September 15, 2014 - First week in Cusco!

Hello everyone!

Ok so Cusco is awesome! I love it here. My new comp is from Lima but is half Chinese so he also knows how to talk Mandarin. (He also said he would teach me some.) Also his name is Elder Bazan. He is about 26 and he ends in 2 changes so I will probably end his mission. We get along really well and he is a really funny guy. Also my new room has 3 rooms in it plus our bathroom. It’s pretty big. I forgot to take pictures of it so you’ll have to see it next week. :P Also my new pensionista works as a chef so her food is delicious; I can’t get enough of it! However my stomach is adjusting from crappy food to good food.

Also I love our ward here. We are a smaller ward but even still our attendance is above a hundred. The people here are really nice. I don’t really know them too well yet but I got them all to laugh yesterday when I was introducing myself. Also in my zone we are 6 -- 2 sisters (both Latinas) and then another companionship of elders (one is a gringo) but they are all really cool.

Also I talked to the people in the office about my package and they are trying to figure it out. But for this p-day I think we are going to just explore central Cusco (the old historical part of Cusco) to get to know it better. I’m probably gonna buy some sweet suivenirs too. (I can’t spell in English anymore. XD) 

There are now 2 companionships in Choquehuanca because we got a ton of new elders and yea the president is trying to strengthen the branch there. Basically he is trying to do that everywhere in the Department of Puno. Anyway that is about it for me. I can’t think of what else to say. I’m still trying to take in all of Cusco because it was such a big change. This week was a little crazy because of the changes and yesterday was the first night that someone else wasn't sleeping in our room. Anyway, I’ll send a few photos of Cusco.

I love you all and until next week.

Elder Halverson

 Me with my mission "dad" and "grandpa".

 Me in my sector with Cusco in the background.

My sector is right on a valley side so we get to climb these all day. I'm gonna have some wicked thighs...

September 8, 2014 -- FINALLY, FIRST TRANSFER, LEAVING TOMORROW!!!

Hello everyone!

Okay first off is some sweet news. We had our changes today and I have a change to Cusco, Villa Union! I leave tomorrow morning for Cusco. I don’t remember my new comp’s names but he's a Latino who only has about 2 changes left, I think. Also, he is the same age as Aaron! So all the missionaries call him uncle so and so. Oh my gosh, I almost feel like this is a dream. I had a dream last night that this was going to be my sector for my whole mission. I am going to miss the people here in Choquehuanca but I am grateful for a change, especially to Cusco.

But I have a funny story about the changes this morning. So first off, I was super anxious to see the changes but when we went to use the internet at 10:00 this morning, they said that the internet was down in all of Choquehuanca (which is why I’m writing so late). Anyway, I couldn’t wait to get internet to see the changes so we went back to our house and called our zone leaders so they could tell us. They told us that they hadn’t received all the changes yet and only knew about their own changes. So he said he would call Elder Nicholls in the office to find out. After waiting about 15 minutes for my zone leader to call me back, I got impatient and called him myself. His comp answered the phone and when I told him I needed to talk to Elder Nicholls he just told me I could talk to him when I got to Cusco. I asked what he meant by that and told him that it was urgent, so he just passed me to Nicholls. Anyway, when I asked Nicholls about the changes he said he got done talking to my zone leaders about it about 5 minutes ago and that I should call them. When I called them they said the name of my comp and that I have a change to Cusco and then hung up but that they would call back. We waited for a bit but they never called back so I tried calling them about 5 times but they never answered. After about 30 or 45 minutes or something, they finally called back to tell us the details. But yea it was a little crazy to find out about the changes for us here. But as far as the changes go in my zone, the American zone leader here is going up to be an assistant to the President and one of the elders in Ayaviri has a change to open Choquehuanca 2 and train. But 4 new people are coming to our sector. Anyway, that’s the big news.

This week was a little slow for us because we had to find a room for the new elders that are coming to Choquehuanca and get it ready which took up quite a lot of time, so we didn’t really have much this week. However, we did go to a town called Azangaro on Thursday with my pension's family. I rode on a motorcycle with my pensionista and her husband and my comp rode with my pensionsista's nephew. It’s about an hour from Choquehuanca on motorcycle but it was really fun, just really cold. I’m not sure why there aren’t any missionaries there because it’s bigger than Ayaviri. There are also a lot of less actives there. We talked with the sister of our pensionista and she says she wants to baptize her daughter but there is no one there to do it. So hopefully here soon they will open up a sector there. Also they took us to this salt lake where they make salt. All around the lake there were mountains of salt. I have some photos of it so I’ll see if I have time to send them but if not, next week I will be able to.

Anyway that’s about everything that’s happening here. Next week you will hear about Cusco.

I love you all.

Elder Halverson

"Cow". The son of the lady pictured below. (His pensionista's nephew.) (Chase is wearing Peruvian gloves he bought in Pucara.)

The salt lake where local salt is made.

The older sister of his pensionista.

  In a compo "kitchen"

 This is what the average house looks like in the compo

September 1, 2014

Hello Everyone,

Last week was super fun. We went to a pueblo called Lampa that’s about an hour and a half from here and also is smaller than Choquehuanca. It’s super cool, though. I’ll send you a few pictures of what we did. It’s also the sector where my comp was born.

Also, yes, living out here in a little town is like living in the past. There is no air conditioning or heating. They cook with what are basically camping stoves or a clay oven and use cow chips as fuel. So basically at night I sleep with 4 heavy blankets. Also, the houses that are farther away from town are even more in the past. They are basically a mud house with a thatch roof and a dirt floor. They don’t really use much wood here because there are no forests close by and it’s a little expensive for them. But basically everyone has house power here; however, it goes out a few times a month.

Ok anyway, about our new investigators, their names are Mary and Jessica. They are both progressing really well. Jessica came to church this week but Mary was out of town. Also, they call each other sister but they are only related by marriage; however, it’s nice because we can teach them together. Other than them, we had a few other lessons, but nothing special. We are also teaching a less active named Marisol. Her whole family are members and they used to be active, but after some time they stopped coming to church. Her older sister lives in Cusco and is a returned missionary who is really strong in the church. We want to go visit her parents as well but they live way out in the compo, about 1 hour and a half on bikes. However, she is coming to church with us and she is taking the lessons well.

This last week was my pension dad’s birthday and I got the pleasure of smashing his face in the cake. I didn't have my camera, though, so I don’t have the pictures of it but my comp does so I need to get them from him. Also, yes, we interact with the members, it’s just I don’t really know what to write about them :P

But this week the only FHE we had was when I was doing a work visit in Ayaviri so I’m not sure how it went. But today I now have 8 months, 7 of which are here in Choquehuanca. Pretty crazy, I still feel super new and I surprise myself when I talk Spanish. XD It’s just felt super fast. I can definitely say that my testimony of this church has grown a lot. I now know (most) of the Book of Mormon like the back of my hand. But every time I study a subject I learn something new, even though I've read it a few times. I feel kinda stupid when I miss a concept that seems so obvious when I read it again. But that’s how it’s supposed to be. I don’t think we could handle it if we understood everything the first time. It’s funny, though, I do have more desire to try and help people and it’s frustrating when they don’t understand it. I just feel like these things make perfect sense and to me they just feel so obvious now. But I've learned to be patient with their understanding. But yea I really do love this gospel and there is not a doubt in my mind that this is true.

Well that’s about it for me, I’m just going to send my pictures now. But this is the last week of the change and my whole zone thinks I’m going to train a newby in the jungle (which I hope not, the jungle is too hot and humid for me. Plus I feel like a have a lot more to learn before I train.)

Anyway I love you all!

Elder Halverson

P-day in Lampa

 The car ride sitting next to one of his zone leaders.

 The town of Lampa where they spent P-day.

 The zone outside of the church they toured. 

 Inside the church.

 Heading down into the catacombs.

 Chase and one of his zone leaders inside the catacombs.

"This room was a little creepy..."

 Chase outside the church.

 The Plaza in Lampa.

 Chase and his companion at Cristo Blanco.

August 25, 2014

Hello everyone! 

This week was good. Though we didn’t have much time, we were still able to work. We did some service for an older couple out in their field. We basically just mixed together different types of dried grass. What they are going to do is replace their roof because some of the houses here (especially the houses outside of town) have grass roofs. Anyway it was a cool experience except for the wife doesn’t really know Spanish and was talking Quechua to us the entire time. (I finally learned how to spell Kechua correctly.) XD  

Anyway other than that, we got a new investigator who is progressing really well. And wouldn’t you know that she is a reference from a member. Really goes to show how important references are. Also we made contact with Delia again and it sounds like she still wants to be baptized. It’s just hard for her to come to church because she has to work a lot for her 2 daughters. Also we are going to start having family nights twice a week with the members, starting with the leaders.

For P-day today we are going to a small town called Lampa that has an old Catholic church with catacombs. So that will be cool, and I’m pretty sure we are allowed to take pictures as well so next week my letter about that should be pretty interesting. It’s about an hour and a half drive from Ayaviri but for whatever reason driving here feels really fast.

Also we are doing divisions with the zone leaders so I will once again be in Ayaviri for a few days. XD Well there are 2 more weeks till the changes and we'll see if I get a change. However, this change has felt like it’s flown by. Also next week I will officially be 1/3 done with my mission. My how time flies.

Anyway glad to hear you are all well and I love you all. Until next week.

Elder Halverson

August 18, 2014

Hello everyone!

I think for the most part I got sick at the beginning because I was adjusting to the food. Now I think it’s because everything we eat is fried in a lake of oil. Especially eggs which we eat like 4 everyday. But I’m trying to eat more fruit and drink more juice and yogurt. I also need more vegetables which I can only get if my pension makes a dish with them. The problem is just where I am I think. We are so far away from everything that it’s hard to get good ingredients. Plus my pension’s family isn’t the richest so it’s hard for them to go to Juliaca where they can buy this stuff. But I’m doing good right now; however, there is a pill called the bomb pill or something and it wipes out anything you might have in your stomach so that would be nice to take when I get back.

We were only able to work for a few days this last week because my companion got back Wednesday night. However, we were able to visit quite a few less actives. We are teaching a less active mother right now and her three daughters. The oldest daughter is active but the 2 younger ones (whose ages are 11 and 8) are not baptized. The mother wants them to be baptized so we have been working hard with them to rescue the mother and baptize her 2 kids. However she is on a trip to Lima and won’t be back for 3 weeks so I probably won’t be here for the baptisms, which is a little sad, especially because the mother said she really wanted me to baptize one. So I may have to wait till my next sector before I get my first baptism. But that’s not a big deal.

We still haven’t been able to get in contact with Delia yet but we'll keep trying. We also went out to the compo (or farmland) with our pension to visit a few less actives, so that was cool. All we were able to do, though, was make appointments for this next week.

I’m in Ayaviri again for this week because my comp had to go back to Lima to finish his papers. The thing with him is he hasn’t had a visa for his whole mission and has been waiting. He basically has been working on a visitor visa this whole time and every few months he’s had to leave the country for a day to get it renewed. But now he will have his visa so this will be the last time.

But that’s it for this week. Also Elder Davis, well now just Blake, is sending me pictures from home and it’s still weird to think that he’s not in the mission anymore. But glad to hear you’re all well and I love you all.

Elder Halverson 

This is Elder Flores, my comp. This is when we went out to the fields to visit some people.

Here are a few more random pictures:

 The streets of Pucara.

Celebration in Pucara. 

Chase's room in Choquehuanca - view 1.

Chase's room in Choquehuanca - view 2. I believe that's Chase's bed on the left -- not made, of course! Notice that there is no heat in the room.

August 11, 2014

Hello Everyone.

Me and my comp are still getting along really well and in these 2 weeks with him I think my Spanish has progressed quite a bit. I can understand basically everything he says. But yea I’m his first American companion and so he has never spoken English before. He has a little more than 14 months right now (about the same time as Elder Nicholls) so he's a pretty experienced missionary. There really isn’t much to say about this week. For most of it I was in bed because I was having stomach problems. However I’m feeling a lot better now.

We had a few lessons with some of our investigators but more than anything we were visiting leaders and finding less actives. For half this week I have to be with the Elders in Ayaviri as well as half of next week. My comp has to go to Lima for his papers and then next week he has to go back to finish them. So I think this change will be going by pretty fast. But yea rather than that not much else has happened this week.

We just had a wicked game of monopoly last night as a zone that I won. XD 

But I love you all and until next week.

Elder Halverson

August 4, 2014

Hello Everyone!

Yes, I now have my new comp! His name is Elder Flores and he is from Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Also he doesn’t speak a lick of English. However I do have enough time here now that I can talk and understand Spanish so I can communicate with him. I still am lacking quite a few words and my grammar is not the best but it will only be getting better now that I can only speak Spanish. It’s kinda funny because I’m pretty sure this is the first full week I’ve spoken only Spanish. My zone leader and me are the only 2 English speakers in my zone now and I’ll only see him every week or so. But it’s fun with him, he's a hard worker and we get along good. Also I get the privilege of starting to teach him English so that will be fun. But yea it was nice to have 2 gringo companions because even though my Spanish didn’t progress as much as it could have I also didn’t have to suffer trying to learn the language very much. Also now that I do have a Latin comp my Spanish is good enough to be able to talk with him. The only problem is where I am people have Peruvian hick accents mixed with Kechwa so it can be hard to understand them at times but I’m getting more used to it.

Also we don’t get snow here because winter in Peru is also the dry season. I also miss the storms that we used to get every few days. Also while we were eating at our pensions' house, Mount Pucara caught on fire. I wish I had my camera to take a picture of it but by the time we got back to our house it was only smoking a little. But yea now a big chunk of the mountain is black. The wind was blowing up the mountain, though, so the flames didn’t make it to Pucara.

Ok as far as the work goes, most of this week was visiting members and leaders and making appointments with people because last week my comp was getting ready to go so we didn’t really have much time to work. Also Delia is in another town right now and won’t get back till the middle of august so that is kinda on hold for right now. But yea that’s basically everything that’s going on today. Also, this morning while we were walking home from breakfast, we passed a group of drunk people. A lady starting following us trying to get our attention. She kept telling us to come back and kept calling me che, which in Argentina means dude. I guess she thought I was Argentinean.

But yea I love you all and will write you next week.

Elder Halverson