Alright fam,
This week has been nuts! I have been EXHAUSTED this week. One day I woke up and couldn’t even open my eyes. I just sat at my desk trying to open my eyes because I felt like 100 pounds were weighing them down. Pretty nuts. Other than that though, it's been a great week and a super spiritual week!
Elder Andrade, my new companion, is a complete stud, I love the kid. 101 percent socially awkward, but it's alright haha, he's super cool and understands English perfectly. Elder Andrade is from Lima and we get along great. He's a funny guy and I like him a lot.
Elder Daza is training a Brazilian. He's super hyped about that!
Also, Elder Mori, my last companion, is training “Elder Call”. His cousin, Elliot Call, was one of my really good friends in high school and was on student council.. so yeah that’s cool. I didn't know that he was related to Mary Ann Jones as well.. small world eh?
Elder Call, brand new elder in the mission, Elder Mori and me.
My first couple of days here I was in a trio with my companion and Elder Greer. Elder Greer's companion wasn’t here yet because of his visa so he is with a “mini missionary” who didn’t get here until Friday.
Being a Zone Leader is pretty cool. We had a 7 hour concilio, basically a training for all the ZL´s in the mission. It was super cool though. It got me really hyped to change this zone around. The past month here has been really bad, super low numbers.. probably one of the lowest in my mission. That’s about to change! Super hyped though to be able to get this zone turned around though, so I'll keep you updated.
Me and Elder Andrade at the Zone Leader training.
My boys, Elder Walker, Elder Stroud and me at the training.
Anyway, Elder Andrade and I have been MOBBING this week. We had 2 super spiritual experiences for sure. One of which was Wednesday night with Elder Greer. We knocked a door and found a mom and her 30-ish year old daughter. We taught them a great lesson, then at the end of the lesson we asked her to pray. She bluntly refused and didn’t want to. Something we had learned from Elder Uceda from the 70 was that we don’t leave until they have had a spiritual experience before we leave, even if that means we wait on our knees for 20 minutes to get them to pray… which is exactly what we did. Haha, after 20 minutes of waiting I felt the spirit come over me and speak everything that needed to be said. She then commited to doing it and was really happy afterwards.
Thursday night we found a family as we were knocking for an investigator. The daughter of the investigator answered the door, about 30 years old as well, and told us the mom was sleeping. We asked if there was anyone else at home and she said there was, which was her 17 year old sister and her boyfriend. When she finally let us in, I saw the 17 year old and her boyfriend sitting in a chair together taking a selfie, her with her tongue out and middle finger to the camera. After inviting them to hear the message they accepted. It was hard at first as we shared a few things since they were arguing and bickering at the beginning. But after a bit of sharing, the 17 year old, Valori, was asking a ton a questions and was super interested. The atmosphere changed from a complete non spiritual atmosphere with fighting, bickering and other things to having one of them finish with a prayer and leaving the entire home peacefully. We could see the difference in the home as we entered and when we left. The spirit did a complete 180 degree turn around. It was such a great experience as we saw the love and spirit of the family completely change as we left. We definitely were guided there by the spirit.
Apart from that, we didn’t do too much other than going to General Conference.. which. Was. BOMB! Some of my favorite talks were of Dale G. Renlund, Henry B. Eyring, President Utchdorf (from the Priesthood session) Stephen W. Owen, Stanley G. Ellis and Tad R. Callister.
The best I could get with Layne in the choir. (Layne, top center, is a good friend of our family.)
The "Gringo" room for conference. This is where we could listen to conference in English.
Other than that, we went to the Huaca again today.. third time haha. And I saw Lucky and all his sisters on a giant poster at H&M which was lit! Haha, I was dying, that’s so awesome. I told my companion about him and he thought it was pretty awesome.
Cory's friend Lucky and his sisters - all the way over in a Perú shopping mall. Cory and Lucky have known each other since grade school and played football together until Lucky's family moved to Los Angeles to persue modeling careers.
But yeah, life's good. A lot busier as a Zone Leader for sure, but I'm lovin' it!
Elder Rokovitz
Saying goodbye to the bishop and his family.
Me and Elder Chiza on our way to Trujillo - A transfer for me and a new companion to train for Elder Chiza.
Saying goodbye to Elder Mori.
My new area and the view.
Me with my new area.
My new companion, Elder Andrade.
Elder Stroud, Elder Hart, me and Elder Greer.
Our boy, Angel. He was an investigator from Chao that Elder Stroud taught. He now lives in my new ward and has been baptized.
The best zone in the mission - Zona Palermo.
Going to the Huaca again with our new district.
I've done this picture a couple times, and I'm doing it again.
Me and Elder Andrade.
