Hoy, Small Fry! I don't know where you got your mitts on that Sea Chart you got there... But it looks to me like its pretty much got nothing but seas drawn on it! It's pathetic! In fact, it's almost an insult to call that thing a Sea Chart, if you ask me! What's the matter, small fry? I'm just trying to be nice here! I'm telling you you've got a problem. And you do. Don't give me that stupefied look! It makes you look like you oughta be in diapers!
Okay, fine, my memory isn't that good. I had to Google that quote. (Note from Victor’s mom: We had to look this one up – apparently it is from Zelda…)
But for realz, Hoy Small Fry/Fries!
Life in Olmos is hot, hot, hot!! Way mega hot. Super Mega Ultra Metal Hot. MaloMyotismon. (?? We’re not quite sure what that means.) Really, it's sorta ridiculous. And it's not normal either. People are telling us that by now it should be getting cooler, but this past week has been the hottest it's been by far! Y'know, I was stoked to get my mission call to a hot part of the world, b'cuz, I like the hot! But what I didn't take into account were two things. One, I like the hot when I get to wear shorts and a t-shirt. Not when I get to wear long black pants, and long black socks, and a tucked in button up shirt with a collar and tie that traps all the heat inside with no hope of a breeze ever getting through. And two, I like the hot when I can go inside my house, or any other building, at any time, and be treated to a most delicious dose of beautiful air conditioning. Air condition does not exist here. Only in the mission office, and in the giant institute building in Chiclayo. Oooh boy, I don't like the heat under these conditions. But when I get back home, bring on the heat!! Oh wait I'm going right to Rexburg which is the coldest place in the entire world and will feel 1000000x colder coming directly from Peru.
Anywayz, I did some missionary stuff this week. Like... this one day I read the scriptures. Well, I do that all the time actually. We had a baptism this past week too which was awesome. It was for a brother named Segundo (translated that means "second"... I don't know why, but it's a common name here. Was he the second son or something? The second best looking baby? I dunno.) and he's way cool. Also basically the only one of our investigators that can even be baptized because he's basically the only one who doesn't have Law of Chastity issues. Which is a huge breath of fresh air by the way! So that was way cool. We do have this one other investigator who is way, way awesome. His name is Juan. Everyone's name is Juan. We call him Juan José. Anyway I've barely ever visited with him because during the week he lives in Chiclayo and he only comes to Olmos for the weekends. Elder Lobato started teaching him with his last companion before I got transferred to Olmos, and he told me that at first Juan José had tons of doubts, and had a really hard time believing or accepting anything they would teach. Well, he's come a long way. A really long way considering we never even get to visit him! We got to visit with him on Sunday, and it was only the second time I've ever taught him, and the first time was for like ten minutes. Well, the lesson was way awesome. And not because of what we taught, but because of the things he told us. Without us even bringing up the word "baptism" Juan told us that he wants to be baptized. That's a first for me! He also told us that he wants to be cleaned of sin, and that he wants an eternal marriage. Whoa! He's been dating a member for the past three months and he's changed so much in that period of time, and he's noticed it. None of our investigators even want a regular marriage, and he's not even a member of the Church and he wants a temple marriage! So he's the coolest. He's also way fun to talk to. The other day he said to me "you said you're from Orange, right?" Uhh... I just thought to myself uhh... I don't think I ever said that... I'm pretty sure that I've never once said to anyone in my entire life ever that I'm from Orange, California, although I wouldn't be lying if I did. Nah I definitely told him I'm from Oregon. Well, then I found out that he lived in Los Angeles for three years, so he knows Southern California fairly well, so I guess when I told him I was from Oregon he forgot and his mind automatically went to a name that was similar and something he was more familiar with. Haha, funny coincidence though. I think I confused him when after I found out he lived in LA I told him that actually I was born in Orange. Haha.
Other fun thing this week: Thursday morning we went to Chiclayo because Elder Lobato had to go to a leadership training (he's District Leader... every single one of my comps in the field has been District Leader. Two of my MTC comps were District Leaders too! What is God preparing me for?? Haha) and so while he was at that I went on divisions with two other elders in Chiclayo. Elder Samame who's from Panama, and Elder Martin, who's from Utah. Everyone and their dog is from Utah. Well, they're both way cool guys. Elder Samame just barely started his mission. Elder Martin has one transfer less than me. Which means once again I was the one with the most experience on the splits. That's a weird feeling. But at least Elder Samame was fluent in the language, and Elder Martin was a way good worker too. Got to work in an area of Chiclayo called Santa Victoria, which is one of the richest parts of the city. Possibly the richest? I dunno. So incredibly different than Olmos. And Pacasmayo. So different than anywhere I've been so far. Way cool to experience something new like that. I'll try to describe what the area was like... Basically, take the oldest, ugliest, crappiest part of Eugene, and make it way, way bigger, and maybe throw in a few palm trees here or there. That's what some parts of it were like. Other parts looked like a sketchier version of Newport Beach or something. And then other parts were nothing like anything I've ever seen and can't really compare it to anywhere I know. I kind of made it sound way crappy, but really it was way cool. Well, when Elder Lobato's meeting was over I went back to the institute building, only to find out that I was gonna stay in Chiclayo for the night with Elder Martin because of some not-that-confusing situation that I don't feel like explaining. So that was cool! Minus the fact that I didn't know ahead of time and didn't bring anything to stay overnight. I got to hear some of the General Conference talks with him in his room. He has all the audio. I really liked what I heard. Didn't hear too much though. Elder Eyring's talk on trials was way awesome. Elder Eyring is always one of my favorites. I'll get to watch Conference eventually. They're sending us Conference on DVD to watch here in Olmos. There is probably about a 2% milk chance that they will also send it in English though, so I prob won't get to enjoy it to the fullest. Can you imagine watching a talk by Elder Holland but having his voice dubbed over?? Not the same. At least I'll get to see it in some form. Of course the only General Conference I've ever missed in my entire life just happens to be the 182nd Conference. God won't even let me come close to anything that has to do with blink-182, even if in reality it has nothing to do with them. Haha.
Oh yeah, funny thing! Last week we went to Motupe, and we got in the car at the carport or whatever you'd call it, and we were waiting for the car to fill so we could leave, and this old man gets in the car next to us. He looks for one of the employees at the carport and says to him "Gordito! How long is the trip to Motupe?" Calling him "gordito" honestly is just calling him "fat." The "-ito" ending makes it more endearing and friendly, but still, if you translate it directly into English the translation would be "Hey fat guy! How long is this trip?" Or "Hey fatty!" Haha. Not rude or offensive in any way here. Just funny to me because it doesn't translate well into English. Basically the old man reminded me exactly of how I talk to my siblings all the time. Especially to my fat sisters! Lolz. I miss you guys. But you're fat!
Funny Victor's Life Trivia: Today marks the one-year anniversary of the last date I ever went on. LOLOL. Wow that's weird though. I don't even remember what girls are! I don't normally remember exact dates like today like that, but what I do usually remember is dates of concerts I've been too. For example, the first concert I ever went too was to see Angels & Airwaves on December 6th, 2006 in Eugene. The second concert was also to see Angels on March 7th, 2008. All Time Low came later that year on November 6th. I saw blink-182 on 09.09.09, which is also the day the hit movie I never saw "9" came out. I saw Dashboard Confessional in New York on March 26th, 2010, and I the last concert I went to before my mish was blink-182 again on September 1st of last year. Haha. That's just some. Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of when I went to see Yellowcard in Portland with my best pal Reyn Hiroshi. April 17th. The day before that I went on my last date with a girl I didn’t know in Washington, with my other best pal Aaron Hunter. Mark it on your calendars for next year: April 16th: Two years without girls! Haha. That really is a super weird thought for me. The year has gone by pretty quick. The mission is speeding up faster and faster. My first transfer felt like two years. I feel like I should have already been done with my mission because of how slow it went. But my second transfer flew by, my third went even faster, and this one is going crazy fast as well. I feel like I just barely talked to you guys on the phone not that long ago, and now I'm less than a month away from calling you again. So weird! Before I know it I'll be back at home drinking infinity cans of Mountain Dew and watching The Emperor's New Groove 24/7!!!
Anyway, when I start talking about girls in my e-mails that's probably a pretty good sign that I've run out of things to say for now. You guys are my favorites. Never ever ever stop being so radical! I miss you all, including my fat siblings. Chao!
-Elder Victor Paul
No comments:
Post a Comment