Noche Blanca, y FIP Garcia

Lots to talk about, and so little time.. I'll talk fast!  

So, Monday. After Internet, we went back to the room and got ready for the... belaria de Kamerson... (basically, everyone comes to the persons house who died, and lights candles and sees the body). So, we went, and it was seriously awful. I was doing all right, up until the point when I saw his mom, and his grandparents. Boom, I totally lost it. Some of the members were coming over, like, "Dude. It's okay." But yeah. It was rough. It was just really sad. But, we went back to our room that night, and were eating cake and celebrating Garcias birthday... boom, the LZ's call.. Emergency Change Garcia, 9:30 the next morning. WHAT?!?! So, he didn't even have time to say bye to people. And, he left! I cried. It was a bummer. He was like, my best friend, and we've been at each others side for like... 4 months now! So it was kinda a bummer... But, that's the mission! But, he went to Juliaca, and so that's why it says FIP Garcia... Freeze in Peace... hahaha. Poor guy. 

So, the next day was Kamerson's funeral. It was good, the branch came together to help, and it ended up a good experience.. just kinda different for me. I guess I'm not accostumed to Peruvian funerals. But, Tuesday in the night, my new companion, Elder Arce came. He is from Bolivia, but was serving in Venezuala, but they took out all the foreigners from there, so he had to come here! He's pretty cool, but he does his stuff really different than me a little... so we gotta get accustomed to each other I think. But I'm senior comp! Which I think he doesn't like much since he was a zone leader in his other mission... but that's okay haha. We get along well. 

The rest of the week was good, but Saturday, Ximena got baptized! It was good. It was what we call "noche blanca" because there were 8 baptisms in our district! There were like, 16 or something in the whole zone. It was awesome. I sent a few pictures. The branch also is doing better from last week... a lot of the people were willing to forgive and forget.. only a few that we need to go and do a couple of visits.. but that's okay! I'm relieved that it wasn't a lot worse. We just keep on moving forward! Yan still has a date to be baptized, but it's gonna be in like... April.. We're working on it. Karina is gonna be rescued this week too, which is cool. We went with her family yesterday to the cemetary to visit her moms tombstone. It was a good experience, we talked about the plan of salvation a little... it was a good day haha. 

But yeah. I don't have too much to say... haha. Sorry, this week was fast, I'm trying to upload fotos for my family and everything. All is well in La Joya! I'm stoked out of my SKULL for Conference. You guys don't even understand. Seriously. It's gonna be sweet. Oh, I don't have a change too. Today was changes. So... I'm gonna be in La Joya for like, 6 months, if not more.. but I'm stoked. I love it here. Yesterday in church, I got up to speak for a sec about family history, and I just LOVE the way the branch all looks at me, just grinning, cuz they know I'm a goofball. I just love our branch, they are all so friendly and fun, and I feel so blessed to be here! You all should be super duper jealous! Anyways, thats all for this week! Until the next one, keep being awesome, love and miss you all! 

Elder Richman

BOOM!

It's funny how one moment everything can be going so well, and then, BOOM! Everything changes, and not always for the best, eh? Well, that's what went down this week, so I'm gonna let you know all about it. 

So, this week (Monday-Saturday) was pretty awesome! We have been teaching Ximena, and we got her all prepped for her baptism this Saturday! Oh well, the beginning of the week was not awesome. We went on Tuesday for our appointment, and she had disappeared. We were like, wait what? She left Sunday in the night, and wasn't back Tuesday in the afternoon. I was thinking the worst.. but she showed up. It was a long story, she basically got lost, and stayed with her friend, and then was scared to come home.. but she's good, and now she's getting ready to be baptized. Her family is starting to listen to the lessons too, and they need a lot of help, but I hope we can help em with what we can! Hoping everything goes well with that.. Yan is coming back from his work tomorrow too, so we gotta see if he is gonna follow through with his date for this Saturday. Pray for him please!  

Also, Karina and her family came to church again. Kaching! We've been working hard with this family. We actually just came from her house making lunch... but my memory doesn't want to share the pictures with you guys for some reason, so another day... we grilled fish in banana leaves, made balls of friend bananas, yuka, sausage... it was yummy. Karina was making fun of us cuz we don't know how to cook, and so she was having Garcia and I take turns taking care of her baby haha. 

So. As far as the crazy changes. First off, yesterday in church, our branch president finally snapped. He is awesome, and he impresses me with the service he offers to the Lord, but the problem is, he doesn't know how to prioritize his life... so, he basically just drowned himself in all the problems, and exploded yesterday. He was chewing out tons of the leaders, 2 of which literally left during the middle of church, and 1 of them MOVED out of the branch yesterday cuz he was so offended, and then was also yelling at the members and offending them... Also, Elder Rivera gave him a bit of "tude" and now he like, hates the missionaries... so. Yeah. I'm just frustrated cuz I saw him blow up like, a bunch of my work that I've been doing here in the past few months cuz he can't control himself. I dunno. We're gonna talk to him this week. We'll get it all worked out haha. 

Also bad news... a family that we've been working super hard to reactivate, and recently is super active, with their callings and everything... their son died today. So, I am really hoping we can rally together as a branch and help this family out. I am putting a ton of trust in the Lord right now haha... Garcia and I are thinking about doing a fast. Satan knew that La Joya was progressing, so he decided to throw a bunch of tests our way to try and stop the work, but as we know, he can't do that. I know that this work is the Lord's work. I don't have a doubt of that in my mind. Even though the problems, and the tests, and the imperfections come, I know that this is HIS church. I'm working in HIS army, and I gotta fight against the enemy, right? So, I'm strapping on the helmet, picking up my sword, and I'm gonna be heading in the battle hard this week errybody. Ya'll better be ready for it. But, really. Hoping and praying that this week goes well, if so, we have a few less actives ready to be reactivated, AND 2 baptisms lined up for this week. Pray for Karina Zeballos, Yan Halamuca, y Ximena Fernandez PLEASE! Thanks everyone. All is well! Love and miss you all. Til next week! 

Elder Richman

Look, a miracle! My USB showed up. So, first, me eating in the room. My comp always steals my camara and takes random pictures of me.. haha. Then we have Garcia with Karina's baby, and then we have pictures from our lunch today. Yummy, right? Anyways, have a good one. 

The Jewel

So... I realized this week that I really really love la Joya. It has it's faults, and its problems, but I love it here. I'm gonna be really sad to leave honestly. But, looks like that won't be happening for a while still, so that's okay.

So this week was cool! My comp and I were able to meet a new investigator who is really cool. The situation is pretty funny too. She was a reference of a less active member who lives in our branch, but has been going to another branch because it's easier. So, the other Elders gave us the reference, and we called to go and visit them. So, Lino Simeon, is the member, and the investigator is named Ximena (I know, right?) But, Lino is kinda older, and Ximena has 14 years old. Anyways, Lino starts telling us that he has been inactive ALL his life, but a few months ago, he was sick, and his buddy gave him some sort of crazy jungle plant, that made him trip out hardcore. He told us he saw colored snakes, and all sorts of stuff. But then he was like, "Hermanos... I saw MARVALOUS things..." My comp and I were like, Uhhhh... anyways. He told us about his drug trip, and he basically had a vision in which he was chastized SUPER hard, and after, he came back to church. So now, he's coming back with a ton of force which is cool. But Ximena is way good, she has already assisted like, 3 times in the other branch, and she came this week. She is already in 2 Nephi 2, and keeps reading and praying and understands real fast. We've put a date with her for the 22nd, so pray for her please!

Guillermo is doing well, still coming to church. He has all the lessons now, we're just waiting on his freaking wife... Yan is still out of town, so we're still hoping that baptism will go down... um..

Oh, fun story. We were walking to our pensh's house this week, and we saw something on the ground crawling. So we bend over, and we thought it was a foot long centipede! But, nope. It didn't have legs. So I was like, "Holy cow, it's a giant worm!" and my comp was like, "Richman, that is a snake dude." I was like, "Nah! Look at it, there's no eyes! It's a worm. Lets pick it up and carry it to show Hno Luis (my penshs husband)" So... we pick up a bag and a stick, lure the "worm" in the bag, and carry it to their house. I walk in, and show Hno Luis, and he's like, "That's the blind viper. It spits, and you go blind. You should probably kill that." So, we killed it. My comp and I were freaking out. I've learned to not touch things in the jungle, because very few animals here are "good." 

What else... oh! This Sunday was WAY good. La familia Bendezu Zeballos came to church! Well, all of them but Jose. But, that's like... AWESOME. Karina, the mom, hasn't come in forever. Everyone welcomed them very warmly. We also taught a Mini-MTC, which went well, and like, 2 of our less actives that we have reactivated recieved callings. It makes my feel goods feel good seeing them here. But yeah. I basically love it here. The branch is progressing a ton, and it makes me really sad that I won't be here to see their accomplishments in the future. Families I've come to love go to the temple, the chapel getting built here, Puerto Maldonado becoming a stake... lots of stuff. But I'm really happy I can be here right now in this time. I dunno. That's about it. Just been a good week all in all. 

Oh. The photos. So some of them are kinda old. The wedding is Patricia and Cesar, a family the other Elders in La Joya have been teaching for forever. They're awesome. The other is when we played "Carnavales" for our mutual activity (the second mutual ever of La Joya!), AND... the third photo is from Saturday. The youth walked from the chapel to a big like.. pool area thing? We had to go to help and support, and they lied to us saying we were playing soccer. Anyways. The Elders were thrown in the pool for a brief moment. It was a very bitter sweet moment, cuz I was about ready to punch some little deacons and teachers, BUT... it was nice to be in the water, if even for a second. Can't wait to get home and do some wakeboarding. I'll start being better with pictures, I've been bad, I know. Oh, another fun thing. Everyone here is starting to ask me how I lose weight. I just tell them, "Go walk out in the sun everyday, sweat like an animal, and you're set." No one believes me, but I'm glad I'm thinning out a bit. Anyways. I need to be better about taking note of what happens during my weeks... I've been bad, so my letters are short and boring. Everything here just seems so normal for me now haha. Anyways, love and miss you all. All is well here. Keep being awesome. Hasta luego. 

Elder Richman

Helado de Aguaje!

So, for any of your Dr Who fans... fun fact.... here in Puerto Maldonado, theres a ton of motokars (a car built around a motorcycle.. pretty ghetto) that go around selling aguaje, that fruit that makes you turn into a girl. But, they have a microphone, and they go around yelling, "Helado de aguaje, aguajina, aguaje maduraaaaaa!" But, it's pretty sweet, cuz the voice always sounds like the Daleks from Dr Who. Fun stuff. My companion and I have also become addicts to helado de agauje... so. Hoping I don't turn into a girl during my time here in Peru. It's just so cheap, and its always SOOOO hot here! 

Well, this week was good. One thing I realized this week... I want to go to the temple SO bad right now. I dunno why. I just really really wanna go. But, this week we spent a ton of time with the leaders of our branch. We were putting together the plan misional for the branch, and we got it almost all done. It's basically my baby, and I'm super excited to get it all done haha. We also had a variety of activities this week. This Tuesday we had La Joya's 1st Mutual, so that was fun. We played a bunch of games with the youth, and I had a good time personally.. haha. I would love a calling with the youth when I get home. We also had a mission night on Friday, and called it "The Fruit Festival". It was kind of a flop honestly, but we did have a few people come and it was fun playing games and having fruit salad. 

We also had interviews with Presdient Harbertson on Thursday which was super sweet. I love talking to our President, I always feel super fired up after haha. We talked about some interesting doctrine and... yeah. It was really good. 

As far as investigators and everything... Ian still has his date lined up for the 19th, BUT, he had to leave and work for a while.. he comes back the 18th... so we just gotta be calling him and strengthening him while he's gone. Pray for him please! Guillermo Yatto is doing well too, still progressing well, came to church yesterday with all his family (except his girlfriend/wife... situation is improving there, but still not perfect). The family of Karina y Jose has been good this week! All of their kids came to the activities this week, AND church. Karina couldn't cuz she is kinda sick (my fault... I was kinda sick, but didn't wanna be lazy, so we still went to visit, and I totally got their family sick... oops). But, they're progressing to come back to activity which would be awesome!

Anyways, that's it for this week. Everything is doign well... it's super duper hot again here haha so that's been pretty crazy, but I'm gonna take advantage of it before they send me off to Puno or some other crazy and cold place in the mission. All is well here, love and miss you all. Until next week.

Elder Richman