The Rag-Tag Crew of La Bota‏

Lamentably I don't have pictures of hardly anyone - I'll try to procure some for y'all next week. But today, because I've realized (i.e. Mum's always asking for) that I never talk about the people I work with I'll do that. I can't believe I'm only in my 3rd change! Lemme tell you I'm really getting to love the people here. At first I didn't like this sector a ton, but I've truly come to love it, and the members, and everybody else. So here's a little insight into the people of La Bota and Ecuador:

Obispo Orrala: From the coast of Ecuador, and so he talks really fast and I have trouble understanding him sometimes. But it's probably my favorite accent I've come across here. Has an interesting twist and turn to it. He works for CES here in Ecuador and is relatively young (his oldest kid is about 13 or 14 years old I think). That means he actually gets paid really darn well for an Ecuadorian, so his kids have tablets, they have phones, a nice, well-built apartment, and are looking for a car. Of course, the tablets and phones were all bought in Peru or the US because technology is ridiculously expensive here. May I remind you that a PS2 (The pathetic competition to the Gamecube? Yeah I forgot it existed too before I came here.) costs over $200? Anyhow the Bishop is super pilas and always willing to help. Great guy. Always cheerful and laughing, and a bit on the tuco (chunky) side.

Hermano Lopez: The second counselor. Also rather well-off as he works in the petroleum business here. That unfortunately means he's often in the jungle working so he's not here very often. Also friendly and hilarious. A fantastic story-teller. He had a great time telling us about his mission, which he served in Guayaquil about 12 years ago. Did you know the missionaries used to have a Manual of Belief-Destroying? Oh man, good times.

Los Herrera: The primary president, her son (the ward mission leader), and her daughter and son-in-law (the first counselor). A great family. I think it's funny how so much power of the ward is concentrated in the hands of one family. As Hermano Herrera is the ward mission leader we are constantly bothering them and in their house.

Hermano Cabrera: Another super pilas member. I really like this guy a lot - he's an architect and a such also well-off. I admire his collection of classic rock. He has a sporty red car that we get plenty of rides in when he sees us walking in the street. He's really embraced a pattern of learning in his life, always studying and trying to get better. Here in Ecuador it's truly important, and he's an awesome example of how to rise above the rest. He learned a good bit of English through a BYU program called Pathway. I remember one time when he asked us to revise an essay he'd written for Pathway and smiling to myself as I read his railings against the left-wing Ecuadorian government. Funny how the members of the Church are similar even in other countries.

I think I'll add more next week! This was actually fun to write. Hopefully I'll have pictures, too.

Why Don't You Just Get It?

For me the more and more I study the Gospel and the church I belong to, the more and more it just makes sense to me. I absolutely love teaching the first lesson to investigators because I love teaching how the church came to be and why it's important that there is this church. Of course, I need to work harder, because people still don't get it. So I'll practice a bit here. Check it out. Hopefully I can explain it so that you get it, too. How much for me this all makes sense!

God is our Father and He loves us: Of course a lot of this making sense takes for granted a belief in God. So that's fine if you don't believe in God, but pretend that you do so that this will all make sense (by the way you can also know he exists, but we'll leave that for another e-mail). As Mormons we believe God is literally our Father in Heaven. We're creations of Him and as such follow the same pattern. He's just like us in the sense that he has a body just like ours, but perfect. We're here to become like Him, to learn and progress. And because He loves us and that's what He wants, He's given us the Gospel, or in other words, the path we need to follow to find happiness and progress in this life. But how did He let us know this plan, this Gospel?

God Reveals What We Need to Know Through Prophets: Prophets are just men called of God. Not any average joe can be the prophet - they have to be chosen. Prophets have the power of God, the Priesthood, to communicate with Him and receive revelation, or, the knowledge that God needs to give to the world. A classic example: the prophet Noah, in the Bible, received the info that there was going to be a lot of rain in the coming days. The people rejected him, but at what cost? They all died.

Now, do you think a prophet is important in our day? Think about that for a second. We live in a world off-kilter. Many people are searching for the truth. Do you think we need someone that can guide us? God knows everything, but of course WE don't. How can he tell us what we need to know without a prophet?

This Is How Christ Organized His Church: Christ also organized His church with prophets and apostles when He was on the Earth, as it says in Ephesians 2:20. With the ability to speak with God, the prophet and his apostles could correct error as it says in Ephesians 4. They could guide the church to go where it needed to go, and not change the doctrine of Christ, the specific Gospel we need to follow. But wait, if Christ established one church in the Earth, why do we have many different Christian denominations today? With so many different interpretations and ideas? Why didn't the prophet keep everyone in line?

The Prophet and Apostles Were Killed: And they never had transferred the power of God, the Priesthood, to anyone else. Without this Priesthood there was no revelation. There was no power of God in the Earth. And as such the Church went astray. All that was left was the scriptures, and with just the scriptures, people began to misunderstand and change the doctrine. Without somebody to tell them exactly what God had meant in such chapter and verse, they got confused. And so doctrines such as indulgences, the confusion of the Holy Trinity, and many such other things came to pass.

Why doesn't God speak to us today? Why doesn't He make everything clear for us?

Well, the message we as missionaries carry to all the world is that He has! He's called prophets again, beginning with Joseph Smith, and established the same Church with the same doctrines that Christ taught again in the Earth. Pretty cool, huh? Check out the prophet that lives today! https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/guided-safely-home?lang=eng

Anyhow I'm out of time. Ask me questions please! I love hearing from all of you. I hope this all made sense. The missionaries who've taught this before will probably note many things I could have taught better here, but let me just say: I know this is true! And you can too! Love you all!

Some pretty sweet graffiti at the bus stop.

Pay to play takes on a new meaning here. You can actually pay to play PS2 by the hour. It's hilarious to me but deep down incredibly depressing.

Star Wars 7 Is Literally of the Devil‏

I had my suspicions before, but now I'm sure of it.

As missionaries, we have to avoid every type of worldly entertainment. Obviously, this is to help us stay concentrated here, in the mission, and in the work of the Lord. In a book by Hugh Nibley a read a while back (and never finished) he explains an interesting pattern of how the righteous many times are commanded to flee into the desert and establish the church. For example, Lehi and his family, or Alma (the first), and many others. I think it's similar for missionaries. We have to flee from worldly influences. For instance, our mission President recently imposed a new rule that we can listen to music ONLY from lds.org or mormontabernaclechoir.org. Goodbye, my collection of every single Mahler symphony.

It's difficult, sometimes. And the most horrible temptation yet was when, waiting for some people to arrive, in the corner of my eye I saw something on the TV. A temptation from the Fallen Son himself.

A teaser for Star Wars 7.

I'm sorry everyone. I failed. I looked. And maybe squeed a bit. I'm working through the repentance process now, listening to "Called to Serve" on repeat every morning and night. Sometimes the missionary life is HARD.

Do You Know Who You Are?

I don't know if I've talked about this on the blog before, but if I have, I'd like to talk about it again. Something I've learned in the mission that I'm really trying to apply. Something incredible, at least for me.

It begins with God, our Heavenly Father. There's a lot to be learned when we remember that. And what, exactly, our relation to him is. In Acts 17 we read:

 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone,graven by art and man’s device.

We're the offspring of God! As such we need to realize that “As man now is, God once was; as God is now man may be.”

Think about that: We are literally Sons and Daughters of God. We have DIVINE potential. Our ultimate purpose here on this Earth is to be able to become like Him. We have, in each of us, something incredible.

We all have agency, the ability to choose what we do. As Lehi says in 2 Nephi 2:

 27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

It's important to realize that we ALWAYS have a choice. We can never blame others, our circumstances, nothing for what WE do. It's rather liberating to understand that, I think. You ALWAYS have a choice! Whatever thing you want to overcome, whatever obstacle there might be it CAN be overcome. Because we've all been given the power to do so. This is important for the plan of God; without this ability to choose, we couldn't progress. And our ultimate goal is to become like Him. In the end, when we're standing before the final judgement, we're going to be judged essentially on who we became in this life. And it can be incredible who we do become!

Of course we're going to make mistakes. That's why Jesus Christ died for us. To give us the opportunity to try again, and again, as many times as we need to.

Don't give up! Seek, through prayer and the scriptures, the person that you can become. God knows exactly who you are and who you can be, so He can help you along the way. Really, it can't be done without His help. I want to say again: you can do it! Everything is within your power!

I hope you guys enjoy the blog. Thanks so much for all the e-mails and I'd love to hear from every one of you! Love you all!

I think it's supposed to have something to do with earthquakes but this is way better.

 Me and my comp!

Another Transfer in La Bota

Really I don't know what to write y'all about. I think I'm just in a bit of shock, maybe. I received my new companion today (we basically knew for sure that my other companion was going to leave), and he's from Peru! I'm excited to finally have a native speaker to practice with.

And yes, I'm done with my training! It's really pretty darn scary. Now I'm responsible for this sector, at least for a while until I can show my companion around and get him up to speed and whatnot. But I'm just trying to focus on the fact that the Lord knows me, knows what I need, and that He knows I can have success here.

What being done with training means is that I use the normal study schedule of the other missionaries. When you're in training, there's an extra hour of companionship study. Now I won't have it. I don't know that I'll miss it, it's just daunting to me that now I have a whole other hour to fill with things to do...maybe that's what stresses me out the most. Much of the time I have no idea what to do with myself, really. But I'll figure it out, I'm sure.

We had a special training with President last Friday. He used a few talks from General Conference, my favorite of which right now "Which Way Do You Face?" It certainly inspired me to have a bit more courage and keep moving forward. Check it out if you have time!

Well I suppose one thing I've been trying to focus on this week is being patient (again). It's hard for us to recognize at times that our timing is not the Lord's timing. What I think is amazing is the promise that if we keep walking forward with faith and hope, doing as much as we can to live the commandments and love God, "everything will work together for our good." I certainly am trying to believe in that more. Hope has a ton of power! It's truly amazing.

Also I've started a prayer journal which is TONS of fun. I write down the things I ask for in my prayers and check them off and make notes as I receive answers. Not only is it a great way of recording personal revelation, but it's given me an even greater testimony of the power of prayer. It's powerful! Everything we need can be ours if we only ask with faith...one small example: we were waiting with a recent convert on the curb, trying to flag down taxis so we could get to church (she can't walk well) and there just weren't any taxis! So I said a quick prayer that a taxi could pass by so we could all get to church on time, because the week before we'd almost missed the sacrament. And only a few minutes later a taxi pulled up with one seat available - and the others filled by the family that is fellowshipping our recent convert! And then as my companion and I walked to church we ran into some other members that offered us a ride! Just one small example of how prayers can be answered.

That's all for now. I'm sure I'll have many more experiences to share with you. Sorry this one was so short this week but don't forget I love you all!

Elder Scanlan

The Most Eventfully Uneventful New Year's‏

Feliz año, todos!

 

Because of a P-Day activity that, naturally, went overlong and was ill-planned (although we ate a ton of food at the Stake President's house, so that kinda made up for it a bit) I have no time to write. So, some scattered thoughts from the middle of the world:

 

New Year's here is nuts. I'm very glad that we were only allowed to be out until 5:00. I slept well, because our house is kinda in a corner, but I still woke up a couple times in the night from fireworks and I think there was a dance in the apartment above. The first tradition I ran into is that guys will cross-dress, complete with multi-colored wigs, and dance around in the streets. Like, in the middle of the street. Then their friends will take ropes and run them across the streets so that cars can't pass until they pay the guy dancing something. No one is spared. And these improvised stops were everywhere. Then, there's the dolls they burn. I actually think it's a cool idea, symbollically, because supposedly they represent leaving behind your past lives, but it's also hilarious. Of course, as missionaries, we weren't allowed to do that. But I saw some as tall as two stories high. The most popular figure to burn this year was "El Chavo," apparently a famous comedian here who recently died. But pretty much anything is fare game - cartoon/TV characters are the most popular. Everybody here is into Dragonball Z.

 

And I forgot the camera in the house. No pictures for y'all until next year!

 

Speaking of which, I've been trying to learn a lot about patience and also strengthening my testimony of prayer. A hilarious moment connected the two this week: I was wondering why my sector can be so hard a times and why I have to wait for so long for something things and then I realized, and said out loud: "Oh shoot. I've been praying for patience. THAT'S why I'm here." My first companion told me: "Beware of praying for patience or humility. Because you'll get it." Yup!

 

So, I'm excited to try to learn to work hard here. Changes are next week and I'm ending my training! I'm scared, but I also know I'll be where I need to be with the companion I need to be with. I'm guessing I'm staying here, but who knows? Until next week....!

 

 Did you know: President Obama is in the mission? (Actually it's Elder Bustillo, but the resemblance is remarkable, no?) I think it's been a while since Jeremiah has seen a picture of Obama...not sure of the resemblance...:)

A typical Ecuadorian meal. Rice, eggs, plantain. And I love it!

Post-Christmas Ecuador

I really don't have a ton to write about, seeing as it's only been a few days since I last wrote...here in Ecuador everything is pretty quiet. The work is a bit harder because everybody is off on vacation and whatnot. We've stepped up our contacting and we end up contacting lots of people that are just visiting so...we dropped off a bunch of references at the offices today. But we have been blessed to find a bunch of new investigators. Hopefully we can continue to find the people we need to.

My Christmas was great! Thanks again, everyone, for all the letters. And a special thank-you to the activity days girls for the package! That was super awesome. Almost all the candy is gone and a sticker of Captain America now graces the cover of my missionary handbook. Because Captain America would be obedient to ALL the rules.

Some members gave us food (we had to stay in our house as I explained in the last letter), which was great. Turkey, rice (of course), mashed potatoes, and salad. Well, the salad here is usually just a mix of veggies, principally onions and tomatoes, with lime juice or mustard or something. I think I could count the number of times I've eaten lettuce here on one hand. But it's delicious, nonetheless! My companion and I also made a mountain of crepes which we slathered with dulce de leche (caramel, basically) and jam. Good times.

I also finished the Book of Mormon and began the New Testament! The New Testament is a bit slower going because I'm trying to take time to look up the historical context, etc., so I can understand it better. And occassionally I'm daring enough to use Jesus the Christ as a reference as well. It's actually kind of funny to me - sometime it's way easier to read the Spanish rather than English, because Talmage uses so many words that just don't exist in Spanish, or are much simpler in Spanish.

And I also had the opportunity to once again kneel and ask in prayer if the Book of Mormon is true. I've been driving towards this point since the CCM, because I've wanted to gain a greater testimony of the Book of Mormon in order to be able to really testify of it to the people I teach. I know it's true! It's something I realized I'd already known with all my heart. I gained a testimony, I think, bit by bit, because I can't remember a specific moment in which I realized "bam, it's true." As I've read it, and applied the things it teaches, I've come closer to God and found true happiness in this life. I know that any honest seeker of the truth can read this book, ponder its contents, and pray, and that there they will find an answer. It can change lives and has more power to do so than any other method in the world. So I'd like to invite you to follow this invitation whether it be for the first time or the umpteenth.

Love you all! I'll e-mail you...next year! What??

 Christmas dinner!! We have only this sad little table whereupon to put our food. It gets awfully crowded sometimes. Most Elders have the opposite problem.

Da da da daaaaaa! I got the Ocarina! Probably the best Christmas present ever. And yes, I acted that all out.

The view from the top of our sector. 

Christmas In Ecuador

 

Everybody thank you so much for the Christmas well-wishes and cards!! I'm going to try to send all of you cards back...hopefully they don't get lost in the mail.

 

I don't remember if I've already talked about this or not, but a little about Ecuadorian Christmas Traditions, as I understand them:

 

-Actually, a lot of it is very similar to the US. They have trees, for instance, and put all the presents underneath them, dress them with ornaments...the only big difference I've seen is that they are ALWAYS fake. If Mr. Armstrong did his fake tree vs. real tree question, there wouldn't be a single hand raised for the real trees. It's a travesty.

 

-Also, Santa Claus, or Papa Noel, is pretty much the same, too. I even heard some kids singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in Spanish the other day. I don't know what I was expecting, but not so much of the same! But it feels comfortable, and that's good.

 

-The one big difference I know of is that everything happens the night before, the 24th. The custom, as I know it, is to have a big dinner at midnight, complete with turkey. (I'm remembering a funny experience I had when in my last sector we brought a recent convert family to help teach some investigator relatives. Their goal was to go to the temple in a year, which is awesome, and the one recent convert was like, "Yeah, get baptized, and we'll all get sealed and be eating turkey in the temple next Christmas!" I don't think it quite works like that but if it helps them with their goal, hey.) I believe they open their presents that night as well. And so the 25th is pretty much a normal day.

 

For us, as missionaries, we have a lot of rules for these two days. First of all, our p-day was changed to today (that's why I'm writing today). And we have to be in our house at 6:00 PM, and can't leave. That unfortunately means we can't go eat with any members or anything, but there are some members who are going to drop us off some food, which is FANTASTIC. We can stay in our house and study and whatnot. Actually, my companion and I were probably the only people excited to hear that. My plan is to finish the Book of Mormon again and start the New Testament. Likewise, tomorrow, we have to be in the house at 5:00. Between that, the fact that we have a district meeting in the morning, and the calls we get to make to our families, we're not doing anything these two days. But we ARE studying. So, I guess that's something.

 

He Sent His Son

 

And so I'd like to share a bit with all of you about Christmas. First, check out this awesome video if you haven't seen it yet:

 

http://www.mormon.org/christmas (And it's a good thing I didn't accidentally send you the Spanish link.)

 

Our whole mission was a little late to the party on this initiative, but for the few days when I can do it, I'm going to. It's an awesome video that reminds us of the real meaning of Christmas.

 

The other day I listened to the song "He Sent His Son" on my iPod. Here it is for you, as well:

 

He Sent His Son link

It's absolutely beautiful, to me. As I listened to it, the words really struck me. How COULD the Father show the world how much he loves us? How CAN we know what path we need to take, the people we need to be, the purpose of this life? How can we find true peace and joy?

 

The Lord didn't work in a great cataclysm, cause the Earth to shake in fear, send forth torments and plagues to show us the way. He gave us a child, the simplest and most beautiful of all creations.

 

 Alma 37:6: Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

 

And so it is that in John 3, it says:

 

 16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

God loves us. He knows each and every one of you individually and wants to help you, and always will. He gave us His Son to show us the way, because He loves us so.

 

Christ was the only perfect being to have walked the Earth. He showed us the way to walk, the way of love for God and for one's neighbor. He founded a church to guide us and give us a place to learn more of Him and how we can be like Him. What does the Father ask? Be like His son.

 

I know that by following Christ we can find true joy in our lives. He is my brother and my Savior. I know that He suffered and died for our sins so that we could all live again. I know that only through accepting Him and His sacrifice can we find the peace that we seek, the gift of love for others, the relief from all the sorrow and sadness we feel in this life. I want to add my voice to what the prophet Joseph Smith said so simply and powerfully in D&C 76:

 

 22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him:

 

That he lives!

 

I know that He lives. The way the Father has showed us His love is through His son. And so, I hope that whoever you are in whatever situation you find yourself you can take a momento to think about this. That you can take a moment to Discover this gift, and Accept it.

 

In particular I'd like to challenge you to read 3 Nephi 11. This is one of the most powerful chapters of the Book of Mormon. Also, I'd like to really fast link you to a talk by Elder Holland I found on the front page of the Church website. It's an awesome talk.

Elder Holland link

So, have a Merry Christmas! Remember, in the midst of all the gifts and Christmas Specials that you can find joy by loving someone else and serving them. As a missionary I get to do it every day and I've never found such exquisite joy. As Lehi in 2 Nephi 2, I feel:

 

 6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

 7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

 8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth...

 

I love you all! Until next week!

Our Christmas pile. Sadly, my companion's Christmas package is STILL locked up in customs...we decided not to go today down to Quito to get it because the traffice would've been horrific, but hopefully next Monday...

The Zone!

From left to right, my current trainer (step-dad), me, some guy, a guy who's being trained by my old trainer (step-brother), and my old trainer (dad). We have a happy little "family" here in the mission. 

A pic of me with our awesome mission president and his wife!

We do "tours" to show investigators and less-actives the chapel so they can get a feel of what it's like before attending on Sundays. This time we had fun and did an end-of-tour pic with a frame we found. This is one of my favorite families...they gave us some candies for Christmas. Awesome! I'm going to get their kids personal mini-hymnbooks because they always fight over mine and Elder McPhie's in Sacrament Meeting.

 

Things I Find Chistoso About Ecuador‏

The Lost Generation

In this week's addition of Things I Find Chistoso About Ecuador (We're still working on a theme song but yes it's in the works.) we explore the amazingly legally-illegal DVD and Video Game Market.

So I had a sneaking suspicion as I walked past all the DVD shops here. Why are the cases so funky here? They all look like those super-thin ones that you buy from Wal-mart to replace the ones you lose for Wii Sports. And none of the images seem to fit exactly - did somebody just print off a picture of the cover of the Avengers on plain old printer paper and stick it in there? And how can they be so cheap?

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I finally got it confirmed that YES, it's perfectly fine for people here to just make copies of whatever the heck they want and sell them. You just need to have had the original first.

So pretty much all the DVDs are sold for a buck each and are nothing less than boot-legged copies of everything under the sun. Reasons to move to Ecuador. I'm half tempted to buy a cart-load before I leave but I don't know if I'd make it past customs. It's just so tempting to buy entire series of anime here for a few bucks.

It's also funny how anime has penetrated here. And it's pretty big, too. Like about as big as it is in the States, if not bigger. There are anime mascots in every other cabina and I've seen more than one cosplayer in plain daylight. We think that America is the cultural hegemon of the world, but Japan is sneaking in behind us. Be careful. They're coming.

And even funnier to me is the fact that the entire country is stuck in the generation of the PS2. Actually, that's all ANYONE plays. I don't think I've seen a single Gamecube here. Which is surprising, because as we all know, Gamecube won THAT generational fight hands down (We will discuss the others at another, undetermined point in the future.). They actually have PS2s that you can sit there and rent to play. Pay-to-play means something entirely different here. Everyone's favorite games are Resident Evil 4 and GTA: San Andreas. It's hilarious.

And what's MORE...I think that there's actually money to be made here in hacking and making NEW PS2 GAMES. Because that's all anyone has, it seems to me that they just hack together new PS2 games to sell. Or are they actually still making FIFA for the PS2? Because I don't think FIFA 2015 should exist for the PS2. Or is that just me?

Who Are You Here to Find?

On a more serious note, I've been thinking about this. You know, each of us is put here, in the specific place we are, for a reason.  From D&C 100:

 4 Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls.

Maybe there's something that only you can say to only this specific person here. Maybe that one thing will change their lives. I think I may have found some of mine. I just hope I can say what I need to. I want to help. Thankfully, there's a promise to each of us:

 5 Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;

 6 For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.

I've been learning to rely on this a lot. I can't worry about what I'm going to say; I have to rely on a greater power to know. But I'll know. It'll be given to me! And it can to you, too. Maybe you might now know who it is who you need to touch, but just lift up your voice and proclaim the good news. Really, that's all we're asked to do. If you've felt as it says in Alma 5:26 to sing the song of redeeming love...I hope you can feel so now. And I hope you're studying the scriptures and praying daily. It will bring peace and comfort into your life you can't imagine.

I'll try to be a bit more spiritual next time. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

1. So we bought a cake for our English class...but nobody showed up. I ate it in about two days. An excellent waste of $6.

2. See that ridge over there? That's my old sector. I see it all the time. Kinda funny.

3. While waiting for lunch one day it started to rain. Then it started to hail. I took a picture. Then it started to do it REALLY HARD. We never ate lunch. Also I think I forgot my coat in my old sector. (WHAT! Do you like how he just casually mentions this in a photo caption? Oh my goodness. It was his only coat too. Guess he will be wet and cold. AUGH.)