Just Your Friendly Neighborhood Peruvian

The sombrero is due to a bad hair cut.

Dear everyone,

So, my new companion got here this morning around 7. His name is Elder Mischa (mees-cha). He is from Peru. He seems pretty cool. So far, he is a breath of fresh air for me.

Kind of like yesterday, I really don't know what to talk about. This week was slow and Christmas is pretty crazy around here. This week will probably be kind of slow as well, but we are going to go looking for new investigaters. I really like getting a new start in any part of life, but companion changes are almost always a nice adventure. I'm probably going to miss how Elder Zegarra cleans though.

I hope  you all had a nice christmas time, never forget what the Lord has done for every one of you. He loves you all and something I read recently rang true to me: "the kind of prayers that always recieve answers are sincere prayers for spiritual renewal". Sometimes we get caught up in the stress of the world and forget to just ask the Lord to take control for a second and help you feel better. I don't know if it makes much sense to you, but I sure like the concept. I'm going to try that more in my life.

Thanks for the package mom!  Say thanks to Grandma gay as well. We are enjoying some american candy for a change. I really like the book about being a wholehearted missionary. I've read about half now.

Love you all!

Elder King

Dreaming of a White Christmas

Dear Everyone,

I hope you are all enjoying your respective Christmas festivities. Just remember to think about the Savior en every minute of this wonderful season. So we had our big Christmas activity this last wednesday. They didn't bring packages but promised to send them this week. So, my christmas will probably fall in March haha.

We worked a bit more on the house last tuesday. Tile grout and sweeping. Made me miss home projects a bit. Other news, I rolled my ankle and scraped my knees in the Christmas activity, so it's been a bit difficult to get around town these days. But don't worry, it's healing up just great with my knowledge of first aid. Picture below.

Leonardo is really good about reading but he is fixing up a drug problem and as such he takes really strong sleeping pills and doesn't get up on time to get to church. The Suarez family is reading (slowly) and haven't gone to church yet. So with some luck, one or two baptisms this next transfer. Oh, Transfers next week by the way.

So yeah, my second Christmas in the mission will be this week. Can you believe it? I can't. I guess I'll talk to most of you this week. Be ready by 12:30, and we'll probably start at 1:00. It's best on my side to do it as early as possible, because Christmas day is going to be complicated.

Love you all, Merry Chrismas!!

Elder King

Some old friends I found at the Christmas party also included below

Elder Peterson and Elder Rosero

My First Aid Skills

My Sewing Skills

Me and Elder Norrell eating cake

To get into Monteria, you have to go through Purgatory

Complications

Dear everyone,

This week was complicated. A lot of stuff to do and not much that got done. After an exchange with Elder Norrell, I got to give a baptismal interview for Omaira. She passed with flying colors and should be getting baptized next week. We had to travel a lot between Planeta, Montelibano, and Monteria and that took away a lot of our time, not to mention it rained buckets on two different days. Companion frustrations continue, investigators drive hopes into the mountains, Members don't understand the doctrine, other complaints. But thankfully, it'll all work out eventually. I don't mean to sound depressed, because I'm feeling fine, but disappointed would define my situation very well. It doesn't help that I found out Nelson and Duvan are less active now and it's christmas time so everyone's either decided to be catholic for a week or stick to the bar day and night.

This next week should bring some rays of sunshine. We will be having a training with President and a Christmas party this wednesday. We should be finding some new investigators this tuesday and the new house is almost done, so I can start that long process of changing houses, for the third time.

Anyway, don't mind my rambling, how are all of you? I hope the season is treating you well, though it may be a bit cold. Stay warm and stay in the gospel, because it sure wouldn't be fun outside, that I can assure you.

Love,

Elder king

Crazy Chickens

Dear everyone,

So, the roosters here have mental problems. They started crowing at midnight last night. How's that for an old-school alarm clock failure?

We had more people that came to church yesterday, but unfortunately, even though we went out to pick them up, none of our investigaters made it. Kind of lame. I went on exchanges with Elder Rosero last tuesday. He is a guy from my same mtc group, from Ecuador. You probably don't remember, but he was there last christmas when I called. Also went on exchanges with Elder Weber, from my mtc district. He is my current zone leader, so we got to have a fun time walking around Planeta Rica looking for people to teach. We are probably going to contact a lot this week.

I got just a tad bit homesick watching the chrismas devotional. Temple square looks so pretty and I could faintly remember what it's like to walk around in the cold. I felt the spirit testify through me and it was kind of crazy. I had to tell someone off a bit and I wasn't sure how to do it in a way that wouldn't be mean or just sound like me being a jerk, and the words kind of just came to me. It isn't like any other experience. You feel like you can take on the world. And you really can! When you testify of truth the spirit will work miracles through you, but you have to have the faith to open your mouth and say it. That's how it has worked for me. I still have a lot to learn about testifying openly, but I know that with faith and worthiness, miracles happen. Life and everything else about the plan of salvation is all one big miracle. The Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon are extremely instructive and there are a lot of prophecies in there that are being completed this very moment. Don't ever forget to study!

Can you believe that in nine short months, I'll be on my way home? I can't. Still a lot left to do. Meanwhile, I'll be working

Love,

Elder King