This week has been quite something! First, to explain the subject line:
My companion and I are officially fed up with the 10 dogs that like to have very loud conversations in the middle of study time, night-time, and every other time. Not to mention our neighbor is a large man that enjoys sitting on his balcony without a shirt and stare into our window, definitely creepy, especially when it's three in the morning and you just want a cup of water! Anyway, thanks to these strange incidents and countless more, we have received permission to look for a new house! We've heard legend of one that has Air Conditioning, we honestly don't really care about what else it has, if it has AC we WANT IT.
Anyway, we're keeping that house in our prayers ;).
My companion's name is Elder Paz, and he's from Bolivia. Like my previous companion, he doesn't speak a lick of English, but the difference is that now I CAN SPEAK SPANISH! Obviously not perfectly, but he and I can talk to each other about just about anything, and it's way nice! Anyway, he taught me to make this thing called 'payuje' which is basically mashed plantains and sugar and cinnamon. I don't even know how to describe the taste, but it's AMAZING. We put it in a cup with milk and it kinda tastes like a smoothie... anyway we eat it day and night. It's pretty dang good!
My comp and I are getting along great! We are working really hard and my legs hurt from walking so much... but today we are going to Isla Santay with the zone leaders, which is basically this really pretty island that we get to see on a bike, so I think my legs might hurt even more... oh well!
Being the 'old' elder in the zone, my companion doesn't know anyone. He's a little shy, which makes me basically the senior companion... I have to lead the discussions and talk to people a lot... it's definitely helping me improve my Spanish and teaching skills, but it's also wearing me out!
This week I've really learned a lot about growth. I definitely did not feel ready to lead my sector, but I just had to do it! As I've jumped in head first, I've learned a lot, and fast. I can see the progress I've made in just about every aspect in only this short week, and I'm super grateful for the opportunity! I'm still utterly exhausted, but I feel a lot more prepared as a missionary now. I'm seeing this same pattern in just about everything, if you want to experience growth, you just have to dive in. If not, I would not feel this good with teaching, or speaking, or with anything at all! I guess that's life!!
I miss you all! Hope to hear from you soon!
Elder Jones
Sorry... only one picture (and I'm not even in it)
