You can reach Levi by email at levi.lamoreaux@myldsmail.net
Levi's Quest in Argentina will soon be coming to a close. Levi will be returning home on July 6, 2011 after serving an unforgettable journey throughout the countryside surrounding Cordoba, Argentina.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Not Much News...Just a Dog Bite and an Illness

I'm sorry I don't have too much news for you this week. Tuesday was Argentina's bicentennial. I knew nobody would be working so I was excited to go out and find lots of people. With lots of energy we went out to work and found a dead town. But I talked to people in the street, knocked a couple doors then had a Pumba sized dog grab onto my ankle with some force. As I brought around the left foot for a good, swift kick the dog ran away and cowered inside a fence. That bite, however, sucked a little animo out of me so we decided it was time to return for lunch. While in the store purchasing lunch I got really light headed and felt like I was going to pass out. I made the two block trek back home and spent the next couple days in bed. No, I did not have to take any medicine. I finished my gummy vites :( so maybe I'll buy new vitamins but they won't be as good. No need to worry I did not get anything from the dog, just coincidence that it happened the same day.

Those two events make up my week. Today I taught the district how to play Shanghai (our family card game) and they all enjoyed it haha, but I need help remembering the scoring system.

That's my week. I am feeling better now and even helped a member chop some wood...and I'm a little sore, haha. I walk all day, apart from that my body is pretty inactive.

Hope everyone's weeks went better than mine :)

Chao,

LMX

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Tools of a Missionary - Handkerchiefs and Fanny Packs

Happy p-day!

Hope you enjoyed your temple dedication! And yes I have purchased a handkerchief and feel way cool. I think I will be handkerchief user all my life. I have definitely bought into the life style. I also use a fanny pack to do missionary work everyday. Some missionaries choose to make fun of the fanny pack, but it has had a lot of success (I'm the third Elder to use it and the first two were legendary missionaries).

Usually talking or hearing about Mexican food makes me hungry, seeing how nothing similar is easy to find here and when you do it's almost always disappointing. Today, however, I am ridiculously stuffed with like 15 empenadas (six is usually plenty) for our branch party for the bicentennial of Argentina (which is actually tomorrow but we celebrated this afternoon with lots of food, some games and the film Old Dogs). An interesting fact...all movies in this country are American with subtitles or dubbed.

Well this week I had two really good experiences with some less active members and some of them came to church and church was three hours of inspiration and I have this strong urge to grow a mustache. Sorry there aren't too many stories we knocked 999654135579513 doors and talked to like 12 people. It's cold so people just tell us no through their closed windows and are not out in the street.

Love you all, take care and I'll catch ya next week.

ELMX

PS - Since I have been supplied with jokes and facts periodically, I felt I would repay you, and help you get a feel for what it's like being a missionary:

You know you're a missionary when...judge the quality of each door you knock.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Winter Weather Has Arrived

Some stories from the week: it got too cold too fast. I was (not) sleeping without a blanket because our apartment did not have enough, we don't have heaters and I didn't have too many warm clothes. I'm tryin to find me some thermals, but no success yet. I traveled to a town called Cura Brochero to visit and work with the family who speaks English who lived in California for a period of time. While there I saw a four year old pooping in the street and when four large gringos (four white missionaries) turned the corner and saw him and what he was doing he was terrified and ran off. I knocked more doors than I ever have in a week and had less success than I have ever had. I tried a wayy good homemade alfajor. And the ice cream nazi struck again!

That's crazy to think Harrison is home and so many of my friends are out serving(Hunter, Andrew, Alex, Robert, Jeremy, Stuart, Weston, D-Rise, etc).

Anyways, I love being here and am super grateful for this chance to serve. I am grateful for the support I have and for the five of you :)

Love,

ELMX

*Posted two pictures that Levi sent along with his e-mail. Found some graffiti on a wall which just happens to spell LDS (Latter-day Saints) so he couldn't pass up a great picture opportunity. Great pictures along with a buzz haircut. Enjoy!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Happy Birthday

In Argentina they have some interesting birthday traditions. They make a cake and put candles on it and sing a song and make a wish and blow the candles out and you get presents. However, being in the position of a missionary you stop people in the street and tell them it's your birthday and they listen instead of reject, especially when you say you are giving out gifts for your birthday (like a song or testimony or lesson pamphlet whatever it may be). What we did that's a little different will be manifest in photos you shall receive. I might have cake with a member next Sunday, if not then no cake :(.

We were cooling down but the past two weeks have been way hot. I don't know what happened. But the leaves are falling off trees which is cool to see, seeing how I've only been stuck in one continuous summer since May of 09. I did buy an overcoat off an elder who was going home, and it's come in handy a couple times seeing how I am in a country without heating. We as missionaries have electric floor heaters (just the hot air fans), and they do not work too effectively.

I traveled to Merlow again last Wednesday and I happen to be back today for the last p-day of the transfer. I'll have transfer news Sunday when we talk. My camping adventure was fun. I have no idea if other people do it. We are all relatively young in the district. And we got the idea because it was nice outside and we wanted to sleep under the stars..it's a natural male instinct.

I am eating lots of pasta and a new interesting meat called locro. Locro is cow stomach. Different but not bad. And in the pasta category there are these things called ñoquis which I have come to love. They are mashed potatoes then mixed with flour then rolled and cut into little potato noodles then thrown into boiling water and when they float in the water they are ready and they are one of my favorites and something I can bring back to the states seeing how it's just potatoes and flour then
whatever sauce you want.

I am always speaking English (more like Spanglish). We are four gringos in my house. We are also now teaching English classes on Saturday nights so some people like to practice English in church or lunches or whatever it may be.

Well thanks for wishing me a happy birthday and sending me all your support and love. Love you all. Take care. Talk to you soon.

Chao,

ELMX

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Enjoying the Cooler Weather

Hola,

Yeah...seven days till I'm twenty. I'm not ready for it, my youth is slipping from my fingers slowly and it's not cool. But you know what is cool...the Gila Valley Temple. That's grrreat.

I am enjoying the cooler weather during the day for sure. But at night we are lacking blankets and heaters so it's not quite as enjoyable. However, Elder Flaherty (Gilbert, AZ has Lamoreauxs in his ward back home) and I camped out on our roof last night. It was cold and we woke up soaking up from the dew but it was as close to camping as I'll get and it was fun and I slept in one of the hat's Hannah made me to keep the ole head warm.

So this week was way cool because Elder Hyder (one of the assistants I lived with last transfer and his companion Elder Zarate) came out for a day to exchanges and it was good seeing Elder Hyer again for the last time before he goes home (in two weeks). He is an awesome Elder and friend so that was a fun day. And we were able to have a couple inactive members come back to church this week! And yeah, I love my area more every day. And this work and this life and you all. Cannot wait to talk to you next week! Take care till then.

Love,
ELMX