I mean I would much rather be chilling on the beach too, but I can’t so sorrrrryyy.

Monday January 2, 2017 

Monday - Not a whole bunch happened, I was feeling pretty sick so we went home and I got some sleep. 

Tuesday - so in the morning I thought I was gonna be feeling better but I was throwing up all day, so we stayed in the house all day, and it was the most boring day I’ve ever had. I just wanted to leave, we even started playing cards and I was still super bored. So I felt a little better, and my comp decided he wanted to go to Nina and Michael’s house to play cards, but he started to teach them. Not that that’s bad, but I couldn't really think that much, so I just kinda sat there trying not to throw up. But near the end Michael got mad or something and started fighting with Nina about money, because they were used to having their own money for the month and now they share. So we took him outside and talked to him, then gave him a blessing to help him with that and to help him with smoking too.

Wednesday - so I felt a lot better today, and so we had an intercambio today, I went to Rocha and my comp stayed, so I was with Elder Roquemore, (rocky) because that’s how the Uruguayans say it. It was good, not many people opened up so we were just walking all day. But hahaha …..so he gave me a black cowboy hat for the day (which I was rocking by the way) but it started falling apart, just the way it was built the threading came out and it broke in half, so one was the ring without a top and the other a jew cap, haha we had some fun with the jew cap throughout the day.

Thursday - we switched back today, so I went back home and as usual we just walked around in the streets trying to talk to people, but no one wants to talk to us right now because they are all on vacation, and it’s the holidays and no one wants to be disturbed, they just want to chill. But we did go to Nina and Michaels, right now we’re just teaching Michael and trying to help him with smoking, so far he hasn’t smoked since Tuesday. 

Friday - So first thing we went to a shirt design place to make some t-shirts, they’re gonna be pretty cool. They have a beach and a gaucho (cowboy) with a Santa hat, in a little cabin sipping mate, then in front will be Santa and have Zona Rocha on a surfboard. We taught some new investigators that we have named jose luis and santa lucia (his mother) and we taught them the plan of salvation because his dad recently died, and we asked them to be baptized on the 28th, and they both accepted!!! So now we will just need to help them along the way, and get them to come to church. Right now they said they wanted to take things slow because of the death. Nina got sick with something, so we didn't go by. 

Saturday - So again we were really just in the streets all day, and it’s really hard to contact people wearing their bathing suits, and who are just here to enjoy themselves. Most people got mad because it’s the 31st, I mean I would much rather be chilling on the beach too, but I can’t so sorrrrryyy. But we did teach Michael again and he hasn't smoked since Tuesday, so we have a date for his baptism next Saturday, hopefully he meets this date!!! Then in the night we went to Juan Torres again, the same family from last week, and we had a barbecue again, ate chips pop, played some cards. I did some magic tricks with cards that I’m learning (I’m getting pretty good) then we watched the fireworks!!!!! A lot more than on christmas, mostly because everyone just got paid. 

Sunday - well I can’t believe it’s already 2017, that’s so weird. 2016 went flying by, the only reason I remember it was because I was always writing it on the papers we fill out. Oh hahaha so at church we thought it was Fast Sunday so we assigned talks for the next Sunday, but it wasn't and me and my comp talked the last 2 Sundays so the Pres gave a 20 minutes improv talk, and next week we don't need talks. 

So this week was really good, even though I got a little sick, we had a decent week with teaching lessons, not many other people wanted to talk to us because here it is a vacation destination, and it’s New Years, but other then that Michael is making a lot of improvement. As far as we know he hasn't smoked for a week, we had a couple new investigators accept a baptismal date, and we watched the fireworks they always set off here for New Years!!! Not anything like fireworks at the Engen’s but still pretty good. Anyway HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!, I hope you make some good reachable goals for this year, and strive to accomplish them!!!!

Love

Elder Grigor