Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 1:13 PM

So I don´t have much time to write this week because it is all hectic right now where we are. So this week´s letter is going to be really short, sorry.

So I had changes unfortunately again. I am here in Ciudad Sandino with Elder Garcia. It is only over the hills from my last area and supposedly we are still in the same stake. That means that I will see my old ward again for the Stake Conference coming up and maybe even for General Conference if I am here long enough. Again it was hard leaving that area because again the whole ward was like my family. But I will see them all again so no worries.

Elder Flores was sent to this area called Bluefields. It is on the coast way far away from here. You have to take a 2 hour boat trip to get there and most of the people speak English and are African. It is the dream place to go here in Nicaragua but it was the last place that Elder Flores wanted to go to, haha. He is companions with Elder Neal who came with me from the MTC. Elder Flores was like my brother but we had to split for a while. I can´t wait to hear what he has to say about it.

So my first week here in Sandino we had a baptism for a sister who is about 25 years old and it went really well. The funny thing is that she has a phobia of water so she was really scared to do it. When she went under she kicked out here legs and jumped out really fast haha. She asked if she did it and I got to tell her she was fine because I was one of the witnesses. I attched a picture of her baptism. I am getting to know this new area and it seems fine. This one sister just got back from her mission in Panamá and she said she knew Hermana Garcia. She was pretty excited to know that my sister is serving there too. She said Rachel will probably get bigger because of the amount of rice they feed her. Sorry Rachel. She also told me a bunch of phrases that people from Panamá say. I left the list at home so I will have to remember it next week.

The ward here is really nice and there is a whole bunch of them. Almost triple the amount from Mira Flores. Our food citas are also very good at making tasty food here. I tried out turtle here the other night and it tasted really good. I kind of felt sorry for the turtle but he died for a good cause. Our house here is really nice and we are living with three other companionships. The zone leaders are one of them so they keep us on our toes. They are helping me out and giving me advice and what not. I have been studying the scriptures a whole lot and they are starting to look a little crazy. I am kind of scared of them because I don´t know how to use all of the stuff I have. I am finally getting to know them and knowing where stuff is now. It has always been something I lacked, having a knowledge of the scriptures.

I have a picture of our last zone in Managua. I am going to try and send the pictures I took of my agendas since the last area and now. It is a thing here in the mission to decorate your agenda when you get a new one every change. We usually get the pictures from Liahonas or other church magazines that are really old. The first one has Lehi building an altar that I really liked and the passage of the Family of Lehi. The second one is Joseph Smith leaving Kirkland. I like the back better because I customized it. It had this old creepy guy talking to a teenager and I put on top Amigos haha. I was really tired in the morning when I made it but it makes me laugh whenever I see it.

Today I finally became an official Nicaraguan. I got my identity card and everything too. I had to travel to immigration this morning to do it. Unfortunately I got car sick on this bus. I also bought some new ties at this Packa that has a bunch of clothing. They cost a dollar each and I like them a lot.

I guess this letter is longer than I thought so I will slow down. Thanks Mom for the letter. I got it yesterday in the mail. I liked that little squirrell climbing on the tree too haha. It looks like you had a good time Dad down in the Grand Canyon. Too bad the falls didn´t turn out like they were worked up to haha. That waterfall looked pretty big. Who all jumped off it? Did you end up taking a hammock? It didn´t look like there were very many trees that you could hook it up to. It sounds like Milo is having a nice time at the house. That is funny that he slept on dad for a while in the hammock haha. Is he still crazy or has he calmed down a bit? That is so cool that they all went back to Huckleberry Lake again. I am surprised Brother Ramos still wanted to go again haha.

Well thanks for all of the news, love, and support. I am loving it here in Nicaragua more and more everyday. I am not sure if I am coming back to the USA so we will have to see haha. I am definitely coming back here thought that is for sure. So I am having a great time and and take care. Big Hearts

Elder Ochs