New Companion!

Well, change is in the air!  Luckily for Pierce, it's good change.  He really liked working with his past companion, but he can see the wisdom in the change.

Elder McMullan had this to say:  "This past week has been great with Elder M.  Even though He leaves in January,  he has DRIVE.  I know why I was put with him!    Elder M is from Southern Chile and has been a member for almost 4 years, (2 of which have been on the mission) which is why I think he is so driven.  In the past week with M, I feel like I've learned more than the entire first 6 weeks.   Elder M(previous comp)  was great, but he didn't really like talking to people.   Elder M likes to talk a lot, which helps.  He isn't fluent in English, but is decent, and is trying to improve.  So, to help each other,  I speak Spanish to him and he speaks English to me, It works pretty well.  I hope when Elder R goes home in December, that Elder S gets a native, so we all speak only Spanish in the house.

   I can basically talk about the Gospel and never have to think about it, but my grammar is still not 100%. It's different here.  They say things in reverse in Spanish.  Like in English.., "He told me", in Spanish is, "me he told". Just confusing transition.  (Sounds like Yoda)

I even have a new goal.  I don't want to say fluent, but I want to be functional in Spanish by Christmas. But all the gringos tell me that I'm better than they were, when they had the same time that I do. So that helps to hear.   I still can't understand 100% and some people are really hard. Then there are the "Flaite" people,  (or ghetto people) who use words that aren't actually words.  It's the next step after slang I would say.  It's a whole new language. 

Yesterday a member talked to us for a long time about her concerns with the ward.  It's nice to see that a member cares too. You don't see it that much in our ward here.  Elder M told me that in the one week that he's been here, he thinks that this has been the hardest sector yet.  )Because of the lack of support and care from members)  I guess once I leave, it can only get better then!  Good to hear!" 

Elder M and Elder McMullan

These are pictures taken 20 mins outside of the main city.  

Welcome to Mars!  

This is what it looks like FOREVER until you reach the Andes.  

                                                   A nice house in the middle of nowhere.  

                                                                "Arica is Skinhead!!"    

"The many scents of Elder Munoz "   

Looks like Pierce is still at it!