Week 7: Peru!

Familia y Amigos,

Not gonna lie, this week has been so crazy! It's kinda made me not like the CCM too much because the CCM makes you feel like you're a master at the language and then you go into the field and can't understand anything! It's frustrating at times but its all good. It's really not that bad. You just have to tune your ears to be able to catch what people are saying. Apparently it just takes time. All the other gringos say it takes about 3 months or so to understand everything and around 5 months your able to speak fluently. 

Also, this place is crazier than Mexico City! In some ways. I'm in one of the poorest parts of Lima right now, but the members here are incredible. Everyone is so so nice and giving and they don't have very much. There's one family in particular that's just awesome, I cant even remember their names but their all very humble and nice and patient with new gringo missionaries, it's just the Mom, and then 3 kids. But we've been teaching one of the daughters friends, Melany, who is 15 years old and we just committed her to baptism. We taught her about Jose Smith and I really felt the Spirit when I testified that Joseph truly did see God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. It was a great moment. 

When people say that Peruvians only eat chicken, rice, and potatoes their not foolin' around because they only eat chicken rice and potatoes, but its actually really good! The rice is really good here, don't know why but it is. We have one big meal a day, Lunch, and it is BIG. I think it was my second day here that I was pretty sure I was gonna throw up all over the place, but I didn't so that was good. I did eat cow stomach without knowing it though, wasn't bad to be honest, it kinda was after I found out what it was that I was sick haha. 

The people here love American food too, I gave this little boy a part of a pop tart and he was freaking out! Not really, but he loved it! He was asking me for more the entire visit. But I don't blame him, pop tarts are the best. 

My companion is Elder Pauro and is from Peru. He's a good companion and has been in this area for 3 months now. I've learned a lot of Spanish from him which has been a huge help to me this past week. He laughs at just about anything too, all Peruvians do, their just happy people in general. Anyways, its been great! 

One of the biggest shocks here were the dogs haha. Their not really mean, their just EVERYWHERE! They just mind their own business for the most part, just snooping around in the trash. If they are mean you can usually just act like you're going to pick up a rock and they'll run off. 

Que mas... that's about all, lots has happened but its too much to write. I wish I had pictures to send right now but I don't, but next week!

Chow

Elder Potter

Oh, one last thing, I guess another big shock was that in our apartment we don't have any hot water! Nada! But that's okay cause it wakes me right up in the morning!

Familia,

Thought I'd send you guys more of a personal email besides the general one. 

This has been the craziest week of my life but its also been awesome. Sounds like it was kinda the same back home too. I'm sad Hal died, he was a great guy and I can't wait to see him again. And then I forgot about Nate and Ashley's wedding haha. I wish I could have been there, sounded like it was a great experience. It's really cool that Grandpa Page got to seal them, how awesome. 

So I guess we get to go to the temple aqui about 2 times a year, or is it once a year, I don't really know. Oh, and a little bit more about my area... So I'm in the hills, or fovellas, and the people of the hills are a lot crazier and drunker from what I've seen in the city part. We ran into this one guy who was trying to talk to us and he was so hammered! Haha, it was kinda funny. The dogs really aren't bad here, their just kinda there.

Oh yeah! You're not gonna believe me, but Ive started drinking soda again... but only Inca Kola. People are always looking for the "holy grail", but all they need to do is go to a corner market in Peru and buy an Inca kola... yum. its yellow and it tastes like bubble gummy goodness. That's another thing, everything here is super super cheap! Inca Kola isn't even one sol, so not even 30 US cents. Crazy awesome.

The transportation here is super crazy! They drive these 3 wheeled taxis called motos and it only costs one sol to go in them. Then there's these vans that only cost .50 soles and their even crazier! Its just a normal van but they pack those suckers! and they drive like maniacs! Its pretty fun but its just normal now haha.

I have had diarrhea this past week, starting last Saturday at the CCM. A few days ago I'm pretty sure I had nothing in my system, it was bad. I'm fine now, I think. Every gringo gets it though. My best friend here has been A.D., its short for Anti Diarrhea haha.

The food here is really good. The chicken rice and potatoes are really good. But the hamburgers here are really good for some reason, maybe its because I haven't had a 5 guys burger in a while. I dont know. But the bread is toasted and the mayonnaise here is different, I think its better actually. Then they put thick cut fries ON the burger. Only down side is that the patties are super thin for some reason which is weird but their awesome burgers. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be fat when I get home, go ahead and laugh but its true haha.

Elder Potter