Here we are once again. This past week has been an interesting one, full of learning and fun. We hit the ground strolling (not running because everyone is old here). We went to the members and recent convert houses so I could meet them all and there was something they all had in common. They were all above the age of 70. The branch is like a retirement home ward. JAJA. The youngest member we have that is active is 9 years old. The next one is 15 years old which is the branch presidents son and then the next one is 21 then 31 then it just higher and higher. All the way up to 89 years old who still attends. The 89 year old is named Hector Gruccio. He is a real famous painter that painted beautiful things. I have seen some of his paintings and I was just left jaw dropped. But yeah, pretty cool how calm and lay low it is. It is way different from being a city with ghetto areas.
Hector Gruccio
Yesterday at church we had a total of 17 people. That is average, above average. We have a baptism this weekend. It is of a 79 year old lady named Ines. She just quit smoking a month ago and really wants to get baptized. I've never baptized an elderly lady before but there's a first for everything. Jaja. It's a little bit hard for her to understand everything but she knows that she feels good in church and that she shouldn't smoke or drink coffee, tea, alcohol, etc. But she has a hard time remembering some other things. And it's kinda of scary teaching her because she has one real eye and one plastic eye. You never know if she is looking at you. But as far as other investigators, we really don't have.
We have two responsibilities out here. One, help the branch grow and two, baptize people. We are working on one to try and have success with two. We have 70 members on the ward list so we are going to try and pass by every single person to see what's wrong. Hopefully we get some success from that. Oh, we have a branch newspaper that my companion and I are doing. It's kind of cute and funny. It's just a little something for the older members to read while drinking their mates.
So we have a two hour train ride every week to district meetings and to do interviews. It is such a long train ride. So I have started to read Jesus the Christ again and this past week we took the train a lot. We took the train Wednesday and Saturday. So that's 8 hours of train rides so I have read a lot. That's not true, I read slow. But reading about the Savior's life before, during and after is thrilling. I know I won't have time to enjoy that kind of stuff after the mission but I'll try to make time. Through the first 7 chapters, one learns so much about the Savior and I have grown to appreciate Him more and more after every chapter I read. It is really unbelievable what He did and is doing for us. My testimony grows every day.
And I still can't believe how fast time is going. It makes me sad how fast time went but I know it went fast because I was enjoying every moment. When one embraces the moments, they seem to go by faster. Just like what the kid's show "Magic School Bus" said, "Time flies when your having a good tiiiiiiime." jaja. I feel exactly like that. But don't worry, I still have 5 months left. Plenty of time to have more fun. Especially with my branch of elderly people. They are so funny. And each one of them have sat down with us and have told us their life story. They have shown us pictures of their life back in the 40's and 50's and some as far back as 1900 had pictures. This is definitely a humbling experience that I love.
Well, thanks for everything! I love you all and Have an excellent week. (ill try to send fotos next week. computer is not cooperating)
Love
Elder Pickett
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