Week 20

I can´t believe Rex is taking a trip out to BYU!! He´ll have a total blast with Hunter and Clark, how funJ and nice job on your football game, keep kickin´trash!
 
An Hermana here who was a visa waiter in our home mission knows the Portugals!! What a small world, tell them that Hermana Christensen says holaJ
 

Our zone got legit futbol jerseys and have worn them a few times when we play futbol in the mornings together. I put the number 8 cause they´res 8 in our family, but it worked out quite nicely cause that’s also the number of baptisms I´ve had in my first area of El Bosque!! On the sleeve, they wanted to put “just baptize”, similar to nike´s “just do it” slogan. Except an Argentinian ordered the jerseys and it came out as “just bap tize.” I had a good laugh.
 
Teaching our now recent convert Rosemary was awesome this week, she already knew quite a bit and has great faith. After both times of teaching, she tried to take us out to eat-but we can´t, just our pensoniesta. Haha it was really funny, trying to take us to dinner in a restaurant that’s outside of our area. She´s really kind and loving. We had a NDH with Yesenia and Martin. They have a little toddler and she´s expecting another one any day now. Super humble and just really good members.  I love seeing people that really don´t have very much to give, try to be generous.

Tuesday we had a multi-zone training meeting. It was wonderful to learn of how to improve and become better missionaries! Two things I really appreciated: take care of your companions physical AND spiritual health. And how direct Hna. Marler was with talking about law of chastity and missionaries closing their hearts. We visited Yulissa, a recent convert and talked to her mom, Isabel too. She needs to get married, yet another on the list for matrimonio. A little thing about Peru:
NO ONE´S MARRIED!! Haha seriously..I literally have a list in my agenda of people that need to tie the knot. It´s probably because divorces are so expensive, so people are really apprehensive about getting married. Plus the paperwork.and money. So lately, I´ve tried to learn all I can about what paperwork is required for a civil marriage and the costs. It´s not too complicated, but hard cause many people can´t travel to get their paperwork because of their jobs.

Take Coty, por ejemplo. She´s Juan Carlos´wife, less-active Juan Carlos. Diego´s mom. Not sure how much I´ve mentioned them…anyways-found out this week that she´s married to someone else and obviously needs to get a divorce before she can get married to Juan Carlos. But divorces are over a grand nuevos soles, so I´m not sure how much time it´ll all take…plus paperwork…plus dealing with cancer treatments. Ahhh at least Mamma Lucia is helping her with the legal work.  We served her and helped make dinner for her and her family. At least she´s quitting her job at the beginning of October and can start coming to church again, that’s certainly a good start.

Visited Santos with Juan Hererra this week. She´s julio´s ex-wife. Not really sure about her…or Julio…all talk and no actions…
Did Alzar La Voz in the Hermana´s area of Palermo this week. It was me, Huaman, and Skirvin. There was a reward for the highest numbers and we won with 2 lessons, 2 new investigators, 11 contacts, and 2 bap invites. Really fun to see a different area! And after 2 departing elders in our zone bore their testiomonies.

Had a lot of opportunities for service this week: Cooking for Coty, Designing bday invites and preparing for Hna. Luz´s son´s birthday, Cleaning up at a resturaunt, and helping for another bday party at Jorge and Elisabeths. I LOVE giving service, especially for part-member families.
Saturday we cleaned the baptismal font and had a wonderful night for the baptism of Rosemary, Luis Fransisco, and Sandra. Sandra´s mom almost didn´t come when we went to pick them up cause she didn´t have a skirt and was embarrassed to go in jeans. Assured her it was completely fine, and was really thankful that she was there for her daughter´s baptism. It was a little chaotic, but wonderful too! So happy for each of them and the decision that they made to follow the Savior. All 3 are references from the ward and its so nice, cause they already have friends and support from the ward! Honestly its so much more effective when the ward refers us to their friends/neighbors/family. LOVE the ward!!

Yestersday we ended up´teaching gospel principles,  since the teacher´s out of town. Haha improved with teaching about obedience, slice of cake! We were taking a quick picture with one of our ZL´s who was going home and this random guy from off the street or something was super weird and blessed me…or at least I think so. It was just really weird. Gotta close the gate more!
Got a call yesterday…getting transferred to the area of Monserrat 2 with Hermana Portillo as my companion. All I know about her is that she´s from El Salvador. Hna. Gonzales is staying here and leading the area, with Hermana Downs in a trio!! How funny that my 1^st comp is now gonna be serving with my former comp in my former area!! Hna. Huaman is headed to Chimbotu, training, and gonna be a sister training leader again!! Sheeeesh. Packing up today and excited to see a different area tomorrow!!
Its wonderful that Sandra is setting a wonderful example for her family! Malachi 4:6!! I´m extremely grateful that I was raised in the gospel, can´t imagine how much different everything would be.
Also saw a goat´s head cut in 3 pieces at the restaurant.
Ps. Drunk guys screaming/singing English pop songs with really bad pronunciation is not the prettiest sight….
Also dad and daughter sharing a bike with an umbrella on a rainy morning-haha so peru. I´ve seen an entire family squeeze unto a bike.and scooter.

 
Con Mucho Amor,
Hermana Boody

Week 19

            Fam-jam,
That´s awesome that Erickson and Sykes are on their missions now! Sweet. Mom, good luck on your lesson in YW-I don´t know if you´ve already had it or anything, but enjoy it! Make a cute handout or something. Time out for Women sounded like it was fun! Clark and Hunt-BYU women´s soccer game looked legit! That’s funny that you had to wait for the TX football game since it was raining. Glad to hear uncle John had a fun birthday with you guys, he cracks me up. Enjoy your new house! Study hard! Rex, congrats on your scrimmage game little bruddah! Write me back. Mckay, how are you liking Thoreau? It’s a bit of an adjustment, but if your friendly and nice, you´ll make lots of new friends! Plus how could people not love you? Grant, who´s your Japanese teacher? Stay outta trouble.
This week I´m really grateful for earplugs. We live 2 doors away from a bar and EVERY weekend they blast music until like 3am. It´s weird hearing American pop music.

Let´s see, alright this week:
 
We went to the Apiat/plaza last week for pday. Third time´s a charm I guessJ I got legit tire sandals. We saw Dispicable Me 2 in Spanish, pretty funny. Taught Rosemary and had a NDH with Sandra Cruz and her family.

On Tuesday, my companions and I talked about how to work with the ward, specifically the bishop more effectively. Honestly, that’s been a large part of how we´ve been able to have success. Bishop Bruno meets with us every week and we have an hour to talk about our investigators and what they need from the ward. Love the ward´s help!! Later, we taught Dante-a less-active. I was really direct with him. That’s one thing Hna. Gonzales has told me, that I´m really direct with people. Haha I haven´t really noticed, but that’s good I guess. I´m just sick of hearing excuses and want to pin-point exactly whats impeding their progress in the gospel, so we can better know and help them come unto Christ. Taught Luis Fransisco and Sandra. It felt so good-ripping up a picture of a top-less woman on a calendar in their house. 7 Guinea pigs running around the kitchen dirt floor.

There was  a new missionary and trainers meeting on Wednesday, but I went out prosiliting with the other Hermanas in Palermo since I´ve already been to that meeting when I first got here. That evening, Hna. Huaman felt really sick with a fever, throat hurt, and just over all super weak. The 1^st and 2^nd counselors in the ward came over and gave her a blessing before bed. Gave her some medicine, but it hurts her stomach. 
Hna. Gonzales and I had companionship study and did all of weekly planning on our own while Hna. Huaman got some rest on Thursday. Poor thing wanted to prosilite so bad, but barely enough energy to take a shower. Sick mammaL
 
A member went out with Hna. Gonzales to teach while I stayed and took care of Hna. Huaman. Now, she´s feeling much better-thank goodness. Something similar happened last year too, she thinks its because of the change in climate. One of the other tenants in our house is a nurse and she made this natural remedy hot liquidy plant stuff, which helped her throat. The Zone Leaders also brought loads of medicine too.

WE´re preparing and planning for 3 baptisms on the 21^st, I´ll tell ya a little bit about each one:
1.       Rosemary approached us at church last Sunday and explained how she was introduced to the church in Mexico and wants to get baptized. Bishop wasn´t sure if we could, since she lives out of our area. But she moved, so now she´s in our area and we´ve taught her a few times. Good foundation of Jesus Christ and already know quite a bit about the gospel.
2.       Luis Fransisco, adopted son of Lidia-in the ward. He was gonna be baptized with Jose Luis, but his mom thought it was too soon and the dad couldn´t be there for last Saturday-and obviously we want him there. Good kid, continues to learn more and is excited for his baptism.
3.       Sandra. The first time we taught her was way back in late July or August, friend/neighbor of Camilla-a girl in the ward. She said that her parents wouldn´t be ok with it, so we were just really friendly and taught her one other time when a different appointment fell through and we were already in the neighborhood. Now, her mom´s ok with it and we´ve included her on lessons too. Sandra has been coming to church for several weeks now and is seriously SO excited to be baptized. Back, when she didnpt have permission-she literally refused to bathe before school, eat, sleep-because she wanted to be baptized so badly. Haha she´s 11 and is learning about the gospel really well-golden gem.
We´ve been preparing a few recent converts for receiving the priesthood. It´s exciting! Stake conference was yesterday and they talked about that too, so it was good to have them hear about it there too!

Juan Carlos (less active)´s wife Coty won´t have work on Sundays any more after this month, so we´re really excited for her to start coming to church and Jan Carlos too! If they get married, Coty and their 8 year old son Diego could be baptized at the same time, ahh so awesome!!
Still working with Modesto, Sandra Cruz´s husband. Doesn´t really have a desire to be a member, loves his futbol on Sundays and alcohol. But I think with more time, pacience, and seeing how this can bring his family much closer together-he´ll want to change.
 
Yesterday, we started teaching a less-actives son Christian. He wants to be baptized. Hopefully he can be the example to get his mom back to church. Dad is NOT interested. Not one little bit.
Julio. Its awesome that Juan Hererra has been such a bud to him, but I don´t know what to think about Julio. I always refer to him as my disobedient little grandpa. Haha he reminds me of Uncle John a little bit. Still doesn´t understand the resoration. I have never seen such a ghetto bike, one of the petals broke and he attatched the flat part of a metal spatula to fix it. Haha still cracks me up!!
Something kinda funny, I asked this guy with a sweet mustache how long it took to grow, but he thought that I had asked how long he´s had it for-40 years sounded too long. Oh Spanish. The mistakes I make are funny. Lots of patience, I´ve been able to understand more with time.
I don´t know if I´ve ever said it before, but Peruvian dogs are so ugly. They don´t have any fur, except for around their face. And they just run around the streets. And mating in a public park is totally normal.
 
I love this work and hope yáll have a great week!
Con Mucho Amor,

Hna. Boody

Week 18

That’s awesome that you saw Elizabeth Portugal!! I can’t believe she’s already back from her mission. That went by crazy fast!! Please give them all my loveJ  Wow-this week went by reaaaaallly fast. Probably cause I’m about a week behind in my journal..haha



With another Zone, we went to Huanchaco and lived it up on the BEACH for P-day!! Sun, sand, and beach games. It was a beautiful and relaxing day. Even was in a few random pictures with Peruvians.
Guitar playing in the park-new finding method. Pretty rad.
 

Juan and Carlos. They went to a big activity with the ward and are starting to get closer with the members. We went over earlier this week and had a lesson with Luis. He might move out. Neither Juan or Carlos are his sons..Miriam-their mom has 4 kids and each has a different dad, so he’s the dad of only the 2^nd youngest daughter. And they’re not married, nor want to be..so Luis is looking for another place to live. Which would be nice, cause then we could start to teach him. le de castidad. We also did some service for Miriam this week, hoping she`ll be more supportive with them going to church every week and she can help them get ready so that when Hno. Simion comes to pick them up, they`ll be all ready to go.

Julio. Remember my 81 year old Peruvian abuelito?? He was at church yesterday and the week before! There had been little to NO progress, but now things have been better. Jaun Hererra, who baptized Juan Carlos, is the absolute BEST fellow shipper/friend to him!! He came with us to our last lesson, and even picked him up for church yesterday. And in the midst of all the chaos yesterday, we say Julio, looking all spiffy, with Juan Hererra. HE may have even taken a bath!! His hair has never looked so good.. haha happy for an awesome member of the ward to help Julio!!
We caught a random, super loud parade in the street this week. All the colegios are having Olympics or something. Lots of kids on stilts and futbol players.
 
 
Jose Luis was BAPTIZED!! Earlier in the week, we were teaching the commandments and I wasn’t so sure that he would be/was ready…but he can sure use the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We had some good conversations with his parents and Sandra, his mom, even gave us some hot cocoa (after we taught about word of wisdom-lol) and crackers. His relationship with his parents is improving, little by little. We combined baptisms with our zone leaders, who had a teenage girl going to be baptized the same time as Jose Luis. His mom came, dad had to work, and it went really well. Slowly, he’s starting to warm up to making friendships with people in the ward. It`s just hard for him to be friendly I guess…and that hair! We bought him hair gel the same night as his baptismal interview, but he certainly isn’t using it..or maybe its just too long to be controlled. Haha always styling it different about 10 times, then re-wetting it and starting over. Yesterday, he gave us quite the scare! We went to pick him up in the morning, since he’d be receiving the Holy Ghost at church. But he wasn’t home. His dad had no idea where he was, tried to call his cell but it was turned off, Sandra was at her mom’s house and had no idea where he was either, we even asked his friend that he walks to school with—nothing. We were freaking out and had no idea what to do…stake conference is next week, so there’s no sacrament meeting that he could be confirmed…and the bishopric had asked us to give talks, so we were really panicking. Lots of stress. I was praying for a miracle! Hna. Gonzales gave her talk, Hna. Huaman, then randomly the 2<sup>nd</sup> counselor announced Jose Luis`baptism yesterday, but Hna. Gonzales and I were both thinking “uhhh he`s not here…”  Then out of nowhere, he walks up and gets the Holy Ghost. We were all shocked, wheeeen did he come? It honestly was a miracle.

Speaking of miracles, my 1^st sacrament meeting talk en espanol. Haha phew, it actually went a lot better than I thought! Talked about faith and how members can help get involved, ayudan las hermanas! Didn’t have too much time to prepare it, so I was relieved when it was over. Ahh Sundays are always NUTS!!

One member that I help with his English recently had a birthday and thought he turned 12 years old. But his sister found his birth certificate or whatever Peru has…he’s 14. Haha been in primary for 2 extra years. Just goes to prove what I`ve been saying, NO ONE in Peru knows how old they are. Haha but seriously….Hna. Gonzales and I laughed for a loooong time.

We’re getting Luis Fransisco ready for baptism on the 21^st. His mom wanted him to have more preparation and for the dad to be there. He’s a really cute kid!!
The stake had a Noche Misional and all the companionships in the Zone had 2 articles of faith assigned to teach/have an activity or game. We had articles of faith 7 and 8 and did a big letter code thing to figure out what the article of faith was. It was great fun!!

Working with Modesto, Sandra Cruz`s husband who isn`t a member. Doesn’t really have a desire to be, but trying to figure out what we can do/teach to help. We climb up a ladder to their home.
Also working with Juan Carlos, a less-active. His son, Diego is 8 years old and REALLY wants to be baptized, super animated about scriptures, primary, and learning more about the gospel. Its sad that his dad can’t baptize him…the majority of Juan Carlos`family are members, but inactive for many years..:(

IT was just me, Hna. Gonzales, and Hna. Skirvin for Alzar la Voz. We all arrived the same day to the MTC so it was certainly a new experience being out all on our own and figuring out the map for a different area. It went well though! Had 2 lessons and only got sort-of lost on the way back. Happy 4 months!

Moping the sidewalks and seeing a cross-dresser, just another day in Peru.

Con Mucho Amor,
Hermana Boody

Week 17

How awesome that the Oakton Ward now has sister missionaries! I hope they love the members as much as I doJ Congrats to Roy on getting engaged! Totally saw that one coming…sad that the Kings are moving, we´ll miss them a LOT!! Good job with your talk Rex! AND inviting your football friends to hear it too, I´m so proud!! I can´t believe mom went fishing with the boys and caught some too! That cracked me up!! How fun. I´m glad your enjoying the YW, I bet they are just LOVING their time with you. You all went to GEORGETOWN CUPCAKES? Sheesh-that’s awesome. I´ve never been, but heard its wonderful. 

Well happy labor day! We’re going to the beach with 2 other zones and President Marler & Hna. Marler will be there too, it´ll be a BLAST! Last p-day after I emailed, we saw the Crudes and it was just a really chill day. My companions and I enjoyed some tres leches cake in el parque grande.
I was looking at some old pictures on another memory card and it was so surreal. I´m in South America! 1^st fall in a few years that I´m not enjoying working at Jacob Lake and playing at the grand canyon, going to school, or working downtown and commuting with Dad. This is where its at! 

Alright sorry I´ll get on about this week…
went to a casket viewing/family gathering for a member´s grandmother. There was a HUGE poster with her face and loads of flowers. I love the fact that their culture really respects and looks after their grandparents. 
 
Our zone just set a goal of 18 almas en setiembre, so we´re working as hard as we can with the members to make it possible! The ward continues to help us with less-actives, investigators, part-member families, and recent converts. We got visiting teaching assignments at church yesterday in RS & its great to see the sisters excited about visiting other hermanas in the ward. We had 2 great family home evenings and have more to plan for tonight! We´re helping to prepare two 7 year olds for their baptism this month, their families want to make sure that they develop their OWN testimony and understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

So one think I forgot to say about Juan Carlos who got baptized last week, whenever we would teach a principle or ask a question-his face would always scrunch up and answer with “bueno….” And a lot of the time, it would be hard to understand what he was saying cause his Spanish is just different. I don´t even know how to describe or explain it, but its funny. Its awesome to see Juan Herrera, the man who baptized him, sit with him at church and help fellowship Juan Carlos. So awesome! 

Hermana Balcaza had an all-day training meeting at the Institute, so I was with Hermana Skirvin (the triplet that mom mentioned in an email) in her area of Palermo. It was a little intimidating cause we´re both almost done with training, but not quite and she only knows her area so well..but we had a great time teaching and learning together. Taught Helen le de castidad, she´s such a cute 17 year old who really likes Justin Bieber… Then after we met back up with Hna. Balcaza, we taught a less-active family together.

Trios are tricky, but we´re improving with how we can teach and testify more in a natural rhythm. Just takes some pacience and good role-plays in companionship study.
We were walking to Juan and Carlos´ house in Nueva Barazza and this random lady that had a cart of stuff to sell on the street waved us over. Hesitantly, we walked over and had a lesson. She was a crack up! Spend forever trying to explain that the day of rest is on Saturday, not Sunday…gave us some reading hw in the bible and we gave her a Restoration pamphlet. It was just…funny. People trying to teach us, even though we´re the ones set apart to preach the gospel. 

We did some service for a family that lives near Juan and Carlos and they are incredible! Lidia, the mom, has taken in 2 kids from the street-their families had completely abandoned them. I always had thought that Manuelito was her son, but nope..she just took him in her home and didn´t treat him any different than her own children. And the other, Luis Francisco is so wonderful and we started teaching him, he has such a desire to learn more about the gospel! They have over a hundered chickens! Haha I held a baby chicken for the first time, classic Peruvian afternoon. Lidia and her husband are trying to get the right paperwork so they can get married, then baptized this month. Lots of faith, hardships, and hope! I have so much respect for her, she has such great and true attributes and qualities of Christ! 

 
 
Jose Luis. Still SO quiet, but making progress little by little. We´ve taken him to so many aactivities and church, but its hard for members to really make a bond or connection, cause he just doesn´t respond. But it makes sense, seeing the family relationships and dysfunctional communication. He´s used to only getting negative attention and its hard for him to break away from that I guess. But Luis Fransisco and Jose Luis are both the same age-13 so they have started to form a little friendship. Hna. Gonzales started teaching Jose Luis piano, positive attention helps him a LOT! Its just hilarious-sometimes he´ll just walk away for awhile, then come back a few minutes later with soaking wet hair. Like multiple times a day…I´m buying him some gel this week. Its hilarious, always figiting to style it JUST the way he likes it. And his voice hasn´t changed yet, so sometime it gets really high-pitched and whiny-sounding. 

Remember Edit and her daughter? We used to see them all the time at Parque grande and around town, but not for a loooong time and I was wondering what happened to them..well we saw them this week and were able to have a lesson with her, her daughter, son, and her mom.


Just a little piece of advice, if you ever live in Peru and have one of those awesome shower attachments to make the water hot-don´t get near the tail-end part! It´ll shock you.  Just a little piece of adviceJ

My mission is completely changing me!
Con Mucho Amor,
Herman Boody