Lago Ranco

Dear Family, 

Mamita!

My new home

My closet

Tight Quarters

What a week. What a long, long week. I made it to Lago Ranco! Whoo. Tuesday night I had to say goodbye to Colon. Sad. Hermano Alex and his wife, Rafeala made me and Elder Arce completos - which were delicious. It´s a hotdog with everything: lettuce, avacado, ketsup, mustard, todo. So good. Mamita´s son, Yustyn, gave me a chilean flag shirt! It´s really cool. and during lunch, Mamita surprised me and Elder Arce with a HUGE chocolate cake! It was incredible. Maybe everyone was celebrating that I was leaving? I hope not, hah. Then, the hardest of all. Roberto and Johanna. It was a sad goodbye. I hope they know how much I care about them. I hope the ward knows how much I care about them. and how hard I tried to do my best there in Colon and then I got transferred. 

Welcome to Lago Ranco. I am in a little country village in the middle. of. nowhere! haha. I feel like I´m in that movie, Pleasantville. I think that´s what it´s called. The one where the girl and her brother go into the tv and live in this perfect town aka Lago Ranco. Everyone is really nice and even though it´s small, they have everything. Supermarket. Hostel. Pizzaria. Mail. My house. I live in a teepee. I sent photos. It´s a house teepee. I sleep on a matress that´s on the floor. I shower with slugs. Which is kind of gross, but you get used to it. It rains all the time. Pours. I´ve decided I don´t care what I look like, just as long as I´m dry and warm. I have a new  Mamita. I think her name is Uva Neira. She´s really nice. Papito isn´t a member, but apparently they´ve been mamita and papito since forever. and they live with Papito´s mom, Sara. She´s funny. Every Wednesday I´m going to be teaching Mamita english. Her daughter lives in Utah and she´s been wanting to learn. I´m pretty excited. She bought this whole English program, so we´ll see how it works. As you know, my companion is the branch president. and I´m his consijero. We´re the only two priesthood holders in the branch. Yesterday, Sunday, it was us and three hermanas. I sent you a photo of the capilla aka the white house. These members are strong. One lady walked 2.5 miles to get to church! Walked! I love serving here. It´s not going to be easy, but it´s going to be worth it. I direct every other sunday and the sundays that I´m not directing (Elder Cayoja), I give a talk - and vice versa. Elder Cayoja is from Bolivia. I´m pretty sure he was a gangster, from the stories he tells me. He´s a hard worker. We have a vision to strengthen the members, get the menos activos active and be constantly finding people to teach. Our sector is huge! and people live way out in the hills. We walked for an hour back from one of the houses. But I love it. It´s so beautiful here. Today, Elder Cayoja and I ate at this little Restaurant. The baker made a fresh hand made pizza! and it was so cheap! It was delicious! I´m not even lying, it compared to Luna´s! We´re thinking of making it a Pday tradition. 

Things I forgot to tell you in my past emails: 

1. Elder Arce wants you to write him quotes (mom) inspirational, etc. he likes all the ones that I have. He was such a good companion, D´aww. I miss him. 

2. Mitchell,. did you know that the 22nd of September is when Joseph Smith got the Golden Plates!? Awesome! 

3. My last day in Colon, mamita made breaded stake and rice! She just made it because, little did she know - THAT´S MY FAVORITE! fate. 

4. On my last sunday, I got to give Roberto the Aaronic Priesthood. Family, it was incredible. and difficult. all in Spanish, obviously. 

5. EVA! Thank you for emailing me! The family is growing up! I don´t like that. and thank you for filling me about he who must not be named. haha. Miss you. 

I love you family, 

You´re forever in my thoughts and prayers,

Love from the sheep and cows that surround me, 

Love,

Elder Poirier. 

P.S. 

Aleksi - Peter

Me - Susan

Cassie - Lucy

Mitchell - Edward