Agua Fria

Hey everyone!

So, to start off is the big news! 

We had a baptism this week! Her name is Ximena Quispe. She was baptized March 22. 

The thing is, after we found her, she started attending sacrament meetings, seminary, mutual, etc. It was so easy to have her baptism because we had so much help from the members. (Oh, and the photo was taken from my companion's camera.)

So, everything down here is going super great! We had a really good week this week. I don't have time to do a complete run through, but I'll give you some cool things that happened this week.

On Tuesday, we went to the house of some members to do a Family Home Evening with them. They have a lot of problems right now in their family that I'm not going to share, but the lesson was really good, and we played a game that was really fun. It's the one where you have a beanie, a scarf, and socks that you have to put on your hands, and you have to open a chocolate bar with the handles of two forks. It was amazing.

On Wednesday, we had pizza. But Elder, what's so significant about pizza?  Oh, this wasn't just any pizza.  It was Papa Johns. I haven't had Papa Johns in 8 months. It was like Christmas and My Birthday had a delicious baby named pizza. And the best part? It was exactly the same. It tasted the same, it had the same garlic butter and peppers, it was the best thing ever.

On Thursday, we did a service project, we painted a house. It was fun. I got paint on my clothes. 

So, later in the week, we went over to a different member to have lunch. The thing is, we got to make it. We made steak, and really good rice, (I think I'm actually starting to like rice) and salad, and it was awesome.

And the crowning event this week was our baptism. This marks baptism number 7 for me. That's pretty alright. 

Well, that's about all the time I have to write today, but at least you got the gist of my week. Thanks everyone for your support. I'll try and have more adventures this week so I won't be as boring. Ciao! 

-Elder Dañel Jacobo Esmitho

CUY!!!

Hello errybody! 

Okay, with the camera situation, It's going to be easiest to just send the money, and I can buy a camera down here. Everything down here is super cheap, so it'll be easiest for me.

So, I don't have much time, so I'm going to give a good run-down of the week.

On Monday, it was a pretty normal p-day. However, we went over to one of the houses of a member of the stake and we made REAL AMERICAN HAMBURGERS. They don't exist down here, I almost cried. It was amazing!

Something that I've been doing recently is that I've been helping a few members of our ward with English. As I've said before, it seems like everyone down here wants to learn English. Not only that, but my companion suddenly has a fierce desire to learn English too, so I've been helping him too. So, on Tuesday we went to some of the members to help them with that. Other than that, not much happened.

On Wednesday, we went and visited with Hermana Emma again, and she is one of the craziest old ladies I have ever met. 

On Thursday, we had a multi-zone conference in La Molina with our mission president. It was really interesting, and I always learn a lot from these types of conferences.

 

 

On Friday, nothing happened. Saturday, tampoco.

However, on Sunday, I tried eating something that I'm never going to forget. CUY!! (That's Spanish for Guinea Pig) It was interesting, because I've never eaten anything that looks like a rat before.

 

 

However, it was actually really tasty, it was like a mixture between chicken and pork. I'm definitely going to try it again. And next time, I'll send pictures. (When I actually have a camera again.)

Well, sad to say that's all the time I have today to write. Thanks to everyone for all your support! I love you all!

-Elder Dañel Jacobo Esmitho

Demasiado Pasó Este Semana Que No Tengo un Titulo Suficiente

Hello, once again! This is email!
 

Well, as the title says, a lot happened this week. A lot. Before anything, I need to say, Mom, I'm either going to need a little bit of money, or a new camera. Why? Because my camera may or may not have been stolen. (That means my camera was stolen.)

But Elder Smith, what happened?

I'll tell you what happened! So, it was P-day, and all the missionaries were at the stake center. We had changed our clothes, and had played a little volleyball, but the majority of the missionaries at this point were inside watching Toy Story 3. The thing is, we had left our bags in the chapel. So, my companion and the district leader's companion were outside playing 1 on 1 soccer, and they saw a guy walk into the building thinking, okay, he's probably just some member. 

Turns out, he went upstairs and searched through all the bags looking for money, USB's, cameras, cell phones, things like that. Turns out, he got away with one cell phone, four cameras, a few camera cables, a bunch of USB's, and about 65 soles.(That's about 25 dollars.) The moral of the story is, don't leave ANYTHING unattended. The sad thing is, I had forgotten to download my photos to my USB, so now I don't have any pictures of the last 7 months.

Oh well, I'm not mad. I'm just a little surprised that someone would steal from missionaries INSIDE a church. I hope he's happy.  So, yeah, that's why I need a new camera.

HOWEVER!! That's not the end of my week, that's just the beginning!

A few hours after we had gotten robbed, we were riding back to our apartment in one of the micro-buses that they have down here. I was feeling pretty down, more than anything because I'd lost all those photos.

At this moment, I felt like I needed to pray. Instead of asking why this happened to me, instead of complaining, or murmuring, I said a prayer of thanks for all of the blessings I had been given. After that I opened my eyes and saw a passage of scripture on the wall of the bus (because everyone down here is Catholic and they like to show it) It was a scripture in Isaiah 40:31, that says that the lord gives new strength. When I saw this, I felt so much better. Again, I bowed my head to thank the Lord for helping me.

So, yeah, that was my Monday.

Tuesday, I had a special experience, when my companion and I went to the house of one of the members of our ward. She had asked that we stop by to give a blessing over her house, so that's what we did. It was incredible, my back was toward the door, and when my companion had said the words 'that your home may be a dwelling place for the Holy Ghost, I felt something pass through me, from my back and out my front. It was a really warm feeling, and I had never felt anything like it. So, yeah, that was an experience.

On Wednesday, we went to the house of a few of our investigators to give a lesson. At the end, both of them asked for a blessing of health, and I got to do both of them. It's weird, I'm not the most eloquent speaker in the world, but I felt the words for the blessings just coming to me. That was really cool.

On Thursday was our Zone conference, and I always learn a mountain of things at every zone conference. And... (Fanfare playing) I got the package! Finally!!! It only took forever... And I have to say, the custom "Doctor Who" Cards are AWESOME!!! Thank you so much Lara and Dave! I love you guys!!

So Thursday and Friday were pretty normal. However, on Saturday, our ward had a little talent show. I say little, but it was actually pretty dang huge. It had a light system, sound system, and fog machine. I forgot how rich the people are in my area. So, from that, we got a whole ton of new investigators. 

On Sunday, I got to give another blessing, so that was cool too.

Well, this week started out pretty crappy, but now I can honestly say that this was one of the best weeks I've had in my mission. My testimony of lots of things were really strengthened this week. I don't have more time to write, so that's all until next week! Oh, and don't expect pictures for a little while. ;)

I love you all! 

-Elder Dañel Jacobo Esmitho

Cambios and Hospitales!

Hello Friends and Family!

First off, don't panic (about the title), nothing's wrong, I'm fine. Okay, now that you've all stopped panicking, I can continue. 

Well, this week we had TRANSFERS!! Although I'm still not training. :P I have a new companion now, his name is Elder Osorio (Bear-river). He is Chileno. Another Chileno. My third Chileno.(There seems to be a trend here :-)) He is 22 years old, he's just about to complete one year in the field, so that's exciting. He likes video games and annoying my pensionista's son. Oh, and we're co-senior Companions. 

So, to explain a little more of the title, We had to go to the hospital this week. Why? Because it was a follow-up appointment because my companion had appendicitis about a month ago, and the doctors needed to see how everything's healing up. It was however the first time I've gone to the hospital here in Perú, so that was pretty exciting.

I've noticed something interesting here in Perú. Everyone is trying to learn English. I mean, maybe it sounds a little prideful, but English is the best. There are institutes here that are devoted only to learning English. One of which (the most popular that I've seen) is called Británico. Yeah, It's English, but it's British English. I guess that British English is a little easier for the Castillanos to learn. I really don't see much a difference, but bueno.

It has been hot recently. Miserably hot. Even when it's overcast, it's super flipping hot. I take a cold shower, and the minute I step out, I start sweating again. I really miss the cold. I guess I'll just have to wait until June or July, when It starts getting cold again. I have no idea how the people down here can live without air conditioning.

I'm sorry but I don't have time to write any more. P-days always fly by super quickly. So, I have to leave it at that. Scripture for today,  I Cor 10:13.  "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Oh, and no, I haven't gotten the package yet. I'll let you know when it gets here.


I love you all more that a fat kid loves cake, Elder Smith

Le Amo Ver El Templo, Iré Allí Algún Día

Hello Friends and Family! 

It's our favorite time of the week again!

Mail time, Mail time, mail time, MAIL TIME!!!!

Here's the mail! It never fails! It make me wanna wag my tail, when it comes I wanna wail,  MAAAAAAIIIILLLL!!!

Sadly I don't have a lot of time to write today. However, here are the important things.

So, first off, I had a really special experience this week. On Tuesday, we went to the temple, and it was awesome! I always feel so good after going to the temple. Photos enclosed. The first one is of me and my companion.

The second, my companion doesn't like people to touch his back, so obviously I'm going to touch his back. 

The third one is a turret.

I also rode on a train on Tuesday. It was everything I wanted it to be, and more! Actually, it was super crowded just like every other vehicle of transportation in Peru. 

On Saturday, we celebrated the birthday of the daughter of our pensionista. It was fun, the thirty minutes that we could be there. It's interesting here, because the tradition for birthdays is that the first time singing happy birthday is in English, and the second time in Spanish. 

Oh! And when I come home, I'll make some key lime pie. Key lime pie for everyone! 

I still don't have any information about transfers, who my new companion is, nor anything like that. However, I will find out later tonight, and let you know next week.

Thanks for everything, everyone, but now I'm going to go eat some delicious pizza. Mmm... Pizza. Love you all!!!

-Elder Dañel Jacobo Esmitho

Marcuya Helados, Marcuya Todo!

Hola, familia y amigos míos.

So, before anything else, I found out what almost killed my companion. Maracuyá. It turns out, maracuyá (passion fruit) drops blood pressure, and for him, that can be super dangerous. Más, we had eatten a kind of popsicle that was super concentrated with the maracuyá, so that's what happened. Luckily I didn't have to do CPR, his pulse didn't stop, however it was still pretty frightning.

Transfers aren't this week, but they are next week. Elder Ortega is going to leave, and I'm going to get a new companion. I don't know if I'm going to start training this next transfer, but I expect so, but anything can happen.

Well, this week was better work-wise, we were able to go out and work every day, My companion hasn't been having any problems, but now he's staying away from everything maracuyá.

I'm not going to bore you with the dull day to day things, but there are some thing that were pretty great this week.

On Monday, it was companionship P-day. So what did we do? We made key lime pie. And yes, it was freaking delicious.

So there's an Hermana that lives in our Ward named Emma. She's in her 70s, more or less. I don't know if I've told you about her before, but it's really funny, because she's the type of person that when we go to her house, we don't give the lesson to her, she gives the lesson to us. We went to her house because she'd invited us to have some mazamorra morada y arroz con leche, and we'd brought a scripture about prayer to share with her. I had no idea that a scripture about prayer had so much information about the type of person I'm supposed to marry. Thanks, Hermana Emma!

Sad to say, I don't really have many more experiences to share for this week, and even if I did, I don't have more time. However, I do want to say that the people down here are so awesome, and I've learned no much from the spirit. I love you all, in the most manly sense of the word.

-Elder Dañel Jacobo Esmitho