I am so glad to hear that everything is going well there, and that you are all happy, and well off. Well...this was the most interesting week of my mission. I like to call it my ‘Vacation Week.’ It really was so weird and so awesome.
So starting Tuesday at lunchtime, I had a work visit with Elder Call from Orem, Utah. We had such a good time and it was so fun to be with another gringo. He really is such a cool guy and we worked hard and had a blast. We cooked banana peanut butter pancakes with maple syrup for dinner and it almost brought tears to our eyes. It was fun to be able to really connect with someone from the same culture and everything. It’s awesome to be with Latinos and I love it, but its also nice to talk about the mountains, BYU, sports, and home food.
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| Zack and Elder Call with their banana pancakes that 'brought tears to their eyes'. |
At the end of the visit Wednesday in the afternoon, we got a call from the leaders of the zone, and they told us that Elder Melo had to go to Lima for some visa stuff. So basically we returned to Querecotillo, changed his clothes, went to one lesson, then I dropped Elder Melo off with the other Elder to go to Lima. Then I had another work visit with Elder Aquino (from Iquitos Peru with 23 months and 5 weeks in his mission jaja) from Wednesday night till Friday in the morning, when I needed to leave for Ecuador. It really was a good experience to get to know a couple of different Elders and to learn from them.
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| A van full of gringos headed towards Ecuador. (Zack's in the back corner, peeking over the top) |
Friday in the morning, we woke up at 5 and went to Sullana to catch the bus. From my zone I went with 4 other gringos and we caught up with 6 more gringos from different zones. And it just happens that I was with basically all of my best friends from the mission. I got to see ELder Baker from the CCM, Elder Parra, Elder Prince, Elder Lauder, Elder Cook, and a couple more. We were 11 gringos just truckin’ around having a good time. We had to drive 5 hours of so in a miserable bus to go to Ecuador, and when we got there, we crossed the border, they stamped our passports, flipped a u turn, got out, waited in a really long disneyland line, they stamped out passports, and we returned. So boring...we wished that part could have been more exciting. But it was so fun to be with so many friends for such a long time to just talk to each other and such. And we spoke SO MUCH ENGLISH. That was fun also. What kinda stunk is that they didn’t give us food or water the whole day, so I was living off of saltine crackers and a little bit of water for a whole day. We then jumped on a crowded van, and 5 hours later, I was with my companion in Sullana. SO LONG, but SO FUN: It was just the kind of day that wipes you out.
So there is my week of vacations. Gringos, pancakes, and 11 hours in bus. jaja
Other than that, there wasn’t really anything else too exciting.
Transfers this week?
There are transfers this coming weekend. They tell us the transfers Saturday in the night. I know that one of us will get transfered and traditionally he would go, but I kinda think that I will be leaving.
How’s the comp?
We are good, mas o menos.
Ecuador?
Really long, really fun!
Pday fun?
We are going to a green grass field to play some games with all of the zone! (funny he mentions that it is a ‘green grass’ field...he must enjoy that part of it.)
Mail?
The first week of the month we get mail and packages.
Best part of week?
Probably had to be the banana pancakes...
Most spiritual?
I had a realization yesterday in our Gospel Principles class. The teacher said, “the knowledge isn't important, if it doesn't mean anything for you.” or something like that. Now I am trying to apply that to myself and to the others that I teach....to help this stuff that I’m teaching them mean something for them.
Is it fall there?
Right now, its like 100 degrees outside, but in the nights its getting down to a brisk 85 or so. I sleep with no covers...My bed is a mattress with my bedspread with no sheets or anything...SO hot.
New food you are cooking?
Hey...I steamed some vegetables! But really, I am struggling. I don’t really have money (I am going to take some out today) water, or food, so I have kinda resorted to Top Ramen this week, due to all of the craziness. But I will do better...its just that this week was so crazy.
funny stuff you see?
Life here is just a little crazy for a kid from Utah. I can’t write all of the small things that make me smile daily.
Well thats my week, a little crazy and weird, but I am happy and doing good. Just tired and all. I am a little discouraged because all of the people that needed to get married couldn’t, so we are down at level zero right now. But that means that I can only go up!
Love you all lots and hope the best for you.
Elder Bradshaw
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