So this week was interesting.

It started off with transfers. Elder Padilla left and is now in Cajamarca, enjoying the cold, and I am still here, in the sand, dying from the heat with my new companion Elder Baque.

Speaking of heat, we went to this investigators house who lives in a part of town that is actually a little hard to get too. It is like this abandoned complex, that literally looks like it is taken from the movie Maze Runner. It literally is kinda creepy when we go there. So we went there at night to teach this lady. She has only listened to us give the first lesson, and she is already asking tons of questions about baptism and all and it looks perfect, but she likes to talk so it was hard to get some words in. While we were explaining the Book of Mormon, she remembered that her dog died and she needed to bury it. So she interrupted us and asked us to help her bury her dead dog - and so we did. That was kind of gross burying a dead dog. She left her dog out in the sun when she went to work, so the poor thing literally died from the heat. And her daughter was crying when we were burying the thing and I felt sad for her. But at least she seems like a good investigator and hopefully she can keep progressing!!!

Another awesome part of this week. Remember Engelbert from Venezuala that we baptized a while ago??  (see post dated Nov. 27, 2018).  He just got sustained to be an Elder and receive the Melchizedek Priesthood!!!!!!  Not only that, but he was called to the STAKE YOUNG MEN'S Presidency!!!!  It is crazy that I was here when he first came to church and now he is going to set the example for many young men here in Esperanza. It made me feel so special to see how happy he was to receive a calling, and talk in church, and how much he has grown in just a short period of time. I am so proud of him.

Today I bought a new pair of shoes that are some nice heavy duty boots. I already wore through one pair of my shoes just from walking a lot, so hopefully this pair will last a little longer. It is kinda nice how you can talk people down from prices here, things really are so much cheaper here than they are in the States.

I love and miss you all. The mission is going, and I am working hard. I feel so good when I go to bed knowing that I honestly tried my best, and even though lately we hit a slump, I still am at peace when I talk with as many people as I can and share my testimony. We, as missionaries, are told to contact at least 20 people every day, 10 for each missionary, and so we really work hard to talk with as many people as we can. It is sometimes a challenge, but it feels amazing when we accomplish it at the end of the day.

I hope you guys are all doing great and remembering the savior in your lives. I know that through Him we can overcome any challenge that is thrown our way. You guys are all so amazing.

Here are some pictures when we went to the Centro and found some weird black magic dudes doing some weird stuff. I am with two of my Latino companions, Elder Baque and Elder Chuqiopiondo, as well as my friend from the CCM Elder Boyce!