Year Mark

Last Sunday we traveled to La Merced because we had a multi-zone p-day the next day and it started at six in the morning. So in the morning all 50ish missionaries went up to a waterfall in San Ramon called El Tirol. It was really big and definitely more touristy than the waterfalls I've been to in the past. This one had a trail and you had to pay to enter. The ones we went to the week before we cut through someones coffee farm to get to them haha. But it was really cool and fun since I was with some of my missionary buds.

After that we took a two-and-a-half hour drive to a town called Oxa Pampa. Oxa Pampa is cool and touristy because it was founded by German immigrants. So we spent the afternoon at a recreation place there where we ate steak (the first steak I've had in a year), played with some monkeys and other weird animals they had there, and played a little volleyball. Later we went into the city part of Oxa and I ate a half liter of ice cream. It was good and creamy like it is in the states. After that we went back to San Ramon and got milk shakes (one of the only places in my mission where you can get a milk shake) and then had a family home evening with the president. Then Thursday was my year mark in the mission. It was a normal proselyting day but at lunch we shotgunned Dr Peppers (no they aren't sold here but once in a blue moon you can find a store that imports them), and then at night ate at a restaurant to celebrate.

Saturday we went back out to the chakra and this time I brought the machete I recently bought. I've learned that a machete is the most useful tool man has ever created and mine is a big one so when I walk around with it i feel like I'm holding a sword. At the chakra we took out honey from a tree trunk which was pretty cool.

The week's activities caught up to us and Sunday all of our appointments fell through so we got to spend the whole day contacting. But it is always fun to get to know new people. Anyway sorry for the long email but I hope the photos will make up for it. Love you guys!

Photos:

)Animal at the Zoo

2)Harvesting honey

3)El Tirol

Baptism of Roberto!

Hey everyone! Sorry there wasn't an email last week. We were in a city called San Ramon for conferences. Anyway these past two weeks were filled with activities so that didn't leave a ton of time for the work. But there will be a lot of photos to send home, so I will send 2 emails home, one for each week.

Two weeks ago the main things that happened was one day we went and worked in the chakra (farm) and this time we didn't pick coffee but we planted eucalypto trees. It was a fun change and the guy we worked with told us his life story. He is a recent convert but told us how a while ago he trafficked drugs. I won't go into too much detail but here in Peru the coca leaf (which is turned into cocaine) is really popular. And it grows really well in the jungle parts of Peru. Anyways there is more regulation now, but before there wasn't much. The most he ever trafficked in one time was about 1,500 kilos. But it's okay because he is baptized now and is a new person.

Also while at the chakra I got some good blisters on my hand and 3 or 4 different people told me that I needed to pee on my hand to help the blisters go away. I wasn't sure about it but I decided i needed to accept the culture here haha. So I peed on my hand and it was gross, but I think it actually helped. haha So next time you have blisters just pee on them, let your hand dry and you are good to go.

Then Saturday we had a baptism. It was a baptism I will never forget because I got to do the baptism and it was in a waterfall! The kids name is Roberto and he is a couple months younger than I am so it was a really neat experience. He was afraid to go through with the baptism because he has lots of bad friends and bad influences around him, but felt at peace afterwards and ready for a new life. I'm really excited for him and happy with his decision. Now the hard part comes of continuing with the decision he has made, but God and the missionaries will be there to help him along. Then Sunday we traveled to La Merced for conferences!

Photos:

1)Waterfall

2&3)Baptism of Roberto

4)La Chakra

God Bless America

Hey everyone!

I know you have probably received a billion happy 4th of July wishes from all of the missionary letters, but Happy 4th! You don't realize how nice everything is in the USA, until you live outside of it.

This week was pretty relaxed for us. Monday and Tuesday were normal and then Wednesday we traveled out to La Merced again to meet our new mission president. He and his wife are really nice people but I'm really going to miss our old mission president. Their styles are a little different so I will have to get used to that. But I guess you can't compare someone on their first week as mission president to your old one who had 3 years of experience. Anyway we met him and his wife on Wednesday and then traveled back to Villa Rica.

The next day was the 4th of July and it was one of the funnest ones I've had so far. In the morning we showed up to breakfast and our pension had cooked us hot dogs for breakfast. Which is a total coincidence because 1. They don't know what hot dogs are here and 2. They use hot dog meat as sausage. So we showed up to breakfast and had hot dogs and bread. Then for lunch we spoiled ourselves with an American meal. My companion and I are both from the states so we made hamburgers, French fries, guacamole, bought lays chips, and I even brought out some girl scout cookies from a package my parents sent me. After that we did some festivities, shotgunned soda and threw some firecrackers (closest thing to fireworks we had). After that we went proselyting as normal and then at night an investigator invited us over for dinner to celebrate the 4th and we ate pizza together. So in one day here I ate hot dogs, hamburgers, and pizza. And the best part was that I didn't eat one grain of rice that day!

The rest of the week was pretty normal, but Sunday was the final of the Copa America. And it was Peru vs. Brazil. It was the first time Peru had made it to the finals in over 30 years so everyone was hyped about the game. So of course all of our appointments on Sunday fell through... So we went and studied in the room to avoid the temptation of watching the game. Brazil ended up winning 3-1 so everyone was sad about that haha and today for p-day I am wearing my Brazilian soccer jersey. Its only 10:30 in the morning and I've already received some comments about it haha so we will see how the day goes.

And now this time I'll end off with a funny story. Saturday night we were walking to an appointment and a half drunk guy stopped me and started talking with us. He then straight up said, "Hey I want to stop drinking and get baptized in your church." He was a little drunk so we can't take what he said entirely serious, but we are going to try to find him sober and see if he still wants to be baptized. Anyway the funny part was we asked him if he had seen missionaries before and he said that the other day he saw us eating churros in the road. (We bought some churros the other day and with one of them my companion challenged me to eat the entire churro in 3 bites.) He pointed at me and said that he saw me trying to stick the entire churro in my mouth haha, so I learned that people are always watching you even when you don't think so. So don't try to put an entire churro in your mouth in public unless you are fine with people seeing you! 😂

Photos:

1 and 2) Happy 4th!

3) Weekly Planning Session done right

It's Scientifically Proven that Monkeys like Krabby Patties

Hey everyone how was the week!

This week for me had a lot to do with the weather we had. The days where it was sunny, everyone was super nice to us and we had a lot of good appointments. Then a storm came in and Friday and Saturday we had rain and clouds all day.

Also Saturday Peru played Chile in soccer and whenever there is a soccer game, our town turns into a ghost town. Everyone is inside watching the game and they don't want to listen to us haha. But if I wasn't a missionary, I would have been watching the games too, so I can't complain.

Anyway if you look at anything in this letter, look at the photos because they will be lit. Last p-day we went to a waterfall called La Bruja which is witch in Spanish. I guess if you look closely into the waterfall you can see the face of a lady.

Then monday night a family taught us how to make papa rellena which is one of my favorite dishes here, so watch out for when I get home! Later Tuesday while contacting we found a house with a monkey. I guess a while back they fed the monkey food and it stayed at their house. So my goal of seeing monkeys has been complete! Also during a lesson we had with them, the monkey climbed unto my lap and I fed it a gummy krabby patty. SO YES I DID FEED A MONKEY A KRABBY PATTY. haha

The work has been pretty normal this week but filled with random stories. For example we went out to Ñagasu again this week and saw a bunch of people bathing in the river which was a little weird. One investigator is teaching us Hebrew and we are teaching him English. And if you are wondering, Hebrew is the hardest language ever. One they read from right to left, and two they don't write vowels in their words, so you just have to be familiar with the words to know how to say them. So I wont be learning Hebrew anytime soon.

But while contacting this week I've noticed how different some peoples beliefs are. For example one guy was telling us how God has made two types of blood. One type of blood is good and those are the good guys who receive all of Gods blessings and keep his commandments. Then God made a cursed blood type and those are the wicked people haha. Also some people came up to argue with us. In their religion they believe some old lady in Korea is their leader. They also told us that Heavenly Father was the savior of the old testament times, Christ was the savior of the new testament times, and our savior is the Holy Ghost and our God is our mother... really interesting. But Sunday we talked about how everyone has religious rights and we should respect everyone's views.

Anyway for a spiritual thought for this week I would say to find some time to study conference talks. I have started listening to one every morning while getting ready and sometimes one at night too. It is a blessing that we have a living prophet and we need to use this blessing. So go read some conference talks! Love y'all!

Photos:

1)Can you see the witch?

2)Ugly but fun photo with some kids playing with my camera

3)"You like Krabby Patties don't you Squidward?"