Elder Luke Christensen **** Huancayo Peru Mission: I'm Learning Patience!

Hey there people of the United States of America, and some from other places in the world!

Sorry this will be a really short letter this week. I feel like I really didn't do much this week. But, this was a fast week and a week of patience. Well, I guess really I need to learn patience! I wanted to rip everyone's heads off a few times! Not the other missionaries, but some of the people here. Seems like this week we have just had so many people talking smack on us gringos and saying how the gringos aren't good at anything! What are they thinking? Another thing that drives me crazy is a thing that the people here call the Hora Peruana. So, the Hora Perúana is showing up 1 to 2 hours late to everything, yes, everything and it drives me crazy! The even show up to church way late! I'm learning patience every day here!

So let's start off with the last Monday (p-day), we went fishing. That is all of last Monday! haha I caught 3 fish!! that is all we did! It was fun though!

So, onto the next day which was Tuesday. We worked super hard all day and we only were able to have like 3 lessons. It was a slow day, I really don't like days like this, but we have them every now and then. We had the interview for Veronica's daughter Arely, and she passed! The zone leaders said that she was over prepared. It's a good thing that she had me to teach her. jaja ..... I'm just kidding, I'm not the reason she was so prepared, the Spirit is the reason and the one that talks and teaches. And she was so ready and so prepared for this in her life.

Wednesday and Thursday we had a Multizone Conference. We had to say goodbye to President and Hermana Henderson. They will be leaving in about a week. They will really be missed. So glad I got to serve under them and learn from them. Then another great part of my week was that we were able to have pizza. In the mission you really come to appreciate the little things, like pizza and good food! I really enjoyed it and had like 4 pieces, and I was fealing like I was in heaven. It was so dang good!

Friday we just worked all day and Saturday was THE day. Saturday was the day that Arely was to be baptized. She asked me to baptize her and I was so excited! This was a super special baptism. Not only because there were 2 baptisms and I got to baptize someone with my buddy Elder Bartschi, but, it is the last baptismal ordinance that I will be able to do while I am here in the Huancayo mission. It is now a rule that the missionaries don't baptize the people. The Church wants the members to do it and be more involved. It also creates a bond between the member and the one being baptized. So we had the baptism for Arely and for Dana. During this baptism the spirit was super strong and powerful. It was a true testimony building experience to be a part of someone taking steps to return to Christ. It was so special and so spiritual. But.... this is where the patience comes in, we planned for the baptism to be at 5 o'clock. but the people don't start showing up until 6 o'clock. So, we just continue to get ready for the baptism and then Veronica (the mother) shows up another half an hour late. I was so frustrated! They have no sense of time, but I swallowed my pride and didn't let my frustrations show, and we had the pictures taken and went in for the baptism, and it was a beautiful baptism. I still can feel the spirit from that night. This is the greatest part of the work, to see someone so sweet take on the covenant of baptism. I know it will bring them happiness.

So that is my week. All of you tune in next week, haha (silly phrases) but yes, this church is true and brings so much happiness! Have a great week! Love you all and be safe.