#16 Chinandega

Familia!!!

Well another great week has passes by for me. It sounds like in your email, that you are all having a lot of fun in the house, and that you’re all getting ready for the Christmas time. I’m really glad that you’re all having fun, and that Christmas this year will be fun. It’s too bad that I wont be there, but I’m glad that you’re all having fun. Don’t worry about me, because I’m doing great and everything. Truthfully, it doesn’t feel like Christmas at all down here.  Yeah sure I see Christmas trees, and every hymn in church is a Christmas hymn, but it’s not quite the same. It’s super hot, and it just feels like another month. Anyways, we are all having fun here. The mission Nicaragua Norte has a pretty cool thing for Christmas. I have heard of other missions where the Christmas is not, but here they really treat us well.

Ok I’ll tell you all about this week. This week was a really packed with all kinds of crazy stuff and whatnot. Anyways, on Tuesday we had our last zone meeting and district meeting. It was really bittersweet for my comp Elder S, because he really loved the mission, and he had to go home the next day. Well, I took a bunch of pictures, and I’ll send them home after I send home my big email. So yeah, we had a really big blast, and made lots of jokes and stuff. After the meeting, we had a little contest-voting thing among the zone. We were voting people for things like mas twanis, mas guapo, mas trabajador. things like that. So I got voted the biggest cheapskate. So yeah, I’m the biggest cheapskate in the zone. Not quite sure how I feel about that, but its pretty funny either way.

Ok on Wednesday I had the cambios (changes). We woke up super early around 4. Because our whole zone had to get on the bus to Managua at 5, we had like 9 other elders in our house staying the night, because their areas were too far away to take a bus at that time in the morning. So yeah, we had a lot of elders in our house that night. It was really fun spending time with everyone, and needless to say, there were a lot of jokes made. So anyways, we took a bus to Managua super early in the morning. We arrived at the cambios, and the cambios are really fun. There are almost 200 missionaries here, and it’s fun to all be in the same room. I bought some leather scripture covers for my scriptures, but right now there being engraved with some pictures. I know that probably sounds confusing, but you’ll see when I send pictures home. I don’t have them now, but when I get them I’ll send pictures home. They cost like 40 bucks and that’s a lot of money down here, but that is my Christmas present to myself. Ok so during the cambios, I got my new comp. I’m with Elder C and he is from Guatemala. He is really cool, and it is his first time being the ZL. I’m still in Chinandega by the way, and I’m still in the same bed and everything. So yeah, I’m with Elder C. Elder D. got changed from our house to a city called Mategalpa (in the mountains), and we have a brand new greenie missionary in our house named Elder T. from Arizona. He is cool. So on Wednesday, we went to McDonalds, and then went home.

The cool thing about the new comps and everything is that I get to help train Elder T. The past cambio, I was almost always with Elder D., so this cambio, I’m going to be spending a lot of time with Elder T helping train him. Elder C is a new ZL and he is in training for the ZL too. So yeah, in our house, only Elder M and I know the zone. I spend a lot of time traveling around the zone teaching Elder C the areas, and also our own area. It’s pretty cool. Both of our zone leaders are Guatemaltecos (Guatemalans). Also what’s cool is that Elder P., my comp from the MTC got changed here to Chinandega. He was serving in Leon, but now he is here. Cool stuff. So I have a lot of friends in the Zone.

Ok from about Thursday to Sunday, there isn’t much to report. I just traveled around the zone teaching Elder C, and working in our area. On Sunday, a dog almost bit me, but I lifted up my foot to kick it, and it ran away. Funny stuff.

Ok, on P day, we went to Managua. We had a huge party, and had lots of cool experiences. It was really fun, and President Arredondo really spoiled us for the party. Pretty cool. We had a super fancy dinner, played soccer and games on some turf fields, and had a really cool devotional. I got my 2 packages too. I think that the mail system here is pretty secure, and that you don’t really need to worry about anything getting stolen. Anyways, I’m just waiting to open my packages until Christmas. I’m really excited, and thank you so much for the packages. I’m super excited, and I’m really grateful that I have such a good family. Funny story. On the bus back from Managua Monday, we were stopped at a stoplight. A little kid was washing windows and asking for money. He saw that I am white, and was at my window begging for money. I said no, and he just kept. When the bus started to leave, the kid jumped in the window, and stole the hat of the guy behind me (Elder M.). Pretty sucky, but it was kind of funny. It was really unexpected.

Ok, right now I’m on divisions with Elder M, and he is pressuring me to leave. We have to go to Chichigalpa (another city) and I need to leave soon. There is a lot more to write, but I’ll try to write it in a hand written letter and maybe send that. I love you all and miss you. Ill also try to send some pictures home.

Lots of love,

Elder Stark

 Belen, a super poor area but really cool 

 Elder C and I in a pickup on the way to Chichigalpa.