I love the Zona Sur!

Buenas Familia!

First off to answer Mom's questions...

1. Elder Pace is my ZL companion, he's from Arizona, and I love him. He's a super funny guy and he lived in Helaman Halls the same time as me, I just never saw him. We are training Elder Mendoza, he is from Guatemala, he is an awesome little guy, and I am so stoked to help him start out his mission strong.
2. Training is good, it is kind of weid because I have been a ZL for basically the last year, so it is different having a companion that is starting off learning everything from scratch.
3. The chapel in Ciudad Neily has a piano, but it is tiny! It is like the same model as my first chapel in Guacimo, just a little bit smaller.
4. I did not play the piano yeasterday, but later on in my letter I will tell you why...
5. We don't really shop at a market. There is a place by the border called Paso Canoas where we shop because it is a little bit cheaper and they have a lot of American stuff there.
6. We are in a normal internet cafre, but usually we do internet in the chapel becuase we have a Family History center there where we can use a computer for free.
7. The apartment here is tiny and hot! But its clean, it is not nearly as nice as the house in Ojo de Agua, but I love it.
8. This is by far the hottest area I have ever been in. It is super hot, and super humid, and I am always drenched in sweat!
9. I haven't seen any sloths in my area, but there should be sloths out here in the jungle.
10. Ciudad Neily is the first stop after the Panamanian border, and it is the first stop for all of the Drug Lords. Remember that place, Paso Canoas? Supposedly there is a drug lord from El Salvador there that has been murdering people that owe him money. He kills like one person a week. But don't worry, they only kill people that owe them money, and everyone loves the missionaries here, so I am super safe!!!!

Well so this week was a little different... I have only been in my area like 2 days! We had changes on Monday, on Thursday we took the bus all the way to San Jose for a leadership conference, on Friday we drove all the way back home, and since Saturday I have been on divisions in a city called San Vito! San Vito was the area that I have always dreamed of serving in, so I have been so stoked the last couple of days. The Elder that is usually there is illegal, and here in the Zona Sur, the cops are always stopping people looking for papers so they took him to San Jose this week so he could get his paper work taken care of. 

So I have been in my area forever, and I still haven't been to church in my area yet. On Sunday I was in the San Vito branch, which meets in a house. It was interesting to see how this branch functions, because there are only 3 priesthood holders there, us and the branch president. It was a really funny disorganized ward, but I loved it! I love the faith of these members that sometimes don't know what they are doing, but they are willing to do anything to serve the Lord. San Vito is up in the mountains and it is the border of Panama and Costa Rica, but it is the nicest little town, and it was a really fun experience. I will be there in San Vito until friday, and then I will finally get to go back to Ciudad Neily (but I am not looking forward to it becuase Neily is super ridiculously hot!!!)

I am doing really well though, we have little investigators in our area though, so we will really have to work hard to bring the area up. I love the mission, and I love this opportunity to serve. I hope all is well at home. I love you all! Sorry this is so short!

Love you all!
Pura Vida,

Elder Taylor

Fotos:

1) This is the baptism we had in Ojo de Agua of Nicol! She fought so hard for that baptism, and I am so stoked she finally was able to fullfill her dream!

2) This is my model shot that I took in front of some traditional ox cart oxen from Costa Rica.

3) This is an iguana that we were going to eat haha, I dont know if I already sent you this picture.