John 4-27-09

Well today we had interviews in the morning with president.
It went pretty well told me im doing good in changing the area around.
So that made me feel a little better. I feel i have more say in whats going on in
the mission now. I help out the other missionaries and they trust me a bunch in the
offices. Im very glad to be back here in bolivia. Its sooo calm at night its just
moon light to let us walk everywhere through tallgrass sometimes. Its pretty fun.
Yes guabira is really really small. The smallest area i think i have had in the
mission. The sugar factory as dad said is the most popular thing. The whole town
works there. And i hear when they have there 4 months of work all of guabira is smoke
and smells like sugar..but i wont be there for that thankfully. I live a street near
the school called juan sabala. Not the greatest  house. The chuch is near one of the
2 parks its a pretty big chapel. The ward is really good. We had ward conferance
and they did good with it. Had a lot of people show up. The members are getting to
know me better. My district is 10 missionaries. The only americans are me and
elder cope. The others are alll from peru. I heard that next change 15 americans
are coming. But none from my group! Wasnt too happy about that. There all the new
guys that havent seen santa cruz yet. But we will see how they do. At the end of
the year we are suppose to have 190 missonaries in the mission which is a ton.
So that will be good. That is crazy that steven is going to russia...i bet he has
been talking to jon rusch a lot. And glad to heasr that cory is heading out. Which
mission is he going to again? Always glad to hear that the old friends are asking
about me and dont forget. And that stacy talked to JD. He is a really cool guy.
Always liked that i kept a little better standards than the rest of the basketball
team. His family is really religious too. Mom as for the fall weather.... havent
seen much of that. But it did rain last week really hard all day which is always fun
to walk around in. And it got cold that day but that was it. The fall here really is
just more wind to keep you cool. But it gets more cold next month i think. Its still
probly 90 degrees outside. About the leather stuff. There is a guy here that custom
makes it for missionaries. And he is a friend of mine. I get some pretty cool stuff
for like 20 dolars. Its really not that expensive for how good a job he does. About
the peruvian sayings i have finally come out of them. All the missonaries made fun
of me but liked it at the same time because i can talk in there slang now. But im
back to normal. Im doing `pretty well lately. Had a babtism last week of a mom and
here son was going to but he backed out at the last minute. At the beginning he
wanted to go on a mission and everything but his uncles and people told him he
shouldnt. But we are still working with him. And this Saturday we will be babtising
5 kids. Ages...14 13 12 and 11 and 9. the 14 to 11 year old are brothers and
sisters. The 9 year old has a dad that isnt member. But they all want to get
babtised. So that was a blessing last week. I have had some alergies from all
these plants lately but im getting better finally. Sister maynes gave me some
perscription stuff to take which have helped. I really have no clue where im going
next change still. My guess would be financial secratary. Becuase he has to call
salt lake all the time in english. And he struggles with that. And he has 9 months
there. But who knows. I do know that i do have changes though. But thats really
thats been going on lately. Just wondering where im going to go next week. And i
need to do a lot of work before i leave as president told me this morning. So i
can leave something for the next missionary that comes. Anyway thanks for writing
everyone. I love you all. And i am reading the book of mormon in spanish all the way
throgh for the first time and im in the beginning of 3 nefi. Its a pretty amazing
story(im sure you all now that) but since the beginning of alma i have studied it
pretty hard and found some cool stuff. About the the past had sooo many changes of
peoples righteousness. I like to break down the stories everyone knows and pull
out stuff they havent heard of before and apply it to missionaries. For example
about success.... lots of people think success is numbers. But i share about ammon
who had a ton of good number and babtisms... and about abinadi who only had a
investigator progressing when he died. But he had success as well. I dont know
things like that. But thats all for now i will write next week to let you know
where i am going.
Elder Cheesman