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

May 25, 2015

Hello everyone.

Well not really too much to report on for this week. I think I drank some contaminated water or something but let’s just say I’ve been having some stomach problems this week (probably don’t want to hear the details).

Anyway, so basically we couldn’t really leave the house for this week. However, I got some pills from the zone leaders and now I’m better so hopefully this next week should be a lot better.

But to answer your questions, Elder Caprio is actually a zone leader in a zone in Apurimac. Our new zone leader is an Elder named Elder Heslop who I don’t know. Also, we still haven’t had our interviews with the president yet. Most likely we will have them this week, though.

As far as snow, though, Puno very rarely gets snow. This is normally because the winter here is also the dry season so right now it’s pretty dang dusty without rain so I was kinda hoping that we would get snow.

Anyway, so that’s all I got for this week. Glad to hear all is well at home. But I love you all and until next week!

Elder Halverson

May 18, 2015

Man that would be nice. But it won’t be long until we talk face to face. 

Anyway, now for the weekly report. XD Basically, this week has been pretty simple. Today are changes but like I was expecting, I’m staying with my companion. Also, we are losing more missionaries than we are gaining still so they have closed some more sectors; however, I don’t know which ones. Also, talking about the changes, I also don’t know who my new zone leader is because our previous gringo zone leader just ended his mission (along with Elder Nicholls). However, I personally hope that it will be Elder Caprio (my MTC comp) because he is now leaving the office and I personally believe he will be made a zone leader. 

As for the rest of the week, it has been pretty simple. However, some of the less actives we are working with are starting to progress a little. We are still working on getting a wedding date for Ismael and Maria but there is an elderly lady who has been coming to church recently and also wants us to teach her daughter (who is currently recovering from a brain tumor) as well as her granddaughter so that will be pretty cool to do. Also, we are working with another less active/investigator couple who the woman is the sister of our bishop. The cool thing is that her "husband" came to church with her this week. I used quotation marks because like most of the people here they also aren't married... :T  

Anyway, that’s all the dig on the people we are teaching. As far as our weather here, it’s starting to get colder here, in fact it almost snowed here this week. Also, yesterday we had no power for our entire sector so that was pretty interesting. But yea that’s all I got for now but I love you guys and will talk to you next week!

Elder Halverson

May 11, 2015 - Mother's Day Skype!!

Since yesterday was Mother's Day, we got to talk to Chase on the phone for 1 hour 47 minutes! He looks great, he sounds great, he IS great! His testimony is stronger than ever and he loves serving the people of Peru, whom he loves.  Today, he just sent pictures with this message: "yea i got nothin new either but ill send some pics"  LOL

A little bit of Juliaca

Cooking with my comp and pensionista

Puno with the lake (Lake Titicaca)

"The Nerds" playing Dungeons and Dragons for p-day

May 4, 2015

Hello Everyone!

I asked my companion about the volcano in  Argentina and he has heard about it but he said there is nothing over by it. But no we haven’t seen any ash over here. Also, speaking of chuño, yep that’s exactly it. Also the feet that smash it are old lady feet that walk around barefoot all day long and never bathe. Pretty dang nasty stuff. I mainly only ate it in Choquehuanca and I now refuse to eat it saying it’s against the word of wisdom. Basically the best way to explain the flavor is like fresh sweaty gym socks. Basically because of where I live (meaning that because of the altitude here) is why it’s possible to make chuño. When it rains, it is really, really cold (a lot of the time it hails instead of rains) but when the sun is out, we are so close to it that it heats things up really fast and will burn you in no time. It’s actually kinda funny because there is like a 20 degree difference between the shade and sun here. Also, winter here is mainly really cold at night but other than that it’s also a very dry season. So normally the sun is out all day and everything is dry and dead and then at night everything freezes. However, it still doesn’t get as cold here as it does back home. But in our room we do not have a heater or anything so we just bundle up all the time... And sometimes cuddle. Ok, that’s actually not true. 

Anyway as for this week, it went pretty well. We received some new contacting cards that have questions on them (not sure if you have seen them). Anyway, we did an activity with them in a marketplace where we made some posters and set up a desk that have cards, pamphlets, and Liahonas on it. We then began to contact everyone we saw. The cool thing about the activity was all the people that were actually interested who saw what we were doing would come and talk to us so we didn’t have to contact them personally. So now we just have a bunch of people to contact. Other than that we haven’t had any real progression with any of our investigators yet. However, we are starting to work a lot with the leaders of our ward so that it will be able to function better. I also did divisions with my district leader this week which was pretty cool. Also, they have a really warm house. But that’s about all that happened this week.

As for Sunday, I will most likely call you at 3:00 or 4:00 my time (which I think will be during your church hours), but that would be good to have some time with you guys first and then later with everyone. But until then, I love you guys and will talk to you Sunday! 

Elder Halverson