Week Twenty-One

Today I have translated a little bit of his letter…as each week it is written more and more in Spanish…

Heyyyy to my family and friends. Espero que todo bien con ustedes! (I hope all is well with you) I think about you guys still all the time but I know that you guys are doing muy bueno! This time of year is great! I love the Christmas season and the spirit that it brings! I am always thinking about you guys y todo las cosas ustedes estan haciendo en los estados! (and all the things you are doing in the states)

So... this week absolutely flew by! Muy muy rapido! (very very fast) So last lunes (Monday) we played dodgeball as a zone.. that was a complete blast to say the least! It was so good to throw balls and peg the crap out of other missionaries, Elder W. and I went to town. So that was fun! This week was pretty dang busy too... we are teaching mucho! ( a lot) Entonces tiempo es muy rapido! (So time is going very fast)

Miercoles- (Wednesday) the weather changed por la mayor! (for the most part) actualmente cooled off a ton! The people think that it is like antarctica pero realamente es perfecto! Solo (Only) a light sweatshirt y todo es perfecto! (and everything is perfect) Pero los personas aqui pensar que ellos van a morir.. (but the people here think they are going to die they are so cold) They have no idea. So it’s been nice to have some cool air going through the pants! LOL

I met a guy at a Pulperia (grocery/convienant store) this week. A pulperia es donde persona pueden comprar cosas. (a grocery store where people can buy things) Es un pequeno tienda para comprar bebidas, dulce, cosas asi. (it is a small store to buy drinks, sweet stuff) Entonces This white guy was in there, speaking Spanish, so we starting talking and he lives in a village cerca de Ojojona- come to find out, el es de Iowa! Small world! So of course we were talking about the Chi and how great it is.. haha fue muy divertido! Todavia es dificial hablar en engles, entonces nostros hablamos en espanol!

So, Thursday and thinking about Thanksgiving... so it doesn’t get much better than celebrating Thanksgiving with rice and beans. LOL!  HAHA but it’s all good though! Good times! Benjamin gave us some good foood! But there is nothing like the promise land- U.S.A!!!! Never take a day for granted! But, I am so grateful to Ben and his family and all the families here who help and support us missionaries. I am very grateful for that this Thanksgiving season.

So we had a baptism this past weekend, it was so great! His name is Brother L and his wife and daughter have been members for years and he wasn’t, but we have spent a lot of time working with him, and he was finally bapitzed!! La esposa era muy emocionado y la hija tambien! His wife and daughter were very excited too) Fue un bueno bueno dia sabado por esta familia! (It was a good good day Saturday for this family). What a great experience to help this man do what was necessary to help him get baptized this past Saturday! It was a wonderful, wonderful day. I was able to give the talk at his baptism and the spirit was so strong. I love this family. I am proud of them and so happy for them.

I really am enjoying my companero! (companion) Si, el es muy differente pero el es muy bueno! (yes, he is very different but very good) He is straight out of the jungles from Peru. Just raised WAY differente de nosotros y haver cosas en differente maneras! (raised different and have different things and different ways) He is always wanting to serve- he’s great! I speak all Spanish with him as he doesn’t know any English. That is a very good thing for me and hopefully I can teach him some English too along the way. We have a lot of fun together and are teaching and working hard together.

So besides the point… I am growing the hair out… we have to keep it clean cut over the ears but the top is getting super long.  I haven’t cut it in a LONG time so for the boys up on the hill, the FC is on point, don’t worry! FC means flow control for all of us that are older and out of touch!!! LOL!

Everyone, enjoy this Christmas season. Serve others and always remember the small things that we have. We are SO SO blessed in the states! We need to thank our Heavenly Father each day for the things that we have! Have a great week and I can’t wait to read your emails next week! All I ask for my birthday is that you all thank our Heavenly Father for all that we have in the states for many people do not have the things we have, our capabilities that make life comfortable. And yes, you can eat a good juicy burger or something for me! I think about you guys all the time and I have much love for each of you. I love you guys a ton! Put your best foot forward, and Aim High in all that you do!

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Long!