Week 12: Merry Christmas

Parker called us via Skype on Sunday, and we were able to visit with him for about an hour, so his email this week is short.  He is doing and looking great.  

Skyping with Parker on Christmas Day: Alex (holding Addison) Blake and Lisa

Yeah, I think its tough out here but you just can’t get down on yourself that’s when you start having those doubts and think about going home. The language isn’t gonna come in a day - it takes time. I don’t think I could have done what Dad did in Korea honestly. My companion is awesome. It seemed like a super laid back Christmas but of course Dad had to get a juicer or something LOL. I miss Blake tons I just miss the boys. I don’t really have that much to say this week talking to you guys was awesome. I miss you guys but I just gotta keep going out here.

Love you tons,

Parker

Secret Santa Gift of Skinny Jeans (!?!)

They were a little tight

Assist from Elder Jackson

Elders Moore and Jackson on PDay

Merry Christmas from Rioja Peru!

Week 11: Tough but Fun

Elder Doloriert, Christmas Tree, Elder Moore

This week was kind of tough but things bounce back so fast. Like I wasn’t feeling the Spirit and our investigator went progressing and stuff but then yesterday I talked about the Atonement in church and felt the Spirit like, the scriptures are so simple when you know what to look for. I just want to shake people out here sometimes - they are so frustrating. The members here are so awesome. Our pensionista is the best - it’s like a second family for us. We’re doing a secret Santa and stuff and they just joke with us and they are just the best. 

I don’t feel homesick, I just miss doing stuff like snowboarding and just chilling and stuff, but we always have something planned. It’s tough but it’s fun. I’m making good friends. Me and Elder Jackson are super tight. It’s good to have someone going through the same thing. We had a zone conference this week with President Li and Hermana Li came so that was fun.  We had Christmas dinner and stuff. 

 

It was kind of tough to keep up with our investigators because we had to go to Moyobama like 3 times this week for interviews, to get money and something else. The language is so tough - some days are so good and some days it’s awful. It’s weird but I just gotta keep going. It’s hard not to think about the 2 years but, it’s already been 3 months - it’s crazy. I love you so much Mom I can’t wait to talk to you and see everybody.

Investigators are coming to church - we get more and more every week which is cool we try to work really hard on Saturdays. They came down with a ton of new rules so we can’t leave are area but we will be going when we can its cool to see the world.

Melting Snowman from Parker's Christmas Package

Elder Jackson, Christmas Tree, Elder Moore

Elders Moore and Jackson Hangin' at the Christmas Tree

Love you guys so much.

Love,

Parker

Week 10: The Work I'm Doing Isn't For Me.

Happy Birthday Elder Moore!

My birthday was so awesome. Our pensionista's family is the best. They made me chifa, which is all we eat out here, and they know I love it. They bought me a cake. They did some Peruvian tradition where they crack an egg on my head and then drench me in water. It was so much fun they are awesome!

The language is tough but I've seen myself grow in it, like, one family that we've always taught; the guy has a thick Selva accent so I couldn't understand a word he said, but now I can answer some of his questions and stuff. I'm so tired all the time, like, I wake up at 6:30 everyday and I'm just tired. Like, I usually fall asleep during language study. My comp is so awesome. He speaks English, which is great because I can ask what words are and he just tells me so I don't have to look them up which takes forever. Just step by step, day by day. I want to snowboard so bad mom I dream about it.  We only have church for 1 hour Christmas. so Alex is already graduated right? I love you tons. 

This week was long its just hard some days but others fly by. We didn't do anything for p-day which blew. They came down with a bunch of new rules so we cant leave our area, which is tough but we will do stuff. We are decorating today - we're gonna buy a tree. The food you guys sent was bomb. Everything here is so cheap too, so don't worry about money I'm chill. Oh i forgot to tell you - I think our pensionista's daughter friended you on Facebook. I don't know if the video will send. I love you so much tell everybody ! love them.

Our investigators are coming to church - we get more and more every week which is cool. We try to work really hard on Saturdays.

One other thing Mom was I finished the Book of Mormon for the second time and after I went and read Joseph Smith history. Mom I think that was one of the most spiritual experiences I've ever had. Right when it got to 15 it just hit me like the live experience - it was so strong. It's just crazy to me that if we are worthy of these experiences, the Lord will give them to us. That was my birthday too so it was just really cool. I cant' deny this gospel. It's tough - it's something we have to do every day, but we can do it. A mission is tough but its fun and the work I'm doing isn't for me. I'm growing spiritually, but I'm not changing who I am, and that's what I wanted. 

I love you Mom. I know this church is true and if it wasn't for that Priesthood Dad has and him listening to that prompting, I don't know if this is where I would be. It's crazy to look back. Even those pictures you sent that were 5 months ago. I'm here now - who knows where I'll be in 5 more months. I just know that I'll be fine. Thank you for never giving up on me.

Love,
Parker

Elder Moore at his pensionista's house for birthday dinner

Parker with his pensionista after the birthday egg break and water drench

20 years old!

Lunch!

Week Nine - Two Months - "How did I get here?"

Elder Moore in Rioja

Yeah I’ll be here in Rioja for my birthday. I’m already enjoying it. I got one package today and that was super awesome - the one with garland and chips and beef jerky and trial mix.  The food is bomb! It is so good - I miss it so much. We’re decorating today. The pictures I got were so cool - it was so cool to see the fam and the guys. Thanks for sending those; I put some in the back of my scriptures - they just push me along. 

 

The Christmas Package

They are building a nativity scene in the main plaza here but not doing much. They eat fruitcake - like that is huge – but we never eat it. It’s going to be weird that Mom and Dad are only with Meagan this year for Christmas.

We watched the Christmas devotional yesterday and it was really cool when President Eyring talked. I just remember doing the nativity scene the night before Christmas and I just felt the Spirit when he was talking about future families.

We went to like a - I don’t even know - place in the jungle last P-day. We’re gonna go to caves today so we do find some cool places to go. 

The investigators are tough sometimes. They just don’t understand. Like, we will teach something and the next day they don’t know what we taught. It’s tough. I’m understanding more and more of the language. I had a really cool experience where I just kind of took over the lesson a little and answered questions. Just need more time. We do have a church house and it’s pretty big. We do district meeting in there too. 

Rioja Chapel (from Google Maps)

It’s crazy that I’ve been out 2 months! It’s like a “how did I get here?” kind of thing. It’s crazy how fast it goes by like I feel like I was just talking to you guys but it’s been another week. My comp is still sweet he’s just so nice and pushes me with the Spanish. The members help a lot! We’re really good friends with one family and the daughter teaches me a lot. She’s like 12 but she’s studying English it’s really cool. We fasted this week too and I wanted to die I had the worst headache and I just couldn’t do anything but the blessing are crazy. I went straight to bed when I got home that night.

These spiritual experiences just keep you going and you just want people to feel what you're feeling and know for themselves what we’re saying is true. The area is tough our zone had 0 baptisms in November. We have 1 date for the 17th but they just have to go to church. We visit tons of people and stuff but they have to go to church to be baptized so it’s tough. It’s cool to see your personal revelation in work and just thoughts pop into your head.

We didn’t do anything too crazy this week but we have so much fun together. We eat chifa all the time - it’s just Chinese food that we order. It’s so bomb and it’s a big joke with our pensionista and stuff. Yeah that rat [from last week] was so bad I like puked right after I put it in my mouth. 

I love you guys so much and can’t wait to talk to you guys. I know why I’m here and I’m gonna keep pushing love you so much!

Elder Moore

Elder Doloriert and Elder Moore

Elder Moore and duck

Elder Moore

Eating at the pensionistas' house

Elder Moore at, I don't even know!