HAPPY NEW YEAR SOON!!

Email from 12-30-2013

 

Hey everybody, well just by reading mom and dad’s emails, I can tell that you guys are anxious to know if I have a transfer or not. And..... I don’t...... I will be staying here for another change. This will now be my fifth change here in this sector. There were only 4 changes in the entire zone, and part of that included that they are getting rid of a companionship of elders and putting sisters in that ward. So I know that we talked a little bit on Christmas but again I want to say thank you for the Christmas gifts they are great. I really love the iPod, other than I discovered this morning listening to it that the song, Thriller from Michael Jackson is on it....... I am not sure if it was an accident or if you guys think that it is a church song.... The sweater works fine mom, the only problem is that, I am losing a lot of weight because it is so cold here that it is pretty baggy on me, but the length is good so I guess I will have to try a little harder to get fat, my shoes are holding up great they look fine and don't have any holes or problems. 

So from what it sounds like everybody had a fantastic Christmas, I did as well, being able to talk to you guys was great!! I loved it, so as we hung up the call, the internet crashed and my comp never got the chance to talk to his family, so we talked with the assistants, and he is going to talk tomorrow or Wednesday with his family so everything is good, he called them to explain what had happened but now this week he will talk with Skype. But don't worry it wasn't anything we did with the length we talked nothing; it was just because the internet here is horrible and crashes all the time. 

I have not received my package from the siblings yet, but that's okay, I know it will get here at some point in my mission. Haha. 

So Christmas was good, after talking with you guys, we went to a member’s house and ate dinner and celebrated her birthday with some other members, and everything turned out good. I really don't understand how I can be losing weight because ALL I DO IS EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s ridiculous!!!! But oh well maybe my next sector, (whenever that is) will be some place warm to gain weight. 

So this week after Christmas not much happened it was a little hard to get back into the swing of things because we basically had 2 days of doing nothing. But we did teach some lessons, and BRENDA GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But something interesting we found out, Brenda isn't her name that is her artist name for singing, her real name is Olga!!!!   Hahaha But it was a great experience!!! I was the one that got to baptize her, she told me the reason why, and this is what she said ¨Elder Goaslind I want you to baptize me, because you are the one who brought the Word of God into my life first before anyone else, and you helped me understand that we have a Heavenly Father, and how we can live with him again, you also have been here through all my challenges, and all the problems, and you have helped to resolve all of them with the words of Christ, I know Christ lives and I know that you are one of his servants¨   

How is that for a testimony and helping a missionary feel like he is doing this work right!!! When I heard that I was stunned, it really helped me to realize that as missionaries WE CAN CHANGE LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know we can because I have seen many lives changed because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so happy to be a missionary. 

The baptismal service was great, and very spiritual. I also got the chance to confirm her on Sunday during sacrament meeting. You can just tell that she is so happy to be a member of the church. And to be baptized, and she has been able to see so many blessings in her life, from living and applying the gospel. 

Apart from the baptism, not much else happened this week. But it was still a good week. 

I love each and every one of you; I hope that you all have a great New Year celebration!!!! 

You are all such important parts of my life!! Please be safe this new year, and remember, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO!!!!

 

Con Mucho Amor

ELDER GOASLIND

 

Ps. The New Year celebrations are basically just eating and fireworks and drinking here. Not anything very special. 

 

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!

Email from 12-23-2013 

 

Hey everybody,

 

So this email isn’t going to be very long today, so sorry about that, but the family will get to talk on Wednesday, so to start off with that. So I will be skyping at 4pm. so that would be 3 or 2 your time, I don’t know how far back you guys are from my time. So you can all plan on that, and I really look forward to talking with you. 

So this past week was really good, like I said last week we had our Christmas dinner and program with Pres. Harbertson on Wednesday and it was really good. We had pizza and homemade chocolate cake from Sister Harbertson. 

 

And after words we had a gift game where everyone brought a gift, and as president read the night before Christmas there were key words to pass the gift to the right or to the left, and we all ended up with something, I got some type of indestructible credit card holder. And then after came the spiritual part, we all passed into the chapel. And we had a program filled with the zone leader’s testimonies, and a lot of music, and we ended with the video The Living Christ. Which was really good!!!!? I loved it!!! And Pres. and Sis. Harbertson gave us each a Book of Mormon to read and mark every time it mentions Christ or when he speaks, and I started the challenge a couple days ago, and it is amazing I love it!!! Also like you will see in my pictures, it was the first time that the 4 elders from Olympus High School have all been together!!! It was great to see each other, and it was weird thinking that all four of us are in the same mission!!!

 

So after that we had a pretty normal week, but some exciting news, we put another baptismal date for January. So that should be good. And also Brenda passed her baptismal interview, so she will be baptized the 28th on Saturday. And she is so excited!!!

 

On Saturday night we had a talent show for our ward, and it went really good, we had a ton of people come up with some really creative talents and we also had Santa Claus there!!! The little kids were dying!!!! We also served hot chocolate and pantone afterwards for everyone, and everyone was happy and the Christmas spirit was so strong!!!

 

But not much else happened this week because of all the activities we had, so we didn’t get a whole lot of successful work in that’s why there isn’t much info this week. 

but just so you know that changes are next week, so we will see what will happen because I am finishing my 4th change here in this sector so who knows maybe I will stay one change more or maybe I will move on we will have to wait and see. 

well I love you all so much, and I am so happy that I get to talk to you on Wednesday, I will tell you more about traditions and all that when we Skype. But just know that I know Jesus is the Christ that he lives, and through him and his atonement we can all return to the presence of our heavenly father again. 

FELIZ NAVIDAD Y UN PROSPERO AÑO NUEVO!!!!!!!

 

Con Mucho Amor

ELDER GOASLIND

 

Ps. I haven’t got the siblings package yet. 

Pss HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANNER! 

 

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY AND NEVER COME AGAIN!

Email from 12-16-2013

Hey everybody, 

So first off I am going to answer some questions before I forget them. 

So I still don’t know what time I will call on Christmas, I will let you know next week, we are still looking for a member to let us use their computer. But I will tell you what time next week. 

Also dad, yes our chapel is just a regular chapel, but I actually like the chapels here better than in Utah, they are all wooden or tiled floors and it makes it look cooler than the ugly blue carpet we have in our chapel. and yes it is in the middle of the city, and not necessarily are all the buildings apartment buildings, the majority of the people build a house of 2 or 3 stories, and on the first level is some sort of store, like pharmacy, to buy soda, a library, or a paper store, etc., etc. and then the floor or 2 above is where they live. That’s why you see so many big buildings.

Also dad about your Peruvian lunch, YES THEY SERVE RICE WITH EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But the ceviche you had, or as you described raw fish with lime, is one of the most popular dishes here in Peru, and it was created in Peru. I actually really like it, I have tried it a couple of times, but it has to be prepared right, but the missionaries  are prohibited from eating it. 

So about my comp. he is a little shy, whenever we are in front of people and he needs to say something to me, he whispers it in my ear, but he is getting better with that, the main problem is that because he is new, he doesn’t think he has to do anything, so he always tells me to do everything, but we are working on that. 

 

So congratulations, Kolby and dad on your work interviews, I am praying for both of you that you get what you need.

And mom I hope that you feel better after your surgery (I don’t know how to spell anymore) you´re in my prayers. 

Tambien, congrats Zac on your eagle!!! That is awesome!!! I am so proud of you! I know it is difficult to do, but you will be so happy that you have it. 

 

So no it is not getting warmer here, you would think that it should be, but with the rain, it becomes very cold, and there is not any sun. But when there isn’t any rain it is blazing hot!!! I don’t like the weather here, because it never makes up its mind, it’s worse than Utah weather. But we will be in the rainy season until about April, then in May it begins the cold, or the ice season until about August then you have like 2 months of normal weather and then it begins all over again. 

 

So good news this week, we having been teaching Brenda again, and this week we put another baptismal date for the 28th of this month. But it is basically just a goal nothing more to keep her mind on her goal, and as we get closer we are going to see if we keep the date or change it, based on her progress. 

But we were so happy we challenged her to baptism and she was putting up excuse at the beginning, and we followed the spirit and what we needed to say, and she accepted and now when we see her she is all excited and that’s all she talks about is her baptism! 

Apart from her we don’t have many investigators, but I went on changes on Friday with another elder who only have like 2 months in the mission, and he LOVES to contact in the street, every person he saw he started talking to them, and we found about 6 new people that way, so hopefully something good happens with them. But he taught me a lot about how we need to talk with everybody!! And I am planning on putting that in practice, but I still have a shyness with that, which makes it difficult. 

Really nothing else happened this week. But this upcoming week on the 18th, we are going to Puno for our Christmas dinner and program with president, so that should be good, and on Saturday we have a ward Christmas talent show. So that will be fun.

Thanks for everything you do for me. I love you all so much, and I am so grateful to have you all as part of my life!!! I know this church is true, and I know that being in his work is very important!!!

 

Con Mucho Amor

ELDER GOASLIND

 

Ps. the church has a new rule for missionary work, they don’t have to send you home when you are close to 2 years, they can send you when they want now because of all the missionaries entering the missions can’t handle it, and it’s for the whole world, our zone leader maybe is going home this month, and he still has 3 months left in he mission, he is waiting the final answer that will come this week!! How crazy is that

BAPTISM!!!

Email from 12-9-2013

Hey,

 

So this week has been a little crazy preparing everything for the baptism of jenny and Erick, but we were able to pull everything off great!!!! So we had there baptism Saturday night at 6:30, and it was awesome, there was a ton of member support there the young women’s and the primary to welcome them in as members of the church, and then we had a ton of help from the members to get the refrigerio (refreshments) ready and all that, but it honestly has been such a spiritual uplifting experience to be able to work with this family, the mom and the oldest are basically active now, and the 2 youngest got baptized, now we just need to do a little more work with the dad, he has all of the intentions to come back, but he has problems with his work schedule being able to attend church!! But we are not going to give up, Because the family has now expressed their desires to be sealed in the temple as a family, and I want to help them all I can to reach their goal, I know maybe I won’t be here for when they actually go to the temple, but I am going to do everything possible to prepare them for that moment, and the nice thing is they have already expressed this desire to the bishop, and he is very willing to help them. 

So that’s awesome that it’s snowing in Utah!! I honestly know it sounds weird, but I miss the snow, basically in Peru it is just rain, we are starting to get into the worst part of the rain season here which is December, January and February. And let’s just say it’s horrible!!! you never can tell when it is going to rain, it just begins, and not lightly, but all at once, yesterday it rained all day and all night long, and we had to go to the Christmas Devotional and we were freezing cold and I had 3 layers of clothing on!!! 

But we missed the first part of the devotional, because the stake people didn’t know how to fix a problem with the projector, so we saw it from the middle of Sister Wixom’s talk. But it was good, I really like the music part the best, but Peruvians don’t know how to be quite, and since the music is in English they don’t think they need to listen and they all start talking!!!! ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But it was really good, I hope you all got the chance to watch it, I would really like to see it again but in English to really understand it good, because I understand it all in Spanish but it isn’t the same, because it is a voice over of the people and you don’t get there real message. 

Oh, so dad you had asked about where is our chapel, yes in Juliaca there are 3 chapels, mine where we attend is in the corner of the streets Jr. Raul Porras, and Jr. Nicolas de Pierola. So maybe you can find it.  That’s so weird that Janzen Egan is engaged!!!!! Ahhhhh!!! I still think that we are all little kids! 

I would like to thank you all for you spiritual messages in your emails today, they were really uplifting I love it!! The Christmas season is so special, here they usually just use it as an excuse to have parties and get drunk it is actually kind of sad. But that’s why there are missionaries to help them out. 

So about talking for Christmas, they said that we can either talk with our families on the 24th or the 25th, so let me know next week which would be better!! And we can either call or use the Skype program. So I will let you know more about what time I will be calling in a week or two. 

Well not much else happened this week, we are still working with some people but there isn’t anything to report on them this week, but we did have a chance to talk with Brenda and she came to church yesterday, so we are going to take our time and keep working with her. But that’s about it. 

I love you all so much, and I am grateful to have you as a part of my life!!! 

This season of Christmas don’t think about the presents and food and all that, but more on how we can share the gospel and birth of Christ with someone, and how we can serve those who are in need!!!

 

Con Mucho Amor

ELDER GOASLIND 

 

Ps. A drunk spit on me this week!! Haha 

 

Merry Christmas to you, you live in a shoe, you look like a monkey and you smell like one too!!!

Email from 12-2-2013

Hey Everybody!!!

 

How are things going???? Well so far I have only read emails from mom and dad, but it sounds like everything is going great!!!! So first off I am going to answer some questions that I realized I didn’t answer last week, 

So about Elder Bentson being in the office, I think it is great!!! It seems like apart from the assistants that president is putting mostly new missionaries in the office instead of older ones. But I think he will do well!!! also this will be Elder Brey´s last change in the office, I had the chance to talk to him a little but not much because they are always so occupied in the office during times of the changes!!! But I think he is happy that he will be leaving soon!!! Happy birthdays to Ali, and Traci, and coming up soon Janae!!!!!! You gotta love getting older (hint hint Traci....) haha jk. Gotta throw in some sort of joke at her because I am not there to do it in person. Also dad, the hamburgers in McDonalds here are not quite as good, but then again, when are the McDonalds hamburgers ever good??? Ha-ha, when we go to Cusco to pick up people we stay overnight or 2 nights, and we sleep on the floor in the room of other elders, I hope that helps answer your questions dad. 

so this week everything has gone well, we had a couple of days where we would have like 4-5 appointments and we would call them to verify that there were going to be in their house, and they would all cancel on us, and those days when we don’t have absolutely anything to do seem do drag on forever!!!!! about Brenda, we have not talked with her in about 2 weeks due to travels that she has been doing, but this week we have an appointment and she told us that she really needs to talk to us, so hopefully it’s about something good, with Elder Bentson, we decided that we are marriage counselors, schooling counselors, work counselors, drunk counselors, depression counselors, and many times in my mission, I have had to take part in suicide counseling along with professional help with some people. I just really hope that Brenda needs like baptism counsel or something like that!!!! Because I’m an expert in that!!! Haha. But apart from not really being able to talk to Brenda, this week we were teaching a less active family that is THE BEST!!!!! Elena (mom), Wilbur (dad), Nayda (daughter), and they are all members but the mom and dad have some other kids, and 2 of them (Erik, Jenni) are at the age to be baptized, and finally we put there date for this Saturday!!! so that should follow through and it will be really good, the dad Wilbur the other day asked an awesome question, we had the bishop there and he looked at the bishop and asked ¨what do we need to do to be sealed in the temple??¨ IT WAS AWEOSME!!!!  And the bishop became all excited and I think told them all the info he knows about that topic!!! Ha-ha but we are seeing a lot of progress with that, and I know it’s going to keep getting better!!!! 

So this week, well yesterday we had the chance to have a stake activity!! And it was awesome! Every ward formed a choir, and all the primaries, and the missionaries and we had a choir festival of Christmas songs to kick off the month of December!!! We had a ton of people in attendance, but it took away from the work yesterday, because all afternoon we were bouncing all over the place rehearsing for the different choirs!!! But it was cool!!! the only problem is PERUVIANS DONT KNOW HOW TO SING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They don’t know the notes, they all sing either flat or sharp, etc.!!! Basically just describe it as they are all tone deaf!!! But honestly it’s hard to be made about that, because I love Peruvians to death!!!! They are my all-time favorite people, culture everything!!!!! 

Also something cool happened yesterday! One of the sisters that Elder Bentson and I activated, yesterday got up and bore her testimony at church, and it was so powerful!!!! I was literally on the verge of tears, because she talked about all the reasons why see wanted to return, and all the blessings that she has received since returning, and how she now is helping her son to prepare for baptism when he turns 8 in march, and she said that she is so grateful to god for sending the missionaries to find her, and she went on and on and on!! But it was so powerful, and now she is turning into one of the strongest helps and members in the ward!!! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

So not many other things happened this week, but I do want to let you know I got the Christmas package, and it just sits in my room staring at me every day!!!! Also mom have you ever found out anything about my duty to god award because I would really like to receive my medallion when I get home and all that because I did all the work!! So if you could please found out about that!!

 

Well I hope that you all have a fabulous week!!!!! Remember God in all that you do!!!!!

 

Con Mucho Amor

ELDER GOASLIND