Caramel is actually a big problem in Peru.

We had a pretty cool week. Our neighbor who lives behind us proposed to a girl, which is cool, because they made lots of pachamanca, but it´s also not cool because they made maka water as well, and me and my companion almost threw up. Oh, and my companion drank week old, unrefrigerated milk last night to prove to me that he has a strong stomach. Well, I guess it´s true, because he didn't throw up. Or maybe he did in secret. I don´t know.

Pachamanca 

 Also, the junior high did a parade to celebrate their anniversary yesterday, and we were somehow drafted into it. I was with Fiorella, our investigator, and the rest of the six-graders. It was pretty cool. They asked me to sing a traditional song from my country. I sang them the first verse of Loser by Beck. Then their teacher explained that that style of music is the tradition where we live, and that they shouldn't laugh. 

This morning, during breakfast, I tried to explain caramel to everyone. It´s just caramelized sugar, right? But I think the pentionista misunderstood, because she started going on about how caramel is actually a big problem in Peru, and that there are a lot of kids that drop out of school just to make caramel. Or maybe it´s true. Peru is a little odd like that sometimes. 

Much love,

Elder Alexander <3 XD

Curly potatoes!

This is a rooster-fight. Yes, I think it´s legal in Carhuamayo. 

This is a llama I found in Carhuamayo.

And such is the work.

 Its always strange to hear everything going on at home, all the changes. I feel like everything's going to be completely different when I get back. Not sure how I feel about that. 

Everythings going well here. This Sunday, I gave a talk on the Book of Mormon. My companion spoke on the Holy Ghost. We worked really hard, and prepared really good talks. My companion told me the morning of, that he doubts anyone will come, and that Satan will make sure of that, because we had prepared great messages. He was right. Almost nobody came that morning, and not a single investigator. But where Satan does his work, the Lord always does His work, as well. Miraculously, six people we had contacted that week came to sacrement meeting. The talks went really well, too. We testified a ton, and the Spirit was really strong. Now we've got six new investigators who are anxious to learn more, and we're really anxious to teach them! And such is the work. Man, I miss those Brother K camp outs. I'm sure Ligje is having an awesome time. Miss that little bro. 

Love you all so much!

Much love,

Elder Alexander

PS. Dad should be proud that I am following in his footsteps. We ate dinner with a member family, and I introduced them to Mr. Pittypat.

PPS. It was a hit.

We stopped by a members bday party and had a quick cake fight. Better than companionship inventory!

"sometimesthespacebardoesntworkonyourcomputer"

Sometimes there are great weeks,  and  sometimesthespacebardoesntworkonyourcomputeranditstheonlyoneavailable. well,itdoesworkbutitssuperhardtouse. darn. Its alright because I dont have awhole lottoreport. asu. We went to a family nightthisweekandwesaidweweregoingtobringadessert,sowewenttothebakeryandorderedacakeandtheyaskedusifwewanteditpersonalized,sowesaidyeah,soundsgood.theyaskeduswhatwewantedittosay.welookedateachother,andimmediatelyaggreedon"swagger". So,webroughtthecakeandwhentheysawittheyaskedwhatitmeantandwetoldthemitmeans"thebest"inenglish.theywereveryflattered. Sorrytheresnospaces. MaybeitsametaphoreforhowmuchIloveyouall,withoutspaces.Illfindadifferentcomputernexttime. Iloveyou

Muchlove,

ElderAlexander

"Life is for learning, and I sure do a lot of that here."

My companion had to travel to Lima so I stayed all week in Cerro de Pasco with the zone leaders. It was cool because we did zone leader stuff all week and we ate mirkapa four times in four days and then we all got sick. No regrets!

Me and Elder Dixon. Zone leader and good friend.

 There´s this old lady who busks on the sidewalk downtown with what seems to be a can and a metal spoon. And she does the same rhythm all day every day. Click-a-click, click-a-click. And people give her money. So,  took a picture, to remember for forever, you know. But then this man next to me suddenly became very angry at me and I didn´t understand why because he was yelling in Quechua. But then I think he realized because he suddenly changed to Spanish, which I do understand, and told me that it is very wrong to take a picture of an elderly person. But life is for learning, and I sure do a lot of that here. We do have two very important investigators right now. One of them wants to get baptized super bad, but her mom is from a different church and says she will no longer pay for her schooling if she gets baptized. Also, there´s a girl we are teaching. She´s 16, and her family are all members aside from her. She´s pretty closed-minded about anything to do with the church, She listens to us, but just because her dad makes her. That´s about it. I've been downgrading the quality of the pictures so they send faster, but Ill try not to do that anymore. I'm really loving the camera. I've been taking everything in manual mode, which makes me very happy.

Selfie.

I love you all so dearly! 

Much love,

Elder Alexander

That's how everyone wears their hair in my country.

Well, we really had a great week, this week! We painted a bathroom, and harvested potatoes! But when we painted the bathroom we got paint on our faces. I somehow ended up with a bright-green mustache. And we finished late and had to hurry to an appointment, and I had to wear my green mustache to the appointment. Aint it fun living in the real world.

 But we have a new investigator and her name is Hermione, which is super cool because she doesn't even know who Harry Potter is and just has a super cool name. Also, we met someone named Sariah (just like my big sis.) Its starting to get a little bit warmer here, which is nice because I don't have to use a stinking beanie and have beanie hair. Someone asked me this week why my hair is like that, but her son quickly defended me and told her thats how everyone wears their hair in my country.

Yikes! Harvesting potatoes.

 I loved the bday package! It made my heart soooo happy! Thanks for all the sunshine and love and support youre always sending my way. I love you infinitely! And that goes for all of my beautiful family. Thank you so much. :)

Much love,

Elder Alexander (20)

Birthday Package! 20 years old!

Chocolate!