Changes

 There wasn't any! I'm staying here with my same companion. It was a slow week and lots of work. There was some kind of day off on Thursday, and when that happens, it turns into a four day weekend. Se acabo mi tiempo. Love you all and I'll write more next week, maybe...

Taco Sunday

 Well, this is the last week of the change. I'm pretty sure one of us will leave. If I don't leave I'll probably finish here. It's nice, but too much dust. It's hot, but you can't open the window because too much dust and sand comes in. I feel like Wall-E when he hurries back to his house thing to avoid the sandstorm. The weather is different. It's hot in the morning and gets really cold at night. 

  We had a slow week after the temple trip and a big meeting with all the missionaries of Chimbote. But we managed to find some people and do some good. There was a member who we didn't see for a few weeks in the church. Nobody knew why and nobody did anything. He showed up yesterday and sat by me. I asked how he was doing and he said he was running in and out of the hospital for a while, but his dad passed away two weeks ago. The sad thing is nobody said anything, nobody really noticed he was gone. I felt bad because I don't even know where he lives. But on the bright side, he said he is going to the States at the end of the year and we'll hang out. We need to worry about others, we might never know the impact we can have on them for just asking how things are going. 

  On a brighter note, a family from Trujillo came and made us tacos. They also want to come and visit, but lack the funds. But they are very good people. 

Love you all, have a great week, and we'll see what happens with the changes.

Temple Trip

 Well, it's almost certain now that this was my 5th and last time going to the temple. I'll send pics next week, or maybe Presidente will put up the selfie I took. They made us get up at 4am to get on a bus and by 8:30am we were in Trujillo at the temple. Presidente came to accompany us and asked why they made us travel so early, it was worth it. I found gringos there installing some tech thing. One said he would have loved to have gone to a Spanish-speaking mission now, but he went to Connecticut. Maybe I can do what he is doing.

  Well I had a good and bad moment this week. Bad first. We have a family of older people, and they were ready for baptism this week, then his daughter in Australia said if he joins a church and pays a tithing, she'll stop sending pills they need and money so they can live. That's a problem. He receives 450 sols a month for the three of them. That's almost nothing. So lots of prayers for Familia de la Flor.

  The good one is that I finished reading Jesus the Christ. It was fantastic, I was actually sad to finish because now I don't have something to do when I am about to go to bed. But I would recommend the book to those who have not read it. 

  Love you all. Have a great week and enjoy summer while it's winter down here.

Los Libros Canonicos

 I actually forgot how to say this, but it's all the scriptures like the Bible and Book of Mormon. 

  So. Remember how I told you to be nice to the missionaries and feed them. I've had a great week! We have a couple of investigators that are a little older and we went to help move a bed one morning. They were so grateful we ended up eating lunch with them. We also met new people that gave us things and were nice, I met a 100% White person from Illinois which was fun, and a 100% Japanese that didn't speak Spanish or English. It was a rewarding week. So I would like to thank those that did nice things. 

  We were teaching the older couple and asked the dad how the lecture of the Book of Mormon was going. He then responded, "I try to read all the books when my time permits me. I read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and have tried to read the green on, but I don't understand." 

Me and my companion thought about what book he referred to. He proceeded to pull out a hymn book that the bishop gifted him. We proceeded to sing hymns with the family. If somebody doesn't want to hear the gospel, sing a hymn. They soften hearts and invite the spirit so strongly. I love the Hymns. 

Have a great week everyone. And especially to those Dads out there, have a great Dad's day!!!

The Cold Again

 I got a cold. This doesn't even make sense. It's hot! I can't even sleep with a blanket because it's so hot. The good news is they sell Halls here like candy and I can buy a bag of 100 for 7 soles which is like two bucks. Pretty cool right? 

We painted a house for a guy in a wheelchair. For being in a wheelchair he was fairly picky an wanted us to paint everything. 

  We are teaching an older couple here. Guillermo and Ester. He is 86 and she is 82 with los principios de alzheimer. But they go to church every week. Here is a picture of her during the lesson. We have learned not to wake her because she then takes five minutes to say what she had just said. The most common thing she says is, "The church of Salaverry is next to my house."

But Guillermo always reads and prays and said he wants to die in the religión.

Anyway, hope everyone is doing great have a great week and behave!

Eighteen Months Into It

 Well, I have finished my mission as a sister. That means I have six months till I finish. I don't know what is happening with the time. It's been going by so fast. Everything here is normal again. The water is colder now.  There isn't much rain. There is just a lot of mud in my old chapel. 

  While I was in my old area we changed rooms. The sister missionaries found it and we talked to the Landlady. I felt a little uncomfortable because she wanted me to marry one of her daughters. But they lived in a different house. She always said she would come to church, but then got really sick from diabetes. Then I left. All of a sudden the new elder told me we needed to interview her daughter for baptism. It was crazy. She had read the Book of Mormon when she was seven and didn't know where it was from. Then the missionaries passed by a lot and asked for water (because in the room there was no water) and then started visiting and she knew it was true. The only problem was the mud in the church. It was gross. But we did it!

  I did an interchange with a new Elder Near. He is from Iowa. We went to see my investigator near the top of the mountain and took advantage to see the city. This is all of Trujillo from Pequeda. I also found a UW hat in the dirt.

Love you all. Have a great week, and please write or send a picture at least... 

The Fruits

 Well I got good news this week. While I was in my last area we found a big family and they were very excited about our coming. So we taught for a couple weeks and they said they were married, but then they said they weren't and wanted to be baptized, but lacked the funds to do it. So after a lot of effort and visits with many members to help (visits that were hard to do with older members, because they live on the top of a hill) they were willing to get married and do whatever possible to make it happen, then I got changed. But on Saturday I was happily informed they got baptized. It was not easy, one of the sons is very sick and has to have his blood cleaned three times a week. But I know that they gained a testimony of the truth and took the first step to salvation. It was bittersweet because I wasn't there, but they got baptized!

  I'm going to stay here in this area for at least six more weeks. We'll see how our investigators progress. Thanks for writing, have a great week!