HOLA FROM PERU!

Hey everybody!!

How is everything going! I don´t have a lot of time to write today because the computer was being dumb, and because I was reading about my new mission president in our mission email! We are going to have a gringo, and I think he is from Provo Utah! That will be interesting! I hope he knows Spanish or he is going to have a horrible time! So guess what, they sent us all a list of new missions and mission presidents, and they are opening 2 new missions in Peru! How awesome is that!!! Also, in the year 2013 there are going to be 54 NEW MISSIONS IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!! The work of the lord truly is hastening and I have a strong testimony of that! I know that the lord has a plan, and that missionary work is a very real and very important part of that plan!!!!

So first of all if I am correct, Paula’s farewell was yesterday! How was it? That’s crazy that this week is March, and she will be leaving!!! I just can’t even comprehend that in 2 years we are all going to come back speaking different languages!!! And I know the language will come because it has been quickly coming for me, I can have fluent conversations now and rarely have to ask what something means! Just know a lot is through context.

So mom about the package that you are going to send, please send lots of pop tarts, my comp wants beef jerky haha, umm if you can, some peanut butter because here is costs 26 soles. Also Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, and M&M's, lots of food, I am always hungry!!!!!

I am happy to hear that Ashley’s baby shower went well! That’s awesome! She only has about a month left until the baby comes, and in the pictures she looks like she should be due!!! Also yes please include a copy of dad’s lesson, I like to read those, they are very good and I learn a lot.

My new companion is awesome! His name is Elder Velarde, he is from Bolivia, and has 17 meses en la mission (months in the mission). We get along really well, and he likes to work hard which is really good!!! I think we will get along just fine. So this week during estudio de compañeros, (I don´t know how to say that in English sorry) (companion study) we were talking about the Book of Mormon, and it made me realize how much I love el libro de mormòn (The Book of Mormon)! It is essencial for our lives. Always use it!!

So also today we read 1 Samuel 17 about David y Goliath, and applied it to missionary work and how we have our armas (to arm), with our testimony and the gospel, and how we are in battle right now against Goliath! It’s so importante to remember that siempre necesitamos (we always need to) rely on our lord, and keep him in our lives to fight against Satan.

If you thought that every night in your mission you would be in bed at 10:30, that’s a lie, because we didn´t get to go to bed until 4 in the morning on Monday, because we were picking up missionaries and dropping them off with their new companions! It was horrible, I was so tired! But that’s okay, it was fun!!!

I am sorry to hear about Bob Tingey, that must be hard! But remember that it was part of god’s plan for him, and that families are eternal!

I don´t know if I told you this last week, but there are going to be 30 new missionaries in this mission in the next transfer, and they are going to open a bunch of new sectors!!! It is so exciting!

Oh so this week we didn´t have pension because the lady was out of town, and so we had to cook for ourselves, that was interesting, let’s just say that I has a lot of huevos (eggs) !

But yesterday a member cooked chicken cordon bleu for us, and it was fantastic!!!!

So there isn´t much else to say this week, because nothing much happened, but we are expecting around 3 baptisms in March, which will be good, we have one for this Saturday, and our zone in total for Febrero had 19 baptisms!!! It was awesome!

Also I want you to know that I am finding it harder and harder to speak in English, every time I try I can´t remember words, and things come out in Spanish, and let’s just say it’s going to be interesting in two years, I understand now why Jantzen had such a hard time like you said!

Well, I need to go so that my companion can email. Because we have to use the same computer. But know that I love you all so much, and that I miss you! Remember to read your scriptures daily, and to pray always! This gospel isn´t just another church, we have the truth and we need to share it! If we don´t share it we are missing out on many blessings!!! I love you all, and I challenge you to share the gospel with 1 person this week not of our faith, don’t have fear, be like David when he went against Goliath, he didn´t have fear! Don´t have fear, take your testimony and share it! That is why we are on earth, to progress and help others progress!!

I love you have a fantastic week!

LOVE ELDER GOASLIND

PS: Mom and dad, don´t worry about me, I am fine, I have the lord with me! I'm a missionary!!!

PSS: Tell Bishop Ellis that I say hi, and thank him for everything he has ever done for me to help me get to this point in my life, he is such a great example!!!

THE MOST INTERESTING WEEK!

Quick note about this email:
We received a call from Elder Goaslind on Sunday, February 17, 2013, he called to tell us that on Saturday night he had been robbed and he needed us to help get his card canceled etc. he wasn't hurt it was a pick pocket who robbed him and he hadn't noticed until the next day.  He also told us that there was a terrorists group that was trying to kidnap North Americans in the Cusco area for political reasons.  He sounded good and happy, most of his family was here so they enjoyed talking to him!


So that´s really funny that you think I have an accent, because I think that I still sound pretty gringo. But I do find it difficult to say certain things in English and they end up coming out in Spanish. But it will be interesting to see what you think when we talk on Mother’s Day, and don´t worry the call didn’t make me homesick, it actually helped I think. But first I just want to say how great it was to talk with you guys on the phone yesterday! You all sound like you are doing so good. Sorry that I couldn´t talk for very long my comp is district leader and was yelling at me because we have to receive logros (acheivements) for the district, but it was probably good because that call was kind of expensive.

So how was everyone’s Valentine’s Day? I hope that it was good! Yes they celebrate Valentine’s Day here, but not as big as in the U.S.A.
 

Don't worry about me being robbed, as long as my debit card is canceled it will be fine, I have 70 soles in my wallet which I like 30 dollars. Not too bad, but I don’t know what to do about the license. But from now on I am going to be a lot more carefully with my things en mi mochila. para que personas no pueden robarme (In my backpack so I don’t get robbed again).

Mom thank you for the lyrics in the Dear Elder, they were very inspiring, I have learned as a missionary that a lot of things can be inspiring, so thank you for that!

I was thinking about the Olympus missionary video, and if some how you can burn it to a disc and send it in a very well-padded package, because they get pretty crushed, I will be able to watch the whole thing which would be awesome to have it.

So this past week is carnivales, and here in Peru their tradition is to have water fights, but not only that, they wet everybody in the streets so yesterday we were running a ton trying not to get wet. Also yesterday I had cuy for my second time, and it’s so good! there is a picture of it. My piece was the leg with the little foot and claws on it.

So someone asked me how big my area is, I will describe it like this, it takes about 1 ½ hrs. to walk from one end to the other, if you are walking really fast!

So some exciting news! I had my fourth baptism on Saturday! I didn´t baptize her my compi did, but the Hermanas in our ward had two baptisms on Saturday also, and I got to baptize the little boy Marco, and the entire baptismal service he was clinging to me!

But I am really happy that our investigator was baptized, because she has been an investigator for 2 years.

And now for the fun story, so Wednesday night we got back to our room, and the zone leaders called and said I needed to pack 2 days’ worth of normal pday clothes and come to their room immediately, so we got there and I asked what was happening, and apparently there is a terrorist group that was trying to kidnap and hurt North Americans! So needless to say me, and elder Cummings another North American Elder were in the zone leader’s apartment for 2 days, all day Thursday, and all day Friday! and we couldn´t leave for anything because it was very dangerous for gringos. So for 2 days I laid around in my pajamas and watched movies like How to Train Your Dragon, Gods Army, and Singles Ward! It was cool for the first little bit but so boring! So now until the president says so we have to be in our room at 7 pm and we can´t contact, or talk to people in the street we can only work with members and our existing investigators. So the work right now is difficult, but it was an exciting story to know that while living in another country people want to kill you!

I think someone said there is a story in Deseret news about it.

So I can´t believe that Paula’s farewell is on Sunday! how insane is that! she is so close to leaving! and she is going to be an awesome missionary!!! and Justin before you know it, your time will be here!

I can´t believe that I am done with my first change after today, I will be staying in Los Alamos, but I am going to have a new trainer, Elder Vladre I don´t know how to spell it. but apparently he is even more lazy then Castellanos, but I guess we will see, I can´t believe how fast this time has passed! I am becoming more confident while teaching and talking to people! but I still find a little bit of a language barrier. But that doesn´t stop me from knowing this church is true, and wanting to share that truth with others.

Well nada mas ( nothing else) for today! I love everybody, and I can´t wait to hear from you again!

Stay safe, read you scriptures, and pray hard! When life is too hard to stand, kneel!

Con Mucho Amor

ELDER GOASLIND

3 MONTHS!

This first part is for Brother Hammond please forward it to him:

Thank you for the letter, it meant a lot!! Some advice that I have for the priest quorum, is to study Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon! That is something that I wish I would have done a lot more before my mission! You use the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel every day in your mission, and it is so important to know the material! And when you know the things you need to teach the spirit will bring it to your remembrance! I love my mission so much, and yes at times it is difficult and discouraging, but it is the greatest thing ever! Work hard in total aspects of your life, and pay attention and participate in church activities! You guys are awesome!!!

Love Elder Goaslind!

So this is going to be kind of short because I was watching part of that video about the missionaries in our school, and I only made it to where I got my call, but that is so awesome how big the video is!!!

So I was thinking this past week about Paula and Justin and their missions coming so soon! First of all I need their emails for their missions so that I can forward my emails to them!

But some advice that I have right now before you go, attend the temple as much as you possibly can! The temple is such an amazing place and when we go there we can feel the spirit so strong, and it is so important to be worthy of the temple! Study study study Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon!

And I don´t want to leave out the other friends! Work hard in all that you are doing! Even if you are not planning on serving missions right now you can still live the gospel and be an example to others through the gospel! I love all of my friends so much! And I am so grateful for your example in my life! Gracias!

So I received the first package last Monday right after I finished emailing, and I got letters and Dear Elders! You all asked so many questions and I wish I could answer them all but there are way too many!!! So some info about Peru, depending on the areas depends on how nice the houses are, some have dirt floors with one room, and others have 3 stories with tiled floors but it depends on the area. Tanner, yes I do have a bed, and yes I do have a bathroom haha, thank you for your concern! So this past week the lady who does our laundry was out of town so we have to do our own laundry by hand, and that was quite a learning experience! But it was quite funny!

Also I was thinking about how you said Mallory doesn´t like to contact, nobody does, it is the most ineffective way to do missionary work, and so we try to avoid that at all times, if we absolutely don´t have anything to do then we will contact, but honestly it is the worst!

So I have a surprise, we found out today that tomorrow we are getting 6 new missionaries that are going to work in our zone this week with us until the cambio (change) next week! So chances are I might be in a trio for this week but I don’t know. I can´t believe that I only have 1 more week left in this cambio (change)! It’s insane how fast the time goes!

Also next week in the change we are getting 12 new elders. And that change is only 3 weeks long for some reason! But the one after that we are going to get more sisters then elders! How insane is that! It’s awesome how the lord’s work is hastening!

So on Saturday my comp and I had a little bit of a fall out, because we did our normal proselyting with the entire zone, and the numbers weren´t that good, we only had like 4 nuevo’s (new) and we were in our zone so he was mad, but he took it all out on me.  Let’s just say it was very interesting! But I think now we are good, I was very angry with him that day, but I read the list of blessings from my setting apart, and it said not to let things make you upset, and that helped to calm me down! Also I really learned how to rely in the lord that day, I don´t think I have ever prayed so hard in my life!

But not much has happened this week, I through a giant rock at a dog because he was chasing us trying to bite us, but that’s about it.

Oh! We have a set baptism for this Saturday on the 16th I am excited for that, so I hope that nothing bad happens! And we are going to try and set some more dates for baptism this week! Wish us luck!

So I am out of time!

But everybody thank you for your support!

Mom and dad thank you for all of your advice, and your help in my life! I love you all so much! I hope that everybody is good back at home, keep me updated on everything going on!

Sorry no pictures today and sorry that the letter is short, and scrambled, but the lideres de zona are really cracking down on time of emails because some missionaries take one hour to email! Well nothing more!

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Goaslind!!!

PS: That is awesome what the Greenacres said about the video! Love you! Stay strong and rely in the lord!

 

Necesitmos Investigadores

Hey Everybody,

 

How is everything going! I hope that the super bowl commercials were good!!! Before I forget, tell Emma and Justin happy birthday for me because both of their birthdays are on the 7th of this week!!! Paula that is freaking insane how close you are to going!!! I remember the month before my mission and how nervous and excited I was to go, just remember that in this time you really need to rely in the lord because he can help you feel comfort and peace before you go, and when you do leave! You are not going to believe how fast the time passes, this week on Thursday I will have 3 months in the mission and I can´t believe it, and on Friday I will have 1 month in the field, the time has absolutely just flown by!!! Justin, you won´t believe how fast the time goes either, and don´t worry about the language, I was terrified, but as you continue to prayer for the gift of tongues, and study hard and do what you are suppose to the lord will bless you, I am still surprised by all the compliments I get on my Spanish by the natives here, they are say that I am able to speak very well, which I don´t believe, but I do know that this is the work of the lord, because there is no way I could have learned this on my own! Josh, that is awesome that you received your call, you are going to love your mission, it is so weird to think that I am in Peru, Paula will be in Rome, Justin in Barcelona, and Josh in Romania!!!! We are all over the place, and it is all for the same reason! The work of the lord is hastening and it is our responsibility to bring the souls of our brothers and sisters unto Christ all over the world!!!

Mom I hope that you are feeling better, that is not fun to be sick, yesterday was fast Sunday and I felt terrible, my stomach had a ton of issues, and my head was pounding for the entire day, and I couldn´t sleep, but I am starting to feel a little better today, but being sick is no fun, I hope that you feel better.

Dad, I forgot to tell you last week that I can´t wait to get a copy of your lesson, I am sure that I can find some way to use it here, especially since I will have to speak in sacrament at some point.

I still haven’t actually received the first package, but the zone leaders are going to the oficina today and they said that they are going to look for me, so I hope that it is there. But I am not too worried about it.

So this past week was interesting. We spent all pday last week in the plaza de armas again, but a few of us went and saw Cristo Blanco, which was pretty cool. And I am sending a picture of that for you guys to see. ALSO I saw my very first llama!! It was like the happiest moment of my life! Ha-ha I have been waiting for almost a month to see one and I finally did!!!

So this week we didn´t do like any work in our own sector, because my comp is district leader he had a ton of entrevistas bautismal (baptismal interviews) this week, and so we were always with other elders! But we are hoping that next week goes better.

On Saturdays we do this thing called invasion, where our entire zona chooses two sectors and we proselyte para obtener referencias por los elderes en eso sector proselyte (to obtain references for the elderes in that sector), and I went with Elder Quito and both of us are new in the mission but he has 4 months. And we got the best logros (interest) in the zone. We got 8 new investigators, and 9 contacts. Too bad it wasn´t for my own sector.

So my Spanish is getting better and better every day which is good. And I am starting to participate more in the lessons that we teach which I am sure is very helpful for my compi.

Oh guess what happened yesterday, I went to get in the shower real fast in the morning, and we don´t have a lot of time on Sundays because our church is at 8. And I turned the shower on, and the power went out in our apartment which sucks! because if you want hot water there has to be electricity since it is an electric thing attached to the shower head that heats the water, so with no power no hot water, which means there are two options either shower with basically ice, or don’t shower. So I chose the latter.

Oh and Tyler will find this funny, I received my first beso (kiss) yesterday! We had an investigator saying goodbye to us after attending sacrament, and ya.... she didn´t understand that missionaries don´t do that whole beso (kiss) thing when greeting and saying good bye like everyone else does most awkward experience of my life, and my compi won´t let me live it down!

So cool experience. I was teaching a lesson with Elder Quito, and this lady wouldn´t accept our invitation to pray, because she thought she had never sinned, and didn’t need to pray, so I was going to bear my testimony about prayer, and all of the sudden I was speaking and didn´t really know what I was saying, but when I finished the lady looked at me and very solemnly said ¨´I am going to pray, I promise the next time you come I will have prayed´´, I have such a strong testimony of the gift of tongues! I know that when the lord needs something he is going to give you the words to say in the precise moment that you need them!

This week I will bear my testimony in English so mom doesn´t have to try and translate!

I know that this is the Lord's work, and that he needs missionaries. Without missionaries we wouldn´t be able to bring others unto Christ.
I have a testimony of the gift of tongues, and I know that without the lord I wouldn´t be able to learn Spanish!
The reason that I am called to this mission is because the lord knows that I will be able to preach his gospel the best in the Spanish language, and that the people in Cusco are going to recognize me as a servant of the lord with power and authority from him. But don´t forgot that the lord gives all of us power and authority, but differently in order to further his work, whether you are a missionary or not you have special gifts and talent from the lord that he EXPECTS you to use.
I know that this church is true, and that without this church in our lives we would be lost. It is so important to remember the lord in everything that we do.

Well I am out of time. I love hearing from all of you. And I hope that you get my letters soon that I sent home.

Remember to rely on the lord and everything will work out! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Have a fabulous week!

 

Love Elder Goaslind

 

PS sorry if I didn´t answer questions, but it is hard to remember everything after reading the letters!