"Just Chillin!"

Pday this week was pretty lame. I basically just watched two zones play soccer because I couldn't play because of my knee—but no big deal. I got to laugh and joke around with some of the guys. A little later I was informed that I was going to be going to the office for the next two weeks to heal up. If I don't heal, then I'm going to have to go home. I will be resting and icing my knee and doing whatever I can to try and get better.

Tuesday I got to the new mission home. It's pretty sweet. It's a little bit smaller but a lot more modern. I am crashing with Elder Compton and Elder Holmes. It was a long day! I basically just sat and did nothing in the office except rest and ice my knee. Hopefully they will give me a job to do or something.

Wednesday we went to President's house and Hermana Henderson asked me to make an English book with 25 little lessons that could be taught in like district meetings. I think it’s so the Latinos can get some practice with English. There is the job that I was looking for! We all know how bad I suck on the computer so this should be a good experience. Being in the office lets you know a little bit more of how the mission works. It's really cool! I actually knew a fair amount already. My knee still feels kind of heavy but I'm sure it will improve.

Thursday was a normal day. I basically just rested and ran a couple of errands with the secretaries. We went to Real Plaza, which is a sweet mall, to get a couple of things. It kind of makes you feel like you are back home because it is a modern mall.

Friday I was back to resting my knee again. My knee is just kind of sore and achy. It feels like it's just kind of a deep, chronic pain like I've had it for a while. I feel like I just need to do some exercises and to some therapy on my knee. It's kind of cool being with the missionaries in the office because it's pretty funny sometimes. There's just a lot of laughing.

Saturday I just chilled and iced my leg. Later that evening there was a stake talent show in the Peñaloza chapel, which is the old chapel that I attended. So I got to see some of the members and they were all concerned and asking about my leg. "Oh my gosh, how are you doing? We are all praying for you and your knee! We miss you!" I have only been here for a couple of weeks. They're really awesome! After the talent show there were a lot of people that went to Hermana Charo's (my former pensionista) and ate picarones. It was good!

Sunday I went to the La Libertad ward with Elder Compton and Elder Holmes. Afterwards we had lunch and then we went to the office so I could rest/ice my knee.  I kind of feel like I'm a burden for everyone, which sucks! I hope my knee heals quickly. I hate this! I hope you guys have a great week and I love you!

"We Have a Chance!"

For Pday this week we didn't really do too much. We just played sports like volleyball at the church with everyone in the zone. I didn't get too involved because of my knee. We didn't have too much luck with our meetings that evening. We did teach Zandalee a lesson and that went well.

Tuesday we gave a good zone training. We talked about developing faith in Jesus Christ and a couple of other things that I feel really helped the zone. The training went great. Elder Collantes called me and told me that the MRI machine is in maintenance and we are going to have to wait till later to do it. I did divisions with Elder Larson for the day and it went well. We went to Totus for dinner. It is this Italian restaurant and the food is really, really good!

Wednesday we went to Huancavelica to approve one of the companionship's rooms and to see how things were going. Huancavelica is a pretty cool place! The road to Huancavelica is known to be like the worst in the mission because it is like 3 hours of curves/switchbacks. I've got to admit that it was pretty rough but I was fine. The missionaries were doing well. They have the nicest casa capilla (church house/mini church) that I have seen in the mission. It made the one that we had in Pampas look like garbage. We ate at an Italian restaurant called Oregano's. The valley we drove through was really pretty. We went through this little town (Izcuchaca) that sold this really good cheese bread! It was kind of cool.

Thursday we got back from Huancavelica and then I received my MRI. Getting the MRI was kind of a weird experience. They had me lay down on the table and a robe. They strapped my knee in and had me put on some headphones because the machine was super loud. It lasted around 30 minutes.

Friday I was supposed to get the results of the MRI but the one doctor that can read them wasn't there. Elder Collantes is going to send them to Presidente to try to see what's up. I'm just kind of on waiting mode which sucks. We had our weekly planning this morning and then we went proselyting. We went to the nicest place in the entire mission to eat. The restaurant is La Leña Prime. You gotta love hot wings and ribs!

Ceviche de Pollo

Saturday President Henderson sent my MRI results to his brother who is an orthopedic surgeon. We also had a pre-interview with Zandalee. Things are looking good for her to be baptized on the 29th!

Church was pretty good on Sunday. I finally got to know the ward. I hadn't been to church here yet because of General Conference and the Peruvian elections. It's a big ward and it is awesome! The people are nice and the chapel is nice which is great! Please don't worry about me. I'm fine. I'm just trying to keep you updated on my health. My knee is just trash and it really, really hurts. Ha ha. But I'm fine, I can still walk, I'm not paralyzed. President did call me and said, "We have a chance" and that his brother did not see anything wrong in the results. So that's awesome! It must just be a lot of inflammation. President told me he has some plans for me and will let me know in the next couple of days what I need to do. I'm sure all will go well. I love you guys and can't wait to hear how your week went!

No Church This Week! It's the Law!

Monday was a real solid Pday. The knee is still kind of bugging me but oh well. There are four zones here in Huancayo. Our zone (Huancayo – Peñaloza), Los Andes, Mantaro, and San Carlos. After we ate we went to the stake center and played games (basketball, volleyball, football). After chilling for a while we went to this cool souvenir shop. I bought a few things and I am almost done buying souvenirs.

Tuesday we had a good consejo of the zone leaders. We had Popeye’s for lunch and Pizza Hut for dinner. The trainings were good. It's not as cool to go to these zone leader meetings because we don't get to stay in the new mission home. We got the Pampas elders sent back to their area now that the strike thing is pretty much over.

Wednesday we had district meeting, which went well. Afterwards we had a full day of work. Our teaching pool is kinda small; we are rebaptizing a girl whose record as a member was lost or something. Her name is Zandalee and her baptismal date is the 29^th of this month I think. We have a couple of other people who have a baptismal date but they have to stop working Sundays and stuff like that. My knee really is hurting me and I was supposed to go to the clinic on but the doctor didn't come in. Don't worry about me. It's not like I can't walk. It's just bugging me and I need to get it fixed.

Thursday I went to the clinic and they wanted to do a full exam on my knee. We have to receive permission from President Henderson to run the tests so I think it will be this next week. Elder Thatcher took me out to eat at Totus and it was awesome! It's like this Italian restaurant. We had this three cheese lasagna and oh my gosh it was delicious! Thursday is the day that we go to the office and pick up packages, so we did that too.

Friday the elders from Huancavelica stayed with us because of our interviews with Presidente. I got my scripture cases that I ordered from Huancavelica which are so, so awesome! One cool story— Elder Thatcher has been working with a couple for three months. They are Catholics and are really nice but they have never accepted a baptismal date or anything. So I went for my first time the other day and we challenged them to a date and they accepted it! It was a really cool lesson with a strong spirit. We talked about the Book of Mormon and they have decided to prepare for the 7^th of May. Super cool! Their names are Alejandro and Vilma.

Saturday we had our interviews with President Henderson. He told me that he was going to ask for permission for me to get an MRI taken of my knee to see if anything is torn. If something is torn then I will be heading home to have surgery. That would suck! If it is just inflammation, then he is going to try and "save" me. I might be in the office for a bit helping him out and resting my knee a little more than I normally would be.

Sunday we did not have church because they were having presidential elections. Not too many people wanted to listen to us. There was a lot of drinking and parties going on. Last time during elections I was in the CCM and it happened to be the same week as General Conference. They postponed General Conference because we are not allowed to have meetings in Peru during the week of elections. It's the law. No news yet about the MRI. I called Elder Collantes and he said that president thinks it will be Monday. I don't know, I'm sure he will let me know as soon as he gets permission. I'm not sure if I mentioned it but we, as zone leaders, do practices with the missionaries. They are like practice lessons and they all went well. We have to do evaluations on every companionship as well. Every time we have interviews we do that. Anyways, that was my week. I hope you had a great one. I love you all!

Transferred to Huancayo!

Monday we really didn't do too much. We played Uno at the church with the elders from Mantarana.

Tuesday we had an awesome day of work! It was just filled with lessons! Filled I tell you! We also found a bunch of new people to teach! This area is just booming right now!! We found out the changes and I will be transferred to Huancayo to be zone leader. My companion is from Rockwall, Texas and his name is Elder Thatcher. I am super excited!

Wednesday I arrived in Huancayo and our room is remarkable! We have an oven, sink, and triple bunk bed. We even have an outdoor deck thing. We live on the top floor of a nice house. I feel like a rich man or something. Hermana Charo is my pensionista. She cooks us hot wings, pancakes, picarones and everything that we want.

The mission office is in our zone. The elders from Pampas are with us because there is some sort of strike thing going about a University between Pampas and Huancavelica. There are people with rocks and sticks in the streets and they are angry. Our zone is sweet and huge! Huancavelica and Pampas are in it, so I will get to visit those places. It is funny that I am the zone leader of the same zone that I started the mission in (Pampas was my first area). Our zone is in the actual city of Huancayo. It is awesome and exactly what I wanted!

Thursday I went to the clinic/hospital with Elder Collantes for them to check out my knee. They gave me a shot in the butt and they need to put two more in me later. The places that I went to have my shot put in were pretty scary. They were little rooms called Topicas in the street. It seemed like random people with piercings put my shots in. It was kind of scary but quite the experience.  I am walking and doing what I can but my knee really does hurt. Hopefully the inflammation will go down and things will be fine.

Happy April Fools' Day! Today kind of sucked because Elder Collantes told me that I shouldn't be on my feet much. He told me I can walk four hours a day, two hours at a time. I received another shot and I'm sure that things will be all better soon.

Saturday we watched General Conference in English. I really liked the priesthood session. I have a new perspective on a lot of things and I'm going to be trying to "access more of God's power through the priesthood". There were a lot of cool messages!

Sunday was another awesome day of General Conference. We are a little bit worried of how the prophet is doing. He didn't talk too much. We had some investigators come also! I am starting to get used to the new area and the new roads. I hope you guys had a great week and I send my love!