1 Wedding, 2 Baptisms and 3 Months

This week was a good week. And it went by pretty fast. I'd like first to give those of you who do not know about bucket showers, a brief explanation. First, remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It's like that, but with slightly warmer water. You have a 40 gallon bucket that holds all of the water. And a bowl. After about 3-4 bowls of water on your head. You use the shampoo and body wash. Then just dump water on your head till you are suds free. It's good times!

On Saturday, we helped the ward mission leader with some service in his back yard. We needed to dig a 2 ft deep trench for a pipe. So we used this 20lb pole with a spike on the end to loosen the dirt. Then we shoveled it out. (With the pole, we just smashed the end into the earth) It was hard work. Nothing like I've seen before.

Like the heading indicates, I made it to 3 months in the mission on Thursday! Livin' large here in Nicaragua! (Cuz you know, everyone here is short) ;)

We worked really hard to prepare Roberto and Erica for their baptisms Saturday. We went over everyday to finish the teaching. They had to get married first before they could get baptized. So on Saturday at 2 pm they got married. The lawyer was the worst lawyer I have seen in my life. He just literally rode into their yard and sat down and asked for water! He was a weird dude! But they got married in front of about 8 people. (us included) But it was good.

But after the wedding we all piled into the back of a pickup truck. Cuz tha'ts legal here!!! And headed off to their baptisms at 4 pm. I baptized Roberto and Elder Sanchez Baptized Erica. They were really excited. Roberto was kind of a miracle because he had been receiving the missionaries for over 10 years! And he had about 5 sets of missionaries before us. And after the baptism, we went back to their house and ate cake and drank BIG cola. (Nicaraguan Cola)

We are also lucky to be teaching Cristian. He is the boyfriend of one of the members. He was set to be baptized the 15th of October, but asked to be moved to the 8th! So I guess he's excited! And we still have Guadelupe who is now set for the 22nd of October.

Well, that's about it for this week in Nicaragua. And I have pics!

Stay Frosty!

Roberto and Erica Right Before the Baptism

Roberto and Erica Right After the Wedding

Me "eating" the rabbit at a member's house

My shoes after 1 day in the mud. I cleaned and shined them that morning

BAND NAME!!! Spanish Sleep Talking

I came up with that name, when Elder Sanchez told me that sometimes I talk in my sleep. And sometimes it is in Spanish. I guess my brain is thinking in Spanish while I'm sleeping.

My eating habits have improved considerably here in Nicaragua. The other day, we were at a member's house for dinner. They gave us a fish. Skin, skeleton, eyes, head, everything! And I managed to eat all of the meat on the fish. I didn't eat the eyes though. But it was actually pretty good. And before, I couldn't eat a banana to save my life. But now, I can eat them just fine most of the time. Fried, normal, frozen. All sorts. Yesterday, I had a choco-banano. It is a frozen banana dipped in chocolate. People love them here.

On Thursday, it was a member's birthday. And here, that means that you smash eggs on their head, All of their friends came over for a party. All of them, and us, got eggs and smashed them on her head. It was pretty funny. I'm just worried for my birthday now!

Nobody here know what Ultimate Frisbee is. When they ask me what I played back home, I say frisbee. But, nobody knows what it is. I'll have to have a clinic one day. And the only payment is that you go to church and get baptized ;)

We went to this other part of our area about 20 mins away walking on Wednesday. We found a few families that may be good for teaching. But we just have to follow up on them. And for baptisms, we hope to have Roberto and Erica married and baptized this week. If not this week, the next one. The same thing with Guadelupe. So hopefully some baptisms in the next few weeks. And we have a dude that wants to be baptized, we just need to teach him.

So that's my life here in the Jungle. Till next week. Nos Vemos.

 

-Elder Taylor

Transfer Deadline 1

After much deliberation, and much time and thought. The mission president has come to a conclusion about my future in the mission. Do I stay or do I go to a new area? Well long story short... Im stay in here in Cuidadela for another transfer and Elder Sanchez will still be my companion. So no changes this time.

On Wednesday this week I woke up feeling really crappy! Headache, fever, stomach ache, the works. So I took a cold "Shower" and then went back to bed for an hour. After that, I felt much better. It was really weird. I was only sick for about 3 hours. And I still feel fine today.

I found out that they sell Oreos here in the little stores. So I got some. But I'm with the Canadians. That American Oreos are just better. These just lacked something that I cant put my finger on. I miss American food. I'm gonna be really fat after a few weeks at home.

On Thursday nights here, we go to the chapel and have what we call "Noche De Hermanamiento" or Night of Friendship. It's kind of like mutual, but for the whole ward. After the lesson that we had, we played this game where you have to run around a group of people while holding hands with another person. Think: Duck duck goose on steroids. When I was running with Elder Paz, the floor was slippery, and I wiped out! It was pretty funny. People are still giving me grief about it.

On Sunday, we had Stake Conference. The whole ward went to the church, and we got on a private bus to go to Waz Pan in Managua. Every ward had a bus there. So there were like 7 buses chillin at the church in Waz Pan. Our Mission President Poncio was there. And he gave a talk, and had all of the missionaries stand up. It was good to see all of the missionaries.

That night there was a Nicaraguan boxer fighting. Every house in the neighborhood had, their TVs on to watch the fight. When something interesting happened you knew it. And when he eventually won the fight, the city went crazy! Fireworks and everything!

We ended up not having Roberto's baptism this week, because his "Ex wife" is actually his girlfriend and they are now living together. So now we have two families waiting on marriage. Hopefully progress this week on those.

No pics this week, cuz my camera is having problems. Hopefully next week.

Stay frosty America!

-Elder Taylor

False... Black Bear!

The truth is that not much happened this week. To start out the week, we had only 1 progressing investigator. And only one person with a baptismal date. So we had to work hard!

Guadelupe is the investigator with the baptism date. Well kind of, she just has to get married. And for that to happen she has to get legal documents and that is hard to do here in Nicaragua. But she will be baptized once that happens.

And Roberto, he finally started getting committed this week. His baptism date was set for the 27th of August, but we had to wait for him to go to church. He went yesterday so he will be baptized on Saturday! And his ex-wife is now meeting with us, so there is a chance there as well.

On Wednesday we had zone conference. We went to the local bakery and got this giant bread thing that tasted like Pineapple. It was really good. And it only cost 8 Cordoba! (24 cents). At the conference the Stake President showed up and roasted everyone on their church attendance... But we also found out that our zone was the best producing zone in the mission!

On Thursday, I bought a new backpack. My normal backpack just isn't big enough to hold the things that I need if I go on exchanges or things like that. It is really nice. It cost 700 Cordoba.($25)

And for P-day today, we went to the hill/mountain of San Benito. We found out that there was a little museum there as well. And while we were taking pictures and looking around. The news showed up and tried to interview us on the political race in Nicaragua. But they also took videos of us. So we are probably going to be on the News tonight. But after that we went up the mountain and has a good time.

That's all I've got for this week. But later this week we have Stake Conference and then Monday is my first transfer in the mission. I'll let y'all know all about it!

-- 

-Elder Taylor

We also climbed a "Mountain" this was the view at the top. And then there was the valley behind the view

A common street in Nicaragua (This one is a bit cleaner though)

Me in front of the seal of Nicaragua, at this monument we went to today

Me at the museum. (Bad pic because, it was dark and we couldn't use flash)

Jump Rope and Spider Hunting

The reason that I titled this email that name, Is because that is what we did for pday today.(Pics to come)

This week we had a lot of meetings. On Tuesday we took an hour and a half bus ride to Villa Flor. It was for all of the new missionaries that came in this transfer and the last transfer. I was good to see Elder Perry again. I haven't seen him since the first day. Apparently, he got a worm in his belly and got really sick last week. But seems to be doing all right now. 

On Wednesday, we had a multi-zone conference an hour away in (can't remember). But that was good. On both days they fed us lunch which was really really good. Pizza Hut, and a really good Mexican restaurant.

On Wednesday we had district meeting. It was just the usual one that we have every week. But later that day, we went to the lady that cleans our clothes house and witnessed the killing of their choncho (pig) (the same pig that I sent a pic home before) I watched them shave it with machetes and boiling water. Then they gutted it and we ate it the next day when the member's niece came home. Definitely the craziest thing so far on the mission,

A couple side notes

1. I finally had my first slice of tomato on Thursday. They don't use them very much here

2. There is this dog that follows us around everywhere named Mufasa. He is really crazy. He goes to church about every week. (More than some of the members...)

On Saturday we went to the Baptism of Blanca. She was super pilas (excited) to be baptized, even though the picture doesn't show that. We had 5 baptisms all at the same time. There was this one 9 year old kid who is as tall as my hip! But it was cool. We don't have a baptism this week. But we hope to soon. We are just waiting on birth certificates for marriage. Our other investigators are falling through.

Last thing, here I am a giant. There has only been one native taller than me that I've seen in Nicaragua. Its pretty cool!

Stay in school, 

-Elder Taylor

Blanca's Baptism

MTC Companionship Reunion - Elders Perry, Walker & Taylor

WARNING THESE PICTURES ARE NOT FOR THE FAINT IN HEART

We poured water down its hole/nest to bring it to the top, and then knocked it out with a stick. It was pretty big. Nothing like we have in Utah

The Pig

2 Down 22 to Go!

I have been a missionary for 2 months now exactly. And 3 weeks in Nicaragua. And im halfway through my first transfer!

Here in Nicaragua, the sun rises at about 5 o'clock every morning. And that wakes the dogs and the roosters up. So every morning around 5 I wake up for a moment to barking and roosters. The good thing is that I can fall right back asleep. But roosters really do wake you up. Not just on farms!

On Wednesday I went on spits with an Elder Estrada to Tipitapa. They live in a small apartment that is a fourth of the size of my house. But Tipitapa has cement streets.So it is a lot cleaner to walk around in. While on splits we went to this family's house and we committed their son to baptism.

Speaking of baptisms. Geovany was baptized on Saturday. And I got to do the ordinance. I messed up his name the first time. (Names are long here.) And I had a hard time getting the hands right. But we got it done! And he was confirmed yesterday in Sacrament Meeting.

I tried another new fruit this week. It looks like an apple from the outside, but inside is really sour seeds that look like boogers. They are tasty though. 

Other than that not much happened here. We are still trying to get more people to teach. We only have 1 baptism this week instead of 3. Roberto and Luis need to attend church 1 more time to be baptized. But Blanca is still on track!

Peace out, talk to you next week

 

-Elder Taylor

Geovany's Baptism

A cockroach that we threw into a spider web

The sour fruit that looks like boogers

A field that is in the outlandish part of our area

When it Rains, it Pours

That is all too true here in Nicaragua. When the rain starts, it starts hard. It is weird, because the houses and churches have tin roofs. So when the rain is falling you can't hear anything. And since most of the streets are dirt, when it rains, the streets turn to mud. And it rained 4 days this week!

Yesterday for church I went on splits with Elder Martinez to a nearby city called Cristo Rey. The ward building is just a house made up of 2 bedrooms with the wall broken down between them. There was only 1 light and 1 fan in the very hot building. And they used the 25 chairs there so we stood in the back for sacrament meeting. But the good thing is that I saw one of our investigators there. During the 3rd hour, the rain was so hard that we just stopped church and went home because we couldn't hear.

On Saturday, we went to a baptism that the other elders had. And on the way back we were squished onto a bus with about 70 people. We were all so crowded!

I also tried 2 new fruits on Saturday. One is a red fruit that you break open and eat the white insides and the other is this purple plant that tasted like lemonade.

Speaking of fruit. We have a mango tree above our house. And every once in a while, the mangoes will fall on our metal roof and make a HUGE BANG!!! It is really startling sometimes. And the other day, we went to lady that makes us lunch everyday. She put out this cheese that is really nasty. It was in the shape of bread, so I took a huge bit and almost lost my lunch that I had just eaten!

There is this one guy that really likes North Americans. (White People) He came up to me and just gave me a really long and awkward hug. But hey, its better than those people who like to yell Gringo at me all the time!

This Saturday is the baptism of Geovany. And I might get to baptize him! Ill let you know. With 3 more next week.

That's all folks,

Stay in school!

-Elder Taylor

Me chillin' in a hammock in our house

Riding to an appointment in a bike car

How we drink Coke here in Nicaragua

Today at a water balloon fight for P-day

Piñata from today as well