Elder Ball in Peru Lima North

Hey howdy hey! So we had another baptism this Saturday! Yaquibel Santos Villanueva! (Her middle name is too hard to remember....) She gave the most wonderful testimony yesterday, but everyone was talking about my companion and I because she said " And I am so grateful for the two elders that baptized me, Elder Carrasco, and Elder Ball, who I don't know where they are, but thanks!" It like put us on the spot, and everyone started talking! It was just funny! I hear so much music in this area! I am getting fluent with my reggaeton, Baladas and criolla, and of course Huayno! Reggaetonis like rap, then baladas, Ballads, and then Huayno is just shouting peruvian with the same 4 instruments... I don't recommend it one bit! But EVERYONE listens to it, if they like it or not! It plays in the bus, the mototaxi, and sometimes just in the middle of nowhere a house starts playing it as loud as they can!  But I also hear a lot of English hits! I hear a little Taylor Swif...

This week was just fantastic!  We just finished with a baptism! Little Caesar Jackson Valle Rivas! So cute and small! But their family is so wonderful!! They invited us to eat one of my favorite plates, Tacacho con cicina! He was so small for the baptism that we had to buy safety pins last second! Poor tiny kid!  Honestly all we do is walk around, and wait for buses! We have lots of new investigators! And Yaqui passed her interview and is all ready for Baptism this Saturday! Then we might have an opportunity to go to the temple with her or Caesar! I still haven't been all this time! We are eating very well, I am just loosing a lot of weight! These crazy hills! The thing that kills me at the end of the day is our house is up a little hill, and it feels like Everest every night!  We are having... how do you say that in English.... Cambios? Companion Changes! That’s right! Tomorrow! But I am pretty sure I am staying here with my companion! So don't worry to...

Hola todos! So, the first thing I have to say today is that Internet in Peru is not the quickest, or the most reliable! And even worse when the church program doesn't work!  Anyway! We are doing just dandy here in Montenegro 4! We are so high up that the climate literally has changed! We get rain every once in a while, not too much, but enough! It is not too hot, but everyone gets a little sweaty here! It really changes with a gate that leads into this other province!  I forgot everything I have said, so If I repeat I am sorry... We have a member who cooks for us! Almost whatever we want, we end up getting! She loves to bake, try new things, and is such a sweet, amazing lady! She is also mega strict, and has a heart attack every time we do something! She is always stressed out! When we wash the dishes after lunch, she watches us, and if we turn the water on too much she shouts, if we don't turn it off while we are scrubbing, she shouts! If we throw away any sc...

Wow! What hasn't happened!  So we are opening an area in the Zone Wisse called Montenegro 4! They just opened up the ward this last year, and there are a decent chunk of people who go! However, the area is HUGE! So it is split into 4 areas, which means there are 8 missionaries in our ward! Elders Martinez (California, but Mexican family) Mejia (Honduras, new) Ramos(Peru, Chimbote), Campbell (Idaho, Native American family) Anocona(Columbia), McWhorter(Arkansas, super tall!)  and My companion Carrasco! He is also from Chimbote! He has 20 months in the mission, and was companions with Martinez and Ramos before! Haha! He is District leader! So our area is straight out of Star Wars! We have Nueva Esperanza, (New hope) MediaLuna(Half moon) and weird names like Rinconada and Palomar!  I am also 10 minutes from Bethlehem! (Belén)  There are like 2 members in each one of these areas, but they are super big! Just counting, in our area, you could put like 5 more compan...

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