Nicaragua almost 2 months!

Hola Familia- So this week I will hit my 4 month mark in the mission and 2 months in Nicaragua. Crazy that Elena will hit 1 month!  I am doing great. So tomorrow we are changing houses to one that is even closer to the place we eat and I think it is even a little nicer than the one we are in. I don´t think it has hot water, but actually that is probably better because otherwise we have to be more cautious with the electricity bill because the shower heaters use a ton. So the reason we are moving is because the office told us to.  I have had lots of bug bites on my legs probably for like 2 or 3 weeks. We thought it was mosquitoes in the night so we went and got a mosquito net.  The next morning I still had more new bites and so last Monday I sort of determined that I probably had bed bugs not mosquito problems.  I wasn´t sure which would be worse - mosquitoes that could get you sick with other things or bed bugs that are just annoying. So, our district leader ended up calling the zone leaders about getting us new mattresses. These came on Wednesday.  I showed the man that brought them my legs and he said that we pretty much needed to wash everything and fumigate the house. Anyway, the President’s wife called the next morning and then a little while later the zone leaders called and said we needed to move that day.  They came and looked for a house with us and the district leader and we decided on this one, but the person in it wasn´t going to be out until today or yesterday.  I am not completely sure that moving houses was necessary, but whatever (the old house was nice). I am doing fine. My legs still have the old bites that are healing up and I just get a new mosquito bite now and then during the day. I also have something to spray on my sheets, mosquito net, and bed.  But I am waiting until we are in the new house to do it and I need to find a spray bottle to use.  So really, I don´t want you to worry.  I am fine.  This is just part of life here.  No biggie and now I can see that when I need something, the office gets right on it and will take good care of me (and the President responded to my letter from last week making sure that it is all resolved).  So, I wanted to tell you so you know what’s going on but I don´t want you to worry. Oh and Elena, if you get bed bugs it’s really not that big of a deal. Yeah, my legs were itchy, but really don´t stress about the little stuff.   So other excitement this week... There have  been some issues with the water here in Masatepe. I think some pipe or something bringing water in is not completely working so there has been a little shortage. We had a tank but that ran out yesterday. We still get some in the morning so I filled up every bottle we had in the house and there was enough water coming in to sort of shower - more like fill up a cup and dump it over you, but that was better than nothing.  It should be getting fixed soon and I don´t know the situation in the new house. But we have a supply now so we are fine and we will still get some water every morning. Yesterday, it was cool to see how everyone was sharing the water.  Not all the houses got water when it came for the couple hours in the morning, but the people who did spent the morning filling up buckets for the people who didn´t.  The people are so great here.  Other news, my companion has been sick the last couple of days with a cold(we think) so we haven´t got a whole lot done. We tried to do divisions on Saturday but still it was hard to get two people to be ready at the same time - one to go with me and one to stay with her. She went to church yesterday and then we took a break in the afternoon. I got to read some conference talks and I looked over my MTC notes, so that was good.  I took a little nap yesterday which was weird. It really is better to work, work, work and get stuff done.  That’s really when you feel the best. There is a quote in Preach My Gospel that basically says working will solve all your problems and worries and I know that is true. When you are being effective and working like you should you feel good and the time goes by faster. Another cool thing, hearing people mention Joseph Smith. When I hear people talk about him even before we mention him, I think of the line in Praise to the Man that millions shall know Brother Joseph again.  It is so true.  Also a scripture for you - Moroni 8:2-3. Mormon is writing to Moroni and I thought of you all writing to me.  When my companion showed it to me I thought of my good letter writers.  I am glad you got to talk to Elena and that she made it to the DR safely. I got a really nice compliment on my piano playing yesterday. Usually with the sacrament song I will keep playing if the priests aren´t quite finished. I wasn´t sure what people thought about it but last night at a member’s house they were saying how nice it is and that they really like it when I do that. They said I have a great talent. I was glad to hear it because sometimes I am not sure what people think because it is different for them to have a piano and I have to figure out how to sort of follow them. I was really happy to have the compliment last night.  So that’s crazy about that dust storm.  That was funny how Elena described the DR.  I am reminded a lot of Hawaii here except for everyone speaks Spanish and that in Hawaii almost everyone has running water and electricity. Actually most people have that here but most don’t have a tile floor. I am reminded of the bugs and weather and the super friendly people.   Elena that was cool that you had a fun 4th of July fest at the MTC.   We are working and trying to find new people to teach.   Well my time is almost up.  I am doing great.   I love you tons and tons.   Have fun in the DR Lenny!   So, crazy - some sort of parade is going down the street.   I am not sure what we are celebrating, but whatever.   So, love you tons and tons.   Thanks for being so great and sending stuff to me. I hope you are all doing well.  I am doing fantastico.  The gospel is true!   Love, Alexis