June 22 - arrival in Ustupu Island

Nuegambi! Como estan?! Im now living on an island in the middle of the atlantic ocean, bathing from a bucket, eating dehydrated mashed potatoes and mac n cheese for every meal, and learning a lot. Ill talk about it more, but, i learned the hard way that you cannot drink the tap water. 

sooo... im just going to skip straight to the San Blas part of the last week. that will keep my blog a little shorter and more interesting this week XD

Thursday- We had to wake up at 4am to get to albrook airport before 6, to catch our planes. (they sent us in plane because its actually cheaper than the normal way, taxi and boat, and we didnt have to take supplies so we could fit on an airplane). I got to my island at like 730, to meet up with Elder Teichart (my comp) and Decio. a member, who speaks spanish. Spanish is actually the second lanugage here. Decio however, was one of 3 essential members involved with the translating of the Book of Mormon from spanish into Tulegaya (the native indian language here). We had to wait till 12 for the airplane that brings supplies and my luggage, and then took a boat to our house XD

we dropped off my stuff in our little one room house, and went straight to work. but he introduced me to the house. Our toilet is a hole in the dock over the ocean, or shower is a bucket filled with water, our food as i mentioned earlier isnt the most interesting, and now im being thrown back to the early days of my mission! I can no longer speak the lanugage! the people here speak a native indian language. some people in the richer parts speak spanish, but my spanish is better than most on the island. My bed is a hammock, and the people here are amazing. Their history actually says that they came from the East (towards egypt) and a lot of their beliefs and traditions follow things from the Book of Mormon. We taught a man about the Book of Mormon the  other day, and explained how it was written and how Nephi and his family came from jeruselam. the man told us that that sounds a lot like their history, and showed us a book about their history. They actually believe that a God came to visit them, and to teach them how to live. We know that it was Jesus Christ, but they call him Ibeorgun. They were taught to love their neighbor, and many other things that Christ has traditionally taught. 

Friday- The children all run through the straight and run to hug us whenever we walk by. we can go anywhere on the island, and the little kids will chase after us XD its so cute. During the day, we went by Branch Presidents house to learn a little bit of Tulegaya. I know enough to say hello, ask their names, and a few simple sentences that actually help us. In panama, little lizards randomly walk through peoples houses. here, crabs randomly walk around XD 

We were walking to a lesson when a Mu (the old old women) was running through the island with a huge heavy bag on her forhead. so, after trying to ask to help here, we realized she didnt speak spanish, and so we started robbing the plantains out of her basket. We followed her back to her house and she realized she didnt have any more in her basket and we had all of them XD in that house, we talked a little bit, but mainly we met an old old man named Thomas. He speaks English!!! turns out he was an o.d WWII vet. He was a cook for the army and picked up english like that. 

Saturday was basically the same layout, helping peopel out as the walk by and teaching people (sorry im going to start writing shorter because im exhausted)

we taught an english class at the chapel, and I drank tap water not thinking anything of it (in panama, you can drink the tap water) 

Sunday- I didnt feel so well, so we took it easy, but i didnt eat much.  I gave a talk in church that had to get translated from spanish to tulegaya. that was pretty cool. My comp also took us to visit our baptismal font, AKA a little cove in the atlantic ocean! super pretty.

Monday-  Monday, guess who got put in a broken down hosital on his island for 3 hours? I woke up at 2am and have been violently throwing up with diahrea since then. so.... we went to the Health department on our island. I actually wasnt going to go but the Mu (grandma) who lives next door came and said "we oelege?" are you sick? and I said "elle" or yes. she pointed and said something, and realizing we dont speak very good tulegaya, pointed again and said "hospital". so we ran down to the hospital. because at this point, only 9 am, I had vomited more than ten times, and used the bathroom close to 15. So i was exhausted. Showed up at the health department, told us there was no space until 1. On the way back home, I collapsed, and someone recognized us as missionaries and ran to the Branch presidents house. when we got home we got a phone from him. He works there and he told us "Elders, we made a spot for him. come back here". Ive literally never been so sick in my life. They gave me an iv filled with fluids and medicine for 3 hours, and then sent me home. and now im here emailing :) Im still super weak, but at least I know now im going to make it XD

soooo.. .thats my week :) so im gonna live! Im gonna live long enough to write yall next week! Ill keep you update as usual, every monday Ill write home, and my dad will post it on the blog. we have internet service in the church.

I love yall! I know this church is true! I know that christ is our savior and redeemer, and i am so greatful to be spreading his work! I have a feeling im going to gain a larger testimony of the book of mormon in my time here, among the literal Lamanites and Jaredites. 

Nuedi!! chau!!!