Monday, July 25, 2016

Week 97 - Finding Less-Actives

Well, not too exciting of a week again. It seems like I am saying the same things every week, and basically its the same. We are still working hard every day, this week we saw more progress with finding some cool new people to teach. Elder Choque is still a great companion, we are trying our best to see what else we can do to improve. And of course, we are always finding something to improve on and get better. 

Well, we found 2 new less actives that are ready to come back to church and we can see that they can progress. We were looking for less actives and 1 house has like 20 people who are members that dont go to church, so we went and knocked on the door. Normally doing so never works, but today we found Ruth and her uncle Fidell, and they accepted a lesson. Turns out that their kids, 3 of them arent baptized and have accepted to listen to us. So now we have some potential investigators that are going to progress, and its great. We have been trying to find a lot of new less actives and we are working with our ward misson leader to visit them. So many in our directory and we have just begun on finding them. Lots of work to do, but we are excited to get to work.

Also I was able to visit Elder Bravo in our zone for a work visit in his area, to see how he is doing and see if I can help him. Turns out that he is great, always so happy to talk to everybody and he is doing great. He is a convert that went from Ecuador and lived in Utah for 4 years, listened to the missionaries there and got baptized. His story is sick though, so many converts here in South America, almost everybody that comes into the mission now is a convert....pretty cool. He speaks perfect English too, all the ways we speak too, pretty awesome. Well, not much else going on, trying to enjoy all the time I have here in Cusco and help the people come unto Christ!! Loving the mission!

Sorry there arent any pictures this week.....next week. 

Week 96 - More investigators!

Well, like I always say.....just another week of work, with a few interesting things blended in. But just working everyday, having a good time. 

Well this is the first week with our new mission president, President Herrera, and we dont know him very much really. But we did get to have a multi zone mission conference this week to get to know him and his family. Unlike President Harbertson, our new mission president has 2 little girls that are with him here in Cusco. Its a little different with 2 little girls running around during a mission conference, but President Herrera is great. He is very excited to get to work with us and see progress in this mission. He also wants to play sports with the elders and sisters,which is a lot different than Harbertson. haha But Im excited to see what else this mission has in store in this last transfer!

Elder Choque and I are doing well together, working hard. But we have a few people doing pretty well in their progression in the church. Daniel is the son of a recent convert and he is pretty cool, very interested in the message we bring and he wants to come to church. Also wants to get baptized, so we will have to see if he will be ready for August. We also have a couple that are doing well too, Franklin and Hilda, 2 investigators that have a lot of interest but still need to get married. We are working hard with them for a baptismal date in August and help them really understand the importance of the Gospel. Their situation is very confusing at times, but we will have to see yet again what will happen with them this week. 

Some fun stuff that happened was with an activity that the stake had on Saturday. The Stake Relief Society held a festival for typical Peruvian dances. And we brought some investigators and others to watch with us, and they really enjoyed it. In the pictures you will see some of the costumes they used and how they dress up during dances here. Its pretty interesting, not much of that in the states for sure......but we all had a good time! Not much really, just working, having a wonderful time and seeing progress here in Tullumayo!! Love ya guys.....keep it up!!


Multi zone conference, Zones Cusco, Inti Raymi, Tahuantinsuyo, Los Incas, Sicuani, and Quillabamba with President and Hermana Herrera

Week 95 - Life as a Zone leader in Tullumayo

Happy birthday America!! haha Crazy week!! But still such a great week for my companion and I to get to work and help the children of God here in Cusco!! Well, it was my first week in Tullumayo and as a zone leader....and I love the area! The members are great, strong ward, the pensionista is awesome, and just enjoying the missionary life.

Well, I thought being a zone leader would be different, and it is. But so many little things we have to do for the zone, more than I had to do with my duty as district leader. More we have to deal with the temporal things and the district leaders are helping the missionaries on a more personal level. So we had to supervise and help some elders in the zone move rooms and deal with the contract.....just a mess really. But we got through it and theyre all good. Also we just have to call all the time and do many other lttle things, but Im glad Im able to serve the missionaries in my zone. But besides doing all that, the work this week was great. We are focusing on a couple that is super cool and almost ready to get baptized. They need to get married still, but they are doing well to get baptized next month. Im still getting to know our area, not sure where Im going yet, but going great. 

Also this week was the baptism of Raul and Luzdith in Villa Union, so I was able to go and baptize Raul, since my area is like 10 minutes away from there. So it was a great baptismal service and pictures to come soon. Also funny story, I was talking to my pensionista about Puno and how I served there, and it turns out my convert Ivan from Puno is her nephew! haha And she gave the reference, and now he is a member, she was so excited to know that I helped her family out and receive the Gospel in their lives. Also, our ward area is basically central touristic part of Cusco, so there are North Americans all the time here, and yesterday at church like 20 gringos showed up at church from the states. Apparently thats nromal to have so many people come from the states when they are in Cusco.....funny. So 
that was crazy! haha But really, just working hard, enjoying the life in Cusco, loving it here!! Have a great week....only 7 weeks more to get work done here!!

 1. Visiting Sister Olga in Urcos
2. Visiting my mamicha in Urcos.



  3-4. Already saying goodbye to my pensionista and her 2 little girls in Villa Union.


5. Saying bye to Elder Estigarribia


 6. My boy Elder CedeƱo

 7. My other boy Elder Fuentes ending the mission

8-10. Raul and Luzdith's baptism



11-28. Our Pday going to a few Inka statues and lookouts today with my companion Elder Choque.










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 -The picture of me pointing in the distance is me pointing to the airport......me being trunky. haha
 -The other is me acting like Cristo blanco

 -The rainbow flag isnt what you guys think it is.....its actually the Cusco or Inkan flag from the Tahuantinsuyo Empire.....Im acting like Captain Moroni

-The other multi colored flag is the flag for the Aymara people or who speak the language aymara.