Six More Weeks in Aplao!

Hola Familia,

Well this week has been awesome as usual. Sorry about last week, I think that I either forgot to send a family email or it didn’t go through. So this email should be good.

We had a bunch of success this week. We were able to find a bunch of new people. Then our people that we are teaching are progressing also. It is nice to be able to see the fruits of our labors.

So I will be in Aplao with the same companion for another six weeks, which will be awesome. I will have my birthday and my Companion’s birthday in the next change. Overall we were able to find a family where the nine year old son needs to be baptized but his Mom won’t let it happen, because she is not a member, but we will keep working with them. Ruben is working on getting the Melchizedek Priesthood in the upcoming weeks also. Hermano Ignacio is planning on getting married this next month and then Raul and Valerie are also planning on getting married. We have a ton of people that we are teaching and it is really nice to see people that really want this Gospel in their lives. Then we have Percy. He is awesome and he has some doubts but when he is converted he will be a great member and really faithful.

On Monday we went to Arequipa to just spend the day there. I don’t really need anything so I am all good. But on the way back the bus broke down and so we got home really late and the traveling was awful ha ha.

Then on Tuesday we had a great lesson for the district and I was really happy on how it turned out. Then we got back and you guys have to read about the Haribo Gummy bears without sugar. We had troughs and I got destroyed ha ha. You will know why after reading the descriptions.

Then on Wednesday nobody was home and we went to so many houses. Finally we found a hermana and made her pancakes, and she was really worried about dying and so I told her to just make sure that you are prepared every day to return to your Heavenly Father (Plan of Salvation). It was a really cool experience.

Then on Thursday we went with one of the councilors of the mission and we are going to start the seminary and institute program in Aplao. So that will be a ton of work but it should be really good. Then I taught my Pensionista how to make a quesadilla and then a quesadilla with banana and chocolate ha ha. Friday we went and talked to Ruben about the mission and then found another member whose son needs to be baptized so it should be two weeks and he will be baptized.

In the morning on Saturday with the six missionaries we went to a member’s farm and ate mangos, figs and prickly pears and it was awesome. 

Mangos

Peruvians

Tuna - Prickly Pear

Hermana Rosa

Church was awesome on Sunday and just overall my Companion is great and we are getting a ton of work done.

I just think that the Lord needs different thing at different times. So I will just follow his will and we will have success. I am enjoying every single day and just loving the mission. I hope that each one of you guys can find something each day to just be happy. You make your own happiness; it doesn’t come from someone else it comes from you. I love each and every one of you guys so much and hope that you are all doing great. Have a great week and I cannot wait to talk to all of you next week.

I love you all,
Elder Cooley

Questions:

1. How does the Mission President get a hold of you guys out in the field?
We have phones so he can call each companionship.

2. What is Toro Muerto?
It is the place with all the petroglyphs (See last week's post for pictures).

3. Where was the cave at?
The cave was at Toro Muerto.

4. How do you meet new investigators?
We either meet them through members or just by walking and talking to people or knocking doors.

5. What did you do in Arequipa last week? What type of food did you have?
We just went and ate Papa Johns and just went around and my Companion went and bought things but I was good.

6. When do you think your next transfer will be?
Well transfers were Saturday so I am here for another six weeks.

7. Does it ever rain there? If it does what is it like?
It did rain the other day but it was just a little ha ha.

8. Did you buy anything in Arequipa when you were there?
I bought Reese’s cups ha ha and Hershey’s cookies and cream and M&Ms ha ha that was it. 

9. Do you and your companion prefer to talk in English or Spanish? Do the locals ever ask you to say anything in English?
We talk in English because we can actually talk and have a decent conversation, and they always ask us to talk in English.

10. What is your favorite type of local fruit? Why?
Favorite type of local fruit is definitely mango.

11. Favorite Scripture?
Favorite scripture this week it in 2 Nephi 31:15

Pancakes Once Again

Pizza

Companion

My Hat

The Elders Adventure to the Castle

With Percy

Tacos

A Store

WHERE'S DYLAN? 

Hanging out at Snowbird

More to Come Next Week!

This week we did not receive a family email from Dylan for the blog.  I have pieced together other emails. 

Mondays are the best days that is for sure. Today we have the opportunity to go to Arequipa to buy some stuff and also to eat some good food for once ha ha. But the most important thing is writing all of my family. That is definitely the most important part of Mondays for me.

My Pensionista is the best. She is absolutely amazing and I just don’t want to have another one ha ha. My Pensionista has two kids. Only one lives with her right now and the other is studying in Arequipa. I have been cooking like crazy and it is awesome.

I try and write down everything that I learn and everything that I cook while I am on my mission. Actually today I am going to buy a journal to put all the recipes in.

I take pictures of absolutely everything and i have taken 16 GBS of pictures in about 6 months ha ha.

My Spanish is coming along slowly, I try and study everyday to get better. But I can pretty much understand everything that is being said. I do not like rice at all and soccer is pretty fun ha ha.

Questions:

1. Favorite Scripture?

 Mosiah 15:7

2. Favorite Quote?

 Umm . . . Don’t let the day run you.

3. What is the biggest thing that is different culturally there?

 Just how life is so laid back and people just don’t care as much. The biggest culture shock has been just customs. I have never felt threatened.

4. Do the Peruvians take daily siestas?

 Yes and no, it is not as big as it is in other South American countries.

5. What are you daily tasks as a District Leader?

 Three times a week I call and get numbers from missionaries in my district.  I also teach a class once a week

6. How is the mission prep for Rueben coming along?

 It is coming along and he is starting to fill out his papers right now. I am excited to get Ruben on his mission and it will help his family so much with everything.

7. How often do you have a mission night?  Whose idea was it to have s'mores?

 We have mission nights every Friday.  I can’t remember whose idea it was ha ha.

8. Why did you butcher the chickens?  Was it only for lunch or did your Pensionista need to send them to market to sell?

 She had two so we killed one for lunch and then she has a store so she sold the other. The chickens were so good ha ha. They were way better than the store.

9. Did you have some of the Coke with evaporated milk?  What did it taste like?  Was it good?

 It was really good. It kind of tasted like a root beer float.

10. Do the people down there typically have shish kabobs or was that your idea?

Yeah it is really big down here, shish kabobs with chicken or cow heart. And cow heart is really good a little chewy but good.

Church

Shack thing in Toro Muerto

Toro Muerto

Service

Cave

Peach Cobbler

Mac and Cheese - Thanks!

Zone

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Freddie

Baby Ducks

One Ugly Dog

Cluck, Cluck, Cluck

Hola Familia,

Well this week has been crazy just like all the others. Wow we are already three weeks into the New Year, how fast does the time pass ha ha. It is awesome that I have a good companion and a good zone. The time just flies by and I don’t want it to ha ha.

Well this week in a bubble yeah. Monday after going to hang out with the other Elders and Hermanas we came back and I had left the keys inside the room. So luckily my companion was able to squeeze through this tiny window and we were able to get inside the room. Then we had an awesome family home evening with an investigator and a less active family. Then on Tuesday we did service all day moving rocks and dirt, and now we get to come back and they are going to cook us duck for our labors ha ha. Wednesday we had a Zone Conference. A lot was focused on District Leaders and what we need to do to help out our Zone. Then we went and bought Coke with evaporated milk for Ruben’s birthday. He is officially starting his papers this week, which is awesome. Then we went to find an investigator and they weren’t home so Elder Holden and I just talked on a rock for a while which was super relaxing. Thursday we went on divisions with the Zone Leaders and it was awesome. We had a great lesson with a family that is now planning on getting married and baptized in February, which will be super cool. Then we helped a Hermana sell her cheese to people in her little town ha ha. Friday we went and put a new coat of paint on the ceiling of the Pesionista of some other Elders. 

Service

Then we had a fire and cooked S’mores and hot dogs for our mission night, which was super amazing. 

Mission Night

Hot Dogs

Saturday we got to butcher two gallinas (hens) that our Pensionista had. We ate one for lunch and she sold the other one ha ha, it was cool and tasted really good. 

Our Lunch

Chicken for lunch

Church is always good just stressful to get everyone to do their callings and bring people to church but it is so worth it.

Overall I am doing great and learning a ton on my mission. We have a lot of people to teach which is always nice. So these next weeks will be interesting to see if they will progress to be baptized. Overall the time is going by too fast and I wish it would slow down sometimes ha ha. I am learning to enjoy every second of the day that we get to have and to get the most out of every situation. I love you all and I hope that you all have an awesome week.

I love ya´ll,

Elder Cooley

Questions:

1. What has been your favorite scripture this past week?

Matthew 11:29

2. Have you learned anything new this past week?

Not to eat warm watermelon.

3. Where do you go to cook pancakes?

At members houses and just anywhere ha ha.

4. Do the markets have ingredients similar to the states?

The ingredients are sometimes similar but tons are way different.

5. Have you had any meals at member’s homes?

I have never eaten at a member’s house here ha ha.

6. Is church attendance in your branch getting any better?

Yeah attendance is climbing slowly ha ha.

7. Have you tried any new foods? If yes, what?

I have had chicken heart and cow heart.

8. Why were you moving rocks last week?

We needed to make a space to put a garden in.

9. Have you grown any taller in the last 6 months? If so, how much? lol

I have no idea, I will check on that.

Fake Snow

10. What did you think of the fake snow?

That it was awesome and like silly string ha ha.

Cow Heart Shish Kabobs

This week was crazy and so much happened. We got to kill chickens and the eat them for lunch. It was awesome and I want to have chickens when I am older to grow and then eat them because it was so good. We also ate cow heart shish kabobs which were really good as well. I love learning to cook and try new foods.

Cow Heart Shish Kabobs

Percy and his fighting chicken

Cooking