Visiting My Old Area Again, La Chimba

In an email dated May 18, 2009, Justin wrote, "Hey everyone. This week wasn't too bad. We found a bunch of people to teach. I am with Elder Rodriguez everyday now and we go out and work. His companion and Elder Cooley took the top half of the area in the hills and we are down below. This week we had a family come to church that really liked it and they are going to get baptized and the other two have a baptismal date for this Saturday.

Well, I made it just over a week without getting sick. I was puking everywhere last night. Sucks that the house is so big, I didn't quite make it to the bathroom and it started coming out. It was a mess. And so much. (Got a visual, everyone?) Then diarrhea. Then an hour later all over again. And again. And again. It wasn't too fun. Especially having to clean it all up right after. I think I puked and pooped everything out of my body that there is. There wasn't any toilet paper either.... newspaper is not fun to wipe with. But luckily I woke up feeling a bit better, I am just going to run a couple of errands today then go back and sleep. The lady we live with is having all of the gringos that work in the temple over for lunch today and is having a chef come over to cook filet mignon. (Justin's absolute favorite thing to eat!) Hopefully I feel good enough to eat it. I forgot how bad the food is here. It flat out sucks. I am having a hard time getting it all down again. But at least my pension is a lot better this time around. Last night we had tacos. I think what made me sick was that this member bought me an ice cream cone but it was chollita ice cream bought from this guy out in the middle of a field. Probably not a good idea.

I got to go back and visit my old area for a day in La Chimba. I was so surprised, everyone remembered me. I guess they heard I was coming to visit, so all we did all day was visit members. It was cool. I went to my old pension there, the Pinchi family to visit. The elders don't eat there anymore. ( Justin did not think that was a smart move. She was his favorite pension. He actually enjoyed her food.) But it turns out the husband Alex is from La Villa in Pisco! And he showed me a picture of his mom and I knew her. And remember that girl Sayuki I baptized? It's actually his niece! Small world, huh? They have lost contact with them for a while, so I'm going to help them get their phone number. And Pablo who got baptized the last Saturday I was here is still going to church and they are teaching his mom as well. Brian Torrico, from the taxi driver family, doesn't really go anymore. There are rumors that President is going to put me back there in La Chimba. That'd be pretty sweet.

I got permission to go to the Cancha or big old market here last Monday and got a new camera, so I am good to go.

So many people speak Quechua. I may have to learn some words. They actually have classes in Quechua in church for the people that don't understand Spanish that well. It's weird. The Lady that we live with told us that all the hugeee mansions built up in the hills belong to 1 of 2 people. They either work for the government, or the are huge drug lords. Ha ha.

Well that is all that I've got this week. Love you all. Write me. Justin"

He really LOVES to get letters. Hint, hint!