Email July 15, 2013

Hello Family! It's another holiday here again, Martin Lugo day or something like that, probably some guy who fixed a sewer here so they are celebrating it, so I’m writing from the chapel. Haha These past few weeks have been good. We've had some cool things happen: I had a boricua burger. Boricua is the nickname for Puerto Ricans. Like Gringo for Americans like me. The boricua burger is really good: they put caramelized plantains (spelling?) on the burger and it's really good. I was really unsure I would like it, but it was great. I want more haha. Our activity yesterday was basically a flop. The member who told us he had 10 friends lined up to come to church didn't even come--and he's the first counselor in the bishopric. Lame. Elder Delcompare said, "He deceived me." Haha. But seriously. Only one member brought a family member to church who isn't a member. I was really disappointed because of all the work we'd put in to make it great: visiting the members, communicating with the leaders, organizing the lessons, etc. And then not one of the members--who told us they had someone coming--actually brought someone. They are lost in this idea of "All is well in Zion." If I'm not transferred this week, I will be hitting the pavement hard. But the good thing was there were 6 investigators there--our own investigators and of the other elders. The man Elder Castaneda and I found in the pueblo a few weeks ago was baptized yesterday. He bore a really great testimony. His name is Thomas. Our district is set up to have 8 baptisms over the next three Sundays. It's really exciting. This week I have plans to work with the elders' quorom president on the home teaching program. All of the companionships are assigned, but since he doesn't know where basically anyone lives I am going to take him to a lot of houses--particularly less-actives and part-member families. I know where more houses are than the leaders of the ward. I took the bishop one night to a part of the campo he said he didn't even know existed. haha. So I feel pretty valuable right now, and I'm hoping because of that they don't move me out of here. I love Carolina! I realized the other day I've spent a quarter of my mission here. So why not a year? haha. Last Saturday we went up to Cedro--the furthest point of the campo--to visit the bishop to make the final plans for the activity on Sunday. He was out on the little lawn mower mowing his lawn. It's so funny to me. Here we are up in this valley in the jungle, and there's people out with lawn mowers and trimmers cleaning up their yard. Classic Puerto Rico. Haha. Their problem is they don't bag the grass, so they have to sweep it all up. While I was helping the bishop with that--Elder Delcompare was just playing with his kids--it started raining. But what would have taken the bishop hours to do on his own we were able to take care of in about 30 minutes. It was great. While we were raking up the grass, I looked down at my hands and saw them covered in grass and I thought about the priesthood. I have really come to love the symbol of the laying on of hands. To administer to the sick we place our hands on their heads to bless them. The same applies to the sacrament: we use our hands to prepare it, break it, and pass it. The same applies in the temple when a man and woman are sealed by holding hands across the altar, and in baptism a man or woman is submerged by hands and arms. And with all those thoughts, I've been impressed by this simple thought of "What have your hands been doing lately?" I thought that while I was looking at my grass-covered hands. I thought about all that symbolism, and I thought about work and service, and about the priesthood and I was really touched. I learned something about having power in the priesthood in that moment. Anyway, I love you all a lot. I've thought a lot about you guys this past week. I'm not trunky, but it's exciting that I'm almost at my year mark. Time has really gone by so fast to me. And things are changing back home: good luck Jacob with your mission call. And with this whole getting a dog thing...wow. I'm surprised dad was willing to get a small one ;) I really hate puerto rican dogs. They're possessed to hate missionaries. Not a joke. Love you! Elder Cevering