New area, new companion, Tortugas!

¡Hay tortugas por todos lados!

A part of the lagoon that I saw a crocodile!

Buenas tardes,

Wow what a crazy week. I dont know where to start. My new area is called Del Valle 1 and it is in the Zone Ampliación. I feel kinda wierd being back here in the same Zone I was just in 3 months ago, but it is exciting because I might be able to see Karen and Pedro. The area is pretty great, the members are awesome, and the Bishop really seems like he knows what he is doing. It is a lot poorer here than it was in my first area. There is this one place named Chipus and it is really really poor. It is also a lot mre muddy here than any area I have had. It still hasnt rained, but I am afraid for when it will rain because I dont know how we are going to get anywhere without losing our shoes. In our ward there are 2 other Elders as well. They are pretty cool and we eat our comidas with them so that is kinda fun. There is a giant lagoon here in the area, an dI even saw 2 crocodiles this week! I didnt get any pictures of them but it was pretty cool to see some crocodiles.

My companion, Elder Monforte, is awesome. We have a ton in common. We have even been in the same area (my first area). He also really likes guitar and played in a band before the mission. He has been a Zone Leader for the past 3 changes so he really knows what he is doing as a Zone Leader. I am learning a lot from him because he has a ton of time in the mission.I forgot to take a good picture of us together so ill get that to you for next week.

We had our zone meeting this week to talk about the new changes. One big change is that we are not allowed to do any more contacting, which feels realllly wierd. We have always found our investigators by contacting in the street or by knocking doors, but now if we do any of that, we are breaking the mission rules and going against the Area Seventys. They want us to find our investigators through the members and only through the members. Also, an investigator needs to go to church 4 times in a row in order to qualify to get baptized. If they miss once then we have to start the count over. We are also now supposed to have members present in all of our lessons with investigators, with recent converts, and with less active members. It is going to be more difficult to get baptisms from now on but the baptisms that we do have will be more active. It will also really strengthen the church here to have them be more active in missionary work. I am all for it. We have been doing fairly well with these changes, and we even set a baptisimal date with a young girl named Aleisa. Her family is becoming active in the church again so we committed her (9 years old) to prepare for a baptism. Their are excited about being active again and she is going to be ready.

I am a little sad to hear that Mitt Romney didnt win the election, it sounds like he was really close. Thats cool that Garret is back already! AAAHHH thats awesome that Megan and Kember got mission calls!!!! The new car also looks great.

We are in a hurry so I have to go. I love y´all and I hope everything goes well. I believe that my belt size is 36/90. Thats what it says on the inside anyways. ¡Tengan un buen día!

con amor,

Elder Johns