October 11, 2010 Maronas, Libya with Elder Bracho

Hey all,,,

I WILL just get started on the details of my new assignment so i can fit it all in. I'm now with Elder Bracho. Contrary to popular belief, I am still the junior companion, but...that doesn't bother me at all, because Bracho is a really good missionary and the president knows him really well. This area has made him have to work hard too. The members help a ton. They always want to work. Most elders here think that if you're in an area with really good members, it's easier. Not true. It's harder, because they demand more of you, but it's worth it because there are results. It's like the members want their ward to WIN against all the others. We almost always have a member accompanying us or we're on divisions with members or something. I'm not sure how I'll get used to it. I really like the area and my comp, but...I dunno. I'm not used to a big, active ward...in Uruguay. It sorta reminds me of a small Utah ward...if I had to be a missionary in our ward at home, I wouldn't like it at all, so I dunno. At least we never have to teach a class or give talks All of the main callings are filled. There's a Ward Mission Leader that works really hard. There have been a lot of baptisms in this area in the past because the members want them so bad. YOU never see that down here from what I hear. It's just weird that it's a little bit like BACK in the states.

Companion: Yes, he's been here for 3 changes...since he got here. He's doing his fourth change here, so just like me in 33, but a change behind. The area is huge, so he's not sick of knocking the same doors like I was in 33.

House: Really small. The smallest in the mission says my companion. Nice enough though. The owner is an old lady that basically cleans the house for us, which reminds me a lot of dad's mission. We're about to make the house bigger apparently. Hna. Da Silva got mad when she found out we lived in such a small house, so we're making it bigger so we don't have to move.

Montevideo(department) = Salt Lake County, Montevideo (city) = Salt Lake City, Maroñas(not sure if it's a city. the department is all one big city, so it's hard to tell. I think it's a city) = Sandy, Maroñas (Stake) = Willow Creek Stake, Libia(ward) = Willow Creek 7th ward.

So yeah. Here I am, a country boy from Treinta y Tres, in Montevideo, the biggest city in Uruguay. So far...I prefer the country. Treinta y Tres was actually like if you took Draper and put it out in the middle of nowhere. I really loved it. I'm still trying to adjust to here, but I'm sure it will come fast. I'm here with Elder Colvin and Elder Hofeling from 33, so that's kinda nice.

Alright, I'm gonna get going. Hope everything keeps going well for you. Hope you enjoy your winter. Hope you remember me Down here dying from the heat this summer. It hasn't happened quite yet, but I can feel the heat-death coming. Oh well. I only get to have 2 burning missionary summers and here comes the first one. Enjoy it while I can. I'm realizing now more and more that I don't have any time to waste on the mission. It's short. This week I hit the 1/3 mark. I only get to do what I've done 2 more times. J.ust know that I love you and you're in my p.rayers always.