drewsmissiontoargentina: New Year, New Area and New Wheels?

Monday, January 3, 2011

New Year, New Area and New Wheels?

Hey hey hey, feliz año nuevo a todos!

So this has been a pretty fun week. Lets just say it’s a whole lot different here! I've def gotten used to being in the city and it might take awhile to get back to the hillbilly life style ha-ha! Don’t get me wrong, it’s awesome here; it has a really relaxing feeling and everyone is pretty nice. The ward is not doing so hot. The attendance is going down every week and this past week there were only 44 people there! It’s a big change from 180 every week in Chacabuco, to 44! I really felt like I was sitting all alone in Sacrament meeting! There’s some really cool members though, I think I’ve already memorized where everyone lives. It’s way easy coming from the city; it’s not as complicated here.

We mostly walk here since it’s not that big of an area but once in awhile we have to take the bus. By one of the train stations there are a lot of shops and things. We live close to the other elders, so it’s not a place in the middle of nowhere; its a lot like Vucetich, mostly just small homes and fields and no large buildings.

We only have 5 investigators. But ever since I got here, I’ve had a really good, sweet feeling. I know there are a lot of people here that are prepared and ready to hear the gospel. I feel like I can really help. We have to get the members excited and more unified, and find a lot more people to teach. It’s going to be a lot of hard work. The members say that everyone here has a cold heart and doesn’t want to hear the gospel! It’s not going to be easy, but I'm not too worried. This place has a lot of potential. Most of the members are older, which is weird but they’re nice old folks. Reminds me of mom and dad - ha-ha, jk. So not that exciting of an area but it’s going to be good, I think.

Our apartment is tiny. We live right next to a mechanic shop – it’s connected to it. So if we go out the back door we are pretty much in the shop. Our kitchen/study area doesn’t have a working light fixture. They have to come and put new wiring in. The water just drips out of the showerhead (talk about major water pressure). We have to fill the little water tank every morning and plug it in to heat up the water. Which means there’s only a limited amount of water for each shower. And our toilet water doesn’t work, so after every use we have to pour water down to ¨flush¨. Ha-ha this is going to be an awesome 6 months! But to look on the bright side, if this is where I end my mission, I’ll def learn to appreciate home and how we live! But the mission said our apartment stinks so they gave us permission to find another place so maybe we will move out soon. It’s probably not as bad as I’m making it sound. It's nice and homey. As for the comp, things are going good. We have a lot in common and are having fun. He’s learned a lot of the same things that I've learned on the mission (like to be happy and stuff) so it doesn’t look like we will have any problems.

And as far as New Years and my goals: I haven’t made any specific goals but I know the goals we achieve are reflections of our inner self and that a goal without a plan is only a dream. I know I have learned a ton of things this past year and I know that while in this area, I'm going to learn so much more. I just want to live in the moment with the remaining time I have. To be myself, rely on the Lord, give everything I have these next 5 and a half months and leave with no regrets.

I love you all soo very much and am so thankful for each one of you and your examples. Have an amazing week. Saludos de Pablo Nogues.

Con amor,

Elder drew diggidy dawg Ludwig