Hey

 Hey all. This week was a little better I suppose (not really). I am not really rocking with the new area. Never been a huge big city guy. I just haven't had nearly the same passion for the work I had in Motupe, I'm sure I'm just getting used to the new changes and responsibilities. 

Part of the change is that I went from eating high quality Peruvian food every day in Motupe to eating rice with bread for lunch and rice with a banana for dinner (can't be nutritional) every day. Mission presidents wife told me to talk to the pensionista. They recieve a ridiculous amount of tithing money to be pensionistas and sign a contract that each meal is supposed to be 10 american dollars worth of food. I dont think I could spend 10 US dollars to make a meal here if I tried 🤣 thats litterally so much money here. I talked to the pensionista and she told me im an ungratefull american. I truly am grateful for her service but just haven't eaten protien or vegetables for 2 weeks now and kinda feek like death. She's pocketing a lot of tithing money and I don't really like that...

On the bright side I do get to do exchanges and see a lot of beautiful Peru. I'm currently in a place called Chota. Very cool little town way up in the mountains. We're at about 8,000 feet of elevation up here 😳 theres peruvian cowboys everywhere. It feels like a Peru/Texas/Paved roads/Randy/Pimpmo colab. Pretty boss. 

Zone conference went well (I think. I was more worried about how to speak spanish than the content of my message). As part of it I talked a little about what I had learned from PMG study before the mish with my dad and jaker and mr clay. Everyone asked where I got those ideas from and I just said Jake Woodward and they all were like oh yeah makes sense that guys a legend (even all the peruvians said that). President took me and my comp to a very nice restaurant after and I thought I had entered the celestial kingdom. I got a burger with 3 pattys, a chicken breast, sausage, american cheese, and VEGTABLES. Very high quality experience 

I am surviving. Sometimes it feels like that's about all I'm doing, but I try to have fun every day and smile. 6/7 days of the week this happiness has come from buying a Sprite after lunch (its sugar free here and really good). Whoever says money cant buy happiness is absolutely decieved. The other day it comes from talking to my incredible family. I made fun of missionaries before my mission for just wanting to call their family all day on monday even though theres not a ton to talk about. But I very much understand now. It can be lonely out here. 

Shoutout all my dads friends. Absolute studs, always making me feel like another son. And all you guys who get me right with an email each week. Only missionaries and old geezers truly apreciate an email. I am sure all my fellow elders can testify of how much a simple email means.

Something I realized this week is there is a huge difference between sharing information/lessons, and offering salvation. Having this in mind makes the long, hot days go a little bit better. I think sometimes as missionaries we take for granted the message that we carry. Realizing that it is not just another lesson, but a persons salvation has really helped me to be more focused.

Ight piece out ❤️ have a marvelous week