So, one pair of shoes is unrepairable because we walk everywhere and the streets
are really bad. It would cost more money for me to repair my shoes than it would to
just buy a new pair. I think that is really funny. But you can buy shoes here for 15
dollars like the ones we paid over 100 dollars for in the states, so I am not too worried
about it. The exchange rate on pesos to dollars is 12:1. When I grow up, I want to live
so close to the border that I can cross it in order to buy things, but work in the US.
Does that not sound fabulous?
Also, basically the only way you can use credit cards here is to withdraw money
from ATMs. Everybody wants cash.
This week was great. We had intercambios, which I do not know the word for in
English. Basically, 2 elders switch places for a day. [Editorial parent note: we call
those “exchanges”.] Elder H and Elder B switched. Elder N is a really fun guy, and
what that meant was I was in charge of the area for a day, with some help from
Elder N, the district leader. He has 4 months left in the mission, and while I was
talking to him I discovered that he started playing video games when he was two
and his plans for after the mission are work so that he can buy all the video games
--ALL the video games--and attend classes at the community college. He told me
he can remember blowing over 800 dollars in a single night back when he was
working to buy video games. The stories he told me were rather amazing.
So, our investigators who moved, Oscar and Alejandra, came to our church this
week. And they want us to continue teaching them. They are progressing rapidly,
and Oscar knows the Book Of Mormon is true. Elder H asked for permission from
the Mission President (extenuating circumstances and all), and we were given it.
This did not go over too well with the elders whose area they are now in and with
the zone leaders. To make a very long story short, problems are occurring. I have
also had the opportunity to observe some of the other elders, as well as the
opportunity to sit my companion down and have a heart to heart, or man to man,
or whatever you want to call it talk. Sure, he is not perfect, and neither am I. But
you know what? What I have seen from some of the other elders is more outside
of the boundaries set in the white handbook, and we are actually friends now
better than most.
It is really strange speaking a different language, because I will learn something in
Spanish and forget it in English; sometimes I will then forget it in Spanish as well. I
remember when I had to translate everything from English to Spanish in my head
before saying it. I am now doing the same thing, but I will say something, and then
afterward I will translate it into English. I find myself thinking in Spanish first. A lot.
Apparently, you are supposed to dream in Spanish at some point, but I can never
remember what or how things were said in my dreams. Oh well. The thinking is
enough for me.
I discovered my two new favorite things. The first is tianges. They are the equivalent
of a flea market but so much better. Every city here has at least one. I am lucky
because my area has two. You can buy almost anything there. And, at the most,
it will be around half of the price it would be in the states. Needless to say, I enjoy
them. There are stalls for everything. I found a limited edition Nintendo 64, the
Pokémon snap version, selling for 50 dollars. There are things here that you cannot
buy in the states, and they are dirt cheap to boot. My other new favorite thing is
collecting these little objects that come in Sabritones products. They have a picture,
and they will say something like 54/150 classic. There are a bunch of different types,
and you can find them in the street because people want the food, not the little
collectible. I do not know how many I have, but it is a lot.
SO, salsa and peppers are great. They make basically everything better--except
for Ice Cream. Never put them in Ice Cream.
I quite like that dad cried during Meet the Mormons like a sad middle aged man.
I found that very funny.
I got a free coca cola with my name on it. It is really too bad I can’t stand the flavor.
Everyone drinks it here. It is cheaper than beer, which is cheaper than water. You
can buy a 3 liter bottle for 75 cents. (9 pesos)
The pizza place, we only go there on special occasions because it is kind of
expensive, at 95 pesos (8 dollars).
Oh, also, many of the members changed what they feed us due to them knowing
me (woohoo!) The regular diet here is tortillas and meat and peppers. Well, I like
veggies, and I told one person. Now, whenever we eat with members, they usually
serve us veggies (yay). I still cannot eat nearly as much as my comp. But, I ate two
sandwiches the other day (each one had 4 chicken breasts in it, ugh) successfully.
I really do love it here.
With love, warm thoughts, and missionary excitement,
Elder Scott
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