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