7th Week's Pday from Panama

Allí estamos otra vez, el día de preparación que yo tengo para escribir mi familia, amigos, y cada persona que quiere leerlo también, dondequiera se encuentre en el mundo jaja.

Hola familia, this week I have officially finished my first change, cambio, here in Panama, and since my old comp was dying (when the elder or sister is in the last change) I got a new comp. ¿Listos todos?.......Elder Aguilar, from Veracruz México, another native woot! Haha, but he understands alot of English, and I'm defnitely listening to the advice that Elder Nelson told us about taking advantage of opportunities like this to teach Latinos English, and vice versa, really fun actually. But as I'm teaching, explaining the words in English, I realize how stupid English really is haha, and how confusing the spelling and pronunciation is of words, it's so weird, but I'm glad I grew up learning it.

Funny thing about him, he has the same time in the mission as I do, but one more change because I was in the MTC for 6 weeks longer, so technically he is senior companion, even though President Ward wrote me saying that "Ud va a ser un gran compañero mayor" haha. So I don't really understand. He's from Veracruz like I said, where Allen Sulzen is serving, and he said that he actually knew him in his ward for just a bit before he left in October! Said he spoke Spanish perfectly. So crazy, what a small world! But now the job falls on me to teach him the area and investigators, which is tough when I haven't seen a single street sign since I came to Panama, haha. So I'm sure we'll get lost multiple times this cambio, but that's all part of the missionary life!

So we've been contacting tons lately, trying to find more people to teach the gospel to in a country that is bien católico haha. Almost every person comes to the door and says "Eh, ustedes son de otra religion y no estoy dispuesto a cambiar mi vida así, porque soy CATÓLICO." We just respond by saying "Oh, perfecto hermana/o, cree en Jesucristo..." haha and they respond "Claro, yo creo en mi Señor, cristo, Dios, Todopoderoso, Dios, Cristo" haha. These people are nuts! But really strengthens my testimony in the Apostasy and the power of the adversary to corrupt the minds of people.

But while we were contacting yesterday, we stumbled upon a lady that when we walked into her house to teach her, the Book of Mormon was already on her lap! So nuts, she said that her granddaughter left it in the house for her, who also isn't a member. But the Book of Mormon was really used, had marks all in it, and so that was an incredible segue into teaching her about it. I said "Hermana, ¡sabe qué está agarrando en sus manos ahorita?" and went and bore my testimony about the Libro de Mormón, so we're gonna go back and teach them next Saturday too. Oh another granddaughter was there too, so we taught just the 2 of them. We offered the nieta English classes that we're gonna start soon. We'll hold them in the church some day soon, and she seemed interested in that, as are most people cuz everyone wants to learn English here. So helpful cuz they can get better jobs.

I got to hang out with Elder Goodson at the cambios, talk to him alot, I love those guys that I was with in the MTC. One special experience I had this week was yesterday, got to give a priesthood blessing (bendición del sacerdocio) to the mom (nonmember) of a recent convert lady, and that was really cool. Never done it in Spanish or English, so I was a bit nervous, but it went really well.

Pretty weird being without Elder Jarquin, he's back in his house now, which is funny to think, relaxing...haha... But he fought the good fight.

Now I will end by talking about the Kunas, or Cunas, still not sure about the spelling. They are these indigenous people that live here in Panamá, but most are in the islands of San Blas. They speak a language called Cuna, which of course is nothing like Spanish, but it's still in the mission and missionaries are assigned there and learn bits of Cuna. They do this sewing thing called Mola, or something like that, and all the elders here buy white ties and have the Cunas do the mola designs on the ties. I actually bought 2 from Jarquin before he left, and once I transfer to an area with some Cuna ladies, I'll have her make me a sweet design. Not sure what though, I was thinking frogs and turtles? :P I'll send pics of the ones I already have.

All is well here in San Miguelito. The elders usually only stay in areas for 2 changes, so I think this is my last one here, excited to be sent to a new area. Love you all, for the love and mail you send.

2 scriptures this week, one funny for my Mom about "Gregg hot things" and one short but awesome scripture. Revelation 3:16 and 1 John 4:19, and the last one is the other john towards the end of the New Testament. I'm gonna finish the NT this week too, another first for me! Woot!

Love you all, wherever you may be, have a great week.