New Companion

Well I looked on my bill this week and I wrote down where they put it so here is exactly where our mail comes....
5 Avenida sur 19/21 OTE Lado oeste, Santa Ana
That is what it says so that should get you close if you look on Google Earth, I hope. We are kind of by the corner of the street. There is a store on the corner where we can get this stuff called pan dulce, which literally translates to sweet bread and it’s really cheap so I could live off of that for quite some time. My new companion actually is teaching me the food and such so I’m running with fire now!! And, I realized why I could hardly understand people; it’s just that they all use words called caliche. So that’s like the slang here; for instance, a dog in Spanish is perro. We all know that but they call it here a chucho. (Ha-ha) They all understand perro, but it’s like our words that really don´t make sense like “what’s up?” that doesn´t translate to Spanish. You can say “How are you” or “what are you doing”, but what’s up is different - it’s “Qué Hondas”. (ha-ha) I’m understanding a lot more thanks, in part, to my new companion. Plus he actually takes the time to sit there and explain things to me. It’s totally awesome!

So let’s see, this week was pretty crazy – I’m not going to lie. With changes and all things just were so crazy! Elder Choc was packing the night before until like 2 in the morning but I crashed long before that. Then I met this new guy that I’m going to be living with for 6 weeks again! (Ha-ha) talk about starting all over! J This is how it is in the mission; I’m getting used to it.

1 – With your change, did you move or did your companion move into your house?

Well my change was really good. Only Elder Choc left and he actually went to San Salvador and my new companion, Elder Winters, came from Atikisia. That area is very poor. The first day in our area he told me that he saw more cars that day then he had seen his whole mission! And Santa Ana, where I’m at, is the second capitol of El Salvador. (I didn´t know that.) He also told me that there in his old area he would walk around dirt roads and everyone would listen to him and that no one would have doors but here it’s all totally different!! J

2 – Where is Elder Winters from and what is he like?

Well Elder Winters is from Mesa, Arizona, so that really is pretty sweet. He has been on his mission for 6 months here and 2 months in the MTC. He tells people that he is from Achacuapa which is a city here that actually has some white people like us and he has such good Spanish that he can almost pull it off. J He is one of those guys that just picked up Spanish and man he is pretty good at it. I think that it is awesome that I have a walking dictionary now and I don´t need to find a new one. J I´m just trying to learn as much as I can with him. He actually rides moto cross with dirt bikes kind of like Jeff, and so that really is cool. His family has a nice house and he has a girlfriend and all that... Let’s just say he isn´t hurting for money if you know what I mean. (ha-ha) He actually started a business when he was really young cleaning re-possessed houses for the bank and he got a lot of spending money from that. He definitely is a smart guy. J

3 – If your cook makes your lunch, what kind of things do you make for your dinners?

Well that’s the thing. We both are running out of money right now because he paid bills in his old house and I paid the bills for our house for this month. We´re trying to bug the members for food as much as we can. =P We don´t always, but really I’d rather bug some members and get food then not eat!!! I´m assuming you´d agree with me huh - mom? BUT, I love eating these red beans in a bag that you can just put into a pan and heat them up, make some eggs and then it’s all good! OH, I even made some home made french fries which were really awesome!!!

I think that you should send me some easy recipes so that I can cook some other stuff. I should have brought my little book of recipes - but remember that usually we have to do them from scratch so that’s the only problem. It would be amazing!!!!

4 – Have you had to get another haircut and who does it for you?

Well yes, I got a hair cut here and man was it awesome! My favorite part was when he cut my side burns down and used a literal razor and man was that a close cut. It was sooo smooth after. I might want to do it again today. It’s like $1 for a hair cut here. J Don´t you wish it was like that in the states. (Besides that one day at dollar cuts.)

OH the JAZZ. So are the play offs going on right now or what? I think the Suns are playing because my companion keeps asking the members about it. They don´t seem to be hurting too bad without Boozer. They are better off without him I think.

I took money out of my account to buy myself a pillow which is quite the investment, and I’m way happy with it. J

But really this change is already going by so fast. I think it’s my attitude because I want to be with Elder Winters because he actually talks to me and tries to be my friend and man does the time go so much better. I even feel better. We are making better friends in the ward and the bishop likes us more. It just all works out when the two missionaries are in harmony and both are trying to work hard. The ward can see the difference and they support us. We have times all this week to work with some of the members from the elders’ quorum. Things are working out. I realize that you have some good companions and some bad companions. I just have to live through the bad and cherish the time with the good.

Well I’m hoping that my family is having some fun for me. The mission is one of the best/hardest things that I’ve done in my life.

Elder Sutton