Camping 2

Mas picturas.

Camping 1

Amigos: Recientemente Debbie y yo tuvimos la oportunidad de alejarse por un viaje de campamento poco. Fuimos a un lugar que nos gusta en un pequeño lago. No hay otras personas alrededor, porque no es un camping público. Es sólo un lugar en el bosque con un gran lugar para nadar. La mesita es una que hice hace años y se esconden en el bosque.

En la imagen primera que ha cargado la canoa y está listo para salir. En la segunda, hemos llegado al lugar nos vamos a quedar.

Con Amor, Pedro

Friends: Recently Debbie and I had a chance to get away for a little camping trip. We went to a place that we like on a small lake. There are no other people around, because it is not a public campground. It is just a place in the woods with a great place to swim. The little table is one I made years ago and hide in the woods.

In the 1st picture we have loaded the canoe and are ready to leave. In the 2nd, we have arrived at the place we will stay.

With Love, Peter

Cabin

Ralph, Mitchell and Doug:
The little cabin on 3rd Christopher is in great shape. Davey White has been looking after it. New brooms. New ax handle. It is clean. Debbie and I checked it out on our way past to go to 4th Christopher. There is a log book there now and a few people have been using it and replacing fire wood. According to the log, it sounds like quite a few trout have been caught in the area this past spring.

The inuk shuks on the little island are still there welcoming to the camp on 2nd Christopher at the end of the brook from Laurel run. That is where we stayed. Great spot, nice swimming hole.

If we can't go on that long trip, maybe we should just get in to one of those places on a friday night and come out Saturday.

Pete

Flowers 2

Flowers 1

Character Sketch - Jimmy

Mary: This is a picture of Jimmy Olvera standing by his 20 year old BMW. He bought it several months ago and has been saving to pay the back taxes so he can put it on the road. Also he has been replacing parts and making it roadworthy. With his small salary it is a struggle. Yearly taxes must be paid on a vehicle, and this one was off the road for several years. He got it cheap but knowing he had to pay back taxes. Since there are more people than road in Guayaquil the government seems to to what it can to make vehicle ownership difficult (expensive). Taxes on a new car are 300%. Thus, a new $10,000 small Chevy would be $40,000. The government heavily subsidises public transport. Buses are cheap and plentiful, as are taxies, which the government pays for and lets out to drivers for a very minimal fee. This fact no doubt contribute to the reason why there are so many 20-30 and 40 year old vehicles on the road and looking good and working well. Also the simplicity of the old ones are ideal for all the backyard mechanics who are masters at keeping the old cars and trucks on the road. If cars were cheaper nobody would be going anywhere, the roads would be clogged with them. Traffic is very heavy as it is now in the city of 3 million.

Do you recognise the suit? It is the one you gave me that used to belong to your dad. It was like new when you gave it to me and was still like new when I gave it to him. Jimmy had a tailor take 4" off the legs, otherwise it was a perfect fit. It is standing taller on Jimmy than it ever did on me, and he loves it. The Wed. morning temple coordinator is a tailor and I had him make me a suit.

Jimmy is head of security at the Guayaquil temple. He took an interest in teaching me Spanish. We used the scriptures, as we had both English and Spanish at the guard station. I could not get out the gate without a lesson when Jimmy was on duty. I would usually allow an hour or so when leaving the grounds. He was invaluable in teaching me pronunciation and a few phrases. He pushed me to learn, and I am sure I learned more than I would have had he not pushed me along. Spanish grammer is very complicated, with many verb forms. Jimmy is one of the few locals who actually uses proper grammar. Most people don't really know proper Spanish. I decided soon in the game that if the locals could get by without knowing proper Spanish so could I. Jimmy figured out that teaching me proper was a waste of our time and we focused on pronunciation. Locals told me I sounded like a local, so I was happy with my limited vocabulary and zero grammar, speaking baby talk. I also helped him with English. This is the first email I have ever received from him in English.

Jimmy has been 4 times a bishop and twice a stake president. He is currently a sealer in the temple and a stake patriarch. He was present with President Hinckley for the ground breaking for the temple and turned a sod with the shovel as well. He has completely memorized the Book of Mormon in Spanish and is using that ability to help him learn English. Since he knows every word in Spanish, when he reads in English he knows what it is supposed to say. He had completed 5 readings in English before I left and has no doubt completed his sixth or more by now. On the side, he is taking a college level course in marketing. This year he is taking his two week vacation one day at a time so that he and his wife can come to the temple. He lives in a poor part of Guayaquil and it takes him an hour to get to the temple by taking two buses. In spite of his accompishments he is one of the most humble people I have ever met, and very well liked by all. He has a great sense of humor. I am pleased that he wanted to befriend me.

I am so impressed with Jimmy that I sent a letter to President Monson, extolling his virtues. I told him that the reason I was writing was not to counsel him but only to make him aware of Jimmy in the event that he might have need a person of high calibre with knowledge of Spanish and English to serve someplace.

Just thought you might want to know where your suit is since you won't see me in it anymore.

Love, Pete

Homecoming!