- Tell us about your new companion, Elder Cruz. Do you like him? How are you getting along?
Okay so Elder Cruz is a really cool guy, I love him as a companion and he's really great. He's a little nutsy and crazy sometimes, but he's a good kid!
- Tell us about your apartment. Is it nicer, not as nice or about the same as in Chao?
The apartment we have is a lot nicer than the last one, it's a lot bigger too! But we have a roof that isn't cement and so sometimes it gets hot if we are there in the afternoon or after lunch.
- Tell us about the ward. It must be so different from being in a small branch where everyone probably knows everything about each other.
The ward..wow it's so different than a little branch. Even consejo (ward counsel) and everything. It's a crazy change but wow, having a ward helps so much with the work. A branch doesn't do as much! I still love them.. but wow. It's a huge change.
- Tell us about your pencion. Do you like her food? Better, not as good or about the same as Flor's?
The pencion is awesome! Her name is Ana. She has 3 kids, Gaby, Abram, and.. I don't know the other yet, but he doesn't live here. They're all older though. And her husband isn't active, his name is Jorge but he's so cool haha, he is super funny. He served in the navy here and is a machanic and always tells jokes. He's a big dude.. but her food is awesome! Ana actually asks what we like, don't like, and is super nice. I love her!
- Tell us about your new area. I'll bet it's so different to be in Trujillo than Chao. More stores? More people? Do you use more transportation in Trujillo or do you still walk a lot?
Going from a little town to here.. wow huge difference! I feel like everyone here is loaded.. haha. It's a bigger city, lots of transportation, we have a giant mall in our area.. like 5 times as big as Orem haha, but I love it. I'm my Momma's boy, I love the city.
- Will you get to go to the temple more often with it being in your area or are you still only allowed to go a certain amount of time?
The temple visit.. same.. I don't know when or if we will go here.. we will have to see.
- What do you think about being a District Leader? Is Elder Cruz letting you have some of the responsibility?
Being a DL is pretty weird. Not as bad as I thought. We are having a training Tuesday which will help a ton. And Elder Cruz wasn't a DL before.. and he's kind of shy at times so I try to balance the responsability and remember that he is a DL too. But we are working good.
But anyway, let me start off my email! So the last day in Chao.. was an eventful day! We went and played some pick up futbol at a random court, the four of us and 3 other investigators against a bunch of like 14 and 15 year old stars haha. It was so fun because me and Elder Stroud were just going off the whole time in English and getting in their heads hahaha, it was so much fun and we were just getting hyped the whole time.
Later that night we went to Diana's to say goodbye to their family.. they didn't know about my transfer call, and then they all of a sudden asked, "Oh yeah, we heard there are changes soon, do you guys know yet?" And me and my companion just look at each other and go, "Oh crap..", then I told them and they just all go, "NOOOO!!! YOU CAN'T GO!!" And I was like.., "Yes.. it's true...", and it was pretty sad, but they were all like, "No!! We have to have a dinner! Do you guys have time?" It was like 8:20 p.m. and we still had to go to famila Proaño.. and so we were like, "Nooo.. we don't have time", but then Diana goes, "DURLI, GO BUY A CHICKEN, JORGE, SHOWER, PAULO HELP ME WITH THE TABLE!! We will make it quick!" So we had some pollo a la braza there.. haha until about 9-ish, and then we walked out and they were all saying "thanks" and "goodbye" and Diana was just telling me how much they appreciated me then goes.. "Oh, I just need a hug!", and goes in to hug me and I was like, "No, no, no, no, no.." but she swooped in, and me and my companion were just looking at each other, laughing like, oh crap haha. Then Durli goes, "EVERYONE!" Hahaha so yeah.. my first group hug with girls involved on my mission.. haha. But the last day was good. Diana and Jorge still need to get married, so they aren't being baptized yet. But I will try to communicate with Elder Stroud and let you guys know/keep you updated. I'm going to miss Chao but it's in good hands, the Lord's hands. I know He's got them now and I'm here, assigned to my new area.
My last visit with Diana, Jorge, Durli and Paulo
When I got here to Moche, the first day was pretty good, but after a few days.. I realize they have been doing nothing here! The elder who I'm replacing had his last 2 months here and then died..(went home because his mission was over) so yeah, he didn't end on a strong note. My companion doesn't know the area, the people, we have about 5 investigators that he knows of.. it's not good. They barely left to proselyte ever and found 5 new people here to teach in one month.. we doubled that in 5 days here this week.. so yeah. I feel like I'm opening a new area here to be honest. It's really hard.. But, that's what I'm supposed to do. It's really going to help me grow, that's for sure! But it's a good area, we are literally on the beach, like part of our area that we teach, people have their beach houses and beach tiendas (stores), which makes me want to live in California or something haha. I love the beach! And just seeing the giant waves here and everything is great, the air is fresh, it's cooler, wind exists here! It's nice. A lot less dirt too.
Also it rained pretty hard this week! Like, really, really hard. The streets were flooding. They haven't seen rain like this in years they said. It was a huge eye opener though because some people here don't have roofs. They don't have cement houses, they're adobe, which is basically hard dirt, and so there was a lot of service on Thursday! We helped this one lady sweep all the water out of her house, it was pretty crazy. We are just so blessed.. I mean, even to just have a roof that doesn't leak and to not have to worry if it rains or how hard it rains.. it was pretty nuts to realize that.
I had a pretty crazy eye opener earlier in the week.. So I didn't notice our shower head is lower here than in my apartment in Chao and also the electricity is stronger.. if you hit your head on the shower head here.. well.. it hurts!! I got shocked half to death mid shower. The water is heated electrically and you'll get shocked if you touch the shower head while taking a shower. I don't think I've ever seen a bright light before getting shocked.. haha I straight up think I had to have lost some brain cells during that experience hahaha.
This week I was able to do my first baptism interview for an investigator who was ready to be baptized. It was pretty cool. It was an investigator from Hermanas Fullmer, Klunker, and Guerrero.. by the way, Hermana Fullmer is Jason Money's girlfriend (ex Spanish Fork Quarterback) Yeah she's from Provo. We realized we know a ton of people and actually heard of each other's names before the mission haha, that was pretty cool. Also Hermana Guerrero is good friends with Madi (the girl I took to Senior prom) haha small world! Anyway, so yeah, I interviewed the mom of the family of 4. It was so cool and such a great experience. I'll be looking forward to more soon. It's so much fun, I loved it! It's so cool to see the light in these people as they are preparing for baptism.
At the baptism, Presidente Rios gave a talk and I loved it! He talked about this blind man in Mark (in the Bible), and how he was brought to Jesus to be healed. But Jesus brought him like 5 blocks down the road, then spit in his eyes, then healed him. Presidente Rios put us, step by step, in the blind man's shoes and how he would have felt. He said that Jesus could have... (holy crap, they're playing music from Remember the Titans! Hahaha trunkaso!!) Haha, anyway, but Jesus could have healed him in an instant but He wanted to test the man's faith first. Presidente Rios said sometimes we feel like we are getting dragged around, and even spit on and that Heavenly Father isn't there, but He does that sometimes to test our faith and see if we can handle those trials. I loved that analogy and it's so true. Sometimes we feel like He just isn't there, but He is always by our side. Sometimes we just don't get our answers right away or we don't get what we want, the way we want, but something I have learned here is that the Lord knows. It's His timing and He will always do what He thinks is best for us and what will help us grow the most. Always rely on Him. Always put your trust in Him and He will never lead you astray! Sometimes He will test our faith though, but most of the time it's for the better. I'm sure I'm about to learn that in this new area as we struggle to find and teach. There are a bunch of rude, hard core people here that belong to other religions, and I have had a lot of doors literally straight slammed in my face here.. haha, it's not too fun. But the Lord is testing me and the harder I work the more He will see my diligence and bless me. I invite all of you as well to always put your faith in the Lord and never give up in the hard times. Get on your knees and ask Him for strength. He will give it to you, and He will do it in the time best for us.
I know this church is true and I know our Savior lives. Thanks for all your support and love and I'm always praying for you guys! I love you tons! Besitos!
Elder Rokovitz
Pictures before I left Chao, on my last day there.
Me with Casto and his son, Eddie. (Eddie was the one that went "HAYUTUAH" right before the prayer that one day.)
With Victor, the shoemaker.
Me and Elder Alarcon with my favorite family, familia Proaño.
The Proaño's little cousin, Lucy, Marilu, Magnu, Aracely, Mia and me. I will miss this family so much.
Pictures in my new area.
Me with my new companion, Elder Cruz. This is on the beach. We're standing on the street with the beach in front of us and houses behind us. It's pretty awesome!
My new best friend by the beach.
Part of my new area. I love this!!
This, ladies and gentleman, is the best thing ever! It's called Maté and it's soooo good. It's an Argentine tradition but Elder Johnson had some. (Elder Johnson is one of my new favorite elders. He's like Elder Stroud, but is here in Moche. He's getting surgery this week. He was going to go back home to do it, but decided to stay here and do it. He's a stud.)
Scripture study with my Maté
Back and front views from our apartment. See the flooding in the street?
