Thursday, February 13, 2014

I'm Off to Tambo Grande


Hey there family!                                                         

Well, hopefully you get this email... the internet place I am at is the slowest I've ever seen, its kinda ruining my speed writing! But I hope you all get this just fine.

You have probably heard from your Sechura facebook friends, but yes, I am no longer in Sechura. I am now in Tambo Grande, it's northeast of Piura closer to Sullana, you should look it up! I am now with Elder Martinez, born in Columbia but when he left for the mission he was living in Lima, Peru. He has 4 months, just finishing his training, so I have just one transfer more than him. So yep, I was called to be Senior Companion! I am in Zona Algerrobos, which happens to be the zone of my Mission Dad, Elder Inocente!! I also believe we might be in the same district! Now, the twist... I was also called to be District Leader! THAT one caught me off guard! Only 5 months and I´ll be honest, I did not feel ready to hear that one. But I think with this humility and a lot of fervent prayer I can do what the Lord needs of me. I already know with a surety that these next couple months will be a time of AMAZING growth for me.

Ok, Tambo Grande. I don't have a ton of time since the internet has been so slow... but I´ll do my best to describe it all to you. Pictures are sure to come, I only have 5 hours here total so far. Haha But every person I told that I was going to Tambo Grande told me two things - VERY hot, and LOTS of Mangos. Hotter than Sechura, they told me, and yep, I feel it! More humid, at least. But yeah, the road to Sechura was an hour trip from Piura through Desert. To Tambo Grande it was an hour and a half from Piura through plantations of Mango, Grapes, Bananas, Rice, yep. It´s very, very more green here. and actually on the road here, I saw in the distance, MOUNTAINS!! That was a highlight, but they are quite far away.

Here one of the coolest things, there is a giant Christus in the center, there is a big hill that you can see from almost every part of Tambo Grande, and it is sweet! I think we are going to go check it out after we write these emails. Tambo Grande is bigger than Sechura I would say, even though I don't fully know it like at all yet, but the downtown area of Sechura is much more developed. But, Tambo Grande used to be two areas until this last transfer, so my area is now about double the size of my last one it sounds like, and I thought that one was huge!! a 30 minute walk from one corner to the other was Sechura, we´ll have to see about this one.

Here is also a branch with a casa capilla, smaller than Sechura I have heard. Very humble, as Elder Arce told me in Sechura. Elder Arce was in my district, Sechura was his second area. and Tambo Grande was his first so he was very excited for me and now I have the list of people to contact. Haha  I hear the Branch President always has juice of some sort when you visit, so I am SUPER excited for that!!

Elder Martinez is 18 years old, he turns 19 in May. He is the 4th of 5, his younger brother is 7, and the 3 older brothers have all served missions. His parents are not members and are separated I think I heard him say, sometimes I still have slip ups in understanding like that. But I already have so much respect for him that he is on a mission and I hope that we can grow together and help one another as we help build the branch here!

Sechura had a farewell party for me and Elder Arce, everyone went around and said their remarks to us and good wishes, and that was nice. Then we got a face full of cake, I think I still have frosting up my nose, they really got me good... haha but it was sad to leave! I am really going to miss them over there, the district, Elder Tamani was AWESOME, we had a blast together, and I had to keep reminding myself that I was leaving because I would keep making mental plans for the next week on what we needed to do, so that was a bit of a reality check! It is so true what they all say, you get used to the people and the area and then they send you somewhere else! But I am also very grateful to be here, I look forward to all the new adventures!
Well, next week I will have more info on the area and all the new things I am doing, I am sure that if you asked the facebook friends for pictures they will have lots.

Love you all!! Have a great week!

Elder Russell


A few photos from the farewell party in Sechura...
...and a little cake in the face!



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