Phone Call

Here are a few of the "details" Tay shared with us on the phone yesterday. So fun!

* Tayler and his companion (and a few other elders) were at a members home and noticed a small monkey tied to a tree. They went over to take pictures and see it. It grabbed Taylers tie and climbed up him-nearly choking itself to death in the process because it had the rope around its neck! He said it just kept crawling up him, even though its head was craning backwards because of the rope! He got pictures...can't wait to see these.

* For Christmas, the Branch had a dinner in the church building where Tay and his companion live. They spread pine needles all over the floor (guess this is the custom) and then they served a soup called Caldo. Usually this has broth and beef or a chicken in it, but since it was Christmas, they threw in one of the tame turkeys that wander the yards. Tay loved it and said it is very tasty. They eat it alot.

* There are two zones in the Polochic area-Kekchi speaking with about 40+- missionaries.

* Santo Domigo (Tay's current area) is like a little pueblo, and sits on a saddle. He cannot buy groceries here, only chips and snacks.

* We asked Tayler about tracting and how it differs from the US. He said they walk on little dirt paths through the moutainside until they get about 20' from someones hut. When they are 20' from their hut, they call out announcing they are approaching by calling out an owl sound or something that sounds like (and I wrote this down based on how he said it) "banoowl". Most people welcome them, and when they hear the call, will come out of their huts to greet them. When passing people on the trails, they usually just say "Hey" or "Bueno".

* Taylers companion is from Nicaragua and his name is Elder Flores. Tayler has been helping him with English. He and Elder Flores are now teaching an English class in the branch once per week and have about 10 people that come.

* Favorite part of mission so far? Tay said it is having a different perspective on life and knowing what it is truly all about and knowing the BIG picture. He likes being able to help people, answer their questions, find their answers in the scriptures, and answer doctrinal questions. He loves it.

* The Polochic area is fertile. There are crops everywhere-pineapple, corn, beans. Tayler loves the refried black beans with eggs and has become the cook for him and his companion. Sounds like he is cooking alot of french toast, pancakes, scrambled eggs, etc.

* Says he feels like Indiana Jones and is loving it! :) Wants everyone to know he loves them and misses them and to keep writing!

Week 27: CHRISTMAS!

An email AND a phone call this week! What a perfect Christmas present to hear Tay's voice and listen to a sample of the Kekchi language in his voice! We huddled in the living room around two conference phones so everyone could hear and talk-and the time went way too fast!


1) What the heck happened last week? Elder Schones mom said you were sitting next to him and emailing, so what's up?
no clue i wrote and everything. it must not have sent. well that ticks me off.
2) How is Elder Legua? Tell him hello for me. I have been thinking of him and keeping him in my prayers.
i will.
3) How is your companionship going?
good. were improving. :)
4) Any new investigators? Did you baptize Abraham yet or the other man you were teaching?
nope, nothin yet. abraham says ppl from other churches are visiting him too so hes thinking really hard. says hes prayed and asked but hasnt gotten a reply. were still working with him though. hes a smart guy. we have a baptismal date with a girl named Irlanda. well see. its for the ninth of january.
5) Did you get pictures of the little girls you baptized?
no,but ill ask hna. martin for them. shes got some i think.
6) Do you know that all we want for Christmas is to talk to our missionary and that we love him so much?
same here. btw have you found those hiking boots?
7) Any new sicknesses or wierd things happen this week? (I know, random question...)nope nothin haha
8) What happened at Zone Conference? Did you enjoy it? Did you see anyone else you knew at the CCM? Get pictures?
we went to Coban. it was really stressful. we had to get up early at like 2 in the morning and leave for coban to get there at 7. then our interviews didnt start until like three. that stunk a little. so i couldnt go buy my butter until really late. it was a good zone conference though. i saw elder carranza (my dad in the mission) and elder goodwin and a few others. the rest i didnt really know very well.
9) Did you get your Christmas package? (Two stockings inside and food items)
yes i did! thank you! i havent opened the christmas stockings yet though. im saving it for christmas. but the food is great thank you!!
10) How do you do your laundry in your area now?
the branch presidents wife does it for us. we pay her ninety quets a month to do it.
11) Are you sleeping at night?
yep. except last night. it was really cold. and this morning it was solid fog. it was way cool.
12) How is the language learning coming this week? Any better?
yep its better. im testifying and i can contact now. so it will get alot better this week.
13) Did Grady give you his address?
no but he'll write me sometime
14) PHONE CALL DETAILS?!!! :)
i will call you on wednesday with details. thats something i spent money on in coban. saldo for the phone cuz i was confused about the whole process. haha. well see, very soon we shall here our voices!

well im sorry you didnt get my email. dang third world connection. thats two now that its cost me. but i promise i wrote it all and sent it! anyway this last week we didnt really do anything. it was really busy. we went to coban which is an awesome place. when you come here ill take you guys there. the capital sucks so coban is the place. haha last week on p day we went to a cool bridge place. one of the rope bridges with steel cables. got some cool pictures that youll get...sometime. then later that day i saw a guy try and get up on the curb on his bike but his back tire stuck. it was hilarious, especially because in that exact same spot i saw someone else do the exact same thing hahahaha. a dog tried biting me last night but didnt touch me. just ripped a whole in my pants. it was funny too. the branch presidents wife gave us escargo to eat. yep the snail stuff. YUCK!. the snails dont taste bad its just the whole idea. i have pretty funny pictures though.
last week in my email i talked about looking into an archeaology major. apparently some guy found a skeleton in a cave two days journey into the forest. well he took four teeth out of the skull and has them. hes in elder schones area so hes gonna go ask for them. what a great adventure that would be when you come down here huh? but only five people know about this thing. pretty cool huh? hows bishop warren doing? tell everyone hi for me. and thank them. the lady that was revived by a priesthood blessing was really sick so they started taking her to the hospital. enroute her heart stopped so they gave her a blessing and she came back. then the doctor, when they arrived, asked why she was alive and said that she should have been dead. my companion fell in the river last week. he broke the two log bridges hand hold and went right in. it was hilarious-he was laughing so hard. i was laughing soooo hard. it was shallow so he didnt go anywhere. but it was absolutely hilarious.
last week we went to an area thats like 3 hours away. it totally reminded me of the lost sheep out of the 99. we went all the way to his house to teach a 45 minute lesson then walk all the way back. but its amazing. i have amazing pictures too.
i love you! Merry Christmas!!
love, elder larsen