a crappy little washing machine, and we air dry everything, so that's fun. I've got a load of whites going right now haha. The sleeping bag is good, it's just suuuuuper hot. I never sleep in it, only on top of it. I think getting a 30 degree bag would have been better because with the calefactors in other pensions and the floor in mine, it never dips below 30. But it's okay, I sleep with mine open, and pull it over me if I get chilly. As for other interesting things... I hate dulce de leche, but I had some churros filled with a creamier dulce de leche and they were incredible. I also ate a ton of empanadas again this week which were bomb. Oreo alfajores (little Argentine cookies) are also adding to the calorie count. Experience wise, I threw my first rocks at dogs this week. These two tiny dogs kept following us for hours, and they were getting brutally mauled by all the other dogs because the dogs here are way territorial. So yeah, we were in the middle of a dog fight the whole time, in which the weiner dog kept trying to use me as a shield, and I had to kick a couple rottweilers. I ended up stepping on the little a guy a couple times, which was her own dang fault. They finally left us alone when I softly tossed some pebbles at em (yes Sofia, it was soft). We also had divisions this week with the District Leaders from Rio Grande, so I saw other missionaries, which was sick. They stunk up our pension though, which sucked. Real Madrid beat Atletico, so that's whatever. No fechas this week, but we've got a couple investigators that I'm really praying a lot for, and were trying really hard to find a chance to pass by their houses. Spencer Smalley sent me a really sweet email, so he's a champ. 

Anyways, really vanilla week, Im gonna keep on grinding and praying for you guys! Thanks so much for your prayers, love, and support! I have the dopest eternal family, so everyone else be jealous! Love you guys, especially you Mom - Elder Jimenez 

So, how does church work with so few people? Do you hold all three hours? Do you have to teach/speak every week?
We do all three hours, which is rough. We also had 2 combined classes this week, 2nd and 3rd hour, and in 3rd hour essentially all that happened is that the members were all arguing with each other about their favorite loopholes to the commandments. How it's not okay to break certain commandments, but okay to break others, and I ended up bearing my testimony on how we can do 99% of the things the Lord has asked us to do, and enjoy el Reino Terrestre (the Terrestrial Kingdom) for eternity, and that kind of settled things down haha. I included about how Dad would always tell me to remember the goal, and that seemed to strike a chord with most of them. 

How is the Spanish coming along?
The Spanish is coming, very slowly. It's really hard because we always speak English when we have a choice (I even taught an Atheist in English this week which was actually way fun). I need to speak English less, but the temptation is way strong. The Spanish is still coming though, very slowly. The understanding is what's really slowing me down. I'm okay though! Con el tiempo (With time), everyone understands me, so now I just need to understand them, and everything will be copado. 

Last, but not least... it sure looks cold in Tolhiun!!!




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