Busy week of Baptisms, Motokar theft and fishing for Piranha

Well this week was crazy, we had to do so many things. We had 4 baptisms on Saturday. Martin is 23 years old, he has a huge goal to serve a mission and he is already really active and does so much stuff with the activities. His uncle is our ward mission leader he helps us out so much. Then we had Peter who is 18. Peter is going to serve a mission too. His brother is a member, he takes us around in his motokar wherever we need to go. Then we had Kevin that’s 15, his brother is a member too, he is a cool kid, and Cecilia who is a single mother, she is a nice girl, she is 18. We all baptized them together so the pictures are pretty cool.

Martin didn’t get confirmed because something bad happened to his uncle, our ward mission leader. I was there in the church waiting for them to come and they didn’t come, I was thinking they always come what happened, you know me I started worrying and worrying all through church. I had a feeling that something bad happened, after we went to their house to see what was happening and Teofilo, our ward mission leader, was driving his motokar going home for the night at like 12.00 at night, Saturday. Someone called him from the side of the street for a ride, he pulled over and the guy pulled out a gun and grabbed him and put the gun to his head, another guy left from the bushes with a knife and grabbed him and pulled off the motokar and took off, he was lucky they didn’t kill him. Martin had to go help him so they couldn’t come to church, next week he will get confirmed. They are recovery now, it is sad because Teofilo drives his motokar for his job to make money for his wife and recent born baby. Now he doesn’t have a job, he is really worried.

This week I will do a gringo change with Elder Schofield, Wednesday, I can’t wait, I need a break from my companion, yesterday he decided that the Sabbath day is for everyone and missionaries shouldn’t work and decided not to work, he just wanted to sleep. I’m really learning patience this change. I didn’t yell or anything but I realized I have a lot of Dad in me ha-ha. He ended up working.

I’m glad you got my package, you guys can enjoy, just please be careful with the Anaconda head, put that in my room or something.

We are not going to Iquitos anymore, we are going to Lima next Monday night and we will return Tuesday night here, it kind of stinks but im way excited.

Today we are going to go to a small jungle really far from here and we are going to go fishing for piranha, its going to be awesome, well thanks for the support, I love you guys so much.

love elder ridge

Visiting Iquitos

Today we are going to play football!! American football, its going to be sweet. As a district leader I work normal but I just have to do more papers dealing with numbers and calling people and doing interchanges. I interview people for baptism, that’s my favorite part is interviewing.

Well this week was real fast. We had interviews with President, that was pretty cool. We did practices how to teach and I had to challenge him to baptism, I think I did a pretty good job. He did give us some good news, Elder Pino for the Seventy is going to come visit this mission. He is going to visit the missionaries in Lima, then Tarapoto then Iquitos. He is not going to be able to come here to Pucallpa, so President is flying us to Iquitos!!!! November 26th, I thinks its Thanksgiving. We are going to be there for the whole day so I will be able to go visit members and converts, I’m so happy, I never thought that I would ever go back. I’m way excited to go there for a day.

Our investigators are doing good, we are going to have 4 baptisms this weekend, Martin, Peter, Kevin, Cecilia. I’m way excited, and im going to do an interchange this week so it will be a busy week. I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting and I talked for 15 minutes. It was cool to see the pictures at Elder Rich’s homecoming. I showed Elder Schofield the pictures, it made him trunky, he is going home in three weeks. I’m going to do an interchange with him next week, we are going to have a gringo day. He said all he is going to do is eat cereal all day. I’m with him on that, I can’t wait to drink milk. Also here in the zone is Elder Briggs, my first companion in the MTC, we also hangout together on pday, he is doing good, that kid is awesome.

Answers to Questions, good investigators and a Great Bishop

To answer your questions:

My companion and I are fine now, just had to break him in a little. He complains sometimes but I just say I don’t want to hear it in a nice way. He is working hard with me.

My zone leaders are Elder Rodriguez and Elder Schofield. Elder Schofield is going to finish this change and he is awesome. He is teaching me a lot on how to do the things as a district leader.

The food here is the same, its not that good. I’m already getting skinny. They always give me like rice and a little piece of meat like chicken, or chicken feet or cow stomach. It’s not that good. I kind of miss a Carls Jr.

In my room there is a refrigerator but not a microwave.

The shower water is cold but it feels good because its so hot here and yes I sleep in a mosquito net. I put the net around my fan so the fan is like right there in the bed to keep me cooler but I still sweat at night. I shower at night and in the morning and I enter sweating and leaving sweating. However, I love the jungle.

I am not taking my garlic pills because there aren’t any fleas here but there are tarantulas in our room and they are big.

I do wear my boots when it rains and yes I left a piece of luggage in Lima.

This week was a good week. We found a lot of people to teach. Yesterday we had 18 investigators come to church. 4 are getting baptized on November 14th and 1 on the 21^st. This week we have people to visit to challenge them to baptism.

This month is going to be awesome, one of our investigators is Martin, he is 23 and his uncle is a member, he wants to be a missionary, he is in second nefi, he comes to church and goes to the activities, he is awesome. He is one of the strongest investigator I have seen. We also have a family. The dad and mom are married and have three children, two are members, the daughter that isn’t is 14, we are really trying hard to baptism them, they want to get baptized, but they didn’t come to church so we are going to visit them and see how things are going.

We also have a couple of families that want to get married and then baptized, it would be amazing to marry a couple families and baptize them but they have problems with their papers and stuff so it might take a while.

Also I don’t think I told you guys but last week I had my first interview with Edgar who is 50. I was nervous but I did it good and the interview was really spiritual. I asked him who he wanted to baptize him and he said well this interview was really special so I want you to do it. So I was like ya if you want I can do it, so I baptized him last Saturday, it was a cool experience. I baptized the first person I interviewed.

I have a couple of interviews this week I’m so excited.

When you go to see Elder Rich tell him I say hi.

They don’t celebrate Halloween here in the jungle. They know what it is but they are not into it like we are in the states.

Our new pensionista is the Bishops wife, she cooks good. The Bishop here is awesome. He does so much for the Ward. This ward actually has home teachers and visiting teachers. It’s the first time I have seen it here in Peru. There are also ward missionaries and they actually work with us. This ward is way cool. There is attendance of 200 on average on Sunday. It gets pretty filled up in sacrament.

Everything is going good, the work is going great here and I hope it stays that way.

Well thank you for everything, thanks for the support, I love you guys

Love Elder Ridge

Pucallpa is Awesome

Pucallpa is awesome!!! It’s just like Iquitos but its not city, its more jungle and my are is huge!! I have two wards, Viste Alegre and Centenario. I’m on the edge of the city so and the end of my area its just jungle. There is a lagoon on the outskirts of my area, im going to go and take pictures one day. We live in the center of Viste Alegre and to get to the end where the jungle is it takes, 45 minutes by moto. The chapel isn’t even in my area, we have to travel 15 minutes in moto to get there.

My companion is Elder Nieto. He is from Chimbote Peru. He has 6 months in the mission, he is a nice guy and humble but we don’t get along. He is a little anti social and he doesn’t want to work. The first night he told me he wasn’t going to work on weekends because he likes sitting in member’s houses. I told him that wasn’t going to happen. I think I will be using my patients this change.

The area is cool and the members are awesome. On Sunday we have to do interchanges with members so we can go to both wards. Right now we have a couple people progressing for baptism. We will see how it goes with them. I’m still getting to know the area and I still feel lost.

Our room is really nice, it has tile floor and walls. When I got here it was a mess, I had to clean it, here in the jungle its a rule that we have to have two fans in our room, we only have one and it was my companions so I had to go buy one so I could sleep at night. It’s hot here but the rainy season is starting so it rains a lot, I think in the 4 days I have been here it has rained 3 days. We don’t have a pensionista now but we found one. The bishop’s wife is going to do it, she is nice. When November starts she is going to do it, I hope she cooks good, they haven’t giving me anything gross to eat yet... yet, im sure something is waiting for me.

The weirdest thing that did happen to me is we live in kind of like a duplex, one side is us and one side are members, but we have a front yard with a gate, in the front yard there two dogs and a monkey, a little baby monkey that’s in a cage and when the dogs are put away we can play with it but when they are out the monkey has to be in the cage. So the other day we come to the room and the member comes out and says oh elders the monkey got out of the cage and the dogs were out. The dogs starting playing rough with the monkey and the monkey died. The members said “elder ridge can you dig a grave for him”, I was like ya that’s fine. So on Saturday I had to dig a grave and bury a monkey. Not that many people can say that they have done that. I took pictures of it so I will have to send you some.

They really accept us here, every door we knock on they say come in, we are always teaching but the people that progress is different. A lot of people are not married here, they just live together. If there was a mass marriage we can baptized a lot of families. I’m trying to work really hard to get a family baptized.

Back to the Jungle!! Pucallpa

Well the changes are here and I’m going back to the jungle!!! I’m going to Pucallpa!! It’s by Brazil(it is a large city on the east of Peru, close to the Brazil western boarder) and it’s going to be hot. My new companion is Elder Neito. Someone told me that he is from Peru but I have never heard of him, we will see how things go. Elder Chambi stays here but he is going up to senior companion. The cool thing is that I have to leave tomorrow in a bus to get to Lima and then im going to stay the night in my old house. I will be able to visit my converts, and then Wednesday im going to fly in the morning to Pucallpa!!! They say its kind of like Iquitos but not as much city, I’m so excited I can’t stand it, I’m going back to the Amazon jungle.

This week was so awesome, we baptized Santa, I baptized here and Sunday Elder Chambi confirmed her. Also Juan Carlos received the priesthood last week and this week we were teaching him how to bless the sacrament, so Sunday I had the blessing to sit next to my convert and bless the sacrament together, it was so awesome, not many people can say that, I taught him good, he did it his first try, I had to do it twice because I messed up, he was laughing and said I did it better than you my first time, we were laughing, Sunday was such a good day. Also Rendy came to church in a suit, he is so excited to be baptized I’m kind of sad I won’t be able to be there. Elder Chambi and I ended the change good with three baptisms which is good for Barranca, we baptized the most in the zone, it was such a fun change.

I’m pretty sure I will be in Pucallpa for Christmas, get ready for horrible reception again, thanks for everything, I love you guys, next week I will be in the jungle!!!

Good Tasting - Guinea Pig

que tal,

Well to answer your questions, I haven’t sent the package yet I will try to send it today, before the changes. There is a member that washes the laundry here, every Monday in the morning we drop it off and Wednesday in the morning we go and get it. We kind of walk but not really, my area is flat, but here in Barranca we are allowed to take motos and in Lima we cant so we ride in the little motos here to get around.

My pension lives close to us and we share the same penionista with the zone leaders because they live down the street and my zone leader is Elder Maldonado, its awesome, he is a fun leader, we always talk about when we were companions, its fun.

My apartment is nice because it has two rooms, one to study and one to sleep, it has an entry room where we do exercises and it has a kitchen, there is nothing it but its our room. Our bathroom has hot water now and its really nice because it is new, just painted, its tiled, tiled floors, and its the third floor so we can go up to the roof and see the ocean, its really nice.

My area is....not safe, not at all, Elder Chambi has been here in Barranca for a long time but he has just been changing areas inside the zone. He has been robbed three times with knifes, his camera got robed and everything so that’s why I only carry like 5 soles on me, and when we went to take pictures at the beach, we had members go with us because by the beach its worse.

Well, this week was mas o menos, first of all we were going to have three baptisms this coming weekend but only one come to church, we are going to baptize Santa, she is 37, her sister is a member, she is really nice and really excited for her baptism, the other two are gong to get baptized but the 24th, but im pretty sure im leaving this area so I wont be here for there baptisms but the important thing is that they are gong to get baptized.

This week I finally ate what I have always been waiting to eat, cui cui, guinea pig, a lady gave us for lunch, and its good!!, there isn’t a lot of meat, but its soft white meat, its good, I took pictures, you can see its little rat feet and claws, it wasn’t bad.

Yesterday I was talking to the missionary that served in Provo, and I asked him what was his favorite fast food in Utah and he said carls jr, im like ooooohhh my gosh I totally forgot about carls jr, it made me a little trunky. Tell Mimi and Pop that I do receive their emails and I love reading them and I enjoy them. I’m really excited to hear about the deer hunt this year, it doesn’t matter if they don’t get anything I still want to see a picture of them in the mountains!!!!!!!!!!, last year you didn’t send me one.

Package from Home

To answer your questions:

For breakfast we eat like eggs and bread little stuff like that, but every night its pizza, its good.

In our new house NO we don’t have hot water and it stink! I have been taking freezing cold showers for a week now but the owner says that a hot water heater will be here soon, but im getting used to it, the weather still hasn’t heated up so the shower is really cold, but I just suck it up and get in. With the girl, we lived in like a indoor apartment complex, with only like 3 apartments, we lived in one, her and her mom lived in another, last change when I wasn’t here in this area Sister Perez came and said Elders you have to move, so when I got there Elder Chambi told me he had to move so ya we moved.

Tuesday my package come for Halloween, it came fast I couldn’t believe it but it was in its box normal, I loved the food, but im getting fatter because of that package so next one for Christmas don’t send a lot of candy, I have to get good looking before I get back, I don’t want to get fat!

I decided to give my companion the new Spanish bible you sent. I figured he would need it more than me, I can buy one here or buy one in the states but its a little more harder for him, so I opened the box and said Elder Chambi my family sent you a present, and I tossed it to him and his face lit up he was so happy, he was like thank you so much and he starts flipping through the pages and Melissa’s (Elder Ridge’s younger sister) pictures falls out and he’s like oh this must be for me too. Tell your sister thanks for sending me her photo and I’m like no that is mine give it to me it was funny we were playing around, he told everyone in the zone that, Elder Ridge’s family sent me a bible and a picture of his sister but he took it away. Everyone’s like Ridge don’t be like that and stuff, it was funny, we were all laughing.

We had interviews with President Perez, it was pretty cool, my interview was awesome. Then we had the conference this week, I had to watch it in Spanish because I’m the only gringo but I understood just fine, I really like Elder Jeffrey Holland’s talk and there was a Seventy that gave a good talk, I cant remember his name, but it was good, he talked I think it was Sunday morning, when he talked about the missionaries in Russia, and how they were answers to prayers generations after, it was good.

Right now we have 4 people with baptismal dates, for 17 of October.

No hot water, No Food and No Room all in one week!

This week was hectic!! I had to do so much, first of all we had 2 baptisms, Luz and Juan Carlos, it was awesome, Elder Chambi baptized Luz and I baptized Juan Carlos, it was a good service. I bought cake and soda, I always make the services fun so that they always remember it, I also take pictures and print them off and give it to them with my testimony on the back. This is something I have always done so they can have a good experience.

So Wednesday I wake up, I turn the shower on and the water heater breaks, and cold water starts coming out. It’s winter here still so it was freezing! Then I get changed and we go to eat at our pensionista, while we were there she says elders I can’t serve you anymore. I’m starting to travel more to visit family. I’m like oh great, I took a cold shower and now we don’t have anyone to give us food. So we finish there and get to the room to study and the phone rings, its the zone leaders. They say Elder Ridge, Sister Perez called, (presidents wife), and says that you guys have to move houses, because there was a 15 year old girl that lived in the house, and they were like you have until Tuesday to find one so one week. I’m like this stinks! I took a cold shower, I don’t have food and I don’t have a room, I have to go look for a place to live, what could be worse.

So then that night we had Luz’s baptismal interview, we go to her house to take her to the church and we get there and she’s like I cant go, im like why? My older brother won’t let me, why wont he let you I said, because he said that I have to do other tings that are more important. So then we talked to her mom and she’s like I want her to go but he is getting physical and he will hit her if she goes. Her brother is like 22 I think, I was so done with the day that was awful I said to her mom, if he has a problem with this go to his room, tell him to come here to this door where I am standing and talk to me face to face because I want to talk to him, she’s like ok, she left, she comes back, and says he says he doesn’t want to leave his room, I’m like you got to be kidding me, she’s like no, and then Luz was like, he’s afraid of you. I kind of laughed a little, that’s the first time anybody has said that ha-ha, it kind of took me by surprise, but in the end she was able to go and she passed and was baptized.

There was so many things we had to do this week, we found a room, its pretty nice, and our new pensionista is the District President, he has his own pizza restaurant, we ate pizza every night, its not as good as the pizza up there but it works.

So this morning we got up at 5 in the morning to move, we got done in two hours, we still have to organize everything in the afternoon, but everything worked out, we are in a nice house, we are eating pizza, we had two baptisms and to top it off we were walking yesterday and a lady said Elders I’m a member but my daughter isn’t and I want her to be baptized, we were like ya ok we will do it, it ended up being a good weekend.

But the thing that really stunk is that I get my package from the zone leaders, I go to my room all excited to open it but I look at the box and it is in a different box, they changed the box when it gets here sometimes to check what’s in it. It says 100 percent Peruvian, im like great, I open it up, and not to my surprise, my ties and socks were not found, I yelled ! ellos freaking me robaron!

I did love the rice krispie treats and wheat thins, I took a box to the pensionista, she’s like what is it? I’m like its a cracker eat it its good it taste like pizza, she’s like really, im like ya, then she says but how do I eat it, I laughed and said hermana just eat it, she ate it and loved it she couldn’t stop, she called them the little pizzas and shared the box with everyone saying try it try it, they are little pizzas, I was laughing.

We have interviews this Tuesday so President will be here, to answer your questions, I don’t know my address but we now live by the chapel, there is a park by the chapel and we live in front of it on the 3rd floor, and when we go to the roof, you can see the ocean, man I picked good, good house and pensionista.

I sold my iPod to Elder Rich’s companion, the assistant Elder Santiago, he is from Guatemala, he called me all the time and bugged me, Ridge I want your iPod I want your iPod, im like fine I will sell it to you, 150 dollars, I wasn’t listening to it that much, and I didn’t listen to it for 6 months in the jungle, and I was thinking, there is better iPods that will come out by the time I get home, I will just sell it and buy a better one when I get back, then after that the thought came to my mind, hey dummy, you don’t have any money to buy an iPod when you get back, I kind of regret it but oh well, its not that big of deal, I will just buy one later on.

Next week I will tell you what I would like for Christmas but I for sure don’t want a lot, just a little package because before I leave I will give a lot of clothing away to the people here that need it more like young men in the ward that’s going to serve a mission people like that, but other than that nothing else really happened this week, thank you for the package, thank you for the support, I love you guys so much.

Love Elder Ridge

Doing Good!!

Please send me that new bible that would be awesome. All my scripture reading is in Spanish so that would help me. My comp and I are doing good, we get a long great and we are always laughing, I am helping him because he is sad that he is still junior companion but he is directing the area and everything. I don’t know the area as well as he does so he directs and takes charge, he is awesome. He was in the Bolivian army before the mission so he is disciplined and obedient, he is a good guy, we get a long way well.

My branch is Los Jardines. This Saturday we will have two baptisms, Luz and Juan Carlos they are awesome. Luz is 14 and Juan Carlos is 35, I’m excited for their baptisms, and the month of October will be a good month, we are trying to get 5 baptisms for that month. We are working hard to have those baptisms.

Yesterday we had a special conference, it was a satellite transmission direct from Salt lake, it was only for Peru. Elder Jeffrey Holland spoke and President Uchtdorf, it was really good. Eder Holland gave his testimony in Spanish and it was so powerful, Juan Carlos loved it. They basically talked about how if you want more temples you have to pay tithing and be more active in the church, and get more missionary’s in the field, but it was good I liked it.

I have to send a package home filled with jungle stuff, hammocks, snake heads, scripture cases of jaguar and snake skin, stuff like so look for it.

Loving Barranca

Well this change will be fun. So, Wednesday I had to say goodbye to my son, it was sad. Last change was the fastest change that I have had so far. Wednesday I got on the bus with my companion Elder Chambi and we headed up north. The bus was a normal bus it had TVs and DVD, it was like a 4 hour bus ride and the highway is along the ocean, it was awesome. We got here in the city and I like it a lot better than Lima. It’s more opened here, it reminds of Manti. It’s a normal city but really small. It’s more calm here. My area is awesome! It’s on the ocean so every time I walk out the door from my house I see the ocean, it’s tight there and I love it! Thursday we went to see the beach, it is way clean and nice. It’s not that big of a section but it awesome, I will take some pictures, I love this mission, two months ago I was in the Amazon Rain Forest, now I am on the Pacific Ocean. I have the best mission ever.

Here it’s a district not a stake so I'm in a branch. It’s a little more difficult because there aren’t a lot of members that comes but there are a ton of returned missionaries so they help us a lot. One of them served in the Provo Utah mission, I was talking to him Sunday, he speaks good English. His first area was in American Fork/Highland area so he knows where we live. He said he loved that mission so much that he didn’t want to come home, I can understand why. I said to him it’s different up there(Utah) isn’t it? He’s like ya way different.

Yes, they do give me a lot of fish here and its nasty ocean fish, I liked the fish from the Amazon but the ocean fish is gross and one day they gave me fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I couldn’t believe it.

When I got here there was only one person that was progressing for baptism but now we have 5. We have two young men who’s grandparents are members, a girl that is 14, 2 men that have 35 years, and we have other people that are progressing. There is a lot of potential in this area. I'm really happy to be here.

My pesionista is alright, she’s way nice and her cooking is descent. She lived in Japan for 15 years so she knows Japanese. My Spanish is going to get a lot better, I'm the only gringo in my zone, I will be speaking Spanish 100 percent this change, it should be fun. My room is clean and the shower is hot so im happy but its way colder here because of the wind from the Ocean. I’m doing good and I’m really happy.

Transfered to Barranca

Well the changes came in and I’m pretty happy, I’m leaving Lima! No I’m not going to the jungle but I’m going to Barranca, Norte Chico, it’s like 6 hours north of here in a bus. I’m pretty excited because that part of the zone is right by the ocean and it’s a lot cleaner, from what I heard. My new comp is Elder Chambi, I think it’s the same Chambi that’s from my group. He is from Santa Cruz Bolivia. I’m pretty excited. I travel Wednesday in the afternoon.

I’m staying warm and the fleas left so I don’t have them anymore. The air here just absolutely sucks, when you look at Lima on google earth you just see smog and clouds, I live under that. I think there have been three days this whole change where I have seen the sun, it’s kind of depressing.

This change was really fun, I really enjoyed training and helping my companion. I learned a lot this change, it was a really fun change. This week nothing new really happened, I ate cow stomach again, I hate it when they give me it but also this week I ate a different part of the cow that I haven’t eaten before and it was actually pretty good, I actually really liked it. Yesterday I ate cow heart, it was pretty good, now I have eaten, cow liver, brain, stomach, lungs and heart. I’m sure next time will be the intestines, gross, but all the missionaries tell me that in that part of Peru Barranca I will be eating a lot of guinea pig. I have yet to try it so I kind of want to. The other day we had chicken soup, here the chicken soup is different, the soup consists of noodles, carrots, potatoes, chicken breast, chicken brain, chicken liver, chicken kidney, chicken neck and the famous chicken feet. I have had this soup so much it doesn’t even faze me. I will send you some pictures of me sucking on the chicken foot, it’s actually not bad it just has a lot of little bones and not too much meat. My favorite food here is aji de gallina, it’s so good.

Great Week for Blue Eyes

8-31-09

Well, this week was normal, nothing really exciting happened. We didn’t have any baptisms. We do have a couple of people who are getting prepared. Maximo for the 12th of September. He was going to do it for the 5th but he has to travel and will be gone for a week but he still wants to do it. He is 74 years old and every Sunday he leaves early in the morning to be able to get to church because he lives in hills a little bit high up and he walks slow with a cane but he still comes. He has so much faith to be

able to do that but he is excited to get baptized. His son is a member so he is helping us too. Also on the 12th we have is a young girl named Monica. She’s 14 and she always comes to church but her mom doesn’t give her permission to get baptized but we had a member go to her house and talk to her mom and it worked so now we are helping her get baptized.

The temple was really cool. It was good to go back. Last time I was there( 7 months ago) I understood some but not everything. This time I understood everything in the session because I have more time with Spanish

. When we were there it was also the day that the missionaries in the CCM come so we were there with a couple of new missionaries, fresh from the states. They all asked me how long does it take to be able to speak and be fluid and is it hard, stuff like that, I was asking them stuff like what’s happening in the states. It was fun. After that we didn’t go to KFC. We went to a Polleria or a chicken restaurant, we eat their style of fast food, its fried chicken with French fries and salad, called Pollo a la Brasa.

This change has gone by so fast, next week we will know the changes, I have know I dea what will happen, so we will see what happens. The weather is warming up here, we are entering spring, by the way we don’t even have crushed ice down here, that don’t even use ice that much. Right now I weigh 82 kilos (180), can you tell me how much that is in pounds, I think when I got here from the jungle I weighed like 78(171) to 80(176) kilos, now I’m like 82, tell me how much that is in pounds. For my Halloween package I would just love some homemade cookies, chocolate chip or the Halloween ones that we make every Halloween but I will let you know later more stuff. I don’t need any clothes. I’m pretty good, with all the stuff you guys bought before the mission, it has lasted me until now without any problems.

The other day we were walking down the street and this girl came up to me and she was a little crazy. She asks me why are the movies form the United States are so violent. I said I have no idea, I don’t make them, and she goes on about how she doesn’t like them because they are bloody and stuff, and then a dog barked on the roof that we were under and she said that’s my dog and I was like really what’s his name and she said Rambo, I laughed, I couldn’t believe she was talking about the bloody movies and how they were bad and her dog is named Rambo. To top it off, she asked my hand in marriage, ha-ha yes, she started talking about how women always get married to men because of the money but I want to get married to you because you have blue eyes, will you marry me? I was like wow, I didn’t know what to say, I was like well it was good talking to you we have to go over there and I think your dog is waiting for you in your house, we will pass by another day, good bye, and she like ok I will be waiting here. My companion started making fun of me, he’s like I didn’t know you have your little girlfriend in the mission, we were laughing so hard. Don’t worry I won’t bring a Peruvian home ha-ha.

Weeks 8-17 and 8-23

August 23rd

Sorry I didn’t write you guys Monday, we are going to the temple today(Wednesday) so today is our pday, thank you mom for not calling the offices worried, right now its six o clock, I’m kind of tired, we had to get up at 5 this morning, to answer your questions. The weather here kind of stinks, it’s like in the 60s or 50s but it’s a humid cold so it goes to your bones and it seems colder than what it is and in the afternoon it heats up so I start of the day freezing, in the afternoon sweating a little and at night freezing, but I’m keeping warm enough. I do miss the jungle heat but I love the hot showers.

Training my companion is going good, I really do like. My pensionista is awesome, she cooks so good and their are way active and strong in the church. Her food is way clean.

Last Tuesday I gave a training in our zone meeting and Elder Rich walks he is now an assistant to the president, and sits down for my training. It went pretty good Elder Rich liked it. It was like half an hour long. The offices are not close but they are not far, the zone I’m in is the neighboring zone to Tahauntisuyo where I was before, and yes we walk a lot, and there is a couple big hills in our area that are straight up, my legs are getting a good workout and I think they are getting bigger with all the climbing on stairs. My area is more calm, there are a couple of groups (gangs) but they leave us alone for the most part. In my area I have Plaza Vea and Metro which is awesome. I was blessed with something like that. Plaza Vea is like their Wal-Mart, it’s pretty nice but also there is a KFC in my area. A KFC!!!! It’s so funny some people think that it (KFC) was invented here, that and they think that coca cola was invented here too. I just lightly laugh and ignore it. Well, everything seems good there and busy, Uncle Scott wrote me and I enjoyed his letter. I’m really happy for him and Karen and that everything is going good. I can’t believe that Sara is a senior, that’s crazy. We also had the two baptisms last week. Joseph Perez and Katy it was way good. I baptized Joseph, the water was so cold, I was shivering so bad! I couldn’t pronounce his name, I had to say his name again, everyone was laughing, saying we have never seen a gringo shiver so much, it was funny. Then the bishop baptized Katy, before we started the service I’m walking in the hallway and I seem him the door of his office. He said “Elder Ridge come here”. I’m like what and he said come in my office for a second. Me and my companion go in, and I said “yes bishop can we help” He looks at me and says “how do I do it” I’m like how do you do what and he says “ how do I baptize her” I’m thinking oh gosh so I had like a 5 minute lesson with him on how to baptize someone. The Bishop didn’t know, I thought it was funny, and when he got in the water with her he had to do it three times. He did the exact same thing that my companion did. He tried to do it all soft, the third time I learn over the balcony I’m said “Bishop! throw her down harder! He’s says oh, ok and did it right. That’s all that really happened this week. this weekend we won’t have a baptism but we might the 5th of September . We have some potential investigators so we will see. We only have the rest of this week and next week and then there is changes! The time is going by fast almost too fast. Yesterday I hit 14 months, now I’m going for 15, that is crazy! thank you for sending that package for me and my comp, I can’t wait to get it, thank you so much for the support, I love you guys so much,



August 17th

We only had one baptism last Saturday, but this Saturday we have two, Katy and Joseph. They wanted it for the 22nd of August instead of the 15th but they are all good and excited. We baptized Jian Franko on Saturday and it was a good baptism, well planned with the help of the members. Now Jian Franko’s mom wants to get baptized. She is living with her boyfriend, so she can’t just yet. We had 11 investigators in church so we have some good potential in these coming weeks. Jian Franko wanted my companion to baptize him. I was so happy because I wanted him to do it, so he could have his first baptism in his mission. It was funny because I had to teach him how to do it, so we were practicing in the room before because he is a small guy, and way skinny and I think he comes up to my name badge on my chest. We were practicing how to baptize, and he dropped me on the floor, it was funny, I was laughing so hard. We get to the baptism and he gets in the water and I have my head over the balcony making sure he is going to do it right. He is asking me questions like how long do I hold him under the water? How fast do I do it? I was like just do it normal, put him under and pull him out, don’t do it really fast but don’t do it slow either. He says the prayer and says it right, puts the hand over the nose and starts to put him down, he put him down so slow with no strength that he held him under for like 3 seconds and his arm was sticking out. I’m thinking oh great, he is going to be so embarrassed, he pulls him out and I lean over and say “hey you have to do it again because his arm came out but this time throw him down harder”, and then he did it again right but it was kind of funny. I was teasing him after, but it was a good experience. I’m so blessed with the companion I have, we get a long great, we are always laughing and making fun of each other. I’m really trying to teach him to have fun with the mission and to enjoy it but to work too .This change is flying by way quick, next week I will have 14 months crazy! My church here starts at 9: 30 so we are in church at the same time.

Hot Showers and Great Success

Well to answer your questions. Our room is really nice, its well tiled and it was just built so the walls are clean and it just looks really nice. The bathroom is pretty good, not like my first one here, but we have hot water, so in the morning I just stand there under the water for ever because it has been 6 months showering cold water out in the jungle. My mattress is not very good, all the mattresses here are made out of hay, that’s how all the mattresses are here. No we don’t have a fridge because only in the jungle do we get a fridge.

The ward here is good. The members are pretty fun and this ward is a little more organized than most. Yesterday we gave talks, my companion talked for 3 minutes and I talked for about 12 minutes. It was pretty good. Man I can’t believe I can actually give a talk longer than 5 minutes now and in another language. Our mission ward leader is way good, he is a returned missionary and he helps us a lot.

Well nothing really exciting happened this week, I got used to the city so I feel comfortable here. It’s weird because when I first got to Peru last year I was so scared and I thought everyone wanted to kill me but now I feel at home. It feels very normal now. I know when I get back to the states I will have to adjust big time.

Our investigators are doing well. We will have three baptisms this weekend which will be awesome. On the 22nd we will baptize a man that was baptized at age 8 and now is 30 but he lost his baptismal record so we have to baptize him again. It counts for the mission and it counts as a family of gold because his whole family are members so this is a blessing, I really got blessed to enter into this area and start having investigators. I really wanted to start my comp off good and get him in water and its going to happen.

New Area and Training a New Companion

Congrats Emily! and good work Scott. (Elder Ridge’s sister is expecting his first niece and he just found out)

A lot happened this week, yes I left the jungle, it was way sad, I was there 6 months, I love that place and the members there, but it was good to change, we flew out Wednesday at 10 and got to Lima at 12, it was a cool flight because the sky was clear and you passed over the Andes, they are huge. We arrived in Lima and its cold, like humid cold.

I went to the meeting for changes, I saw Elder Roldan and we were taking a little bit, it was good to see him. I am going to the area he left so he was telling me all about it. My area is La Pascana in Comas. It is pretty sweet and it’s big. The chapel is 2 stories, the members are pretty friendly, my room is way nice, it’s pretty ritzy for Lima. My pensionista is way cool and cooks so good, I’m worried that I might get fat here.

(Elder Ridge has the privilege and responsibility of training a new missionary. They refer to trainers as Dads and the trainee as their son.)

My companion is Elder Zarate from Huancayo Peru, I think it is a little bit outside of Lima like 6 hours. ( It is east of Lima) He is a brand new missionary so I’m his dad. He is a nice humble guy, he is the only member in his family and is a convert of 2 years. His family doesn’t really support him, they didn’t want him to go on the mission, and because he left they are not going to support him when he gets back its very sad but he is awesome and he is learning fast.

I’m trying my best to teach everything so he can be a good missionary, sometimes I have to use my patience because he is learning and I’m used to companions that know a lot and we can work together normal but I’m teaching him a lot.

I got your package. I love the rice krispe treats and the pictures and the candy, it was a good package.

We have some investigators in the area. Right now we have the Bishop’s niece named Katty that we are going to baptized on the 15th of August. A young man named Joseph also for the 15th. Joseph’s is 12 years old and his dad is a member. Another young man named Juan Franko he is 12 also and should be baptized on the 15th. We also have a lady named Sandra who is scheduled for the 22nd. We also have a family, they have already been coming to church but were never baptized because they just live together so they are trying to get married and they said that their papers are almost done, so we are hoping to get them married and baptized. That would be awesome, a family of gold. I’m really hoping to have good success this change to start my companion started off with a good mission. We are trying to get 6 baptisms this month.

The other day we were in the street and this big black guy came up to me and yelled in my face what are you doing in my country you (BAD WORDS) in Spanish, I just walked around him and looked at my comp and said man I love this city, and he laughs. Aren’t mission great and full of all kinds of experiences.

Leaving Iquitos with Love, Success and Memories

7-27-09

Well, the changes are here and ya there is a change, I’m leaving the area here, I’m going back to Lima, I kind of knew that I was going to Lima. I’m going to the zone Comas, the good news I getting a kid, yes I’m going to be training! I’m pretty happy about that, I get a kid, I have no idea who it will be or where he is from but this means that I’m entering a area new with him so I’m going to be lost ha-ha, I am way excited to get to the city and start working with him. I’m really going to miss this city, I love it here.

Saturday we baptized Franco, he is 15 and he is awesome, he is so funny, we had some problems with his family and his parents, but everything ended up being good, we ended this change with 5 baptisms which is pretty good, I’m hoping to get in to my new area and baptize more.

7-20-09

This week was a good week, to start off we had three baptisms on Saturday, it was a good experience, as a zone we had a massive baptism so we all did it in the same church and 25 were the baptized. Jaivee and Kasandra and Victor got baptized but Joel didn’t. He had some family problems and couldn’t do it. This week end we are going to baptize Franco who is 15 he wants to serve a mission so bad same with Jaivee there is a young man in my ward named Diego he is being a good friend and is getting them both to get excited to serve missions.

I’m way excited for next week because we will know where I’m going and who with and as what and all, I really think I’m going to Lima.

Baptism and some Great Investigators

Saturday we had Nicole’s baptism and I baptized her, it went well, right now we have 4 people getting baptized the 18th and at least one more person the 25th but we could possibly have 3 more for the 25tht, so it would be 4 for the 18tht and 4 for the 25th. The 18th it’s a 10 year old boy named Victor, a 12 year old girl Kassandra, a 14 year old boy Joel, a 17 year old boy Jayvee. The 25th we have a 45 year old woman named Faustina, we knocked on her door and she let us in and she was sick and she asked us if we can do anything to help so we explained what a blessing is and we gave her one and we taught her and she said that she wants to get baptized on the 18th. We said no you have to wait for the 25th because you have to go to church two times(its a rule here) but she said that she knows it’s true, she could feel it when we were blessing her and she got better the next day, she is a nice lady.

Last night we had a sweet thunder and lightning show, it was awesome, nothing else has really happened this week, we are just really working, things are going good here.

Two Week Post

Here is the post for the last couple of weeks.

July 6th

Well, this was a good week! Right now we have 4 people getting baptized. One for the 11th and the other three for the 18th, and we will have two more for the 18 but we have to work out their dates. We had 8 investigators in the church so it was a good day. The work is going good right now. The two people that don’t have dates yet but still came to church was Jayvee, we were teaching him back with Elder Zuniga, and the niece of our pensionista, she came to church and loved it.

Today we are going to the zoo again to take pictures with the snake. Saturday my District Leader came and visited with my companion. I was able to go to another area with a gringo to celebrate the 4th of July. We ordered pizza and soda, made signs and took pictures. We made the best of it, it was way fun. My companion is from Arequipa Peru. He is a gymnast. He used to do the bars and those two rings in the air. He is ripped!

June 29th

I’m way excited to be here with my companion, he is way cool, we work way hard. This week we found 25 new people to teach and we have 4 people getting baptized, a little girl named Nicole, a boy named Victor and a young women named Cassandra and young man named Joel. Nicole is scheduled for the 11th and the other three are for the 18th so it should be good. They came to church on Sunday. Their parents were inactive but now they are coming to church again and the kids want to get baptized. We are really working hard to find a complete family.

I did hear about Michael Jackson, everyone here was talking about it and playing his music in the streets to honor him, here they really follow the states and what’s happening up there. The big news from the States I still hear down here.

Today we went to the jungle to a little village it was pretty cool, everyone was looking at us weird, all the gringos, we went to where there never had been missionaries, and it was pretty cool.

My companion and I are working way hard to get a lot of success. We had our interviews and President asked me what did I do before the mission, and we talked about my goals for the second half of my mission. I told him I want to have a good second half and that I am going to apply a lot of things to be a better missionary, and some stuff like that, and he looked at me and said Elder Ridge, this last year you will progress really fast, prepare yourself and strengthen yourself it was way good. It made me feel good.
We have a goal this change to have 5 baptisms and one family, so I’m way excited to work this change and get things going and have some success. I can’t believe I have been out a year, I only have one year left so I got to make the most of it, I’m going to work hard but smart and I’m going to enjoy it.

Catch up post (May 4th to June 8th)

June 8th

Our investigators are doing alright, we had a few individuals and a family and they just started to not progress and weren’t coming to church so I said to Elder Roca we need to drop them and start knocking doors to find some more. So we started knocking doors and we found this man named Segundo, we talked to him and taught him a little and took out his baptismal date right then and there and he is getting baptized the 27, he is a nice guy, a little shy, his thirty and is single.
I’m kind of change trunky ha-ha, but we are still working and everything. The weather is in the 80 down here lately it has been cloudy and rainy but when the suns out its pretty hot, but no they really down have a winter, the people tell me it’s cold in Lima. I want to stay in the heat I like it.
The thing that’s happening here is the indigenes people or the people that live with no electricity and live in little villages are getting mad because people are drilling for oil on their land out in the middle of nowhere. So they are coming into the cities and killing the police and people. Nothing like that is really happening here in Iquitos but in Tarapoto it’s kind of dangerous. The missionaries there couldn’t leave their rooms for three days to work, for us it was only two days, so don’t worry it’s not that bad here. Some of the members asked me what do you do in the states when this happens, I told I have no idea because these things don’t exist in the states, they couldn’t believe that there aren’t little villages in the states filled with indigenes people who run around naked ha-ha.
So yesterday we were visiting some members and we stopped by the house of a family and the dad was like hey Elder Ridge come here I got to show you something, I was like what , he told me that his computer has this program where you can see where you live, I told him it’s called Google earth, he goes how did you know its new, I said I just know these things, I don’t want to say that its old news in the states. So he’s says show me your house. So I showed him and he zoomed in on the house, he was like wow that’s your house, I told him yes and I kind of didn’t want to because of how big the house is, so he goes now watch this and he pushes something and puts the view as if you were walking down the street, I was like no way that’s awesome, I could see the cars and Melissa is out front walking. I couldn’t believe it, it made me trunky for the rest of the day ha-ha.

June 1

Well, I’m glad you guys got my photos and are enjoying them. (It only took 10 days to get a package from Iquitos) We will be posting all pictures in the near future in a new album.
We have two weeks left in this change and I am excited to see what the changes will be. I’m really hoping to do a jungle hop, go from one place in the jungle to another. I really like the jungle.
This week nothing really happened. Wednesday we couldn’t leave to go work because they had a strike and it was pretty dangerous in the street, so we just rested and studied. It was kind of off and on this week so we had to be careful in the streets.
Well nothing else is really happening. Today we are going to a gringo restaurant to eat lunch with the zone, I have been there before, and the food is so good.

May 25th

The biggest thing here that we do for service is painting because everything is cement and the paint is always falling off so we paint a lot and it’s no professional job but they like it.
The investigators are doing good and we have a lot of people that we are teaching but no one is accepting a baptismal date, but we will have some in June. I’m really trying to work smarter, I’m studying more and trying to make my teaching better and my Spanish so I will be able the apply the things and be a better missionary and help the investigators.
So back in march when I was with Elder Zuniga we had interchanges with the district leader, something that is normal, I went to his area with his junior comp and my district leader came to my area with Elder Zuniga, so I was in the other area that day working good with the other missionary, contacting, teaching. We found a guy named Richard and sat down and taught him the restoration and everything. Well at general conference in April I was standing there talking with other missionaries and this man came up to me and said Elder Ridge do you remember me? I said your face looks familiar but I’m sorry I don’t. He said you taught me the first lesson in my house and guess what I got baptized last weekend. Wow I said congrats, I felt really happy and joyful that he got baptized, I felt pretty good, but also that same day in March I was with another missionary and I said “hey lets go contact some people, and he said ok, I said you go contact that person and I will contact them, he said ok and went and contacted a lady while I was talking to this lady and her daughter, and told them about the church they seemed interested. I got names address and set an appointment, well a couple weeks later I was talking to my district leader and he said hey Elder Ridge you contacted a mom and her daughter that one day and now we are teaching them and trying to prepare them for baptism, I was pretty excited, as time went I asked how they were doing. He said we are still working with them, but she is having trouble working on Sunday stuff like that, well 2 weeks ago he told me hey guess what, the whole family is getting baptized, the mom dad, the daughter that 18 and the son that is 20, I was like wow sweet, so they all got baptized I was so happy.
Well last Friday I had interchanges and went to the district leaders area again and his companion there said lets go visit the family that just got baptized that you contacted, so we went and we were sitting down talking and I asked the mom, do you remember me, she said no, but I have seen you somewhere, I told her, back in march right here in front of your house I contacted you in the street and told you about the church, she said oh my gosh yes I remember, she grabbed my hand looked at me and said thank you, thank you so much, because you talked to me that day I have received so many blessing for me and my family and will receive more, I am so thankful to be in this church and I am sharing it with my friends. I told her well I’m really happy for you and your family and this church will bless your life and she said you are always welcome here and we talked some more and we took some pictures and left. After I left, I felt so happy and joyful I can’t explain how I felt, I was thinking wow just one little contact in the street the whole family got baptized, I felt pretty proud even though I had nothing to do with it because I was just an instrument the Lords hands. I felt so good that day and was thinking you never know what can happen from just a little invitation, so that what happened to me this week, it was a good week.
I have had a lot of good experiences, thank you so much for your support and I love you guys.

May 18th

Yes I got my birthday package and I loved it! it was so good, the candy the ties, it was all good. For my birthday we went to a family’s house they are so sweet, and we made pizza, it was so good, they sang happy birthday to me. . My pensionista made a cake and her family sang, it was a good birthday.
Today we got to go out and work in regular cloths because there was some protesting going on and President wanted everyone to wear regular clothes to be safe, nobody took us seriously when we are in our p-day clothes.
Sunday morning it rained so hard that all the houses flooded and nobody could go to church, we got to church and there was us and the bishopric, we had to start church an hour later and still only 10 members came, it was sad, we have to push back all the dates of our investigators.


May 11th (Post Mothers Day Call)

Yes it was good to talk to you guys, it sounds like everything is going good and everyone is happy including buddy (Elder Ridge’s dog)
We had a great time talking with Elder Ridge. We did not have the best telephones connections and had to call back a few times but it is always good to hear his voice. He is doing great and is loving his mission. It doesn’t sound like he has an accent but he did have trouble thinking of words in English and often used different wording than we are use to. It sounds like he is really into his language. He told us a lot stories about Iquitos, the members and the investigators. He is having a great time in the Jungle and hopes to stay in the jungle awhile longer.

May 4th (Pre Mothers Day Call)

Well the changes are here and I’m going.... nowhere, I’m staying here with Elder Roca. I will try my best and do my part hopefully things will work out.

Saturday we had Jorges baptism, it was really good, I baptized him.

I’m really excited to call you guys this weekend and talk, it will be the same as last time, I will call you Saturday to set up a time for Sunday. The Mission President gave us a hour of internet now so it will be back to normal.

I have no idea what made me sick, I don’t know if it was food water or what but right now I’m good. I burned the cads but now I have to send them, there is nothing in my area where I can do it and I have to wait every p-day. This week we really have to work hard to get more investigators to get more baptisms, every person that we had stop progressing so we really have to work hard to get more.

Yes, Mom I’m using the repellent, don’t worry, well I’m glad that everything is going good over there, I love the pictures of the family, everyone looks good, I’m really proud of Dave, he looks really happy. (Elder Ridge’s older brother graduated from UVU) Melissa looks great, I’m glad she is enjoying lacrosse, well guys I love you so much and thanks for the support and I will call you this Saturday!

Catch Up Post

I have been negligent to get this out for 3 weeks now. This is a long post so please read all the way to the bottom. Elder Ridge is having a great time serving the Lord in Peru and especially in the Jungle of Iquitos.

April 27th

Last week for p-day Elder Roca and I went to the houses that are floating, and they have bridges in between the houses. It was so awesome but it was a humbling experience seeing the way they live.

We didn’t have the two baptisms that were planned, Jorge got sick and Rosario didn’t want to make time for it. She says she is so busy but wants to do it; Jorge will be baptized next week.

Yesterday in church only 15 people showed up because Saturday night it rained so hard that every house flooded. We helped some families get water out of their houses Sunday afternoon, we used brooms and dust pans, the whole time I was thinking man this would be easier with a wet dry vac, and they don’t have vacuums here.

The other day we were knocking doors and we found this lady that raises parrots and macaws that are huge, she didn’t want anything to do with the church but she asked me if I wanted to take pictures with her birds so I have some sweet pictures with those, the jungle is awesome.

My health is good, well right now it is good, I didn’t tell you guys but I was sick for two weeks and lost a lot of weight but right now I’m fine, everything is good with the comp he is a good guy and we get along.

April 20st

The ward is awesome, the members are really nice to us, some of them are way funny however, there are a ton of inactive. Average Church attendance at church is only around 50 people. They are really nice and humble. Our Ward Mission Leader helps us, he is leaving for a mission in May to Columbia.

A typical P-day we usually we go to the internet place to write in the morning then after we play soccer or go to that zoo or for example today is free day so me and my companion are going to get some stuff done, my pictures, his pictures, visit some of the river stuff that we have wanted to do.

Well, we had Anita’s baptism it was way good. Roca baptized her, and she was confirmed on Sunday. This week we have Rosario’s baptism and Jorge baptism. Rosario didn’t get baptized but she wants to on the 23rd which is a Thursday so we will do that for her, Anita will be baptized this Saturday I’m excited for that, we have this kid Jorge and Enrique, their parents went inactive and came back so we have to baptize them, we had a family come to church Sunday but they are living together so we are going to get them excited to get married and then baptize them hopefully.

April 13th

So my Easter Sunday lunch consisted of this. I go to the member’s house and we sit down, we are talking having fun, then the sister brings out the soup, she gives me the soup and I look in the soup and see a big white ball that looked like white ground beef. I’m thinking to myself wow this should be fun, you’re not suppose to ask what it is before you eat but I was like what the heck I can take it, so I asked sister, “what is in the soup, is it meat? it looks good.” She says oh elder it is so good you’re going to love it, it very healthy, ok but what is it, its blah blah she said a weird name I haven’t heard of, I said what’s that, well its cow brains, I said mmmm can’t wait to eat and dug right in, trying to get the thought off my mind that I was chewing on a cow brain, so now I have basically eaten every part of the chicken and every part of the cow, man I could go for mimis apple pie right now ha-ha, that was my Easter lunch.

The other day we were walking down the street and I look in a window and I see this tucan sitting in a house, I was like look Roca a tucan lets go contact that person, so we went and I have some cool photos of a toucan on my arm just chilling there.

A Boxer, Mosquito Net and a Hungry ATM

March 30th

First of all my new companion is awesome. We get a long and he is humble. Before the mission he was a boxer so he is big. We have the same time in the mission, I lead the area and meetings and lessons cause he doesn’t know anybody but he reports to our district leader and stuff, we are pretty even. That’s what I wanted this change was some one that I could be equal this change, we already have learned a lot together, this change is going to be good. Elder Layton is sitting next to me and we are telling stories and stuff, he is so funny, I haven’t seen Elder Hyde yet but I have talked to Elder Roldan, he is doing well.

I have not been sick yet here in Iquitos. We do sleep in mosquito nets and they are hot, it’s like a hot box. President is coming Tuesday so hopefully then I will get my package.


April 6th

Well, yes the ATM machine ate my card, I couldn’t believe it, the whole time I was thinking, Dads going to kill me haha, natural reaction. Yes I got the package that you sent, its awesome, thank you so much, I love the shirt and the candy, everything got here just fine including the chocolate.

Yes,I heard the they are sending Elder Cheesman back to Bolivia and couple others that I know. I am happy for them to go back so they can start helping the church there.

We got to go to every session of conference, my favorite talk was Jeffrey R Holland too, it was a amazing. I remember when the announced Larry Gibson (our Stake President has been called in the General Young Men’s Presidency) but I didn’t know it was him, I didn’t but two and two together. I saw Tim Wright singing like always.(A friend from our California Ward sings in the Tabernacle Choir)

Everything down here is good. Our investigators are good, we have found new people to teach that will get baptized, Willer’s brother wants to get baptized now so we are going to teach his brother and his mom, we have a couple of 10 year olds that parents fell away and came back to the church and want them to get baptized. Anita is way good, she is processing and attending church she attended conference and she liked it.

Changes and a Great Missionary Example

So we have changes! I’m staying here in Las Castanas and Iquitos, and also I’m getting a new companion, Elder Zuniga is going to go to Lima and my new companion is Elder Roca, I think he is from Santa Cruz Bolivia. We are the same group so we have the same time, that is what I wanted, someone with the same time, so we are going to be young guns tearing it up. The missionaries that are coming here in the zone are Elder Hyde, Elder Layton, Elder Rolden and Elder Griffin. I get to be with Elders from my group and Rolden, I’m way excited to start this change.


We had the baptism of Alcidis, it was so good, his dad baptized him and on Sunday he got the priesthood, he is thinking about a mission and I’m trying to get him excited about it. The girl Anita is getting baptized the 18 of April.

We have a new investigator that is getting baptized the 11 of April, her name is Rosario and she is a teacher. A 10 year old boy in her class gave her the Book of Mormon and right after he died in an accident so she same to church on Sunday and we taught her. Thanks to that little 10 year old boy she is getting baptized. She is 40 years old and divorced, her kids don’t live with her.

The Work is Good!!

Well, this week nothing really happened, we didn’t have a baptism but next week we will have a baptism. His name is Alcides, he will turn 18 I think next month, his dad is member. I’m pretty excited to get him in the water so he can serve a mission.

Willer, our recent convert, we were talking about seminary because he is taking it and he was like oh guess what I’m taking mission prep too. I was so happy when he told me that, he is preparing to go on his mission.

I had an interchange with elder Lynch this week he is our zone leader he is from West Valley, it was so weird talking in English. It was fun. For a little time we went to play with the monkeys in our area, we have two that hang out in a park. Nothing else really happen! Found other people to teach that will start progressing for baptism, oh ya next week you will know if I get changed or who my new companion is, next week we have changes, I’m hoping I stay here!!!

Success and Cool Stuff

Missionary Work

Well to start off first we had the baptism of Sebastian, that was pretty good, I baptized him. Our family of gold didn’t come to church so I was heartbroken but they still have their date for baptism. They are having some doubt and are starting to be unsure about things but we are still going to work with them. We found a couple other people to teach that we will start teaching this week. Alcidis is still doing good, he came to church with us yesterday, he is a cool kid but really quiet. We lost Jaivees date, he were so excited to get baptized. We went to his house Sunday morning and his grandpa came to the door and was like he doesn’t want anything and boom slammed the door in the our face, I was so mad, we are going to go see him to see what’s up,

General Information and Cool Stuff

For our email we go to the main plaza of Iquitos in this big internet store. There are also stores in this part of town that burns pictures onto discs. Pday we can play soccer like always, I’m ready to beat Bobby in soccer. Today a member of the ward is taking me and my comp around the city to visit some places like rivers and other cool places. Something cool about the Amazon is they have a pink fresh water dolphin. My Pensionista is awesome, her food is way good and clean. There is a lady that does the laundry for the whole zone. I took money out to buy cool stuff, I have a case for my Spanish Book of Mormon and it’s Anaconda skin and my Bible cover is Jaguar skin, and some other cool stuff.

Golden Investigators and much more!!

Well, this past week was awesome, we had the baptism of Willer, that kid is so awesome, he is already signed up for seminary classes and received the priesthood yesterday, he’s 17 and he wants to serve a mission, he is such a cool kid. Our other investigators are sweet, this Saturday we will have the baptism of Sebastian, I’m excited for that too.

Another awesome thing that happened this week is that we found a family of gold, we were walking and talking with people knocking a few doors and I saw a sweet dirt bike and we were like lets go knock that house, and a guy came to the door and was like come in, so we came in and we taught him, Ulises and his wife July, they have two little kids a boy that’s 6 and a girl that 4, we taught them and he liked it so then we went back another day and taught them the plan of salvation with him and his wife for 2 hours, we talked all about how families can be together forever and they were asking so many good questions it was awesome, we went to their house on Sunday to take them to church and he was all ready in a shirt and tie and she was all dressed up, they are both lawyers so they have a lot of money, we went to church in their car, it was so awesome, they are set to get baptized the 28 of March, we are really praying for them to get baptized, I want them to get baptized so in a year towards the end of my mission I can go see them get sealed, that would be so awesome, he says that he knows the church is true, there are such a cool family.

Yes, we eat a lot of bananas or papaya. For breakfast we usually eat like a sandwich thing it’s bread with either meat in the middle or avocado or butter and some type of drink like juice. For lunch it is always chicken and rice sometimes it’s different like soup or beef and rice but it’s always rice, I have eaten rice every day since I got to Peru, it gets old, and dinner is the same thing, rice chicken sometimes soup, always fruit like papaya. The food here is good and I haven’t gotten anything weird, I have only gotten fish like once, I’m lucking out with that because I haven’t gotten any fish since I have been here.

To the Amazon I’m like a 5 minute ride in a motto taxi, those things are fun, zipping around the city in one of those. my ward is pretty big and the attendance is alright, there are a lot of less active but we visits them and there are some that are starting to come. The Bishop is way good and is funny too. Our apartment is little, we have a separate room where we sleep then we have a bigger room where the kitchen is and where we study, in our kitchen its only a sink and a little refrigerator to put water in, and then we have our bathroom, it’s as nice bathroom but it’s cold water, and there isn’t a toilet seat so you’re sitting on the porcelain which is normal down here.