Week 17 Missionary Email
Date
January 8, 2024
Area
Santa Fe District, Lima Peru North Mission
Companion
Elder Shuldberg
Week 17 Missionary Email
Hello everyone!!
Another adventurous week in Lima, Perú! This week, I had to use my ever-increasing Spanish skills more than I ever had before!
Girlfriends, not Pineapples!: This week, I went on an exchange with Élder Gallo, an Ecuadorian missionary who knows no English. As frustrating as it was at times that I could not say the goofy stuff I would usually say in English, I was surprised with how much I could actually get across!! I told him all about American politics and the best restaurants in the United States. Before we knew it, we were joking around and we were quickly homies!! I loved having a native as a companion because they aren't usually very serious and they have a sort of "anything goes" personality about life. They are very fun to be around. However, there was one miscommunication that we had. Élder Gallo asked me about "peñas" which is a slang word for "girlfriends". I thought he said "piñas", or, pineapples. So, I started talking about how piñas tasted better here because they were more authentic around here than they were in the states. Élder Gallo gave me a suspicious look. I quickly figured out what I had said, and tried to take it back, but it was too late. Élder Gallo gave me the nickname of "peñador", which means "owner of girlfriends". I guess there's worse nicknames.
Hard-Earned Milkshake: On this exchange with Élder Gallo, we did some service for some members, and this might have been the hardest service I have ever done. Basically, this family was moving from the top of the extremely steep stairs ALL the way to the bottom. Now this was at least a 15-minute climb from top to bottom, and each stair is a different length, so it is very slow. It is also quite scary that if you trip and fall, there is nothing stopping you. You are just gonna fall all the way to the bottom. So, me and Élder Gallo first said a prayer for safety. Then, they needed someone to take down the desk. They pointed at me, and I'll be honest I was pretty terrified. But, I remembered we said a prayer so then I knew I would be fine. I picked up the giant desk, put it over my shoulder and started walking. My legs were shaking and sweat was coming over my eyes. I lost my balance a couple of times, just due to fatigue, but I never fell. We eventually finished the job. Once I got done, my legs were covered in dust and could barely function. We rewarded ourselves by getting oreo shakes.
To Every Creature: For our P-day today, we decided to go to the zoo. It was actually a super cool zoo and it was super cheap! (Probably 4 dollars in American money) I saw a lot of Amazonian animals that are actually pretty rare. A lot of monkeys and cool Tucans. We also saw tigers fight each other and intimidate each other with their roars! It was pretty sweet!!
Earth-Shaking Faith: We have been recently teaching these young kids (10-year-old Mía and 11-year-old Moisés). Their "Dad" is a member who is returning to activity, but their "Mom" is VERY Catholic (I use quotations because they're not married). They live at the top of a hill and their roof and walls are just planks of wood. We started talking about eternal families and a family united through the grace of Jesus Christ. When the "Mom" heard this, she wanted it. She wanted to know how to get it. We told her that she needed to live the law of chastity (get lawfully married) and then get baptized. Once they agreed to baptism, we felt an earthquake. This is the first earthquake I have ever felt. It wasn't very big (nothing fell down) but I was being swayed a little bit and there was a very loud sound. I heard that it was big enough that there was a small tsunami on the coast in Lima that destroyed 10 houses. Some people call it devastation. I think that some young kids shook the earth with their faith.
Élder Regla
1. Preaching the Gospel to every creature (they weren't very receptive)2. Élder Regla's stomping grounds3. The faithful family4. My delicious reward5. The scary service
Another adventurous week in Lima, Perú! This week, I had to use my ever-increasing Spanish skills more than I ever had before!
Girlfriends, not Pineapples!: This week, I went on an exchange with Élder Gallo, an Ecuadorian missionary who knows no English. As frustrating as it was at times that I could not say the goofy stuff I would usually say in English, I was surprised with how much I could actually get across!! I told him all about American politics and the best restaurants in the United States. Before we knew it, we were joking around and we were quickly homies!! I loved having a native as a companion because they aren't usually very serious and they have a sort of "anything goes" personality about life. They are very fun to be around. However, there was one miscommunication that we had. Élder Gallo asked me about "peñas" which is a slang word for "girlfriends". I thought he said "piñas", or, pineapples. So, I started talking about how piñas tasted better here because they were more authentic around here than they were in the states. Élder Gallo gave me a suspicious look. I quickly figured out what I had said, and tried to take it back, but it was too late. Élder Gallo gave me the nickname of "peñador", which means "owner of girlfriends". I guess there's worse nicknames.
Hard-Earned Milkshake: On this exchange with Élder Gallo, we did some service for some members, and this might have been the hardest service I have ever done. Basically, this family was moving from the top of the extremely steep stairs ALL the way to the bottom. Now this was at least a 15-minute climb from top to bottom, and each stair is a different length, so it is very slow. It is also quite scary that if you trip and fall, there is nothing stopping you. You are just gonna fall all the way to the bottom. So, me and Élder Gallo first said a prayer for safety. Then, they needed someone to take down the desk. They pointed at me, and I'll be honest I was pretty terrified. But, I remembered we said a prayer so then I knew I would be fine. I picked up the giant desk, put it over my shoulder and started walking. My legs were shaking and sweat was coming over my eyes. I lost my balance a couple of times, just due to fatigue, but I never fell. We eventually finished the job. Once I got done, my legs were covered in dust and could barely function. We rewarded ourselves by getting oreo shakes.
To Every Creature: For our P-day today, we decided to go to the zoo. It was actually a super cool zoo and it was super cheap! (Probably 4 dollars in American money) I saw a lot of Amazonian animals that are actually pretty rare. A lot of monkeys and cool Tucans. We also saw tigers fight each other and intimidate each other with their roars! It was pretty sweet!!
Earth-Shaking Faith: We have been recently teaching these young kids (10-year-old Mía and 11-year-old Moisés). Their "Dad" is a member who is returning to activity, but their "Mom" is VERY Catholic (I use quotations because they're not married). They live at the top of a hill and their roof and walls are just planks of wood. We started talking about eternal families and a family united through the grace of Jesus Christ. When the "Mom" heard this, she wanted it. She wanted to know how to get it. We told her that she needed to live the law of chastity (get lawfully married) and then get baptized. Once they agreed to baptism, we felt an earthquake. This is the first earthquake I have ever felt. It wasn't very big (nothing fell down) but I was being swayed a little bit and there was a very loud sound. I heard that it was big enough that there was a small tsunami on the coast in Lima that destroyed 10 houses. Some people call it devastation. I think that some young kids shook the earth with their faith.
Élder Regla
1. Preaching the Gospel to every creature (they weren't very receptive)2. Élder Regla's stomping grounds3. The faithful family4. My delicious reward5. The scary service
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