Well, its good to hear how everyone is doin back at home, and things are still just chuggin along out here in Salado. But I did get a new comp, a latin, Elder Betancourt, from Ecuador. He’s pretty cool, I like how I have to speak to him all in Spanish. Well actually, he knows quite a bit of English too, but we only use it when we’re in lessons and we just need to say something really fast to get us on the same page before we take an action or something. E’ Cameron went only 20 minutes up the road though to Bella Vista, where our chapel is, so all the members still see him every week at church, and his companion is E’ Bullcreek. So we have an interesting little family right now. Also, E’ Moreira went to a new place, kind of far away, called Benjamin Aceval, and E’ Bischoff has a sweet new comp named E’ Ventura, who’s from El Salvador.
I don’t know much of what else to talk about. Thanks for the other forward of funds… this will definitely last a lot longer than the last time, because I don’t have to drop ¾ of it on a guitar. Um.. I’m starting to look more and more like dad, cause my hair line just keeps going farther and farther up my head… its quite depressing. Or it could just be that they made me senior comp this change… Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that part didn’t I? …Tartar Sauce!
Yeah, so after only 4 months in Paraguay, or just 3 changes, they made me a senior comp. As the AP when I got here, who’s now a zone leader, E’ Stokes, said during the changes when he found out: “Wow. That’s… awesome. I’ve never heard of that happening.” So yeah, that’s definitely just blowing my mind right now. I’m with a comp who has over twice as much time in the mission as me, and I’m telling him what we’re going out to do. And I gotta say, it’s a LOT different from the perspective of senior comp than from just tagging along with the guy who knows what’s going on. But I’m working as hard as I know how, and we’re starting to tear up our area. I was able to bring over my goal to church yesterday, and I got 3 baptisms lined up for this week, with a family of 10 lined up for the next week, and yeah, I love just going out and working how I want to work and just showing my love for the people. But I need to to remember Luciano and Escolastico in your prayers, that they can both make it to their baptisms this Thursday.
Haley wrote me, and it sounds like she’s doing pretty good. I hope the young uns are getting syked for school… hahaha. Suckers! I love you all, but need some more random pictures… so keep em coming.
Your’s truly,
E’ Dennis
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
August 18, 2008
Tracie adding some commentary here- Josh sounds a little frustrated today. Here in the NY Utica Mission, the Elders find out on Saturday night whether or not they be will transferring to a new area on the upcoming Wednesday. It gives them time to say goodbye to the members at church on Sunday, and go around visiting investigators to say goodbye. For some reason, in Joshua's mission, they find out the day before they move - guess he doesn't like that too much -
¿Mba’e pico? What do ya mean you don’t have any questions? Don’t ya know I don’t have anything to write about if you don’t ask questions? Blah, I suppose I’ll try to put something together so that you have something to read… :p
So, first things first… I still don’t know my cambios yet, so you got another week. I know, I know, I hate it too. I also have some news for Dad, cause I weighed myself last week, and I officially weigh 68 kgs… or roughly 150 lbs, so my guesstimate was right: I’m getting fat. Also, I’m working on sending you some photos today. I’ll also be making a dvd of everything on my card here in the next week or two, but I’ll be doing that through the guys at the office, because I need to archive my stuff. I’m debating if I’ll send it or not, because I really don’t want it getting lost in the mail, because I’m very close to filling up my card. I have a lot of others though, so I guess I could send it and use the other until I hear you get it safe and then just delete the card so I can use it again… Anyways, I’m just thinking out loud (on paper) mostly so that I have something to say…
Anyways, we had some fun today. We went to the “Zoo” that they have here in Asunción today, and I took some fun pictures. But yeah, it’s a complete dump. Then we went to a place close by to eat, and after that there’s a building that stands empty now, because 3 years ago, a grocery store (kind of like a Walmart) caught on fire, and the owner, trying to stop people from stealing stuff, locked the doors and let 400 people, who were trapped inside, burn. That was on the way, and we stopped and paid tribute to them and took photos of it, so I’m sending some photos of that too. Its so sad what happened, and the owner just paid the judge off and got off free. There’s been a ton of corrupt things like that going on here in Paraguay that’s really making the people push for change. On Friday, the new president of Paraguay took office, and he is the first party change in the presidential seat in over 50 years here in Paraguay, and people have a lot of hope for him cleaning things up. I really hope he can help out too, because Paraguay really needs change.
But speaking of corruptness, its killing me to not watch the Olympics. I hear a few things here and there, but I’m just out of the loop as a missionary. The things I am hearing though are that there’s a bunch of stuff going on with the Chinese mafia and them taking out the top athletes of other nations. What exactly is going on over there?
But yeah, mostly I’m just like, we need to know our changes! Our parents would like to know too. And while I don’t really mind waiting until tomorrow, they have to let us know in the morning, because we need time to know if we have to say goodbyes or pack our suitcases. But we probably won’t know until 9:30 when we get home, the night before, because we don’t have a cell phone, so they’ll call E’ Moreira in the early afternoon, because he’s the District Leader and gets the phone for the house, so he’ll know and be fine because they can come home early or visit some people they want to say bye to, but for us, nope; because that’s how the mission works. It’s really pissing me off. Plus I just really, really want to know if I’m getting out of here or not.
Anyways, I’ve rambled enough, and I gotta go. Hope you like the pictures.
E’ Dennis
¿Mba’e pico? What do ya mean you don’t have any questions? Don’t ya know I don’t have anything to write about if you don’t ask questions? Blah, I suppose I’ll try to put something together so that you have something to read… :p
So, first things first… I still don’t know my cambios yet, so you got another week. I know, I know, I hate it too. I also have some news for Dad, cause I weighed myself last week, and I officially weigh 68 kgs… or roughly 150 lbs, so my guesstimate was right: I’m getting fat. Also, I’m working on sending you some photos today. I’ll also be making a dvd of everything on my card here in the next week or two, but I’ll be doing that through the guys at the office, because I need to archive my stuff. I’m debating if I’ll send it or not, because I really don’t want it getting lost in the mail, because I’m very close to filling up my card. I have a lot of others though, so I guess I could send it and use the other until I hear you get it safe and then just delete the card so I can use it again… Anyways, I’m just thinking out loud (on paper) mostly so that I have something to say…
Anyways, we had some fun today. We went to the “Zoo” that they have here in Asunción today, and I took some fun pictures. But yeah, it’s a complete dump. Then we went to a place close by to eat, and after that there’s a building that stands empty now, because 3 years ago, a grocery store (kind of like a Walmart) caught on fire, and the owner, trying to stop people from stealing stuff, locked the doors and let 400 people, who were trapped inside, burn. That was on the way, and we stopped and paid tribute to them and took photos of it, so I’m sending some photos of that too. Its so sad what happened, and the owner just paid the judge off and got off free. There’s been a ton of corrupt things like that going on here in Paraguay that’s really making the people push for change. On Friday, the new president of Paraguay took office, and he is the first party change in the presidential seat in over 50 years here in Paraguay, and people have a lot of hope for him cleaning things up. I really hope he can help out too, because Paraguay really needs change.
But speaking of corruptness, its killing me to not watch the Olympics. I hear a few things here and there, but I’m just out of the loop as a missionary. The things I am hearing though are that there’s a bunch of stuff going on with the Chinese mafia and them taking out the top athletes of other nations. What exactly is going on over there?
But yeah, mostly I’m just like, we need to know our changes! Our parents would like to know too. And while I don’t really mind waiting until tomorrow, they have to let us know in the morning, because we need time to know if we have to say goodbyes or pack our suitcases. But we probably won’t know until 9:30 when we get home, the night before, because we don’t have a cell phone, so they’ll call E’ Moreira in the early afternoon, because he’s the District Leader and gets the phone for the house, so he’ll know and be fine because they can come home early or visit some people they want to say bye to, but for us, nope; because that’s how the mission works. It’s really pissing me off. Plus I just really, really want to know if I’m getting out of here or not.
Anyways, I’ve rambled enough, and I gotta go. Hope you like the pictures.
E’ Dennis
Monday, August 11, 2008
August 11, 2008
Okay, so I’m just going to Start out by saying, I now know why they call it Pique… because the Spanish word for itch is “pica”... and it itches like CrAzY!! Tracie here - pique is a parasite - a sand flea actually, that burrows under the skin - usually on the bottom of the foot. It is very common in South America, and all the missionaries in Paraguay eventually end up being "hosts". Josh and I read about it before he left, so he was prepared. I've added some pictures from a medical website so you can see what he's talking about - yuck!
I got some great videos, which aren’t actually of the pique itself, just its eggs, but E’ Bischoff got some great pictures close up on his camera when I actually extracted it, but I don’t have access to those right now. But yeah, it was pretty big ‘cause I didn’t know it was pique and it was in a spot on my foot that didn’t hurt to walk, so I just left it for about a week. It didn’t really hurt to take out though… it was actually kind of fun; like popping a zit but better.
But I finally got my “birthday” package, so my candy is still in fresh supply, which I love you guys for, but we haven’t baked up the cake yet, I don’t know when we’re going to do that, cause I have to buy a pan first, and I don’t feel like it cause I’m lazy. It could have been better that if it as the “rich dark chocolate” cake mix with the “rich dark chocolate” icing… but everyone else is excited for it. Don’t worry, I’ll take a picture.
Anyways, its awesome that Robyn got to be baptized for Grandma! I’m getting really anxious to get back and start getting names into the temple when I get home, because we have to teach people about it but I can’t do anything right now. It’s kind of frustrating, but I guess I should focus on the living first. And I just have to make mention of the fact that you would be so proud of me if you saw some of the things I was eating down here. Some times I have to fight so hard to keep the gag down, but I just keep shovelling it in. Yesterday I had two just awful meals. Well one was a snack at night, but still. It was milanesa (don’t know if that’s spelled right), which is just like breaded and fried, egg plant, as well as cow fat… yeah, you just keep sending that candy now, ya hear?
Also, one very exciting bit of news: I road for the first time today as the person that’s holding onto the bars with one foot on solid ground flying at 60 kmph through the air as the colectivo roars down the street… it was awesome!! I love the Paraguayan buses, they’re so much fun, especially when they’re just overflowing with people. Oh and also, I’m going to actually admit, there’s been a few time this past week when I’ve been scared of getting run over by a cow… ‘nough said.
Anyways, now to answer your quite demanding list of questions…
1. The video, I don’t really remember when I took it, it was the first day of the change, and I was just chillin. It doesn’t happen very often, just the two times in the time I’ve been with him. He is quite prone to illness though.
2. Jamming with E. Adams was sweet, he’s a drummer. We found this little place that had some drums and an electric guitar that was willing to let us use them, and it was just crappy stuff, but we rocked it with some good blues jams. It was just me and him playing, but E. Bischoff went with us.
3. The guitar I got is actually really nice, I like it a lot. But I´m planning on just selling it before I leave the mission, maybe pick up just like the cheapest Paraguayan guitar I can find just to have afterwards, but selling it would also give me quite a bit of spending money to pick up little things (cant think of the word) at the end of the mission.
4. I’m doing alright on money… okay so I have like $5 worth left of it, but I don’t really have anything that I need or want to buy, so yeah.
5. I’d really like to get to see a new part of Paraguay. I love the people in Salado, and it’ll always be special because it was my first area, but yeah, you know me, I like change. And I’ve been here for 4 and a half months… plus with a new area, I’d get a new companion :D
But yeah, that brings me to my last point, and then I´m off. In two days I’ll be a fourth of the way through my mission, completing 6 months since I entered to MTC and put on this little black plaque that turns you into someone just a little bit different. And from today, its been 6 months since I’ve seen everyone but Mom. Love you all, and hope you’re doing great,
Elder Dennis
I got some great videos, which aren’t actually of the pique itself, just its eggs, but E’ Bischoff got some great pictures close up on his camera when I actually extracted it, but I don’t have access to those right now. But yeah, it was pretty big ‘cause I didn’t know it was pique and it was in a spot on my foot that didn’t hurt to walk, so I just left it for about a week. It didn’t really hurt to take out though… it was actually kind of fun; like popping a zit but better.
But I finally got my “birthday” package, so my candy is still in fresh supply, which I love you guys for, but we haven’t baked up the cake yet, I don’t know when we’re going to do that, cause I have to buy a pan first, and I don’t feel like it cause I’m lazy. It could have been better that if it as the “rich dark chocolate” cake mix with the “rich dark chocolate” icing… but everyone else is excited for it. Don’t worry, I’ll take a picture.
Anyways, its awesome that Robyn got to be baptized for Grandma! I’m getting really anxious to get back and start getting names into the temple when I get home, because we have to teach people about it but I can’t do anything right now. It’s kind of frustrating, but I guess I should focus on the living first. And I just have to make mention of the fact that you would be so proud of me if you saw some of the things I was eating down here. Some times I have to fight so hard to keep the gag down, but I just keep shovelling it in. Yesterday I had two just awful meals. Well one was a snack at night, but still. It was milanesa (don’t know if that’s spelled right), which is just like breaded and fried, egg plant, as well as cow fat… yeah, you just keep sending that candy now, ya hear?
Also, one very exciting bit of news: I road for the first time today as the person that’s holding onto the bars with one foot on solid ground flying at 60 kmph through the air as the colectivo roars down the street… it was awesome!! I love the Paraguayan buses, they’re so much fun, especially when they’re just overflowing with people. Oh and also, I’m going to actually admit, there’s been a few time this past week when I’ve been scared of getting run over by a cow… ‘nough said.
Anyways, now to answer your quite demanding list of questions…
1. The video, I don’t really remember when I took it, it was the first day of the change, and I was just chillin. It doesn’t happen very often, just the two times in the time I’ve been with him. He is quite prone to illness though.
2. Jamming with E. Adams was sweet, he’s a drummer. We found this little place that had some drums and an electric guitar that was willing to let us use them, and it was just crappy stuff, but we rocked it with some good blues jams. It was just me and him playing, but E. Bischoff went with us.
3. The guitar I got is actually really nice, I like it a lot. But I´m planning on just selling it before I leave the mission, maybe pick up just like the cheapest Paraguayan guitar I can find just to have afterwards, but selling it would also give me quite a bit of spending money to pick up little things (cant think of the word) at the end of the mission.
4. I’m doing alright on money… okay so I have like $5 worth left of it, but I don’t really have anything that I need or want to buy, so yeah.
5. I’d really like to get to see a new part of Paraguay. I love the people in Salado, and it’ll always be special because it was my first area, but yeah, you know me, I like change. And I’ve been here for 4 and a half months… plus with a new area, I’d get a new companion :D
But yeah, that brings me to my last point, and then I´m off. In two days I’ll be a fourth of the way through my mission, completing 6 months since I entered to MTC and put on this little black plaque that turns you into someone just a little bit different. And from today, its been 6 months since I’ve seen everyone but Mom. Love you all, and hope you’re doing great,
Elder Dennis
Monday, August 4, 2008
August 4, 2008
Ho Upei?
Yeah, Haley going off to college... its still weird to think about, even though I guess she's already there. And wow, no one is going out with her, thats just crazy!!! I just sent her a letter, hopefully I helped her out a little bit with the computer problem she was having. And what'd I tell ya, Macs the only way to go. I'm surprised Dad's computer only lasted as long as it did though, I thought it was a pretty nice one. You can tell him that he's allowed to use my mac disk and play Medal of Honor on his new computer, it should still be in his office with all of my cds. Oh yeah, that reminds me, I got the two BOXES of Nerds Rope and the cds, and muchas gracias por eso. Wow, I don't ever think I've seen so much candy in all my life. And the cds are just amazing. I'm loving Pirates right now. da DU dada da de du, da DU... I'll stop singing, I think I've been bothering E: Cameron too much with that today.
Anyways, last week was pretty good, we had a division with the Assistants on Tuesday, and they're totally awesome. I impressed E. Olive, who I went with, and he hooked me up today with a Guaraní course book from BYU thats freaking huge. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, and I made a promise that I'd still only study Spanish for one more change, but I'm excited to really get into it. There's not many here who can really speak Guaraní, and I really really want to, cause it just helps them out to understand what we're teaching the people so much better. Its like Spanish and English to me, if someone says something cool, like reads a scripture, to me in spanish, I understand it, but if they read it in english, it means a lot more to me. Its the same with the people here and Guaraní. So yeah, and then we had interviews with the President on Wednesday, and that was a really good things too. I learned a lot from those two days. So this week was definitely a growing week for me.
As for a scale, I don't have one here, but there's places you can weigh yourself, and I really want to, but I haven't yet. I'd guess I weigh about 150 right now. So about 10 pounds more than when I left NY. I'm also doing my excercizes almost everyday, and keeping myself in pretty good shape... at least I hope. The food really gets to you though. But looking back at photos from the MTC to now, there's definitely a huge difference. I looked so young back then... I hope you're liking the few pics that are getting through today, I plan on making a cd today to send you guys too, so hopefully that happens. Anyways, love you all lots,
E. Dennis
Yeah, Haley going off to college... its still weird to think about, even though I guess she's already there. And wow, no one is going out with her, thats just crazy!!! I just sent her a letter, hopefully I helped her out a little bit with the computer problem she was having. And what'd I tell ya, Macs the only way to go. I'm surprised Dad's computer only lasted as long as it did though, I thought it was a pretty nice one. You can tell him that he's allowed to use my mac disk and play Medal of Honor on his new computer, it should still be in his office with all of my cds. Oh yeah, that reminds me, I got the two BOXES of Nerds Rope and the cds, and muchas gracias por eso. Wow, I don't ever think I've seen so much candy in all my life. And the cds are just amazing. I'm loving Pirates right now. da DU dada da de du, da DU... I'll stop singing, I think I've been bothering E: Cameron too much with that today.
Anyways, last week was pretty good, we had a division with the Assistants on Tuesday, and they're totally awesome. I impressed E. Olive, who I went with, and he hooked me up today with a Guaraní course book from BYU thats freaking huge. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, and I made a promise that I'd still only study Spanish for one more change, but I'm excited to really get into it. There's not many here who can really speak Guaraní, and I really really want to, cause it just helps them out to understand what we're teaching the people so much better. Its like Spanish and English to me, if someone says something cool, like reads a scripture, to me in spanish, I understand it, but if they read it in english, it means a lot more to me. Its the same with the people here and Guaraní. So yeah, and then we had interviews with the President on Wednesday, and that was a really good things too. I learned a lot from those two days. So this week was definitely a growing week for me.
As for a scale, I don't have one here, but there's places you can weigh yourself, and I really want to, but I haven't yet. I'd guess I weigh about 150 right now. So about 10 pounds more than when I left NY. I'm also doing my excercizes almost everyday, and keeping myself in pretty good shape... at least I hope. The food really gets to you though. But looking back at photos from the MTC to now, there's definitely a huge difference. I looked so young back then... I hope you're liking the few pics that are getting through today, I plan on making a cd today to send you guys too, so hopefully that happens. Anyways, love you all lots,
E. Dennis
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