It Doesn't Matter How Hard You Hit...

James 1:5
1. Life Here in a Rancho.
2. My Companion
3. The Area
4. Shipping Things
5. Esperitu Penser
1. Where do I start?  Well, first, I guess, is 'What's a Rancho?'.  A Rancho is a border town, so a town that is outside the borders of a city.  My city and area are called Juan Eugelio, good luck pronouncing it ;).  It is 3rd World for sure.  It has some 1st World things, like a microwave.  Which is currently the only way we cook.  We have an icebox to keep things cool.  Um, we only have running water like 8 hours a day and no boiler or anything for the heating of the water for showers, outside of the microwave.  So, I take cold showers.  It is roughly the size of Bloomington here, but with a lot more houses and no farmland.  The roads are dust, not dirt, but dust.  Every step I take I sink like an inch or two (Should have brought boots).  The dust is waterproof, I swear.  It's weird to say but to wash our shoes we have to use a stick pad to get off the dust.  So this place is kinda just like the cities you hear about but really small.

Mi Casa

The Kitchen

The Study

The Bedroom

The Bathroom with NO Hot Water

Juan Eugelio

2. Elder Squire is a boss!  He is reteaching me Spanish because I really know nothing.  He is showing me the ropes.  Um, I don't know what else to say... He is a Missionary.

Elder Squire and Elder Cazier

3.  The area is large but we are only allowed to go to a few parts and only on the days that they don't party.  It sounds weird but they will just randomly decide to have a huge party.  We call them partys for partys.  There is not much else to do but party or work.  Soooo, yeah, party is what they do.  The National Drink is Alcohol.  It is most of what the people drink, that and Coke.  It's a really nice area and I love it!  There are about 100 members but not all of them can do a lot.  It is a really poor area and so we really help provide help.  We clean the church and mow the lawn.  That is our weekly service.

4.  I do not have an address.  I live in Juan Eugelio, that's all they have.  So, yeah, just keep doing what you are doing (Sending letters and packages to the Mission Home).  But put my name on the package and so no one else claims it as theirs.
5.  Remember, whatever the devil throws at you, you can overcome it!  He has no power over you if you don't give him any power over you.
Love and Miss You All!  -  Elder Cazier

To: Dad
1. What's Keeping me Grounded
2. Time Spent and Time Wasted
3. Ponder the Effects of the Lords Hand
1. I have heeded your words to the annoyance of my companion.  He hears my alarm and freaks out every morning a little.  I continue to push forward.  He is a good guy!  I find that my workouts, with a prayer before and after, push my body and have aided in cutting time down and increasing the pace.  I also try to incorporate working out into everything I do.  The roads in my city (Juan Eugelio) are just dust so to minimize dust getting on my shoes I march everywhere, it also helps with the uneven roads and terrain.  But my body is weaker than my mind.  I continue but my body says 'No More'.  For instance, my knees are sore enough from the marching to make kneeling painful, and my shoulders die under the weight of my bag from the pushups I do.  But I am recognizing that the Lord keeps my head grounded as I do this and then take my cold shower (there is no hot water but I am starting to like it).  Along with this, I have taken up drawing once again to give my brain a break in time I cannot work out.  I am lacking back exercises because, kid you not, there is no way I can do pull-ups anywhere.
2. I have found that as I get balance in my life, I gain more and more.  But I have been told that the Lord's time is what I am wasting.  That hurts my heart!  I find that I complain about much but follow in faith knowing that all will be ok.  I have drawn a line in the sand and people are starting to get used to it.  I have had my first Coke in over 6 weeks and it was so worth it! (It's not allowed but ok because it is used by missionaries as a water supplement.)  I love that stuff!  I also have found that as I walk around I cannot see.  This is due to how bright the sun is at times and how weak my eyes are.  I brought sunglasses but have been banned from wearing them due to the fact that the risks are too high if I do.  Sunglasses are a symbol of wealth here and we do NOT want to get mugged here.  If you are, chances are not good.  We are allowed to wear hats though and that's my only saving grace.  when I wear a large hat I can semi-see, so I have always worn a hat outside.
3. This week I have seen miracles in my life, similar to the Brother of Jared (well, at least to me).  I kinda locked us out of our casa.  To get back in we speared our broken house key with an old tree branch (Its name is now 'The Staff of Moses', due to Elder Squire).  After we speared the key we pulled it out of the house lock on the inside, we moved it over to a piece of paper, and then put that paper in a bag and lifted it up to the window that we were standing at.  All of this was done with a stick that is about 6 feet long and we could not see anything until we got a hold of the bag.  I have found that this was hard, but it was a miracle that we got it!I know that the Lord's hand is in my life!  My goal this week is to try and see it and thank the Lord for all He has done!  I urge you to do the same with the whole family.  I love you and miss you.  I also thank you for all of the knowledge you have given me over my life and hope you continue to give me more.  -  Elder Cazier