Email 04/28/2014 This week in Paraico

Well I don't know what happened to those other photos from last week but what ever.

This week we worked really hard. My area is full of giant hills that we walked up and down in the scorching sun. With that we had absolutely no results. Then yesterday we had members giving us a bunch of references of people to teach. So not that bad.

Well we also have 2 baptisms lines up this week and what looks to be 3 next month.

Its going really good. This last week our mission President came and had a meeting with us. As all the meetings we always have practices and every time he wanted an example he picked me. And during the practices he wanted to practice in my group. 

Even my companion said that was something really rare and he thinks I'm going to be called as a trainer soon or something like that. I really hope I don't get called to be something. 

Well the pictures I sent this week are of a delicous fruit that I don't know what its called. The actual fruit is a seed covered with like a gel like thing. Its super good but you can't eat it only suck on it for a while. 

Well that's all for now hope all is well and i love ya all. 

Elder Rodriguez

Email 04/21/2014 First Week With New Companion

Well My new companion is Elder Flores from Peru, again. But he's pretty cool. We get along real well which is cool and he's a really good teacher during lessons. This week we haven't been super busy because we are both new here. And he knows surprisingly alot of English.

Well last Sunday we had Stake conference were Elder Holland and Elder Scott talked to the people of Ecuador via sattelite. First off all I had no idea that they spoke spanish. Elder Holland started his talk speaking spanish but switched to English because his pronunciation is terrible. But Elder Richard G Scott spoke the whole time in spanish and it was flawless. To say the least that was pretty cool. 

Then today for P-day we went fishing. It was different because they don't use fishing rods, just the line and your hands. I caught a medium sized cat fish. Then I caught this little kid. Let me explain...

So as I was fishing this little kid was fishing next to me with a small stick and his line then he dropped the stick in the river. Then the kid asked me to get it but as a missionary I can't enter the water. Well he goes in after it but it turns out he couldn't swim. So who jumps in to save him. Your friendly neighborhood Elder Rodriguez.

Luckly I was in my p-day clothes anyway. Hahah. Anyway The kid never got the stick back. 

Anyway..... my zone wants T-shirts and after seeing one of my drawing they want me to design it. Buuuuut I don't want to but I kinda have to. Bummer. 

So this week was alright how are you all doing. Love ya all and I keep you all in my prayers. Hope all is going great.

-- 

Elder Rodriguez

Email 04/14/2014 More Changes

Well this morning was another set of emergency changes. I'm still in the same area but my companion went to my old area. So with this I'm freakying just a bit because I'm new to this area and don't know alot about it yet. My new companion will be coming in the night. His name is Elder Flores and yeshe's  ANOTHER Peruvian hahahaha. I don't know why all my companions are Peruvian but its all good. So I heard this next companion is a bit damaged and I might have to crack the wip on him, so thats cool.  But I'm excited for new things and I think this is showing that President has more confidence and the Lord  gots my back. 

So yesterday was Sunday and it was pretty good. We have to teach the class gospel principles which Iwasn't to excited about but it was fine. Then I also had to lead the music during sacremant meeting. I'm just happy nobody knows how to read music in this area so nobody knows I have no idea what I'm doing. 

This month I don't think I'll be having any baptisms but next month we are going to be baptizing a boy and his sister. During the first lesson with them they said they wanted to be baptized but only if i would do it. So that was cool and bad for my ego Hahaha. But I like this area the ward here is very small and there are many inactives. So it's a tough area but I know the field is white and ready to reap.

I had divisions this last Friday and it was pretty good. I was with my District Leader Elder Rojas from Bolivia and we did some good work. Then with him I went to a leader meeting and I think I made an impression because all the questions that the Zone leaders were asking I was the only one who could answer. So I don't know if in the future there going to make me a district leader or not. I know how to do it all from that meeting but I don't want to be one.  

Then this week is Semana Santa (Holy week) so that means absolutly nothing for us missionaries. But all the Catholics are freaking out to repent one week out of the whole week. So that's pretty exciting I guess. 

Well thats all for now anyway. Just being bored waiting for my companion.

Well Love ya all and hope for the best.

PEACE!

Elder Rodriguez

Email 04/07/2014 This week in Paraiso

Well this week has been a heck of alot better. I got a haircut. Got to know my area a bit. I saw conference in English which was super awesome this time. And I also got to see one of my old pals from the CCM. Its funny because in the CCM he was just this fat kid but since he spent most of his mission so far in the jungles all his clothes don't fit. Anyway that was really cool.

I also watched it in my old area so I talked with a bunch of members that I missed.

    One of the old members took me and the other 3 american missionaries to a Pollo Asado place to eat and it was super good. But while we were eating we had a 3 liter Coke which was about half empty then this homeless man runs in and steals it.... We just laughed because it happened so fast. I think he was a ninja.

 Well my area is pretty nice. My companion said its really mellow here and there is not alot of crime. Then I found out he was shot at here and there is a hill that we have to run down because its super dangerous. Its all good here, no seriously I like this area. We even have an island here. Last week we were teaching on the island then the alarm for tsunami went off because the earthquake in Chile. We just continued with the lesson....

   Our house is pretty cool here too. Except for eveything breaking here. First our only fan in a really hot place then our only iron. So I'm forced to cook the iron and iron my clothes with that. My comp thought that was stupid until he saw it work. But upstairs is an apartment that I think is haunted. The house is just opened with everything in it covered in dust. It looks like the KGB killed the family that was in side or maybe the family just left without taking anything... Pure sketch.

   Our investagators are good here the ward is kinda sucky but I'll work with them to strengthen theleadership here. Alot of people here have experiences with angels thats really cool to hear about also. 

    Oh we have this one investagator and her kid looks like Chucky and he's a little devil too. He chokes out the cat all the time and tries to eat the cat sometimes. I keep that kid away from me hahahah. 

Well everything here is going good. Thanks for the emails and the pics 

Love you all,

Elder Rodriguez

These are pics of my companion Elder Cajahuaman (Peru)'and I on top of our apartment overlooking our area.