We can feel His light and warmth, New Temple in Peru!

Random parade that lasted all day

I wanted to see the broadcast of the dances for the Cultural Celebration for the new temple in Peru soooo much, but we ended up getting there late to Huancayo because we were being driven by grandfather time and the guy refused to go over thirty miles per hour the whole way. Anyway, we did get to see the dedication Sunday morning. It was interesting because David A. Bednar and President Uchdorf spoke in English and then a man would repeat everything they would say in Spanish. Pres. Uchdorf shared an interesting thought about how being part of a temple dedication is the perfect way to celebrate a Father´s day. Edifying a new house and new connection between his work and ours to our Father in Heaven. The dedication took place on a very cloudy day, but something else I liked that he said was that; although there are clouds and we can not see the sun shining, we know that above the clouds it is, and it is the same way with our Heavenly Father. We can not see Him directly, but we can feel His light and warmth, regardless. It was very beautiful to me to be able to share this important moment with Peru. On the other hand, due to meetings and travels I was only able to spend one day in my own area, and we couldn´t even visit anyone because there was a big parade filling all the streets and almost nobody was at home. We literally went down the list of people we could visit, calling everyone, and all but one said they were busy watching the parade all day long. So... we bought some festive bread which wansn´t too bad. Tanta wawa, as they call it. Baby bread, in Quetchua, that is. 

I cannot number the things I would like to bring home that probably wouldn´t survive the trip too well. Do you think a potato would do okay?

Happy Father´s Day, Dad. Thanks for all your support and help you´ve given me throughout my life. You´re really a great dad. But don´t let it get to your head or anything.

Love you all very much!

Much love,

Elder Alexander

Wytipiana or something like that.

Today we went to Wytipiana or something like that. It´s a high mountain. It´s high. We hiked some five miles and ate lunch next to a giant glacier. My companion got a bloody nose, it snowed pretty hard, and one Hermana just threw up the whole time, but it was enjoyable! Anywho, our investigator
couldn´t make it to church on Sunday, so we´re going to have to postpone her date. But, all is well! I hope you´re all doing great back in the heat! I sure am! Doing great, that is....
I love you all very much! Cuidense, mis amigitos gringitos!
Much love,
Elder Alexander

They gave me chocolate cake!

This week we had our first baptisms and rescued family! This couple got baptized on Sat. and got confirmed yesterday. After that, she got up and gave a beautiful testimony of how she gained a knowledge of the truth through the Book of Mormon. Her 15 year old daughter also came to church for the first time and enjoyed it. We´re hoping she and the rest of their children will join them in the future in the wonderful covenant.

My birthday was actually quite fun. We went for a hike up in the mountains, did a little trail-blazing, saw some ancient ruins.

My district´s great. They gave me chocolate cake!

 Then we went for pizza in the night which is apparently the best pizza place in the mission, it was alright, and the other missionaries bought me a cake (which they shoved my face into when I blew out the candles, waited for me to get cleaned up, and then all smudged more cake on my face). Then, as we left, they all cracked eggs on my head and threw cake at me. Then we ran into some of our investigators and they probably thought we were drunk. Anyways, we´re doing great in our area. We´re seeing a lot of success.  I hope all is going well and you´re enjoying the Summer heat! Ha!
Much love,
Elder Alexander

A Peruvian Birthday!!!

 I´ve been having a sweet birthday so far. We´re about to go get pizza from a place called Arreganos and they say it´s the best pizzeria in the mission! Then, I´m going to buy a book to learn Quechua, which is actually a rather difficult language. Did you know Quechua evolved from the language the Nephites and Lamanites used to speak? So, that´s kinda neat. I have a Book of Mormon in Quechua in the room and sometimes it´s cool to think that it´s probably rather similar to what was written on the original gold plates.

We had a great week. We had a couple days in which we walked all day and ended with one or less lessons, but we met some great folk and are currently teaching some very special people. First off, we have a baptism planned for this Saturday. This couple have been listening to the missionaries for more than a year now and the reason they´ve waited so long was that he still had some doubts about the Book of Mormon. Last week, we watched some BoM videos with them and committed him to read a chapter. He read it, and yesterday told us that he prayed about it and feels like he received an answer that it´s true, which is awesome news! Also, we´re teaching a YSA named who has been coming to church, has already had various spiritual experiences regarding the Book of Mormon and is hyped to get baptized on the 20th. Those are the people we´re focusing on right now.

Something special: On Sunday, we arrived and sat down near the back and the counselor did the announcements, then there was sacrament, then the counselor went up to the pulpit again and said "we will now here from Elder Alexander who will speak on the subject of tithing". So, I went up there and gave what I felt was a very basic talk about tithing and it´s blessings. Afterwards, a very elderly lady came up to me and shook my hand with her both hands, telling me "thank you for your words", crying and then kissing my hand. Sometimes we don´t realize how God amplifies even our simplest endeavors when we search for his inspiration.

Also, we did service this week and helped an investigator build their house. We just lugged buckets of cement up and down a hill and now my back don´t feel so guud.

Also, the night before I was throwing up and then at the service project they gave me a big bowl of Alpaca-face soup which I consider a miracle that it didn´t come back up. I was gagging the whole time I slurped it down.

Alpaca-face soup. A Huancavelican delicacy. I´ll be sure to bring some home for you! :)

But I´ve been having and interesting birthday so far. The other missionaries turned off my alarm and woke me up by dog-piling me and screaming "happy birthday!" And my companion gave me a birthday surprise: he hid everything I planned on using that morning. Ex: Shower sandals, hairspray, lotion, sunscreen, etc. Then I had to go on a treasure hunt for all my things which was apparently hillarious. I won´t even mention the fire-crackers. (I´ll tell you about that in a couple months). 

Anyways. Thanks for all your wonderful birthday wishes! I love you all very much. Today, as we were leaving the appartment I said the prayer and gave thanks for the wonderful blessing that I am to the district here and as soon as I said amen they all tackled me to the floor. This should be an interesting birthday with these guys. (they told me they are going to soak me in egg).
Much love,
Elder Alexander