The days pass so fast here they just seem to run together. I love that I can never remember what day it is. We are teaching a family that is going to get baptized this week! I'm so excited! The Weather here is starting to warm up and the desert sun is not being kind to el gringito blancito. Peruvian Spanish is actually a slightly different language. Its call Castellano and some of the words im having a hard time with but I will survive. We have a great zone and I am doing well.

This week has been good. We are struggling a little bit to find the people who we make appointments with. Because so many people travel to Tacgna to study or to vender fruit or vegetables it is a really transient. Their schedules really depend on where the people are and where people are buying fruit. Ive never seen such a location based economy before. Its pretty interesting.

Food is cheaeeeeep. So sweet. Last week we ate out at an expensive high class restaurant. You know the type where the amount of food you get barely covers your plate and no free refills on corn juice. For all four of us it was around 10 bucks. IT WAS SO GOOD. However ive never eaten so much rice and potatoes in my life. They have a dish here called salchipapas. its basically hot dogs mixed with raw potatoes.  it fills you up and its around 20 cents.

I found out where I can buy cuy. They sell them in the market and I plan on buying one today, taking it to my pensionistas house killing it, preparing it and eating it. Cuy is guinea pig. cute little guinea pigs. Will send pictures next week.

The gift of tongues is a real thing believe it or not. When we align our will with gods all things are possible. Everyday is a struggle to put down my rebellious heart and stubborn mind to become more like a child, submissive and humble. The goal is to make my will, and Gods will, synonymous. Easier said than done.  Blessings come when you make sacrifices  This lession is taught in the scriptures but also manifests itself in Chess. I learned this from my companion. we play a little when we eat and often by sacrificing my most beloved piece, the queen, I can gain an advangate somewhere else. The Adversary is so focused on our "favorite sins" when our spiritual desires begin to exceed or temporal desires and wants we can align our will with the lords and fight the good fight. give up your favorite sins and win the war against Satan.

All is well in Zion

Elder Haskell
Dios es valor.

Mt Misti the volcano in Arequipa

From the top of my building

THAT IS SUPER AWESOME THAT YOU GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE WITH NATALIE! Did she submit her papers? Keep me informed!!

I really want to go to the Lima Temple. Supposedly we get to go one before we leave. Super stoked.

I got to teach a lesson on eternal families on Saturday, I talked about how grandpa just wanted to be with Wagon again. There is nothing more(important) than to see grandma again and be together for eternity and how we can have that joy through the plan of salvation. It was a moving moment because we know that grandpa took off sprinting for the spirit world.

I miss Poncheros. I miss fake south american food. There is less rice with fake food. I EAT SO MUCH RICE ITS RIDICULOUS. Thats okay I´m getting used to It. There is a type of dish here called Chaufa. (chow-fah), basically its chinese food mixed with peruvian flavors. Its fantastic. also there are a ton of potatoes here that are a sad attempt at french fries. they are disgusting. I ate some burnt beef the other day. thats about the worst it gets. so far.

The weather here is tolerable  about 90 during the day and colder at night. I actually enjoy sweating during the day. it makes me feel like I've walked farther than I really have.

my companion and I are opening up a new area,  that has never had missionaries before. The work is different every day. unfortunately we have to take a 6 soles taxi there and back every day. that comes out to about only 4.50 dollars but its like 30 dollars a week. Expensive. Los Angeles is about 7 Miles away and straight up in elevation. Not doing that twice a day or more. Nope nope nope.

The internet is really slow so i'm having trouble with pictures but I will try to send some.

Our shower has hot water!! which would be awesome if the water wasn't heated by an electric dongle that is attached to the shower head. It buzzes of electricity when you shower. to date I've only been shocked once. Lucky me. It looks like its grounded but I don´t know for sure. Every morning is an adventure. I'm having a blast and learning alot.

Elder Haskell

Okay, so let me get this all in order. I left Las Vegas on Thursday Morning. Then I flew to Atlanta from Las vegas and there are no payphones in the international part of the airport. Then got on a plane to Lima for 6 hours. Longest plane ride ever. you know why? because there are free movies to watch. some of them I haven't seen. Can you Imagine that? The whole time, for six hours straight, Satan was taunting me. "watch the movie Haskell, you know you want to. you packed your scriptures. that was stupid. nothing else to do but watch awesome movies... do it. you know you want to. you don't have a companion. dooooooooo it." I HATE SATAN. But I didn't watch one. NOT ONE.  After I got off the plane I found another missionary from the good ole USA. There was an hombre there to pick us up and he dropped us at possibly the sketchiest hotel in all of Lima. I was 11 a la noche. He  and I had no idea what was going on. so we went down to exchange our American dollars for soles. the exchange rate we got was around 2.25 soles per dollar. we got screwed as we later found out. the real rate is like 2.6. my stupid American brain. thinking I know everything and stuff. so we stayed the night at the hotel in Lima. in the morning we get up at six thirty because we, as missionaries, don't know what else to do. Shower get dressed and start reading our escrituras. we figured we were supposed to start proselyting in Lima or something. about 830 we get a phone call which I pick up and the hombre on the other side is not speaking the language I'd been taught in the MTC.  Now what? After saying ¿Repiten? several time i get that someone is gonna pick us up in 15 mins. YEEESSS!! BLESSINGS!!! So we get in a car and continue to sit in different offices all day filling out legal forms and getting fingerprints taken. Someone from the FBI is there. I get nervous. I'm not a internationally wanted criminal right? okay so at about 3 I find out were going to get on another plane to Arequipa la misma dia. Okay then. Off to Arequipa. so we get on a plane about 9pm and llegar a Arequipa alas 1015. then we just chill with prez. Fernandez for a couple days because we don't have companions or an are or nothing. visa waiters are last priority in the mission field. anyway president is cool. on Saturday, which is Pday for the office elders (the elders who we were hanging with) we got to play some real south American soccer. which was pretty legit. I can actually hold my own as a goalie (arquero) of en defense. then we went to conference which was awesome. I got about 73 percent of what was said. when the conference edition of the ensign comes out would you please send me an English edition? thanks. also the keyboards in Peru are different. typing is a little difficult. so I got to my real area, Moquegua, on Monday afternoon. following a long 5 hour bus ride through what looked like the valley of death, i got my companion and played more soccer. my companions is from Peru and he speaks very little English so we are teaching each other. he is a good missionary even though he has only been out seven months. When I arrived in Moquegua, I learned that we didn't have a place to live. we need to get beds and stuff and find an apartment. SWEEET. whatever. its cool. I can do this. Be a Consecrated Missionary(if you want to feel inadequate read this talk by Ted R Callister) while homeless and starving. but we found a place for about 75 soles a month which isn't bad. I'm learning Spanish super fast. Ive been in moquegua for 2 days and have probably learned 100 words. seriously. Don De Lenguas. For sure. Everything is going good. I'm writing this as quickly as possible and got special permission to do so on a Tuesday. I{m getting used to freezing showers and tons of rice, which I've discovered is super easy to eat when you're starving. its hot here. I'm in the desert. Love the area already. ummm... I think that's it for this week. Oh, you know how in America we have rules for driving, there are no rules here. you don't honk your horn when you're mad you honk when you're about to pass within 2 inches of someone else. I have yet to see an accident though. there are no stop signs. no traffic lights. to lines on the roads and no medians. only the will of the driver. scary stuff... will write next week and send pictures.

OH I CAN EMAIL EVERYONE NOW: GET ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. FAMILY FRIENDS ENEMIES Acquaintances. TODOS!!! GRACIAS

Elder Haskell

Thales has a new address.   Pouch mail is more reliable but has restrictions  if you need to send a package, you cannot send it via Pouch.

only the following items may be sent through the pouch:

• Postcards.
• Letters that are single sheet, folded into three-panels, and taped at the top only .http://apps.mtc.byu.edu/missions/

Note: Letters sent in any other manner will be returned to the sender.

Elder Thales D. Haskell

Peru, Arequipe Mission

POB 30150

Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

USA

Non-conforming letters and packages need to be sent to :

Elder Thales D. Haskell

Peru, Arequipe Mission

Av. Del Ejercito 710, Piso 7°,Of.702-703

Casilla De Correo: 1884

Yanahuara, Arequipa

PERU

If you want to send Elder Thales D. Haskell a letter, you can do it online.  go to www.dearelder.com, select the Peru, Arequipa mission and then write him a letter.  Its free and so easy to do!

Hello everyone!
Thales called last night.  He has his VISA!!!  He leaves this morning at 8am and will arrive in Peru tonight at 10Pm Peru time.  He is so excited!  He will email his address soon.  You can DearElder him in Arequipe Peru mission in Pouch mail or wait til I get his new address!  Yeah!!!

Mom