Funny thing, since about a week ago my fingertips were like numb, and I couldn't really figure out why. When I left Chorrera and I was dragging my suitcases, it really hurt my hands for some reason. And then my fingers were just like numb and I couldn't really feel anything while touching, like running my fingers through my hair and not feeling the hair at all, if that makes any sense. Since like Friday, my skin started all peeling off, like it would if I was sun burnt. I think the story is that awhile ago when I went to the beach back on pday, I got SO sun burnt that the effects didn't kick in till now for my hands, and so now even the palms side of my hands are peeling. I look like a mummy, haha.
Anyway, this week has been pretty fun, getting to know my blazing hot area more. We had a really fun pday last week, going up to an area that was considered "cold". I had heard about it all my mission, the famous "Boquete" and "Volcan" areas, way off here in the interior. We decided to go there with the other zone and try out the weather. It was really nice and cool out there, because it's off in the mountains. I wouldn't consider it cold, but it certainly was nice and breezy. We went and ate pizza at a nice hotel and played on jungle gym equipment out in the back by a pretty stream and rocks, it was really pretty. On a separate note, we went to this lady's house this past week for lunch and she served us the food. Before that though she asked me what I most missed from back home as far as object type things, music, phone, etc. I first said my car and being able to drive around, which is something really great that I miss. Then she handed me the food and it had a beautiful, real salad with bell peppers, onions, nice lettuce, tomatoes, and salad dressing. Then I told her "well I change my mind, what I really miss is salad and vegetables". I remember eating a nice salad with croutons every dinner back home thanks to my Mom and Roy. Salad makes every meal better.
This email is going to be really all over the place and kinda short because I'm kinda losing my mind right now, sorry, lots to say and not a lot of time to say it. I learned this week even more than ever that the Gospel is for eveyone, of every background, culture, lifestyle, country, tribe, etc. During General Conference last week, there was a lady there that came up and started "talking" to us; me and another gringo missionary, in sign language, as she was deaf. Sign language is certainly different in Spanish, they use different signs and everything. They have different letters in their alphabet so they have to have different signs as well. What's funny is that I don't understand sign language really at all, especially not in Spanish, but I understood a good 80% of what that lady was trying to tell us. She had her own separate room where a guy was translating everything for her and another lady in sign language, and I thought that was so cool. That takes a lot of effort, hours of conference, signing and signing everything that they were saying. This past Sunday I saw her again and she sat in the Cultural Hall set up with 4 chairs again as they translated what was said in the testimonies. It's so cool that the Gospel REALLY is for everyone. I know that the gift of tongues and discernment isn't just for people that actually use their tongue to speak verbally. I was able to understand that lady and feel her testimony just from what she was signing and how appreciative she was to be a member of the church. It was a really nice experience, hard to describe adequately.
Just to throw in a sad statistic that Elder Duncan shared with us, (the 70), a while back was that 1/3 of the membership here in Panama are considered "unknown", as in, know one knows who these members are or where they live and are not registered in the Church, 1/3 is inactive, and the last third is actually active in the church. Wow. It's so sad to think that thousands of members of the church, no one has any idea where they are or who they are, "desconocidos".
So, on another random note, there's this Australian guy that lives out here in David that is an apostate member of the church that comes to our building every once in a while trying to get details and ruin people's faith in the truth. He came in and my comp told me, "don't give him anything." He came and spoke to use after testimony meeting and told us that our church was false and that President Monson was a false prophet and that the true prophet should be a descendent of Joseph Smith, blah blah. I just laughed at him and he left. There will always be people that try to discredit the church, but they will never succeed.
Sorry to cut it so short, I'm out of time. Scripts are Mormon 8:24-25 and Alma 54:9-14. Thank you everyone for everything, have a wonderful week! I love you all :)
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