Well this definitely isn't the U.S. haha. Once we had our orientation we met our companions. My trainer´s name is Elder Peterson, he's from West Valley, Utah and is really cool. He actually reminds me a lot of Austin Fife (just less crazy about girls and cars haha). But i'm finally in Argentina and it's hit me that I'm a missionary. But i'm still in this weird limbo where i'm here but I have a really small idea of what is going on and absolutely no idea what people are saying. Elder Peterson, being the good trainer that he is, still makes me contact houses (we clap outside people's fences instead of knocking on doors). So what usually happens when it's my turn to contact is I'll clap, the person will walk out, i'll mess up what i'm trying to say in Spanish, and then they say some gibberish back. Elder Peterson will then comes in and saves the day and starts talking to them. So far I've really only messed up once where instead of asking if the person believed in Jesus Christ (¿cree en Jesucristo?), I asked them if I believe in Jesus Christ (¿creo in Jesucristo?) hahaha. Elder peterson messed up once too and instead of asking if he had a moment we could talk to him (¿tiene tiempo a conversar con usted?), he asked if he had time that we could convert him (¿tiene tiempo a convertirle?).
Our area is just about half of Mercedes (the west half). I don't know if google maps has been here but you could try and see part of it. We only are supposed to have cameras with us on p-day so I only have pictures of the apartment and a few places in central mercedes. Most of the surrounding area around the few blocks of Mercedes central is dirt roads, the boots are coming in handy. Sorry i'm all over the place i'm just writing as i'm thinking of stuff. Next weeks will be a bit more organized.
So after I met Elder Peterson we got on a bus and took the 4 hour ride to Mercedes. We got there late in the night so I unpacked a few things and got to bed. Oh i forgot to talk about the apartment. I hope cooper either gets over his fear of dirty places or gets called to a stateside mission because our pension was both very run down and dirty. After a week's worth of exercise time and p-day, today we the apartment is just run down and half dirty. I think the key of the mission will just saying "well, it's going to make a great story!" haha. The next day we went out and started tracting. We walk everywhere so that takes a bunch of time and about 11/10ths of the time the directions to the house are wrong (the addresses in argentina go something like this: off of fearru and farrari, four houses down, pink house with a yellow door, and an orange tree outside), the person isn't home, or the house doesn't exist. We have two backup plans always; another family that lives nearby and contacting. Every day we've gotten to plan C haha. Its really just a bunch of fun.
On Thursday we found Christian who is an awesome guy who has been feeling like him and his young family needs to start going back to church. We had a great lesson and invited him to church, and invited him to be baptized and he agreed to both. We finished the lesson and were so excited that I didn't notice a dog curled up in front of the neighbor's house (there are about 4 trillion dogs here, not even counting the ones that are pets) and the dog thought it would be a good idea to take a chomp at my leg! So the pants that Layne gave me have two holes in them and so does my leg. (I cleaned it out really well and have been watching it (and called the president) so it's all good. I'm not dead yet)!!!
The food here is really different, not a ton of variety and definitely not mexican like, they don't even have tortillas. you can see in the pictures but lots of the packaging is in bags instead of bottles, all the yoghurt is liquid (like Danimals) and the milk is in bags too. We can only eat with members if the branch president authorizes it and the only time we've been offered food is saturday night once we had started our fast... so food is pretty boring here. No peanut butter and just old bananas, and no lettuce so i'm lacking in those areas.
On Sunday we had church at the branch, which is just a house converted into a church. I had no clue what people were saying but it was cool because i still could feel the spirit testifying of the truthfulness of the testimonies being shared.
Overall it's definitely a different life here, the lifestyle is different, the cars (some are so old, like you don't even know how old. the other day there was a car that was driving along and then the whole wheel came off. Not just the wheel but the wheel, bolts, disk, brake calipers, everything, and was sitting at the other side of the street). But the people are really nice and the weather is pretty good, i'm full, and I like my companion. Still don't know what people are saying but Life is good. Viviendo la vida.
Chau,
Elder Mason Tuttle
Elder peterson and I in the elevator
The elevator
These are actually the keys everyone uses here
Mayo in a bag
Liquid yoghurt in a bag
Our work sink drain doesn't work so we use a syphon haha
In the wall chest high.. this is how we flush the toilet (pull the hook thing up:)
Our bedroom and study area (mine is on the left) (and Elder Peterson's area is usually more organized)
View from one of our windows
View from the other window
My desk (I got stuck with the pokemon one)
My bed (my twin sized bed at home was a luxury)
The computer I'm typing on
Dad, be glad you aren't a plumber here, because they just cement right over the pipes
The bathroom
The main room
Making bread (here you just put the salt, flour, butter, water, and yeast on the counter and start mixing)
The kitchen
When we use the washer we put the syphon hose into the washer outlet hose and run it down to the drain (this is where my MacGyver side of me comes in real handy)
The ford ranger is still being made???? who knew?
our supermarcado...dia!
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