Ay guys back home in the U.S, what is rockin' the cradle right now? Just a few minutes ago I shared a coffee in the park with some local Nicaraguans and we talked about the tourists walking around, it's so weird because I, a white-tall-blonde Vermonter feel like I've lived here my whole life. How was Halloween? I'm a little bummed to have missed trick-or-treating but we had our own little party here that was pretty solid...the girls dressed J.D Russel as a pregnant woman, Caleb Spitler as a scary old man, Jamie O'Shea as a rainbow, and I'll tell you what I was made to dress as when you are older. Let me know what cool costumes were out there. Shep, you must have dressed like that nice brown haired girl? Josh, fantasia? 

            Anyway, Nicaraguan stories: On Sunday we walk with a whole group of young guys and girls for a program called Vida Joven, which is a youth group (young life), and it is crazy. Probably about 30 kids go and the whole time I am chilling with a cat named Emilio and another named Jose and they teach me Spanish words in exchange for English "slang" words. I am teaching them words like, what up gangsta, homey g, wut up g-slim, basically the classics and they are teaching me words like, Barbados (barbaric), Arbol (tree), and that is all I remember. As we walk, we stop and play games that use Bible verses and sing Christian worship songs in Spanish, "Open the eyes of my heart," and others. At one point we choose different roads, one a rocky road and one a smooth one. Each has different Bible verses along them; it was very cool. We walk up this mountain that has a cross at the top of it and have lunch and Jener, our leader gives a sermon and we sing more songs. It was really great to bond with the kids and to share the Bible with them. Two days ago, we had 50 kids come to Vida Joven and God was really working in many people's lives. We acted out plays with the kids and my group did the story of the healing of the paralytic in Luke 5: 17-26. That night 30 kids went up to get saved! These are guys and girls that have like chains and tattoos and some were living on the streets. It was amazing to see God work in people's hearts like that! Gods love spreads to even the most rebellious people. Please, if you have old friends or know someone that needs God, don't think that he wont change their hearts. 

         I have quite an interesting story to tell about this week. We have been talking about giving up things for God all week in our classes from 9:30am-12. Fasting has been a huge topic, which has a very negative connotation in today's society. I have learned that it is very biblical practice and trust me, if it is a stronghold in your life, give it up and you will be blessed. Every time you think about eating, praise God and pray about whatever you feel led to. Do you have something in your life that you would never ever give up? Coffee? T.V? Video Games? Your family (if all you care about is what they think of you and how you can please them)? Does it hold more priority in your life than God? Really pray about this and spend some time in the Bible and above all, listen to God about this. The reason why I say this is I myself have experienced the extreme fruits from giving up something in my life that I would never give up and have never. If you listen to him he will use it for his glory.

            Well, I hope you all had a fantastic week, Bill O-that is really cool about the "Men's Feast" in the mornings I would kill to cook a pound of bacon with the guys from the church and I will try and mail some strips of dried and salted Nicaraguan lizard jerky for communion only, haha.  Mrs. Marshall, I really appreciate your words, you are the coolest neighbor on the hill~. Mom and Dad, I hope you like the new look, I miss you a lot mah rents. Dad, it is so weird that you mentioned Mom's thanksgiving feasts because I was just telling Caleb Austin the other day that I miss having that like 12 times a year. Mrs. Huff, thanks so much for the comments notebook, it is so encouraging to read.  Also, thank you teachers for your advice on my class, I ended up finding an amazing table that helped me tremendously.  The class went fantastic.  Well, I am going to go and be bald somewhere and have fun with it.  Everyone in the neighborhood loves calling me and the guys "Pelones" –Baldies. 

Peace Ouwwwt Bros and Mos,

-Joseeeee'