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