Rafael Castillo- Week #11

I come to you again in an e-mail...

First, I have gotten one e-mail from Grandma Sherry but it didn't say anything, it was just a blank page, so obviously she did something wrong. And yesterday I got a letter from Grandma Wilma, but i don't remember the date she put on it, which i know isn't very helpful haha. The other elders don't really send pictures home. Elder Fox just got transferred here when I did and the others never really gave a clear answer so I don't know. Yes, we pay like 2 pesos to use the Internet for an hour. There are little Internet cafes everywhere, where about 20 computers are set up in a room, mostly kids come to play video games, because no one has computers in there houses.

By easier to heat, I meant that we only use small space heaters that are electric, so it is easier to put all of them in one room and sleep there. No I have never seen that sign you told me about, and no the shopping is not Americanized...pretty much just the oreos are the only familiar brand...and cereal, i can buy frosted flakes if i want.

Anyway, No one came to church this week, and we even were out for two hours before going by all our investigators...and just got rejected in the face every time, haha good times. So that really slims the chances of Elder Torres baptizing anyone while he is here, which I don't think is helping his motivation. So there are 10 Key Indicator Weekly Goals that everyone in the mission has, such as 10 new investigators a week, or 10 inactives visited a week and things like that, and if you reach those goals you and your companion are put in the mission periodical that comes out every transfer. I have mixed feelings about it, I mean, I want to be in it so badly, just because it is natural to want to be recognized, but all we heard in the MTC and in Preach My Gospel, is not to compare yourself to other missionaries, and that numbers don't equal success, but I mean...it is hard not to compare yourself to others when the mission is doing it for you in a publication...I am already competitive as it is, and i don't think "The Standard" is going to help me overcome that pride. As of now, Elder Torres and I can only get two of the indicators, but I plan on getting them, if he keeps his engine running for another three weeks. And yes, if I don't get transferred when he leaves, which i probably wont, I become senior companion for 2 weeks until my new comp. can get familiar with the area...which i am nervous about, but what the hey, whats the worst that can happen, i fall flat on my face and the offices don't make that mistake again. haha No but seriously supposedly it happens a lot, and a lot of new missionaries have to do it.

So this next part is R rated, and you might not want to put it on the blog. (we will edit...)

Ok so we all hear stories about when missionaries say something that they didn't mean to say, but they didn't know it. I am happy to say, I now have my own classic story for the ages. Ok so last night we were in a members home, and this family is one father about 60 or so, his wife, and 4 daughters who are all from 29-37, and they are slightly rowdy but it is fun to go to there house. Anyways, one of the daughters wanted me to translate an English song, and it was I love rock and roll...so put another dime in the jukebox baby...ya know that one...anyway I am trying to explain what a jukebox is because i don't know the word at all, and i was trying to say machine which is (mak-heen-a) in Castellano, and........ (he says another word instead, on accident, that a missionary should not be saying) ................ aHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA they just stared at me....in silence....and finally the mom said...oh claro claro elder, which is clearly clearly elder, so i thought they understood me, and of course Elder Torres doesn't say a word, and we get back to the apartment and he tells Elder Fox and Marchello what I said, and I started laughing so hard, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING!!!!! so I wrote it in my journal so I will always remember, it was close to the happiest day of my life.

The work is still going on. It is definitely difficult, but I don't mind. I am understanding more and more everyday, but are still times when Elder Torres blindsides me in a lesson and just says, and my companion is going to explain a little more about that...and i was daydreaming because I wasn't understanding what they were saying. And he says, Elder what is the priesthood? are you kidding...I can say like 2 sentences about the priesthood in Spanish. We study a principle in the morning in comp. study and then he has me teach something completely different in lessons, but that's fine, I need to learn anyway. A few people this week even said that it sounds like I have been here a couple months, so that is encouraging, and Elder Torres said that when we go to zone meetings he talks with the other new elders and he says they still don't speak very well, but I am doing great...I think he is just joking or being nice or something.

Anyway, time to sign off again, love you guys.

Sean

P.S. Don't worry Nat, I am eating. I gained 9 pounds in the MTC and have only lost 7 here so I am still in the positives.