FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!

Murry Christmas ladies and gents! Don't have too much time to write but I´ll let you all know what happened this week. It's been a GREAT week. I honestly have loved every second of it. I´ve just been spiritually and mentally hyped. The only thing is, I'm pretty physically drained, but it's alright.

It's burning hot here. Yeah.. it's Christmas and like 90 degrees. It's all good though. 

So real quick, we taught familia Roncal this week and had an AMAZING lesson! We talked about the day of rest but set it up SOO fresh. Also, they were super prepared. It ended up being GREAT and they commited not to sell on Sundays, CHEEHOO! They couldn't come to church this week though.. they left for Christmas haha. 

Wednesday was awesome. We had the Christmas multizone activity and it was super fun. We asked a member to make matching ties and hair bands for our Zone. The elders LOVED their ties and the hermanas... let's just say Hermana Higginson was the only one to say thank you.. haha it's whatever though. The multizone activity was LIT! We had skits and stuff, then the videos from everyone's families (I bawled.. thanks fam), then we ate pizza all together which was really fun actually. OH! And had apple pie. It turned out super great.

                                                                           

Afterwards, the sisters, my companion and I went to a place to go buy stuff for Christmas dinner tonight. We got there to buy the stuff, started filling the cart and realized they didn't have what we needed plus it was super expensive.. so we took everything out of the cart and went to Plaza Vea hahaha, we found everything there though.

On Friday we had the ward talent show. We did some pretty funny skits. That was also lit.

The next day we helped out Hermana Marta set up a "chocolatada" where she gave out panetón, hot chocolate and gifts to all the poor kids. They had brought them over on a bus from a really poor pueblo.

Later that night, I went and gave all the kids their gifts that you sent, which just filled up my heart. I loved that. It was probably the best part of the week. The barbie.. yes.. the paquetero, Elder Coca, when it came said, "Elder, aqui esta tu Barbie" (Elder, here is your Barbie) hahaha I already knew what he was talking about. (One of the gifts we sent for the children was a Barbie. I told Cory I was sorry but, the Barbie was very visable from the outside of the large ziplock that was sent with a courier with his Christmas gifts inside. I told him that everyone was going to wonder why his family sent a Barbie for Christmas!)

Also that afternoon we had tacos with familia Goicochea and they gave me my first panetón of the year (about dang time!) So yeah, my animos (feelings/cheers) have been on a high! Easily the best Christmas on the mission and one of the best in my life, to be honest.. despite the lack of snow and the 90-100 degree weather.

                                                                               

I called the familia Proaño ayer (yesterday) and it was great!!! They are doing awesome and I was so happy to hear from them and know that they have AN ENTIRE YEAR baptized. They aren't even converts now.. they're known as MEMBERS!!! WHOOOOOOOO!! (This family was baptized on Christmas Eve one year ago. They were Cory's first baptism in the mission field.)

Not much time left but just want to say, count your blessings, always remember the true reason of Christmas and what Christ means for you. I know my Savior loves each and every one of us and, thanks to Him, we can live with our loved ones again. He lives. He loves us. I hope you all have a great Christmas and a happy New Year! May God bless each and every one of you! FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!

Con el espíritu navideño (With the Christmas spirit), Elder Rokovitz



                                                                               

Multizone Christmas activity.

Elder Greer, Elder Torres and me at the multizone Christmas activity.

Saying "Hi" with my boy, Santa.

With President and Hermana Rios.

Our District with our ties and hair bands.

The boys - Elder Greer, Elder Stroud and me.

Mission t-shirts sent by our mission moms. Shout out to all the mission moms that sent them.

Elder Benevenuto - he's a size medium and wanted a 2XL hahaha.

Chillin' in my little chair.

The Primary children came and sang Christmas carols to us.

Fiesta with Pooh and a clown.

Santa!!! (Hermano Calin)

Pictures of the children I was able to give gifts to. (I saw on the Perú moms facebook page that one mom sent toys for her son to give the children for Christmas. I loved the idea so that's what we did. I told Cory to find children who he felt would need the Christmas gifts. There were about 14 little packages to give away. The little girl in this picture has one of the baby dolls and the little boy has some playdoh and cutters.)

(The gift bags included things like candy, toy cars, dolls, playdoh, puzzles and cutters and molds for the playdoh.)

This last one is my favorite. Her name is Amalys. Her and her mom came from Venezuela and had to sell EVERYTHING to get out of the terrible situation they were in, in Venezuela. She is easily my best little friend in the world and the cutest little girl EVER! She LOVED the Barbie doll.

This is Irvin and his siblings. I gave gifts to them too.

Elder Torres and me with Irvin's little sister and brother.

Decorating Familia Roble's house. The best house on the block.

Wrapping the light ropes in the trees.

Elder Torres taking a decorating picture.

The finished product!

Elder Torres takes a picture of the house with me in the background.

Us with Dieguito.

Us with familia Goicochea and I think, their uncle. She's the one who made the ties.

Familia Roncal

The feast with Famila Roncal 

Eating Maracuya, tranquilo (Passion fruit).

Playing with lights and my camera features.

Christmas Eve fireworks. 

Just me!!

FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS PAPI!!!!

Alright, so, pretty.. interesting week. P-day was a HUGE success. In the white elephant gift trade I got a nativity scene with everyone from the zone´s faces as the characters haha. Super awesome day.

                                                                                

I'm Joseph in the purple robe.

The temple activity that I told you about last week was a HUGE success and help for MANY investigators. One area had a baptism after the activity of a husband and wife who went. The wife was iffy about baptism but after the temple activity she was SUPER excited to get baptized as well as bring her two 25 year olds to the temple as well! Super effective activity.. we want to share the story with the Liahona.. we´ll see what happens. 

Also, completed something on my bucket list.. saved a little girl's cat that was stuck in a tree.. just call me super man. 

Been practicing with the Zone for the Christmas multi Zone conference this Wednesday. We'll see what happens. 

Oh! Changes happened.. We're not going anywhere. I'll be sending my companion home the next change in January.. pretty crazy because that could mean I will finish my mission in my next area. 

I went OFF in my studies this week studying in Moses 6:60, escudriñando (scrutinizing) about what “santificado” (sanctified) means. Super great study! Being sanctified simply means applying the doctrine of Christ and his atonement in our life as well as “intregando” (integrating) our hearts to him. What better time to start than on a mission? Sorry about my English.. haven’t had an American companion for almost a year and he was only half American and spoke to me in Spanish most the time. 

Anyway, this week was pretty hard honestly. We had a really good lesson with Rosi, listening and she finally commited to come to church! Sunday morning at 7 am she calls and says her daughter was sick all night and she was tired and had more things to do and couldn’t come (our church is at 8 am.) We were super sad. We did everything to get everyone to church, literally EVERYTHING. We passed by on Saturday, then later called to remind them, did divisions to pass by and bring them to church.. etc. We had 13 committed.. only Irvin came :/ But! We did all we could. We are going to esforzarnos (strive) to do better this week and mainly focus on that. 

Eileen, we couldn’t get to her this week, she was very busy, we have a cita (appointment) … tomorrow? Yes. Tomorrow. She couldn’t come to church either.. she went to Lima with the fam :/

Thursday to Sunday I was just.. not right. I just didn’t feel good, not animated, honestly just low.. no idea why. Thursday night I had a bad headache and from there things just went down hill. Thursday and Friday we walked all day! All the citas (appointments) failed and NOBODY was home or would let us in.. that didn’t help.. But after a good- hard crying session, I feel much better now. Drank some mate, calmed down. And now I'm high off the spirit again! SO yeah, pretty much it.

Oh yeah. Haha. Rosi's daughter, Chanel, asked me the other day, “Are you from Spain or Brazil? You have a different accent..” hahaha good to know my Spanish is good enough to get confused for a Latino! Made me pretty happy. Pretty good day though. 

The trunkis (missionaries that are going home tomorrow) are finishing. Only hard thing about being here in Trujillo, they stay here in our apartment the night before they go home.. haha, so I'm pretty accustomed to trunkis. 

Shout out to my dad for completing (cough cough) years… I mean.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Haha I love you Dad! Honestly, really missing you and I love you a ton. I hope you have a great day. Don’t worry, I´ll be there next year to eat all your ice cream cake. Dad, I'm truly grateful for everything you do and have done for me. I couldn't ask for a better example. I've really learned here what it truly takes to be a great leader and who better for an example than you? Thanks for always protecting me, guiding me, and teaching me. I´ve learned what true hard work and dedication is, what true love for our Savior is and how to be a better example to others, even when it's not easy to stand alone, thanks to you. I love you Dad. I miss playing PS4, being outside working on the yard, digging the drive ways, working on the lot (when there was one to be worked on haha), working on cars, the boat, going home teaching, on trips, beating you up when we wrestle, beating you in every board game or video game, going to general conference together, going to Cabelas or Bass Pro shop, throwing you into the water when we go boating, double skiing with you, grilling out back, and more than anything, just being with you. I love you Dad and couldn't ask for anyone better. I know you wouldn’t want me anywhere else than here and that’s why I love you so much. Have a great day Thursday! I miss and love you a ton, see you soon Dadio! 

Anyway, that’s all. I am HYPED OUT OF MY MIND to talk with you next week. I've been trying to keep that low key, but now that we are a week away.. CHEEEHOOOO! Super hyped. I'll talk to you all soon! I love Christmas as a missionary. A TON of people are more receptive because we just say we are going to talk about Christ and “the Virgin Mary” about Christmas then share Alma 7:10-12. Honestly love this time of year, especially on the mission.

Love, Elder Rokovitz

                                                                            

My companion and I at our Zone activity last Monday with our llama-reindeer Christmas shirts.

For the white elephant gift exchange my companion got chocolate cigars wrapped in Word of Wisdom pamphlets hahahaha.

Our Zone at our p-day gift exchange activity with our gifts. Elder Harris got a poo pillow.

Our Zone.

Pamermo's next top models - Elder Valesquez, me and Elder Benevendo.

Chillin' with my matecito.

This guy kind of looks like a Latino Jeffrey Holland so I thought I'd have my picture taken with him.

A few pictures from our Zone Leader's meeting.

Me and Elder Torres.

Elder Olsen, Elder Daza and me.

Lunch time.

Group leadership picture.

The beautiful Peruvian sunset taken from our window.

Playing with my camera on the roof.