More Big News...only here 3 weeks!

Hello Family,

How are you all doing?  A few more days and it will be a month that I’ve been out in the field.  More big news!  I will only be here for three weeks.  This MTC is over capacity so they are kicking my district out
with the advanced districts who are scheduled to leave in two weeks.  We are the only North Americans here who can really talk to the natives.  Everyone else has gotten really good at sign language. 

Elder Giraldo, famous for his
President impersonations

The latino companions are all great.  They all like to make the gringos play on the same futbol team so they can dance around us.  When they play, they only call each other by the name of their country.  ¡Paselo aqui, Columbia!  They like doing impersonations of their companions.  One elder does a pretty good imitation of President Whetten.  Every night they quiz us on American pop culture. “Do you know what is Red Hot Chili Peppers?”  One meal, we all sang the Lion King songs and some songs from a few other Disney movies to each other in our respective languages.  It was really fun. 

Elder Ludlam Espinoza, Diaz, Westerberg, Heaps

All the meals here are fantastic.  The chefs really out-do themselves.  There is always a soup and a main dish that is usually a slab of meat with a bunch of rice and vegetables, but the entrées are always prepared by a gourmet chef is seems.  We still get ice cream every Wednesday and Sunday. 

Going through the temple with Elder Hernandez

Today was a really special day for Elder Hernandez.  He did not have the opportunity to receive his endowments before he left, so today was the first time he got to go to the Lima Temple and I got to be his escort.  He has been a great companion.  In Mexico, were he lived, the mission president had a system set up where the young men in the area could live with the missionaries for two months before they left for the field, so it is almost like he has been out on his mission for a while.  He got to wear a plaque and everything.  He has a good knowledge of the scriptures and can usually find one to apply to whatever we are teaching about. 

I am really enjoying my time here, but I still can’t wait to get out in the field.  The Peruvian members here truly make lots of sacrifices to help us prepare to be the best missionaries that we can be.  The teachers, the cooks, the maintenance workers are all really friendly and are more than willing to try to talk to you in English. 

I had my first adventure in the outside world today.  The .5 soles that it cost to ride the bus to the temple were certainly worth the rollercoaster ride. Every three weeks they have the money changer come to exchange dollars for soles (Peruvian currency), and they suggested everybody exchange $20. Since I will only be here for three weeks, I have $20 dollars of soles I need to spend.  If you think of any thing you would like, let me know. 

Look forward to hearing from you soon.  Love, Girndle