Elder Ian Rich: Jan 13: The Jungle of Puyo

Wow, this place here is incredible, I feel like I'm on vacation here. It's so pretty. The first time we walked into my house here in Puyo we found a huge frog jumping around and a lizard doing his own thing on the wall. It's super hot and humid here, so we sleep without blankets or sheets or anything, I was so hot my first couple nights I barely slept. At night time you can barely talk cause the wild bugs are so loud. It's probably rained every single day but rained so hard, you can't leave your house without an umbrella or else you'll regret it. You also don't wanna leave without a flashlight cause you can not see at all during the night time. Everyone says there are wild monkeys around and jaguars in the jungle but I still haven't seen any.

Our zone is divided into 2 sectors. One sector is in Baños and areas over there which is about 3 hours south of us, and the other includes Puyo and Tena which is another 2 or 3 hours north of us. The Zone is massive so on Thursdays, we have to travel down to Baños for a meeting with the district there, and on Fridays, we're in Puyo for another district meeting for the Elders here and up in Tena. So it's a lot of traveling, not even to mention we have to do divisions with every companionship in our zone.

Puyo is a small branch of about 90-100 people, and the branch is a huge mess. It hasn't grown in years. All the ward members pretty much hate each other, they hate the branch president. So it's a very low baptizing area because nobody helps out or is willing to help out.

My new companion is Elder Burga and is from Lima Peru and is about to finish his mission in 11 weeks. This week spent a lot of time exploring the jungle, and we helped a ward member kill some pigs. We ate raw giant worms called Chontacuros, which was very nerve-racking but worth it. We're both super excited to be here, to be in such a beautiful place with an unlimited amount of fun things to do.

A scripture for this week is in 1 Nephi 17:13 which says

“And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.”

I know this is true, I know that God is our light even in the wilderness or the jungle, that if we keep his commandments and have faith in him, he will guide our path just like he guided Nephi and his family to the promised land.

Love Elder Rich