Hola from Rivas

Well, I am here now. I guess I just missed Elena. I am doing well. We have a new district leader here and his comp. Well, the district leader has been here for 3 changes but this is his first time as district leader. He’s going home this change. He has a new companion from New Mexico who has 17 months in the mission. Anyway, it’s all good. I am glad that Lenny gets to follow after my footsteps with the time I have in Rivas and the time she has in Mendoza. We didn’t get any investigators to church yesterday. One was there with a sister who is a member, so that was a nice surprise. She lives in San Juan de Sur so she isn’t here all the time but we are going to see how we can work with her. We are still working with another lady who came last week and hopefully we can get her there this week. We are doing good, just searching for the elect families of Rivas. I haven’t gotten anymore mail this week but hopefully Friday or whenever the elders go on exchanges with the zone leaders. I did get letters mailed today. I can’t believe it is almost February. Craziness. I am all for the Lenny doing whatever she thinks is best but it would be a nice Thanksgiving to have her there! It will average to 18 months for both of us so that would be cool. We have interviews this week or the next. We just had changes so the next round of changes is March 7^th and I am guessing that I will have changes then. Anyway, the husband of the lunch lady is making me some going away present. He is an artist and does little wood type souvenirs. He thought I was going to leave in this change but he was glad to have more time to finish it. Really these people are great! I feel like I have my little home here in Rivas. But yeah, whatever Elena decides, but it would be cool to be all together for our Christmas celebrations. I will wait to write to Lexi since my letters won’t get there by the time she leaves the MTC. It is crazy to think that it has been almost a year since I was in Provo. I am excited to get some mail whenever it comes. Thanks for all you do. You would be really proud of me as I am enjoying eating tangerines - whole ones and not even spitting out the pulp. All the fruits are coming into season in these next few months. Right now -oranges and tangerines...mangoes - soon... which I am excited about since Rivas is the city of the mangoes and I have yet to eat one here. Today we ate papaya at lunch. Hermana Louisa who cooks for us gave us both a gigantic bowl of papaya. It was actually pretty good and I managed to finish it all. We should come back in March 2013 and there will be tons of mangoes at that time. Well, it’s nice and hot and my comp is not a fan. We are a pretty silent pair and my goal this week is to try to get her to do some contacting on her own. She needs to learn but I don’t want to force her too much. She talks in the lessons so that is good. Anyway, we are doing good and trying to work with the members more. Last week we finally got a new branch mission leader so that should help us quite a bit. So life continues in the Nicaragua land and week 25 in Rivas. I am in my 7th transfer of 12. I am just about finished here. I love you so much and am happy here. The gospel is true. Thanks for being so great. I hope you have a fantabulous week. You are the bestest. Well, love you tons. Love, alc