Wow. So I didn´t say anything last week so there´s been a BUNCH of stuff going on. We´ll start with the good stuff.
So we had a "interchange" (I don´t know what it´s called in English because it´s intercambio in Spanish) and we (Elder Salcedo and I) had to go back to La Isla Trinitaria so I could pick up Elder Robinson and go home. Elder Robinson and his comp for the day, Elder Freeman, were super late. They got back at nine thirty, the latest you´re allowed to be in the house. And that´s really not a good idea especially on the Island, It´s the most dangerous place in the country. There´s a place on the island called Nigeria. If they see a white person they will kill them. Back in that area it´s all drugs and guns. So Imagine the most dangerous area in the US next to a jungle river and sugar cane houses. Ta-dah!
Well me and Elder Robinson start to head out. But, uh-oh. There´s no buses. Why? because it´s too dangerous to ride buses at that time of night. So we´re like crap we have to walk back, and we have to go over a bridge. The people that live under this bridge wouldn´t approach us because they would like to hear a message about Christ. So we´re walking and walking then we see a bus. We jump for excitement. We hurry up and get on the bus. We´re riding aloing thinking all is well, but then maybe 200 yards from the bridge it turns around. We then scamper off the bus and watch the one bus that was behind us go over the bridge. So now we´re freaked out. We have no money to give to anyone that would try and rob us let a lone get a ride over the bridge, and we are two white guys in white shirts and ties carrying a huge backpack and another bag. We´re walking targets. WE just kept walking at a very very quick pace while singing, "Just Keep Swimming" laced with my Chris Farley style color commentary. I don´t know how (I think it was the song) but we made it back ok. But as everyone knows luck can only go so far. Wednesday we got robbed. Since it was my first one I didn´t know until Elder Robinson told me and pointed out the kife. I kept telling him I had nothing even before that. He kept saying, "give me a dollar I´m broke" I just kept saying, "Cool. So am I welcome to the club." Finally Elder Robinson gave him a dollar and I found a penny that I could give him. It was redonk. I thought I´d get by without gettting robbed, but no. Then not to forget Sunday on our way to church we almost got robbed again. This guy started yelling at us to go over to him. At first I thought he was talking to this guy on a bike, but then the guy told us with a serious face to not go and walk towards the market. I looked back and my stomached turned when I saw how close he was to us, but we just kept walking. I him we were going to church and that he should come with us. I mean seriously, breaking two of the Ten Commandments. Working and robbing on the Sabbath. He´s not even trying. So we made to the market before he got to us/pulled out his knife. The thieves here are pretty cowardly if you get to a main street or a market you´re ok.
Also we found the rat that cem to the house in Elder Estrada´s luggage. Elder Tobar started yelling that he saw tah rat run under the fridge. He took a brrom handle and started pounding it under the fridge. The guy´s a boxer so needless to say it was a pretty fierce shot he was throwing under there. after not seeing anything run out he kinda scrapped under the fridge and swiped out the rat. We thought he´d killed it but when we wer taking pictures it took a gasp for air. After Tobar finished the job we realized that previously ahd only been knocked unconcious because Elder Tobar punched it´s testicles out. The poor thing died because he junk got destroyed. I´m sorry if this is crass. Then I started freaking out beacuse it was on our kitchen floor. I kinda have a problem with the thought of rodent genetalia in the same room as where we prepare food. So I took deodorant spray and lit the tile to try and cleanse it because I couldn´t find cleaning products. It was for sure a highlight of the week.
As far as spiritual stuff goes (kinda the point of the whole two years) we met a girl named Anna, because one of our really good friends in the ward brought her to church. After met we gave her the Book of Mormon she told us she´d read it and pray about it. When we returned we taught the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" and asked if she had erad and prayed. She told us that when she had she prayed with all her faith, and that afterwards she felt so much love, and that she felt so much love for her friends and for everyone around and her and she knew that it was true. I was so excited!! It was incredible to see her really study the Book of Mormon. She highlighted things added her own book mark and really showed that she wanted and answer. She took it seriously. If all our investigators did that they´d all know it is true. So she´s getting baptized next week! I know that people who would accept this message would normally accept it with our without me, but I´m so greateful to have the oppotunity to be able to watch someone come to a knowledge of the truth like that.
As far as the adjustment goes I´m still workin on it. The food is just fine, I enjoy it. Even the chicken feet and rice. you just don´t think about what you´re eating and it´s all good. I still don´t get this culture though. They believe in Christ because it´s fashionable, and they would seriously believe almost anything you say about Christ. "oh I don´t need to pray about you´re book. I believe what you say because I believe in Christ." We´ll talk about the one true church of Christ maybe fifty times in a lesson. Then we ask, "If our this is the only true church of Christ are the other churches in Guayaquil true?" and they just nod their head lightly. We have to totally re-teach about God too, adn be really patient as people try to work out of their mental rut of what they thought God was. There´s come crazy stuff here. I never thought I would have to re-teach what God was, and it´s for sure harder than I thought.
And I´m really tired of getting creeppy looks from every gay and crossdressser here. You have no idea how many there are here. It almost ruined my day yesterday.
But on the upside I learned how to make hot chocolate from scratch and it´s the best stuff ever.
So the scripture is in 2 Nephi 30:3-5 Nephi´s like, "Hold up, Imma drop a prophecy right here" (unofficial modern-day translation). I thought it was cool because I´m totally a part of this prophecy. The gentiles bringing the record to the remnant of the seed.
Love you all, bye!
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