FIRST WEEK

HEY I SURVIVED ONE WEEK :D hey so first off the computers here are super weird and all in different spots, but I will try to do everything I can! So, we got here at about 4:15 am last wednesday, because our flight was delayed and woke up at 8! The first day was supppper long. All we did was sit in a room just kinda chillin wondering what we do. Then some spanish teachers came in and started attempting to teach us spanish. Everyone kinda just stood there like, huh? It literally was the slowest day of my life. The first few days were like that. Super long and exhausting. On the plane ride to the CCM (What they call the MTC because spanish), I had an amazing experience. The lady who sat by me was peruvian and only spoke spanish. So, in the awkward moment of me trying to understand her and her trying to understand me, I decided to pull out my Book of Mormon and start reading. She stared at it, and finally pointed at it, shrugged her shoulders. I asked another missionary I met named Elder Bodily if he had an el libro de mormon, and he said he did, so I gave her the spanish Book of Mormon. She started reading it, and got to Joseph Smith´s testimony, and I told her she could keep the book. She said, ''Gracias, Gracias!!!'' and then passed out in her seat for the next 5 hours on the plane. So, my companion's name is Elder Day, and he's 6'3 and loves basketball and piano. He's great, and we get along nicely! On the 31 we started learning spanish. We spend probably 6 or more hours a day just learning spanish. It's pretty fun! So, on the 31 they announced to us that we would be out teaching people on the street on saturday. Not that saturday but the saturday of the current week. I'm excited!! I can't say a ton yet, but I can pray, and bear my testimony in spanish. I can carry on very light conversation, but I'm pretty slow still. The food here is so different. They have some of the same foods, but everything tastes way different. There are for sure potatoes though! Every meal, a different potato, and a different way to cook it. The juice here is totally different. It's literally fruits squeezed into juice. Apple juice tastes like liquifyed apples. Everything is so much fresher and healthier. I play soccer every single day. At physical activity we have a big field that we split in half, and play on small goals. It's a blast. I got to leave the CCM once. We got our visas at this DMV type building, so you can imagine how fun it was. Driving there was like driving in mario kart. I can't believe we didn't crash!! On the way to the CCM I say a poor part of town. I also saw the nicest part of town. It's a complete different world over here. The richest place in Peru, and it's got dogs running around the streets. But, there are some really nice buildings, and houses, but it's no America!! I didn't see the sun for probably 4 days, which is normal here. The smog is so bad, it looks like you are surrounded by a white sheet every where around you. It doesn't get very hot either. One day it got to like 70 degrees, but it stays at like 65ish. Not freezing, but most days we wear sweaters. So everyone of the teachers, and authorities here speak spanish. Hardly any of them speak english. I have two teachers. My favorite, Hermano Velascaz is the coolest guy ever. He's super energetic crazy fun guy, and never lets us be discouraged. He always says, LATINOS whenever we get something right, and always bears his testimony that we can learn the language as long as we are feliz. We taught an ''investigator'' (just a teacher in acting mode) about the great apostasy, and the restoration. It was hard to speak in spanish. Elder Day helped a lot. He took 4 years of spanish in high school, and is pretty dang good! I'm reading 17 pages of the book of mormon every day in english, so I can finish before I leave the CCM. My whole district is. We named our district ''CUSCOTOPIA complete with slide'' because we are all going to Cusco!! I love and miss you guys!! the days are getting faster, and it's going good! Tell everyone you see I say hi! and tell ezy that I remember and love him! Peace out till next week.

Love, Elder Jeffery

(the next paragraphs are what the children wanted to share from there emails they got from Desmond)

Mariah

 play lots of soccer!! and when I try to say pass, I have to say it in spanish because everyone here speaks spanish!! Wanna learn a new spanish word? Aqui means ''here''. They say aqui aqui when they want the ball!! (it sounds like ''a key'') So, next time someone asks where Mariah is, you can say AQUI!!!

Angelyn

HEY so GUESS WHAT?!?! they have CEREAL here. :D it's kinda not that good, and pretty stale, but hey it's cereal. The milk is like whole milk, but kinda weird tasting. Definetly different. So far, it's pretty. As much as I can see with all the fog. Sorry I can't send picture this week... I only get an hour of email, and I don't have time. But, next week for sure!! I love you so much, miss you all!!!

Ezra

I love you ezy. Have fun with your new toy!! You're such a crazy cat!!

give me some fin, noggin, duuuuddde.... YOLO!!!

Love your dashing dog bro, Dezzy