Peru

Peru
Machu Picchu

Monday, August 29, 2016

1st week Training

So hi guys!  My companion is Elder Sanchez, he is from Lima.

To be honest, it is REALLY stressful be a trainer sometimes. But I know that I need to be the example, but I have never had to do so much talking in the lessons (90%), or lead the study periods, or tell him how we do stuff, or explain stuff!  I can already tell though that it is helping me personally a ton as it is pushing me past my comfort zone and making me a better missionary.

So these past few days I have  been preparing my class for the district meeting, it is really weird too, but yeah that is alright.

Being a district leader means I have to be an example now for the district as well, so I am training and helping folks even more. We are working very hard!  This week we did like double the contacts necessary for the "excellence norms" and are just trying really hard. Next week our goal is to have a baptismal date set for one of our investigators.  We are excited.

I was sort of hoping for an American greenie, but I guess the Lord places us with companions for a reason.

In our district, there is an Elder Walker, being trained by Elder Costa. He is a gringo, from Pleasant Grove, UT I think.

Me and my companion get along well, he is just SUPER shy, but I guess that is how it is when you first get to the mission.  He always is telling me like, "Wow man you have so much time in the mission", and I am still feeling like I just left my training.

So I recorded a video of my comp and I after a visit.


I apologize but I don't have any other pictures this week.  But I will try and take them today for p-day and send them via wi-fi later.  We are playing soccer again today with mission president!  That is so cool and fun!

I am also picking up 7 pairs of pants that I got fixed to fit me better.

We are working hard and getting along so am hopeful we have a great week.  So as you guys know, Cusco is up WAY HIGH.

So I was telling my new comp how our sector is and all that when he first got here, and I told him "Hey man we have a TON of hills in our sector, its going to be rough these first few days". He responded with something like "Nah man, I am used to it! I used to climb hills ALL the time in Lima."

He is in good shape, and all that, but we have been walking climbing hills and stairs and all that good stuff, and unfortunately he gets WINDED. It is funny because he is super skinny and was all like "I got this" but the altitude can kill the best of us!

But yeah he is getting used to it.  TIMES UP though
Talk to you guys next week! :D

Will send photo via wifi this week!

Love you.

[I found this picture of Connor (back row toward middle) in the Cusco Official Mission Blog.  Looks like the new mission president started up this blog.  This is a picture of a zone activity in one of the Cusco zones]

https://misionperucusco.blogspot.pe/


Monday, August 22, 2016

Training and not much time to write

Hey guys, so right now I am feeling a little stunned.

So my companion is off to Sicuani, and I am here TRAINING and as DISTRICT LEADER. I honestly was just stunned and shocked when I saw the changes, I just stood there with my mouth open all confused lol.

Elder Ludlow called me this morning, at like 10 AM exactly.  He says to me:  "DUDE I AM GOING TO HAVE A GRANDCHILD!" [This means in mission language that Connor was Elder Ludlow's "son" since he trained him, and now since Connor is training someone that Elder Ludlow will be a grandpa!]  Lol, so he is pretty excited to see my greenie before he goes! He just has 6 weeks left, (1 change).  Crazy because he trained me when he had 10 months!

So I am not sure how I feel, its really a great responsibility, and I feel a little unprepared.
Lol I am not sure what more to say.

My comp will come Wednesday, I am going to be with Elder Costa tomorrow because my comp leaves tomorrow in the morning.  Elder Costa is also gonna to train, he is with me in one of the pics, we did divisions this week.

I only have like 30 min left. REALLY short on time because my comp wants to say good-bye to everyone. It is a little rough since I have like 40 emails this week!  Looks like I will respond to the majority of them next week.



So anyway, I am very excited about this all, but just a little..... I don't know, anxious I guess is a good word for it.

I think getting a gringo to train would be great, but also I imagine it would be HARD teaching Spanish to someone.  Funny note.  Elder Ludlow has a FRIEND from his home ward coming to the mission this change, Elder Rupert or something, can you imagine if I trained him, lol what a coincidence.

As district leader I have to do a lot of calls and district meetings and stuff like that now, not sure how that is going to go. We have a training Wednesday where they are gonna teach us everything I assume :).

My ankle is better, I have a wrap on it still, but the swelling has gone down a TON.

So the mini missionary that was living with us and partnered up with our Zone Leaders (roommates) is off, but Elder Arias is here with a guy named Elder Sare or something like that.  He has 2 changes more than me and is from Peru, Piura.

So right now we have two latin Zone Leaders, because honestly there just aren't any gringos left lol. They all just went home!

So it is going to be weird for next few months with my two new assignments.  But yeah, it is all good.
I am definitely going to have a lot more interesting experiences with a greenie these upcoming weeks that is for sure!

This week we were out walking / contacting and came across Elder Poulsen, (a senior missionary here) who was totally just standing outside in the blazing sun, handing out Books Of Mormon. He had a little stand setup (like a lemonade stand), and in order to take a Book of Mormon, they had to leave their names, addresses (if they had one) or directions to their homes and contact numbers.  [Here is a link to Elder Poulsen's blog CLICK HERE -- at the VERY bottom of this link you can see his setup and awesome job he is doing with people of Peru.] 

We received like 13 references of people who already have a Book of Mormon so it is going to be awesome trying to contact them!  (The majority of them live in the HILLS so me and my greenie are going to be CLIMBING!) Lol, what a great "WELCOME TO THE MISSION PERU CUSCO!"

So I need to run now.  Sorry.
I love you guys.
Please wish me luck!  Keep me in your prayers!
I will email you next week with news!

I imagine I WILL be able to send you a pic this week from camera just showing me and my greenie, just need to find wifi, so if not in the church, in a members house.

And yep, it is almost a GUARANTEE that I will be here at least 2 more changes with my greenie (so at least 12 weeks / 3 more months here).

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Machu Piccu on a twisted ankle

Hey guys!

So this week was really awesome. We actually worked really hard and had some great success.  (Sadly success is not always measured by baptisms!)

Anyways, yesterday we went to Machu Picchu. It was really neat. So we slept 14 people in the house of the offiice elders. (They have a nice house and live a little spoiled compared to the rest of us!  They have elevators, warm water always and stuff like that). We woke up at 2AM. Had to be ready and outside of the church at 3am. A bus came and picked us up, we arrived to the place to take the train at 5. We took the train, got to Machu Picchu Pueblo at like 6:30. We waited in a little line, got in to Machu Picchu early. We after ate lunch, and had free time. We played soccer with some random guys from Machu Picchu Pueblo. 8 missionaries vs 8 of them. We sorta wrecked them. We then went back on the train, and same process home. Got back around 7. I picked up my package in the office on the way back. THANKS.

Love the new sweaters!  Thanks for sending them.


Here are some more pictures from our trip.







So getting out of a bus at 4 AM. I twisted my ankle SO bad. Its so swollen! Going to an appointment today I also messed it up! Take a look at this.



Video of Machu Picchu pueblo.



Anyways, I was just thinking, what is the hotel you have reserved? There were a ton by Machu Picchu Pueblo and also one by Machu Picchu, I was just wondering what one it would be.  And the train too? Lol, still ton of time to plan it out just couldn't help wondering what it would be like to come back with you guys one day!.

But yeah, I wrecked my ankle at 4am. Went walking and scaling hills, then played soccer lol.
I went to a members house at 8 at night when we got back (they live right across the street) and she gave me some kind of cream to put on it to reduce swelling. I put it on, was starting to feel better, and BOOM. Walking at a normal pace at 9am today to an appointment my ankle just gave out and I sorta wrecked it again. Got to be more careful I think.

We had a guide, she was alright. Non-member. Sorta bored me though, gave the same speech that I imagine she always gives. Was cool to hear though, lots of intresting facts about it.

Here is the group we went with!


So all the Elders that came are: Me, my comp; Elder Ludlow, Elder Cortijo, Elder Bustamante, Elder Pavon, Elder Wimmer, Elder Hogan, Elder Orillana, Elder martin, Elder Augat, Elder Falslov, Elder Ramirez (13 of us!).

It was awesome though, I was the "youngest" missionary there as always. Lol, I come into the mission; I have the least time; I have 6 months out; I have the least time; 1 year out, but still least time! Lol, the mission is all just super old right now, in October and November like everyone goes home.

Ugly flying biting stinging things in Machu Picchu. Please don't forget to bring long sleeve when you guys come. I saw some poor tourists just bitten to death on their legs lol.



I really want to keep up the exercise! Its sorta rough here, its so cold in the mornings, and I would just REALLY prefer to go to a gym, but its not allowed in the mission. Apparently it was before, but missionaries stayed more time than they should have and it got taken away. Bummer because there is a gym 2 blocks down from our house.

It was so hot on the train coming back after soccer, we were ALL dying. We were buying overpriced water and soda because it was the only cold thing. Nice gig they got set up there right? Make the train super stuffy and hot and then sell cold drinks overpriced! Genius!



Anyways I am off, talk to you guys next week, for changes!!!!!! 

LOVE YOU GUYS, TAKE CARE

Monday, August 15, 2016

Machu Picchu Preview

[Connor told us that he most likely wouldn't be able to email given his trip to Machu Picchu today.  Each missionary in his mission gets to go to Machu Picchu once -- so we suggested Connor go early on so that he can go again when Laura and I go pick up him!]

[We got this email Monday evening from Connor.  Will do another blog entry tomorrow when he does full email.]

We are going to internet tomorrow. Just a preview!


Monday, August 8, 2016

So this week was alright.

Finally got called in to do my immigration paperwork so I am finally not here "illegally" like I was before. (My little card expired July 20th lol)

It has been a weird week, as EVERYONE here is walking around with their phones playing this new Pokemon Go thing so it makes it a little hard to contact lol, you seen that game yet?

Well this week I bought a cream for dry skin, as I have been getting REALLY dry skin recently but its all good. It only costed me 20 soles lol.

Here is a birthday picture from a member in our ward.  Her little daughter, is 3 years old now.


In this picture I am in a place by the "plaza de armas". Its super cool, will definitely have to visit when you guys come.


Things are great with my companion.  We are working hard and enjoying the things we do and contacts we make!  But who knows what will happen in 2 weeks for changes.  As I told you last week, with 10 Zone Leaders going home (all north americans), and 23 new missionaries coming in things are going to be wild.


So my black shoes are like this picture below, on both sides, on both feet.

My brown ones are still holding up.

I am thinking that I need to bring them in to get fixed.  Will see if I can find a cobbler around here.


Remember that my Machu Picchu visit is next week on Monday.  I am so excited for that!

We leave at 3am and I heard we get back at like around 6pm.  I will probably be writing emails later in the evening on Monday or first thing Tuesday.

So, Elder Kline (Zone Leader who lives with us) is going home this Wednesday, (he would finish the 22nd but he is going home early to get into school), so he is like giving away stuff!  He gave me a tie, 2 pairs of pants, and just some other stuff lol.  Pretty cool because they fit me nicely, just gonna have to get the pants taken up a bit as I am shorter than him.

I was looking the other day lol. I think I have lost like 4 inches around my waist in pants since I came into the mission, lol, pretty crazy!

I was in divisions this week with Elder Arias, and we committed an investigator to a baptism date.  So it wasn't with one our / my investigators, but it was still awesome though.  With Elder Kline leaving, the new comp of Elder Arias is with us at the moment.  He is a mini missionary from Puno, how goes to the Bolivia Santa Cruz mission next month.

Till next week!

Will be writing AFTER the trip or maybe Tuesday.

Love you guys!

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Update from Connor

[Connor did get a chance to email us -- but came at time when both Laura and I weren't available to respond or ask additional questions.]

So, this week was great. We actually had high numbers (so we were able to teach a lot of lessons, do and get referrals), and everything good.

So I sent a pic with the dog who always guards our door, his name is "King" (has an english name). Its funny how angry he gets when other dogs get by our house. He is loyal to us because we always give him like a chicken bone or something lol. (Gotta be careful though, hes covered in flees).


So transfers are in 3 WEEKS. The 22nd.  I am going to Machu Pichu now on the 15th.

It will be REALLY weird this transfer because 24 missionaries are coming to the mission!!!  That is a very large group of greenies.  10 zone leaders are going home, so when combined with all the new missionaries who knows what could happen lol.

I understand you guys might be busy today, but I got like 30 min left.

Today we are going to play soccer with President Herrera for SURE. These last few weeks we haven't been able to because President has been busy.

But yeah, we are excited.


Well sorry you guys missed me, but we are off now.

Love you guys a bunch!

Will take more pics this week!

-Elder Barry

No email yet -- but a random text

[We didn't receive an email from Connor on Monday, so we are hoping that means he will get some time today (Tuesday).  Laura did receive a text yesterday out of the blue that said simply:  

"Hi Mom."  

It had this picture attached.]


[When Laura replied thank you and expressed how much we missed him and loved receiving pictures she got this reply from the person who took picture / sent text:  

"You're welcome!  I know how fun it is to get pictures.  We are just picking up our son from the Arequipa Peru Mission, he is the one on the right.  Your son looks great and seems very happy.  Missions are amazing we have enjoyed every minute of our trip to Peru.]