5/1/17 - Just Like A Movie

I'M SORRY I couldn't write last week. Really though, it's not my fault. I logged in and it said, "I'm sorry you are not a full time missionary." I spent my entire internet time calling secretaries and assistants and nada. There was nothing I could do. The truth is I was told "there is nothing we can do- you will have to wait until next week because transfers are today!" It's a miracle I'm writing you all right now and I'm positive it's because I was praying for the ability to talk to you all.

The last 2 weeks were crazy. We have been teaching this 22 year old named Alexander. He is so funny and he loves us and we love him. We taught his mom the first lesson and after we left she took and hid his Book of Mormon. She tries to stop him from coming to church and talks so bad about us. However, it's the truth and he knows it so he comes anyways and a week ago last Saturday was his baptism - or it was supposed to be until we passed by at 6 to pick him up and he couldn't leave. Side note, robbery is a HUGE problem here in Peru - every single house has an industrial lock with 2 sliding bolts and all the windows are barred. Once the bolts are set it's impossible to open the door without the key. Anyway, we came to get him and he was stuck in his house. Yeah just like a movie. He couldn't leave and his mom was 2 houses away at his grandmas. We knocked on the grandma's and the grandma said we are of the devil and the grandpa was going to call the police... yeah so we left and the same exact thing happened the next day on Sunday. We were praying so hard to soften hearts and he was baptized yesterday!!!!!!! There is nothing like bringing someone into this gospel because it's truth and it changes lives!!!!!!!!!!

We are teaching this man named Nicolas Marin. He's legit insane but he's hilarious and wants to be baptized so vamos. He was a spiritualist, like talks with spirits, and he says he hears them all the time. We were teaching about the plan of salvation and when I was talking about the 3 kingdoms he zoned out and I was like dude are you okay? and he was like i just heard a voice that said "son this is your path, follow it!" hahahaha We passed by the next day and with a hand held electric saw he had carved a giant Jesus into a wooden door hahaha I love Peru so much. 

One of the foods of Peru is named tocosh. It's when they take a potato and stick it in the mud of a river and leave it there for a few months. It rots and turns into a squishy white paste and then they heat it up and serve it as soup. Yeah i had to eat it!!!! I was doing alright - until i smelled it and I almost threw up. I had to buy some clementines to calm down - it smelled so bad. Not kidding not joking it's HORRIBLE. but I did it and I don't regret it, memories baby!!!

All in all I'm doing great. I love our area and we have family Preciado and they are progressing excellently. They are having a lot of family problems but when they read the Book of Mormon and pray as a family it helps a ton. Yes it does!!! I love sharing with people how my family always reads the scriptures at night and talks and prays together. I'm so forever thankful for those times with them. Please pray for family Preciado and Nicolas and Jorge and Luisa. 

Love,

Elder Nielsen