Another letter from Elder Thomas today! And even more pictures--score!

Hola familia,

I hope you are all doing well and surviving the heat back home. It´s always cool here, siempre, and never rains. It´s still weird for it to be as cloudy as it is and to never have it rain, but the climate is really nice. I´m gonna start off talking about going tracting on Saturday, because that was totally awesome.

We left here around 2 and went to the poorest part of Lima, the Rimac ward. They said that everyone there was super poor, but I didn´t even come close to imagining how poor they actually were. We couldn´t wear watches, rings, or bring anything besides our scriptures and our nametag, because if people saw something nice, they would try to steal it most likely. I went with my native companion for this, and was able to talk plenty with him...he didn´t take more time when we taught, it was actually pretty even. We were supposed to find inactive people from a list we were given and try to get them to come to church on Sunday, but none of the members on our list were home, so we went tracting for a couple hours. We made 19 contacts, and one man, Miguel, let us into his house and we taught him about the Restoration. It was really cool, and I felt the Spirit so strongly during that lesson. We got to know him and teach him, and he prayed with us at the end. The missionaries are going to go back and visit him, as well as the other people we talked to. The kids are adorable here, and they get a kick out of talking to me I think. I felt so tall walking around, no one around me was even close to my height, and I think my hair was like a beacon to everyone, inviting them to stare at me...También, there were dogs EVERYWHERE. Holy cow, I can´t even begin to describe how many dogs there were. Half of them looked like they were dead, but I was told they just lay around and sleep all day. It was so fun, and so humbling to see the circumstances these people live in. They guilt homes all up the side of the mountain, out of very simple materials. Most homes were lucky to have a couch in them. It was so cool though, because as poor as they were, they were all happy, and so inviting. We´d ask if we could talk for a bit, they´d say they were busy, and then they´d invite us back in a day or two when it was possible. It was so great, and I can´t wait to go again Saturday (same place). It got me really excited to go out into the field.

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I´m district leader by the way, I don´t think I mentioned that last week.

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So, Batman comes out Friday. I´m doing a lot better than I thought I would. Everyone here is talking about it, everyone. All the teachers are going to see it at midnight together, and we told them if they tell us anything about it, we´ll murder them. They said the new Spiderman was good too. Be sure to keep track of movies and shows for me, so we can have a marathon when I get back. You all better go see it this weekend, or you´ll make me sad. It´s going to be so good, I know it. You´ll love it. And remember, all I want to know is how much it makes opening weekend, rotten tomato score, and what you thought about it awesome-wise...

Spanish is coming along great, my teachers are all calling me the Latino and they have me translate back and forth for the class. When the new group of Latinos come next weeek, I´m moving to a class with them and it´ll be Spanish all day, every day for the last three weeks... I´m with my district companion all day, and only a few hours with my Latino companion a week. Next Wednesday, we go on a tour of Lima with the MTC President, and when we get back there are new people, and we get a new Latino companion.

The food is still great, and I´m doing really well with Gospel study, as well. I´ve worked really hard to memorize a ton of scriptures and scripture references, and have grown so much in my Gospel knowledge. I love my study time, it never seems to be long enough though. There is just so much to learn, I´ll never run out. I love it, and love the presence of the Spirit that is so apparant when I´m studying hard to learn things for the investigators I will soon teach.
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 Steve, thanks for your note, you´re awesome. I go to the temple Wednesday mornings, and I´ll find out more about the rules we´re supposed to follow regarding visitors, but if you´re here, I´d love to see you. We can go eat a churro together or something. Thanks for all your letters, and keep them coming. I´ll write you guys as soon as stamps come...

Yours always,

Elder Thomas

~Picture Time~