First off, I always love the little random things I see here. I've seen a couple circuses with the big tents and everything. Also another BYU hat this week! Represent. I also saw a guy that was probably like 20 with an english hat that said, "This is what the world's best grandpa looks like."
Elder Peck and I like playing a game every time we make waffles called "What random powders can we add to the waffle mix?" We have tried things like Strawberry Nesquik and chocolate protein powder. So far, so good.
We also just completely blew the budget this week and decided to buy REAL MILK. Wow, it was good. I haven't had that forever.
I also had my most enjoyable bus ride EVER. Usually they just blast rather worldly spanish music, but this bus was pumping the music from Rocky! Man, it was the best.
You know you are a real Salvadoreño when you prefer the pila (cement water box) and washing your hands in a sink feels weird. Thus is my life. Speaking of the pila, very sad news this week. Our fish, Flojo, passed away. He was a good fish and I will miss him. That was the first funeral from the subject line.
The Christmas Spirit is going strong here. In the park they have lights on all the palm trees and big light nets overhead. It is pretty crazy. Like the lights by Lee's but more. They also blocked off a whole street just to sell fireworks, so everyone is gearing up for the 24th.
It was kind of funny the other day when we were returning to Jucuapa in the bus. We were the last ones in the bus, and so we tell the bus driver to let us off at the next corner, which was close to our house. He then says, "Ah, you're going to the house!" And then drives us right up to our front door. Just a random bus driver in El Salvador. I don't know if I should be touched or unnerved that everyone knows where we live, but I am constantly amazed at how much people really pay attention to you and what you do. Your example means a lot. We also talked to a new guy we hadn't met before and he told us how he always saw us in the bus stop and would want to talk to us. People notice.
This last week was my birthday, and it was the best mission birthday I could have asked for! To start off, the day before my birthday (the 12th) was the mission temple trip, so I got to go through the temple in Spanish. It was very special and built my testimony of the temple a lot. It was just super peaceful and I could really feel the beauty of God's plan. You can almost physically feel the peace in the temple. It is a very sacred place. The church is the same everywhere you go. The baptismal font was crazy cool! Super big and the oxen looked awesome. My new favorite temple for sure. Outside the temple was just super beautiful too. There is a big circle of palm trees outside and the flower beds were full of poinsettias.
Heading back from the temple, we had to all go and stay in other missionaries' houses because we had crossed the country to get to the temple. As a result, I broke all kinds of personal records for fitting lots of people in little space. First, we fit 22 people in a 12 seater van. Then we fit 7 people in a 5 seater car. Lastly, we put 4 missionaries in two beds. A little crazy. I don't think I fell asleep that night. I just lay there looking at the wall until the alarm went off.
The next day (my birthday!) was the mission Christmas activity, so it was pretty awesome how that turned out. We got there (in this beautiful park with trees and grass and sports complexes) and we all got a stocking full of treats. Then Hna. Durán, the president's wife had me stand up and the whole mission sang me happy birthday, which was fun. Not something that everybody gets to experience. Then we sang Christmas songs and then went to play! We got to spend a couple hours playing whatever sports we wanted. I played some basketball and then football (American!) and it was a blast. It was super pretty. During that whole trip to San Salvador, it was really surreal to see things like carpet (in the temple), big buildings, grass lawns, American-style gas stations with gas station food, etc. Weird. Anyways, it was a lot of fun to spend my birthday that way. Oh, and a couple days later, Hna. Irma, who we buy lunch from every day bought an ice cream cake to help celebrate my birthday because her daughter's was close. It was very nice of her and very special.
Lastly, my comp, Elder Peck is headed off to his house! That is the second funeral. I am currently staying in a trio and living out of a suitcase and sharing beds again, which is never that fun, but I will get my first new comp in the field this Wednesday!
See you all around.
Elder Harris (now an old man)
Pictured are Elder Peck burning an old sock, getting together with some MTC buddies at the Christmas activity, Hna. Irma's ice cream cake, and the swimming pool in the sports complex that was super tempting but we couldn't use.
And one more of an example of a cool bus in El Salvador. And a super white person. Might be a ghost.
More pictures of the temple trip.
(Mom note: And here are two bonus pictures from the mission activity sent to me by a friend whose friend's son is in Abe's mission.)
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