Hey There Peeps!
Well it sounds like you enjoyed the empanadas, and I gotta say, so do I, so do I. But my favorite is definitely these things called tortillas, but they're nothing like the tortillas from mexican food. I don't know how to describe them, but they're amazing. I've already picked up some recipes, so in 18 months, you'll be having a treat. But down here things are going alright, we're trying to keep things moving, and while things between us comps got really bad last week, they're starting to work out for the better.
I'm glad to hear things are going good, and that you're starting to settle down a little bit, I know thats all I want to do right now... we played a great game of futbol yesterday, and my body just aches haha. But I got the game winning goal, so it was worth it. But because of circumstances out of my control, we didn't have any time to do internet yesterday, so we got permission to do it this morning. Things are going to be pretty fun tonight though, cause we have a division with the Assistants! So yeah, that should be fun. One of the Assistants was here in Salado for the equivalent of a year, and he's finishing his mission this change, so I think he wants to visit some of the people and stuff.
But yeah, I'm doing my best to hold on, but things have been going crazy with our schedule this past week, so I feel all out of place right now. As for people to pray for, we don't really have any specific people right now, our pool of investigators is pretty low, and the people we find just drop after a visit or two, so we're doing our best to fix that right now. It was pretty fun this last week though, we did a division with our district leader, and he went with Elder Cameron in our area, and I took his little greenie, with only 2 weeks in the mission out into his area, and I had a lot of fun being the one guiding the lessons, and putting the commitments. It was a little harder, cause I didn't know they're area, but I put a fecha with one of their investigators, and it was just a good time. I learned a lot and it just felt good to stretch my wings.
I hope Grandma is doing alright, I'll be keeping her in my prayers. Oh yeah, I need the address of Grandma and Grandpa Dennis, cause I went to send them a letter and I don't have it... And as for the package, I dunno... whatever you feel like giving a poor missionary in Paraguay.
I hope you liked the one picture I was able to get off.
Love you lots,
Elder Dennis
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
July 21, 2008
Tranquilo, I figured something like that had happened, since I knew you had a crazy summer going, but wow, I didn't know just how crazy. And its absolutely loco that Haley is out of the house...
And no, I haven't gotten the birthday package yet, but I'm excited to get some more soundtracks. Last of the Mohicans is absolutely amazing. And I couldn't tell you what kind of things you sent me, it looked like they were just the cheapest ones you can find, but they were GOOD. I haven't used all of them yet, because I save them for special occassions, but right now I'm in Luque, about a half hour by colectivo from my house... entonces, no puedo decir.
Anyways, things with my companion are pretty much awful, he is a very special son of God, but I'm doing my best to help him out without going crazy, and right now I'm getting a ton of help from E. Moreira, but especially from his new companion, Elder Bischoff. He's so sweet, we just chill and talk, he's just real chill and a good kid, so I'm grateful the Lord knew what he was doing when he sent him to Salado. Right now we're also working on a song, and its legit.
On to some of the crazy stuff, so at like 4.30 am on thursday morning, I wake up to the sound of water running, and since the tap in the bathroom never stops, I figured we just forgot to turn off the water to the house like we normally do at night, and being ODD I cant sleep with it, so I go to put my feet down to find my sandals, and SPLASH...
There was a good half inch of water over the surface of the entire house! So I get up and I'm just like shoot, and that wakes up E. Cameron, and I run into the kitchen, were what happened was our water went out last night, and someone left the faucet on, so when it came on in the middle of the night and a plate was covering the drain, the water decided to fill up the sink and spill over onto the floor. But we spent like an hour cleaning it all up. That was fun. It still smells like a flood in our house.
Also, I gave a talk on Sunday... with 5 mins prep time! Yeah! It was awesome. Actually, I think it turned out to be a pretty good talk. It was about 10 or 12 minutes long, talking about baptism. I've realized that as missionaries, all we do all day long is give 20 minute talks to people, on all the different aspects of the gospel, so all you gotta do is get up and act like you're teaching a lesson. Its cool stuff, the orginization they have here in Paraguay. Oh, and this past week especially, I've come to realize on who all the responsibility of a standard Paraguayan ward relies. Number one, the Bishop, who is king. The people just don't get how the Presidents and 1st and 2nd counselor are supposed to do stuff too. Everything they need they go straight, and only, to the bishop. Number 2, the missionaries. We are the home teachers, visiting teachers, and any other kind of person that checks up on the members in their homes. But the Bishop, who is young and a returned missionary, is really trying to get things to work, but no one will support him. They're just stuck in their ways, and its really frustrating and sad when you have to explain slash argue with the members that the bishop is actually doing things right and that they shouldn't be mad at us cause its been 2 weeks since we've been able to visit them...
But anyways, I gotta go. Love you lots,
Elder Dennis
And no, I haven't gotten the birthday package yet, but I'm excited to get some more soundtracks. Last of the Mohicans is absolutely amazing. And I couldn't tell you what kind of things you sent me, it looked like they were just the cheapest ones you can find, but they were GOOD. I haven't used all of them yet, because I save them for special occassions, but right now I'm in Luque, about a half hour by colectivo from my house... entonces, no puedo decir.
Anyways, things with my companion are pretty much awful, he is a very special son of God, but I'm doing my best to help him out without going crazy, and right now I'm getting a ton of help from E. Moreira, but especially from his new companion, Elder Bischoff. He's so sweet, we just chill and talk, he's just real chill and a good kid, so I'm grateful the Lord knew what he was doing when he sent him to Salado. Right now we're also working on a song, and its legit.
On to some of the crazy stuff, so at like 4.30 am on thursday morning, I wake up to the sound of water running, and since the tap in the bathroom never stops, I figured we just forgot to turn off the water to the house like we normally do at night, and being ODD I cant sleep with it, so I go to put my feet down to find my sandals, and SPLASH...
There was a good half inch of water over the surface of the entire house! So I get up and I'm just like shoot, and that wakes up E. Cameron, and I run into the kitchen, were what happened was our water went out last night, and someone left the faucet on, so when it came on in the middle of the night and a plate was covering the drain, the water decided to fill up the sink and spill over onto the floor. But we spent like an hour cleaning it all up. That was fun. It still smells like a flood in our house.
Also, I gave a talk on Sunday... with 5 mins prep time! Yeah! It was awesome. Actually, I think it turned out to be a pretty good talk. It was about 10 or 12 minutes long, talking about baptism. I've realized that as missionaries, all we do all day long is give 20 minute talks to people, on all the different aspects of the gospel, so all you gotta do is get up and act like you're teaching a lesson. Its cool stuff, the orginization they have here in Paraguay. Oh, and this past week especially, I've come to realize on who all the responsibility of a standard Paraguayan ward relies. Number one, the Bishop, who is king. The people just don't get how the Presidents and 1st and 2nd counselor are supposed to do stuff too. Everything they need they go straight, and only, to the bishop. Number 2, the missionaries. We are the home teachers, visiting teachers, and any other kind of person that checks up on the members in their homes. But the Bishop, who is young and a returned missionary, is really trying to get things to work, but no one will support him. They're just stuck in their ways, and its really frustrating and sad when you have to explain slash argue with the members that the bishop is actually doing things right and that they shouldn't be mad at us cause its been 2 weeks since we've been able to visit them...
But anyways, I gotta go. Love you lots,
Elder Dennis
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
July 14, 2008
Well things are still chugging along… very, very slowly. These days with E. Cameron just drag on and on and on, and I feel like it’ll never end… I did get your package though, and that was just amazing, with like a full candy store of skittles and starbursts, so yeah, that was awesome. Also I finally have some decent music to listen to with the Last of the Mohicans and I really like one of those cd’s you sent me of hymns, the white one. Its really good. So thank you for that.
Other than that, we had a good day today… we went to Pizza Hut! Which actually wasn’t like pizza hut at all, but at least it was better than most of the pizza one can find here in Paraguay. I’ve been taking some really cool pictures these last couple days, but this computer doesn’t read my USB thumb drive thing, so I can’t get any sent to you unfortunately. I was really hoping to get to organize my photos on the computer, because copying them over to my chip time after time gets things a little “busy” on the camera. And being ODD when it comes to organization, its really starting to bother me to have the photos like that.
But yeah, I’ve also decided that I don’t yet feel like I’m actually a missionary. I mean, I walk down the dirt paths, with a white shirt and tie and teach people who live in little cardboard and tin panel huts all day long, but the knowledge that I’m actually on that 2 year voyage that I’ve wanted to take for as long as I can remember hasn’t really set in. I’m just on a sweet vacation out in the jungle of Paraguay right now. At moments it comes to me, like when I’m playing with the little member children, and I have flashbacks to when the Elders used to play with me, and when I talk and look at this person who has changed their lives in a million ways because they met me, but the day to day moments just feel like this is just one big summer camp get away where I´m just having fun with my friends… most of whom can’t speak English. That part in itself is really weird. I think I might have mentioned it before, but I can’t remember. Just the fact that you guys back home couldn’t come here and join in on some of these amazing conversations with these amazing people, because you can’t understand them, while for me, I don’t even have to try to understand them anymore, I don’t even think as I switch from one language to the other. Its hard to remember the times when I didn’t understand what they were saying, but it was only 3 months ago. I don’t know how to really explain it, its just little thoughts like “oh mom and dad would get along so great with this family, but wait, they wouldn’t be able to talk to them, never mind.” Its crazy stuff let me tell ya.
But anyways, I hope all is going well at home, and I love you all,
Elder Dennis
Other than that, we had a good day today… we went to Pizza Hut! Which actually wasn’t like pizza hut at all, but at least it was better than most of the pizza one can find here in Paraguay. I’ve been taking some really cool pictures these last couple days, but this computer doesn’t read my USB thumb drive thing, so I can’t get any sent to you unfortunately. I was really hoping to get to organize my photos on the computer, because copying them over to my chip time after time gets things a little “busy” on the camera. And being ODD when it comes to organization, its really starting to bother me to have the photos like that.
But yeah, I’ve also decided that I don’t yet feel like I’m actually a missionary. I mean, I walk down the dirt paths, with a white shirt and tie and teach people who live in little cardboard and tin panel huts all day long, but the knowledge that I’m actually on that 2 year voyage that I’ve wanted to take for as long as I can remember hasn’t really set in. I’m just on a sweet vacation out in the jungle of Paraguay right now. At moments it comes to me, like when I’m playing with the little member children, and I have flashbacks to when the Elders used to play with me, and when I talk and look at this person who has changed their lives in a million ways because they met me, but the day to day moments just feel like this is just one big summer camp get away where I´m just having fun with my friends… most of whom can’t speak English. That part in itself is really weird. I think I might have mentioned it before, but I can’t remember. Just the fact that you guys back home couldn’t come here and join in on some of these amazing conversations with these amazing people, because you can’t understand them, while for me, I don’t even have to try to understand them anymore, I don’t even think as I switch from one language to the other. Its hard to remember the times when I didn’t understand what they were saying, but it was only 3 months ago. I don’t know how to really explain it, its just little thoughts like “oh mom and dad would get along so great with this family, but wait, they wouldn’t be able to talk to them, never mind.” Its crazy stuff let me tell ya.
But anyways, I hope all is going well at home, and I love you all,
Elder Dennis
Another letter from a Zone Leader
Hello Dennis family,
This is Elder Adams. I am his Zone leader. I just thought that I would write you to let you know how much we really appreciate your son. Me more than anyone else really. Except for the people he teaches. He has a wonderful spirit that just touches the people here. If you were here, you would really be surprised from his transformation from when he got here to where he is now.
In another note, I am supposed to tell you that your husband is supposed to get a crotch rocket, not a cruiser!! He told me that when we were playing video games last night at the arcade. Haha......yeah...not really.
Well ......I hope you enjoyed the little update about your son. I expect a letter back from you guys....(I hear he has sisters too, so maybe some letters from them... :D..... And I wont give anymore updates unless I do.
I hope you enjoyed this letter as much as your son enjoys his companion......I´ll write about that in the next letter.
Elder Adams
This is Elder Adams. I am his Zone leader. I just thought that I would write you to let you know how much we really appreciate your son. Me more than anyone else really. Except for the people he teaches. He has a wonderful spirit that just touches the people here. If you were here, you would really be surprised from his transformation from when he got here to where he is now.
In another note, I am supposed to tell you that your husband is supposed to get a crotch rocket, not a cruiser!! He told me that when we were playing video games last night at the arcade. Haha......yeah...not really.
Well ......I hope you enjoyed the little update about your son. I expect a letter back from you guys....(I hear he has sisters too, so maybe some letters from them... :D..... And I wont give anymore updates unless I do.
I hope you enjoyed this letter as much as your son enjoys his companion......I´ll write about that in the next letter.
Elder Adams
July 8, 2008
Hola,
Things are going pretty good here. Today we went to the Expo, which is like the big country fair thing, which is why we had our P-day on Tuesday again. It was pretty cool, I picked up a couple of the Indian bags that they had. I´ll wait until next year to pick up some of the cooler things though.
This past week we had another baptism, of a guy named Jose Luis, who is way awesome. He´s going to be a leader for sure in the church here. We´ve also been doing a lot of service this past week, and helping some members out in constructing a bathroom. haha. Its been a lot of fun. Also this week I had a lot of fun and I translated my patriarchal blessing into Spanish. But that’s about it for interesting stuff that really happened. Oh yeah, I got Haley´s graduation announcement today, so that was cool and weird at the same time…
Anyways, so cambios happened this week, but I´m just staying here again with E. Cameron. Its killing me, I wanna get out of here, but its all good. The Lord still needs me here for some reason, so hopefully I can take E. Cameron for another change. He´s definitely out there though, and he pushes me to my end everyday. But at the end of the day I know I will be able to talk with my best friend in the world, Elder Adams. Haha he just wrote that. He´s an awesome guy though, definitely my best buddy in the mission. He does keep me going though, and he says he´s going to write you guys, so be on the look out for an email from him.
I hope you guys enjoyed the few pictures I got sent to you last week. I´m in the same place today, but sadly I forgot my USB for my memory card, and I was sending on sending some more, but you´ll have to wait til next week. Oh, and as for me and a bike, definitely a crotch rocket. The Honda 600 that’s all black and you can see the engine, I forget the model number and all that stuff. But yeah, definitely not a fan of the cruisers, those are old folk bikes haha.
But things are keeping up down here. Love you all,
Elder Dennis
Things are going pretty good here. Today we went to the Expo, which is like the big country fair thing, which is why we had our P-day on Tuesday again. It was pretty cool, I picked up a couple of the Indian bags that they had. I´ll wait until next year to pick up some of the cooler things though.
This past week we had another baptism, of a guy named Jose Luis, who is way awesome. He´s going to be a leader for sure in the church here. We´ve also been doing a lot of service this past week, and helping some members out in constructing a bathroom. haha. Its been a lot of fun. Also this week I had a lot of fun and I translated my patriarchal blessing into Spanish. But that’s about it for interesting stuff that really happened. Oh yeah, I got Haley´s graduation announcement today, so that was cool and weird at the same time…
Anyways, so cambios happened this week, but I´m just staying here again with E. Cameron. Its killing me, I wanna get out of here, but its all good. The Lord still needs me here for some reason, so hopefully I can take E. Cameron for another change. He´s definitely out there though, and he pushes me to my end everyday. But at the end of the day I know I will be able to talk with my best friend in the world, Elder Adams. Haha he just wrote that. He´s an awesome guy though, definitely my best buddy in the mission. He does keep me going though, and he says he´s going to write you guys, so be on the look out for an email from him.
I hope you guys enjoyed the few pictures I got sent to you last week. I´m in the same place today, but sadly I forgot my USB for my memory card, and I was sending on sending some more, but you´ll have to wait til next week. Oh, and as for me and a bike, definitely a crotch rocket. The Honda 600 that’s all black and you can see the engine, I forget the model number and all that stuff. But yeah, definitely not a fan of the cruisers, those are old folk bikes haha.
But things are keeping up down here. Love you all,
Elder Dennis
Translations - thanks to Sister Greco!
Here are the translations of the first and last paragraphs from his June 30th email -
Hello, my family and my friends,
Everything is great here in Paraguay, and this past week was nothing less. First, we had a baptism of Valeria Centurion, the daughter of the leader of missionary work here in Salado. We had a dress and everything for her. We were going to baptize her sister too, but she was sick, so we are going to baptize her this week. Also, we have a little girl who is 9 years old that we're going to baptize this Thursday. They both are named Norma.
Guarani is an incan dialect in Peru.
Other than that, everything is cool. I don't have many problems here except for my companion. He is just crazy, but I haven't killed him yet. I am very excited because this next week we are going to receive our futbol (soccer) shirts (uniforms) for the zone, and these will be quality. I bought a ball (soccer ball) last week and I am practicing. Futbol (Soccer) is very fun, I love it, but we need jerseys. They are cheap, one only needs to buy one, that's all. But I don't have anything else to share.....
I Love you a lot.
Hello, my family and my friends,
Everything is great here in Paraguay, and this past week was nothing less. First, we had a baptism of Valeria Centurion, the daughter of the leader of missionary work here in Salado. We had a dress and everything for her. We were going to baptize her sister too, but she was sick, so we are going to baptize her this week. Also, we have a little girl who is 9 years old that we're going to baptize this Thursday. They both are named Norma.
Guarani is an incan dialect in Peru.
Other than that, everything is cool. I don't have many problems here except for my companion. He is just crazy, but I haven't killed him yet. I am very excited because this next week we are going to receive our futbol (soccer) shirts (uniforms) for the zone, and these will be quality. I bought a ball (soccer ball) last week and I am practicing. Futbol (Soccer) is very fun, I love it, but we need jerseys. They are cheap, one only needs to buy one, that's all. But I don't have anything else to share.....
I Love you a lot.
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