Staying Put

Today, (December 8, 2008) is changes for the mission and for the first time, Justin is is not moving to a new area. He will stay in La Villa with Elder Gil for at least 3 more months. He is pretty happy about that because he likes his area and because "we have a lot of people we are helping and teaching and need more time to get stuff done."

He says things are still going well with his investigators. They are still working with a family of four that was originally scheduled to get baptized in November. Then there is the Meza family. They are teaching the mom, Lili and her two children Abigail and Kevin. He says they attend church each week and read the Book of Mormon as a family everyday. The mom really wants her kids to learn, read and pray. They are waiting for their dad/ husband to come home on December 15th. He only comes home 4 times a year from his work in northern Peru. Another family they are teaching is one they stumbled upon when lost in the hills. Roberto and Marta Huamani are the parents, and Jair is one of their sons. They used to go to church all the time and had a baptismal date before the earthquake, but stopped going after. He says they are really excited for their baptism. The last family he wrote about is Sonia Pisarro and her 2 kids. He said they live up the hill in a little hut type thing. Her husband died a few years ago and she now walks the streets selling ice cream from her cart everyday. How sad! Justin usually buys ice cream when he sees her. She needs the hope and joy the gospel will bring into her life as well as the family the ward will be to her and her children.

As Justin always says, "There is never enough time. You are always thinking about who you need to visit, what you need to teach them and a ton of other things."

As for trivial things, Justin found a store in Pisco that had a few things from the US. He found peanut butter, Trix cereal and soda. He says this stuff is easier to find and cheaper in Bolivia but maybe because he was in Cochabamba (a big city). He is now used to their eating schedule. A huge breakfast and lunch and something quick and small for dinner. He says he usually doesn't eat dinner. He is never hungry for it. One dish he really likes is called Lomo Saltado. It is french fries with beef, onions, tomatoes and seasoning all together. He also misses his deodorant and toothpaste from home. He sent us pictures of them so we can send it to him. Little simple pleasures!

Justin got a letter from Elder Cachique, "my last rabid companion. He ended up staying in his last area to finish his rabies shots and it sounds like everything is okay." Good to hear that!

As to how hot it is, he can't tell us because he doesn't understand temperatures in Celsius. He guesses it is in the 90's and very humid. They tell him it gets worse in January and February. Bummer for him.

Justin says it does not feel much like Christmas with hot weather and lack of Christmas decorations . He did say the home he lives in has an 8 foot Christmas tree. I'm sure that makes him happy. I sent him a little Christmas tree from dearelder.com (I mean little.... 5 inches!) and a couple of stockings for him and his companion. Justin likes enjoying our family's traditions right down to the food, family and decorations. But as we all know, that is not what Christmas is really all about. Justin will have a more meaningful Christmas than most of us here.

He ends by saying, "I just do the same great thing everyday!"