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
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!!
