Hey guys,
So this week has been kinda nuts. On Monday president told me my changes. I`m opening an area here in San Pedro, actually my new area is the furthest west that my mission goes. One of the cool things is that in my area, there`s the huge and pretty famous Estadio Olimpico [Editor's Note: Olympic Stadium], so when I was saying goodbye to people and telling them where I was going, everybody knew exactly where I was going. The area`s in Zona Satèlite, the famous "only elders" zone. To be honest, this is probably one of the more dangerous areas in the mission, which is kinda cool.
My new companion`s name is Elder Asturias, he`s my second companion from Guatemala, and he was a bodybuilder before the mission. He kinda reminds me of an Italian guy who works out a ton. I don`t know if that`s a common stereotype, but it makes sense in my head.
Tuesday I just wrapped stuff up in the office as quick as I could. I gave my computer a goodbye kiss and we went to say goodbye to people in the area. We had 5 dinners that night. That`s what happens when you`re in an area for 7 months! Then I went back home to do the very worst part of changes... Packing. I didn`t really bring anything with me. Just clothes and books basically. So I threw all my stuff in my suitcase. I managed to fit all the stuff I wanted into one bag- except for my shoes. I was kinda mad I couldn`t fit my shoes in that one bag! I was so close! Wednesday I drove the truck for the last time. We went to go pick up Elder Asturias in his area and then we went to Luisiana.
Some nearby Elders had found an apartment for us. It is so tiny! It`s just one pretty small room and a bathroom. We spent Wednesday on divisions with the nearby Elders trying to get to know some of the area. We slept in the other Elders house too, because we didn`t have anything in the new house. Thursday morning we went and started visiting in the area, and then while we were eating lunch I got a call from the zone leaders that said we all had to go to our houses.
So the secretaries still hadn`t brought our stuff yet, so we went back to the other elders house again. That night was pretty normal. In this area there`s a ton of gunshots, every time of day and night, so that wasn`t anything out of normal.
That Friday morning the zone leaders called again and told us we had to buy food in the early morning and be ready to stay in our houses for 2 weeks 🙁. So we spent that day in the house. Just studying and eating pretty much. Boring to be honest.
At that time the government put a toque de queda (curfiew, curview, curfew? I don`t know how to spell it and the autocorrect is Spanish) on the entire country from six o`clock at night until six o`clock in the morning. So it got to be about 10 at night and everybody lost their minds. Fireworks, trumpets, burning things, just general craziness. There was a bunch of looting and some banks around here got robbed. The grocery store also got burned down so it`s a good thing we bought food. Luckily, nobody touches the pulperias 😀.
Saturday we studyied until about mid day, and then it just turned into a monopoly tournament in the afternoon. At night, same deal, everybody lost their freaking minds in the street. We went outside (the apartment has a little deck kinda thing with a chain fence) and watched as they burned tires in the street.
Sunday church was cancelled, we had the sacrament in the morning and then we studied/slept/ate all day. Again, at night, we went outside and watched a firework show. This morning we got permission to find somebody willing to let us borrow their device to write families. We`re at a neighbors house and they let us borrow their phone and their laptop (my comp got the laptop, but it`s ok I have fast texting fingers) and we have to be back inside by noon. So that`s been the week. In some aspects boring, in some exciting. I`m personally pretty bored, but it`s ok.
Todays p-day so I think we are just gonna play cards and maybe I`ll do some excersize with my comp. I think if I do excersize with my new companion I`ll get pretty strong. His arms are the size of my neck! He`s pretty cool. You guys will get to talk to him on Christmas.
We`re more bored than nervous. If we have to stay another week and a half in the apartment i`m gonna go crazy. The members helped us with some food and water. I think we`re honestly pretty fine. I think bad things will only happen if we are disobedient. The good thing is we have 4 guys in the apartment. The other companionship is kinda weird, but they`re fun. I think we`re gonna be playing a ton of monopoly in these next couple days. I`m also about to finish Alma. I still haven`t read D&C in the mission. I think now is the time.
Thanks for sending the package, but I`m sure it`ll get here faster now that there`s a guy who`s entire job is the ruta. Also, I`m so close to San Pedro, that the secretaries pass by here all the time, I can probably get the package on their way back home from the office. They`ve been hunkered down in their house too, so who knows when I`ll get it haha.
I tried so hard to leave things in a good shape for Elder Devenport. In the three weeks I was there with those guys I tried to show them all the stuff to do. But when everything went nuts, I started getting a bunch of calls from those guys. I hope they`re doing ok.
I try to keep in touch with the people in my old areas. I try to call the missionaries in Palermo and Montecristo once a change just to see how everybody`s doing. Sometimes they`ll call me when they`re visiting someone I know and I`ll get a little chance to talk to them. Also, Jesus and Nelda had another baby. They named him Christian. It`s cool because Christian is Elder Santillana`s name too. It`s also cool because that baby has the coolest name in the world: Christian Kristoff.
The lady who cooked the Thanksgiving meal had to do a lot of looking for Turkey, and I think it was pretty expensive, but it was so worth it! My favorite thing on thanksgiving was also the mashed taters. I hadn`t had any since the US. The only time I`ve seen potatos down here is in french fries, and that doesn`t count. I think the Latinos were a little bit sad that they paid so much and only got a little bit of turkey, but they were in love with the cream soda. Sweet potatos are good, but they`re better with marshmallows. I think THAT should be enjoyed weekly. I think I`ll be pretty shocked when I get back to the united states. I think America will feel to me like france felt to you guys. I actually feel less sick eating beans and eggs now than I do eating a cheeseburger- talk about weird huh?
Tegucigalpa was cool, but I honestly like San Pedro more. The one thing I really noticed about Tegucigalpa was the temperature. I got off the bus and immediately started shivering. I hope I survive when I get to Ukraine...
I miss you guys, but just think, only three weeks left until the video call. Two more weeks in the house and one more actually in the area. I would have liked to have Elder Reyes talk to you guys. I was teaching him English while I was with him. I think he could have had a really good conversation with you guys. Dang. Elder Asturias wants to learn too, maybe we`ll spent these next two weeks on language study- or if not he can talk to dad.
E` Stoddard
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