Ethan's Best Two Years: Week 14

Apparently New Years Eve is a big deal in Peru. It sounds like they have fireworks, feasts, burning of giant dolls (yes, you read that right) and partying all night. So, New Years day, everything is closed, including the Internet Cafes where Ethan emails us. Thankfully we heard through the facebook gossip grapevine that the missionaries would be writing Tuesday, instead of Monday. Then we did get an email from the mission office at 11:00 that night. So...we had to wait an extra day to hear from him. Since everything was closed New Years day, they had a super pday with most of his mission. It sounds like a lot fun. They played lots of sports and games.

Here is Ethan's letter for the week:
" Hi. How's it going? It's pretty crazy that its already been a week. I don't have a whole lot of new things to talk about. It was a little harder, with it being Christmas and all. I've felt pretty sick for a week. My stomach started hurting and has been hurting for over a week. I actually think I've lost some weight because I look skinny. But that's a good thing, right? :)

We walked out to some houses by the fields and contacted them. It was pretty cool to see the trees and green, even though there are more mosquitoes out there. We found one family out there and they let us teach them. It is a lot of walking every day.

New Years eve was pretty crazy. We had to be in our rooms by 7:00 since everyone was pretty much drinking and partying. The power went out around 11:00 and I couldn't sleep very well as usual, so we went to look out the window. All around us people were launching fireworks, there were fires in the street where people were burning giant dolls made of hay called monecos. I felt like Harry Potter, all alone, watching my clock until it said 12:00.

Monday we had a multi-zone meeting and a super pday with almost all of the mission. It was pretty fun, but I got super sunburnt! Other than that, not much more has happened. After Christmas when we all talked with our families, the whole district cried together, except for my companion and the district leader. It was pretty tough to be away at Christmas.

Hopefully all is well for you guys and everyone is doing good back home. Spanish is still pretty hard, but it is getting better. This week I have had to use the cell phone to call people or other missionaries and that is pretty hard. If you think it's hard to understand in person, try using a little white $.99 cell phone that is beat up and broken. I am trying to practice as much as I can, so hopefully I will be good at it soon. I hope you had a good Christmas and New Years! I love you.

I had a couple more things to ask for in the package to. Sorry if it cost so much to send stuff here.

-that missionary guide book that you bought me

-some paracord( like one roll is good)

-a square of carpet that can be pretty small, just something to remember. a couple inches by a couple inches

a talk the atonement and missionary work

-and my companion keeps asking for monopoly in cards. he said that an elder from USA gave his old companion it and that it was fun and that he wants it again but it is not here

-Thank you all for the emails. I don't have enough time to respond to everyone, but I really appreciate it.

-Dad, can you send more mission stories or experiences? I love those.

-Also, if any of the young women feel like writing me, you can give them my email :) Ha ha!

Also, happy anniversary. I forgot last week. Love you guys. "