Feb 9~ The Huancayo Times

Holaaaaaa! 

Whats up whats up! Hope everyone had another awesome week of life!

This week was awesome for Elder O. and I! We had 7 people that came to church yesterday and a lot of people that havent been to church in a while! One of the Guys that came to church was JUGGLING in the middle of the street to make money, and about 2 weeks ago we stopped to talk to him, (he has some problems so we weren't able to understand) but we gave him an invitation and he came to church yesterday all dressed up and everything! Also our investigators that are progressing the best are F. and J.! They are bf and gf and are 22yrs old! Their entire family are members of the church, and they have come to church a lot! But the thing that made me the happiest is that they both know the Book of Mormon is true!  And J's little brother who we are teaching yesterday told us he wants to go on a mish!  Also, we have this kid named C., he lives up north but has been to church twice and is progressing super well. He's 15. They have baptismal dates for the 7th! 

Also in my area, there are random streets that have a bunch of dogs, normally my companion has his giant umbrella and fights them off and I start just chucking rocks at them. But yesterday we were walking down this dog invested street and all these dogs starting charging at us....but they we all like little shitzoos...so one of them went to bite me in the ankle and I straight up drop kicked it in the face and it did about 5 backflips. And then they all sprinted back inside to their houses hahaaha it was hilarous!

Ya but anyways, hope you all have a great week. I know that Jesus Christ lives, it's the message we need to take to the World.

Elder Baca

Mom!!!!!!!!! calling in !! mom! rogerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I'm doing good,  today we have a multi-zone Pday and are going to some place to play soccer! Te PROMETO that Ill send pics next week!  So its rainy season, but a nice chilly rain!! But Im keeping warm! I love it!  Everyone is doing good.  Yah he's doing better! He's from Chile and is 26!!  I'll have some more updates next week hopefully!  We are fasting like every week as a zone. There just isn't baptisms in the zone!!  But I'm starting to see the fruits of the fast!   And exactly-we cant just change people! They NEED TO DO IT!  But I've learned I can take a person step by step and show them how to change! It's the best!  JD! ? Hows your training going?!  Learning some patience I bet!  And wow sweet story from the Ridleys! Thanks for sharing that with me! And I love that quote, awesome!  WHAT SARAH GOT MARRIED! WEIRD!! 

MY FIRST LOVE WAS MY MOTHER!! :) And yes!! It's called Dia de Valentino! Im going to teach the Law of Chasity to everyone Thursday and Friday and Sat.! hahahah that was a joke

Feb 2~ 8 Months

Que tal !! 

Wow cant believe I'm already hitting the 8 month mark, so crazy how fast time is going! So this week we found some new investigators, and lots of them have problems. One of them, doesn't have any money because her husband was assassinated about 2 months ago. We talked with her and then the next day she had to disoccupy her house and moved. Another lady and her family we taught this week are awesome. Her name is M. and has 3 kids, one of them is 12 yrs old and a basketball freak! He loves the Bulls and the Lakers, so when he found out I like the Lakers too, and I live by their stadium he was freaking out!  She also has another kid that is special needs, he was in and out of a coma for almost 2 YEARS, but survived, so crazy. SO the lady has a lot of faith, and really wants God's help right now, but without a doubt she knows God exists. It was an amazing experience being able to teach her this week, helping her out with all her problems. 

One of the things I love about the mission is the ability to help anyone, with any type of problem or challenge, being able to help them realize that really God loves them and wants to help. And through Jesus Christ, His gospel and his Atonement, we can really overcome any problem or challenge. Every day I'm out here I really grow in my faith and testimony, that the message we have as missionaries is without a doubt, true. And that it really can help anyone!

Love you all hope you all have a fantastic week! AND go to the GYM! I can smell the Pizza and Hamburger grease from here! 

Love,

Elder Ryan Baca

(Ryan's response to finally getting a copy of his patriarchal blessing)

Mom,

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS I'M ABOUT TO CRY SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IM SERIOUSLY SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS !! HOW DID YOU GET IT?!

Awesome!!! --I read it (Jacob 5) about 5 times and the last time I was like WHOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I understand! hahaha

Jan 26~ Beamer and the Pensionista's Family

Mis Patas Que tal!

Hope everyone had an awesome week this week!  Another week of life!  I had an awesome week this week!  Found some awesome people to teach!  The first one is this 23 year old lady that has like a "self-esteem Motivation Coaching" type of company.  And she was asking all types of advice of just how to get along with people, how to present something at someones door step (missionaries are masters at that) and was just was interested in our message!  Turns out she has a relative in Utah.  We also found this awe some 24 year old named N, he has like a leather jacket store here in Peru...and just wants to get closer to God and understand his purpose, so we taught him 2 times this week! Yea!

Also last Pday, we mad BBQ pizza, it was awesome too!  There is like a legit American grocery store right outside my area...I walked into it last week for the first time and was like whooahhhhh what the heck is this hahha!  But it has everything from cereal, to ranch dressing, to BBQ!  Yea so that is awesome!  I can't believe its already almost been a year since I got my mission call.  So crazy, I'm loving every single day out here.  Have a great week!  Love you all!

Love 
Elder Baca

Hola Madre!!

SO this week was a lot better! Way better! We just found some awesome people to teach, my pension is amazing, and the area is awesome as well! I made a goal with my pension to get me up to 190 and in one week I put on 4 pounds! so im back up to 180! hahaha! Shes awesome, something is way wrong with her legs so cant walk that well. Her daughter and her husnband(the asian dentist) and their kid haysen! are hilarious!!! Seriously they are family to me! AND awesome to here ewee is going top seminary and ellie! high fives seriously! and love those sections! Want to study them this week! 

This week I studied Jacob 5, in depth! SO now I totally understand it!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are all called to the vineyard! Its crazy, one of the sisters of our ward gave a talk yesterday and just said...when Im around the missionaries...i just feel a special spirit..you know why because they study and live and teach the gospel day-in and day-out. I didnt really notice that but its the best feeling ever! Don't want to finish my mission!!!!!!! I love this feeling I have 24/7 seriously, its the best!!!!!! Yep mom so I love you! Sorry to ask, but i have been dry on money for 2 weeks! I had to buy some jeans because I got 0 and its raining but yah need some more money!! hahaha Love you guys have a good week! Coming up on 8 months!! AHHH! 

Love Elder Baca

Pension and fam~ I'm taking another one this is so bad! And that's not my usual comp-

My pension's kid, little H., he's like my little bro!  With his beamer $

BBQ pizza

Jan 19~ Not Much

Hey Everyone! SO nothing really happened this week! Hope you all are doing good! So right now in Huancayo it's summer and its so hot during the day! We are finding some good people to teach and today for Pday Im making some BBQ chicken Pizza!!! Yea!! America! Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day!

Elder Baca

Jan 12~ Lluviendo

sweatshirt i bought in Tarma for 10 soles ($3) with a caution bulldog sign  hahaha

Hey Everyone! 
The weeks are flying by in the mission now! So some sad news, one of the senior missionaries passed away this week, Elder Kirby Jones. It was so crazy because 3 weeks ago when I went to the jungle (La Merced) I was talking to him for awhile about how he served in the Mission Presidency in Washington state and about how my Grandparents will be serving a senior mission as well, and he was totally healthy. Then he got really sick the week after Christmas and unfortunatly passed away last night. It was a honor meeting him just before he passed away, and I know without a doubt he served the Lord with all his heart. 

The mission is flying by now! It rains here all day everyday, so the days blend in! haha The weeks feel like days, but every day I am out here I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve the Lord and to be doing His work. Last week for Pday we went and visited this huge Virgin Statue that overlooks a city called Concepcion! It was pretty sweet. Everything is going good in my new area in Huancayo with the missionary I am training! Finding some new people to teach, and everything is looking good! 

My message this week is always remember that Christ gives us the comfort, the hope, and the strength needed to survive the Whirlwinds of life. (Ether 12:4) I really know that without a doubt. Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Elder Baca

Hey Mother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Yah so first off, Ill tell you about our investigators when we got solid ones hahahah !! Things are looking up though! And ya Elder Jones passed away, it was the weirdest strangest thing to hear that because I was JUST talking to him when I was in La Merced, but it really must have been his time.

The area is awesome! Super pretty, my pension is awesome, prob the best pension in the entire mission seriously. She is handicapped, like can't walk and is like a grandma to me! Her daughter cooks for us as well, is pregnant and is married to a Chinese dentist named LING! He's way sick(cool), and has his small lil dental office in my pension's house! In other news, outside my house...we got this guy that blasts american music,,,like good music..so at times its like this guy needs to turn off his music! Crazy hahah!  AND JD IS 21! So crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your last bday in the field with him! I still got 2 more hahah! 

Yesterday gave a talk about mission work...how members can share the gospel more effectively!! Used a lot of stuff from that book you sent me mom! About using mormon words in daily conversations,..what is a successful member missionary... went really good! Well I bet it'll feel like in 3 days I'll be writing you guys again! Love you all!!!!!!!!! The fam!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Baca!

Jan 5~ Yo He Dado Luz

Hey Everyone! Happy New Year! 
I hope you all enjoyed your New Years! So the title of my email is "Yo he dado luz"...which means "I have given birth"! hahah!!  So in the mission, this means I am training a new missionary! Crazy! His name is Elder Oyarzun and is from Chile!! He is awesome too! Training is way fun, I basically just teach him everything there is to know about the mission...the lessons, the life, how to deal with crazy drunks, etc. So it is an awesome learning experience for me as well!  Also I am opening up an area with my Child back in Huancayo, so we are starting from scratch, which is a little rough but awesome at the same time! So that's some sweet news!

SO I spent my New Years day trying to help a 80 year old man with Alzheimer's find his house in the pouring rain. So he told us about 50 different directions, and we went to all of them just to help this poor old guy out!! It was getting way frustrating after a while but I didn't want to leave him in the pouring rain! So finally we were in some random part of Huancayo with this guy (after he was pounding on some random house saying it was his house) and we were just praying to help him out...so I told my comp, say a prayer for him...and the first thing he says after this prayer is that's where he lives!! So we said a prayer, and went to this direction..and his house wasn't there.  But, right by this direction there happened to be a security center...so it was closed but one of the cars was perfectly positioned to where I could see the phone number (crazy)..so I called it and about 30 mins later security showed up, we gave a description of the man...and it turned out his family has been looking for HIM!! SO YAY! Patience really does pay off! But I hope you all had a great New Years and have a ton of goals for this year!

Love you all!

Elder Baca!

With my comp Elder M. and old pension in Tarma, and her baby rabbits

Mother!!! WOW First off, sounds like you guys had an amazing time! NEW YEARS!! I didn't even REALIZE it was New Years until I woke up to all these fireworks!! hahaha  

I'm a little stressed out because I'm training and OPENING AN AREA!! 

So LEGIT WITH NOTHING!! But its awesome as well! I got transferred BACK to Huancayo in the central of the city! Its called El Tambo.  It's a city feel and the area seems sweet.  My new pension is way nice and cooks good!  My companion is from Chile, named Elder Oyarzun he is 26 and was baptized like 4 years ago!  Love the challenges, it makes this mission more exciting...but more than just relying on myself, its a great time to rely on the LORD, EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA!  Because without Him I couldn't do this! But that's so crazy it snowed in Murrieta!! Lacey sent me pics and I thought she was in Utah but it turned out to be MURRIETA!! SO crazy!! and KIMBA LOL!!!! SO funny happy the lil' chunk could stay in a doggy suite for vacation time hahahah! And yes so crazy about the missionary couple! Everyone's praying and fasting for them! Legit saw him and was talking to him like 3 days before that! MOM! Love those scriptures ! Thanks for that! It sounds like you guys had an amazing time! Hope you all have awesome goals for the New Year and I cant believe JD is coming home this year...dont want to make you trunky! ! Love you mother so much! Thanks for all you do! Enjoy the time with the fam because next year it'll be back to craziness with Jd and I hahahah! Love you! Thanks for the prayers and fasting xoxoxoxo!!!!!

Dec 29~ Pollo y 2015

Oye!! 
Hope you all had a wonderful Chrismas this past week! It was awesome seeing my fam last week via Skype! So my Christmas day was spent eating a ton of chicken, potatoes, and of course rice! haha But I aint complaining!  I hope you all can reflect on what you have accomplished this year and what you want to accomplish this next year of 2015!  And please if you are making goals to get fit, don't just go to the gym January 1st - 3rd! Stick with your goals this year!! I love you all! Happy New Year from Tarma, Peru! Stay safe!

~Elder Baca

OYE MADRE!! HEY HOW YOU DOING !!  It was the BEST seeing you guys last week! Sometimes I feel like I am in my own lil' seperate world out here, and I forget you guys are actually living life how it used to be! But love you all so much thanks for the support! It always gives me the biggest boost getting emails and especially seeing you guys! And your package!!! MY MOM IS THE BEST!! Thanks for doing all that! Seriously every message meant a ton! And the gifts as well <3 Well, I hope you guys have an amazing New Year! Cant believe we are coming into 2015! A time to reflect about the goals we want to make with another year of life God has given us! Hope you guys have fun in Utah! Miss you and the snow! Tell the fam I said hi and love them!!! Then went to another chicken potato dinner..hahaha   Love you!