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 Cedeño

 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.

!
  

 -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.  

Week 94 - Leaving Villa Union

Well today was a little different of a Pday, because President and Sister Harbertson are ending their mission Wednesday, today there are transfers. So, to my surprise, I am already going to leave my ward Villa Union with Elder Estigarribia and go to another area in the same stake. haha Just 4 weeks here in the area and now I have to leave. Its sad really, the ward is really cool and the members too. I never really got to know everyone or have the chance to do much, but I worked for these few weeks and now time to go. Im going to Tullumayo with Elder Choque and now Im going to be zone leader not just district leader. So now to have to help a whole zone of missionaries and see what I can do there. Well, now I have to pack up my stuff just to take a taxi to my next area....haha. Should be fun!!

This week we had a  pretty good time with the work and enjoying helping others out. Well, Raul and Luzdith, they are still on track to be baptized July 2nd. We finished up the lessons this week and yesterday they passed their interviews and ready for Saturday. Its a little different helping young kids get baptized but its our job to teach them and get them prepared, but the great thing is that their mom is coming back to church and really enjoying the church again. We had a few other people come to church that have potential and are looking good, Piter and a few others. But this one  guy just walked into the church and attended all the classes, then the stake president was there and presented us to him. He came to the church to change his life and so we hope to see him progress in this week!! The Lord blesses us in strange ways sometimes....haha

Other than that, Im just working hard, trying to complete my job as a missionary and see people come unto Christ. Now Ill be in another area, but Im excited to get to work and see progress again. Also lots of changes in our mission with a new mission president coming in, and lots of new missionaries to come in too in a few weeks.....we will see what happens!!!

Week 93 - A Goddaughter!?

Yet another week down and another week of work gone! But enjoying every moment of being a missionary and having a good time working. 

This week wasnt too exciting really but still seeing progress in our area is our goal. Our attendance really kinda sucked this week in church, it is going down a lot and we arent sure why. All we know right now is that we have to work hard this week and get everyone back on coming to church this Sunday. Judit is doing well still, coming to church, and progressing super well. Her 2 kids, Raul and Luzdith are still doing well also for their baptism July 2nd. We are excited to see them get baptized and they are super excited to do so also. They have their interviews this week and should be all good for July 2nd. We also have another investigator Piter that is sick, he didnt come to church but has a lot of potential to get baptized. We are expecting to put a baptismal date for a date in July, but we will see. Really we are having a hard time with getting new people to teach and seeing new people come to church, so we have lots of work to do this week to see that new progress. 

Also this week we have had a great time working, Elder Estigarribia is a cool guy and we just enjoy every day. But really things are going well for me. After getting the news about Harrison going to Gilbert Arizona on his mission August 2nd, Im so excited!! But it will be sad to not be able to see him before I get home, but that is what the Lord wants and what the Lord needs for me and for him. Thanks everyone for the words of support and comfort, hope you all have a great week!!

 4-5. My ex pension from Puno and her daughter who is my goddaughter! haha Was just born June 13th. 

 1. Cusco at night

 2. We made some great no bake cookies

3. I visited Urcos today after almost a year gone from there.

Week 92 - My Birthday and getting trunky!

Things are pretty chill this week, not too much happening, really just work all day every day. But some highlights were of course my birthday yesterday!! Thank you all for the emails for my 21st birthday and wishing me a great day, but really it was like every other day in the mission. I still had to work and we had a full afternoon of lessons. The only thing I really did to celebrate my birthday was eat some tres leches cake with my pensionista and she also made me pancakes with realy maple syrup at night! So gooood!! Since Im new to the ward, no one knew it was my birthday, but I still had a great day and enjoyed my special day haha. My first day of church in my new ward was yesterday and I love the ward, very organized and its a better functioning ward than some others I have been in the mission. The attendance is a lot lower than it used to be, but there are a lot of cool members here and they are great!! 

Also this week we have seen a few people start to progress, Villa Union is a ward that has a lot of potential and there are lots of people to visit too. We were able to set up a baptismal date for a part member family of a less active sister that is coming back to church, her 2 kids for July 2nd. They are super cool, and they all came to church Sunday.....progressing pretty well and were excited. We have another investigator Piter that came to church and we are looking to put a baptismal date for July also.....he is really dedicated to follow Christ. But really Im getting to know my area a little more, basically all of it, but still learning where everyone lives. But Elder Estigarribia is super cool, we are enjoying each day of work and are hoping to see some baptisms soon. 

But really many things have been going by so fast here in the mission and now its coming down to my last few months and its crazy!! Im not trunky, or how they say in the mission being lazy and thinking about home, just crazy to think that 2 years have flown by and I have so much more to learn. Also my itinerary for my flights back home just came in!! So crazy, but that means to just continue working hard and seeing personal growth and help others come unto Christ. But thanks everyone for all the support you have given me in my whole time here and Im excited to see whats next for me and my companion here in Cusco!!

Lots of pictures to come. And Ill be getting back around noon August 24th in Indianapolis!!

 

2. Playing soccer at the chapel.

 3. Titanic bar....literally haha

 4. Pic from our apartment.

 5-6. The market here is crazy....so many people.

 7-33. Ruins above Cusco that are pretty cool with a very beautiful Inka Trail. Lots of Elders came with us and we all had a good time for Pday.

 34-35. Subway finally came to Cusco!! Sooooo good....I miss it!!