Elder Andrew Sheffield: Went to Santiago for p-day

P-day today

Love you more than…

Yaroa (pronounced Jah-row-a) Ill send a picture but to explain it is pretty much a heart attack in a meal. Tons of cheese, ketchup, meat, French-fries, and other stuff probably in a big steaming pile of goodness.

My new favorite food

This weeks recap. We had a zone p-day and played soccer. Everyone loved my Captain America skills and that my team won like everytime ;) We scrapped by with money and meals since Elder Coombs couldn’t find some money, so we didn’t have a lot. Had interviews with our Mission President which was simple but he is a great guy. Our Branch President had us over for a family night and made some traditional "chocolate" or hot chocolate. Even here, where it is 90 degrees, they love the stuff.

My little friend from Gospel Principles class

The hurricane made the weather a lot cooler this week, which felt like blessings from heaven, it rained two days but I enjoyed it. We found some golden investigators! They are male too, which will help the needs in the branch. Juan Carlos, Victor and his son Victor. We got a member to go with us one day and those lessons were really good; members are key. I passed the sacrament and taught an improv gospel principles class which made me proud of myself. We met a investigator, who has a baptismal date, named Frammy, he is my age and really cool. An elderly lady tried to bible bash us the other day, which was interesting.

Oldest Cathedral in the Carribean, I think

Today we went to our first Santiago p-day, where we get permission to visit the city. We visited the big monument, Elder Coombs old area and the best place to get Yaroa called Chimmy Jose's. We have to wake up at 4:30 to get there by 8:30ish, but it was worth it.

Stopped by McDonalds for ice cream and the shave
with the cheap razor because I was so tired I forget to shave at home

The monument in Santiago

Dad I've been praying for you and those exams coming up. I really appreciate your help and advice in your letters, hope I can help you back.

Emily: My favorite food is probably mangu which is kinda like dominican style mashed potatoes or yaroa. My favorite family is a hard thing to pick one, since we don’t have a lot of families and my spanish isn’t enough for lots of casual conversation, but I like this one girl who has a big attitude, the branch president who is like a big friendly gorilla (if he were any animal), and then the Frammy guy I just wrote about because he is just a cool guy who speaks a little English. He likes English music and has a motorcycle I like. Oh and there is this one bakery that cells great bread, pizza and it has a little restaurant portion with amazing and cheap Dominican food.

Mom: when I get back we need to get our motorcycle licenses and save up for motorcycle(s). If you were here you'd ditch your rode bike and hop on the nearest motorcycle or "moto concho" that you saw. Tell Mrs. Durtschi thanks for thinking so highly of me and her impact on those she teaches, she was like a second mom to me.

Josh: I found a datsun car here! It was green and a little run down but I thought of you wwhen I saw it.

View from top the monument

Spiritual moment. There must be opposition in all things. I’ve had a few amazing days but they always seem to be followed by hard days of few lessons and a lot of time to walk up and down streets. If we didn’t have hard times, we wouldn’t have or appreciate the good times. We are given hard days to trust the lord, to make us humble and ask for help. The easy days are days that He would just love to give us, but just like a tree or a baby bird we have to learn by leaps of faith, falling, getting back up and trying again. Be the kind of person who works hard for the hard days and deserves the easy ones.