Hellos.
Last night we had a close encounter with a praying mantis. Elder Gonzalez had a closer encounter than I. He was about to turn on the water to wash dishes, but there was the mantis, sitting on the faucet. He called me out, and we looked at it for a while. It was covered in dust, looked more like a weird mutant dust bunny-mantis thing. It didn’t care about us much, too bothered by the dust and cleaning itself. When finally clean we learned something interesting: Mantises (Manti? I really don’t know what the plural would be) fly. We got it on the ground where it finished cleaning itself, then flew back up to the sink. Elder Gonzalez kept trying to get decent pictures of it, but was too scared that it would fly at him. Finally I provoked it and it ran up the wall. We opened the door with the plan to proad it off of the ceiling and to get it to fly out the door. This plan worked rather well. Until, when halfway to the door, the mantis caught sight of the most recent proader, dressed in bright yellow and orange, and changed course. It landed on Elder Gonzalez’s side, and he ran screaming into the bedroom where he began beating himself with a towel. This was a bad idea as that room has no light whatsoever and if the mantis got loose we would never find it again. Fortunately it rode out the storm and stayed on his shirt. I got him outside and brushed the mantis off. All in all a rather entertaining way to end the night.
Yeah, all the pics are gone minus the few that I emailed home. I guess the first third of my mission will just have to live in my memory, no pictures.
The chiropracty is because I told the mission nurse that I was having trouble sleeping in part of stress and a very lousy matress. She reccommended that I see Elder Jarvis, the chiropractor. So, I am. And I’m loosening up. I’m sure you remember how tense and everything my back was before the mission. And I have a nice new mattress to replace the horrible one. Huzzah!
A note of warning from a member in the ward at Estanzuela. Do not clean your microwave oven with steel wool. It will only end with an electrical storm withing your microwave.
I’m beginning to forget about the season change. I read that school was cancelled for Monday, and thought to myself “Huh? But school STARTS today. Hm…. Oh yeah! It’s still winter there, school’s in the middle.” Yes, school here started today. Woohoo! That means I’ve been here all Summer break. Wow.
There is a zone-wide activity this Wednesday. A sort of grand open house type jobby that is happening the same night in every chapel in the stake. And it has successfully helped estrange us from the branch. We were advised at Zone Confrerence, all of a week and a half before the proposed activity. We were supposed to get some sort of public official to come and talk as a hook. We asked the firefighters to come talk about fire prevention and to water the grass for everyone to watch. They haven’t gotten back to us. I very much get the impression that this activity will only be a success for the Zone Leaders. They had been planing with adequate time, and have a speaker (relative of someone) who can come anytime. The firemen can only come at 5 PM. The issue of planning time was brought up at Zone Conference, but the ZLs answered with “What? Don’t you have faith, Elder?” I absolutely have faith in an activity of this sort. But, I also know that for success in this stuff it needs full involvement of the wards/branches. Our branch has refused to participate. Our ward mission leader flat out told us that we couldn’t do it and that he’d talk with the bishop.
Thus is my life right now. We (hopefully) have a baptism this Saturday. Elder Gonzalez has been going around advertising it to everyone in the ward. Before the convert has even had his interview. A rather rash thing to do, I think. But I have noticed that he likes to do things last minute. Especially the important things like baptismal interviews. Oh well, what can I do, he’s senior comp. It’s his decision.
‘Till next week,
Will
March 2, 2009
February 23, 2009
Can't think of a title
Hello.
It’s interesting to me that you told me about mission pictures and birthday requests, because I have some news that is related to both.
After doing divisions I found that my camera was missing. The following morning I found that two rechargeable AAA batteries were gone. One from inside my speakers. Clearly the thief thought that because my camera was slim it used the smallish AAA batteries. There are three suspects, two missionaries, one landlord who lives behind the house, steals electricity gas and water, and has separated the houses by a thin piece of cardboard. We suspect that he saw my camera when I was taking pictures of the moon, then dropped a little kid in through the bathroom window to get my camera when we were gone. This is plausible because of how some specifics were in the bathroom when we returned and the fact that only the camera and the batteries were missing. The thief left the battery charger from the camera and the cable, which was sitting right next to the camera itself. An adult wouldn’t have done that. So, I went to Zone Conference singing “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window.” But as for the birthday requests, I would like, if you can find it, my old orange junky camera. It’s decent and small and not that great. And it’s much cheaper than buying a new camera. Let me know what you think.
Also, I have now had two sessions with a chiropractor. It’s fun stuff. Especially for my companion who gets to watch. The best part about it: it’s free! One of the councilors of the mission is a chiropractor, so I just have to go into the offices because he has a massage table there. He would like your okay though, since I’m here on your money and stuff. It seems like it’s going to be a Monday (P-day) morning thing.
In my area there is pretty much every social class. There is Campo Papas where the people go to where the grocery stores dump their spoiled things so that they can have food. We don’t go there. There’s La Estansuela which is government housing for people without much money. There’s Obra Sanitaria and Barrio Mosconi which are pretty middle-class. Then there’s Palmares. I’ve never been inside the residencial part, so I’ll describe the mall. Picture Tyson’s Galleria but newer. That’s the shopping at Palmares. There’s a movie theater there, but I haven’t found it. There’s a Mac store, lots of expensive clothing stores, an outdoors store that sells maglites. The best thing there for me is a shoe store that is perfect for missionaries. They only have dress shoes, but some are pretty much dress shoes mixed with sneakers. This is good for me since my shoes just don’t hold up. In the left shoe of the shoes I got for Christmas from Grandma Sorensen there is a crack that is slowly growing. And the first pair of shoes I got in Argentina are pretty junky. But what can you do? Argentines just don’t make shoes for walking all day, every day.
Until next week,
Elder Budge
It’s interesting to me that you told me about mission pictures and birthday requests, because I have some news that is related to both.
After doing divisions I found that my camera was missing. The following morning I found that two rechargeable AAA batteries were gone. One from inside my speakers. Clearly the thief thought that because my camera was slim it used the smallish AAA batteries. There are three suspects, two missionaries, one landlord who lives behind the house, steals electricity gas and water, and has separated the houses by a thin piece of cardboard. We suspect that he saw my camera when I was taking pictures of the moon, then dropped a little kid in through the bathroom window to get my camera when we were gone. This is plausible because of how some specifics were in the bathroom when we returned and the fact that only the camera and the batteries were missing. The thief left the battery charger from the camera and the cable, which was sitting right next to the camera itself. An adult wouldn’t have done that. So, I went to Zone Conference singing “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window.” But as for the birthday requests, I would like, if you can find it, my old orange junky camera. It’s decent and small and not that great. And it’s much cheaper than buying a new camera. Let me know what you think.
Also, I have now had two sessions with a chiropractor. It’s fun stuff. Especially for my companion who gets to watch. The best part about it: it’s free! One of the councilors of the mission is a chiropractor, so I just have to go into the offices because he has a massage table there. He would like your okay though, since I’m here on your money and stuff. It seems like it’s going to be a Monday (P-day) morning thing.
In my area there is pretty much every social class. There is Campo Papas where the people go to where the grocery stores dump their spoiled things so that they can have food. We don’t go there. There’s La Estansuela which is government housing for people without much money. There’s Obra Sanitaria and Barrio Mosconi which are pretty middle-class. Then there’s Palmares. I’ve never been inside the residencial part, so I’ll describe the mall. Picture Tyson’s Galleria but newer. That’s the shopping at Palmares. There’s a movie theater there, but I haven’t found it. There’s a Mac store, lots of expensive clothing stores, an outdoors store that sells maglites. The best thing there for me is a shoe store that is perfect for missionaries. They only have dress shoes, but some are pretty much dress shoes mixed with sneakers. This is good for me since my shoes just don’t hold up. In the left shoe of the shoes I got for Christmas from Grandma Sorensen there is a crack that is slowly growing. And the first pair of shoes I got in Argentina are pretty junky. But what can you do? Argentines just don’t make shoes for walking all day, every day.
Until next week,
Elder Budge
February 16, 2009
Not titled
We had a baptism this week. A nine year old kid named Alexander Jessen. Elder Gonzalez baptized and I did the confirmation. I thought that it was weird that I confirmed him, but he asked me to and the Branch President said it was okay. Sorry for the lack of picture.
Sorry this is so short, but I do not like to write unhappy things in this, and this is currently the least happy point of my mission until now.
Will
[Hmmmm - Will's Dad]
Sorry this is so short, but I do not like to write unhappy things in this, and this is currently the least happy point of my mission until now.
Will
[Hmmmm - Will's Dad]
February 9, 2009
¡¡¡Aguante los Mormones!!!
Hellos.
I had a rather amusing experience this week. There is a delinquent here who whenever he sees us shouts “Aguante Satanas!” It is about the equivilent of “uphold Satan” or something along those lines. Well, the other day we were leaving a bakery and some kids wanted to shake our hands, so I let them. Then they began following us for the rest of the block shouting “Aguante los Mormones! Aguante Jesucristo! Amen!” All in all, a rather amusing experience.
I continue to suffer from the inability to think of what to write as I go. I’m going to have to start noting things in my planner.
In the MTC I started a project to read all the Standard Works. This project grew to include the Bible Dictionary; I ommited the Topical Guide. But the reading was not in order. It began with the Book of Mormon, New Testament, D&C, Pearl of Great Price, and the Old Testament. The Bible dictionary came at the same time as the New Testament. I am now beginning Leviticus. The Bible Dictionary is a very interesting reference. I am also reading Jesus the Christ whenever I can find a half-hour or so. I rather dislike stopping in the middle of chapters.
Recently the moon has been very lovely here. As the moon was full last night, I took advantage and took some pictures. I tried to include a couple but the USB of this machine didn’t like my camera. I also learned how to take decent pictures of the moon with a point-and-shoot.
I hope that all is going well in a land now draped in winter. It’s been around 90 degrees inside our apartment during the day.
Love,
Will
I had a rather amusing experience this week. There is a delinquent here who whenever he sees us shouts “Aguante Satanas!” It is about the equivilent of “uphold Satan” or something along those lines. Well, the other day we were leaving a bakery and some kids wanted to shake our hands, so I let them. Then they began following us for the rest of the block shouting “Aguante los Mormones! Aguante Jesucristo! Amen!” All in all, a rather amusing experience.
I continue to suffer from the inability to think of what to write as I go. I’m going to have to start noting things in my planner.
In the MTC I started a project to read all the Standard Works. This project grew to include the Bible Dictionary; I ommited the Topical Guide. But the reading was not in order. It began with the Book of Mormon, New Testament, D&C, Pearl of Great Price, and the Old Testament. The Bible dictionary came at the same time as the New Testament. I am now beginning Leviticus. The Bible Dictionary is a very interesting reference. I am also reading Jesus the Christ whenever I can find a half-hour or so. I rather dislike stopping in the middle of chapters.
Recently the moon has been very lovely here. As the moon was full last night, I took advantage and took some pictures. I tried to include a couple but the USB of this machine didn’t like my camera. I also learned how to take decent pictures of the moon with a point-and-shoot.
I hope that all is going well in a land now draped in winter. It’s been around 90 degrees inside our apartment during the day.
Love,
Will
February 3, 2009
More Winter? But it's summer...
Happy Groundhog Day!
I actually had completely forgot that that was today, it being summer and all, until I saw a couple of dogs driving a car and started thinking about the movie with Bill Murray. How’d that turn out by the way? Six more weeks of winter, right?
I don’t really know what to say. My mind just went completely blank. So, I shall talk on street signs. In the United States there are those “Slow Children at Play” signs to warn drivers of the obese children playing in the street. In Argentina there are similar signs, only they warn of a fate other than hitting a child. They say “Niños Jugando” and the picture is a child kicking a soccer ball. These signs mean “Watch out! Some kid’s gonna smash your windshield with a ball!” At least the kids on the signs here seem to be more active than those in the States.
We have a baptismal date. Alexander Jessen. Sounds almost like Jason Alexander switched. He found that amusing. He’s nine years old. He is the son of a less-active member. I’ll probably be gone when he gets baptized. But that’s fine since I didn’t really teach him.
Transfers are this week. Elder Gonzalez was under the impression that I would be a District Leader in San Juan. But there was no call from the President, so that’s out. Senior Comp is in the works, though, I think. We both suspect that I am going back to my last area in San Juan, as there will be in influx of missionaries this week.
Apologies for the shortness, but I can’t think of what to say. The second councilor of the bishopric here looks just like the Scarecrow from Batman Begins. That’s kinda cool. The Bishop looks kinda like Mario. No other celebrity look-alikes I don’t think.
More news for sure next week.
Love,
Will
I actually had completely forgot that that was today, it being summer and all, until I saw a couple of dogs driving a car and started thinking about the movie with Bill Murray. How’d that turn out by the way? Six more weeks of winter, right?
I don’t really know what to say. My mind just went completely blank. So, I shall talk on street signs. In the United States there are those “Slow Children at Play” signs to warn drivers of the obese children playing in the street. In Argentina there are similar signs, only they warn of a fate other than hitting a child. They say “Niños Jugando” and the picture is a child kicking a soccer ball. These signs mean “Watch out! Some kid’s gonna smash your windshield with a ball!” At least the kids on the signs here seem to be more active than those in the States.
We have a baptismal date. Alexander Jessen. Sounds almost like Jason Alexander switched. He found that amusing. He’s nine years old. He is the son of a less-active member. I’ll probably be gone when he gets baptized. But that’s fine since I didn’t really teach him.
Transfers are this week. Elder Gonzalez was under the impression that I would be a District Leader in San Juan. But there was no call from the President, so that’s out. Senior Comp is in the works, though, I think. We both suspect that I am going back to my last area in San Juan, as there will be in influx of missionaries this week.
Apologies for the shortness, but I can’t think of what to say. The second councilor of the bishopric here looks just like the Scarecrow from Batman Begins. That’s kinda cool. The Bishop looks kinda like Mario. No other celebrity look-alikes I don’t think.
More news for sure next week.
Love,
Will
January 26, 2009
Internet went out in all the Cibers, so from a member's house. Shhh...
Hellos again.
I found it interesting that both Mom and Kelly closed their e-mails with apologies about rambling. I guess we’re just a rambling family. (Flashes of the Muppet Show with Steve Martin fly through my head.) I also found Dad’s comment on how Kelly looked so grown up [in her school's musical] interesting. Everybody who looks at my pictures thinks that 1) Paul is me. 2) Kelly is in her 20s. Weird.
Anyways, news of the week. There isn’t much. I wish that people would leave me alone about Obama, though. 1) It’s a breach of protocol for me to talk about politics. 2) I am here with no way of knowing what’s giong on. I, therefore, have no opinions about Obama so far. 3) This seems to be a week of lists. All I know about Obama is what the Argentines tell me, and I really don’t trust their sources. But it would seem that Obama has shut down Guantanamo Bay. Again, no opinions because I have absolutely no info. So, don’t ask me about it. Next question.
Hmm... I’m sitting here across from a Santeria. Maybe I’ll come home with a Gauchito Gil... I’m not sure what he is. A gaucho. I think that people think he’s a Saint. I don’t think he qualifies. But he’s a kinda cool looking gaucho.
I’ve decided that my area, geographically, is a lot like Provo. We’re up in the foothills of the cordillera. Sometimes I can see a peak with snow. But the area is entirely hills, and thus more difficult to walk all around than my other areas.
I get the suspicion that I will be back in San Juan next transfer, though. It would seem as, maybe, senior comp.
Godoy Cruz is a city in the greater Mendoza area. Kinda like the difference between Pentagon and Crystal Cities. But with more people. And suburbish neighborhoods.
That’s about it for now.
Until next week,
Will
I found it interesting that both Mom and Kelly closed their e-mails with apologies about rambling. I guess we’re just a rambling family. (Flashes of the Muppet Show with Steve Martin fly through my head.) I also found Dad’s comment on how Kelly looked so grown up [in her school's musical] interesting. Everybody who looks at my pictures thinks that 1) Paul is me. 2) Kelly is in her 20s. Weird.
Anyways, news of the week. There isn’t much. I wish that people would leave me alone about Obama, though. 1) It’s a breach of protocol for me to talk about politics. 2) I am here with no way of knowing what’s giong on. I, therefore, have no opinions about Obama so far. 3) This seems to be a week of lists. All I know about Obama is what the Argentines tell me, and I really don’t trust their sources. But it would seem that Obama has shut down Guantanamo Bay. Again, no opinions because I have absolutely no info. So, don’t ask me about it. Next question.
Hmm... I’m sitting here across from a Santeria. Maybe I’ll come home with a Gauchito Gil... I’m not sure what he is. A gaucho. I think that people think he’s a Saint. I don’t think he qualifies. But he’s a kinda cool looking gaucho.
I’ve decided that my area, geographically, is a lot like Provo. We’re up in the foothills of the cordillera. Sometimes I can see a peak with snow. But the area is entirely hills, and thus more difficult to walk all around than my other areas.
I get the suspicion that I will be back in San Juan next transfer, though. It would seem as, maybe, senior comp.
Godoy Cruz is a city in the greater Mendoza area. Kinda like the difference between Pentagon and Crystal Cities. But with more people. And suburbish neighborhoods.
That’s about it for now.
Until next week,
Will
January 19, 2009
Special Transfers!
Hello again!
Some news. On Wednesday morning we received a call from the President. Elder Sime’s mother had sent an email saying that he had to be home on Friday because he had two exams to take on Monday. Prez said that he had to be in Mendoza on Thursday with all his stuff. Then the phone got passed to me. I had to go with all my stuff too. “Oh. Okay President.” So, for now, Rawson, Boulevard, and Progreso are closed. Probably to be opened at transfers.
In related news (you’ll see why), Elder Neibaur’s mother took a turn for the worse and he got sent home with three months left. I got sent as his replacement in Estanzuela. Estanzuela is the name of a neighborhood/ward in Godoy Cruz, Mendoza. So now I have been in areas in all three of the provinces in the Mission. Something that not very missionaries get to do.
My new companion is another Latin, Elder Gonzalez from Chile. Our area is by far the smallest area I’ve had yet, but it has the highest Church attendance. Go figure. It is also the only one of my areas that doesn’t touch Cordoba. Related? Maybe…
We have a McDonalds in my area, and apparently the Hipermercado sells Newman’s Own dressings. A little taste of home.
Almost all of the apartments in the mission are populated by one missionary companionship. There are a few exceptions, but not many. We pay the bills, but are reembursed by the office, so the Mission pays. We generally have lunch with members, but when we don’t we make our own stuff/be lazy and order pizza or empanadas or something. More of the making our own . . . pizza gets expensive. Having a native Spanish-speaker as a companion is a very good thing. It makes me improve in the language. It’s not that different, though.
Sorry this is pretty short, but I really don’t have that much else to say. You know how talkative we are in the family. Well, with the exception of Kelly.
So, until next week.
Love,
Will
Some news. On Wednesday morning we received a call from the President. Elder Sime’s mother had sent an email saying that he had to be home on Friday because he had two exams to take on Monday. Prez said that he had to be in Mendoza on Thursday with all his stuff. Then the phone got passed to me. I had to go with all my stuff too. “Oh. Okay President.” So, for now, Rawson, Boulevard, and Progreso are closed. Probably to be opened at transfers.
In related news (you’ll see why), Elder Neibaur’s mother took a turn for the worse and he got sent home with three months left. I got sent as his replacement in Estanzuela. Estanzuela is the name of a neighborhood/ward in Godoy Cruz, Mendoza. So now I have been in areas in all three of the provinces in the Mission. Something that not very missionaries get to do.
My new companion is another Latin, Elder Gonzalez from Chile. Our area is by far the smallest area I’ve had yet, but it has the highest Church attendance. Go figure. It is also the only one of my areas that doesn’t touch Cordoba. Related? Maybe…
We have a McDonalds in my area, and apparently the Hipermercado sells Newman’s Own dressings. A little taste of home.
Almost all of the apartments in the mission are populated by one missionary companionship. There are a few exceptions, but not many. We pay the bills, but are reembursed by the office, so the Mission pays. We generally have lunch with members, but when we don’t we make our own stuff/be lazy and order pizza or empanadas or something. More of the making our own . . . pizza gets expensive. Having a native Spanish-speaker as a companion is a very good thing. It makes me improve in the language. It’s not that different, though.
Sorry this is pretty short, but I really don’t have that much else to say. You know how talkative we are in the family. Well, with the exception of Kelly.
So, until next week.
Love,
Will
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