The Knights That Say, "Moon."

Sunrise on the island

Last week, we decided that we were actually going to take our studying of the language a more seriously. Genuinely we know very little Dule Gaya and feel that we get very lost very quickly. We have made a genuine effort and now are adding flashcards to our work and it's coming slowly but surely. Anyway, my favorite word of the week is 'Ni' meaning Moon. For any of you Monte Python lovers out there, we have been making jokes all week long.

Since church has shortened from three hours to two hours you would think that it would be easier getting people there. However, here in San Blas surprisingly this means that they are stepping up their game and actually trying to get to all two hours; it is a new year’s goal. Normally, it lasts about forty-five minutes here, where we have sacrament meeting and a few talks. Two hours just seems so long to them and half the people don't understand and just leave early. So...

It is funny no matter where we have been that we hear some of the same excuses from people. We have been trying to take this guy to church who has been so excited to go but has made excuses the last few weeks. This Sunday, we saw this 60-year-old man happened to be hiding behind a tree. His wife tells us, “yeah, he's not home; he left.” We called her out on it and then went over and said hi to him. (Oh’ silly Kuna’s, this isn't my first rodeo!) One thing they hate is rejecting you for some reason so they come up with just the most ridiculous lies. For example, once we heard, “I'm busy right now,” which then turned into “I'm about to leave.” (No…. You’re in your underwear sowing mola.) And then they say on top of it, “I'm cooking.” (How can you be leaving and cooking?) But besides rejection as long as you keep a positive attitude and just keep chugging away like things are normal, everything just seems to fall into place.

Fresh Seafood

It has been nice that we have been getting a few meals from the members this week. It is always great as a missionary when others take a little time to make a little extra. This is one of those small daily miracles. Sometimes you're just a little tired, but those small blessing just perk you up. Especially, when you don't have to cook for yourself. This week we've had Dule Masi, Chicken wings in Dule Masi, Arroz Liquada con rabito, Arroz liquada con pescado, and Langosta. However, the Langosta they just boiled it all up. It was really great but the only downfall was that they don’t clean out the intestines. It is just filled with what they call a special 'salsa,’ which tastes a little bit like dirt. Fresh seafood just tastes so much better!

We did have two baptisms this week. Manuel who is fifteen and Yaiginio who’s 27. Yaigino always talked to missionaries and never wanted to get baptized and he's the only one of all his extended family who hasn't been baptized. We asked for a reference from this family and they were hesitant about him, but they told us actually there is somebody that comes to my mind. We get there and invite him to get baptized, and he just says yeah, it’s time. The family has just been praying and fasting for him for the last month and he's opened up. It’s crazy, I mean how God interacts with people and things just all come into place at the right moment. It was literally a miracle.

We went to Congress for one of the first times this week. They all just sit in hammocks and chant. It is like a traditional prayer. We don't speak the language yet... so, it was a very nice quiet time. Until the traditional screamer comes in. He goes around with a stick and yells DONT SLEEP!! or LISTEN!! and just screams it to wake up everyone and hits them with a stick if they don't wake up. The other Congress with the politics was just a city fight where they talked about all the money they've made and how much they owe. One guy comes out when they're debating over something and just screams 'Justice is Late, but it ALWAYS comes.' Then goes into full on screaming in Dule Gaya. It was like a Kuna soap opera, in which I didn't understand a single word, and so, I enjoyed imagining what they were fighting about that much more.

But yeah spiritually this week I've just focused on the Santa Cena and the blessings of Baptism that can be renewed from them as I have been reading in 3 Nephi 18. It is genuinely a blessing every single week.

By the way, my new companion Elder Nelson is from Yuma, Arizona. He is pretty country and fits in perfectly on San Blas. We work great together and have been quoting Zac Brown Band all day.