Doble🐲

 My new (and last) companion is another Brazilian, elder Alves. Really cool guy. Hes from Fortaleza Brasil and is a stud. He is in his first transfer and I am in my very last. Because he is brand new the language barrier has been extremely hard. I for some reason just thought brazilians would understand and speak at least a little bit of spanish. It makes me grateful for the peruvian companions that were patient with me when I got here. It has lead me to a lot of reflection about everything that has happened in my life since I got here. 6 more weeks and I will have the rest of my life to reflect on this time. I am trying to do everything in my power to be able to sit on that plane in 6 weeks and feel complete, proud, full of gratitude, beat and on empty, and like my offering has been accepted. I know that my offering hasn't been perfect, and that in mortal live we cannot give a perfect offering, but I have hope that it will be made perfect through my efforts and the grace of my savior. 

We had some maracuya cheesecake this week. That stuff is so good. 

I have used the same razor to shave my entire mission. I have a bunch of replacements in my bag but at this point it is a pride thing. That razon has stuck by my side through it all. 

I got extremely sick the very first night of the transfer. I threw up 6 times and was sittng in the bathroom from 2 am - 6:30. Throwing up is my worst nightmare. I will miss just about everything about my lindo Perú, even the things that sometimes drive me crazy, but being double dragon all night here is easily one of the most miserable things I have experienced in my entire life. There is just no relief. Being sick in Perú is an absolutely humbling experience. I have seen it bring the strongest of men to their whits end. The most unfortunate part of the whole ordeal is that what got me sick was lomo saltado (my very favorite food here) so I don't know if I will want to eat it again for a while. Big bummer

Somehow after a night of almost 0 sleep and battling the double dragon, I had all the strength necesary to get through the next day. The Lord blesses and protects his missionaries with exactly the strength they need to do what he requires of them. My testimony couldn't be stronger about that. But it is a testimony that has come at a high cost. 

The work has slowed down a bit but we have hope. I still don't understand how a kid can answer a door, we ask him if his parents are home, he runs in and askes his parents if they're home and he runs back and tells us that his parents said they aren't home. It's the greatest trick in the book. Gets me every time. 

31 And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost.

Job finished? What's there to be happy about? Jobs not finished. 

-Brother Kobe Bryant