November 9, 2009

Hey Familia,

Well since I didn´t get to say it here, "Trick or treat". Bigger than Halloween here is the first and second of November. The first is Dia de los Muertes and so they spend a few days making flower arrangements and then go on the first and second to the cemeteries and do activities and other things there.

So before I continue writing I should tell you that Ive met someone. Her name is Trya and we have gotten to know each other very well. She reminds me a lot of one of my best freinds back home and we have gotten really close. You guessed it, I met a six month old Boxer. She reminds me so much of Mia, I LOVE it! I have a picture with her:

Things are still going well here. Our investigators are great, but there are always things impeding them. As missionaries, we can´t fix everything or force people to come to church, we can just try our best to encourage them and show them blessings of living their lives right.We teach two teenage girls and one of them had a dream about getting baptized and knows that she needs to, but their situation makes it pretty much impossible for them to go to church. They keep all of the other commintments including the latest to start reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning (we usually assign a chapter from different parts each time) and they continue to pray about it.Another man that we teach ants to get baptized so bad, but he lives in the same hourse as his kids' mom. That sounds weird, but the thing is that they used to be a couple but aren't anymore. He understands that he can only get baptized if he moves out or gets married, but it is a real trial of his faith. He doesn't want to get married to her, because they are just friends, and he doesn't want to rip apart his family by moving out. We did start teaching his 20 year old daughter and she seems pretty into it. She committed to read and pray about it.

Alfredo, aka snail man is a good investigator, but we can´t visit him like we want to because it is a 30 minute drive and 20 minute hike and he insists that if we go out to visit him we have to stay 2 hours or more and eat lunch. He has some really weird beliefs including that Adam and Eve were test tube babies and that's why they couldn't die and that the brother of Jarod and Noah were both part of the story of Atlantis. Also some beliefs about Jesus that I would rather not write. He has had a hunger for doctrine for a while, but turned to the wrong places. I don´t know if he truly believes this stuff, but he definitely has the theories stuck in his head and always brings them up. We just have to replace these corrupt ideas with good and correct ones. (With Alfredo)

This past week I met my first Bible bashers. It was really frusterating. Once again, I have just seen that we have come here to find those that are prepared to hear and recieve the gospel... Like the awesome investigators that we are working with. Valerio (who lives with his ex misses) and Alfredo come to church every Sunday and continue progressing with the scriptures and prayer and both know the truthfulness of our message.

It is embarrasing being the tallest person in the country and not be able to play basketball. Everyone just expects it and doesn't believe me that I don't play... until they start playing with me. Then they know. That's something that I will have to work on... my bball skills. um actually, I would just rather play soccer :D

So thats what we did last Pday. Played basketball and soccer with the neighborhood kids. This pday we went to the capital and went bowling. It was great despite the 4 hours on crowded buses to get there and back. Afterwards we ate at Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. After being in Chiqui for a month, I felt Like we were in the states. We drove by the CCM twice which was weird too.

Well I love you all and it was great seeing those pictures! keep them coming! Good luck with everything

Love,Elder Goodman