June 29, 2015

Hello everyone! 

Well first off, we got our changes today and I’m going to a town called Espinar to be a district leader. Apparently Espinar is the highest sector in the mission and I hear that they even get snow there during this time. I have a knack for getting cold sectors I noticed. But Espinar is in the department of Cusco and I imagine I will probably end my mission there so I will have spent half of my mission in Puno and the other in Cusco. But I’m excited in some ways for the change but in others I’m sad. This will mean that I won’t be able to see some of our investigators get baptized in this next change. However something funny is my current district leader is going to the same zone as me to be my new zone leader so we will traveling to Cusco together to receive our training. It’s kinda funny, though, because the hotter it gets for you the colder it gets for me. However, I hear that the house there is really nice so that’s a plus. Also my new comp is Elder Hanson, another North American. I’m a little sad, though, to leave my comp because we were getting along really well and we kinda wanted to have a 3rd change together.

That’s pretty crazy though with what’s happening in the states that the Supreme court could do that for all states. But, at least I won’t be marrying a dude so whatever. As for your questions let me think. These weeks have started to blur together and have gone insanely fast so I need to think. Also, I haven’t been doing so great with writing in my journal. 

1. What has been your best spiritual experience this week?

But I would say my spiritual experience this week would be with my pensionista who is having some problems right now with one of her kids and so me and my comp were talking with her, trying to help her out and we were sharing some experiences we had in our lives and how we were able to get past the difficulties. 

2. What have you learned new this week?

I’d say that this week I learned some things about being grateful. I was first off studying in the scriptures on the sons of Mosiah and them preaching to the Lamanites and when they had success Ammon was giving thanks to God. I then remembered in my patriarchal blessings it talks a lot on how I should be grateful with a lot of things. 

3. What was your a-ha moment this week? (no response)

4. What did you do new that you've never done before?

Something new I tried this week... I can’t currently think of something new I did this week but I’ll be sure to try something out for this next week. 

5. How has your testimony grown?

My testimony has grown this week with respects to our leaders. We were able to listen to President  Uchtdorf the last week and I remembered in my patriarchal blessing it says that I should also pay a lot of attention to the council of our leaders so I’m trying to apply some things he talked about. One would be something he talked about with reading the scriptures and how he marks them. Also it was kinda funny that he talked so simply about being able to have spiritual experiences and happiness. He said when people ask him what they need to do to be happy he just told them to read, pray, and go to church. 

Anyway just that for this week. I’ll try to pay more attention this next week so I can say more. But glad to hear all is good at home. But until next week, I love you all!

Elder Halverson

June 22, 2015

Hello everyone!

Well first off, I just want to wish dad a happy Father’s Day! Also, here they do celebrate Father’s Day and last night we ate torta de tres leches with our pensionista and her family (cake of 3 milks).

Anyway, also yesterday we were able to watch the dedication of the Trujillo temple. We were only able to go to the second of the 3 sessions because we had appointments the rest of the day. However, I have some good news. That guy we were talking to who wants to get baptized now has a date for his baptism. If all goes well, it will be for the 25th of July. Also, more good news, do you remember I was telling you about a couple who the husband is less active and the wife is an investigator (Ismael and Maria)? Well, we finally got them to commit to get married next month so that we could also put a date for her baptism. Her date is for the 1st of August, so I’m pretty dang excited about that. However, we have changes next p-day and so I’m hoping that I can stay here to see theses baptisms happen. 

Anyway, as for the dedication, it was super cool. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dedication before. It was kinda funny because Elder Bednar and President Utchdorf went to dedicate the temple. It was weird to hear them talk in English and then hear the translator say the exact same thing in Spanish but still understand the 2. But anyway, President Utchdorf is going to be in Cusco tonight to give a seminar for our mission and they are going to broadcast it for all of us in the mission to see. Then afterwards he will most likely go check out Macchu Picchu XD  No but it will be cool to hear him talk to us. 

I can’t believe how hot it’s getting for you guys back home. For us things are still the same, just more wind and coldness in the night. I almost feel like I haven’t felt a real summer for a while and when I get home it will still be winter for me. But still I prefer it this way than basically 3 years of heat. Also more good news, I got a toilet seat! I gotta say the sensation of something else that is not cold, wide ceramic is bliss, especially while relieving yourself. But other than that, things are going good here. This last week just went insanely fast for me and my comp. But I’m glad to hear that you’re all doing well and that the new business is working out so far. But until next week, I love you all! 

Elder Halverson

June 15, 2015

Hello everyone!

This week’s work had kinda been a little slow because for three days there was a strike going on here. It’s not like it was dangerous or anything and we could still go out to work and everything but the problem was that it was hard to find anyone in their houses. However, regardless of this, we were still able to have success in a few ways. The new family we had we were able to teach this week. They accepted the invitations to read and pray but I can’t really say anything on them just yet until we get to know them a little better. Basically, other than that, the other new guy that we are teaching we have also only taught once and so all we know is that he wants to get baptized, which is really sweet. But ya, that’s about it for this week on the news.

Other than that, it’s getting really cold here in the morning and night that the tubes are freezing so we have to wait a little to shower. Also, as for the toilet, I just got so used to living like this that I didn’t really see that it was necessary. However, it definitely would be more comfortable. We won’t, however, be changing our house. We are fine with it and as long as we bundle up we are fine. I’m also looking forward to the temple dedication that is going to be happening this next week. Also, the day after, someone from the first presidency is also going to Cusco to give a fireside (I think that’s what they’re called). But they are going to broadcast it for our entire mission.

I am also currently in the process of making one pie per week. Last week was a banana cream pie and this week is lemon cream pie. So we’ll see how long that lasts. But other than that, nothing more is going on and I’m starting to have difficulty remembering when things happen because the days are just flying by. But I love you all and I’m glad to hear you’re all doing well. But I love you all and until next week!

Elder Halverson

June 8, 2015

Well, first off, I am your only missionary at the moment so that doesn’t really count. Anyway, as for this week, it has been insanely fast for whatever reason. I guess we just had a lot going on this week. This week we had interviews with the president and then stake conference which took up about 2 and a half days. 

As for this week, we got a new family who is investigating and also some elders passed us a reference of one of their investigators who lives in our sector but they say he wants to be baptized so we'll see how that goes. As for all our non-married people, nothing has changed with them yet and we can’t really do much with them until they put a date of their marriage. One of the couples we are teaching, the husband is a less active and the wife is an investigator (currently I can’t remember their names). They have 2 kids but it’s kinda sad because the husband is kinda a bum and doesn’t want to get married but the wife does. She also wants to get baptized. She even told us that she is starting to think about leaving him so she can get baptized (which actually might be better if he doesn’t want to get married). I swear, here in Peru, people see marriage more as a chore than a blessing which can be very frustrating when almost everyone you teach just needs to get married to continue progressing. But that’s all the news on them.

Okay, so it was kinda funny when we had our interviews with the president because this time he came to our houses. When he looked at our bathroom he said, "Wow your bathroom is small," then he said, "you don’t have a toilet seat?" I asked if it was necessary and he said, “of course it is”. So we’ll see if we get one; however, I’m just used to it. When he entered our room he said wow it’s cold and dark in here. Then he said oh I remember this room, I told the elders to get out of this room last year. It was just kinda funny because me and my comp are used to it but we don’t live there because the house is really nice. It’s just that the perks of living with your pension are better than finding a better house. Well other than that, not much more to tell. I saw the video Lift that dad recommended and it’s really good. But just wanted to tell you also that I love you and I wish you a happy anniversary! But until next week!

Elder Halverson

p.s. My pie was just as good as the ones I make back home... I think

June 1, 2015

Hello everyone!

Things here are all going well. Thankfully I’ve been feeling a lot better this week. It’s just really cold here now that we are in winter. We were never really able to pinpoint exactly what it was that made me sick but we are just gonna say it was the water. Basically, we are given bottles here in the mission that filter water so I was just filtering water that was from the faucet and drinking that. However, they tell me here that the water is so contaminated that a filter like the one I use cant filter out all the bugs. However, I just started drinking bottled water and taking some pills that my zone leaders gave me and I’m better now. Also my comp wasn’t affected at all. He just had a severe case of boredom.

You know, truthfully, it really doesn’t feel like my birthday today. I kinda forgot about it this week and then yesterday in church with my comp I was thinking about p-day and then it hit me that it was gonna be my birthday. But speaking of being old, turns out I’m the second oldest missionary (as far as time in the mission) in my zone of 24 missionaries. Kinda weird to think about. I don’t even remember how I got to where I am now.

Anyway, for our p-day, we don’t have anything planned because there isn’t really much to do here in Juliaca. Some missionaries are playing some soccer so we may head over there for a bit. However, I’m finally going to try to make an apple pie so we'll see how that goes today. Hey and watch out, you’re almost 50 here. Speaking of which, my comp’s mom just turned 50 2 days ago.

Man, I can’t believe Tara got a second cat, though. She’s starting to turn into a cat lady. Man, that’s the first I’ve heard though of Elder Tom Perry dying. That’s pretty crazy, though. But at least he lived a good life. I wonder who they are going to call as the next apostle.

Anyway, as for my week, everything has been good. We are starting to work a lot more with a guy named Angel who was a poffesor [professor?]. Anyway, the member who gave us the contact told us that his wife had passed away. He seems really open and interested, especially when we were teaching the plan of salvation to him. Other than that, all of our other investigators are still in the same position still needing to get married. We are also working with a lot of less actives. Just this last week we had 11 lessons with less actives. One of which also just received his mission call.

Well that’s about it for me this week but I’m glad to hear all is good back home. But I love you all and will talk to you all next week!

Elder Halverson