The Rolla Holla! 11-10-08

The Rolla Holla! Monday, November 10, 2008 Para'na'way Para'na Way Para'na (from some song...it´s Brazilian I think, but sorta sounds like Paraguay, lol).With the doors to the Despensa where I use the internet wide open, I sit here looking out on another powerful Paraguayan storm. The weather here always manifests itself in extremes, and every morning, waking up at 630, I don´t know whether it´ll be rain or sweat, bu I know I´ll be dripping as we walk from one appointment to the other...lol, of that much I can be sure. But I love the storms the most. They remind me of how little I am. Really, it´s a love-hate relationship, because it just so happens that nobody wants to listen while being rained on.Anyhow, this morning as I prepared for P-day (ha, preparing for the day of preparation...anywho), I read some of your letters to me and some of the HFL forms you filled out and was struck with a deep love and gratitude for each of you. Thank you so much for providing me with a token deeper than keepsakes of even pictures. I feel like you´re here with me each time I read your words of advice or reminisce with you about some of our favorite memories together.Here in Paraguay, the food is delicious! I´m not sure what it is that is constantly doing a number on my stomach since I came here, because almost everything I eat seems very natural and delicious. Most commonly, it is rice, with some kind of sauce and a big ol´ chunk of meet in the middle. Only 2 times have I wished there was a fence nearby over which I could throw the strange collaboration of food on my plate. One was called something like Fay-Shau, and is Brazilian. I asked what it was and they told me Pork. I didn´t want to inquire any further, since it was rubbery and wierd, and if it wasn´t a pigs foot or something gross like that, it could only have been something grosser (a word?). The other time was Mandongo...yep, I got lucky enough to try this rubbery, unchewable, ribbed concoction made from, I´m told, a cows stomach. But we eat EVERY lunch at a members house, they are VERY supportive of the missionary work here!There are some funny differences in culture that I´m noticing as well. The other day, for example, the two of us sat there, shirts and ties, with a man wearing nothing but shorts, and short ones at that. He was sipping Tay-day-day as it´s pernounced, which is the Ma-tay like drink, but cold, that EVERYBODY is constantly drinking down here (except us, because it´s prohibited). Elder Portales was sharing a scripture and I was watching him intently when suddenly, the hugest, scariest looking bug I´ve EVER seen landed right smack dab in the middle of the page he was reading. We all paused, and looked at it´s giant scaley legs and red stripes, with long extending wings. Then, without hesitation, I went over, grabbed it be the wings and threw it to the ground to stomp on it....ok, that didn´t really happen. It flew towards me and I dove away, probably screaming but I can´t remember through the fear. Then the lesson continued as if nothing had happened.We also visit a few old, arthritic, yet amazingly faithful widows in the ward. I love these visits. They are always so kind and considerate, and often moved to tears by the hymns that we sing to them or the scriptures that we share. Casimira, a recent convert, has a bad knee but walks every Sunday to the bus stop to get to church. Last time we met with her, she was fanning us to give us a little respite from the heat, with her little woven hand fan, as we read her some scripture to help her out in her life. Gosh I love this place.I sure wish I had more time. It´s starting to look like I´m not going to be able to write you individual emails each, but I PRAY you´ll forgive that. Also, the pouch mail doesn´t seem to work from me to you so I can´t send letters without paying more than I have. I have recieved 2 letters from Kiley and from Kara through DearElder, from October 15 or something like that, as well as a letter from Patti, and Glen that I forgot to mention. If there were others, I apologize. But, I start off every internet session intending to write at least a few of you, and after attaching pictures, writing the President, printing off your emails and writing this Holla, the hour is gone.Oh, big news: CHANGES happen Wednesday. I found out I´m staying here but Elder Portales is going far away and I´m getting a new companion. I´m excited to meet him, even though I´ll miss Elder Portales, who i´ve come to love. Well, you are all wonderful. Enjoy the pictures. I´m guessing my lovely, wonderful, beyond-the-expression-of-words mother will include the descriptions and the pictures on the blog. Until next Monday, have a great week...make it one!Elder McCarty