Hello Everybody! Thanks for the emails! I love reading them! Some of you mentioned that you were concerned I wouldn´t have time to read all the emails and write, but I print them off in the morning and so that way it doesn´t take away from my time, so no worries! You all sound happy and good, which I lvoe to here!
So, this week went by pretty slow because we were inside for 2 and a half days! Not because of carnival, but because my companion has bichos, also known as parasites or bugs! When you have bichos, you pretty much feel miserable and not like moving, not to mention you are on the toilet at least once an hour. Here, you can only use your own bathroom or public bathrooms becuase you never know the condition of people´s houses. So you are pretty much stuck in the house. I was starting to get cabin fever. But for one of the days I was sick too, so not much that you can do. I didn´t have bichos, I just had like a fever or something, but it passed for the most part. It came back a little today, but that is what you get for playing volleyball in the rain. Volleyball is the only sport that we are allowed to play, the others are banned because too many injuries, so I just lucked out. I did wear myself out though, so not too smart! It will pass though, and hopefully Thelin´s bichos will vacate soon too!
On to my subject line, kids and dogs. So, these are two of the most innocent things in the world, things you shouldn´t be afraid of. Well, guess who always walks in paranoia now because of fear of dogs and kids? ME! First dogs. They are everywhere, and Thelin said Quito isn´t that bad, but places like Santo Domingo are so much worse. Well, I almost got bit twice this week and actually ran away from another. I look at every dog on the street in terror now! The truth is, they hate white people. Every missionary here who has a Latin companion said that their comps think it´s hilarious because the gringos are always getting chased. Thelin taught me that when I think a dog is going to attack, you take off your back pack and guard your ankles, because that is where they go. She got bit in St. Dog and has the scar to prove it. I have so much to look forward to! Now the other one, kids. You´re supposed to love kids, but not during carnival season. They´re the ones that are starting early, it´s not supposed to start until next week! They just sit on their roofs with water balloons and buckets of water to throw at passerby. Last week I got hit with a balloon filled with water and sand, so my clothes were a lovely mess. Some have asked me what Carnival is. It is just an excuse to party, and nothing else. It lasts like, the first two or three weeks of February. So, until then I look down every alley with fear, staring at the roofs and running from kids and dogs! Next Monday and Tuesday it will be so dangerous that we have to stay inside because they target gringos. We´ll have some fun though!
So, we do have some awesome investigators. We have a whole family who is going to be baptized on Feb 9th. The dad is a member but hasn´t been active for like, 25 years, since he met with the missionaries the first time around. He said that when he went to church a couple weeks ago, he felt something that had been missing in his life for so long. He and his family have been visiting all sorts of different churches, and he said that he instantly recognized what was missing when he came back to the Mormon church. He shared his testimony with us and just said that he wants the same for his family. It was so beautiful and I look forward to continue teaching them!
I also am serving in an awesome ward here. The members are just amazing and want to help us in every which way. Thelin raves about how good they are compared to some of the other wards that she has served in. We go to the Pepinos house every Wednesday and just love that home. We haven´t heard if we will get to move in with them but we will see. It doesn´t sound to promising though. They always give us great references of people they know who want to learn, so they are such a help to us!
Well, I need to wrap this up! I will try to send some more pics next week. I just run out of time so fast! Ihope everyone is doing well. Know that I love you and look forward to hearing from you!
Hna Kaylee Sorensen
