Week 31

I shall be going to Costa Rica. Booya. How many of you can say you went to two different missions/countries on your missions, huh? Ha-ha. The thing is, in Panama, as a tourist, you only have 180 days to goof off and enjoy the wonderful traffic and pollution and stuff in the city before you have to skedaddle off to your country again. And to stay for 2 years, as a lot of elders do, you must have a special card, called a carnet, or, in my own language, a green card. To get one of these green cards, one must have information from your government. Well, after I turned in everything in to the FBI and the mission and all that fun jazz, turns out the FBI changed how they do stuff, and they lost a ton of stuff in the process, cuz that is how they have fun nowadays. So, I don’t have a carnet. And I believe I have used all of my days in Panama. So, now, I just try to hide from police all the time and make sure I don’t rob a store in daylight, only at night so no one will recognize the only gringo in their suburb. so, what the church is going to do is send me to Costa Rica for the time it takes for me to land and leave customs, at which point I will then turn a 180 and go right back to Panama to refresh the 180 days, as I did leave the country. So that shall be fun. And I will be doing it this week or next week, I don’t know when, but Costa Rica is going to be in my future!! Only for about 4 hours, but in my future!

And now arm news, because I know you are all dying to hear. So, on Wednesday, my doctor took out the stitches. And that hurt. I didn’t think it would, and I was wrong. Very wrong. Frick it hurt. 29 of the stupid things really is not the funnest thing to be taking out of your body. But oh well. And therapy is going well, just keeps getting harder and harder. And now, my hand can now hold a 3 pound weight, so progress!

This week was Carnaval. Most of you when you hear Carnaval think of Brazil and crazy insanity for a week. Well, it is like that in Panama. Just not where I am right now. The parties are a good solid 3 hours away. But, what people love to do is throw dirty water and stuff on people, as well as eggs. So, we have been playing a lot of hide and throw with people, and trying not to get hit. last night we were walking in the street going home, and this drunk lady was holding a plastic chair, and started walk/dancing behind me, and it was really weird. She followed/danced for a good solid 45 seconds. The entire time she was holding this plastic chair. I didn’t look back, but all her drunk friends were laughing. So that was fun. 

We have worked a bit, have a family that we are going to be teaching, which should be awesome as their aunt is a member so that should be awesome. 

Have an awesome week!!! Ustedes son mis cuates!!

Elder Berg