Elder Ball in Peru Lima North

Elder Ball did not send a letter home this week because we were able to spend time on a video call! It was FANTASTIC (to use a word he would use... HA!)  He did send some photos. He is in a new area, opening up a new area. He has been "homeless" for a week... no apartment for them as it's a new place. While we were in our video call, his companion said they had found an apartment, so he was pretty happy to *maybe* not be sleeping on a yoga mat sometime this week. Christmas Ties Sisters in his zone Transfer Day - Saying goodbye to Mama Luz Mama Luz was a lifesaver to me as a mom! I miss getting her pictures almost daily of my Elder! All packed, ready to move New area, New Companion Elder Ball's new companion, Elder Carrasco from Chimbote, Peru! They are in the Wisse Zone, Area Montenegro 4, opening up a new area Fireworks on Christmas Eve Christmas Eve Dinner

Buenos Días!  So, I know I have not been writing a whole bunch, but it is because there is not a whole bunch to write! Like I said in my Introduction line, we are always climbing up the mountain to go down the other side for an appointment, or we are already high up, and we need to go down to go up! Its Crazy!  But this week everyone we have been teaching kind of left! We don't have any baptisms lined up for this month now, and everyone is mega busy every Sunday! So we are looking for and teaching as many as we can, but just hoping everything will work out! For Christmas here in Peru, everyone is saving their money, and they are going to go all out for Christmas/Christmas Eve. They shoot off fireworks like crazy, and everyone wants to give us food! Everyone is preparing with lights, Panettone (a Peruvian cake filled with raisins and candied fruits) and Dulces (sweets) and everything!  But, anyway! I don't know if I am going to stay in this area or ju...

So! Buenos dias Todos! This week was great! We had been preparing for lots and lots of time for a ward activity! The Noche de Colores! We had it! Us and 40 people were running potato sack races, eating contests, dodgeball, balloons! Everything! It was fantastic! We had a great time, but no one was ready with their games. We asked each of the organizations to form the game and we could help organize it, but they thought we were going to do their games for them! I was running around getting everything ready, and Elder Caicedo was announcing, shouting, and helping form the people into teams! The sisters were shopping... For food! But still... Haha!  We got a new bishop in our ward, and his name is Juan Jesus Caller! This guy is the funniest person you could meet! His laugh is more annoying than goofy, and it is LOUD! He is always making jokes, he has big glasses, some skinny weirdo! He is going to be fantastic! He is a guy you need to talk to! I hope this ward stays alive! h...

Hey! So the last few weeks have been pretty normal! We have been looking for a lot of new people! Our problem in the mission right now for us is it is getting difficult to find new people to teach. So we are working and working every day, contacting, looking for references, and teaching a lot! We are helping a lot in our ward as well!  This week, we had exchanges with our Zone Leaders, we cleaned up a park in another area of trash! And other than that there wasn't too much out of the ordinary! We have really been walking walking walking! So one thing about Peru, all of the people here can talk about the food of Peru for hours if they wanted! You just have to tell them it is yummy, don't talk about any specific dish! That is when they start to talk! Our Ward is having some hard times, we have tons of problems with a lot of the members. A lot of them continue to come to church. It is such a great opportunity to see the faith in the members here! Through all of th...

So I am still in Peru! We have a lot of stuff to do in this area. We have new investigators, but I don't know how long we will know them! So, I won't worry you guys about all of that! Shandu and Shande are impossible to find! Another month! We are talking with their parents more, and Rosa also we have not been able to find! So, this month, not too much success. Last p-day we went and visited another Area with converts of Elder Caicedo, then came back, and slept! It was fantastic! Today we are going to go to the park again! Not quite as fun as the park my mom is at right now, but there is grass! So I can't complain! Whenever there is grass it is an okay place here! (Mom was in Disney World when this letter was written… Magic Kingdom Park kind of beats out the parks in Peru I guess!) My companion is from Cali, but not the fornia kind. 😉  He plays Basketball, not a huge fan of Futbol, he makes a lot of jokes, and we do weird weird stuff! Like take this last week...

So there was a drastic change this week from companion to companion! Obviously, because one is from Ecuador, and the other Columbia! Haha! Elder Caicedo! But he is fantastic! He has been 18 months in the mission, and he knows everyone! When we are talking with members, they can name a missionary and he knows them and where they are from! He has a lot of experience, and is very serious when he needs to be. But when he doesn't, he is very Columbian! He talks a ton, jokes, laughs! It’s pretty fun! He is a little lazy at times, but nothing I can't fix! But this week went by great! Elder Mendez is missed, but all is well! All is well! We have been working hard, and found new people, taught a lot, and we are focusing on helping out this area! Our ward has a unity problem, and it might turn into a Branch, because it is mega small! This doesn't help with our investigators as well, because we don't have people to help, greet in the church, or be their friend! We ...

4 weeks go by fast in the mission, but 4 months! I can't believe it! We have been working hard, and doing all we can! Honestly nothing happened this week! We have just been chugging away! For P-day this morning, we played some futbol with our zone, and we did that last week too! It is almost as if I am in South America or something! But, it’s fun! We have transfers coming up this night, and you will get to hear about it next week! I hope I stay in my same area! I love teaching these people, and It is going to be hard to leave! Our two baptisms that didn’t happen: we haven’t had a good talk with them. Elder Mendez claims they are ready, but we are going to work with them! We just need time and to talk with their parents a little bit more! I want them to really be ready. We have been doing a lot of divisions with members, and it has been super awesome! We leave with jovenes  (young boys) and adults! This is going to be a sad email, but this keyboard does...