"Viva Peru"

Hola Familia Y Amigos!

Como Estan?

Glad to hear all is well back home. This was a pretty good week! Monday was the World Cup! Our whole Zone got customized Ghana Jersey's with our names, number, mission logo, Zone name, and flag of our home country. They were pretty sweet looking. Every missionary in the mission made the trek to the world cup field, and GUESS WHAT!? We lost. It was really sad. BUT, I’m convinced that the game was fixed! Because the only goals in the game were penalty shots against us, so I think the refs just favored the other team. But it's okay, we will redeem ourselves.

I´m becoming Lima Street Smart. For example, you don’t ask how much something is, you just give them the amount it usually is. Because if a Gringo asks how much something is, they will raise the price. Also, if you need to make a bigger purchase like shoes, you hide and let a native buy them for you, because if a Gringo goes to the cash register with a pair of shoes, they will charge you more. 

I am sending a picture of the tortoise I held. His name is Samye. I am also sending a picture of the monkey I held, his name was Marten. 

I saw a banana tree the other day! That was pretty weird. 

I was walking through the market with Elder Aoki and someone pointed and said, “look! Un Chino, Y un Gringo!” Haha, and this little kid in a school pointed at me and yelled, “hey look a gringo!!! Haha it’s pretty funny. 

There are tons of Chinese food and chicken places here. I´m learning Quechua, the native Peruvian language. I can count to five, and say “what is your name, where are you from, thank you, and see you tomorrow!” My companion also gave me a copy of The Book of Mormon in Quechua. Its kind of like a mix of Japanese, Spanish, and German. It's really strange! 

Church is awesome. The chapel is really really nice. We bring investigators to church with us every week, and it’s always nerve racking because you have to make sure they are having a good time, and understanding everything. But it’s awesome, I love it. 

Conference was good, and I could understand more of it than I expected! We also brought investigators to conference. The words of the prophet are so powerful! That was definitely the highlight of the week. 

The missionary work is going well. I am a lot more involved in the lessons now because I can actually speak Spanish now. The people are amazing, and we are getting really excited for the baptism coming up in two weeks. It’s cool, because these Investigators I have taught all the way through. The Spirit is always so strong when we teach them. But there is one thing that makes a mission extra tough. It’s that you feel the same feelings as each one of the investigators. You love them like your family, which is good, but also bad. When they are happy you are happy, when they are sad you are sad. When they are having relationship problems or lost their job, you feel sad for them. I just know that when I get transferred I am going to miss the people in this area so much. 

This week, I kept thinking about how each one of us is a Child of God. He knows each and every one of us perfectly, and when we are sad he is sad. When we are happy he is happy. It's a simple thought, but very powerful. The work of the Lord is so amazing!

 Love you all so much,
 Love, Elder Reschke

P.S. Street vendor churros are amazing. Also street vendor sugar cane is really good. Especially for your teeth. Jk. But they have this really good fruit I have never had before my mission called Maracuya. It makes the best juice!

Ready for the "World Cup" soccer game:

                                                                  Zone soccer team:

                                                               Working with other missionaries:

                                                               On the streets of Lima:

                                                                    Samye the tortoise:

                                                               Marten the monkey: