Glacier at Huaytapallana

Hey guys! Well, sorry I am writing so late. We went to a mountain called Huaytapallana. It was so intense. I am in Huancayo again this week for Pday so I will be sending pictures if I can! I am in Huancayo because we went on a hike as a zone. The hike was a glacier. It was amazing, but hard. The hike was easily the hardest one I have been on. It was so crazy but beautiful!

I am feeling much better so don’t worry! I haven’t received any packages yet but I am thankful you guys are trying. It sounds like everything is going well. I have been attacked by so many dogs. They are so mean. I have drilled some with rocks. It’s totally acceptable down here and I love it—haha.

Pampas has dirt roads and cobblestone. We go into villages to teach and it is crazy poor. Like I don’t know how people live in it. Whenever we pray, everyone does these weird chant things and we have to tell them to stop. I also have been asked to bless a house for evil spirits, but luckily I didn’t have to do that. We are working with this girl, Sheyla, hoping she will be baptized this Saturday the 25th. Pray for her. She knows everything she needs to for baptism but she is hesitant. She is 14 and wants to be baptized but doesn’t know what to do. I think she is scared.

Pampas is really hard because there are a lot of members but none are active. It kind of sucks but there are some good people. There is a rule we can’t teach young women alone because of certain circumstances. I seriously have been put in so many weird situations. I am basically a counselor down here. I had a lady ask me what she should do. She has a tumor that is getting worse and she wants to have a baby. The doctors tell her she needs to have the baby now, but she isn’t pregnant and doesn’t even have a boyfriend...They call me “Doctor Will”. I have also given soooo many blessing for the sick. It is really hard for me to do them in Spanish so I need to study more. The Priesthood is crazy powerful!  Another challenge this week—I guess the first counselor of the branch presidency is having marriage problems and his wife wants a divorce. She is not a member. He is the only one in his family that is a member and it is hard for him. She hates him and is really mean. The church is so different here. I blessed the sacrament with a dog sitting right next to the sacrament table. I teach the Old Testament class and I also shared my testimony (in Spanish—claro!) because it was fast Sunday.

Thanks for everything you have done. I miss you! I love you guys and hope everything continues to go well. Thanks for your prayers. I have definitely felt them!!

Elder Durante