Happy Independence Day in Argentina!

5/25/09
Hola Familia!
Happy Memorial Day! Believe it or not, we are celebrating here too, the only difference is that we are celebrating independence here. May 25th is the 4th of July in Argentina. I dont think they do too much with fireworks, but they sure do make up for it with what they do to the pigs. More on that later, but Im glad to hear that everyone is doing well and are happy and stuff like that.
Well, the morning was evenful. We were rushed because its a holiday and everything closes down early, but luckily we found a ciber that stays open all day. Funny thing though, were were here about 3 hours ago, and I had a letter just about finished.and the power cut. Haha, I lost everything, so here I am starting again. I also lost a lot of time, so let me just say that this week was way good, and all that talk about dats was well timed because we blew this place up last week! We doubled and tripled in many categories, and that means that we are becoming more effective tools for the lord to use here. That makes me happy.
We have a bunch of new people to work with, including a (very) evangelist familyof 85 people over 8 yearspretty excited about that one. I really enjoy talking to evangelists. We share so many beliefs, they just have a hard time recognizing the fact that Crist established one church with apostles and profets, that God is the same yesterday today and forever, and that that organization should exist today in a restored church. Thats why we rely on the spirit to help them change their beliefs. It must be hard to have to change. I kind of wish I could know exactly what they feel in the conversion process, and I wish I could see what it was like to read the book of mormon for the first time, but I am very grateful for what I have been given, because I have been given much.
So yeah, everything is going really well. Im looking forward to the next couple of transfers, because I cant imagine president moving me again. I ready to be in one spot for a while.
But anyway, el 25 de mayo is a big day down here, and to celebrate, everyoneeveryone eats empanadas y locro. Empanadas are basically deepfried tacos with less flavor, but still sooo good, and locro is pig and corn. When I say pig, I mean every piece of the pig that you can imagine. The basically just cut it up and throw it all in a pot with some corn and cook it down into a kind of soup. You dont eat most of the pig parts, its just there for flavor. Its actually way good.
Higlights of the week include a very drunk old man dancing in the street, helping an investigator move and deffinetly the rat. So we have a rat. He comes out at night and eats the trash when we forget to put it somewhere he cant reach it. So far he hasnt made it inside our pinch, but the zone leaders live upstairs and they had a fun experience one night. Anyway, last night at about ten, we hearded him again, and he took shelter in a pipe (or gutters, but this pipe is horizontal for along time) We couldnt get the broom handle in far enough, and only had 30 minutesso we smoked him out. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen. We set a small fire at the mouth of the pipe and within a minute he came running and burst through the flames and took off running. He had pieces of burning paper caught in his fur, so we chased him until he took refuge in a hole that leads under the house. Ill keep you posted as to how this turns out. It was a very exciting evening.
Um, the investigators are doing well, and so are we. I am full of locro and empanadas and am loving being in Argentina. I will have to make me some pancakes a little later though, its been a little while.
I love you guys so much and hope that you are all doing well. Just know that I know that the church is (still) true and we are so blessed as a family. Hope to hear from you again next week!
Elder Rau