Aug. 5th

This week has been awesome. I received my greenie Wednesday and we started working hard from the start. He is awesome. He is  from Paraguay. He talks super slow compared to the Peruvians which is pretty awesome. I understand everything he says. He told me I have a pretty thick Peruvian accent. Whoops. He's 25 years old and was elders quorum president in his branch in Paraguay so he is teaching me how to work with the members and how to set a better example for him. Its like I'm being trained for a second time but this time for real. He has desires to be super obedient and he is helping me in that aspect of the work as well. I know that the mission president receives revelation from the lord en cuanto of exchanges. I have seen the evidence first hand. I thank the Lord for this opportunity to learn, grow and teach. (Ill attach a photo of us)

I am the youngest Trainer in the mission, someone must think i'm worthy of this responsibility, I feel so inadequate... is that even a word?

Elder Haskell

7.29.13

Well this week was transfers.   I am going to train a new missionary for the next three months. I have no Idea who he will be or where he is from, I'm going to Arequipa on Tuesday or Wednesday to pick him up. I've made some great friends here and, although there is a ton of dust, very little paved roads and a burning sun, I don't really want to leave. they say that this zone is the worst when it comes the weather but i cant help but love missionary work. I'm actually surprised about how happy i am considering how tired and hungry i am all the time! its so cool how the lord fills your heart with joy when you are in the service of his children.

Mom, called to serve is awesome. I'm glad you can relax a little bit and enjoy the summer, and tell dad you have an eternal perspective! :)

here is a picture of me and my companion and a random chileno

7.15.13

Also here is a picture of an Alpaca that spit on me immediate after this photo.

This week was fantastic, actually this week was horrible save for the most spiritual experience I have had on my mission thus far.

We are teaching a less active family, E..... (member) her husband, H,...... (nonmember) and little J......
H..... in the past has never accepted missionaries into his home or his restaurant but for some reason or another my companion and I have become very good friends with him and his extended family included. We are pensioned at their restaurant this month and the food is fantastic. On Tuesday we had eaten dinner together and talked about the mission and how it has changed us, nothing too deep or spiritual. Later, I went to help H...... wash dishes and clean up while my companion played with J...... and kept him occupied. While washing dishes, we started to converse about how God can help us change our character and our natural man. What followed was the literal conversion of a man. The spirit entered the kitchen and while washing dishes testified of the truthfulness of our message to the willing and humble heart of H....... As I testified of the power of the atonement and repentance,  tears began to roll from both of our eyes.

H....´s heart was changed in that very moment. I know that this gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to change the hearts of the hardest men. The converting power of the Holy Ghost is real, and while as missionaries we don't see a lot of the results of our labor, I know that there are fruits to be harvested. H..... built and confirmed my testimony of the Work.

Exchanges are in two weeks, and I want to see my new friend enter the waters of baptism more. Something our Mission president taught us, is that Christ always acted out of love. And for the first time,
I feel that i am acting out of love and less out of duty. I love my new friend. I know that the Savior Loves everyone of his children and we can be tools in his hands if we but humble ourselves. I can testify of these thing, and I do in the name of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

HAPPY DAY OF AMERICA. AMERICA IS THE BEST. MURICA MURICA MURICAAAAAA!!

Oh I totally forgot that my whole family cruise without me. hmm bummer. :)

It seems that baptize me guy does not exist. We cannot find him. we contacted the entire street looking for the bum and it seems that either the elders who taught him took the wrong address or he is playing the meanest trick ever.

However Satan didn't completely win this week, we had a baptism and have 8 posibles for this coming week. We're super excited.

One of my good friends got transferred in about ten seconds for giggling in one of our meetings, before the meeting even started. It seemed a little harsh but our mission President claimed to have received revelation to transfer him in literally less that 15 seconds. I was shocked as was the whole zone. we didn't know what to do. But I believe the lord has a plan for him in Ilo. Hopefully he doesn't feel to bad.

We found a couple sweet families this week. some of them need to get married but they have goals to do so.

All is well in Zion.

Elder Haskell

WE were doing service picking out rocks from the dirt to plant alfalfa. the soil is similar to utah.

Pancho Villa

Its actually fall right now. haha and its getting colder. at night it drops to a solid 55-60 degrees by my guesstimation. I know more or less how to prepare cuy and we will have some when i get back. sometimes i forget words in English  I've started dreaming and thinking in Spanish  my companion is good. i'm trying to study Christlike attributes i don't think the punctuation mark colon exists in Spanish  i cant find it on this key board. i get dear elder stuff so its cool!! send whatever. anything from home is good. although, i admit i really only think about you guys Sundays and Mondays. sorry. ´:/ found it.

this week was fine. nothing real special. were having trouble getting investigators to attend church. really have nothing much to say.... the work rolls forth. oh exchanges were this week. I officially have three months in the mission. 21 to go! i seriously love missionary work though. I'm not counting the days because they go by so fast. hmmm  what else... not much. gonna go play soccer. oh, cuy is awesome if you don't mind eating little hairs. :) but really is good. I've never had more regular bowel movements in my life. que mas... oh socks here are horrible because no body wears socks. there is no market for them. Dr. pepper down here is 3.50 soles for a 12 ounce can. holy expensive batman. cocacola is only 2. food in general is cheap. actually everything is cheap besides transportation. ummmm thats all i think. Love you guys! keep me informed!!

Elder Haskell

WE HAD TWO BAPTISMS THIS WEEK! a mother and her daughter were baptized saturday and sunday. it was pretty sweet seeing people change their lives because of a newfound love for Jesus Christ.

This week was a little slow other than that. WE traveled to Arequipa  four hours by bus, to listen to some members of the seventy speak on Thursday   We learned a little bit about how we as missionaries have a higher calling and are expected to follow a higher law. It was pretty cool. We seem to be having trouble finding people in their homes at the times they specified. Hmmm. Satan is working hard to keep people from the gospel.

We had a rather neat experience during the baptisms this week. We had planned to baptize the mother and daughter together . So Sunday morning we get to the font and its empty. Shoot. So we start filling it as fast a possible. with buckets and the nozzle. we borrowed a hose from the neighbor so we could use the outside sources of water to fill the font  we have to pass the hose through a window in order to get it to the font. The the branch president says we should postpone the baptism because there is no way to fill it in time. My companion and I unanimously declared, "Have Faith President". Then we had to get permission from the stake president to baptize her during the 2nd hour. he was a stubborn mountain to move but we moved him. The Whole branch was there and it was a super spiritual experience.

WE HAVE A CUY (guinea pig). We're going to eat him. will send pictures. ummmm thats all this week. like I said, pretty slow. we're trying to be more obedient and work harder. The lord will bless us.

Elder Haskell