Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Week 53
Week 52
Week 52!!!
1. Our lunch was set up for us by our pensionsista with a face in our rice, and then a drawing of us. ( She always likes to make fun of how long my neck is.....so yah) She is awesome!
2. Well it rained a lot, so the main road here turned into a river!
3. Elder Cacoango getting soaked in the rain.
4. Elder Cacoango and I hiding from the rain and storm for a bit.
5. This is me in a street with water upto my knees almost, luckily we have big rain boots here.
6. Just a few pictures with people who were playing volleyball and wanted me to play, after they wanted a picture with me, so there are a few. Enjoy!!!
Well another week down and another awesome week of work here in Peru and Juliaca! This week was actually one of my most productive weeks concerning lessons and things like that, but we have a lot of work to do still. Like we had 3 investigators come to church, all 3 are teenagers but they are a part member family. Arny, the youngest of them is amazing and understands most of the doctrine, and he started to mark his Book of Mormon with his notes. So we hope to see him progress a little more, his 2 siblings dont have much interest but are coming to church at least. Not reading and praying much, so we are trying to help them a lot. Also FINALLY someone is progressing to get married so that they can get baptized too, because there is such a bad tradition here to not marry and just live together. But Maria is the mom of a returning elder here in a few weeks and she wants to get baptized, but needs to be married first, so she is doing great and will probably get baptized this coming month!! But this week we have had a lot of success with finding new people to teach and we are asking for a lot of references and people to teach, and many people are giving us names to visit, so that is looking up now! But really this week is a turning point for Elder Cacoango and I, we are contacting more people, people are coming to church, and it looks like we will have a super successful October. We just need to keep working hard and keep finding those that are ready to listen to the Gospel. But we are really enjoying the work, the ward is trying to help too, and we are happy with the results!
Well this week I will complete my 1 year mark!! It is crazy that I am halfway there, I am happy but sad in the same time. I have had so many wonderful memories from this last year and I will never forget my time here! I have 2 other Elders from my group here in Juliaca including my District Leader, so we will see if we do something crazy to celebrate the halfway mark....haha But this week the weather was HORRIBLE!! It isnt supposed to be raining in this time of year, so it was really weird when we say rain storms and thunder storms almost every day this week, so the streets were bad. Well basically Juliaca is all flat, and a little bit like a bowl, no river for the water, no drainage systems for the water, and most of the roads of our sector are dirt roads. So that means, flooding of almost all the streets in our area, and it being FULL of mud!! Literally imagine walking in like 6 inches of mud the whole day and going to appointments with it raining too and being cold......but we still had a good week!! And luckily we have big rain boots here to use, so I was sporting those for the week, pretty stylish with white shirt and tie, with dress pants right?? haha But hopefully the rain stops and it dries up a bit before it rains again, its hard to work effectively when its like that....
And finally a funny experience, we were way out past our area in an area that we dont have many people, so we were contacting there. And this group of people wanted me to play volleyball with them, so I did because it would be fun with a tall gringo. So we contacted them, made some friends in that area and they just really enjoyed my prescence really....not sure why. I am pretty sure that I was the first gringo in all their time there. And we were leaving, and they asked to take pictures with me to remind them of the time that they had there hahahah. I agreed, but it was a little weird haha! So overall a pretty interesting and fun week of work here in Juliaca!! Well until next week everyone!!
Week 51
Well another week down again, and almost at the 1 year mark!! So IM HALFWAY THERE, OHHWOHH LIVIN ON A PRAYER! haha But honestly this week wasnt that exciting, but we did get some work done and enjoyed our tiem here in Peru!
1. Elder Thacker, Elder Blancarte, and Elder Cacoango and I eating salteñas in the Plaza de Armas in Juliaca.
2. Elder Cacoango and I......he is pretty short even standing on the step haha
3. Plaza de Armas
4. Our chapel in Juliaca. I really like how they look.
5. Elder Fuentes and I goofing off after church.
Well yesterday we had splits with Elder Fuentes and it was honestly super awesome! We had such a good time hanging out and working together, and basically laughing all day. Well he is from Lima and speaks actually really good English and he always says the funniest things in English too. He really wants to go to the US after the mission and study there, so we will see if we can help him out. But literally all day we were laughing and having a good time. We worked all yesterday while Elder Cacoango and Elder Kline worked in our sector, but it is always a good time to listen and to learn how other missionaries work. I learned how to better a few things in my lessons.
But we just reactivated a sister yesterday!! She was less active for years and is now in the chapel every week, and is trying to help us in this work too. Her name is Felicitas and she is amazing, trying to better all the things she does in the church. We also have found a new progressing investigator, who is the daughter of Felicitas and she is amazing too! She straight up´told us how she could be baptized and all that, and she really has the desire to grow in the Gospel! The only thing is that she is not married to her "husband", so we need to help her in that. And also we had a few young kids who are investigators come to church this week and the really liked it too, so more hope in that. And not much else with who is progressing.
And a funny story, today we were buying things for the month and the week in the market here. And this lady just comes up to me and is like "Take me to the United States!" And im like well if you want, but I dont have any money to do that. And she just says..."Tell your country to send you money and to take me there free" hahahaha.......Like What?? This lady was so weird and I think she wanted a little bit of an american.....so we left that store quickly....haha Basically people here want gringos at times and really want dollars and everything that you say dollars, they will want it. But all is well, I probably wont see that woman after today! hahah
Well another week and yet another week of work here and I am loving every moment of it. Prayers needed to help us in this work here, so I hope all goes well in the coming week!!
Week 50
Wow, I cant believe how fast things are going here and it is just like everyone says......it flys by, and boy is it flying by. I felt like I just wrote you guys and now it is time again.
But it was another week of work here in Juliaca and cold again, not too cold like Indiana but it gets cold here. Not much really happened here, just working with the investigators that we have and trying to help them progress. I am still getting to know the area a little more each day, trying to navigate myself from one house to another, more or less, I know where I am going. But little by little. We have a few families that are really cool and progressing, just needing to attend church and see the blessings of the Gospel in their lives. The problem here is that it is like a fair thing where everything is cheaper on Sundays and people sell to make more money, but it sucks for missionaries when people dont want to come to church just for that reason. But we are working hard again here, we hope to see some baptisms this coming month maybe.
Not much really to tell you guys, not much really happened. Just things to do here in Juliaca is very limited and not anything touristy or ruins or anything really, just playing soccer every Pday. I dont mind soccer, but I prefer other sports that the Latin missionaries dont want to play, but oh well. Also here in Juliaca, we dont have a pension for breakfast, so we cook breakfast here. It sounds like we are so privileged here, having someone to cook for us is the best and such a blessing, but I really enjoy cooking in the mornings. Yogurt, cereal, and eggs.....such a surprise haha.
Also Saturday we had interviews with President Harbertson, so that took up all of our time Saturday. But it was awesome with the training from the assistents, and receiving some great things on how to better as missionaries. We put a lot of things in practices, and that is the way to learn from it all. President was telling me a lot of things on how to have success and how I can continue to enjoy my mission here in Cusco.....but I always love talking with President Harbertson and here what he has to say to help me. So I really enjoyed it all. And that is about it, I hope to have more exciting things to say next week to you guys! Until next week!!
1. We cook breakfast here, unlike my other sectors where we have a pension each meal, but cooking french toast!
3. Just a few views of what Juliaca is.......a city. From the top of our apartment building.
But it was another week of work here in Juliaca and cold again, not too cold like Indiana but it gets cold here. Not much really happened here, just working with the investigators that we have and trying to help them progress. I am still getting to know the area a little more each day, trying to navigate myself from one house to another, more or less, I know where I am going. But little by little. We have a few families that are really cool and progressing, just needing to attend church and see the blessings of the Gospel in their lives. The problem here is that it is like a fair thing where everything is cheaper on Sundays and people sell to make more money, but it sucks for missionaries when people dont want to come to church just for that reason. But we are working hard again here, we hope to see some baptisms this coming month maybe.
Not much really to tell you guys, not much really happened. Just things to do here in Juliaca is very limited and not anything touristy or ruins or anything really, just playing soccer every Pday. I dont mind soccer, but I prefer other sports that the Latin missionaries dont want to play, but oh well. Also here in Juliaca, we dont have a pension for breakfast, so we cook breakfast here. It sounds like we are so privileged here, having someone to cook for us is the best and such a blessing, but I really enjoy cooking in the mornings. Yogurt, cereal, and eggs.....such a surprise haha.
Also Saturday we had interviews with President Harbertson, so that took up all of our time Saturday. But it was awesome with the training from the assistents, and receiving some great things on how to better as missionaries. We put a lot of things in practices, and that is the way to learn from it all. President was telling me a lot of things on how to have success and how I can continue to enjoy my mission here in Cusco.....but I always love talking with President Harbertson and here what he has to say to help me. So I really enjoyed it all. And that is about it, I hope to have more exciting things to say next week to you guys! Until next week!!
2. My room here, not too big......but it is what we need.
3. Just a few views of what Juliaca is.......a city. From the top of our apartment building.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Week 49 - New Area!
Well hey yall! Thought I would throw in a little bit of hick talk there, haha But first week of work in Juliaca and it is sooo different than Urcos. And frankly, I miss Urcos a lot and many of the members and the people there, Juliaca is still great, dont get me wrong.
But let me just run down how Juliaca is different or how it is here. It is actually a big city, bigger than Cusco, just not as pretty or organized yet. It is very cold here and very windy, it is the Chicago of Peru, the Windy City. There arent mountains, just in the distance, so the wind just sweeps across the flat part into the city, and that is why it is cold too. 12,500 feet above sea level too, so it is pretty cold up here at night and in the morning, but it is warming up. We have a ward here, Pedagogico Ward, and it is not too bad with 80-100 attendance each week, we are just trying to help the ward function better here with the missionaries. So Juliaca reminds me a lot of Indiana in early December and sometimes in January, but it gets cold here, I am used to it from home though. Enjoy all the hot weather there in the states!!
Well my companion Elder Cacoango is AWESOME! He is super chill, and very dedicated in the work, he is such a great companion with wanting to work, learn with me, learn English, and do all the things necessary in the mission. He is from Ecuador, in a city called Otavalo, which is a place where the males have long hair, he just decided to cut it before the mission. So he is normal, but they have permission to have long hair in the mission because it is a local custom.
I left Urcos on Wednesday morning to go to Juliaca, but I had a lot of goodbyes to say. We went to Huaraypata with Pedro, also Olga, Jenny and Carlos, Maria and Veronica, and many other members to thank them for the wonderful 6 months I had in Urcos. I am not going to lie, I cried a bit in a few goodbyes it is because the people there are basically my family, to live there for 6 months. I will miss my pensionista Mamicha! She has done so much for me and I will miss everyone there, but I have to continue to work and be in the mission. The Lord needs me in Juliaca and I hope to make the best of it. Well I had to travel nearly 7 hours to get to Juliaca on a bus, and it wasnt as bad as I thought, we had the bottom floor seats and they are super comfy to be in. But now I am here and ready to work in Pedagogico.
Well to another part of the mission and more adventures to come here in my new area of the great Peru Cusco Mission!! Well until next week!
But let me just run down how Juliaca is different or how it is here. It is actually a big city, bigger than Cusco, just not as pretty or organized yet. It is very cold here and very windy, it is the Chicago of Peru, the Windy City. There arent mountains, just in the distance, so the wind just sweeps across the flat part into the city, and that is why it is cold too. 12,500 feet above sea level too, so it is pretty cold up here at night and in the morning, but it is warming up. We have a ward here, Pedagogico Ward, and it is not too bad with 80-100 attendance each week, we are just trying to help the ward function better here with the missionaries. So Juliaca reminds me a lot of Indiana in early December and sometimes in January, but it gets cold here, I am used to it from home though. Enjoy all the hot weather there in the states!!
Well my companion Elder Cacoango is AWESOME! He is super chill, and very dedicated in the work, he is such a great companion with wanting to work, learn with me, learn English, and do all the things necessary in the mission. He is from Ecuador, in a city called Otavalo, which is a place where the males have long hair, he just decided to cut it before the mission. So he is normal, but they have permission to have long hair in the mission because it is a local custom.
I left Urcos on Wednesday morning to go to Juliaca, but I had a lot of goodbyes to say. We went to Huaraypata with Pedro, also Olga, Jenny and Carlos, Maria and Veronica, and many other members to thank them for the wonderful 6 months I had in Urcos. I am not going to lie, I cried a bit in a few goodbyes it is because the people there are basically my family, to live there for 6 months. I will miss my pensionista Mamicha! She has done so much for me and I will miss everyone there, but I have to continue to work and be in the mission. The Lord needs me in Juliaca and I hope to make the best of it. Well I had to travel nearly 7 hours to get to Juliaca on a bus, and it wasnt as bad as I thought, we had the bottom floor seats and they are super comfy to be in. But now I am here and ready to work in Pedagogico.
Well to another part of the mission and more adventures to come here in my new area of the great Peru Cusco Mission!! Well until next week!
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| We made french toast to say goodbye with a few members from the branch, they loved the french toast that they never tried! haha |
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| Saying bye to Kenjy |
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| Saying goodbye to Olga |
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| Saying goodbye to Jenny and Carlos and their kids. |
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| Saying goodbye to Veronica, Mayte, and Maria |
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| Me drinking a super strong herb thing and then saying goodbye to Carmen. |
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| My pensionista bought a cake for my going away party. |
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| Mamicha and her family, saying goodbye to them. |
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