New years: Chota, rain, trucha (trout)

Its been raining this week in Pomalca. I personally love the rain, but it puts peruvians on complete shutdown mode. The street behind our house is dirt and doesnt have drains so it turned into a river and the water has just been there for a while now. It smells absolutely rank and is full of mosquitos so we can't keep our windows open at night which makes it even hotter. 

We are currently in a town called Chota. One of the cooler places I have ever been. I actually had been here about a year ago because it used to be part of my old zone. Now it is part of this zone so I got to go again. Its a super cool town way up in the Andes mountains. It is what I thought peru would be like. Super cool big mountains, cows everywhere, etc. There is a huge bull fighting arena here where they do bull fights. It is pretty cool. It is also freezing up here. Definately will never forget spending new years in the middle of the mountains in peru. 

They did a ton of fireworks and burned mummies. Christmas and new years in the mission have been unforgettable 

This morning we got up and went fishing. Catch a trout in south america ✅️ bucket list. Probably one of the coolest things ever. For the record, I have caught more trout in 2025 than my dad and brothers. Shouldn't surprise anyone. We headed up to the mountains and caught a bunch of nice ones. Definitely one of the highlights of my mission so far. 

On the way out to go fishing there was a drunk guy with his moto slid off the road on the side of an absolute cliff. I cannot believe he didnt die. We pulled him up and he headed on his way. 

It sprinkled sunday morning so nobody went to church. Bummer. 

I still am baffled every day at how perfect my mission is for me. I couldn't invision myself serving anywhere other than Chiclayo Perú. It's kinda crazy how la MPCH is the best mission in the world. 

I think 2024 was the best year of my life. I got to spend every single second of it in peru. A place that has come to feel like just as much of a home as anywhere. I got to spend every second among the peruvian people in their service and in the service of God. There is no doubt that this year is the year that I have grown the most, learned the most about myself, and become a better man, disciple of Christ, and all around person. I think if I could have seen myself at the end of this year back at the beginning of the year I would have been pretty proud. That's about all I can ask for.

Cheers to 2025, bring what it may, I am sure it will be one to remember. See yall this year