April 13, 2015 - Transfer to Juliaca

Hello everyone!

This week has been pretty good, just a little tiring with travels and organizing my stuff. So basically the best way to explain Juliaca is everything here looks like Choquehuanca but a hundred times bigger. Juliaca is definitely a lot more developed than Choquehuanca but it’s not like Cusco. I feel like the city has grown too fast, kinda like how we get stretch marks for growing too fast. However, here it’s just incomplete houses and roads and it’s really dirty. I have been to Juliaca though before when I was in Choquehuanca because we had permission to come here once a change. However, more than anything, I only know the area around the mall but that’s not in my sector. Also another thing about Juliaca is that it’s even flatter than Choquehuanca with only one hill in the whole city.

Anyway, my new companion's name is Elder Bordon. He is from the North part of Argentina; however, I don’t remember the name of the city. He only has about 5 months in the mission and so he is pretty new. However, he is a really good missionary and we have gotten along so far. I still don’t really know too much about him because we have only been together for less than a week. As far as the ward, from what I’ve seen it seems to be doing pretty well. It’s still in an early development with an assistance of about 100 people. However, a lot of people miss the sacrament because we meet at 8 in the morning and for a lot of people in Peru, but especially in Puno, it’s hard for them to get up early and be on time. However, from what I hear, Juliaca is progressing the fastest out of all the zones in our mission, so I hope that’s true. However, the nice thing is that it seems that they have a lot of people we can visit but the only problem is that a lot of them aren’t in their houses very much.

But that’s about all the news I got for this week. I’m still trying to get to know the sector so hopefully I can talk more about the people we are visiting this next. Also, that’s crazy that when I get back, the ward is going to be completely different. Well, I love you all and I’ll talk to you next week.

Elder Halverson

April 6, 2015

Hello everyone!

This week has been a little tough on account that it was Semana Santa (holy week) and everyone was busy with parties or on vacation. However, we were able to watch conference this weekend which was a nice boost at the end of the week as well as the end of the change. Speaking of changes, I have a change to Juliaca, which is in the department of Puno. Actually it’s kinda funny because Juliaca is one hour away from Choquehuanca and it’s also now part of zone Juliaca so I can go there to visit it. My new companion is a Latino who I don’t know his name or anything about him. But I’m definitely going to miss Cusco. Also, I get to spend another winter in Puno, which is freezing and dry down there. Speaking of keeping your nose dry, it’s funny you say that because me and my comp have had really runny noses this past week. Also another thing that’s pretty crazy is that Elder Nicholls is now in his last change (last 6 weeks) before he goes home. I still remember our time together in Choquehuanca like it was yesterday.

As for conference, I noticed a theme on Saturday of marriage... I wonder how that makes all the returning missionaries feel... Lol Anyway, I really liked it. I’d say it was really good but then again that’s also how all the conferences are; I’ve never seen a bad one. That was pretty interesting though that some people would go to conference just to oppose. But what can you do. Anyway for all of us, it was really cool with the 2 talks in Spanish because during those 2 talks we just changed the channel to the Spanish conference and we were still able to understand them and hear their real voices. In fact, the only time we had the translator was for the Portuguese talk. Also, I think the person most difficult to understand was the black 70 guy. But I really like the conference and something new was I actually had a few questions that I needed help with that were answered in the conference.

As for the girls’ cats, there is actually a certain way that you are supposed to get cats used to each other that you could probably look up on youtube or something. But sadly, cats are not like 2 stranger dogs that will just play with each other. We do also have the He Lives video and we are focusing on that message right now and we will continue to use the video as well as the pass along card until this Christmas. But I am definitely ready for an American Easter this next year and not have to deal with 12 gross dishes that's tradition to serve here during Semana Santa. 

As for our investigators, nothing has really changed with them on account that we couldn’t really find them this week. I feel like at least Yosimara will get baptized when they get married and that it also may take a while for it to happen with them.  I think the thing that I’m most tired of about Peruvians is that most of them are not married and yet will have kids that are like 10 years old as well as their lack of respect for others. However, they are still great people and I’ll miss the families I’ve met here. One thing that is both nice as well as frustrating about the people here is many are willing to listen but don’t have any desire to change. A lot of times they just like to hear messages about God regardless from who it comes from.

With my companion, we had a good 2 changes together and we have grown together despite our disputes. We have never had a fight that we couldn’t work out. I’m grateful that I was able to get to know him and we had a lot of fun together. We also have some plans for when we get back, so that will be pretty fun. 

Well that’s all I really got for his week. I made sure to write a little more so hopefully this satisfies your hunger for my word XD Anyway, I love you all and I’m glad to hear you’re all doing well and I’ll talk to you next week!

Elder Halverson 

Not sure what this video is really supposed to be, but it came with his letter and is a good laugh.

March 30, 2015

Hello everyone.

Well I’m pretty sure I’m going into my last week here in Cusco. This next Monday is when we have our changes. However, now that we have 4 zones here in Cusco, it is very possible that I get a change just within Cusco.

Anyway as for the work this week, it has been going pretty good. We were able to receive a few references from the members here and we now have a few more investigators. However, there isn’t really much to say about them because we have only taught them once. Also, Josimara, who we are teaching right now, also wants us to teach her sister who is going to be living with her. (However, I’m most likely not going to be here when that happens.)  Mostly this week we have just had a bunch of recent convert lessons but other than that, nothing really special has happened.

It’s funny because the change of season we are getting here is just rainy to less rainy. But I’m glad to hear you’re all doing well. Sorry I don’t really have much to say for this week. There isn’t even anything special I can say about the food I’ve eaten.

But I love you all and I’m glad to hear from you. I promise I will have more to say this next week. But until then take care!

Elder Halverson

March 23, 2015

Hello everyone.

This was a fast week it felt like, even though we didn’t have very many lessons that we taught. One day, we had our interviews with the president and 2 other days we were doing service for a hospital that was doing surgeries for kids and babies that have a cleft pallet. It’s called operation smile. I’m not sure if they also have that in the states as well. Anyway, I also had a day were I had a fever cuz I think I ate some bad meat. However, it was only for a day and I’m fine now.

As for the family that got baptized, they had friends and basically home and visiting teachers before they were even baptized just because they have been assisting so long. It was actually kinda funny because when we announced the baptism, a lot of people were surprised because they had thought that they had already been baptized. Also, as far as Yosimara and Anthony go, we are still just trying to get their papers ready so we can set a date for their marriage and then baptism. However, I don’t believe I’ll be here to see their baptism.

Ok, so with my pensionistas, it’s basically like the one we have for lunch and dinner is the same lady and she lives about 10 minutes (walking) from our house. Then we have a separate lady we go to for breakfast who basically lives like 3 houses to the side of our house. But we don’t live with either of the 2. With the markets, it’s kinda like people run their own markets on the first floor of their houses. However, they are pretty small and only have the basic necessities. But it is nice because it’s like every few houses there’s a market so we don’t have to walk very far. They also specialize in different things like bakeries, pharmacies, and other random stores. They also have supermarkets but they aren’t very big at all. Not nearly the size of the ones in America. At least the biggest ones they have in Peru are all in Lima. It’s nice, though, because there is a bakery right below our house.

Also, something pretty sad happened. So a sister that was serving here finished her mission in December. However, this last week we received news that a car had hit her and she died. I didn’t personally know her but that made a lot of people (especially her friends here) really sad. 

Well that’s all I really have for this week. I love you guys and I’m glad to hear you’re all doing well. Until next week!

Elder Halverson

Baptism pictures from two weeks ago:

March 16, 2015

This week has been pretty good. Once again we don’t have very many investigators to teach so we are trying to find some new people to teach. However, we did have a ton of recent convert lessons this week. I think more than anything, I never talked about them [regarding the people who were baptized last week] because they weren’t really progressing too much until just at the end of last month. They had been taking the missionary discussions for about a year and we had been teaching them basically since I got here. However, we had talked a lot with them about baptism and its blessings and we had finally got them to commit to baptism. More than anything, the rest of the family was ready but they were just waiting on the dad to make the commitment. But no, we are still working with the couple that needs to get married.

As for the tours, I’m not sure this is from the church or if it’s just run by members for members (mainly for missionaries ending or returning), but there is a company of tours here in Peru called Moroni Tours so I’m not sure if you have heard about that.

Well, it was pretty funny, Aaron had told me that he was going to propose to her like a week before they went to Washington and it was so hard not to say anything. But I’m glad that they are engaged now and that I’m going to be home for their wedding. They'll have to visit again when I’m home so I can also get to know her too. So far, I’ve only talked on Skype with her once when I called on Christmas.

I can’t remember the hardest question I’ve been asked in the mission. I remember there were a lot of hard questions that I got when I first started 1, because I didn’t know the language and 2, because my understanding of the gospel was very little. However, now I feel like I can answer most of the questions people have for me unless they start asking about deep doctrine. 

Everything else here has been going good. I got the money you sent by the way, thanks for sending that. Also did you send the package for me yet? Well, that’s all I got for today.  Glad to hear from you guys and to hear that all is going well. I love you all and until next week!

Elder Halverson

March 9, 2015

As for this week, it was pretty sweet. We had our baptism last Saturday; however, I forgot to bring my camera and the elder who has the pictures is not here at the moment so I’ll have to show them to you guys next week. But it was super awesome! We baptized a family of 4 and they seem really happy now because they have been wanting to get baptized for quite a while. As for our other investigators, we are still working with them but nothing new to report yet. However, we did get 2 new investigators from references so we'll see where that goes. Anyway that’s all I really have to report on.

For my p-day, we went to these one ruins which I have no idea what they are called and we basically just took pictures the whole time.

Me and my companion have developed a habit of singing Disney songs in the street but it’s pretty darn fun.  Also, I actually heard that they only took one companionship out of Choquehuanca because I guess it’s finally starting to progress a little so there are at least 2 missionaries there. However, the other little towns where they took out all the Elders will suffer probably until we can get more missionaries to re-open them.

Anyway that’s all for me this week. Just living it up in Cusco! Well I love you all and will talk to you next week.

Elder Halverson

P.S. I need to take the time to upload all my pictures to the Costco thing because I almost lost my camera today on the bus ride back to Cusco which scared me really bad.  Also today we had some fun games of Twister at a member’s house.

Visiting some ruins for p-day today:

 "Titanic" pose

While emailing today

March 2, 2015

Hello everyone.

So the funny thing is about the new zones is that we are actually getting less missionaries right now and so the president is trying to focus a lot of the missionaries in Cusco. So also with that he has closed a lot of sectors in the little towns like Choquehuanca and stuff. Actually, he has closed 2 zones, one being Ayaviri (which was my first zone), and the other being Juli. Anyway, as for this last week, we didn’t have the best of luck finding people but on the bright side we have a baptism planned for a family I have been teaching since basically when I got here so that’s pretty exciting.

As for Cusco, we have had nice weather as long as you like rain and clouds. XD It’s actually funny, a lot of sisters gain weight here in Cusco but as for the Elders, it’s not the same story. I’m trying to eat as much as I can but I just get filled and then burn it off in like an hour. 

Yesterday we had a training for 3 combined stakes after church with Elder Ueda (I think his name is) and he is also from the 70. It was pretty sweet to hear from him because he is also Peruvian. For most of the part he talked about member retention. It was nice because he was really trying to motivate the members into helping out the missionaries, especially the ward council. But yea other than that I don’t really have much more to report on. I did wash a cat Saturday morning, though, in my breakfast pensionista’s house. Kinda ironic because I think the cat actually likes me more now. Probably because I got out all of its loose hair. But yea it just kinda reminded me of a miniature version of washing Cusco.

Well I hope you all have a great week and I’ll talk to you later. Also sorry I don’t have any pictures for this week.

Elder Halverson