Elder Andrew Simpson's Blog: Sayago Montevideo Uruguay

Hi All,

Elder Salgado is from Chigan, Chile, south of Santiago and north of Concepcion. As part of weekly planning which we do every friday, we have a thing called companionship inventory and I mentioned to him then that we need to make sure that we are 100 percent obedient. I told him that we're both aware of what the rule book says and that we need to make sure that we are following it. More than that, I'm just trying to lead by example. I just keep trying to focus on what I can learn and on the long run. I realize that these past couple changes have made me a more proactive leader and that I'm getting good at handling situations that I didn't plan for. Once again, a blessing from the Lord. We'll see what happens. Not much more that I can do. You know how little I like conflict, even less in Spanish. Oh and just so you know, turns out my spanish is pretty good. BLESSING

Elder Salgado does not speak a lick of English, though he has great desires to learn it. I've been helping him with that a lot lately. I see no reason not to help him. It's just frustrating sometimes with you're trying to study or do something else and he starts asking you about English. Anyway, ususally we start and then he gets to a word that has three or four vocalizations that simply don't exist in Spanish. At that point I'm prone to laughter and a lot of sympathy, because for a phonetic language speaker, English is a nightmare. That more often than not helps me have more patience and charity. All of this is also fueled by the fact that some Elder's sister's friend is writing Elder Salgado, for what appears to me to be just for fun, but he's sunk his little heart right into her. I hope it doesn't get broken.... Anyway, he very badly wants to write her back and so he's really pushin it with his english. Makes me chuckle.

Elder Salgado has been out for about a year and three months. He's very very focused on the work, but sometimes just doesn't know what the simplest and fastest way to do things is. Also, he's pretty bad with dates, numbers and the time, so I'm always keeping an eye on the clock. I tend to push things along, call the shots and lead lessons. He teaches well, but sometimes misses the needs of the investigator in his rush to throw out more examples. That's okay though. We're all here to learn. I'm currently learning patience, drive, how to be senior companion and love. It's great right?

The visa extension is a one time deal. We just have to go in and pretty much say that we haven't falsified our documents and that the church is going to have us stay here a little bit longer. Ya know, we don't want to be illegal aliens and all that.

As for the cold, wednesday was the coldest day of my mission. It was WINDY rainy and cold. The last couple of days have been warmer though and I'm back to just cruisin around with short sleeves, a sweater with the sleeves rolled up and a single pair of pants. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, I had two pair of pants on (my scrub type pants on underneath) my trench coat with the thermal lining, gloves a hat and a scarf. It's really not that cold, it's just the friggin wind that kills me. Plus the fact that I'm skinny. I love how a lot of the sisters are convinced that they're going to fatten me up for the winter. Not happening. If I have to refuse after the first plate because I'm already full of heavy food, I'll do it. They say it's going to be a short but brutal winter so we'll see what happens in the coming weeks. I hate winter... And yes, we have heaters for our apartments. I'm sleeping super warm with just a sleeping bag, a sheet and a blanket. I've been waking up nearly sweeting for a couple days so it's still really not that cold.

Elder Salgado kinda just does his own thing. He keeps offering me deep fried food even after I've told him I don't eat it. He gets a little bit offended by this but, I'm keepin my arteries clean. However, he is so focused on helping people. Everyone we see, he sees as a candidate for baptism. It's kind of cool sometimes, sometimes it's a little absured. All in all, he's a good guy, we just have our differences is all. Normal people stuff right?

This last district meeting they said our goal for the zone is to make sure that we are spiritually healthy. We made our own standards of liberty and we put them in our agendas. .. I want to bring honor to my family name.

Elder Ender

Still I Rise