June 22~ The Cross

Hey everyone! Hope you all had a fantastic Father's Day week as well! 

My companion from Tijuana got changed this past week, but my new companion is 

Elder Angel from Baja California! He was born in the same city dad served his mission in, Guadalajara!

This past week was amazing! A lot of spiritual experiences and experiences that I will never forget. Well, Pday last week we hiked up to the "cruz", it was prettty rough not going to lie! Just super steep, and it took all Pday to do it practically. But we made it! 

Also, we were able to help out a couple families this past week with the problems they had. The past couple months we have been helping a less active family come back to church, so we went to their house this past week to talk about temples. The father of the home thinks his family isnt ready because they have so many family problems and his kids don't like him at all. So we basically had a family council with them explaining the blessing that comes from being patient, and having love in the home. The father started getting a little emotional because he was just saying he is hard on his kids because he doesnt want them to have to grow up and live in a tiny room like he does with his family. We expalined the purpose of love between the family even more, and finally at the end of the lesson I asked the father, "When was the last time you told your daughter you loved her?" After that moment, he started thinking and said, I dont remember. After that we got the whole family together, and told the Father to hold the hand of his wife, to tell his wife and each one of his four kids that you love them. So the whole family gathered around the father and he started getting emotional from saying I love you to his little kids and his wife, but when he got to his daughter, he looked at her and said "I love you" and just broke down crying, and so did his daughter. It was probably one of the most special moments I have had on my mission. After that we put goals with the family, something my parents taught me that before going to sleep every night, the Husband and Wife need to hug their kids and tell them I love them, after saying a family prayer. Something, I really learned from this experience, is that the Gospel really helps families. That our homes really should be filled with love, instead of contention, because the spirit of contention is "not mine", but is from the devil" I really know families are the most important thing, I am so grateful for mine, and I know love at home, is one of the best things we can have. It helps us to learn, and grown, and be united as family.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Baca

The cross above Huanuco

Elder Evans, one of my best buds in the mission, he is a quarter Japanese too!

Surfing on a rock

June 15~ Answers to Fasting

Hey everyone! Hope you all are enjoying summer vacation! 

This week was a pretty solid week! We found some new families and couples to teach, which was an answer to a fast! Right now we are working with this couple that came up to us on the street explaining their situation. They are boyfriend and girlfriend and their names are K. and L.!  K. is a less active that was baptized a while ago, and her boyfriend (who she is living with) isn't a member. But last week she came up to us and was like, listen I'm less active, my boyfriend L. wants to know about the church so come over! We went over and taught them, they want to get married and baptized! So we put a marriage date and bautismal date on them, But then L. looks at us and is like well wait...idk if this will be a problem but I got married with some girl from another country to help her gain residence here in Peru, just to do her a favor, then after the marriage the cops started searching after her and she went back to her country and disappeared. Well, we came back and taught them on Saturday and Sunday, and it looks like they are going to get separated so that he can get baptized, and then they are going to get married in August (because the divorce will have gone through)! But the lady K., leaned over to her boyfriend during the lesson and said something that really impacted me, "Every blessing requires a sacrifice." Thinking about that statement is really true, and it is amazing seeing these people want to have an eternal marriage! 

Today, we are hiking up to the "cross" it is just this big cross on a big hill, so that should be pretty fun! Also, my trainer (from the beginning of my mish) Elder Martinez went home this last Saturday! Crazy to see that guy leave! Anyways, I love you all! have a great summer!

Elder Baca

Elder Martinez, my trainer!

June 8~ Love

MIRAVE! (Everyone says that here) 

Como estan todos! Hope you guys had a fantastic week! Hump Day went pretty well for me! I cant believe I'm going down hill now! It is crazy how fast time is going! Zone leader counsel in Huancayo went good! We had KFC, Burger King, and Pizza Hut! I also weighed myself and I am almost 190 lbs now (all that bread and rice is getting to me!). 

This week was a pretty "odd" week. My comp and I are helping out a recent convert really repent of his sins. He is in a really bad situation for lack of better terms. It is amazing being a missionary though, but more than anything being able to help people repent, and change. My testimony of the Atonement every day really grows, and I feel the Savior's love every day as a missionary, but I feel the love he has for these people through me as well. Love is really the central point in the Gospel. I am trying to read the whole New Testament now, and there are so many stories and experiences that help me grow and understand a lot more about Christ's love. So my invitation to you all, is love everyone! Follow the Savior's example, and JUST DO IT!! 

Love you all! 

Elder Baca

Hey mom!  Im good! I got your package last Friday! yaya!!!!!!!! THanks!! love you!! Seriously I feel like my mish is going by faster than anyone elses! Its not cold! Huanuco is HOT!!!!!!!! In Huancayo yes, cold!  Its not that high like, 7500ft elev, and it's close to the jungle. And yah, our room is big, so its like cleaning a house! But its clean dont worry! Today we are grilling again. Making some burritos! THe work is going good, time is flying, and we did some of that good old proselyting this past week, but wasn't the best week. Huancayo was good! I ate some fast food! I love you, and hope you guys have a fantastic week! My goal is to finish the New Test! SO Ill let you know how that goes! 

My zone!

June 1~ Hump Day!

Well, I will complete one year in the mission this Wednesday! It is so crazy how fast this year went by. I can honestly say the mission as changed by life. Before the mission I was honestly not too excited on going- leaving family, friends, school, xbox, food, or whatever it was. It was a sacrifice leaving all these things, but I can testify with all my heart that my Heavenly Father has blessed me a hundredfold. I can honestly say, I know my Heavenly Father Loves me and loves everyone, and for that he sent his Son Jesus Christ to atone for our sins and take upon himself our weaknesses, our pains, sufferings, heartache, He knows everything, and for that he is able to succor us. He is able to give us divine strength and help to become more like him. He is able to provide us with his Grace. I know the Book of Mormon testifies of him, of his life, and his miracles and teachings, and his divine help as well. I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I really do love it, something I didn't really know before. I know the Gospel changes lives, I have seen that so much over the course of this past year, I know it changes lives because it has changed my life and the lives of the people here in Peru. I know what I am doing is not really a sacrifice for me anymore, because my Heavenly Father is blessing me so much, everyday. I have felt His love so much out here, and the love he has for each and every person. The mission has been the best thing for me, I have learned so much, have grown a ton, but I can honestly say it has made me converted to this Gospel.I know without a doubt these things are true! I Love you all and thanks so much for your support! One down, one to go! (I'm hoping this next year goes by slower, but idk if my mom will agree with that)

Love you all,

Elder Baca

Also,

Funny thing happened this week, this old guy that's 88 years old was sitting next to me on his couch while I was teaching his family, and he fell asleep with his beany over his face and started to snore, so I tapped him on his leg like come on wake up! you need to listen, and all his does his lift the beany a little bit up, looks at me half asleep, and starts waving his arms ( like the refs do when its an incomplete pass) and groans ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, and puts his beany back over his head and goes back to sleep snoring. Not laughing during that lesson was probably one of the hardest things I have ever done.