Merry Christmas

Well..... so pretty much we are totally going to have a baptism of a family and I'm pumped - like super duper pumped! I haven't experienced a chapin Christmas yet but I'm sure I will in just a little bit. I will eat tons and tons and tons of tamales - of all sorts of goodness. I'm excited for this!

San Isidro is starting to get a little boring. There aren't any more secrets I guess. I've seen all of it so far - kind of. It doesn't have any more little hidden places but I should leave in 3 weeks. I have heard a rumor that I might be training. Holy crap that's a total nightmare. I can speak Spanish roughly but I can't fluently. Like I can get along but I still I don´t think I'm ready for anything like that yet ... but if it happens I'll do it.

Holy cow I love Monday because I can write in English and it is so nice to speak English sometimes. A lot of the time I come home from the day ready to sleep because I'm so drained mentally. Its all good because I always come home happy and that's good enough for me. This week I have thought a lot about family and home and how awesome families are. I've thought about every single one of you guys this week and everything you have taught me. You are all an incredible blessing to me in my life, especially now. All of you taught me something that is helping me become a better missionary. I was reading the Liahona in.... ESPAÑOL AND ENGLISH, because when I have no idea what its saying I make sure I can. But it had some great messages and there was one called" Because of Families" and it said because of families we receive some of our greatest blessings. I know one of them is to be sealed in the temple. That is in my opinion, one of the greatest gifts God has ever given us. We have to ability to be with those we love for all time and eternity.

I shall call tomorrow in the night supposedly around 8:00. The way they do it here is weird. It's just called "find a phone and call." I found a phone that, supposedly, has a lot of time for calling the
states. If not, you guys just need to call the number back. I'll call your phone I think, mom. I'm super excited but no one can cry, please. I hate it when people cry. I feel all weird and stuff.

My companion is super bomb. Did you know that Kaden and JJ are companions in the MTC? I wish I could have had that. Ky and I still keep in touch. I love that kid so much! When I get home I'm gonna ask his mom if I can go to pick him up.

I'm happy and it doesn't even feel like Christmas here because there is no snow or pine trees. Everything is always super green. Next week I'll have pictures. I forgot my camera today.I am so glad I'm serving a mission even though its Christmas but FELIZ NAVIDAD everyone have a good Christmas!!!!!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant!

Still in San Isidro

I had changes and am still in San Isidro but that's okay because it's a good place to grow. It's hard but it will make me a better missionary. The hardest part is it's slow and once again we are out of electricity. That is super fun... Well, I got macheted (chewed out) last night by the zone leaders. That was fun, too. Anyways, my new companions name is Elder Apaza. He is from Boilivia. Our views on government are a little different but that's okay because he is a stud and has a great view on the work. He is a great change to have. Without light, I guess that our area is dangerous but I don't believe it at all. So, we are just going to keep working because I really don't want to have another slow week and receive a macheteing again. We are going to baptize every week. This month's goal for the mission is to baptize 300 people. That's a ton of people and an awesome and totally real goal. So we can totally kick butt. Well, today I'm sad because my convert was super drunk. But on the good news side, we are starting to find people.

Sorry I'm always super scatterbrained. Sometimes it's really hard to focus with all that is going on. It still doesn't feel like Christmas but that is okay because we are going to Xetulu (an amusement park near Reu) for CHRISTMAS as a MISSION!!!

I have some flutes. Those are going to be really fun to figure out how to play. This place is wonderful and just awesome! Here are some answers to your questions. I pay a lady, who is not a member, for my laundry and that is really fun because sometimes she loses thing for like ever. hahaha Oh well. The weirdest thing I have eaten - you had better put this one on the blog - is ...Testicles of bulls and...wait for it....male goats!!!! I can pretty much only buy tortillas and nasty meat in my area. In Malacatan we can buy anything because there is a mall-ish thing. We eat with members every day. My Spanish is coming along just fine. I want to be fluent though. I've only been speaking for like two month. So, esta bien! The food here is SUPER unhealthy. Everything is OIL, OIL, OIL. My heart is filled with sludge now I guess. I hate Caldos. They are gross. It's just water and oil, and some meat.

I found a giant spider the size of my hand and it was black so that's already a bad sign, but it gets scarier! (Kinda like finding a hollow marshmallow) So, I got all manly and brave and stuff and pulled out my camera to take a picture and (did I mention we were on the river?) It FREAKING RAN ACROSS THE WATER!!!! Yes you read that right. It runs across water. That terrified me! I was petrified. Well not really but I ran away, high stepping it up to keep it from getting me. AHHHH!!!! I honestly questioned why God would have created something like that.

I want to thank you all for everything you have done for me. I know that without your examples I wouldn't be out here serving. I'm super thankful for this Gospel, too, because sometimes when you're out here and you can't see your family it gets hard but I know that we are going to be together forever as long as we do what's right. So, DO WHAT IS RIGHT!!!! It will be pretty bomb to live with you guys forever because we are pretty much a party.

I love the heck out of all of you and miss you tons!

Con Amor,
Elder Grant

A Spanish Dream!

I have GREAT news!I had a dream in all Spanish. That's awesome because I understood it all. That was a super bomb! I was way pumped with that. I got the Christmas package. WAHOOO!! Sorry Mom. I opened stuff. We had a party so I ate Nutella a little and I'm saving the rest for the ride to the change meeting. I also opened the t-shirt and man that thing is sick. Grandma, thanks for the decorations. I gave all but one out to some of my favorite families because well I just love everyone here. It's so great. And they all love them. I've got some Boise State fans down here now.

Christmas Display

A little bit of Christmas decorating

Tell Amber and Patti "Hi". I love those two. I'm super pumped for everyone getting their calls and getting ready to go especially Kaden and JJ. They go into the MTC on the same day. Crazy!!! I received an email from Lag today and he talked about how Kenna kicks butt - she is a very good young lady and smart and intelligentand hardworking.  I also got an email from Grandpa Erikson today that was unexpected and an amazing surprise. I love him tons. I just love everyone tons.

(I have a super big headache right now. I'm surrounded by a bunch of little kids that are playing computer games and screaming like crazy. AHHHH) Tonight I'll figure out if I leave or not. Weird experience of last night. So around 11 last night we got a phone call and my comp answered. It was some girl asking for me so I was like, "uh oh. This is not good." Just turns out President's daughter was calling missionaries she thinks are funny to talk to because she was bored. (Holy cow I'm about ready to kill these little punks! hahaha) It took me forever to fall back to lseep, like always. Oh well. I can function off of very little sleep anyways.

Beautiful country

I'm happy and healthy. I was sick a few days ago but refuse to stay in for being sick. I don't care if it kills me. Because the world is going to end in 18 days anyways. hahaha I just got done playing soccer today in a huge field in my area and it was sweet.

I'll explain the pictures of this week. First of all the ugly building...well that's the church thing that you can find on Google. It's called the Strong Tower Church. The church names here are freaking ridiculous and it's hilarious. There is also the Rains of Power Church and others like that. Stores have funny names, too, like the Little Store of Blessing.

I can't think too straight right now. I got this headache from playing soccer all morning and not drinking enough water. Like always, I pretty much stunk but I always have fun. When you look to have fun, life is so much more enjoyable. Like the mission. I actually scored a goal today. Then I made sure to do a flip/Tebow thing and then do the worm. I scored on a Latino and I am about as hardcore gringo as they come. It was great. Good thing I get money today so we can buy more water.

Strong Tower Church that you see on Google

We are still not having a whole lot of success right now but I have fun everyday. I always try to make people smile. I love smiles. They are so wonderful. Nothing in the world is like seeing someone smile, especially if they looked sad before. We found some awesome newbies this week and hopefully everything goes well with them. Well, my hour is almost up and I'm ready to leave. These little kids are sooooo loud. Love you all!!!

Con Amor,
Elder Grant