One day I hope to be a loving husband

Another day in paradise!!!

My companion and I have been working super hard this week and we had another baptism.

WHQAHAHJAHAHAHAHSALKJLHJLKSJLSKLSKHKLSHSKH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well everything is really great this week.  We have been having a lot of rain but not a ton just a little bit every day. This week was carnival here in Iquitos. I don’t remember if you guys remember but this last year I was here in Iquitos the exact same time. Which means this was my second Carnival. Carnival is a really big party with water and mud that everyone plays at the same time about 4:00 in the afternoon. It’s a lot of fun…. if you aren’t a missionary. We can’t play in the games that they play because we have to work 1 and 2 I don’t want my white shirts to get stained. I did have a lot of fun seeing other people take water balloons to the head and large mud clogs to the back and all other horrible water fight activities that you can think of. The little kids run around super dirty throwing water balloons at grandmas and grandpa and then the grandmas and grandpa fill water tubs and dump them on the little kids’ heads. I think if you guys saw all of the things happen, you would be shocked. It was kind of like pure chaos in the street… little kids crying and running and laughing, fully grown people throwing water balloons at passing motorcycles, and dancing around large poles that they erect for the day. They have a strange tradition here in Iquitos, well not just here but in all of Peru, they cut down a palm tree and then using the leaves they braid them in a way that after they can tie them down in a circle. Then they place lots of little goodies and Tupperware of food and other stuff like that and tie it to the tree. In the morning of Carnival they lift it up and then they dance around it all day long playing music and drinking. Then at night they bring it down… almost like a giant piñata, and all of the little kids and the moms and dads of the entire neighborhood try to get something from the tree. It’s really crazy because all of the adult are drunk and they are pushing and shoving, well in other wards there are lots of accidents.

We had another baptism this week. That was way fun. Her name is Melissa.  She is the daughter of a less active lady that just got reactivated and we baptized her daughter. It has been nice to teach her because she never really had any problem accepting the gospel. She had read a little of the book of Mormon and when her mom was receiving the lessons from the other missionaries she was always there to listen… just the missionaries never took advantage of the situation to talk to her and help her too. SO WE DID!!!

Well the cooking goes great. I have yet to get my package… but that’s ok no worries it will come when it comes. I think I haven’t gotten it yet because the office is a little bit slow in getting us packages here in the jungle, because they only come here once a month. I don’t know but I think that maybe I will get it in March. Ohhhhhh I have wanted to tell you this for ages but I keep forgetting but now I remembered. I GOT THE FAMOUS DAVES BBQ sauce. I ate it all up and I loved every spicy explosion that I made with it. I almost cryed when it first entered my mouth because my tongue almost couldn’t handle so much AMERICA in one bottle. THANKYOU, I love that you send me packages it makes me feel really loved from you guys at home, and I have loved everything that you have sent me…. But this was THE BEST THING OUT OF ALL. I loved cooking with it. We made burritos and sandwiches and eggs and really anything that I could eat it with. Thank you for being THE BEST.

Well this week I did learn a lot about what it means to be humble. I have been trying to apply the things that I have been learning here on my mission in my life so that I can someday come home as a better person. I think that what I learned this week about being humble is that the best way to show someone else that you care for them and that you want the best for them is to communicate it. Sometimes we let little flaws that we find in others add up and add up and we don’t say anything about it. Then when we finally explode a whole mess of dirty things come out. If we could just talk about the problems face to face dropping our pride, we can progress spiritually, and we can have a lasting relationship. Sometimes I feel like what I learn here between my companion and I are things that I need to apply with my future wife. I guess I am just thankful that I have been able to identify some of these learning experiences and that I have been able to find solutions. One day I hope to be a loving husband. I know that sounds really cheesy and fruity but I know that all things are possible with a little practice and a lot of help from God.

LOVE YA AND MISS YA

ELDER HARRIS