Buenas Dias,
I am now officially a serial killer. I don't know of any missionaries that have had two companions and killed them both. It is definately exhausting. This week has felt and been crazy but isn't very interesting. I am not sure quite what I will write this week but here we go...
I did go to Collique on P-day with Bustamante to say goodbyes but I didn't go anywhere else with him. We did a lot of divisions with members. I was really happy with myself though that I was able to teach all the lessons without my companion. It was definately hard work and made me think, but I was able to get it done. I was super happy this week because we were able to reactivate 5 people this week with two families. I had been working with one of these families since the first day I came to Año Nuevo. A lot of people didn't think it could be done, but we did it. This month my district and zone did amazing. We had 16 baptisms with 8 just from my district. The whole zone had around 20 to 25 people reactivated too. Everyone worked really hard and it is great to see the hard work pay off.
As Elder Bustamante was saying goodbye to members in the ward, It made me realize that I want to have a connection like that with the people. The smiles they had on their faces, the tears they shed, and all the fun experiences they remembered. I hope I can make friends like that in the mission with all the members, converts, and Investigators. When I come back to say goodbyes to people I met I hope I feel the same.
The week was go... go... go... with Bustamante saying goodbyes, interviews, and trainings to go home. He leaves tomorrow in the morning and is super excited. it is pretty fun to see how excited he is.
Tomorrow every elder that has transfers will go to a big meeting where they announce where everyone will go. That is where I will get my new companion. I am excited but nervous about it.
We always do service and are usually safe about it. Most of the walls are built well. It was just that idiots wall that wasn't built well. I felt a little bad but not that bad.
Congrats to Kyle for going on to get his PhD. That is great to get that scholarship. Happy Birthday Kenzie in one week. Hope you have a good 17th birthday.
I guess that's all for this week,
Love,
Elder Karter
Monday, January 26, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
January 19, 2015
Buenas Dias,
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. You guys get so many days to rest. I am kind of jealous. Where It is MLKJ day I thought Dad would go ice fishing. I guess if I am not there to motivate him nothing ever gets done. Just kidding. That is really cool how all the youth are getting into family history. The whole mission here is starting to get family history going. People will enter family search and will start from scratch. Their name and their parents. I just on my family search to show them what it can look like if you work at it. They were amazed when I traced it back to 300 A.D. I didn't know I could get back to Adam and Eve. I am super excited to meet Kaylee and Dex's puppy when I get back. Puppies are always so fun and cute.
There are a lot of miss conceptions here about the Mormons too. It isn't just the Lettermen's Show. The other day we contacted a teenager sitting outside his house and asked if he knew of the Mormons. He said that his school teacher had taught him about them and that he said we don't drink soda, coffee, go dance, or go to parties. The only thing he had right was that we don't drink coffee. We just try to straighten all the confusion out with this people.
I don't thinkI will ever get used to the heat and humidity. I will just suffer through it. We had interviews this week with the president and he told me that I will have 5 transfers here in Año Nuevo. Bustamante is as trunky as ever, but who wouldn't be when you go home in 8 days after two years. I am just the motor that has to keep going to keep him going too. Bertha was baptized this week! It was a really nice service where three people were baptized. Bertha and 2 other women that the other elders in the ward taught. Now we just have to make sure she stays active.
This week we did a lot of service. The first one was as a whole zone. We went up one of the hills to level it out so someone could build onto there house. Everyone usually puts huge rocks to build a wall to hold up the dirt. Well, the house above this house had built a wall but out of rocks that were way to small. While we moved the chicken coop out of the way I touched one of those rocks. I didn't put any weight on it. That rock fell and the whole wall crumpled about crushing me and a few other elders. We all made it out alive. I only ended up with a small cut on my hand. The neighbor was furious but it was his fault because his wall was not well built. If a dog had walked by there the whole wall would have crumbled anyway. It was better that we weree there to hold up some of it so it didn't crush the houses below. Don't worry Mom, I didn't get crushed or hurt luckily.
Well that has been my week this week, Nos Vemos,
Elder Karter
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. You guys get so many days to rest. I am kind of jealous. Where It is MLKJ day I thought Dad would go ice fishing. I guess if I am not there to motivate him nothing ever gets done. Just kidding. That is really cool how all the youth are getting into family history. The whole mission here is starting to get family history going. People will enter family search and will start from scratch. Their name and their parents. I just on my family search to show them what it can look like if you work at it. They were amazed when I traced it back to 300 A.D. I didn't know I could get back to Adam and Eve. I am super excited to meet Kaylee and Dex's puppy when I get back. Puppies are always so fun and cute.
There are a lot of miss conceptions here about the Mormons too. It isn't just the Lettermen's Show. The other day we contacted a teenager sitting outside his house and asked if he knew of the Mormons. He said that his school teacher had taught him about them and that he said we don't drink soda, coffee, go dance, or go to parties. The only thing he had right was that we don't drink coffee. We just try to straighten all the confusion out with this people.
I don't thinkI will ever get used to the heat and humidity. I will just suffer through it. We had interviews this week with the president and he told me that I will have 5 transfers here in Año Nuevo. Bustamante is as trunky as ever, but who wouldn't be when you go home in 8 days after two years. I am just the motor that has to keep going to keep him going too. Bertha was baptized this week! It was a really nice service where three people were baptized. Bertha and 2 other women that the other elders in the ward taught. Now we just have to make sure she stays active.
This week we did a lot of service. The first one was as a whole zone. We went up one of the hills to level it out so someone could build onto there house. Everyone usually puts huge rocks to build a wall to hold up the dirt. Well, the house above this house had built a wall but out of rocks that were way to small. While we moved the chicken coop out of the way I touched one of those rocks. I didn't put any weight on it. That rock fell and the whole wall crumpled about crushing me and a few other elders. We all made it out alive. I only ended up with a small cut on my hand. The neighbor was furious but it was his fault because his wall was not well built. If a dog had walked by there the whole wall would have crumbled anyway. It was better that we weree there to hold up some of it so it didn't crush the houses below. Don't worry Mom, I didn't get crushed or hurt luckily.
Well that has been my week this week, Nos Vemos,
Elder Karter
Monday, January 12, 2015
January 12, 2015
Como Estan,
Well, the big metropilos of is starting to get really hot. It is weird to think that you are sitting there freezing in winter and I am burning up out here in summer. It actually isn't too hot but the humidity is what kills me. Oh well, it could definately be worse. Elder Bustamante is still working hard, although he is definately trunky. He goes out and works with me and we meet all our goals but his teaching is suffering a little bit. He teaches the information really well but thats just about it. He just spits out the information and doesn't teach to much with the spirit. We have been working with that a little bit and it is getting better. We had a really good lesson yesterday with the old bishop who is now inactive. We hope we can get him to start coming back to church.
Pilar, the girl who wants to get baptized but her dad won't let her come to church, isn't really progressing. We were only able to teach her one time this week. She is definately interested but isn't keeping the commitments we leave with her.
We do service maybe once or twice a week, or sometimes not at all, it just depends. The service I have done is strip paint from houses, paint houses, lay tile and fill the cracks, move a pile of bricks that was about 10 feet tall to the third floor of a house so they could build onto it, and move rocks on hills so they don't fall and crush someones home. It all is pretty demanding but I love it. I love to be able to get out and do some hard physical labor. It is nice to take a break from proselyting and go do some hard work.
I can't believe those three missionaries are already home. Those 18 months or two years went pretty fast. I don't want to hear you guys complain about going back to work or school after a week long break. At least you got a break unlike some other people I know *cough cough*
I know, I can't believe that Vanessa had the nerve to start a family when she should be bringing me packages. It's not like we focus in families out here in the mission.
If you send a package the only thing I might want would be deoderant. The deoderant here is awful. I don't know how to explain it but none of the American missionaries like it. Oh, well, what can I do.
This week was pretty normal. Nothing really exciting happened this week. We just continued to work hard. We should have a baptism this week. Bertha, the lady who is 62, is finally ready to be baptized after a lot of work. Hopefully all goes well.
Love and miss you,
Elder Karter
Well, the big metropilos of is starting to get really hot. It is weird to think that you are sitting there freezing in winter and I am burning up out here in summer. It actually isn't too hot but the humidity is what kills me. Oh well, it could definately be worse. Elder Bustamante is still working hard, although he is definately trunky. He goes out and works with me and we meet all our goals but his teaching is suffering a little bit. He teaches the information really well but thats just about it. He just spits out the information and doesn't teach to much with the spirit. We have been working with that a little bit and it is getting better. We had a really good lesson yesterday with the old bishop who is now inactive. We hope we can get him to start coming back to church.
Pilar, the girl who wants to get baptized but her dad won't let her come to church, isn't really progressing. We were only able to teach her one time this week. She is definately interested but isn't keeping the commitments we leave with her.
We do service maybe once or twice a week, or sometimes not at all, it just depends. The service I have done is strip paint from houses, paint houses, lay tile and fill the cracks, move a pile of bricks that was about 10 feet tall to the third floor of a house so they could build onto it, and move rocks on hills so they don't fall and crush someones home. It all is pretty demanding but I love it. I love to be able to get out and do some hard physical labor. It is nice to take a break from proselyting and go do some hard work.
I can't believe those three missionaries are already home. Those 18 months or two years went pretty fast. I don't want to hear you guys complain about going back to work or school after a week long break. At least you got a break unlike some other people I know *cough cough*
I know, I can't believe that Vanessa had the nerve to start a family when she should be bringing me packages. It's not like we focus in families out here in the mission.
If you send a package the only thing I might want would be deoderant. The deoderant here is awful. I don't know how to explain it but none of the American missionaries like it. Oh, well, what can I do.
This week was pretty normal. Nothing really exciting happened this week. We just continued to work hard. We should have a baptism this week. Bertha, the lady who is 62, is finally ready to be baptized after a lot of work. Hopefully all goes well.
Love and miss you,
Elder Karter
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
January 5, 2015
Feliz Año Nuevo,
Well it sounds like your trip was pretty fun. I would love to see it. We will just have to go in 18 months now. How trunky does that sound? I think you guys are more trunky though. The countdown chart, halfway to hump, and all your trunky comments. I have seen rootbeer here once and I bet they would like rootbeer floats. I have never seen jerkey here.
This week was pretty good. After I wrote you last Monday the whole zone went to a little ''amusement'' park. It was pretty fun. Not to many gringos can say they have gotten on a Peruvian rollercoaster. They were pretty simple but it was still fun. They also had a zoo there. It had monkeys and llamas. One of the llamas spit at Elder Wagstaff and I while we were taking a photo. We got out of there pretty fast. They also had pigs, cows, horses, and rabbits. You know you are in Peru when the zoo animals are just farm animals.
New Years was pretty fun. We stayed up late to watch the fireworks. I doubt I would have been able to sleep anyway. It sounded like there was a full blown war outside. Some of these people may not have the money but they can still buy a lot of fireworks. They were really fun to watch. Air pollution probably doubled that night too. There was so much smoke in the air.
I have decided Peruvians are descendents of monkeys. We needed to get something out of the zone leaders house but they weren't there. The window above the door was open though some my companion climbed in through the small window and got what we needed. It was pretty cool to watch him do it.
As for investigators, we have been able to find quite a few new, good investigators this week. Bustamante is still working hard. We have one investigator who wants to get baptized but I am pretty sure her dad is not allowing it. If he answers the door, he says she's not there and shuts the door. We went to pick her up for church and her dad came home while we were there. I am pretty sure he didn't allow her to go. I don't know what we will do but we will figure out something.
With lots of love,
Elder Karter
Well it sounds like your trip was pretty fun. I would love to see it. We will just have to go in 18 months now. How trunky does that sound? I think you guys are more trunky though. The countdown chart, halfway to hump, and all your trunky comments. I have seen rootbeer here once and I bet they would like rootbeer floats. I have never seen jerkey here.
This week was pretty good. After I wrote you last Monday the whole zone went to a little ''amusement'' park. It was pretty fun. Not to many gringos can say they have gotten on a Peruvian rollercoaster. They were pretty simple but it was still fun. They also had a zoo there. It had monkeys and llamas. One of the llamas spit at Elder Wagstaff and I while we were taking a photo. We got out of there pretty fast. They also had pigs, cows, horses, and rabbits. You know you are in Peru when the zoo animals are just farm animals.
New Years was pretty fun. We stayed up late to watch the fireworks. I doubt I would have been able to sleep anyway. It sounded like there was a full blown war outside. Some of these people may not have the money but they can still buy a lot of fireworks. They were really fun to watch. Air pollution probably doubled that night too. There was so much smoke in the air.
I have decided Peruvians are descendents of monkeys. We needed to get something out of the zone leaders house but they weren't there. The window above the door was open though some my companion climbed in through the small window and got what we needed. It was pretty cool to watch him do it.
As for investigators, we have been able to find quite a few new, good investigators this week. Bustamante is still working hard. We have one investigator who wants to get baptized but I am pretty sure her dad is not allowing it. If he answers the door, he says she's not there and shuts the door. We went to pick her up for church and her dad came home while we were there. I am pretty sure he didn't allow her to go. I don't know what we will do but we will figure out something.
With lots of love,
Elder Karter
Monday, December 29, 2014
December 29, 2014
Greetings from Peru,
You guys may be in Blanding, but I am in Peru. We will definately have to take a trip down there in two years. It sounds way cool and I love to be out in wilderness exploring old ruins, especially Indian ruins. 10 miles straight of beer bottles, huh, it is just pure garbage on the sides of the streets. I want to take some pictures of it but it would be really weird to pull out my camera in the middle of the street and take a picture of a big pile of garbarge. I will find a way to take the picture though, I will just have to be secretive.
I am trying to think what I should write because we just talked on Thursday. Well, after we talked I went to lunch and then went to Rony's house. I taught Rony and his brother Robert about rootbeer floats. We made them with Fanta because they don't have rootbeer here. They loved it. Everytime we come now they want to go buy ice cream and soda to make them. It has turned into an addiction. I also shared some beef jerkey with them and they are in love with that too. My comp has a huge addiction to beef jerky, too.
With Christmas it was hard to find people in their houses and on Sunday we needed 9 lessons to meet our goal of 32 lessons a week. We went on divisions with 2 young men from the ward. We taught 13 lessons and ended up beating our goal. That night, Bustamante told me he wants to teach 40 lessons next week. He has been working really hard and staying motivated. I am really glad that he isn't acting trunky and doesn't want to work.
It was really good to see you guys on Christmas. Sorry this letter is a little short but I don't know what else to say because we just talked on Christmas.
Love,
Elder Karter
You guys may be in Blanding, but I am in Peru. We will definately have to take a trip down there in two years. It sounds way cool and I love to be out in wilderness exploring old ruins, especially Indian ruins. 10 miles straight of beer bottles, huh, it is just pure garbage on the sides of the streets. I want to take some pictures of it but it would be really weird to pull out my camera in the middle of the street and take a picture of a big pile of garbarge. I will find a way to take the picture though, I will just have to be secretive.
I am trying to think what I should write because we just talked on Thursday. Well, after we talked I went to lunch and then went to Rony's house. I taught Rony and his brother Robert about rootbeer floats. We made them with Fanta because they don't have rootbeer here. They loved it. Everytime we come now they want to go buy ice cream and soda to make them. It has turned into an addiction. I also shared some beef jerkey with them and they are in love with that too. My comp has a huge addiction to beef jerky, too.
With Christmas it was hard to find people in their houses and on Sunday we needed 9 lessons to meet our goal of 32 lessons a week. We went on divisions with 2 young men from the ward. We taught 13 lessons and ended up beating our goal. That night, Bustamante told me he wants to teach 40 lessons next week. He has been working really hard and staying motivated. I am really glad that he isn't acting trunky and doesn't want to work.
It was really good to see you guys on Christmas. Sorry this letter is a little short but I don't know what else to say because we just talked on Christmas.
Love,
Elder Karter
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Feliz Navidad! (December 22, 2014)
Feliz Navidad!!!!!
Well, first thing first, I am still in año Nuevo with E. Bustamante. I am turning into a mass murderer. I am going to kill him too. I will probably be in Año Nuevo for 5 transfers. It is kind of rare to have 5 transfers in an area in this mission, but it looks like I will be here until march. I am excited that I will be able to be with people I know for Christmas. It should be fun and I can't wait to talk.
Speaking of talking, I think I will do it through facebook because I already have a facebook and I don't have skype. I still don't know what time I will call, but I am doing it in the bishops house, basically my house, so I can do it at whatever time I want. I will do the pre call today or tomorrow and will talk to you then to give you all the details. Hopefully the internet will be fast and I will be able to see you guys.
Thinking about your second graders makes me laugh. The people here get excited about Christmas but It's not quite the same. They do chocolotadas in the street or an elf goes around with santa and gives out prizes and hot chocolate to the kids. Don't ask me why they give out hot chocolate in the summer but they do.
We worked hard this week and met our goal of 32 lessons this week. I don't think we will make our goal next week though with Christmas. Everyone drinks on Christmas eve and gets really drunk for Christmas and then they go do it again for New years. One more don't worry, I'll stay safe Mom.
I can't wait to talk to you. I am super excited.
Merry Christmas,
Elder Isaacson
P.S. I got a letter from Uncle Brent. It was really fun to read and I loved Eric's jokes on the back.
Well, first thing first, I am still in año Nuevo with E. Bustamante. I am turning into a mass murderer. I am going to kill him too. I will probably be in Año Nuevo for 5 transfers. It is kind of rare to have 5 transfers in an area in this mission, but it looks like I will be here until march. I am excited that I will be able to be with people I know for Christmas. It should be fun and I can't wait to talk.
Speaking of talking, I think I will do it through facebook because I already have a facebook and I don't have skype. I still don't know what time I will call, but I am doing it in the bishops house, basically my house, so I can do it at whatever time I want. I will do the pre call today or tomorrow and will talk to you then to give you all the details. Hopefully the internet will be fast and I will be able to see you guys.
Thinking about your second graders makes me laugh. The people here get excited about Christmas but It's not quite the same. They do chocolotadas in the street or an elf goes around with santa and gives out prizes and hot chocolate to the kids. Don't ask me why they give out hot chocolate in the summer but they do.
We worked hard this week and met our goal of 32 lessons this week. I don't think we will make our goal next week though with Christmas. Everyone drinks on Christmas eve and gets really drunk for Christmas and then they go do it again for New years. One more don't worry, I'll stay safe Mom.
I can't wait to talk to you. I am super excited.
Merry Christmas,
Elder Isaacson
P.S. I got a letter from Uncle Brent. It was really fun to read and I loved Eric's jokes on the back.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
December 15, 2014
Feliz Navidad...Casi,
Don't tell me you cried in Mom's talk Dad. Ser un hombre (Be a man). I am glad Mom's talk went well. The title definately made me laugh. I could probably send more ''Don't worry Mom'' moments, but they just seem normal to me. Don't worry Mom I am always safe.
I got your second package this week. Bustamante was super excited to get a package. His mom had a baby 5 months ago so he wasn't going to get anything for Christmas. You made his day. I am waiting to open my stocking so I will have something to open on Christmas morning along with Kaylee's gifts. Cousin Bev sent me a package, too. The little turd. She didn't have to send me anything. She sent me a package full of California sweets. They should last me a long time. Thank you so much for the package Cousin Bev. I haven't recieved any letters yet but I will look for them with anticipation. Thank you so much everyone who has sent me something. It always makes my day.
We went to the Center of Lima Tuesday for P-day. We went to 2 museums that were pretty cool. One had pure gold artifacts from Peru so that was really cool. Afterwards we all went souvenir shopping. I don't know if you saw but I took 200 soles off my Debit card. I bought some stuff for you guys for Christmas. I will send it home through Vanessa when she is back up and running.
Today is cambios. There is a good chance that I will get changed. I am kind of scared. I finally feel comfortable in my area and am starting to get along really well with the members. It would be fun to be here for Christmas but I will have to wait and see. Also, Busti is a really good companion and we get along well. I would enjoy being with him for another cambio but he is also about to go home so that would be hard... If I stay I would definately struggle getting him to keep working hard. I will just have to wait and see.
Since I don't know if I will have a change or not I have looked for a place to skype. I will look this week. I will end up calling sometime next week for just 5 minutes or so to set up the skype appointment. The bbq is on the 24th of December and we call/skype on the 25th. I am excited to talk to you guys but you better not make me trunky.
I ate a super expensive hamburger this week. It was 14 soles. It was called the otorongo. It was massive and super good. I had wanted to eat for a long time but never had. I finally ate it because I might get changed.
Time is flying by. I can't believe it is almost Christmas and can't wait to talk to you,
Elder Karter
Don't tell me you cried in Mom's talk Dad. Ser un hombre (Be a man). I am glad Mom's talk went well. The title definately made me laugh. I could probably send more ''Don't worry Mom'' moments, but they just seem normal to me. Don't worry Mom I am always safe.
I got your second package this week. Bustamante was super excited to get a package. His mom had a baby 5 months ago so he wasn't going to get anything for Christmas. You made his day. I am waiting to open my stocking so I will have something to open on Christmas morning along with Kaylee's gifts. Cousin Bev sent me a package, too. The little turd. She didn't have to send me anything. She sent me a package full of California sweets. They should last me a long time. Thank you so much for the package Cousin Bev. I haven't recieved any letters yet but I will look for them with anticipation. Thank you so much everyone who has sent me something. It always makes my day.
We went to the Center of Lima Tuesday for P-day. We went to 2 museums that were pretty cool. One had pure gold artifacts from Peru so that was really cool. Afterwards we all went souvenir shopping. I don't know if you saw but I took 200 soles off my Debit card. I bought some stuff for you guys for Christmas. I will send it home through Vanessa when she is back up and running.
Today is cambios. There is a good chance that I will get changed. I am kind of scared. I finally feel comfortable in my area and am starting to get along really well with the members. It would be fun to be here for Christmas but I will have to wait and see. Also, Busti is a really good companion and we get along well. I would enjoy being with him for another cambio but he is also about to go home so that would be hard... If I stay I would definately struggle getting him to keep working hard. I will just have to wait and see.
Since I don't know if I will have a change or not I have looked for a place to skype. I will look this week. I will end up calling sometime next week for just 5 minutes or so to set up the skype appointment. The bbq is on the 24th of December and we call/skype on the 25th. I am excited to talk to you guys but you better not make me trunky.
I ate a super expensive hamburger this week. It was 14 soles. It was called the otorongo. It was massive and super good. I had wanted to eat for a long time but never had. I finally ate it because I might get changed.
Time is flying by. I can't believe it is almost Christmas and can't wait to talk to you,
Elder Karter
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