Elder Luke Christensen **** Huancayo Peru Mission: Life Lessons ...

Hey there!

This week was a pretty decent week. It was a week of pure happiness! To start off, we went to a super sweet WATERFALL last Monday! It's called Tsumontosonari. The trip to get there was so crazy! So, we were headed to a waterfall but then we heard there was a waterfall that was even bigger than almost any waterfall that we had ever seen, so we changed our plans and decided to go to the other waterfall! President has given us permission to go to ONE waterfall or another cool sight during each transfer with our district and one with our zone. Well, the whole day was so crazy!

So, to start off, we get going and we are going in the little motos. We took a little grill so that we could have a BBQ at the waterfall, and we get to a bridge, I tell everyone, "hey, there is the sign to the road to get to the waterfall." Everyone else said, "no, that's not the road to the waterfall". So, I just went along and followed everyone. We traveled like 1-1/2 hours in the very uncomfortable, hot, bumpy motocab to get to the waterfall. We went through a ton of mud, we came to many crossroads as we traveled along. We had no idea which way to go, so we would stop and pray to figure out which way to go. In Peru there are no clear maps, just someones word of how to get somewhere, so we depended on the Lord a lot that day as we looked for this beautiful waterfall. We could really relate this to our lives... we journey along every day, and every day, sometimes several times a day, we come to crossroads. If we do not ask our Heavenly Father which path to take we can easily be led astray. He listens to our prayers, he knows us and he answers in his time and with what is best for us, his children. So we finally made it to the waterfall, and the lady there told us that we couldn't make it to the waterfall, there was way too much mud, and it was super slick to walk down the mountain with the grill, and all of the food. Well, we hadn't come that far to turn back. We had worked hard to get where we were, we had found the right place and we were going to follow through with our plan. Again, just like Satan tries to mislead us, or tell us we can't do it so we will turn away from our goal, he wants us to turn back, all because it's too hard. Well, our goal was within sight... we said, "ahh, no!, lets just go! We have to do this!" We loaded our arms and we made it down safe and sound. Only a few of us fell, but got up and kept going. There are always bumps in the road, and many times it would be easier to turn around and go back, that's what Satan would want, he wants us to stop and quite believing in ourselves and stop believing in our Father who knows all and guides us in all that we do. Well, we continued and we got down and saw the most amazing waterfall! It was what we'd come for, and it was worth it! Never give up, keep going, the treasure at the end is worth it. My pench had come with us and she BBQ´d some chicken and we had a sweet BBQ feast right there at the foot of the waterfall. It was such a sweet waterfall! We had a fun day enjoying the waterfall and the beautiful place that we were in. We really enjoyed the "fruits of our labor". Then it was time to go back... We had a great time climbing back up the mountain, it was time to head back to Pichanaki. As we were leaving I saw the same road that we passed at the beginning of our travels by the bridge. I said, "we need to go this way!" Well, again, they were all doubting me, but I said, "let's just follow the spirit like we have this whole day, the spirit led us to the waterfall, it will lead us home again." Plus, we were almost out of gas! We went back to Pichanaki on the road I found, and guess what! It only took us 40 minutes. It had taken us 2-1/2 hours to get to the waterfall because we did not follow the first prompting and take the road by the bridge, that I knew was the road we needed to take. We made it home safe and sound, and with some gas to spare. But what a good lesson in listening to the spirit, stopping along the way to pray and ask for help to get to our destination when in fact, we had taken the wrong road to begin with. Heavenly Father helped us get turned around and back on the right road so that we could get where we were going. Prayer is real, he hears us, and he answers.

This whole week really was so great! We have so many people that are progressing, and many that are wanting to get married so that they can get baptized. I've seen many miracles here in Pichanaki, God is doing everything and we are just the tools in his hands and to his work. I am sad to be leaving Pichanaki, one transfer wasn't nearly long enough here. I've grown to love it here in the short 6 weeks I've been here. I'll be heading back to Huanuco where it's warm, not hot like the jungle, but nice. I'll be serving as a Zone Leader in an area called Colonial. My new companion's name is Elder Islas, he is from Mexico. I'll tell you more about it next week. I'm not there yet, I'm still in Pichanaki due to some giant riots that are going on here in Pichanaki right now. The people are rioting because the people with chakras (a little farm with potatoes or bananas or vegetables, or fruit...) all of the farmers and the natives (Indian) people are mad that the banks and the State haven't paid them yet. So needless to say, they are freaking out. This morning there were giant tires on fire, everything was just burning!!! it was crazy. We had to sneak over to our pensionista's house without them noticing us! A little bit scary! haha So I'll head to Huanuco hopefully tomorrow, if not then, as soon as I can leave here safely. So I'll let you know how it's all going in Huanuco next week!

I love you all and miss you all, I'm off on my new adventure....

Adios!

Elder Christensen