Week 23 -- Machu Picchu

Wow yet another week down in the mission and the same old same old here. Really trying to get more people to teach in our area and work hard but it is getting hard at times. No one seems to want to like to listen to our message. So it is making it difficult to work all day and not just be rejected at every corner we have.

But this week had some really awesome events as you guys probably know that I went to Machu Picchu yesterday. It was the most beautiful site I have every seen before and I cant believe I had the chance to go and see this particular World Wonder. To get to the mountain where it is at is tricky.....first we had to travel our 2 1/2 hours to Cusco from Sicuani. Then we had to wake up at 2 am to get a bus from Cusco to the train station an hour away that leaves to Machu Picchu at 5 am. The train ride was about 2 hours and it weaved in and out of the mountains and travelled along side some huge mountain sides along the way. Such a beautiful view. Then we finally got to the area or little town that was below Machu Picchu....which is basically a giant tourist area. Finally to get up we took a 25 minute bus ride all the way up the mountain to finally get to the entrance of Machu Picchu. We entered and it was AMAZING!!! The view looked unreal and I couldnt believe that I was looking at this on the top of a mountain.....a freaking mountain they built this city. I really hope that you guys enjoy the pictures....they sometimes look unreal and not a picture. But seriously it was amazing just being there but actually getting to observe all the ruins....which the rocks are like perfectly set in place. The history of the place is super interesting....was only discovered in 1910. We saw plenty of buildings and also a temple of sun....rocks that are a condor, and many more things. Seriously was the most beautiful site of my life and I wish everyone could see it for themselves one day. We had a great day of visiting it but it only lasted for the day and we had to return to Sicuani. Lots of travelling too, which is the least fun of all of it. But some great pictures with a few missionaries that I knew. But now back to work in the city.

Like I said, not much in the work this week. No one is progressing how we would like and many people are just so hard to find. We have plenty of contacts but it is just so hard to find some people with the address system here. It doesnt make sense. But glad to hear that you guys have had a good week and that all is well, cant wait to see  how things are going in the week to go.

Week 22

Hey everyone, just another week down here in the mission and enjoying it a bunch! Not a huge week but some cool stuff and fun stuff happened since last Monday...haha

But just want to let you all know that I will be emailing on Tuesday next week at the same time, because I will be at Machu Picchu all day and wont have time....so dont worry. But yeah I will email then and give you the updates then haha. But yeah this week was great, last Pday we were in Cusco all day and it was fun visiting Plaza de Armas, Cristo Blanco, 12 Angle Rock, and the big mall Real Plaza. Also I got to eat Burger King and have Starbucks again...hahah It was sooo good and I enjoyed it very much. I miss some food from the states but it was a nice taste of Merica!! haha But our time in Cusco was super awesome....seeing a bunch of tourist spots and old ruins things....so cool. But it only lasted so long and we only could do so much but the pictures I hope you guys enjoy.

As my goal was to speak spanish always, I am still continuing with it, I faltered a little in the middle of the week but I am doing my best to only speak in Spanish. It is hard at times but I am starting to literally speak in Spanish and understand basically all that is said. I still need to work on my vocabulary and the words I can use to communicate. I can fairly well but there is always improvement. We also had a zone conference today and that went well witha  lot of instruction for what we need to improve on as a mission and zone. So we talked a lot about contacting families a lot and also about asking for references each lesson and that will help us find people who are truly ready to hear the Gospel. Also a lot about learning English for the latinos and they need to learn at least a little bit each week as we can help them in that learning. But yeah about it for that. Our investigators are not progressing as much as we would want but we have a few that just need to get over fear or just other small problems. Our one 14 year investigator wants to do everything but his parents dont want it for him and he cant progress because we dont have their permission to do stuff like baptism and that jazz. Everyone else is basically contacts we have had and are trying to get things started with them and it is hard. No one is ever home and it is hard to find people when they say they will be there. But that is just how it is going and it stinks. Hoping things can progress more with them.

And that is about it.....not much else that happened, just soooo excited to go to Machu Picchu next week!!! Will definitely send pictures for sure! Well I hope everyone is doing well and you guys have a great week!

Note from blog admin: Mason is next to the "12-sided stone", not just some random rock wall. This wall was build about 1000 years ago. Tourists go to see this thing.

Week 21

Yeah, another week down, but again, time is flying super fast and I cant believe it is already February!! But a great week of trying to get things done and continue working here in Sicuani!

But yeah our week with numbers wasn't that great.....and it seemed like we had so many set appts and most of them fell through. But that is how it goes some weeks and it really stinks. But yeah Elder Stradling and I are starting to try and focus more on families and teach more than I have before. It is hard to find some of these families but we were able to teach one this week for the first time and actual contact 5 families this week. That is our focus, to work with families to strengthen the ward and  work with the members in supporting us in lessons. Overall, not bad of an effort but I know that we can do better.

We also got to go to Cusco this week for a Multi Zone Conference and it was great! So we had Sicuani, Inti Raymi, Cusco, and Valle Sagrado there, so it was awesome seeing some old friends from the CCM and from Sicuani but left. So that was fun, and we learned so much from President and all the zone leaders.  A lot of focusing on families like usual, baptismal goal for the year (1200 for the whole mission), contacting, and being worthy of a temple recommend. So overall a wonderful time in Cusco and it was just great getting some instruction from our leaders of the mission and feeling the spirit with a bunch of missionaries. Also when I was in Cusco, I finally got some packages from you guys....Thanks Whitney and Ashton for the awesome packages. I am going to enjoy the candy and photos and all the goodies you sent. Seriously made my day and week to get stuff from home.

Well, finally my goal to better my Spanish has fully been amped up. As of this week, I am only speaking in Spanish to literally everyone. Every gringo, every Satino, and in everything I do. This I am hoping will accelerate my Spanish to another level and I can fully speak with anyone. Well, we will see how it goes.....that is all. Not much else happened. Just hanging out in Cusco again for Pday today and we will talk next week!

Distrito Vallecito of Sicuani

Elders George, Harris, and Allen of my CCM group