2 April 2012
Dear Family,
   how's it going?  I love you all!  It's been a miracle week and we're about to start a new one.  Today almost all the mission got together to go to two viewpoints.  One was Catarina, where there is a pretty lake.  And the other was Coyotepe, an old fortress, political prison.  You can see Masaya and the volcano and a lake.  It's really pretty.
   This day is hot!  Super caliente! We are melting in our house.  we both have a fan (thank you "the mission") and I've eaten 2 cold oranges from the fridge.  Yum.  I love oranges.
    Last night we had a fun activity with a family.  I had this paper that you gave me, mom, nd I wrote the name of every person at the top of a piece of paper.  Everyone passed their paper to the right and we wrote the good qualities of that person on the paper.  Everyone wrote on everyone's paper.  They have three boys and the mom is pregnant with a little girl! How exciting, right?  But they get a little critical sometimes and we thought we would teach them something that could make a difference in the home, something they could see or feel.  We taught them the two big commandments: love God and your neighbor.  The 12 year old (Rodrigo) wrote on my paper "es una persona especial por que ella nos ensena mucho."  He wrote on hna Zapeta's paper that she is teaching their family the gospel.  Yeah! It was fun to write and read all the good things about each person. 
9 April 2012
Well family, we survived la Semana Santa.  there is a really crazy tradition here in Nicaragua.  A bunch of jovenes dress up as Jews and run through the streets looking for Judas (another joven)  Judas runs and hides all over Masatepe.  When they find Judas they tie him up in chains and drag him around.  and there is more than one Judas.  Ho do you dress like a Jew? Wear a skirt, put on a mask, and put on a cardboard hat that's covered with brightly covered plastic - the stuff they string up for open houses and car lots.  There were about 500 jovenes dressed as Jews.  junior and Rodrigo went as Jews.  There are also people dressed up at Roman soldiers.  and they run through the streets in two lines.  One side holds one end of a chain and the other holds the other end.  there are about 60 Roman soldiers.  It's pretty crazy.  Well, seeing how it's almost May, I should probably sent this letter off.  Wow, time passes quickly.  It's May 21st.  Hopefully we're going to have a baptism this weekend.  Enrique hasn't drunk or smoked in two weeks.  He is happy.  He still says he hasn't received an answer about the BoM.  He isn't sure if Joseph Smith was a prophet.  But he's going to receive an answer.  Last P-day we went to the chocoyero.  It's a nature reserve.  We didn't see any chocoyos (parakeets) or monkeys.  But we heard monkeys.  It was beautiful.  It reminded me of going on walks with grandma and grandpa Campbell.  I have so many good memories with them. 
   Well family, I'm going to try to develop more faith and diligence.  we can all change.  Only Satan wants us to think that we can't change anymore.  Of course I would love for you to come pick me up! Love, Marybeth