Heading to La Huaca de la Sol
La Huaca de la Sol
Exploring La Huaca de la Sol
So last Monday I was super trunky.. haha I just had a moment where I just wanted to talk to my Mom and I was sad that I didn't get to.. I was just a little saddened all day. Not like depressed or anything, I just missed and loved my Momma haha. I couldn't even workout that night because I was just thinking about my Mom. So Mom, I love you! But I'm better now! I still want to talk to you.. duh, but I'm better.
My birthday was amazing! Honestly is was one of my favorites ever. One for the books! It was super awesome and I loved it. Thanks to my pencion and her family and Aracely and her family, it was super amazing! Also I loved the birthday quote on the banner so much! That was perfect and I even teared up a little bit. Mom and Dad, thanks so much for the birthday notes. It really meant a lot to me! I love you guys so much and I'm glad you guys love me enough to care. I've seen a lot that some families here are so broken and I'm just so blessed to have you guys! I love you both so much, thank you!
The sign says: "Missionary: Someone who leaves their family for two years so that others can be with theirs for all eternity."
With familia Proaño. Aracely, Lucy, Marilu, Mia and Magnu.
On my birthday, we went to Viru for a training and interviews with our mission president. After the training, President Rios pulled both me and my companion into a room and started talking to us about how we need to "know" our investigators super well, even their birthdays, because how can we be their friends if we don't even know their birthdays? I was just sitting there thinking, "Wow, you don't even know it's MY birthday right now." He hadn't said anything to me all day about my birthday and I was kind of mad and a little sad, thinking he was kind of being a hypocrite. After that, he interviewed us both separately. A little while later, he took us both back into the room again and asked, "Elder Rokovitz, how did you feel when I didn't wish you a Happy Birthday?" And I said, "Oh, don't worry about it." (Lying of course.) And he said, "No, how did you really feel? Tell me." So I told him I was a little sad and mad and he said, "Hay esta! (There it is!) Elder, I knew it was your birthday!" Then he gave me a big hug, tells me Happy Birthday, the whole bit. Then he said, "I hope you never forget this lesson. Love your investigators, know them, really know them - You would never want an investigator to feel the way you just did if it were their birthday and you didn't know and here they were thinking you were their friend." That really hit me! What a stud our president is. After that, he brought in cake.
After the interviews, we were proselyting and I was just so happy to be where I was. I kept thinking, "Man, I only get 2 birthdays in Perú. How cool is that?" That night, Aracely and her family had a surprise for me with cake and a banner, treats and a poster with pictures from home and my friends in Perú. It was the highlight of my day. Flor and her family also had a cake for me. So I got 3 cakes on my birthday!!.....And only 2 eggs on the head!
This week we passed by a church where everyone was yelling and crying and there was a lady banging on a tambourine and then a man with his hands on another man's head who was kneeling down. The one kneeling down had his arms in the air and was shaking like crazy. It was quite hilarious.. some people man.. I just think it's crazy how they do that in a church and think it's something they should do.. it was weird, but man, it was hilarious, that man!
Also this week on Sunday, we had 1 new investigator, and our goal was 10 for the week. So we set our goal for the rest of the day for nine more. That's not super easy, and we got 7 that day (the mission goal weekly is 8.) I was humbled as we went to the last house, and we had gotten 6 so far that day. We only needed 4 more and I was hyped when I saw there were 4 in the house. We talked to one lady and finally after a second she said she would listen. Her name was Amela.. but yeah, she was like, "Okay, one second", went and grabbed 3 chairs and then came to the door and sat down. We tried to get the others to come but they wouldn't. I was thinking.. "Okay Heavenly Father, I get it. I should be greatful." So we got 8 for the week and met the goal for the mission, which was good. We found 7 new investigators just on Sunday! It was an amazing experience and humbling and a great spiritual experience. Our Zone found 108 new investigators as a Zone this week. That's the highest the mission has ever had. Elder Stroud and Elder Daza found.... 45! The new record for the mission. The hermanas, 3 weeks ago, set 35 as the record, then the Zone Leaders set 43 as the record. Elder Stroud wasn't having that, so he set a new record with 45 this week. Each record only lasted a week haha, but yeah, that was awesome!
The mission is great. I'm loving life and my birthday was great! Thanks to all who wished me a Happy Birthday! I love you all!
Elder Rokovitz (Yup, I'm 19)
Me with Elder Stroud and my birthday cake at the Proaño's.
Getting ready to celebrate my birthday with the elders.
The candle is lit......
......and then POW!!! Look what Elder Stroud did!! He pounded my face in the cake. He straight used 2 hands.
Cake face!!
Looking at the awesome photo poster Aracely made for my birthday.
She put so much time and effort into making this for me. I loved it.
Face in the cake at Flor's too. It's a Latino thing.
You can see the egg on my shirt from the 2 eggs that got smashed on my head..... Also a Latino birthday tradition.
It's only been 6 months and my good ol' missionary shoes are already dying. There is a member here who is a shoe maker so hopefully they can help me out.
