November 16th, 2009

Hola familia!!!

Well compared to last week, this week wasn´t near as good… My companion was sick one day so we didn´t get anything done, it stunk!! Then one of the zone leaders got sick this week too so we had to do exchanges or whatever they are called in English and I had to stay with the sick Elder. Also the man we are helping build a house wasn´t there when we passed by with 6 elders to help him, then again later in the week he wasn´t there when we passed by, when he said he would be there both times. So we did a whole lot of extra walking. We spend a lot of time walking every week… That’s good though because otherwise I would be really fat because of the type of food we eat here! Haha Its so good and unhealthy. Meat with every meal and lots of sugar and oil for everything else! Its great! We did have one family come to church this week. Juan Carlos and Adela and their son Carlito. They are the awesome ones from Bolivia. I think they really liked church. I know their son did haha. The members are always really welcoming which is also a good thing. The only problem is I don´t think they can understand Caste llano super well so we have to go pretty slow with them. Its hard for them to read too, and we have to get them married. But yesterday we taught them how to pray! Oh man it was so cool! Juan Carlos gave the closing prayer. This week I hope to be a lot better. But the zone leader doesn´t get better Im going to have to go with the other zone leader to a zone conference 5 hours away, so I will be gone 3 days. We will see. Yesterday I had to give the lesson in Elders Quorum. I think it went pretty well. It was kind of a last notice thing but luckily I was stuck with a sick elder for a few hours. He helped me out too. I got a list of all the songs we are going to be singing for the next 4 weeks in sacrament so I can practice during the week and play the right hand for sacrament. All the families we have eaten with since I gave my talk said they understood the whole thing, which really surprised me. The spirit really can change the words in the air because I know I don´t say all the words right. I can understand so much better now though. Just words here and there I don´t understand and all the people that are hard to understand haha I really don´t think they are speaking caste llano sometimes. I still have a lot to improve. Thanks for your letters this week. My president told me and my trainer that I am allowed to only read and send e-mails to intermediate family. No one ever told me I couldn´t send to brothers and sisters. Dad it sounds like you are staying busy which is good. Almost like a retired man busy though? Haha keep up the missionary work though! You are completely right that you have to get creative to do missionary work, especially finding people. I have been learning the best way to get someone to come to the gospel is to just get them to think, think about what really matters, then the gospel is always the answer! I read the King Benjamin address this week and when he starts his address he talks about having open hearts and minds to what he will say and not try to “trifle” which is exactly how it is. As soon as you get people to open their hearts and minds, the gospel just comes right in and makes sense. Love you all! And thanks for everything!
Happy Birthday Dad! And Garrett

Elder Tryon