3 Months This Week!

Hey,

Time seems to be already speeding up.  It seems like I just left the Lima MTC and came to Iquitos, Although it doesn't really because so much has happened in the past month(almost a month).  I am surprised that it's already going so fast.  I'm almost already done with my first change, but I'm almost positive that I'll be here with Elder Duran for another 1-3 changes.  Haha, not exactly precise I know but almost nobody gets changed after 6 weeks with their trainer and I haven't heard of anyone who stays with them for more than 6 months(4 changes).  So I'll probably be staying here for a while at least.

I feel like I've already talked about the weather but I'll do it again because you asked.  It's always either raining and nice out, or I am absolutely drenched in sweat.  The only exception to that is when we're in a house on the water, it's usually pretty nice on the water.  And it doesn't cool down at night either.  I pretty much just sweat through the night.  And dad, those handkerchief things you gave me are really coming in handy, nice to just get sweat off of my face. [Jeff will be so happy! He’s always trying to sell his sons on the virtue of a good handkerchief!]

For our "kitchen" we have a hot plate and a fridge. Haha, not too high tech.  We're supposed to have a rice cooker too but I don't know that I want to eat more rice than I already do anyways so it doesn't really matter that we don't have one of those.  As for what I make for meals, it's only for breakfast and dinner and I usually have oatmeal for breakfast.  I make it with yogurt to give it a little flavor and seeing as we don’t have a microwave it's nice and cool which actually isn't that bad. I'll make eggs, toast, grilled cheese even though cheese doesn't melt here and I pretty much always have bread/crackers with jam.  Nothing too complex.  It's not that I can't make more but it's just more work than I want to do really.  One time I did make french toast though.  Pretty good.  What do you usually make that with? I just had egg and milk.  I feel like cinnamon is supposed to be there but I didn't want to buy it. also, syrup is very expensive, so I had it with jam.  Pretty good.  But yeah I don't make too much else, any other cheap, easy ideas? A little variety wouldn't hurt.

We did, however, get a cooking class with a sister in the ward for our meal with her.  We made arroz chaufa (basically fried rice) with chicken and platanos.  So I can make pretty much all of that, it's fairly easy.  There are some pictures of me cooking the chicken here.  Also, if you were wondering how to cut through bones, it's pretty simple, you smack a knife with a rock.  Haha! That was a little surprising although I guess I should have seen it coming.  But really, we have yet to be fed anything bad, scary or really interesting.  I'm somewhat surprised.

I think we finally have all of the paperwork for E* and M*.  We've been working on that for a month...papers seriously take forever.  I really wouldn't be surprised if they still aren't married/baptized in a week when I write again...They're close though.  He doesn't have a birth certificate and in order to get one we need his diploma from school, his school burned down so they don't have a record of it...his cousin works in a school though so apparently he can get one made for him? It's all confusing...  Which worries me because we just set a date for this other family for March 8 and they're not married....hopefully they actually have some papers so that date actually works...

Also, last thing.  We have this guy that loves to talk to us named A*.  He's always drunk.  The first time we talked to him he told us he lived right there on the futbol court.  We talked to him yesterday and he insisted that we come to his house with him.  So he does have a house.  We literally tried for 20 minutes to leave but he just wouldn't let us leave.  We were finally about to leave and he decided he was going to come with us to our appointment and teach with us....hahaha there was no stopping this guy.  He is very persistent.  We eventually convinced him that he couldn't come with us.  I have a feeling we're going to see him a few more times though.  He shook my hand at least 20 times and while we were in his house he told us that it was his house at least 10 times.  Haha. interesting guy.  Thought someone might enjoy this story.

Love you guys!

Elder Peacock

P.S.  If you can get word to Brock tell him good luck and congrats!

P.P.S.  Tell Bryce to write me a flippin letter :)

P.P.P.S.  Tell Evan happy late birthday!!