June 7, 2010

Hola Familia!
We had a good week, here in Emboscada. We have been teaching a lot of cool people. One person in particular is a man named Augustine. He is a great guy. He lives next door to Leo and didn’t really sound very interested in the church. But one day when we were with our ward mission leader (Bruno), we decided to visit him (last week) and had a great lesson. The spirit was so strong, then he came to church (like I said last week, and he had been drinking the night before). But this week we taught him about fasting and fast offerings. He really seems interested right now. We were walking to church with some kids and we stopped by his house to pick him up and walk together, but when we were clapping Leo opened her door and told us that he had already left! So when we got to the church he was in priesthood, and right before sacrament meeting I saw him alone in a class so I was about to ask him how he was enjoying church. I walked into the classroom and saw that he was paying his tithing! I quickly exited after not knowing if I should say anything or not and went in to sacrament meeting to get the piano keyboard ready. We were walking back with the kids to their house and I told my comp what I saw but I had been thinking that is was fast offerings. Then we decided that he was fasting too. But later that day we went to Leo (her son has a baptism date too) and we were talking to them, then Augustine walked in and we started talking to him too and he told us what happened, and that it was tithing and we taught him about tithing. He is one of the coolest people I have met here and almost everybody knows him as “Tin” (pronounced like ¨Teen¨) in this town because he is always doing different kinds of jobs for people. He has a welding spot and is always helping people with whatever he can.
Our other two people that we had baptism dates with fell through because their husbands have no desire to be married so we are continuing to look for new people.
That’s really cool that you got that package so soon, I was afraid it would take longer. But the tie dad can use. That is a type of tie that they make here, and there are people here that can custom make ties like that. Right now we are looking for it in Luque. It moved locations so whenever we are there we take a look around, but we did find a leather-crafter shop and I found a bag for Mom. I will be looking for a person who can custom design hammocks and have him put a Calgary Stampeders logo or a Calgary flames haha. That photo with Ronald McD was in Asuncion. We were there last week. My comp had to sign some papers. Unfortunately the distribution center was closed because it was Monday. Yes that cup is the Palo Santo cup with something called ¨Mate Dulce¨. There is coconut in it, then you pour hot milk and burnt sugar in it and drink it with the special straw that they have. It’s really good. That boy's name is Josue (Joshua, I think) and he is the grandchild of Brother and Sister Sotelo in Kennedy, He is always there because apparently his father doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. And that is a really weird bug that is here. That’s what it looks like, then it sheds its shell, which is what is in the picture.
I have sent out a lot of letters so the people that sent me letters should be receiving some soon. One thing that would be great to have here would be a magic trick book for coin tricks to amuse the little kids. I have learned a few basic ones.
I like what you said about a testimony. I will read about that. I like that idea.
I mentioned somewhere that I can see what Moroni meant when he said I couldn't write a 100th part. There is so much that goes on here that I do not have time to write it all.
I Love you guys! Thanks for everything that you do for me.
Love, Élder Rodgers