Monday, January 30, 2012

1-30-12

Dear Family,

This week was good.  It turned out quite a bit different that we had planned.  We all thought we would have zone conference and we didn`t.  But, the pres. did come down for a stake conference.  I turned out to be really interesting...

I think I have probably mentioned before that the leaders here in Pasto aren`t the kindest.  Well mostly just in my ward.  The   They actively exercise injusto dominio (look that up... I don`t remember that word).  They just want to control everything too much including us.  They think that they can just boss us around and tell us what to do.  They even occasionally try to change the President`s plans, which they can`t do.  For 6 months now I have endured this situation very patiently.  I just do what I can do to make them happy and ignore the yelling.  

This week, the phone in our house broke.  But we had no idea.  We thought we had just been forgotten by the other missionaries and the members.  But apparently everyone was worried.  Everyone was calling but no one could get a hold of us.  And when we called, it would ring and ring but no one would answer.  So, friday night (finally...), the zone leaders came looking.  they knocked on the door and there we were.  They told us that the Bishopric was trying to get a hold of us and that they were mad because they thought we were avoiding them.  So the Bishopric called President Prince and set up a meeting for saturday.  

So... we went knowing that the Bishopric wanted to just get us in trouble.  We showed up to the church and started the meeting.  Pres. Prince and his wife and us sat on one side of the room and the ward leaders on the other.  We started with a hymn and a prayer and then began the yelling.  They started making up things to get us in trouble.  President Prince, Sister Prince, my companion and I just sat quietly waiting for them to finish.   After about 45 minutes of this they stopped.  Pres. Prince looked at me and said, ¨Would you like to defend yourself?¨  And so I said, ¨Yes sir.¨  So I started and I let them have it.  I told them that they were mistaken and that they had no idea what we have done for them.  I told them that they wasted 45 minutes yelling at us for stuff we didn`t do.  I went on and on.  Then my companion was able to do the same.  Then the Pres. said that we could be done but that he wanted to interview us before we left.

So, we were able to counter everything that they had said and we had the Pres on our side.  In our interviews, he asked us to tell him everything about the ward.  He told us to basically let loose.  So we did.  It felt really good to finally be able to speak freely.  I had been patient for 6 months and I really needed to let it all out.  Pres. Prince spoke to the stake president and we should be free of the harrassment (sp?) by now.  Maybe.  I never like to have this kind of problem with the leaders but I think it was necessary.

The stake conference went really well.  President Prince and his wife spoke and also the 1st counselor of the Bogota Temple and his wife spoke.  It was really really good.  One of the best meetings I have been to in a really long time.  And it was cool because that made the american population in Pasto increase by 5 times...  I got to speak english with real live americans.

I hope you have a really good week!!!

Love,
      Corey



Monday, January 23, 2012

1-23-12

Dear Family,

This week was better.  The mission had a goal of finding 800 investigators this week.  Which by the way is a seemingly impossible goal.  The most we had ever found before was like 730 or something.  So we all worked very hard to make our goal happen.  And... we found more than 1300!!!  So yeah, we are pretty cool.  Here, we were able to find 13.  So things are starting to pick up again.  It wasn`t easy, but we did it.

So the whole week we just focused on meeting new people and teaching them.  On Friday, we had an activity where the members had to invite people they knew.  We had to sit and meet and talk to every single one of them.  It was exhausting but it went really well.  Lots of the people asked me if I was from Argentina...  I am not quite sure if I understand that too well, but I tend to just take it as a compliment to my spanish.  It was a zone activity so all the missionaries were there.  I was the only American, so people tend to want to talk to me more... I just say that because the latinos get jealous of popularity.  

This week we are supposed to have zone conference with the President.  I am excited to talk to him and stuff. It`s been a while.  Pasto is way far away and not too easy to get to so he never gets to come down.  Plus they almost freeze to death when they are here.  

Yesterday, we ate with the family from Peru again.  It was amazing yet again.  I think I will have them teach me how to cook.  Peruvian food is really really good.   

Transers are coming up again.   It is pretty safe to say that I am leaving Pasto.  I think I am ready for change.  But who knows where I will go.

Love you lots!!!

Love,  
    Corey

Monday, January 16, 2012

1-16-12


Dear Family,

This week was a lot better.  Still a little bit slow but we are getting back into things again.  December and the first half of January have not been too easy.

Yesterday we had lunch with a really cool new family that just moved into the ward.  They are from Peru and are really fun to hang out with.  It is cool to have members from a place where the Church is quite a bit more developed.  I think that they will really be able to help the ward out a lot.  They know how the church should be.  And they cook really good Peruvian food.  

The other day, we were walking to an appointment when a really really drunk guy almost hit us with his motorcycle.  He got off and started talking to us.  And crying to us.  It got kinda awkward.  I think he thought we were from the catholic church (which happens quite a lot).  But he was this guy from a nearby town so he had a pretty thick accent (like a southern accent) and he was drunk.  He was almost impossible to understand.  But I felt bad for him because he kind of made a fool of himself.  I am just glad that our Church teaches us to stay away from things like that.  He was the kind of guy that had lost everything because of his drinking problem.  It is sad to see what people do to themselves.  

Time is flying by like crazy.  I am struggling to find things to share with you because I can`t remember what happened this week and what happened last week.  The days are all stuck together and I truly can`t remember what happened.  That is why my letters have been really boring lately.  I will try to do better next week.  For this week, just know that I am doing really good.  We are just trying to get back on track.  We have some good plans and goals for this week so there should be something exciting to share next week.

Love you lots and hope you have a great week!!!

Love,
   Corey


Monday, January 9, 2012

1-9-12


Dear Family,
 
This week was crazier than the last.  It was the week of the Carnival.  I thought that last week was tough but it was nothing compared to this week.  In fact, in the years past, the missionaries couldn`t even leave the house... But this year we had to leave and work every day.  No one was in their houses during the day and at night they were all drunk and partying.  Also, as we walked through the streets, they would throw flour at us.  I don`t really understand why... but they all have big fights with flour all week long.  I guess you could say that we were harrassed for walking around in a shirt and tie.  But it was fine.  It was interesting to see the culture. 
 
So just a minute ago, I was sitting here reading my emails and there was a little kid playing on his little tricycle here inside.  All of a sudden he stops and gets off the trike and has a really worried face.  He starts running and couldn`t quite make it...  and puked all over the floor.  Pretty gross... but I laughed a little.
 
So I think I have mentioned this, but my zone leader promised me that he would bring me Mountain Dew from Cali.  He even called me to verify.  So I was all excited and when he got back I called him.  He forgot.   I was kind of bummed.  But maybe one day I will find it and enjoy it.
 
Well I am sorry again... But that is about it.  I know it is really boring but this week the work should pick up again and I`ll have some more stories for you. 
 
Love you lots!!! 
 
Love,
  Corey

Monday, January 2, 2012

1-2-12

Dear Family,

This week was pretty slow.  It was good and everything but we weren´t able to get a whole lot done.  And I didn´t get transfered so all is well.  It was a pretty crazy week though. 

On Wednesday, and every year on the same day, there was a huge waterfight.  They were absolutely ruthless too.  We didn´t (couldn´t...) participate and they destroyed us.  We were soaked all day.  Not to mention no one wanted us to teach them.  I would be lying if i said that I wasn´t mad at pretty much all Colombians.  But I got over it, I guess...  But we weren´t able to even talk to anyone.  So basically we walked around all day getting soaked.  Keep in mind that it is very cold here.

The rest of the week was similar except without the water.  New years was absolutley nuts.  I got up at 11 45 to see what was going on.  By the looks of it, we had a full scale riot on our hands.  I could not believe what I was seeing.  Just imagine the movies with the riots.  I mean huge fires in the road and stuff.  they do this weird thing where they make a life sized doll and fill it with firecrackers/bombs.  Then they light it on fire.  As I was watching from my window, I saw a guy light a molatov cocktail (bottle of vodka with a flaming rag sticking out the top) and he threw it like a crazy russian in the middle of the road and blew up these dolls.  I am telling you, it was the craziest thing I have ever seen.  these people are nuts.

Well sorry, somehow I ran out of time.  Sorry this is so short...  I love you all and hope you have a great week and a great year!!!

Love,
     Corey