February 22, 2010

Hello family! I've now been in Salto almost a week!
I'm so glad to hear grandma is doing better!!!! Congrats on all your state stuff Kayli! Levi, I'm also camping and usually covered in mud haha Just kidding, the house is a step up this time. Its an apartment LOADED with roaches, but it's cooler inside and that's all that I care about.
My comp is on his last change, and he's great. Today we're on divisions and hes in Montevideo to take his english test and have a medical check for his arm which broke in half 2 months ago.
I do miss Elder Grau a TON though. I knew I had it lucky to start with him, and I've quickly realized that I'm going to miss having him as a comp the rest of my mission haha
This area had 7 baptisms the last 2 changes, and as this is the highest baptizing zone in the mission and I had more than that in the hardest, I'm shooting for at least 30 these next two changes (if I'm here for 2). The people are so chill, everyone is willing to listen and read, and they gain a testimony real fast, but everyone is too lazy to go to church. UGGHH. If you have any insightful tricks to get people at church, they would be nice.
We had a baptism Friday and have 3 more this Friday, and several more with a baptismal date, and several dozen others. This last week we found TONS of new people. I have crazy luck finding people.
As for the landscape, this place has INCREDIBLE sunsets, rolling green hills...ahhh its so freaking pretty I've already taken a bunch of pictures just of land. Across the street from where we live theres a little mall where Im at now, but the rest of our area is out in the wilderness haha like pretty much the rest of Uruguay outside of Montevideo.
The humidity is way stronger here than the city, but the sun is about the same. So...I sweat more AGH I can't wait till it cools off haha. Todays alright though. O Bob Marley is on the radio now hahaha
Nelida's baptism went through on Saturday too, back in Sayago, and Josè's and Martin`s on Saturday. I'm totally counting the people I found as baptisms in my mind hahahaha tell grandma I'm not keeping count though so I dunno how many I have in total. Plenty. I don't have time to write about any but my favorites in these emails.
It's rained the last 3 days and I'm using my boots a lot to tread through the marshes. Theyre way good Im so glad I brought them.
Today we were going to go to a cool dam, and we met at the bus stop and waited an hour without a bus until one of the zone leaders made a call and found out we were at the wrong stop. Ha. So we'll go next week and chill out today. Hopefully I'll get some letters written. I have hardly any time and have like 15 letters to respond to from the last 2 weeks of receiving. Speaking of which, could you send me a stamp book disguised as something else in the next letter?
Lets see, in other news...I'm waiting reembursals cause I had to use the money I had to pay old bills in my new home, cause they neglected and the company was going to cut electricity, so I have like $3 to use over the next 3 days, so I might have to pull something out of my account if I decide to eat. haha.
Sorry to hear about Charles mom, did he go down south to visit?
Be patient with the ward, I only wish crying babies were the least of our problems. Enjoy it!
Yay for the US in the olympics. We truly are the best nation in the world.
Be happy everyone, the problems you face are thousands times easier than most peoples here haha. Its the truth. I love you all, endure it all with a good attitude and a smile, and DO NOT GOSSIP. If theres one thing I could change about the mission, its all the gossip I hear from missionaries about other missionaries. It destroys companionships more than ANYTHING. DONT DO IT!!!!!!!
Tell Colton that when people make fun of him, just smile, because if he is a good boy, God will bless him in the end, and will curse them with ugly wives and bratty kids in the future.
Also, grats on your award for being a volunteer. Terribly ironic to have an award ceremony for best volunteer, but okay...hahaha
FInally, of what exactly does my blog consist? If it's a public thing that anyone can access, please delete it. I am anti-blog, and there's no way I'm going to email cool spiritual experiences and stuff like that if they're online for anyone to access. I really don't like that, sorry.
I love you all so much and am glad to hear your successes and frustrations too. I am being very obedient I promise and for that I need to get off cause Im out of time haha. O crap my divisions comp is on facebook. WIsh me luck... BAM! *sigh* heh
Elder Magnusson