In the groove now

so I feel like I just was here! Wow so fast. I feel like I just left the airport. Boy how much more confident I feel however.

I always forget what I have already said in these letters, sorry if I repeat anything ever.

so I see it is snowing! I miss snow. I wanna go sledding. Oh good times. I remember all my extreme sledding injuries. Oh those were the days.

more packages!! Yay! I like those. They make me happy.

I am talking to Noah a touch more now, he had told me stuff about it. Its fun to talk to him super shortly.

Its fun to here about all these things! jackie getting home.. crazy sauce. cassi in china? wow. Thats super cool, I can't wait to see the list of the missions of people. How is casey doing on his mission stuff?

so the guy who had ants crawl on his feet is named vidal. super cool guy. We asked him what is the book of mormon? he said, True! haha he just has a problem getting to church. But he knows so much, he has read more in the Book of mormon than most of the members here.

laurie clark, happy birthday this week, I am sorry I forgot what day exactly, but I am pretty sure its this week.

I got a letter from one rachel sandorf this week! If this one rachel sandorf would kindly email me we could talk much more easily. Thanks Rach!

mom, in my bucket of stuff in the bottom I belief I have my prayer rug from forever ago. The next time you send something, could you send that? That'd be lovely. I would love that.

my comp is a convert since 10, but really he says he was a punk and not active good member til 18. he is 20 now, a year into his mission. He is from a more rich part of columbia, I think his family is quite wealthy actually. I havent seen his letters or packages if he has gotten them. His fam are all members I think.

I will send pictures slowly, I gotta do it in order so I don't miss any I wanted to send. I am slowly catching up. I have taken pics of the apartment and stuff, but I havent sent them. also, we don't take cameras out proselyting cuz well, a tall well dressed american with a camera is a big target for people who lack sufficient funds.

so to tell you all how it is here, I will be quite plain and clear. It has been the hardest 5 weeks of my life. But I have grown so much more confident. I know the lord works for the best, and sometimes I feel like I am being put through the ringer. But hey, I have a ways to go right? Insert winky face here.

The truth is, most of the stress relief I had at home isn't here. I have had to learn new ways. I can't go talk to alex, I can't shoot hoops with mckay, I can't sit and play guitar, I can't listen to kevins comedianisms, I can't text friends, I can't even just stop to rest in my bed most of the time. That is the hardest part about out here. learning new ways of relieving stress. like working harder. Oh the faith that I lack still sometimes. my God knows me. He knows my lazy tendencies. It's for the best. 

come what may, and love it.

Whats it like at home without me? less stress? are you saving tons of money on cheesesticks and pretzals and frosting?

may I touch on the subject of the incredible strength of my mother.

let me just say, that I have not seen a stronger woman in the world than my mother. When she got called to be the Relief society Pres and then a few weeks later got diagnosed with cancer, I wasn't sure how she was going to take it. When surgeries followed and she couldn't do very much for a while, she still made cards for the people who gave us food and snacks and treats. she still talked to sis mckenzie and helped her. she came to soccer games, climbed hills, all these things she did to support her family and friends when really she was the one who needed the support. along with other experiences that she has been through with different things, I am so proud of my mom. she is an incredible woman. sorry mom, I am sure you cannot read this far because your vision is going blurry, if I know you at all. my mom really is my hero. I never really have had a hero until now, but I look back and see all that she and so many other people have done for me and I am just incredibly grateful. 

You all are the reason I am here. You helped me to get here. Now I am here and I get to do the same for others. What a blessing it is.

sidenote, whats Bishop salmons email? thanks.

Ok, back to life in Paraguay.

dogs. there are like 5 per household. crazy. they breed like no other.

I created an Excel sheet for references the other day. Who knew computer tech would come in handy?

modesty is a huge issue here. The men don't wear shirts a lot, the women really arent modest either. You can tell who the mormons are in the street.

can you send some magic korean no itch stuff? Is there any? Idk thatd be grand.

a lot of times there is juice that people handmake. The problem is there is always pulp. and its hard for me to drink stuff with pulp. They also all share cups. Exciting.

The other day we ate undercooked scones essentially. and yall know how much I get sick with scones. so I tried to down it with juice, which tasted like cough syrup. That was not a happy day. we went home and ate something else.

fail of justin beiber in paraguay, he comes out for a concert and says, hola uruguay! People hate him now.

I heard the jonas brothers the other day! that was fun.

people here legitly play volleyball without hands. super cool.

my companion does P90x in the mornings, and it always reminds me of the Byutv studio c sketch about it. Haha I hate it, but I love it! seriously, he says that.

There is a soccer rivalry here, cerro and olimpia, they played yesterday and tied. no one is happy. but hey, no revolts or loud cheers last night.

saturday was a long day. We took this kid marcello who we haven't taught him anything, but he wanted to come with us to teach, so we brought him along! We walked all afternoon, probably 10 miles, and we couldn't find anyone to teach, all the appointments fell through, poor kid probably didn't know what he had gotten himself into. But hey he came to chruch this sunday!! I wasn't expecting that. He is a stud. He is gonna be my first baptism, I know it.

 

Well I will end with a good quote that I thought of a while ago

"Some things in life are so sweet that they change our perception of sweet altogether."  me!

love you all. Thanks for the support. You all are the reason I am here, and more. keep up the work.

With all the love my imperfect heart can muster, 

Elder Jake

 

 I thought that this selfy was shweet. me and templo buenos aires!

 

This is the other district in the ccm.         right to left, going on top

Elders white, boyer, dye (best missionary ever), bronson, teloma, ricci behind, I can't remember the names of the two shorter elders to the left, we called them timon and pumba. I will look that up later. The hermanas from left to right, dolan, buss, hunt. hma hunt is in my district now.