Monday, December 20, 2010

Canto Chico, Peru

Well I am finally here in the field. I know that at other times I’ve said that this was the hardest time of my life, but to be straight up honest with you all... this is the hardest time of my entire life. I am the only white fish in a sea of brown ones. Wow this language is really hard when you are hearing it a 100 miles an hour.
My companion or as they call it here 'Mi Papa' is Elder Xicara.  To pronounce his name, the first part, the 'xi', sounds  like 'she' and the second part sounds like it looks 'cara'. The place we have been first assigned to is called Canto Chico, and it is really great.  I like it here a lot. The people are really poor.  My area is the mountains.  It stinks because I have to climb a massive mountain every day. OH ya, that reminds me,  I figured out why people build houses right on top of each other ... it is because when you build a house in the side of the mountain, you don’t have to pay as much for things.   Most of the time the people that live there are all paying a lump sum for electricity and more often than not they don’t have a bath room.
Really cool thing!!! This week we went into a member’s house, and in the back they had a giant cage...... full of Guinea Pigs.   I was so upset that I didn’t have my camera with me but you don’t have to worry because the member is the Bishop!!!!!!! 
OK so now for the bad news... there is a mission rule here we are not allowed to send pictures at all to anyone. So I have not figured out what to do yet but I hope to think of something soon.
So another cool thing is that this week, this coming Saturday, as in Christmas day, I have two baptisms. As in, I get to be in the water, baptisms!!!  I am so excited.  We have been teaching these two completely different people, both accepted, and are excited to get baptized.  There is a possibility that we will have two more the following week.  The gospel is so true.  I have the privilege to see it change people’s lives first hand.   Trust me, I thank god every day.  
Amazing to me is the condition of some of the people that I have seen and met.  Many are barely living if you can even call it that.  Some just live in a shack with nothing but the clothing on their backs. It is really sad, but I think this is one of the reasons they are so accepting of the gospel, because what we are giving them is happiness and joy. I love my job even though right now it is really, really hard.  Soon however, when I am fully able to communicate the gospel... the World will have to look out cause the Big guns are coming in.
Con amor Elder Harris

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