I´ve never loved so many people so much.

This week went well! We had a less active member return, and her son,  is getting baptized this Friday!  Anyways, her husband will get baptized in January because of work. Also, I believe that God has heard our constant prayers for another investigator and her family because she came to church with her daughter on Sunday and was asking the teacher questions in the gospel principles class (in a good way). We have an appointment tonight with them. I expect, as the last time, that it will be a Spiritually powerful lesson. I really feel that God sees them as a very special family. There´s something that a missionary can recognize when they make contact or speak with someone. I´m not sure how to describe it, but I think it´s a manifestation of God´s love for these children. Like something in our hearts that drives us to do everything we can for them, and love them. When Elder Tolbert first got here, I felt that way about a family we contacted. They are a large family and they consist of about 12 potential members. We´ve been teaching them consistently now, and they have been coming every Sunday. Even though our first contact didn´t go so well, and we only talked with an old lady chewing coca who told us to come back some other day, we just felt like we needed to be there. And it´s true, as always. It´s truly a blessing to be able to teach them, as well. I´ve never loved so many people so much as I have in the mission! Keep these people in your prayers. It really does make a visible difference over on this end!
Much love,
Elder Alexander

                                   Just in case you think I´ve ever exaggerated about the size of doors here.

                                                     Got this shirt custom-made.

Just in case you´re confused about the weather here, I would like to share that I am just as, if not more, confused. In the mornings and afternoon it´s crazy-hot so you feel like dying. Then, in the night, around 5-6, it rains/hails and get super-duper cold so you feel like dying. 4 is my favorite hour of the day.

I almost forgot to tell you! I got to interview an old lady for the Hermanas in my districts. The only thing is that she doesn´t know a single word of Spanish. Just Quechua (however you spell that). So, we had a translator for the interview, and it went well. In the end, I asked her who she would like to baptize her. I don´t think she understood all that well, because she answered "Joseph Smith". The only odd thing about that, is that as she said that, she motioned to me. She wanted me, Joseph Smith, to baptize her. So, I accepted, explaining, of course, that Joseph Smith is dead.
So, I baptized her. And got to practice my Quechua, as well!
 

We had an awesome week, this week!

We had an awesome week, this week! About the flooding, it hasn´t really reached Huancayo, apparently, because it hasn´t even been raining all that much. In fact, today was loco hot! The zone went to Witapiana to cool down, but me and my companion didn´t because he´s got a cold and that would probably not be a good thing, it being about the altitude of Cerro de Pasco. Crazy to think that you´re having snow down there. The pention´s family is doing well. One person is getting her interview tomorrow, and after that, she´ll be an active member. Her sister is in the same boat. The other is doing a bit better. They even came to church this Sunday! Even though it was a different church, I´m just glad that they went to A church. My companion gave his first    health blessing, which was super cool to see. This time, he didn´t say like he did the other time, "aflojados" instead of "aflijidos", luckily (which is the difference between Afflicted, and Lazy). So, this Saturday, if not the next, another investigator  will be getting baptized. The kid´s pretty excited, too. I got the package this week, that you sent, and I dig the new tie! Also, the articles about obedience were awesome. We taught a lesson the other day about obedience to recent convert kid. We talked about Christ, as well as Nephi and Joseph. Recently, Joseph has become one of my favorite prophets. He always just trusted in the Lord, did His will, and everything went incredibly well for him. Anyways, all is going great here in the Lord´s viñard. Take good care of yourselves and be of good faith (is it not the same?)

Much love,

Elder Alexander

Is it time for them to send me new ones yet? My foot was just bleeding because the plastic in the back is coming off. I´m using my other pair now! :)

The view from my balcony.

"Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations"

Well, our investigators got baptized! I´m super happy for them. I have no doubt of their faithfulness. She gave a beautiful testimony and how she had been searching and praying to find the true church for most of her life. And when we arrived in her door, she just knew at that moment that it was right. And just to think, if we had been distracted, or not listening to the Spirit in the moment in which it whipsered to us to knock their door, she may not have recieved this anwer to her prayer. I´ve just recently been reading in Isaiah, chapter 58, all of which I adore, and verses 10-12 have been something in my mind, of late. More than anything, I love how it says in 12, "thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations". I think we have more of an affect than we know, many times. Like when Heber C. Kimball was called to England, it was said in his setting-apart blessing that he would "prove a source of salvation to thousands". I just pray the same could be said for me. that´s why I´ve been putting a new focus on following the Spirit, so it may "guide (me) continually", and that I might find these many people who have been praying to hear the words which we have to share. 

No, they don´t really celebrate Halloween here. They call it day of the witches here, and anyone who is even slightly religious is convinced it is a devil-worshiping holiday. So.... no. 

I love you all sooooo much, and I can´t wait to meet baby Paxton on Christmas!

Much love,

Elder Alexander

Life is golden out here.

Greetings, beloved family.

 So, our investigator and her son (those contacts I was talking about), are getting baptized this Sunday, if all works out as it should. We´ve had a great week, this week. We´re teaching some awesome people, as well.
 We´re teaching a large family now. The sister has been less active for about 10 years and is now coming to church; and her son, is set to be baptized on the 15th of this month. Then, her cousin, is not member, but we´ve been teaching her and she´s been coming to church and already has a beautiful testimony. Her husband has many doubts, still, all of his family being catholic, but we have the 22nd as their goal. Also, the brother has been inactive for a long time, and is finally attending again. I´d just like for you to keep them in your prayers. Anyways, life is golden out here. We just got the new Liahona and I absolutely love the article about the Jaradites and difficulties in life. I know that we´re doing good things here, and I have a firm testimony of the change the gospel and it´s ordinances make in the lives of people. 

Much love,

Elder Alexander