Week in Review - Apr 20, 2015 - Apr 26, 2015

I believe this is the big water tank he got from
his pensions ranch a few weeks ago

Well Hello there to all!  

This last week has been very busy for us here in Satipo!  A baptism, 32 ticks, finished 8 months in the mission, talked in Quechwa, and bought a bunch of pineapple juice.  Yup, 

So for our last P Day we went to Villa Capilli, where we supposedly were going to find some people from the Ashanika Tribe, but we only found one, so we went over to a farm of one of the members and did some exploring… Pretty fun over here!  Once, we finished we bought a bunch of Pineapple juice.  Only like 1 dollar worth in the states, but it was like 3 different drinks, super fresh from the farm, so It was naturally delicious!  Love it!
Also, I am practicing my Ashanika and Quechwa… Look out.. I can tell you to shut up in more than 2 languages now…. This will come in handy someday!

English Class continues to be fun and a new challenge every week to try and keep them entertained.  But somehow it all works out!  New people every week, and we keep a good crowd!  

Ward Mission Leader.  He is like a platypus.  He doesn't do much.  Had plans for a bunch of activities, wanted to spend money like we had it… And I call him the other day to let him know that we have a baptism from our companionship this week, and he replies… Oh Elder… I'm in Lima, I will not be coming back for the baptism… Oh ok, so, when will you be coming back.. Elder… You don’t understand, I am living in Lima. Oh.  Thanks.  There goes our Ward Mission Leader.  But its not like anything is really changing, it just stinks that they leave and don’t say anything!

Oh yea, since you didn't get my email last week, you probably don’t know.  We had a baptism this last Saturday!  Woo hoo!  It is the mom of the family that we recently had the marriage and baptism for.  She decided that she wanted to join the church to because she could see a huge difference the family of her son so she wanted to know why.  We began to teach her, found out she doesn't know how to read, but that isn't important… 

Taught everything.. Found out she has an addiction to Coffee… Coffee is a big thing here in the Jungle, everybody grows it here in their farms!  Anyways… Mom, I shared the story of you with your (addiction) to Coca Cola and how that had side effects when you were actually trying to use it to help your headaches, it was actually the cause of them.  I shared that, and told this sweet old lady that the reason she cannot remember ANYTHING is because of her coffee addiction she has had since she was 11.  Yup, she understood! And…. She is baptized!  We baptized her this last Saturday and she was just as happy as could be!  And so am I!  Just now we need to continue with her family!  Much more work to do here!  

Oh yea, another thing.  I finished 8 months!  Woo hoo!  

Oh. I have a question.  Who is Dr. Richard Lyman Bushman from Columbia University?  I was watching BYU TV with my pensionista and my companion, and we were watching a History of the Church and found him… I yelled out I'm related to him, but nothing more, because I wasn't super sure.  Explain it to me! [I already told Elder Holmes the answer to this, but yes we are related to him. A few years back I contacted him and told him my relation and if I remember correctly, we share the same 2nd great-grandparents through my maternal grandfather. Dr. Bushman has written many books, one that we have that is on Joseph Smith.]

32 ticks and 2 of them were in Elder Holmes bed

Today (Monday P-day) I was cleaning off my bed and found 2 green bugs.  I say bugs because they are huge.  My investigation of cleaning lead me to find 30 more in, around, and below my bed in our room.  Guess what?  They are ticks!  Huge HUGE Ticks.  Like the size of my pinky fingernail.  I was sleeping with them.  But now, nope.  They are about to be killed with a big of 95% alcohol for cleaning…. I am going to burn this place down before I sleep tonight.  Ugh…. President Henderson once said to me that the mission here is like camping.  I can totally relate to that one!  Attached is a photo of them in a little cup I have. 

All in all, things are going really well here in Satipo, I love it here, but I feel that my time here is limited… Only time will tell I suppose.  Hope all is going well at home, and when you go to bed tonight you don’t find 32 ticks the size of your pinky nail.  

Don’t let the bed bugs bite!

Elder Holmes
Satipo, Peru

Bonus Picture. On 27 Apr 2015, it was his
parents 25th wedding anniversary. On his sign
it says 'Happy Silver Wedding 25 years' and
the date. That was the best!!