GOOD GOLLY!!! Well when everyone told me that I was coming to the cooldest and wettest part of the mission I was not expecting what I would actually experience. Literally sweat dripping down my face as I walk down the street during the day in a short sleeve short and lugging around my huge winter coat because once it hits 8 in the evening, it gets 'Chile' real quick!
The house were I am now living is a huge house, a little bit of a change from an apartment to a mansion. Of course it does still feel like mission living circumstances because one of the two bathrooms has the broken toilet turned upside down in the shower....not even going to ask what happened there. Something about a basketball and a stuffed monkey.
Also San Carlos is HUGE! Literally about an hour from end to end of the town and that is not even mentioning the country. My sector goes on for about 50 kilometers in every direction to smaller towns, Now all I need is to raise the funds to buy a horse and everything would be so much better.
This week I was blessed to be at the Baptism of Felipe, one of our investigators as well as two other baptisms by the other elders in our ward. Furthermore, I was blessed with a speaking assignment in Sacrament meeting! (Don't worry dad I told your running away from home story with nothing but ketchup and salt to illustrate the point of "Lost Sheep") They had a good laugh. Also I received the temporary assignment of Ward Chorister, so I am in charge of directing the music in all of the church meetings. Also meaning that I have to sing the first line alone to "Give the note and the general tune". We will see if they invite me back next week.
San Carlos is super different from any of my previous areas. They people here are more laid back and more hick like. They almost always let us in and will accept any commitments that we leave with them except to come to church with us. Read the Book of Mormon? Yep, Pray to know the truth of the Book of Mormon? Oh yea, Be Baptized in three weeks on the 24 of may? Sure no problem, Come to church with us this Sunday at ten in the morning? WHOOOAAAA there buddy cool your horse, I sleep in until 1 every Sunday.....That is the majority of the people, not all but a bunch. But I do like a challenge, so let's get the show on the road.
But the ward has a problem, a bunch of people have gotten baptized because of how cool the missionaries were and and when the missionaries left they all went inactive, so the members have lost their trust in us and are not too animated to do anything. So that is where we are going to start visiting the members and reactivating those "Lost Sheep".
Have I ever said that I love the Lords work? Because really I love it with all my heart.
Love you all,
Elder Hutchins
(Skype the 11 of May, Not sure yet at what time, but we have 30-45 minutes)
