June 13, 2011

DEAR EVERYONE.

So Costa Rica sounds awesome! Thanks for the pictures Dad it looks beautiful. Mom, trust me I know EXACTLY what you're talking about with the language... Hahaha. As for the animals and food it sounds awesome! I'd be more jealous if I wasn't also in a foreign country eating really good food.

Haha and as for the directions, you should hear the Argentines..."Alright so see that tree over there in front of the red house? Ok good. Well it's not that house but the one next to it with the blue door! Ok good. But it's not that house, it's the same house but two blocks over." Or they ramble on about two blocks one way turn and go on "for a while" and the house looks like this and has this kind of tree with this color door, blah blah and I'm like...Holy crappp can we just have the intersection?! And they talk with their hands and motion and gesture like crazy!

It's funny. They have such a different culture here.

But this week was pretty good! We did divisions and I was with an elder named Elder Thackeray. We were in Balcarce though so I was in charge! It was very different without Elder Blackhorse at my side. But I know my way around so all was well. Let's just say I learned a valuable lesson in planning and we ended up knocking quite a few doors.

Another story: On Friday we were walking near the outskirts after lunch with a member family and it was like 2:30 in the afternoon. Dead middle of the biggest waste of time ever called the siesta. They ALL go home from school or work, eat this FAT lunch like they're never going to eat again, and then they SLEEP. It's ridiculous! The streets, especially on Sundays, are like dead silent. You could be fooled into thinking the place was deserted. Anyway, we try to see if this lady Susana is home and after finding she wasn't, continued on our way toward a less active member's house when this kid passes us. Then he asks where we're from, tells Elder Blackhorse he likes his watch, and tells him to give it to him or he'll shoot him!! So he gives it up. And then he asked for the phone. And my watch. The problem is that he didn't have a gun. Duh. Just his hand in his pocket. But as missionaries, we can't resist. We just do as they say and try not to allow the situation to escalate. We lied and said we had no money because punks like him rob us, and he left. Good thing cause we both had like 50 pesos on us and Elder Blackhorse had his camera.

The end. The members all heard and were suuuper mad hahaha. Stuff like this NEVER happens in tiny little tranquil Balcarce. Mar del Plata sure. But here no.

Anyway, it's whatever, we cooled down and went on our way and found tons of nice people that night who we are going to pass by and teach!

Martín, who has quit smoking, and little Camila, who said herself she wants to get baptized, are both getting baptized this Saturday and I am super excited!

We had a conference for only Argentina yesterday and listened to Elder Civik of the Seventy, the General Primary President, Elder Anderson of the Twelve (who actually spoke in Spanish), and Elder Packer of the Twelve! It was super cool and we had a transmission in the chapel so we didn't even have to travel!

I got sick last Monday night after I emailed you and threw up more times than I can count.

The transfer ended and the new one started today. Elder Blackhorse goes home in six weeks but he's still going strong! And we have two more missionaries now living with us! They got in today and are going to work in the Balcarce Barrio 1 area (which is awesome because Elder Blackhorse and I have had our success in Barrio 2 where we will remain). One is from Utah and the other from Chile so this will help my Spanish a lot. We have to speak Spanish now or he won't understand.

I got letters last Tuesday that were written to me on May 18th through dearelder. And a letter that was post marked May 23rd. That's how long it takes for me to receive letters. They go to Bahia, then the Zone Leaders, and then to me on Tuesdays at District Meeting. But so everyone knows, I AM getting letters AND responding, the mail is just slow!! I love you all and thank you for your letters. I hope my address is easy to find on Facebook or my blog. That's about it for the week. The Lord continues to test me and help me learn and grown. Learn about myself, about other people, and about His plan for each one of us. I have seen His hand in this work and know He knows each one of us personally. Thank you all for the encouragement and sorry if my email was super stream of conscience :)

Chau,

Elder Ryan Garrison