Content and Happy

Great week, completely exhausted. Tuesday and Wednesday I was more tired than I have been in my entire mission, I think. This week has been one of the best weeks in my mission, working hard, and content with the work I’m giving.

Tuesday we had District meeting. We were talking about the Savior and His atonement, how He gave His all for His Father because, although He wanted to know if there was any other way, He humbly said, "Not my will, but Thine be done." As I talked about the Savior and His Atonement, I cried like a baby (thanks Dad for that attribute) haha. It was a really spiritual moment and the whole district became very unified in that moment.

We talked about how our district didn’t have a baptism in this month.. the first time in over a year for the sisters. But we were all content and happy because we are focusing on the people and their needs opposed to numbers. We all know we are giving our best efforts and if we do all we can to help our investigators and do, "His will", the rest will fall in place. We just need to focus on becoming more like Christ and doing as He would do. We are His representatives. It was a great District meeting!

On Wednesday, like I said, I was VERY tired and on an interchange. I just wanted to sleep all day. I was pretty bored too because the elder I was with didn’t really give me much of an opportunity to talk haha.

I was looking forward ALL day to a plan I came up with to scare my companion and Elder Boren (who were in my area.) We were going to get back there like 8:30 p.m., and sneak in the window while they were at a cita (appointment) with someone who talks A LOT. Then when they got back, we were going to scare them. So we get back, we climb in the window, go set my stuff down in the back of the room and as I’m walking back to the front... My companion and Elder Boren get back early!! Booooo!!! No pasa nada! (Nothing happened.) I was pretty sad.. never got to scare them. It was like throwing a party and your parents getting back early from vacation.. it’s like, "What are you doing here?? You’re not supposed to be here!" Yeah.. I was pretty sad.

I K.O.́d (keeled over) that night though. Woke up feeling great! My companion even said I snored. Haha, and I never snore. When I snore, I usually wake myself up because the noise scares me and I wake up. But I was out like a rock and he said I snored hard for like 20 minutes hahaha.

The next couple of days were great. On Thursday we visited this guy named Engover, who pretty much looks like a hippy. The guy told us his life story basically. He is hilarious! Love the guy. We never got the chance to teach him anything because he just talked while we laughed for about an hour, but we left him with the Restoration folleto (Restoration pamphlet). After that, he basically just set my mood for the weekend. I was just super happy all weekend.

At the end of the week I was exhausted, but it was a great week. Sadly no one came to church but it honestly didn’t bug me too much. Yeah, I was sad because I want our investigators to progress and them coming to church is part of that, but I felt good. Just content and happy with how I’m working. The investigators didn’t come to church because they had one or another excuse but we already committed a couple of them to go next week.

Enjoying life a ton though. Pretty exhausted. Finna sleep all day today haha. Hope all of you are happy and have a great week!

Elder Rokovitz

                                                                             

Had to take a picture with Hermana Austin because she's a cousin to one of my best friends from high school, Austin Edwards.

A typical scene and sunset from where I live.

Me and Engover..... I'm the one in the mask haha.

Elder Rocha and me at Engover's.

Besitos (Little Kisses)

Well boys and girls, it's Monday again.. which means I get to write you. This week was a great week! One of the best, for sure. Started out kind of slow, until I got kissed.. Haha, don't worry, not on the lips. Here in Perú it's customary for girls to kiss girls on the cheek or girls and boys to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. So anyway, my companion and I were standing outside Janpier´s house waiting for him. My companion was in the street and I was by the door with my back against the wall watching the soccer game across the street.. when all the sudden, Janpier´s 19 year old sister comes out of absolutely no where (right around the corner) and goes towards the door. I thought she was going to go in.. yeah.. she went in.. not for the door though, for the cheek kiss. Backed up against the wall, I tried to avoid it, but there was no hope. My companion extended his hand and backed up and explained that, we as missionaries, can't greet that way. She ran inside saying, in english, "Oh, sorry! Sorry!" Haha my companion and I died! Yeah.. so I got my first kiss on the mission after avoiding 22 months of it. So from Monday to Wednesday, that was about the most exciting thing that happened. (Not saying that was exciting) haha. 

I was pretty down up until Thursday morning. I felt that the investigators weren't really progressing too much and was kind of down. I prayed my heart out the night before asking to find people who desired to progress, and boy, was my prayer answered. We found 8 people. Seven were references from members and ALL of them were chosen and obviously prepared people! 

One was Arley, a Venezuelan, who a less active family is letting stay with them. We were teaching Zandra, who was a less active (baptized at 8 but never really knew anything about the church, her parents being inactive) and she is now 100 percent active and super awesome. Anyway, Arley is their friend. He´s about 35-ish, he has 2 kids in Venezuela and his wife lives in Colombia, also working to send money to their children. Arley explained his story to us on Thursday. He basically had life going for him until Venezuela went awol. He was a super, high up, sports director. And now, he has nothing. When we said the opening prayer and I prayed to bless his family, he just sat there and cried. It took everything to not cry with the guy. I can't imagine what these people go through in Venezuela. We shared a message of hope and of faith. He believes in God but feels, "where is He at in my life?", as I'm sure anyone would in this situation. We shared Ether 12:4 and Zandra shared 1 Nephi 3:7. He wanted to come to church but Zandra forgot to remind him. 

On Sunday night Arley invited us over to their place to make "Arepas." Literally the best thing ever. I've never met such a great guy in my life. As we taught him, I could just feel the spirit so strong. We had planned to share something Sunday night but couldn't for the time. I have been reading "Nuestro Legado" ("Our Legacy") and I was reading about Hans Mill and Joseph in Liberty Jail. A great story we can relate to Arley's life. We will share it this week. Other than that, just teaching golden new investigators. Really seeing how the Lord answered prayers in this week. 

We're about to go watch "Coco" as a Zone and eat pizza.. then make pizza with another family for dinner haha..... wow I gotta work out... 

OH! Also, we haven't been able to find Mauricio once this week. He's just been gone.. every.. single.. day.. but he did come to church! Although we postponed his date to the 9th of June, he felt more comfortable for that date as well. 

Maricris.. I don't know.. we did a NDH (family night) with a family and invited her last Monday. She told us to give her our number so she could call us. She did call us.. on Saturday.. said she would go to church.. didn't go. And wasn't home in the afternoon. Welp. Hopefully we can find her this week. She is also programed for the 9th of June. 

That's about it though. Hope you all have a great week! 

Con amor, Elder Rokovitz

                                                                                 

Sunburned after walking in the sun all day.

Making arepas.

Shaping the dough just right.

Arley is the chef.

Waiting for that good food.

Yum! Good looking arepas.

Lots of avocado dipping sauce.

Time to eat. Disfrutándolas (Enjoying them.)

Happy missionaries. These are the best. 

Enfermitos (Nurses)

I loved talking to you guys! You all put me trunky for a good hour.. but then I was back to normal. It hit me too that I will be home for next Christmas and not talking over video.. weird! 

Dad, thanks for the advice. I love how 2 Nephi 28 speaks about Satan.. really makes me realize how Satan lies in every aspect. As I come home, I'm going to make plans to stay constantly on that straight road. I always strive to be the example you have always been to me. And, as I get back, I hope to live up to what you have taught me. I've never met anyone so strong and firm in their beleifs and testimony. I strive every day to do the same. Thanks for the advice Dad!

Both my companion and I were sick this week so for two days straight we didn't even leave until like 4 or 6 p.m.. Also, with Mother's Day it was pretty hard to find people home or not busy. For example, all our citas (appointments) that we had from 3-8 p.m. fell through on Saturday.. but it's still been a pretty good week. 

My sickness has been all over the place though. It started out on Tuesday with a sore throat, then I drank a bunch of mate, which helped the sore throat a TON.. but then I started feeling sick to my stomach. After that, I got a cold from the climate change and all the wind here. I bought some pills to clear up my cold but the only pills they sell here for colds are ones that put you to sleep too, so these past 3 days my body is all relaxed and I've been super tired. 

We did have a Multi Zone this week, which was super good. At the beginning, two of President Rios' buddies from the Presidency of Institute in North Peru, came and taught us something brief. The director taught something really cool where he talked about how reading the scriptures is the principal door to receiving revelation. He showed some examples from the Book of Mormon and talked about how Joseph Smith read the scriptures to know what to do in order for the First Visión to take place. It shows the importance of having to read our scriptures on a daily basis and seek personal revelation like President Nelson talked about in this last conference. 

On Sunday, I was assigned to talk for 15 minutes.. turned out to almost be 25 with the two speakers before me not speaking too long, haha. I was really disappointed though because I felt I had prepared a really good talk but everyone was showing up late, practically no one came, or they all fell asleep before I even got to the pulpit.. I didn’t feel like they really received the message I had prepared and I was just kind of sad. I know a couple people had heard it because they shared something I had said in their class. But the bishop had wanted me to help the people get excited for ministering and mission work but no one was there or listened so I was pretty sad. We´re still getting better though on working with the members. 

Anyway, last night I was playing with my toenail that was ripped half off, that died, and there was still a little tiny bit left, and I was trying to pull it off and realized that the little part left might be ingrown… yeah I ended up ripping the whole thing out myself.. Haha it hurt at first but now it's fine! 

Anyway.. that’s about it for the week. Hope you all have a great week!

Elder Rokovitz




                                                                                

Mother's Day Skype call.

We finally remembered to take a picture with Cory in the background.

Cute little Peruvian puppy.

Chuggin' the Maté, trying to relieve the sore throat.

Ta Legado? (Ya Feel?)

Whooo this week has FLOWN by. Literally, on Saturday I was feeling like it was just Sunday. We have been putting in work and having a bunch of fun while doing it. 

Our investigators are finally all starting to progress well and we´re getting a lot better relationships with the members and the bishop. 

We found a super cool family last week and the daughter, Ani, and her grandpa, Luis, are progressing really well. Ani came to church but her grandpa couldn’t because he was sick, but they said they will both go next week. 

Also, Mauricio is doing great but it's been hard to find him because he´s been sick. He was either sleeping and didn’t hear us, in the clinic, or studying.. he did come to church though! 

Oh! Also, we found Anthony!... by casualidad (chance).. he is working somewhere else.. and living somewhere else but told us he would come to church Sunday and we would talk there but he never came. What can ya do? 

Maricris is doing really good. On Tuesday we had a lesson with her and asked how church went. She goes, “Eh, regular”, then starts going off on how there should be a pastor, and how she felt the bishop wasn’t prepared, etc.. We listened and then basically taught her pretty hard.. lovingly.. but she got the idea. We had another lesson and then she came to church again so she´s progressing super well too. 

Anyway, my boy Elder Rottweiler and I had an interchange this week. Ended up being on Tuesday the 1st to Wednesday the 2nd. It was lit because we completed 21 months together haha. Also, we woke up at the crack of dawn (5:45 a.m.) to go ball up.. even though I suck at basketball haha. It was pretty sick though. 

Speaking of sick, my companion got pretty sick this week. He had to take 5 on Friday for a couple hours and sleep. But he´s doing pretty well now. Pretty much the whole world is sick though. I've been washing my hands all day long so I don’t get sick! 

On Thursday I was helping my companion with his English in language study. In the end we ended up teaching each other a bunch of slang in English and Portugese (like Ta Legado-Ya feel?) Haha it was sick. After that, we start our companion study, reading the mission manual. We open up to where we left off and it's “El Lenguaje” (The Language) talking about not using slang, etc. HAHA my companion and I lost it! We were crying laughing as we read the section! Haha ooops.. it's been a great week though. 

We ended it pretty solid, making my best pizzas yet with Cristian and Christy. They're a super sick couple, members, who are recently married.. made me pretty trunky watching the two, to be honest. Hahaha still going strong though!! 

Dad, thanks for your words and testimony! It really means a lot to me. I'm very excited to be able to raise my family in the church, and thanks to the example of such great parents, I know I won't have too hard of a problem. I constantly share examples of your marraige and how you raised me in the gospel in my testimonies in the lessons. 

I love you all, hope you all have a great week. See you all in 2!.... months ;(

Tu “Parceiro” (partner, associate, companion), Elder Rokovitz

                                                                            

Burying Mishi Fu - Funny story actually... We went to eat dinner and Hermana Kuki asked for a service.... burying her cat. Haha wow, two cats down in the last couple of weeks.

Sunsets here though - heart eye emoji!!

Rocha and Roko! What a team.

The grind....hold in there. Only two months left!

Making pizzas at Cristian and Christy's.

Me and Elder Rocha with one of the four pizzas we made.