New Changes

"There are aliens behind the clouds! I know it! I've seen them...you haven't?? They're always there, but they hide away in their UFOs and sneak behind the clouds, that's probably why. Just keep your eyes open and maybe you'll get lucky like I have."

Oh the fun things you hear from people contacting!

So everyone.....where did I go? Who am I with? Any guesses? I'm back towards the city a bit more in an area called La Chorrera, but normally just called Chorrera. There are 2 zones here, one called Chorrera, (that's not us), we are the other, called Chichemito, named after a little restaurante food stand place that sells chicheme. I think I mentioned chicheme back in December when we came here from Peno to have the Christmas party.

Anyway, details...my old comp Carrillo stuck around and a guy from Peru that was just in our zone went back, but to my area this time, which we all thought was pretty funny. Elder Clarke was actually his comp back in the mission, here in Chorrera. Funny how the mission works, and it all connects together. Clarke took my spot as DL which I was excited for, he's going to be a great district leader, really concerned with other peoples' needs. When we saw changes, I saw that I was going to be with a gringo named Johnson, but I didn't know who he was, because there's only one other that I knew but he has more time in the mission than me. This guy is Elder Cameron Johnson, from Vancouver, Washington actually, and he is currently wearing a Portland Timbers soccer jersey for all my Oregonian family members :)

We're opening up an area here in Chorrera, which used to be the ZL's area. It's really just having them stay in their area, and us dividing it and getting all the area that they didn't really work in very much. We are in the same ward, called Barrio 1, and our area is Barrio 1b. Right now there are 3 ZLs because one of them is going home really soon and then it will just be the normal 2. We took over the old ZL house and they moved into a house really close by. We get there and it was just an absolute mess, clothes everywhere, the bathroom was scary disgusting, the refrigerator, wow. That very night getting into the house, we just went to town on cleaning, and then spent all the morning the next day cleaning as well, throwing out tons of trash. I scrubbed that shower like crazy and now it is beautiful and smells like apples, haha. I'm proud to say that this is one of the first houses that I would be happy to have my mother walk through and see where I am living :) As soon as it got all cleaned up, Johnson puts up some pictures on his wall and I go "Woah, Multnomah Falls!" haha, he loves Portland, says it's his favorite temple, goes there all the time.

Opening up an area is like the definition of mission work, finding, teaching, and baptizing. We have to do all of that to have success in this area. As of now we know a few more members because of church yesterday and we got introduced to lots of people, but those first few days were rough. We basically just followed our ZL's around getting to know a few members and eating dinner with them. We have a good part of the area though, with one area that is idential to Villa Karola back in Penonome, where I took those pictures with the huge storm in the background and Segura and I walking. As we've gone about meeting some members, contacting a bit, we talked to the police and we've got them on our side now, haha, cool with the fuzz. After talking to them, like an hour later they drove by on their motorcycle as we were walking and they did the "woo woo" noise and waved at us! No one messes with God's soldados! We're getting this done here.

I'm really excited if you all can't tell, because this is what the Lord has called me to do, He pushes me to my limits and gives me challenge after challenge. Luckily my comp who has 8 months in the mission speaks Spanish great, so that's not a problem. I'm hoping that we see lots of miracles in this area. We have a good zone, cool missionaries, Elder Paskett is here with me as well which is awesome, all we talk about are the crazy memories from San Blas. My ZL quoted an awesome scripture in a lesson yesterday which is "La verdad os hará libres" or "the truth shall set you free", which I love. People are chained down and imprisioned due to their lack of truth and knowledge. The Gospel sets us free, it's the key to the chain that pulls us down to the floor.

Only one scripture for you all back home, Helaman 3:27-28, God is merciful.

Love you all! Have a great week :)