"...we were totally underwater."

 Hey!

We had a pretty crazy week. Elder Sharp and I were carrying these big pieces of a tin roof on like Saturday and the corner of one hit his leg and cut it open pretty bad. And we thought he might need stitches so we went looking for a boat with a motor to take us over to the clinic but couldn't find one so we borrowed a cayuco and paddled over again. He just got 2 stitches and it's all good. We're starting to get to know the people on Suidup a little better because of these doctor visits...haha. On the way back, about halfway to Tupile we decided to go visit a guy named Alberto who got baptized a few months ago in Yandup, the island next to us. I hadn't met him yet and he hadn't been to church in a while because he doesn't have a boat right now, I think. So we went and found him and talked to him for a bit. And we asked him if he wanted to come to church the next day and he said he really wanted to so we told him we´d come pick him up in the cayuco the next morning.

So we got up early and went over to get him. We decided to go a shorter way around the backside of the island. Only the wind was blowing kinda hard and there were some pretty big waves coming in. They didn't look like they were gonna be a problem but the boat was tiny and one hit us and totally filled the boat like halfway. Then another and another and we were totally underwater. It's made of wood so it wouldn't sink but it was completely submerged. We were trying to empty the water and get the boat to shore as fast as we could. Kinda freaking out but mostly laughing we finally got it to one of the docks. We went to Alberto´s house, soaking wet, and asked if he had something to empty water from the boat. When he saw it he just started laughing. After we emptied it he suggested he steer on the way back, and we made it without sinking...haha. But it was really cool to see him in church after a few months of not going. We're going to see if we could get a member to go by and get him every Sunday so we don't have to risk sinking again.

Another night this week they had the crowning of the kindergarden island princess or something. It was kinda funny, all the niños were wearing like tradicional Kuna outfits and playing pan flutes. They invited us to sit in the front row next to the sailas, and they kept thanking us for being there. We were like yo we live here, we would have come anyway. But we figured they were trying to make this event as legit as possible and they lacked special guests so we went with it. 

Kuna Cultural Party

Yesterday we had zone conference in Playon Chico. Super hard getting a panga yesterday morning because of bucco rain but we got one and made it there. Got to take a quick stop in Tikantiki and ran around to see some friends right quick. I love how everyone remembers people here. Had fun during the day, lots of fishing and getting fried by the sun. At night we had the meeting and mostly talked about the new goals and rules President Current is setting. He´s changing a lot but it all sounds pretty good. Before, our investigators had to come to church 3 times before getting baptised but now it's only once. We go back to Playon next Thursday and we´ll get to meet him there. 

To answer some questions, the kid who got his leg sewed up is fine and they were able to pay for it.

I did eat the first eel I caught but Kunas don't eat brown eels because they're dirty unlike green ones I guess. Also they will make you slippery and unable to climb a coco tree. I ate it, was kinda gross, then climbed a tree to prove them wrong but they all just said that one day, when I really need to climb a tree, I'll see.  And I'm sure I won't go back in to mainland this change since he's going home because they'll need to keep one elder out here. So I have at least one more change here, maybe more. 

We're going to have two baptisms this weekend and probably a couple more the next.

Here's a spiritual thought:

At zone conference we talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon in converting someone to the gospel. And I've noticed that most of the active members I know here read it often. That's because there's a big difference between getting baptised, and being converted. It takes more effort to be converted but the blessings are so much bigger. And the Book of Mormon is probably the best way to do that because it literally has like everything. If you get a testimony of it, then you can get a testimony of everything else. 

Love you!

Elder Green