Not All Cats Are German

 Hello everybody!

Before the mission I saw lots of videos saying that all cats would respond to being called in German, so far I've had zero success with that, but all the German I've learned has been from high-school choir, so maybe that's it.

I forgot to get my hair cut last week with the power going out and all that. I'm gonna try and do that today before I start getting called Hermana Cobián, because this is ridiculous. Also hopefully before we go to the beach today. Don't ask me why we're going, I have got no clue.

Tuesday we were planning to go to several people with a member, but just stopped with one family (the one we did service for before). We were teaching them the first principles of the Gospel and didn't get past faith. I really wish I knew more Spanish so I could have understood more of what was said, but there was a bit of crying and I definitely felt the Spirit. We also visited them last night to give a blessing to the mom cause she's been sick with dengue. We gave them all their own copies of the Book of Mormon. I feel like her son Yeshua has a lot of potential because I've talked with him a bit and he really likes the Bible. I shared with him how Luke (like the guy who wrote the Gospel of Luke, not my cousin) interviewed a lot of eye-witnesses to the life of Jesus, and therefore most likely Mary the mother of Jesus, because he has the most complete story of the birth of Jesus. Cool stuff.

On Wednesday, we went to La Cumbre to visit a member couple (how do I say that!?!?) from Costa Rica for lunch with the Elders from San Juan. It was great although the Hermano is trying to use scripture and prayer to convince me to buy his pyramid-scheme natural cure eyedrops for needing glasses. Sounds kinda like priestcraft to me, idk. But we did go up on the mountain to get a lot of lychees, so that was awesome.

Saturday I practiced with the ward for them to do a choir piece on Sunday. The Stake Precidency was there, as well as a couple wards. The piece was "Abide with Me, 'tis Eventide" which is one of my absolute FAVORITE hymns! Problem is that it's hard. I'm very grateful for a simplified hymn book I've got. It transposed the song to C-Major, so I was able to focus on enjoying the song and not just struggle through the piece. I also bore my testimony, which went alright. It was on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, so I just used what I know. I hope I helped someone feel the Spirit.

I have not been satisfied with the food, especially at lunch. It's almost always the same kind of rice, beans, boiled guinea fruit, and a little bit of meat that has more bones than flesh. So I've started on a mission to make pizza. The only cheese I've found is called Queso Crema, and is very similar to Panela. I think it'd definitely work. We're also gonna learn how to make these flour tortillas (typically for baleadas) from a recent convert family. They're really good, and I think the dough would make an excellent substitute for pizza crust. It's more than likely gonna be barbecue chicken than any other type, because that's what I'm most likely to find.

I also took apart an old fan when we got new ones. Don't worry, I asked mission leadership if it was ok first. I'm mostly interested in the magnets, wire, and control mechanisms for messing around with. AC components are kinda dangerous to begin with, so the sooner I dismantle it, the better. I haven't been able to fully open the motor, but I'm gonna try to take it to our friend José who owns a motorcycle repair shop. He's helped me so far by giving me some solid copper wire. He's also been a pretty promising investigator. It's hard to get appointments because he's busy, but he's come to church very consistently.

My spiritual thought this week is from Acts 10:34-35:
34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

I love this because it's from when Peter first started to teach the Gentiles. It is a testament that God loves all of His children, and that all of us are His children!

That's about all I've got. Hope you all are doing well. Keep on keeping on!

Sincerely,
Ruben

Photos:

Book of Mormon Kamehameha 


Goku
Elders with the Carlos couple

Elders Chica, Brown, Patón, and Cobián (and Minnow, the kitten)



Elder Patón and I

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