See you in a few weeks!!!!!

Hey Family,

Well we had a crazy day today. We woke up at 4:15 am so we could go to a place called Incachaka ( I think that’s how you spell  it) and we left with the zone around 5:00 am in the morning and got there around 8 I think. It was really fun but the only bad part is that it was raining and we got really muddy but it was really fun. We got some pretty cool pictures. I didn’t take too many because it was raining a lot and then my camera stopped working for some reason but it’s good now and I got all the pictures I wanted. After we finished the little hike we came back and played soccer but soon it turned really muddy and we started to play mud soccer. I couldn’t take a picture but I wish you could have seen how muddy we were. But my friend is going to send me the picture. I will try to send it next week if he sends it to me. That was probably the best part of the day just watching people running around and falling in the mud, although I would have preferred to not have gotten all muddy but it was worth it I think, these opportunities don’t come around too often.

This week will be my last full week. I really just have this one and then like half of next week because then we have meetings and final going home things so my goal is to work really hard this week. We got home pretty late and I couldn’t do some of the things that I needed to but I wanted to write you guys and tell you about the day because it was really fun. I might not be able to write too much because our time is running out but anything I can’t tell you guys now I will tell you in a couple of weeks. I’m not too trunky but I think about it often. We want to work really hard this week and I just want to put all of my focus on that.

This last week was pretty tough. Like you know we were on lockdown Monday and Tuesday and on Thursday we had our zone conference which was great. I gave my “last testimony” with the rest of the people that are going home this transfer and that was pretty sad, that was one moment when I realized that it’s all coming to an end. We also watched Meet the Mormons in the zone conference and I loved it. I guess it will be coming out in theatres here in a couple of months also so that will be really cool. The part that got me trunky was when the family was saying goodbye to their son, but the way I saw it is how happy I will be when I see you guys again, I’m really excited. Still doesn’t feel too real though.

Well I am going to give it my all these last couple of week and I can’t wait to see you guys. 

Love you lots!!!

Elder Grigor

The Rainforest where they went for a hike 

Always 2 thumbs up! 

Elder Grigor with his companion 

Having fun on his last Zone activity 

A little blurry but still a great picture 

It was a wet rainy day

 He has had some amazing experiences in Bolivia

Happy to see his goofy side. 

I found this picture on the Bolivia Missionary Mom's Facebook page.

 Elder Grigor will be happy that we have a picture of his muddy soccer game. 

Looks like a ton of fun. 

Carnival was crazy around here

Hey Fam,

Well this week was pretty fun. Starting on Thursday is when the big party started for Carnival here in Bolivia. We live by a big hotel called the Hotel Regina and there are always tons of people there. They threw a huge party but only for girls so literally like 3 huge buses and tons and tons of taxis came just full of girls and partied all afternoon, luckily we weren’t really by our house much and we could avoid all of that and the party ended at like 10 o clock so that was good. Starting that day is when they just started to go crazy with water and parties and such. The worst days were Monday and Tuesday and that’s why we couldn’t leave the house except for when we went to go and eat.

On Monday we don’t eat with the pensionista for lunch so we had to go find something to eat near the center of Tiquipaya and we knew we were going to get drenched so we went prepared with tiny water guns and some water balloons but it wasn’t enough. The streets were just lined with people. I wish I could have taken a video or something but I was scared to wreck my camera so we didn’t bring it but it was crazy. We went to eat some fried chicken and while leaving the people who ran the chicken place dumped water all over us. Then we went to the sister’s house because they live close and knocked on the door, they came to the door and we soaked them with water balloons and then they helped us get others. On the way home we walked by one part where they had a huge water truck, like the one they use to water trees in the city and they were getting everyone wet. We walked by and everyone saw gringo’s so they grabbed their water and ran after us. I just accepted it and stood in the middle while they drenched us and everyone loved it because I started dancing in the water and everyone started laughing. It was really fun. Then we just went and rested the rest of the afternoon and got things done in the house that we needed to, like washing clothes and cleaning the house and just getting things ready.

What really got me upset though was the next day when we were walking home. We had gotten in a huge water fight with the sisters and our pensionistas family in the house. When we were walking home we were almost at our house and a group of like 15 teenagers came over and sprayed us and threw water. Some of them threw mud at us, that’s when I almost lost it. Then they came to our house and tried to get us again which was the last straw so we took out some water balloons and got them pretty bad. We were pretty upset. But overall it was pretty fun. We got lots of things done in the house. For us it wasn’t much of a lock down because we had to walk almost half an hour to get to our pensionistas house.  No one would take us in their cars because we were always wet so we just got destroyed on the way. If we would have been proselyting I have no idea what would have happened.  

Well, that was a little about these couple crazy days, now we have to go over to our district meeting and then go work in the afternoon. Hope you guys have a great week and we will be talking on Monday!!

Elder Grigor

Cake for Elder Grigor's birthday 

It's tradition to smash the birthed person's face into the cake.

 I think Elder Grigor got off lucky this time. 

Cochabamba Temple

Elder Grigor at the Cochabamba Temple 

  Proudly wearing his Calgary Canada Temple Pin. He loves going to the temple. 

My birthday was great!

Hello Family,

Well another great week here in Tiquipaya, we are working really hard and trying hard to reach our goals. We did a pretty good job this week and almost got all of them so we were pretty happy about that. Elder Noriega and I are getting along really well and we have the same mindset when it comes to working. We have the same thoughts and the best part is that we are having fun. The ward is helping us a lot and I really think that is what makes the difference, now they are wanting to come visit with us and asking when they can leave with us again. Maybe I shouldn’t be thinking about this yet but I am looking forward to being able to help the ward out when I get back, in whatever way  I can.

Just so you know, next week I won’t be writing on Monday because of carnival (we can’t leave the house on Monday or Tuesday except for going to eat so I will be trapped in the house for a while.) So I will write you guys on Wednesday morning instead probably at about 7:00 your time. But this week should be pretty normal, we are going to the temple which I am excited for this Wednesday. I think it will be my 2^nd last time, I will go once more right before I go home. I would like to go with you guys too when we come back, I think that would be really fun. I am excited to come back and visit here with you guys.

So random question, do I need to do anything for school like an acceptance letter or did you get an extension?

My birthday was great yesterday, I got eggs and flour and sugar all over me like always and they tried to make a cake but it fell apart so they just gave it to me in a cup so they couldn’t push my face into it, I was kind of grateful for that. Also my package was great, thanks a lot. I needed that, you guys are the best.

Well it’s that time again, I’ll be talking to you guys next Wednesday. Love you lots.

Elder Grigor

"With our future dinner" 

"...and our current dinner" 

"We found the White House in our area" 

"They tried to make a cake but it fell apart, so they just gave it to me in a cup. 

They couldn't push my face into it, I was kind of grateful for that." 

Eggs and flour happened again for Elder Grigor on his birthday. 

"My package was great, thanks a lot. I needed that. You guys are the best" 

I hope I can make a difference

Hey Fam,

Well I guess it’s time to write home, this week went by pretty well. I’m getting along well with my companion Elder Noriega. It’s actually pretty hard to be with a white guy because we just want to speak in english the entire time because we’ve never had companions who speak english so it’s pretty fun. We are going to try and get better though and try to talk in Spanish more. I like my new area and the ward is really cool, they all seem pretty great. The only thing I don’t like is that they always ask me how much time I have left and then when I tell them they just think I’m trunky and already have finished my mission. So what I want to do is work really hard and prove them wrong haha. My area is really big and we have to take cars to go everywhere which I didn't have to do at all in Sucre when I was there because my area was so small. My new district leader is Elder Jafek, he is from San diego from the same ward as Mike and Misty. There are always weird connections like that in the mission. Everything is just going great. 

I really like just having no responsibilities and being able to dedicate all my time to the work. I feel like I tried my best as a zone leader but there were always little things that had to be done. Now we are going to focus fully on the work. I feel like the area is kind of in a slump and we don't really have many investigators. We spent most of the week getting referrals and trying to contact them which took away from teaching time but I feel that it worked.  It’s a lot more effective than knocking on doors. We got tons of references from the members and they are really supporting us. I think this week will be even better. Now that I am a little more comfortable with the area and the members I think we will be a lot more effective in how we work this week. I really just want to finish the best that I can and leave this area the best its ever been. Maybe it's a really high goal but I am at least going to try my best. 

I think I am working and teaching better than ever and I am really happy about that. I really hope that I can make a difference here in the short time that I have left and leave it in great shape for the new missionary that comes next transfer. 

I think I finally have all of my pictures chosen for the mission slideshow so I will go through those and get that finished up. I think I am going to buy a new suit today too. Well at least get measured so that it will be ready in a couple of weeks. 

Love you family

Elder Grigor 

**The first three pictures are from Christmas. Elder Grigor hasn't been able to send picture home for a few weeks. 

Elder Grigor loves to eat.

A sunset and two thumbs up! 

For Christmas we put a scripture reference on each little present.

Elder Grigor had to look up the scripture, read it and make a 

guess before he could open the present. The scripture reference

 went along with the gift that he opened.

For the toothbrush he had to look up Amos 4:6." And I 

also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities.." 

Saying goodbye to the members in Sucre

"They made cake and pizza for my little going away/birthday party" 

  It's a tradition in Bolivia to crack eggs and dump flour over the birthday person

I am not sure we will continue this tradition for him when he gets home!

"The members in Sucre had a little goodbye party for me and an early 

birthday party. I just left the shirt in Sucre, there was no way I was 

going to clean it. haha!" 

"My new area is out in the middle of nowhere. It's pretty far from the city"

"My companion-He doesn't really like taking pictures, he was like me, but I will change him!" 

"All of the garbage that I threw out of the house"

" The disgusting sink. I cleaned it though" 

"My side of the room. I think it's the cleanest part of the house. 

It was pretty gross but it's better now"