It's my birthday!

Hello everyone! Elder Bingham here, just writing in about another spectacular week in Argentina. This week really was though, I'll tell you all why later. Anyway, I enjoyed all your letters this week. I'm jealous you guys got to go on that Sundance zipline! That looks like some crazy fun. Let's do it when I get home. And Elder Benedict is coming as well. And you guys are all doing the dirty dash as I write this... Send me a cow shirt! But I'll tell you how later, cause if you don't do it right it will never get here. Elder Romero the pensionista figured out a way to get packages here a lot easier. And I heard from a couple of you guys about the regional conference broadcast. We just got one of those here about 4 weeks ago, which basically talked about the same things. I kind of forgot about it until you guys mentioned it. They broadcasted speakers from this tiny little chapel thing in Salt Lake I'm guessing, based on the room they were in and who was speaking. Elder Hales presided the meeting, and Elder Cook was there as well. Then there were some seventies a sister from one of the general women's presidencies, I don't remember which one. It was really good though! It also mentioned a lot about sabbath day worship and missionary work. Sounds a lot like yours at least. 

This week really felt like my birthday here, for many reasons. And I think the feeling will continue this week as well, because this week on Thursday I hit 1 YEAR IN THE MISSION! I can't even believe it! Next Saturday I'll send some good shirt burning pics and stuff. Anyway, back to why it felt like my birthday this week. First of all, I've got a new comp! I'm in a trio now! His name is Elder Jacobsen. He's got about 19 months in the mission, and he was a zone leader in Mendoza recently, but then for some reason a few weeks ago he broke his foot. Just got a stress fracture suddenly. He's been here for awhile, but it was only until this last Sunday that President decided what he was going to do with him. Now he's just going to finish his mission here in the offices working as what is called the matieralista, who basically is in charge of getting supplies and stuff the mission needs like scriptures and pamphlets and stuff. Normally the pensionista (Elder Romero) does his job as well, but it is really two jobs. And he helps us with all of our jobs. He's way cool, and he's helping a lot here. We're all working our butts off right now actually. Ever since he got his job title he's been doing his job PERO BIEN. We've found out recently that all the pensionistas/matieralistas before Elder Jacobsen have been ordering WAY TOO MUCH CRAP. We've been doing a deep cleanout of our extra stock. His office is way trashed right now. But here's an example of how we have too much crap. We have two shelves full of every single lesson pamphlet (there's 6), totaling about 250 packets of like 20 pamphlets. And then about 6 more entire boxes full of more of each pamphlet. So we've decided recently that we are never ordering things again for about 3 years. Basically. 

Reason number 2 that it's my birthday: WE GOT NEW COMPUTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not that our old computers were even bad at all. Just about a month ago Buenos Aires told us that they were buying new computers for all the missions in Argentina. So on Tuesday or Wednesday they finally got here! And I kid you not... I don't think the computers in our house are this nice. Except for the part that they're Apple computers. I'm enjoying these computers a lot :) They're a lot faster, they have updated software like Excel 2013 (which I've been having a lot of fun with this week) and wait. Did I forget something? A ver.......... Ah yes. That was it. THEY ARE TOUCH SCREEN COMPUTERS. Hee hee. We are enjoying ourselves PERO BIEN here in the offices. None of us even imagined that they would be this nice. 

That's about it until Thursday, when I celebrate my year mark. Then my birthday is over. But it's been a great week-long birthday. 

Other thing! Next week we might be doing a SUPER EPIC P-day. So epic that I might not get to write you guys. Like literally epic, as in really long, taking up all of our p-day. We might be going to ACONCAGUA, only the tallest mountain in the world outside of Asia, inside of our mission borders. Cool right? This is like a once in a life time opportunity, so I figure if it comes to it I can skip writing you guys for a week. We obviously aren't hiking up to the top, but I think there's a pretty big ski lift we can ride. So I'll send some sweet photos. I'm way excited.

Have a great week everyone! Love you all!

-- 

Elder Bingham

Secretario de Finanzas

Misión Argentina Mendoza

Oh P.S.! That earthquake in Chile? I totally felt that from over here. Praying for the people over there, but it was way cool to actually feel. That was like my first in my life I think I've felt one. I just had to add that in to my letter. 

Did someone say LETTUCE WRAPS? Made by someone with ancestors from Korea? That's right. The Hermana Pyper who shares a ward with us (who honestly doesn't look Korean) made these today. We wanted Korean food. Apparently her mom is from Korea, but I think she's from Oklahoma or something. Anyway, WAY GOOD. :)

PLANK WAR! I kind of forgot I wanted to do this. But here's plank number one. Bring it Hailey.

Just cleaning out the matierialista's office! That's my new comp, by the way. On the left. Elder Jacobsen.

Just setting up for playing Angry birds. Video to come.