Hola Familia,
This week was another good week.
This week the whole Island of Irgandi invited 7 other pueblos (mostly kids) to play sports. It was a big deal. It was very organized with visiting doctors, refs, coaches, uniforms and the whole deal. Muchos niños!!
Later that afternoon we went to Ukupa (1.5 mile hike away) and we were planning on staying three nights. The house in Ukupa isn't the best, but it's livable. The floor of the hut is literally just sand. Pura tierra natural. We cooked our food on an open fire, and there are big holes in the roof. Of course, that night it started pouring rain and we got a bit soaked. It's starting to get pretty cold at night...like 65 degrees, so it's not good to be wet!! I have to use blankets and everything.
Ukupa Island is part of my area, and there are no missionaries living there. The community really wants missionaries there though. They are even in the process of building a new house for the missionaries.
While on Ukupa, I did use the water filter you sent because the only water there is sketchy. We only ended staying one night. Ha ha. Later that night, a group of youth came over with an octopus that they caught in the ocean. It was pretty big!
They came to us because they knew we normally had a stove. Ha ha. We finally got some water heated up, they added salt and just threw that octopus right in! Once they cooked it, they ripped off all the tentacles with their teeth. Ahaaha. It really wasn't as bad as it probably sounds. Actually very chewy.
Later this week on Ukupa Island, Elder Navas and I gave two blessings to sick kids in their homes. Once Elder Navas gave the blessing, It was a very spiritual experience. When he said, "We bless you that this sickness will leave your body...." the baby stopped crying. After the blessing, the baby's mom was crying. I really do think that is one of the reasons we were impressed to go all the way out there again.
In the evening, Brayan (a recent convert) came over and broke the news that he has to go back to Panama City. He was really sad because he was going to have to leave all of his friends on Ukupa and he loved learning from the missionaries. We took pictures and everything.
The amazing thing is that later in the evening, we got word that Elder Navas is getting transferred from San Blas and going to Panama City to be Zone Leader. This is really cool because Elder Navas will go and find where Brayan lives and keep teaching him!!
One morning we were walking to the beach to go to the servicio (bathroom), and this guy walks up to us while carrying this way old shot gun, all the coconuts he had gathered, and a dead Toucan. We talked to him and he said he plans to eat the Toucan meat, and use the feathers for decorating their traditional hats. Makes sense. With that, he cut off the Toucan beak and gave it to us. That's a really nice gift around here. WAY COOL!
Note from Nate's parents: We've learned toucan meat can be prepared in a number or forms, from fried to smoked, much like chicken or turkey. A favorite soup in that east coast of Panama and Costa Rica is Toucan Soup.
A word or two about how funny the youth are here...youth love to see all the random things that people have in America. They are always asking if we have things like corn, oats, computers, etc. In their minds, they joke, "Like, why would anyone ever need or have those things (simple things like a water filter or shaving cream)?" Ha ha.
Q. How would you say the work is going?
A. Since I have been in San Blas, the work has been mostly strengthening members--especially youth. From a population around us perspective alone, there are simply not tons of people here like there are in Panama City. We have literally had 9 people we've talked to who are brand new to the gospel, 2 with baptismal dates, and one really good baptism. Every day, all day long our work is all about being the local leadership and strengthening the members.
Q. Who will be the Branch President with Elder Navas off to Panama City? Do you have any active adults who could be leaders of any kind? Any luck in finding someone who could be a Branch President?
Either I or my companion will be the Branch President. We basically are the leadership of these little branches. We're it for now. We do have a guy named Rafael who has been showing some capability to be a leader. He is 69 and has been a member all his life, but there are several possible reasons he may not be able to be the branch president. He works a lot, he is not super well versed in gospel knowledge. Our role is to prepare someone and submit their name to the District President (who is normally a church member / counselor to President Garrett). From there, the District President would interview Rafael and extend the call if that is the direction. We don't think Rafael is ready for that yet though.
In my last letter to President Garrett I explained the issues we are having with the adults and Chicha Fuerte. This is one of our biggest challenges right now. Most parents don't come to church. We have tons of kids and youth, but the adults are often working, hunting, gathering, drunk, trading or ???? President Garrett replied that we should focus on teaching the youth, and working with them. We do this in many ways, mostly with Seminary and fellowshipping at the moment.
Q. What are your attendance numbers on Irgandi vs. Ukupa?
A. We have about 40 in Irgandi and about 50 in Ukupa. Comparatively, in Arraijan we had about 50 and in La Cabima we had a full blown ward with 150. People love the Ukupa branch because they have solar panels there that power church WIFI, so we can access all the church sites from that satellite WIFI. This is HUGE for an ocean environment like that. A few people have devices that can connect to WIFI on Ukupa. Paper does not last long, but on Ukupa people can access church materials in Spanish. We do not have access like this on Irgandi island. We have the six car batteries that power the satellite, and an ethernet cord to power the one monitor on the island.
Q. Is anyone taking on any sort of leadership role in the branch?
A. The youth bless the sacrament in Spanish, and pass the sacrament, so that's good. Getting them access to any teaching helps to prepare a lesson is tricky. No adults take on leadership roles in Irgandi.
Q. How is Seminary teaching going?
A. We're teaching New Testament right now, which is very familiar to the youth. The youth understand Spanish, so that is huge. The big thing for them right now are all these Book of Mormon videos that come out every Friday. Showing them is like "a premiere" where we tell them they have to wait until the next Friday to see the next one. If they had it their way they would just sit there on the satellite and watch them all at once. The ideal format is if we can stop the video, and teach them as they are watching. They ask, "Who is that guy?" "Why is that happening?" "Who is their leader?" and so forth. What is shown there is a lot like their world. They understand it a lot more if we talk about it and don't just show it all at once.
Q. How is service going? What do you do?
A. Pretty well. Tons of service, all the time. We'll see people walking and trying to carry like 50 coconuts on a huge stick, so we will go help them carry their coconuts. They're very grateful. We do everything. We help cook chickens, we help gut and cook fish, we open and husk A LOT of coconuts. Coconut gathering is like a competitive sport here. It can get political, but we just try to help where we can. We open coconuts by cracking open the husk with a huge crow bar stake in the ground, or with what looks like a big post hole digger. We ram that down on to the coconut and crack the thing open.
Q. Where are you right now? Why do you have so much time to talk today?
A. I'm writing you this letter from Playon Chico Island, which is about a 30 minute cayuco ride (that is, with a little motor). I am here with Elder Moss (from Texas) awaiting my new companion, Elder Yapias from Provo. Elder Moss will get a new comp too. Elder Yapias went to Provo High, is a former Assistant to the President, has been in the mission 21 months. I met him at our Zone Conference in Carti Tupile recently. He was dying when he saw life in San Blas. So, even though this is his first time to San Blas, he will end here.
Its going to be a great experience!
That about it for this week. Elder Doxey
This week was another good week.
This week the whole Island of Irgandi invited 7 other pueblos (mostly kids) to play sports. It was a big deal. It was very organized with visiting doctors, refs, coaches, uniforms and the whole deal. Muchos niños!!
Later that afternoon we went to Ukupa (1.5 mile hike away) and we were planning on staying three nights. The house in Ukupa isn't the best, but it's livable. The floor of the hut is literally just sand. Pura tierra natural. We cooked our food on an open fire, and there are big holes in the roof. Of course, that night it started pouring rain and we got a bit soaked. It's starting to get pretty cold at night...like 65 degrees, so it's not good to be wet!! I have to use blankets and everything.
 |
| Home Sweet Home |
Ukupa Island is part of my area, and there are no missionaries living there. The community really wants missionaries there though. They are even in the process of building a new house for the missionaries.
While on Ukupa, I did use the water filter you sent because the only water there is sketchy. We only ended staying one night. Ha ha. Later that night, a group of youth came over with an octopus that they caught in the ocean. It was pretty big!
 |
| The fellas proudly display their catch |
 |
| All ready for the pot |
They came to us because they knew we normally had a stove. Ha ha. We finally got some water heated up, they added salt and just threw that octopus right in! Once they cooked it, they ripped off all the tentacles with their teeth. Ahaaha. It really wasn't as bad as it probably sounds. Actually very chewy.
 |
| A tropical Uintas of sorts |
Later this week on Ukupa Island, Elder Navas and I gave two blessings to sick kids in their homes. Once Elder Navas gave the blessing, It was a very spiritual experience. When he said, "We bless you that this sickness will leave your body...." the baby stopped crying. After the blessing, the baby's mom was crying. I really do think that is one of the reasons we were impressed to go all the way out there again.
 |
| Solar powered haircuts |
In the evening, Brayan (a recent convert) came over and broke the news that he has to go back to Panama City. He was really sad because he was going to have to leave all of his friends on Ukupa and he loved learning from the missionaries. We took pictures and everything.
The amazing thing is that later in the evening, we got word that Elder Navas is getting transferred from San Blas and going to Panama City to be Zone Leader. This is really cool because Elder Navas will go and find where Brayan lives and keep teaching him!!
 |
| Rations from Panama City |
One morning we were walking to the beach to go to the servicio (bathroom), and this guy walks up to us while carrying this way old shot gun, all the coconuts he had gathered, and a dead Toucan. We talked to him and he said he plans to eat the Toucan meat, and use the feathers for decorating their traditional hats. Makes sense. With that, he cut off the Toucan beak and gave it to us. That's a really nice gift around here. WAY COOL!
Note from Nate's parents: We've learned toucan meat can be prepared in a number or forms, from fried to smoked, much like chicken or turkey. A favorite soup in that east coast of Panama and Costa Rica is Toucan Soup.
 |
| Panamanian Toucan (Google Images) |
A word or two about how funny the youth are here...youth love to see all the random things that people have in America. They are always asking if we have things like corn, oats, computers, etc. In their minds, they joke, "Like, why would anyone ever need or have those things (simple things like a water filter or shaving cream)?" Ha ha.
Q. How would you say the work is going?
A. Since I have been in San Blas, the work has been mostly strengthening members--especially youth. From a population around us perspective alone, there are simply not tons of people here like there are in Panama City. We have literally had 9 people we've talked to who are brand new to the gospel, 2 with baptismal dates, and one really good baptism. Every day, all day long our work is all about being the local leadership and strengthening the members.
Q. Who will be the Branch President with Elder Navas off to Panama City? Do you have any active adults who could be leaders of any kind? Any luck in finding someone who could be a Branch President?
Either I or my companion will be the Branch President. We basically are the leadership of these little branches. We're it for now. We do have a guy named Rafael who has been showing some capability to be a leader. He is 69 and has been a member all his life, but there are several possible reasons he may not be able to be the branch president. He works a lot, he is not super well versed in gospel knowledge. Our role is to prepare someone and submit their name to the District President (who is normally a church member / counselor to President Garrett). From there, the District President would interview Rafael and extend the call if that is the direction. We don't think Rafael is ready for that yet though.
In my last letter to President Garrett I explained the issues we are having with the adults and Chicha Fuerte. This is one of our biggest challenges right now. Most parents don't come to church. We have tons of kids and youth, but the adults are often working, hunting, gathering, drunk, trading or ???? President Garrett replied that we should focus on teaching the youth, and working with them. We do this in many ways, mostly with Seminary and fellowshipping at the moment.
Q. What are your attendance numbers on Irgandi vs. Ukupa?
A. We have about 40 in Irgandi and about 50 in Ukupa. Comparatively, in Arraijan we had about 50 and in La Cabima we had a full blown ward with 150. People love the Ukupa branch because they have solar panels there that power church WIFI, so we can access all the church sites from that satellite WIFI. This is HUGE for an ocean environment like that. A few people have devices that can connect to WIFI on Ukupa. Paper does not last long, but on Ukupa people can access church materials in Spanish. We do not have access like this on Irgandi island. We have the six car batteries that power the satellite, and an ethernet cord to power the one monitor on the island.
Q. Is anyone taking on any sort of leadership role in the branch?
A. The youth bless the sacrament in Spanish, and pass the sacrament, so that's good. Getting them access to any teaching helps to prepare a lesson is tricky. No adults take on leadership roles in Irgandi.
Q. How is Seminary teaching going?
A. We're teaching New Testament right now, which is very familiar to the youth. The youth understand Spanish, so that is huge. The big thing for them right now are all these Book of Mormon videos that come out every Friday. Showing them is like "a premiere" where we tell them they have to wait until the next Friday to see the next one. If they had it their way they would just sit there on the satellite and watch them all at once. The ideal format is if we can stop the video, and teach them as they are watching. They ask, "Who is that guy?" "Why is that happening?" "Who is their leader?" and so forth. What is shown there is a lot like their world. They understand it a lot more if we talk about it and don't just show it all at once.
Q. How is service going? What do you do?
A. Pretty well. Tons of service, all the time. We'll see people walking and trying to carry like 50 coconuts on a huge stick, so we will go help them carry their coconuts. They're very grateful. We do everything. We help cook chickens, we help gut and cook fish, we open and husk A LOT of coconuts. Coconut gathering is like a competitive sport here. It can get political, but we just try to help where we can. We open coconuts by cracking open the husk with a huge crow bar stake in the ground, or with what looks like a big post hole digger. We ram that down on to the coconut and crack the thing open.
Q. Where are you right now? Why do you have so much time to talk today?
A. I'm writing you this letter from Playon Chico Island, which is about a 30 minute cayuco ride (that is, with a little motor). I am here with Elder Moss (from Texas) awaiting my new companion, Elder Yapias from Provo. Elder Moss will get a new comp too. Elder Yapias went to Provo High, is a former Assistant to the President, has been in the mission 21 months. I met him at our Zone Conference in Carti Tupile recently. He was dying when he saw life in San Blas. So, even though this is his first time to San Blas, he will end here.
Its going to be a great experience!
That about it for this week. Elder Doxey
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