Model area

So you know how in the Missionary Handbook it says that a district leader's area should be a model for the other areas in his district? Me and Elder Buhler took that statement to another level this week. Let me explain.

We have a family we found about a month ago that we're teaching, and they have a daughter who is a model for a living. That was actually her excuse for why she couldn't read the book of mormon. Something like "I'm a model, so I couldn't read your book. I was too busy with people taking my picture all the time." Then this week on Tuesday, we started teaching another girl who just so happens to be a model! Her and her boyfriend that is. The other thing about model investigators is they tend to like to greet men with a kiss on the cheek, which is custom here but is definitely a no-go for missionaries. But sometimes it's unavoidable.  

On Thursday we were in model #1's house teaching her family, she wasn't there. But towards the end of the lesson, we heard some ruckus by the door. I turned around, and all of a sudden, 5 or 6 beautiful women walked through the door.  I'm assuming that they were model #1's friends. All of them said "buenas noches!" and then came in one by one trying to shake our hands. Our model investigator knew that we aren't allowed to greet with a kiss, but a few of them didn't hear her trying to tell them that. Luckily Elder Buhler was positioned closer to them than I was, he ended up getting two or three kisses, but then by the time those girls got to me they realized we weren't going for it and just shook my hand like normal. But then one of them decided to go all the way around the table to get to me and I ended up getting a kiss too.  It was an extremely uncomfortable experience, but at the same time a really funny one. I hope you all enjoyed it.

So there's your funny story for the week. The rest of the week was fairly uneventful. But it was a good one, we found some solid investigators that definitely have baptism potential. More updates next week. Here have some photos!

Love you all

Elder Bingham

pic 1: how a really tall man looks on the wheel hump seat in a tiny Bolivian bus

pics 2-3: it got really windy and cold yesterday. So windy that it RIPPED THIS TREE OUT OF THE GROUD. Free roadblocks.

pic 4: the gringo trap-house's collection of soda cans. I made a temple out of it. Can you see the similarity??

how a really tall man looks on the wheel hump seat in a tiny Bolivian bus

it got really windy and cold yesterday. So windy that it RIPPED THIS TREE OUT OF THE GROUND. Free roadblocks.

the gringo trap-house's collection of soda cans. I made a temple out of it. Can you see the similarity??

dunkin heads and dodging snakes

Hey fam, glad you all enjoyed the reunion, low key I'm super jealous and that sounds like it was a ton of fun. Next year I'll be there and we'll take the gold for volleyball 2 years in a row for sure! Also I'll probably kick the old man off his throne in badminton. We'll see.

Update: still have like 10 cans of Dr Pepper Cherry. Still fetching delicious.

So this week was actually great!! After 5 transfers in my area, I thought I had basically tried everything in every part of our area. But then I remembered that there's a couple parts where we have barely even contacted people. So this week we went over to San Silvestre, which is a smallish neighborhood in our area. Turns out, the place is a freaking gold mine!! We got like 8 new investigators over there this week and three more in a barrio close by. So if you ever get bored of your area, just work in a different part of it for a while and you'll be fine! Lesson learned.

Funny story from this week. On Friday during a lesson some private number called us. I answered it and they asked for Elder Buhler. I told the guy we were busy, and we called them after the lesson. Turns out, his snake from his last area somehow got his number and is trying to talk to him!! She started asking him the direction of our chapel and what time the reunion is at. Buhler told her the direction before we realized she was going to try and come visit him in church on Sunday, so we decided it was better not to tell her what time its at. Buhler told her she should probably just go to Los Angeles ward where she belongs.

Then later that day we had Yanira's baptism! This was our second baptism in a row where the investigator has asked Elder Buhler to baptize AND confirm her. Buhler's just a natural charmer. We've been making fun of him a bit for it because we all know he's a consecrated missionary and doesn't flirt with girls, but they just seem to like him anyway. Yanira's actually a super solid convert, she has a lot of faith! She has told us that she has got in fights with her family about getting baptized and that they are completely opposed, but she wanted to do it anyway! Pretty sure she still hasn't told her family that she got baptized, so I'm a little worried about that. But she'll be fine. She would be a great missionary. Also during the baptism, Buhler's snake started calling me again!!! I just kept hanging up on her, since it is definitely not permitted to talk to young women who life outside your area. We called the Elder who is in her area now and told him to tell her not to do that anymore. So she hasn't called, but today she emailed Elder Buhler!!! GAH! Women!! Don't worry he'll be fine though. He's a strong lad.

Elder Bingham

pics 1-3: our ward's August 6th activity! August 6th is Bolivian independence day for all you uneducated gringos. They 

the ugliest dog you have ever seen...

... and the most majestic goat you have ever seen!! A circus opened up in our area and they have this beast outside.

Yanira's baptism!!

bustin out the good ol' stop-water

This week was different for sure. Many adventures happened. Little proselyting success happened. But it was still fun.

First off this week we ended up doing a three day long favor for the health secretary Elder Barrott. Theres an elder from El Salvador named Elder Cevallos who was in Trinidad. Elder Cevallos was in my first ever district as district leader, but then he went home at the end of that transfer for knee problems. He recently came back to the mission, but he tripped on a root or something in Trinidad and is now having knee pains again. So they had to fly him down to Santa Cruz to go to the specialist, and Barrott asked us if he could hang out with me and Buhler for a few days. Which was fine, but it meant we had to take a couple trips to the Foianini (the big fancy clinic here), which means like 45 minutes in micro going there and coming back. So we wasted a lot of proselyting time doing that this week, but it was still fun.

On Friday it we had to go to the Foianini in the morning, but we also had to stop by Bits n cream, which is an awesome ice cream place here. "Why did you have to go?" you might ask. It's because every Friday in their store, EVERYTHING only costs 15 BOLIVIANOS. Like you can get the most expensive ice cream there for only 15. It's lit. Only problem was that a member was going to invite us sopa de mani for lunch right after, but Elder Bingham isn't patient enough to hold his ice cream in the micro until we get home to put it in the freezer. So I ended up eating a whole apple pie ice cream cup right before having to eat a big bowl of sopa de mani, which is like the most filling soup there is. We walked home very slowly after that. I just about threw up. #worthit  Also later that day we had to eat cake and cuñape because it was Elder Medina's birthday. I feel fat

Then on Saturday it RAINED. All. Freaking. Day. It was the craziest rain I've ever seen. It was raining from Saturday at like 5 in the morning until Sunday at like 4 in the afternoon. We tried proselyting Saturday for a little while but it wasn't worth it. I got soaked, my shoes were filled with water, and the streets were flooded. And I don't have rain boots. So I'm pretty sure most of our mission ended up hanging out in their houses on Saturday. Proselyting would honestly just be a waste of time in weather like that. Cambas do nothing when it's cold and they do not want to come to the door. Oh well. Sunday ended up being a pretty solid day since the rain let up and it wasn't windy. Sunday was also when I discovered my love for umbrellas. I mostly just like how you say umbrella in spanish, "paraguas" or literally "stop-water". Literal Spanish is hilarious. I lost my nice umbrella early in my mission (sorry mom), so I ended up buying a crappy one for 25 bs. But the thing I love about it is how it has a hook on the end and its nice and long to poke things with. I ended up just playing with my umbrella in the street all day on Sunday. Scaring dogs opening it and stuff. Using it as a cane and limping around because my legs were sore. etc. It was a good time.

Don't judge me. I swear I'm not that childish. I just love stop-waters.

Elder Bingham

pics 1-5: we had to go to the offices this week, but none of the office elders were there when we came. So I ended up putting creative sticky notes on their desks. And I thought it was hilarious. But you guys probably won't get it. 

DOCTOR PEPPER CHERRY!!

This week was a week of miracles. Not really any miracles that have too much to do with missionary work, but miracles nonetheless. Let me explain.

This week was pretty normal as far as proselyting goes. We're starting to find new investigators like normal again, which is nice. We've had to spend a couple days this week basically contacting all day but we met some really great people. It kind of paid off and we ended up finding 8 new investigators, some of them with some decent potential. Nothing too special for now. We did set another baptismal date this week on a guy named Oscar. He's a friend of this member named Daniela Woodling. She grew up in Belen, but then married some guy from Pennsylvania, moved to the states, and had two kids. But she just recently came back to Bolivia with her 13 and 11 year old kids Abigail and David, and they're going to be here for like 8 months while their dad stays in the states working. So she referred us to one of her old friends, Oscar, who lives at the end of the street. He's a great guy, but he's trying to change his life from some alcohol problems he had in the past. But now he's accepting the gospel and even came to church on Sunday! Woop!

But the biggest miracle this week (from my worldy perspective) was a nice gesture from a member named Arnoldo that we eat lunch with. Him and another guy in our ward, Brigham, work out at a gym in this mall called las Brisas. After their workout one day, they were going through the super market in said mall when they stumbled upon a little green can. Brigham mentioned that a gringo would kill to have this can. So Arnoldo asked us about it. the conversation went a little like this. Translated version.

Arnoldo: "the soda came in a green can"

Me: "was it called Mtn Dew?"

Arnoldo: "I think so"

Me: "NO WAY ARE YOU SERIOUS????"

Turns out, it WAS Mtn Dew. He bought us a can and brought it to lunch the next day. He also showed us photos of the wide selection of imported american sodas they have there, including freaking DR PEPPER AND DR PEPPER CHERRY. I told the ZL's the next day and they both went and bought themselves an overpriced case of Mtn Dew. We are so deprived. Elder Carlson is also a pal and he bought me a can of DP cherry since las Brisas is in his area. It made me so freaking happy. It's been over a year since I have had Dr Pepper. I will be going to buy myself a case today.

You really do grow to love something more after you've been without it for a while. 

Love you guys! and I might love DP Cherry even more

Elder Bingham

also last week I found DR PEPPER BBQ SAUCE in Hipermaxi for 28 bs.
I'm a really happy man

turns out its really creepy when you hold your glasses slightly away from the face

HAY MTN DEW Y DP!

                                               my shrine to america on the wall by my desk 

Elder Bingham becomes a local legend

Well, transfers happened. And to literally everybody's surprise, I'm staying in Belen for a FIFTH freaking transfer. Like what the crap.  I have now joined the ranks of all the other missionaries the elders always talk about that were in Belen for way too long, like Elders Gabbitas, Villalobos, Cook, Francis, and Winger.  All week I've been hearing jokes from the members like "They'll probably give you a calling in the ward soon" or "when are you going to buy yourself a property?"  So I'm pretty sure everybody in Belen is going to remember me forever now. Hopefully for the work I've done here, but probably also for the fact that I was here for so long.

But hey on the bright side, I'm going to be able to see our investigators through to baptism! On Saturday we had the first of hopefully three or four this transfer. Our investigator Maria Fernanda got baptized! It was really stressful putting it all together. For some reason like nobody in the ward knew the baptism was happening until like the day of, and Friday a killer cold front came in. So Maria was super worried about cold water because Camba's are wussies when it comes to cold stuff. So we got to the chapel at like 5:00 (baptism was at 7:00) and started filling up the font. We loaned a propane stove from a member and a giant pot (probably like 30 litros giant) and started heating up pots of water while the cold tap water was filling the font up. Fun fact: the chapels in Santa Cruz don't have heated water in the fonts. Oh, Bolivia. We ended up throwing in like 5 or 6 pots almost full of burning hot water, and the font water changed from being cold to being what I would call "almost room temperature". Which was pretty significant progress. Despite all that, when she first dipped a toe in the water, she immediately started freaking out about how cold it was. Luckily we had a member there inside the font area persuading her to get in. Elder Buhler was going to baptize her, I was just standing outside silently praying that she would get over the cold water and just wash herself of her sins already. As soon as they opened the font windows, like three other members watching immediately started reassuring her like "its okay sister the water's fine" or "nothing is going to happen, you wont get sick" or "you can do it we've all been baptized the same way". Elder Buhler finished the prayer, I heard a scream, and then a SPLASH!!! Then she came up out of the water and started freaking out again. I let out a sigh of relief, did a little fist pump, and then went to the bathroom to wait for Buhler. It was a really stressful day to say the least. 

And then Sunday she came kind of late to the chapel for her confirmation and I was mad stressed until she got there. Oh Bolivians.

Well that was my week. Hope you're not all sick of my stories from this area by now. Should have some more good ones in the future. Love you guys!

Elder Bingham

one member here has a tiny motorcycle and I love it

hat same member hunted a Tatu! (armadillo) I never actually got to eat it though. Maybe someday

 our semi-successful water heating set up 

Maria's baptism!

face-to-cake smashing and lemonade

So this week actually went really well! This quite possibly will be my last week in this area since transfers are next week, so it was nice to finish it off with a bang. 

This week was Elder Sauceda-Leon's birthday. Maybe you remember how here in Bolivia they have the tradition of making you bite your birthday cake after you sing happy birthday, and then someone normally shoves your face in it. Last year, I was also in Elder Sauceda's zone on his b-day and had the pleasure of smashing his face in it. This year, I got to do it twice more! Once in his pension's house, and once in district meeting. He never even saw me coming in district meeting. I was sitting on the front row of benches. he looked around, thought the coast was clear, and went in for the bite. Then I leaped forward majestically and in midair slam dunked his face right into that cake. Best part, we got it on video!!! I'll try to send said video, its hilarious.

On Saturday, we did a district activity and made a bunch of lemonade to give out at the Zoo, which is in our area. It worked pretty freaking well and we got a lot of references out of it. The best part was that we had exactly enough lemonade to fill up 200 little plastic cups and give them out, which was extremely satisfying. The zoo was packed that day so it was awesome. There was a Jehovah's witness not to far away with a little stand where he was trying to give out books, but we were doing way better than him and he looked a little sad. We gave out all our folletos and lemonade! Thats the secret J-dubs! just give out lemonade! (also preach the truth and not apostasy)

As for proselyting, after 4 transfers in Belen, our area is actually having great progress! It feels so satisfying to have all our hard work paying off. This next transfer I'm sure Elder Buhler will have great success here with his new comp. Since President has basically told me already that i'll get a transfer. We now have 4 investigators with a fecha bautismal! One should get baptized this Saturday, and the other 3 are looking solid for August. The biggest miracle happened yesterday. We have an investigator named Yanira who has been going to church for a while now, but she never wanted to accept a baptismal date because she always found doubts about polygamy, Joseph Smith, etc. But yesterday in the lesson, I asked her if she had prayed and asked God about the BOM, and she said yes! And that she wants to get baptized!! Only problem is that she's facing opposition from her family. But she finally applied faith and made a decision! she has a date for August 3rd and we're really happy.

Well, I kind of forgot to bring my camera to internet today, but I'll send some of Buhler's photos from this week. Enjoy!

Elder Bingham

This was my sixth transfer in the mission as District Leader, and my sixth district! I'm really proud of these guys 

Zona Equipetrol!

 lemonade at the zoo

outside the zoo there was a freaking SLOTH just chilling in the tree! I love Bolivia

'MURICA BABY!!!

I hope you all enjoyed celebrating freedom 5 days ago. We did the best we could here in Bolivia as missionaries. Our celebrations involved listening to the motab version of "god bless America" on a loop, dressing in red ties and blue pants, going to TGI Friday's for dinner and eating the "cowboy triple meat burger" (god bless the food court in Ventura mall too), and screaming the national anthem at the top of our lungs when we got home. It's fun to have a house full of 6 Americans.

Another highlight of this week, on Thursday the assistants did splits with the DL's in our zone, which I am one of. We went out with Elder Snyder, who is the tallest elder in the mission, one of the few taller than me. He's from Salt Lake. Cool guy. Us three tall white people in shirts and ties were sure a sight. We actually had some really solid lessons that day and I learned a lot from the guy. With him we set a fecha bautismal on this cool guy named Darwin and found a couple new people. So if you thought we couldn't do any better, that night we had 7 Americans in the house. We played some pretty good basketball in the morning for exercises. God bless America.

But other than that it was a pretty slow week. We only had one investigator at church, but she's progressing really well and should be ready for baptism in a couple weeks! I'll probably get transferred before then but that doesn't matter. 

Anyway, enjoy the pics and enjoy all the great things about America while you're all there. Love you guys!

Elder Bingham

ps: god bless bolivia too, they need some serious blessings down here

pic 1-2: we did our best to dress up like america and snap some dope pics Wednesday morning. Enjoy

3: trio with Elder Snyder for a day

4: 7 americans in one house in Bolivia? NEW RECORD

5-6: me and Buhler found some empty path in the jungle at the end of our area and I really want to go hike down it someday. maybe next pday

we did our best to dress up like america and snap some dope pics wednesday morning. Enjoy

 trio with Elder Snyder for a day

7 americans in one house in Bolivia? NEW RECORD

 me and Buhler found some empty path in the jungle at the end of our area and I really
want to go hike down it someday. maybe next pday