May 2~ El Final

Well, this is my last email to you all. I cant believe how fast the mission has gone by. I honestly can say I am not the same person I was 2 years ago. I am so very grateful for all of the many experiences that I have had, that have shaped me to be the person I am today. I honestly have come to know without a single doubt that God lives, and he loves us. He loves us so much that he gives us challenges in order to be better. I know he answers us.  I have learned that Jesus Christ really is my Savior. I know that he atoned for our sins, and can help us in anything in our lives, because he experienced everything. I know God and Jesus Christ know us personally, and love us. I know that the same Church Jesus Christ established while he was here in the earth, has been restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know this because I have read and prayed about the Book of Mormon to see if it was true, and I have received an answer, and have seen so many others do the same. I know without a doubt that the Gospel Of Jesus Christ blesses us personally and as a family. I know this because I have seen so many lives been changed, and mine has been changed as well. I am a witness that true happiness comes by living a life centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for every person that I have met,  and every experience that I have had up to this point in my life. I can truly say I have never been this happy in my life. I know without a doubt that our Heavenly Father wants us to be happy in this life, and the life to come and I know it comes by doing what he asks us. I am happy to see you all, especially all of my family members. It was worth leaving my family for 2 years to show others what they need to do to return to the presence of God.  I am so happy to know I can be with my family forever despite anything that happens to us. I will be eternally grateful for everything that I have gone through these past 2 years, it was worth every second of it. Thanks for all of the support, and for your prayers over these past 2 years. Love you all. ADIOS.

Elder Baca  

Misión Perú Huancayo 2014-2016

For two years we've been waiting for a llama picture! It finally came in his last email!

April 25- Peruvian Times

Hey everyone! 

Hope you all had a great week! Today I went to Huaytapallana glacier for the 4th time. It was such a nice day! Pretty hot!!  Took some sweet pics that I will send next week! 

No I dont feel trunky yet! I am kinda getting sad its coming to an end, but excited to see you guys as well and to apply everything that I have learned here in the mish in my life !  I think its like not reel for me this! My week was good,  my comp went to Lima so we couldnt work that much! But it still was really good!  I think the biggest thing I will miss about Peru... I dont know its probably just the people that I have met and the experiences I have had as well, something that has changed my life, so its super important to me.

So funny story, we have a lady that is coming to church and progressing because my companion wanted to go look at some corn maze that was in our area (more than just look, he just about died because he had to go to the bathroom so bad) but anyways...... we left the corn maze and we talked to a couple that were walking our way afterwards. Turns out the guy is a less active member and his girlfriend had a lot of questions about the church, so we started teaching them and now she is coming to church hahaha. Weird how things work out, but I always know that God puts people in our path that are ready to listen to us, and to accept our message! Que tengan Buena Semana! 

Elder Baca

April 18~ Birthday and Baptism

EGGED!! Peruvian birthday tradition.

Birthday cake

Baptism of P. Monte

Hey Everyone! 

This week was awesome for me! I could really feel God's hand working in my life and the lives of others. Many times I feel like we lose focus on what really matters. That is what I have seen this past week. We lose focus on things that really matter, like God, and our families. I have seen too many families become destroyed by becoming too involved in worldly things, or putting their focus on other things of less importance. I think just being parts of a sports team helps you become disciplined and hard working. The sports guys here in my mish are always obedient and work super hard, its honestly like getting up every morning on Game day here in the mish!  But THE best thing I have seen is how the Gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ can fix families, and can fix individual lives.  It personally has done that for me, and I have seen that in others. I honestly love my Savior with all my heart, thats something I have discovered here in the mission. I know God knows what is best for us as well so thats why we need to follow Him.

Wow, thats nuts, 3 more weeks. I don't know what happened, but looking forward to working super hard these last couple weeks! And okay thanks for the money!! Ill go blow it all today.. nah jk. But I love that message you sent me about Satan and the tools, Ill try to find it in Spanish to share with the Peruvian peeps. My pension treated me super nice, bought me a nice sweater, and threw some eggs at me! I finished the book Jesus the Christ this morning! Great book, learned a ton. Im starting the BOM again, want to finish it one more time before heading out. Well, love you guys. You are always in my prayers! I have a ton more pics but will have to show you all in a couple. 

PAZ!  LOVE ELDER BACA

April 11~ New Helmet

We received Ryan's FINAL RETURN itinerary on his birthday this week! 

My new bike helmet.

My pension got locked out of her house so we broke in

Hey everyone! Hope you all had a great week! 

We had a great week this week! It was sweet seeing one of our investigators gain a testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet. She was the lady that had SO many doubts about everything, about the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and if God really exists. The last lesson we had with her we asked her if she believed that these things were true now and she told us that she does. She says that God has told her though the Holy Ghost that they are true! It was amazing hearing that to be honest because she has been doubting and having problems for the past 3 months and now she is getting ready for her baptism within these next couple of weeks. 

We also have a baptism this week, this young man named P.  is getting baptized, hes so smart he TEACHES US THE LESSONS! Its crazy.

Well anyways Im going fishing today, should be sweet. Love you all! 

Elder Baca

Apr 4~ Coming Closer to God

Hey whats up everyone! Hope you all had a great week! Shout out to my mom! HAPPY BDAY! LOVE YOU!! 

Wow the conference was amazing! I learned a ton! The talk that got to me the most was by Elder Renlund who is one of the twelve apostles about THE GIVERS and THE RECEIVERS ("That I Might Draw All Men Unto Me"). I have seen that as we come closer to God and Jesus Christ, we have more desire to become like them. We dont have any more desires to cause them grief by the things we do. We change, and our relationship with God helps us understand so many things. Being here in the mish has honestly helped me come closer to my Father in Heaven and his Son Jesus Christ. I have come to the moment where I really have realized they have been there all along helping me out in my life. Its the best feeling knowing that! I am so grateful that there are Prophets and Apostoles in these days. Its helped me out a ton. 

Anyways love you all. Had some crazy experiences this past week. I'll tell you all in person when im talking about all the crazy stuff I have seen here hahaa!. Love you.

When was the last time you have seen a Guinea Pig in the middle of the street?

And heres an older pic from Cerro de Pasco (my last area)... idk what i was doing!?

Mar 27~ La Pascua!

Pics-Sunset in Huancayo, the CHURCH, and baptism! 

Hope you all had a great week! 

So here in Latin America, Easter is a week long celebration called Semana Santa. Crazy parties, a lot of drunks, but still a lot of people stop to think, Why do we celebrate Easter? It was awesome this week going around my area just talking to a lot of people about Jesus Christ and the importance of Him! We were able to help the people understand that one day, we will all rise again just like Jesus Christ, and also that we can be forgiven of our sins thanks to Him. I know He lives and loves us.

We have a couple investigators progressing for their baptisms in April! It was nice because 3 of them came to church yesterday and stayed the 3 hours!  The lady that had a lot of doubts that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago is doing really good now. I know the Spirit is working in her! 

We are moving rooms. Found a sick room with 2 bathrooms and a kitchen. The landlord is moving in so we had to get another room which is better! Its a close walk to the pension! I read like 150 pages this week from Jesus the Christ (793 pages). Ill finish it by the end of my mish!i  Its awesome, at first a little hard to understand but now its so good!  I have a feeling these next 6 weeks will fly by. Looking forward to working super hard! Anyways not to much to update. Everything is good. I am doing great, loving the mish!! Love u mama!!!!! 

Heres some pics of a baptism we had last week!! She's the daughter of a guy that was baptized a couple months ago. Love you all! 

Elder Baca

Mar 21~ OH Peru Peru Peru

Como estáis?  

Wow! Another week down here in the mission. Still is amazing doing the same thing every day. There are still crazy experiences that happen to me everyday.

This past week my comp and I were teaching this 18 year old kid about the mission, and the importance of doing so, and his angry dad came in screaming at us and threw us out of his house! In his anger he yelled at us " Why are you here counseling my son? WHY arent you guys home with your families!!?"...Well, to be honest we just left and didnt respond to anything, but it made me think... I know why I am here more than anything. I could be home right now studying at college or with my family, but I know I am suppose to be here because God wants me to be here. I have had that spiritual confirmation many times, and I know honestly that I am helping people to be more happy by giving them and teaching them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I left my family for 2 years to help other people be with theirs for the eternities. It makes me so happy doing that and I am looking forward to my last month and a half doing the same! 

Love you all! 

Elder Baca