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

March 14~ Soy Auki

WHATS UP MAN? hahaha (my latino comp has the habit of saying that to everyone now) 

Well another week flew by in the mission. What the heck is happening? 

We have pday on Thursday because its a multi zone! Wow, I cant believe its already spring break for that guy! Easters coming up soon right? And the older man with the addiction is awesome now! He hasnt gone out to drink, went to church, did his home teaching visits, and his family history this week as well! Amazing! We found a couple new people to teach but we are still struggling to find péople that will progress. 

Sometimes I honestly forget I am so far from home, and in a completely different culture (for example this week I saw a pig on the roof of a small house, no idea how it got up there...) but honestly I love it here in Peru. Its been the best thing that I have done in my life coming here. Talking with my companion, the living circumstances and other things make us to be humble as missionaries, but more than that I think I have learned to really rely on God, and not so much in myself. 

I know without a doubt that Heavenly Father lives and loves us.  And I know without a doubt, to come to know Him and his Son Jesus Christ and to honestly feel that they exist, we have to be willing to do what they want, more than what we want to do. If our will seems more appealing than what God wants us to do, we may never know that He exists. We will not be able to feel his presence in our lives. God never leaves us, but many times through our choices, we leave him. We put what we want first ...above what He wants us to do. The beautiful thing about the gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ is that we can "Reconcile ourselves with God".  We can submit ourselves to His will, repent, and become humble, and feel that He really is there. 

Thats something I learned this week from my mission president, but also from my own experiences, AND from the experiences I have seen in others. I love you all! Have a great week! I invite you all to do the same! 

Elder Baca

Heres a pic of the traintrack that runs through my area!! Thats how we get around!

Mar 7~ Mis ConPadres

Whats up everyone. Hope all is well.

Hey! its still raining really hard! It was a good week, went by really fast. Highlight of the week, was helping a really humble guy that has a super bad addiction to alcohol (goes out and drinks everyday for hours). He is a guy that got baptized about a year ago, but started drinking again.  All I have to say, is I will never forget these moments. Getting a hug from a 60 year old man, after teaching him about how Jesus Christ can help him overcome his addiction and how he can heal him spiritually, emocionally, and physically, is something that I will and can never forget. And then to see him at church yesterday, in his suit, smiling because he made the right decision to come to church after not coming for a while.. wow that as well really struck me. 

In Psalms 147:3 it says, "He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth their wounds." 

I can honestly testify of that. I have seen it in my own life, and the lives of others. Well. I love you guys a ton. Im going strong still! I mean if I finish my mission Going UP, Ill get home still Going UP! Thats the goal. Love you all!! Until next weeks adventures. 

ELder Baca 

Feb 29~ Hijo #2

This week we opened this image via Facebook messages. We didn't see the message which had been sitting in there for 20 months! It made our day!!  This was sent from Elder Baca's CCM instructor with this message, 
"Hi sister i am teacher in CCM Peru, and friend to Elder Baca, I will send pictures, your son is awesome. he is an exelente missionary. He help me so much with his classmates when I visited them."

-------

Hey whats up everyone!! 
Well, I am training my second child! Another Chilean!!  His name is Elder Gonzalez and hes pretty sick! He knows his rap music from the States pretty well hahaha! Anyways wow, I cant believe I am starting my last 2 changes, no idea where the time went by but I am excited to work my last couple months as hard as I can. 

A sweet experience we had this week was teaching a couple of people about asking God a question but with "real intent". Real intent means - REALLY intending to do what God tells you to do !!  A lot of times in our prayers, we ask and ask and ask God for something, but without the intention to do what He tells us. I promise you all, if you ask God for something, but REALLY want to follow and do what he tells you, the answer will be clearer and come quicker! I have had so many experiences here in the mission like that! 

Wow, there is still so much I have to do! I feel overwhelmed at times! The mission has been the best School to attend, its helped me out so much. Well yesterday I gave a talk about the Law of Chastity, (rough subject to talk about in front of a congregation) but it turned out well I feel. This week we will be FINDING, we need some more people to teach!! So thats the plan. I hope all is well at home! I pray for you guys everyday as well and I love you all so very much! keep reading the scriptures everyday and doing FHE, thats the best things you guys can do! thanks for all the support and love!! 

Have a good week! here's some pics! 

Elder Baca 

My new comp, and pics at Huaytapallana Glacier from a couple weeks ago:

 Post face-plant in the mud...

Feb 22~ Bautismo en el Rio

Whats up everyone! How are you all doing? This week was pretty sweet and flew by as well! We had a baptism last Saturday in the fiver! This lady named Clara got baptized, shes the girlfriend of a member.  They are getting married pretty soon as well.

Interesting experience this week. We had a couple of conversations with people that dont believe in God! It honestly makes me sad when people tell me they don't believe in God for various reasons, but it also makes me feel the need to help them all out! If any of you are doubting that God exists here is a scripture that I love in the Book of Mormon that helped a lot of these people out. Here's a prophet named Alma talking to a man that doesnt believe in God. 

"Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God?  Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets?  The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."  Alma 30:44

Here is another scripture that I love that talks about the existence of God. 

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."  Mosiah 4:9

I know without a doubt that God lives. He has answered my prayers so many times, and in so many ways. I know he loves me and wants me to grow and become better everyday, I can feel his love in so many different ways out here in the mission, and I know he loves each and every one of you. I love you all as well! 

Elder Baca 

 The baptism was sick on Saturday. Its been raining a ton so the water was literally brown, but thats how Jesus got baptized right? My comp baptized her.

Feb 15~ White Rice

What what ! Hey everyone! This week was awesome!

We had a Seventy (special witness of Christ who serves under the Twelve Apostles) come to our mission, Elder Godoy, he's from Brazil. He talked about the blessings of serving a mission, and wow! It made me really reflect on all the blessings my family and I are receiving. There are so many! He also taught us a lot of things we could do to be better missionaries. 

So I gave a talk yesterday about Forgiveness, I really realized I have a dry sense of humor and say really cheesy spanish jokes to make people laugh... but anyways it was good studying about Forgiveness this week. What keeps us from forgiving others? Well more than anything I think it is our Pride! Its probably one of the hardest things to do is forgive and forget, but that is what Christ wants us to do! 

Have a great week. 

Love, Elder BACA 

Heres the pics from the baptism last weeks, oh and idk its funny to see some food brands here as well.. take a look... 

CCM reunion! These elders were in the CCM together and have all been out 21 months now! Still working hard and going strong!

 pc:Elder Leonard's mom

Feb 8~ Baptisms and Huaytapallana

Alilachu  ? (how are you in Quechua!) 

Well this week flew by! We had a couple of baptisms! Ingrid and Yelitza, they are the daughters of the lady that has cancer. It was such a sweet baptismal service and there were a ton of members that showed up! They were super happy after being baptized and I am really happy for them as well! I was super excited for them! Well that was the highlight of the week! 

Also we hiked up to Huaytapallana Glacier today ( my 3rd time ).  It was super sick because we went through a different route that has a giant lagoon! Also I was hiking down and slipped on some mud and fell face first into a rock hahaahaha! It hurt but turned out to be a funny experience to be honest! I will send some pics next week!  Have a great week ! Love you all! 
<the pic he sent of the injury to his nose was not downloadable>.

Thanks for your lettter! sounds like everything is going good up there! Im doing good! the weeks are flying by tbh, its crazy! We have a seventy, elder Godoy who'd going to come talk to us this week so it shall be good! We are teaching a couple people right now that are progressing well. The mom of a recent convert and also the girlfriend of a member that is going to get married! Wow, defintely a learning patience seriously, its been rough but its going good now. Im happy that the fam is going good, time really goes by fast and I hope you guys are all still doing great! I pray for you all the time! Heres a pic of me when I fell, i was actually laughing pretty hard, dont worry !! 

Bus ride to Huaytapallana (Elder Baca in very back)

Feb 1~ The Healer

Hey everyone! This week was really good, I would like to share a couple of experiences that happened to me that I know will help you all out as well! 

So, we are teaching various people that are having a lot of problems, and they are all in different stages of their lives. We taught the mom of a couple of our investigators that has high stage cancer, she is a single mom of two teenagers. We were able to talk to another less active lady that lost her 30 year old daughter to an illness last week. We were also able to teach a young single mom that has a baby as well. 

In other words, I really learned more about the importance of the plan of salvation and the role of Jesus Christ in being able to "heal us" spiritually and physically this week. We are all in different stages of our lives, and there's always adversity and problems, but the invitation is the same for everyone:  

13 O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not nw return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?

 14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.

These verses really helped me out this week and the people I taught as well! I know without a doubt that Jesus Christ didn't only suffer for our sins, but also for our pains and sicknesses. He knows us all perfectly and is willing to help us all out, but only if we are willing to turn to him. Have a great week! 

Chau

Elder Baca 

Pic! We baptized a family that the sister missionaries were teaching! 

Jan 26- Lagoon

What up everyone! Well, another week down in the mish!  It was a good week, we have a couple people with baptismal dates for these next couple of weeks! Umm nothing too exciting this week! For pday this past week we went to a lagoon in Jauja, it was sick! I got a sick pic. 

Well I put a goal to read Jesus the Christ! Its like a 700 page book about Jesus Christ and His life, I really have seen that when I learn more about the Atonement, I have a greater desire to share the gospel. I invite you all to do the same! 

Love Elder Baca 

Jan 18~ Hola Huancayo!

Hey Everyone! 

Well I got changed to Huancayo, my area is called Manti!  My companion is Elder P. from Peru. I learned a great lesson this week, when I got my change I was pretty upset to be honest because I have heard a ton of stuff about my companion. But I got to the area and just gave the guy a clean slate. It turns out he is awesome!! Hes really trying to get better, and I feel like I can really help him out and he can help me out as well! Well, my room is pretty sweet! Its like a nice apartment, and its nice not having to get out of the shower half frozen!  My pension is cool as well! Nothing really new happened this week. I just learned to not judge, because when we judge we dont allow people to change. Well I hope you all  have a great week! God bless! 

Love elder Baca ! 

Heres a pic of me and some of my buds! 

Saying goodbye's in Cerro de Pasco

(pc: Elder Christensen's blog)

with Elder Christensen from the zone in Cerro

Zone Leader Conference- Elder Roberts, Baca and Evans

Jan 11~ Bautisms!

Hey everyone! 

Well this is probably my last week in Cerro de Pasco. I have learned so much here seriously and am super happy that I got sent here to Cerro! This place has turned into such a sacred place for me because I have gone through so many trials but have felt so much happiness as well! 

On Saturday we had 3 baptisms in the River Rancas! (14000FT)!!!! It was awesome.  To get to the river we rented out a convo (just imagine like a super old hippy van) and we went as a ward!  Well I had the opportunity to baptize Steven. My companion baptized B. (hes a kid we have been teaching for a while, his dad is a less active member, but this kid is SUPER smart. Then Elder Christensen baptized this lady named Isabel. She was a less active that we were able to bring back to church, and it turns out all of her papers got lost so she had to get re-baptized. It was such an awesome experience seriously! I really felt the love God has for all these people last Saturday! Thats what its all about honestly. Well I love you all. Have a great week! 

D&C 123:17   Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

Elder Delgado (Argentina), Elder Baca, Elder Christensen (Utah).

So last pday I hiked up to one of the highest hills in Cerro ( probably like 16000ft above sea level). And I solved the Rubix cube. hahahaha 

Jan 4~ Pasco

Whats up everyone, hope you all had a great new years and set some sweet goals! 

 SO Stevens baptism was moved to this week, along with another kid named B., hes 11, his dad is less active but wants his son to get baptized IN THE RIVER here in Cerro, so it'll be a sweet week! Probably my last week in Pascito but it'll be a awesome week! Tomorrow I'm headed to Huancayo for Leadership Council, and well that's about all the exciting news! We spent the whole week looking for new peeps because everyone went to Lima for Vacation!! Well, hope you all have a great week thats all the news I got. Love you all! 

Chao! 

Elder Baca

Oh and I forgot to tell you all! I got some super good news, about almost a year ago I baptized a girl named Leslie in Huancayo, and at her baptism her mom showed up to support her but was super Catholic. After the baptism I gave the mom a blessing of comfort because she was passing through rough times. We started teaching her, but then she went back up north.  But I just received super good news that Leslie's mom and brother who we were teaching for a while got baptized this past week! Im super happy for that!!!!!!! 

Here's a pic of her with her mom at her baptism last year! 

Christmas night, Elder Baca opening his Christmas package he received that day. When they returned home the power was out so they enjoyed the candy and gifts in the dark with flashlights (photo from Elder Christensen's blog).