New Month

 We are ever so slowly coming out of winter. It's very cloudy right now, but little by little. We just finished the change. I had three months with my Peruvian companion and he's going to a little pueblo called Viru. And my comp is new. I'll meet him tomorrow. 

  There is a man we are teaching and his son is named Moroni, super Mormon. But he recently returned from El Salvador. They can't be outside past 6pm because it is so dangerous. That made me think my mission is a breeze. The university here is on vacation so we have a lot of people to visit. And lots of visitors. We will be walking in the street and the people will walk by and say Elderes. It's bizarre.

  Loving it down here. I've learned so much and everything is going really well. I'll send more pictures soon. Take care!

Vacaciones

 Well in university here, they just finished the ciclo (cycle, I think). Here, there are ten ciclos in whatever carrera (career major). So they study for five years here. But we are in the middle and there is a month of vacation for all the students. So we have been splitting up with them for the past week. It's always a fun time to go out with them because you learn a little about what they do down here. I did hear that the Galaxy 7 came out... and an iPhone charger costs about 150 soles. It's been a very interesting week. 

  We made a cake. It was a very interesting experience for us. The kitchens here are very poorly designed. They don't believe in cupboards. I think it's because they are too short. This morning I wanted to see what it's like to have someone shine your shoes. It cost me less than a buck!

  The people down here are so nice. We have a convert that is the only member in her family. We have been working hard with her husband who doesn't believe in anything. But we have had no success. So one day we knocked and her brother in-law answered and let us in. He had no idea about us and what we do. They live in the same house; it's just very big. He opened right up and said he wants to change and be a better parent for his kids. They so want to change. But sometimes, they don't have the willpower. There is so much temptation in the world, especially down here. There is so much booze, and everyone falls into the trap. It has been such a great experience to help them.

Love you all so much, take care and enjoy the week.

The City of Eternal Spring

 The nickname of Trujillo is a big lie. It's super cold in the morning. I don't know who told me not to bring a sweater, but that's a terrible idea. Luckily everyone leaves their clothes in the mission and now I have a couple. But at about 10am when we leave the room, the sun comes out, and cooks us alive. Then at about 6pm the sun goes away and the cold winds take over. I think I'm lacking a thick layer of something to keep me warm.

  This week we were crazy busy. We have a couple of investigators. One is an 80-year-old women, who lives with her 43-year-old son. He drinks a lot. His mom is always very worried. He travels all the time to sell toys in market; that's his living. But he always wastes all his money on booze. It's a real problem here. Wednesday we passed by and talked about The Book of Mormon and invited them to a baptism in another ward. So we planned to come by and pick them up the next day. When we got there we found her read the first chapter of Nephi, crying. She told me in the taxi that his parents were such good people and the story is so touching. It's so incredible how one book can touch the lives of so many. 

Hope everything goes well in the week. Love you all and miss you!

Mid-Winter

 We had a very successful week. It was a lot of fun. We found a family of four. We were chatting for a little and they started talking about their experience in their churches and what they believe. None of them go to church, but they're all catholic, just like everybody down here. Then we talked a little about baptism and the son who is about 40 says he was baptized a long time ago when he was about eight or nine. Then we asked him what church and he paused and said, You know what, I think it was you guys. Everyone was so shocked. Then everything turned into chaos about baptism and churches and sprinkling water. And we just sat there while they disputed between themselves. The gospel is for the family, but too hard to teach them all together because everyone wants to talk. 

  Yesterday, while we were eating lunch a recent convert called and said her dad needed a blessing of comfort. We looked at each other and talked a little about how big tough guy he is. He is about three inches shorter and twice my weight. We went by and found out his mom died; he was weeping and now he wants to learn more. It was such an amazing way to see how the Lord softens peoples hearts. I was so blown away by his willingness and humility to ask for a blessing. He never wanted anything to do with us and said we can't pass by, but now we were able to talk about the God's plan for us. It was the best.

  Last P day we went to the Huac de la Luna. It is an ancient wall made by the Moche. They are a civilization from about 100 AD I think. There is the Huaca del sol y la luna. One is religious and the other is government. But the Sol is shut down because a tourist died. But I got some pictures and we also made pancakes for a Family Home Evening. Good Week.

The Fourth of July

 It's going to be a crazy day. We are going to have a BBQ today with the whole zone and then go to the Huaca here in Trujillo. It's apparently a wall from the Inkas which means it's really old. I'll get pictures for next week.

  Our ward went to the temple. Family History is a big deal here right now. Everyone is doing work for their grandparents and uncles and stuff like that, but I'm doing it for my Great great great seven time removed grandpa's neighbor. This whole thing is so new for everyone. We went to a covert's house to help her find her grandma and print off her own card. Then we went to the temple and got to see her do the ordinances for her. It was something so powerful and really makes you think of all the people waiting to have these ordinances done for them.

  It is such a blessing that the temple is 10 minutes away, it's like 2 soles in a taxi! I'm so grateful to be so close and be able to see the temple so often, but not like at home. 

We'll see how this day goes down. Love you all so much. Have a great week.

Soccer

 Well, this was a very slow week. I feel like a lot should have happened but it was pretty normal. It's been a lot of work. We have a very hard time finding people on Sundays. Chile played against Argentina in the World Cup last night. And when that happens, nobody cares who is at the door; everyone is busy. We went to look for someone and found a man opening the door we were going to knock. We said who we were looking for and he said they weren't home. So we asked if we could talk. He said he'd love to, he had to go inside to grab some things and then we would go to his house around the corner. And 15 minutes later we decided he forgot there was a game going on and didn't come back out.

We had an amazing lesson with a less active returned missionary. We weren't sure what to do. Nobody knows why he isn't attending. So we talked about the restoration and the Book of Mormon. He then opened up and said he stopped reading, but he knows it is true and the only way to know if this is true. The Book of Mormon is the key to our religion. We can talk for days of doctrine, but if the don't read, they'll get nothing out of it. He then went to church for the first time after more than a year.  

  I attached a photo from Fathers Day. Something all the young women did. Also a photo of the converts in the ward.

Love you all. Have a successful week!

Changes!

 Well we made it. Six weeks here in Trujillo and I'm not going anywhere any time soon. Everything stayed the same. I did recently find out we have to move. The problem with this area is there is a huge University, the UPN. So everyone and their dog is renting rooms. Our budget is about 300 soles for two people. So it's impossible. There is nobody here to look for us so we have to ask around and find a room and move in within 10 days. The mission wasn't stressful enough?! 

  It was a very sad Father's Day in the Church. There were two talks given. One on the temple and the other on the Lay of Chastity. I don't know who plans these things, but I felt bad for all the dads out there. But the young women made little candies for all the dads and future dads, that almost made up for it. 

  We had a very busy week. There are 17 missionaries finishing their missions today and they all had to come to Trujillo Friday. We traveled all over Trujillo picking people up and dropping them off. The room is so little and they put an Elder that was there 8 month ago with us. It was so fun though. We went to teach people and he was pointing to a bunch of houses saying, he is a less active and she went to church once. It was a very busy day of note taking. 

  But I will be here a little longer. Here is a photo of the last district. Here we go again!