30/5/16

I feared last week that, because that letter was (hopefully) a good one, this letter would be a little bellow-average. However, I think the fear will be postponed another week or two since this past week also had some fun experiences. Not to make ya'll think that if I don't write much that means that I didn't do anything, but sometimes there really arn't many exciting things that happen (or that I'd include in a letter home; I have to save something to talk about when I get home, ¿no?).

The cooked meat we ate (yumyum)

So, after finishing writing the last letter, we went as a zone to a city park and cooked up some meat and make BBQ sandwiches. We also played some Capture the Flag. The BBQ was tastey, and it was fun playing CtF. I don't even remember when the last time was that I played CtF, and it went a whole lot better than kickball with the Latinos. Not as many complicated rules I guess. Also, in the park, there is a giant boa called the sicuri. It's about 7m long. We went to go see it. Unfortunately they didn't let us pick it up, but oh well, guess we have to do that in the nature and not in a park.

The head of the sicuri

A bird in the park

When we went to eat lunch Tuesday, we got surprised with some fish to eat. We got an even bigger surprise with one of the types of fish, called curubina. For whatever reason, this type of fish naturally has 2 stone-like objects growing in its head. We gladly grabbed one stone each to keep as a souvenir. The rock think is white and shaped kind of like an arrowhead made from stone. We're not really sure why this fish has these rocks in its head, but I think it's how they use telekenises or how they transmit brainwaves from one fish to another. Like a sci-fi show. Maybe. Or at least something like that I hope.

Me with a cooked fish. Not sure if it was the curubina or the sabalo

Later in the night, as we were visiting with a family, we were offered something called aceite de bufeo and aceite de caiman. We were told that they're natural cures or something like that. While I'm not entire sure what it was, they explained that this oil is taken from cooking the caiman or bufeo (river dolphin I think) meat and draining all the grease. Then they take the grease and boil it and do I don't know what to make the concoction. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, I gave it a shot. It tasted absolutely terrible; would not recomend. E' Quiroga also wanted to try it, and it almost came back up with his dinner. We're told that it's very good for the lungs and helps cure bronkitus. Good thing I dont have bronkitus...

The taste was still in the mouth when we woke up Wednesday morning, but a little breakfast chased it away. And then we had an intercambio. For the first time since I was in Paititi, I left my asigned area to do some proselyting in another part of Trinidad. Not that I went very far really, just to the other half of the ward, but it was a change. I think it was a pretty good day as well. Thursday was also pretty calm, until we found out the men of the family of our lunch pensionista had left to go fishing, leaving us without anyone to join us for lunch. Luckily there wasn't too much dirt in the street this day (not really; we found a neighbor to help us).

The weather for the most of the week was nice. It has been chilly in the morning, warm in the afternoon, and then cold again in the night. Reminds me a little of the Arizona winter. But, for whatever reason, Friday morning got really cold, it it seemed to get colder as the morning rolled on. I feared that another sur had arrived. And then it got hot again just in time for lunch. I'll never understand the weather here. Friday night a family gave us a fruit called tutuma. While it's not for eating, the dried shell makes an excelent water-holder. And so Friday night and Saturday morning I was trying to make my natural cup think. It came out alright I guess. Not so sure what to do with it now, however...

Speaking more on the spiritual side of things, The flia Gaston that we've been visiting are doing super well. In fact, they're getting married Wednesday and baptized Saturday. We're super excited for them. I'll make sure to include the fotos next week of these gran events. And I'll send fotos from this week too.

Mucho Amor,

Elder Yates

A painting of the Trinidad party that we found.

Hope it clears up any confusion in my explaining (in his last letter)

Un loro we found. Very big

Sometimes we stumble upon the strangest American products in our travels

And sometimes we stumble upon the strangest Bolivian scenes in our travels

(cat drinking milk from a dog what?)