Elder Brandon Richmond's Mission Blog: Brandon's Forty First Email! May 16th, 2016

So it was really sad saying bye to everyone but Virginia gave me a scarf and Ramiro gave me a Uruguay soccer jersey! Like used, haha it was his, he was like wait a sec, and went and got it from his room, it was so nice!! So we stayed in Durazno Tuesday night and went to bed at 12:30 because they had to pack, then we got up at 3:30 to take Gehring to the bus terminal. Ford and I went. We thought our bus would leave at like 6 (we still didn't have the tickets) so we took our luggage and send him off, then we got the tickets and it says 9:30 so we were like ughhhhhh. It was really cold too so we waited for like 30 minutes then ended up sort of hiding our bags and walking home for like 3 hours and came home. Bus to Montevideo 3 hrs, we helped the sisters with their bags then I had to get right on my bus for another 3 hrs.

Ramiro, Milton, and Veronica, three investigators Burgess and I found are getting baptized the 28th! Sooo happy for them, but I can't return because I'm so far away... such a bummerrrr, but still sooooo sweeet

ROCHA:

We got there Wednesday kinda late and had a lesson with a member, this little girl who got baptized the next day and just wanted to repass some stuff.

Thursday we spent planning weekly and then had to fill the font for her baptism... she is SOOOOO precious, and literally knows everything!! She bore her testimony in the service and was like, sè que personas se sienten felices cuando se bauticen, y, yo me siento muy feliz ahora! But it was sooo cute!

Friday we had a few lessons with inactive members, and one investigator sort of. We don't have one firm investigator for now. Kind of hard haha. It was fun to get out and see Rocha!!! I didn't bring my camera because it's been raining, but it's way more city-like in the central-ish area and then like 30 minutes walk and it's like El Pinar, pretty field-ish. But really cool, lots of cobblestone.

Saturday we spent all day setting up for this Mother's Day activity.

We had it at like 4:30, 4 of us missionaries gave short talk things and we sang as missionaries the ones about moms like where you sing the two separate parts, then together. It was good. Then we had like food pickers to eat and the primary sung and then it was just like a get together. But we had to do that like all day.

Sunday, we had 0 investigators in church. So we aren't a ward, it's a branch of about 35 people but this Sunday we had 38.

I gave a talk on the Aaronic priesthood. It was fine haha, the branch president asked me soo casually like 2 days before so I thought he was joking for a sec.

After church we take the sacrament to bunches of old members who can't get there anymore.

So we live in a house of six. There are two branches that meet in the same building so we are Rocha Rocha, and the zone leaders are two, then the other two are in Rocha Centro.

We were eating like a light dinner thing with a member (I guess it's a weekly thing with him) and it was sooooo funny! We were talking about pets and he was like I love cats, then I was talking to him and randomly he was like yeah I love how cats meow over there in English, like meoowwwww... And I was laughing soooo hard because Sheridan said someone did that same exact thing!!! hahaha I'm pretty sure cats speak cat!!!

So we have lunch 3 or 4 times a week here so we have eaten meat with a ton of rice for the days we haven't had lunch. Not sure how long I can do that!!!

I know there are tons of things I'm forgetting .... Oh my comp! He is 23, from Peru, got baptized three years ago and this is his last transfer, he goes home in 5 weeks!!!! So I'll be his last comp!

The house:

Quispe and I

ZL- Elder Perry and Elder Bauer

Elder Johnson and his comp Elder Espìnola who is from Paraguay. The rest are gringos besides my comp.

We actually have personal study at 7am and get ready at 8 and comp study at 9 because there are too many to get ready all at once! Kinda weird. I brush my teeth, workout, then start my study like still sweaty, not my favorite....

It's been super fun speaking spanish all day! It'll be great, I've already gotten a lot smoother with some of the more complicated sentences that always confuse me with conditional and tenses and whatever...

Top ten!

10. In my new area safe and sound!

9. Sheridan's mission emails are legittt. Good weekly pump up!

8. SUCH a fun time in paso

7. All guys zone is pretty cool haha. They come over almost every p-day I guess and our house is like a party.

6. Cold (seee your breath inside mid-day cold, but I still have a good attitude)

5. My comps and I have been getting along great!

4. The homies getting baptized in Paso!

3. The Book of Mormon, so important. Read it!!!

2. Christ's life is a PERFECT example to us..

1. Families can be together forever!!!!!

Love you guys!!! Hope your showers are warm over there!!! (last to shower of 6)