Dec 22~ Feliz Navidad!

Hey everyone! Merry Christmas WEEK!! 
So the jungle was sweet last week! We had our Multi Zone up in La Merced and its the sickest town Ive ever seen! Hoping I'll get to serve there one day! But we didnt go to any touristy places, so i don't have any sweet pics! But next time! hahaha So we all had to buy like a white elephant gift so i got someone a can of milk ( vaca means cow) and the look on the Elder's face was priceless! 

But my Mission President gave an amazing training on the importance of the Savior Jesus Christ! So dont forget on Christmas really how important Jesus Christ is for every one of us. And the importance discovering the gift he has given each and every one of us, the importance of accepting this gift, and the importance of sharing it. Really the Gift he has given each and every one of us is the gift of Eternal Life, thanks to Christ's Atonement we can repent of our sins, and overcome death. So I hope you all this week reflect on the true meaning of Christmas!!! LOVE YOU ALL AND MERRY CHRISTmas!

Btw, last week was like the best week I've had here! We found a ton of new families to teach that accepted dates! Seriously I know we dont learn anything until after the trail of our faith!

Love, Elder Baca 

Multi zone conference in La Merced  (Elder Baca in green tie)

Mom! I'm on!

IT WAS AWESOME!!  We had 14 news, found a TON of new families to teach...and only worked til Friday!  Sorry my email's like freaking out on me right now!!  It keeps shutting down!!  But what are you guys doing for CHRISTMAS WEEK!!  It's so crazy its already here again!  

I'm looking for a good internet cafe right now to skype! BUT TELL ELLIE TO MAKE ME A SKYPE ACCOUNT AND EMAIL ME THE USERNAME AND PASSWORD! 

I HOPE JARRED'S SKYPING THE SAME TIME! HE BETTER BE!  Yaaaaaa I'm so pumped!!  I'll see you guys 3 o'clock Thursday

Dec 15~ Lost and Found

¿Que tal? 
Hey so just want you all to know first off....a Jehovah's Witness came to the church last Monday while I was giving a zone training with Comp...and handed a bag to another Elder and told him to give it to Elder Baca...so he gives me the bag and it had my lost satchel in it!  With my scriptures, glasses, and all my pics from the mission! (usb) But not my camera! She kept it and gave it as a gift to her friend hahaha but I started my week of way good last week getting back all my lost stuff! 

SO this week was probably the toughest week for me in my entire mission, but I am so grateful for the challenges, the hardships, and the moments where I  just need to rely on God out here. We didn't have a single lesson until Thursday, because the people are pretty tough here. But I really feel like God wants me to develop more patience, wants me to be more humble, and wants me to work as hard as I can, but more than anything he wants me to rely on Him! So ya, not going to lie challenges, problems, and when things just dont work out...it really stinks. But everything that happens in our lives, everything that we just dont like...it is an opportunity to learn, develop, and grow..as a person. I am so grateful for the love God has for each and every one of us...He really is always there to help us, whether we realize it or not. 

But to end... after praying this whole week and fasting, yesterday was probably the best day I have had here in Tarma, we found a lot of sweet, humble people yesterday that are ready to change their lives through the Gospel. SO I really gained a testimony and know for a fact..through our trails and hardships, Dios nunca nos deja solos. (God never leaves us alone.) Love you all! And MERRY CHRISTMAS SEASON!

btw- this week I'm going to La Merced (the JUNGLE-Google it!) so I'll have some sick pics next week!

Love Elder Baca

Mom-  GOT MY 12th DAY OF CHRISTMAS GIFT LAST WEEK! THANKS so much! Seriously the calendar is the best thing ever!! Love you mom! Thanks for the time and effort you put into that!  Wasn't having the greatest week last week...everyone failed on us, didnt want to hear us, and then that for sure that lifted up my spirit. Oh, FYI don't need to get new glasses or anything! Some random lady had my bag, put all my pics on my USB...took my camera, but returned my bag with the USB in it! So have all my pics! hahaha  So random but such a blessing! --So something I really wanted to study this week was patience...and humillty. It really was a humbling week!  In Alma 5:27-28 he asks a question, are we humble enough, do we have any of our pride that's is holding us back...I really sat there and thought about that. Yes, I always am relying on the Lord...but to be humble enough to seek after His guidance in every aspect of this week...I haven't. So it changed my whole aspect on the mish..I dont want to be sitting home in 2 years asking, could I have done better?...No I want to give my all but more than anything, myself. So this week was a great learning experience for me..because giving myself is the only smart thing I can do really. But I love you mom! Need to know what day and time we are skyping by next week! And sounds like you had a crazy week!  Always good to hear about everything though!  Miss you mom! And love you! My pension is amazing! She's  progressing way good!  Will have more updates next week!

Love elder baca

Dec 8~ Beavers, Condors, Camels...

pueblo en las montanas

what i do to share the gospel with people...

Whats Up Gringos! 
Hey everyone hope you all had a good week! I cant believe its already Monday again this week! This week was a lot better! We found some people to teach and have a couple people progressing! We went up in the mountains in my area this week a ton!... (legit to get up to the mountain pueblos is like a 1/2 mile hike straight up the side of these mountains) and getting to some of the actual houses is pretty rough, too (as seen in my pic) but my area is so pretty! I'll put some pics up to show you!

But something funny that happened this week..is that it was a way slow day one day, and we were just contacting, talking to people all day.  To make things a little more interesting and to make people lighten up a bit we played the contacting game...so what it is...someone picks a word and you have to use that word while talking to someone. SO we used words such as Beavers, Camels, Condors, Doritos, Michael Jackson, etc. hahaha so I walked into a pet store and asked the lady if she had beaver food because I have a pet beaver that lives in my room, and I was being dead serious...she had the most surprised look on her face and was telling me I could feed it gerbil food maybe...and this whole time her co-worker was just dying laughing in the background! But later on I explained to her WHY I am here as a Missionary and from the U.S.,  trying to find beaver food...so its a good way to lighten people up to talk to them about the Gospel! I mean i wouldn't recommend it always.. due to the reactions of people (also telling them I have a Condor in my room, or I saw Camels walking up in the Mountains...is a little like "WHAT?!?!") but it will sure get people to listen to you! hahaha! So that was something funny that happened to me this week! I cant believe its already December again! Hope you all enjoy your CHRISTMAS season! Love you all!


Love Elder Baca
what i do to share the gospel with people...

BUENOS DIAS! QUE tal madre!!! Okay so first things first...SKYPE!!! The week of Christmas (think 22nd to 28th) ..I can pick a day to Skype you guys!!! I would love to Skype on Christmas!!! It would be a Christmas treat so whatever day is best for yall!  And idk about the time yet but ill find out soon. Still haven't got your package yet! Yesterday we didn't have church because of voting again.  SO what I've been studying this week is all the General Conference talks.  Our best investigator is my pension...she has problems with her son drinking and it tears her apart!  I was studying the talk by Elder Tad R. MaCallister about parents...the principle of teachers!! And it helped me think of things I could tell her!!! But something I loved in the BoM is Enos!!! I never realized but the reason why he repented was because of his FATHER.  The words of his father penetrated his heart causing him to repent...so really a parent, their example, their spiritual guiding and correcting...can penetrate the child! SO in this case, I'm thinking she just really needs to be the example...(she accepted a date for the 3rd) and needs to put her foot down (like in the story of Elder MaCallister) because she knows the change her son can make. So go read Enos! Love it! But besides that...a lot of walking around...talking ..contacting...and not a lot of people that want to hear us! It's a lesson I know I'm supposed to learn right now....and I thank God for the challenges, because I am learning to be patient.  Love you mom! Have a good week! And okay ! Ill wait till FEB for the glasses!!! Let me know what day and what time you can Skype! Love you!

ELder Baca

Dec 1~ Gobble Gobble from Tarma

Tarma, called the "Pearl of the Andes"

Hey Everyone! 

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving because I did!  SO there is this American family that lives in my area, they have lived here for 8 yrs and are from New York (on a mission with the Methodist Church)...we stopped by to wish them Happy Thanksgiving...so they invited us in and we talked for a while and then she gave us HOME MADE PUMPKIN PIE!  It was so good I didn't even want to eat it!  But yah a little taste of America on Thanksgiving was amazing. So I spent a lot of time walking this past week...my area is huge! It's like half city, half corn fields/Peruvian Mountains! To walk my area it would take about 2 hours! The people here are a lot more tough and not really the nicest, but I am growing to love the people here as well! So I hope everyone can go check out the video "He is The Gift"...this is all we are sharing with people this month.  We are giving them a card to go check out this Christmas video! It is amazing and will help you all the remember the true meaning of the Christmas season! 
Love you all..have a good week! 

Btw...will COMPLETE 6 months in the mission this week...crazy how fast time is going by!

Love you all,

Elder Baca

Hey Mother!!! ROGER ROGER COME IN! 

YEAAAH  I'M so happy you got your letters!!! I'm going to start doing that more, it's just a little expensive! It only took about 3 weeks to get there too! And I have not got your package yet..bummer!  My dog bites are healed, only need one more shot! And i bought a super sweet camera here for 100 dollars!  (It's a Sony and is 20 megapixels!) But this area is way hard but Pres says it was really exciting making the change for me to come here, because he knows I am/will be obedient and work super hard!  AND WHAT... I was studying 1 Nephi chapter 11, too, about all his visions his week!  Also I have the Liahona of all the Conference talks which is amazing. LOVE IT!   My Branch is way tiny...maybe 50 people assist every week...but the few members we do have they are way nice and have strong testimonies.  We don't have any real solid investigators here, it'll take some time! But I love you so much...and oh actually found out this week I didn't get my bag stolen...I thought I did, but one of the other elders was like, I saw you take it into the MOTOTAXI...so hmmmm...I think I pulled a typical move, so I am way sorry!  I think I still just need to buy a Bible...like 20 bucks. But I love you!! Have an amazing week!  INTERNET STINKS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Our PENSION IS AWESOME! She works in a restaurant and I'm actually getting fat now hahahah! But i gtg!!! Peace out from my dinosaur computer!

LOVE ELDER BACA