Week in Review - Mar 16, 2015 - Mar 22, 2015

1 Week, 5 Baptisms, Weddings, a Cow Tail, and More

Before I even start this email I need to say this was by far the longest, busiest, stressful, most productive week I have had in the mission.  But the fruits of our labor can testify to that in a bit.  From Hiking to the antanae, making wedding invitations, resolving last minute baptismal issues, super Panchamanka Lunch (farewell #1 for Elder Hamblin), a special baptism interview miracle, divisions, another super lunch with all the Pensionistas, another farewell with Elder Hamblin and Relief Society, wedding cake pickup, wedding preparations, Wedding, baptism of a family, more food, cake, said goodbye to Elder Hamblin, Natural Disaster in Coverialli, service time, bridge collapsed, member re-baptism, baptism for yesterdays marriage (sisters investigators), drunk guy with a cows tail (recently cut) ward council and more.  I hope I can explain all of this in todays email!

16 March 2015 

Lego Guy enjoying the view!

View of Satipo, Peru and Elder Holmes

What fun!

Today, we hiked up to on of the local [peaks] more like a hill, but whatever... took some awesome shots of the view of Satipo from above, and was able to spot out our house.  After our lovely little stroll, came back and got our hair cut and went to internet and then called it a day. Oh yea, and I bought some chocolate milk.

17 March 2015

District Meeting today.  Because Elder Hamblin finishes his mission this week, he was assigned to do all the prayers, spiritual thoughts, everything... hahahaha... Other then that though, our day was pretty normal.  

18 March 2015

Another Item I can make for one sol (Approx 33 Cents) is Wedding Invitations for an entire wedding!  All I can say now is that Frank from {Father of the Bride} [Elder Holmes is talking about Frank, the wedding planner, in the Steve Martin movie, Father of the Bride. A family favorite] would be proud.  We did begin passing out all the wedding and baptism invitations today which also because to make everyone excited.  Why?  Because there will be food.  

We did also have to resolve some last minute issues regarding baptisms for this weekend...I will just leave it at the fact that Satan is not to thrilled on this wedding and this families baptism.  it is going to take some extra effort to pull this one through.,

19 March 2015

And off we go to prepare some more the Family Suero for their interview that they have today!  But it wouldn't be a complete day if all the Pensionistas didn't band together and make a super panchamanka for all the missionaries, bishop, familia fuerro, and a few others that we are working on as missionaries.  All of this organized to have a goodbye party for Elder Hamblin.  FYI Elder Hamblin is My Great Grandpa (He trained my trainers trainer)... Oh yea, and I am super duper full!I know this is the start of the food for this week too!  Oh no!

But remember how I said that we needed interviews for today? Well 2 of them were all good, but the 2 others we were waiting on a representative from the Mission to conduct this interview but wouldn't be able to come until after the wedding and scheduled baptism which would have screwed everything up, because the following week we have transfers... and yup.. huge future problem. Thanks Satan.  But, guess who just happened to be at the Church building (Taking measurements to extend the building in the coming year)  The Stake President from one of the Huancayo Stakes, which is over 5 hours away... SUPER Far in Peruvian Driving Distance... We got permission from the Mission President to have him conduct the interview, and walah!  Back on track for the wedding and baptism!  Woo hoo!!!!

Then, later in the day, we had another party goodbye fiesta from Relief Society for Elder Hamblin.  Which means more food, and more fat.  Great.  I'm done for.... 

20 March 2015

Wedding Day!  [Its a Mosquito Bite] [Elder Holmes is quoting from another family favorite movie, Big Fat Greek Wedding. The scene where the bride wakes up on her wedding day and has a big zit on her face..... and one of her cousins said 'It's a Mosquito Bite'. We were laughing out loud.]
  

Elder Holmes picked this wedding cake. He did a great job!

So today we had another food party with the Pensionistas... I'm getting so fat... Stop!!!  More Food, more cake... Ugh.... After this guess what we did?  Yup, picked up the cake. 3 Kilograms of Cake.  2 Levels.  Yum. So for the rest of the day we cleaned the chapel, and did wedding prep and baptism prep and what not. Just another miracle happened this week which was with the Members. This family that we had the marriage and baptism figured out for does not have the resources at this moment to have their wedding... But the ward pitched in and did all the decorations, food, and everything so we could have this party for them . The Bride told us later that she never had imagined her wedding would be like this, with the cake, games, baptism, food, decorations, and everything... She was so happy, I

have never seen here that way before and she remarked after her baptism that before everything she hadn't wanted to even talk to us, she would hide out in the corner and not talk to us... But now, she loves us, loves the lessons, and is so happy to be a member and learning so much more then she was before.... But... I digress....

After the wedding with the Alcalde and everything, we headed over to the Baptismal font where the Bishop Baptized the parents, I the Son, Julio, and my companion the Daughter.... From there they were just all so happy... A complete family baptized and ready to go!  They already have plans as a family to go to the Temple in Lima in one year from that day to be sealed for time and eternity.  How awesome!  I love this family, and Love Satipo!   Ahhhhh.....

Oh yea, and there was a bunch of food.... And the cake was beyond delicious... I'm never going to stop eating...

21 Saturday 2015

Today we said Goodbye to Elder Hamblin, and left him in the dust... SO sad... My Great Grandpa has died( a term in Spanish we use for finishing his mission) and now he is no more... But off we went to Coviriali for some service.  Oh yea.  Coviriali is an outlying province in our area with only 1 bridge to get to it..  Yup, it flooded super bad the night before and the bridge collapsed, and flooded a few houses nearby the river.  So, we went over and did mud cleanup.  I wish we had photos, but the bishop has them right now, and there might have been a news crew there... hahaha.... the water rose to 2 stories of the house, and there was over 1 foot of PURE MUD... I was barefoot and removing mud with a broom as a pushing stick to make a canal all the way to the river nearby.  I was so MUDDY.... but it was great, and everyone just loved watching the Gringos cleanup like we have never seen mud before.  We totally saved them many hours of work right there....

After that, we had a member re-baptism (their records don't exist for some reason in the MLS, so that was a re-baptism in the river, and my companion did that baptism.. so cool!)
Then, we went for Ice Cream, and I took my Ice Cream, bought some Coca-Cola and made a Coke Float.  Awesome!

Later in the evening we went to another wedding which was a investigator and Part Member Family work from the Sister Missionaries here in Satipo... The wedding was fun and great, but the highlight of the night was the drunk man who entered with a recently cut cows tail.... Yea, he was asked to leave... and it was actually a full and somewhat bloody tail... I wonder what that story was....

22 Sunday 2015

4 Confirmations (The Family we baptized and married on Friday) as well as another baptism from the sisters marriage that happened yesterday.  Also went to Mazamari, and attended ward council.  Yup.  That it what sums up the week...

Woah.  I hope you were able to get though my summary as well I was able to try and write it in my short little time here....If you cannot tell, things are great here, busy week, but a good week.  I'm ready to just take chill and relax day here with the district as we have all had a week like this.  

This is a very tired, but excited Elder Holmes, from Satipo, Peru.

Love you all!

Elder Holmes
Satipo, Peru

[PS: Elder Holmes gave us some additional pictures for last weeks post. So check it out!! Large spider shadow puppets, waterfalls and of course, The Lego Guy makes another appearance. CLICK HERE to view them from last weeks blog.]