I'm Back In the Polochik!!!!!

I write you this letter today from a little old place called "La Tinta." Maybe you guys remember this place from my emails that I used to write when I was in Tukuru? My new area is an area called Saqsuha. In other words, I'M BACK IN THE POLOCHIK!!!!

I'm more excited and happy than I think I've ever been in my whole mission up to this point. I've wanted to come back for such a long time now and I've been praying for it and waiting for the Lord to let me come back, and it's finally happened. I couldn't be happier. It wasn't hard at all to get used to the cold showers, the heat, having to walk more and walk up more hills, or eating mostly just tortillas with chili from the members. In fact those are some of the best things. So I'm very happy and I'm ready to work. I'm no longer a ZL which will be nice because it's kind of a load off my back. I'm a DL now of a small district of 4, so it will be a lot more intimate, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to really help and teach the missionaries in my district and learn from them. I'm DL for the neighboring district of the Tukuru district. Both districts meet together here in La Tinta for most things, so it's a lot like being in my first district in Tukuru. It's been pretty nostalgic actually being back in these same places. I have a new Q'eqchi' name which is "laj kokay". It means "firefly". I think it's technically a Poqom word because I've never found it anywhere except in a Poqom diccionary but everyone here understands it as if it were Q'eqchi'. I've also found a few people to speak Poqom with! It's awesome!

My companion is another latino named Elder Escorcia from Nicaragua. He is a cool guy and we get along well. He's starting his 4th change in Saqsuha which is his first area (in other words he was "born" here in the Polochik like I was.) I am only his 3rd comp. This means that he is my first comp that has had less time than me in the mission. Every other comp that I've ever had has had either more time than or the same time as me. So it's kind of different working with him. My area is pretty much pure Q'eqchi' which I LOVE. They speak pretty good Q'eqchi' here and the people are really humble and really great. But most everyone at least understands Spanish for the most part. This is good and bad for my companion who is learning Q'eqchi'. He is still struggling to learn and for the most part understands most things, but still has a hard time expressing himself and teaching. But this change we are going to study hard and I hope to be able to teach him what I can. I don't want to boast at all when I say this, but I feel really blessed that my Q'eqchi' has come back a LOT since day 1 of being here. When I would try to speak Q'eqchi' with some people in Salama or wherever, I felt like my accent was kind of weak, but right now I feel like my accent has completely come back for the most part. There are still some words that I need to remember and refresh myself on and I have a TON left to learn but I feel pretty good about my Q'eqchi'. The people here tell me that my Q'eqchi' is really good, so that makes me feel better about everything. The biggest compliment I've heard so far is that I'm just like "Laj Pek" (Mike Peck who is the linguist in charge of the Q'eqchi' Choir and pretty much a legend here among the missionaries and the people.) They told me that I speak Q'eqchi' like him and that I'm funny like he was. So I took that as a huge compliment haha. But it also could be just that my comp doesn't know very much Q'eqchi' so mine just sounds good. But I know the Lord is blessing me a TON to be able to remember and to keep speaking.

Well, the internet here has been really slow and I wasn't able to upload photos or anything but my area is beautiful. It's a big valley with lots of trees and is a sight to see. I'm so excited to be back and I'm even more excited because I think that this could very well be my last area in the mission which would mean that I'll be still here in Saqsuha as a missionary when the Q'eqchi' Choir comes to sing! That would be awesome to go there and everything. I think the choir is supposedly coming to Sacsuha the 30th or something. As far as I remember it would be the last Monday (last pday) that I'll be in the mission which would be SPECTACULAR! because then I'm sure I could sing with the Q'eqchi' Choir when they come to sing in Sacsuha. But we'll see. Interviews with Pres. Watts are this week so I'll talk to him about it this week and see what he says.

Thanks for sending all of the pictures I LOVED them! You guys are getting so old! Also thanks for the AWESOME package as well!! Although I regret to say that I forgot about the thing you told me that was taped ont he inside of the cookie box and I threw it away....haha just kidding thanks for sending your old ipod with the pictures and the videos. Jack and Kinzie have GREAT voices and can play instrumnets like nobody's business!!! What talented brothers and sister I have!!! You guys look and sound great and I can't wait to see you all in a few short months. Love you all tons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nekexinra,
Elder Norton