Monday, December 29, 2014

Prospero Ano Nuevo!


Hola Familia Y Amigos!

Hope you all had a good Christmas. It was fun to talk to some of you! It was a good Christmas down here in Perú. So, on Christmas Eve we had a big Mission-wide Fiesta. We had a BBQ with burgers, hot dogs, chips, drinks, etc, and then a big dodgeball tournament. Later we had a talent show, and our Zone did a missionary version of the song YMCA. haha. After that we watched “Remember the Titans”. It was a way fun day! Presidente Erickson and his wife distributed gift bags with..drumroll please..a SNICKERS candy bar!!! It was probably one of the best things that happened to me that day.

So in Perú, Christmas Eve is kind of like New Year’s Eve. Everyone stays up all night, and they have a turkey dinner at like 11:30 p.m. so the A_____’s knocked on our door at 11:30 P.M. and brought us our midnight turkey dinner.  Then, at midnight, the entire country exploded with fireworks. More fireworks than I have ever seen in my life. There was absolutely no thought of sleeping through this because it was so loud, so we just sat on the balcony of our room to watch the show. 

But, Christmas Eve was actually really spiritual for me just because I was so happy to be here in Perú serving the Lord. I had a good little night just reading in the Bible about the birth of Christ, and the impression came to me that really, THIS is what Christmas is all about. I know I say that a lot, but it is so true. Jesus Christ is so real, and there are so many people that don’t know that. It is my work to share that message with them! 

Christmas was really good...we woke up and opened our Christmas packages, and then visited a bunch of people to wish them Feliz Navidad. We had a good turkey, chicken and rice lunch with Hermana Vega, and then I got to SKYPE the family which was a blast!! Good to see you all and hear your voices again! It was a really neat day.

We are getting really excited about the missionary work, because for some reason this week we had a huge surge of people to teach!! We met this really cool guy who has tons of really great questions. We had three Investigators come to church this week which is the most we have had in a while . 

So that’s all that’s new here in Perú. I hope you all have a good New Year’s! Something I’m doing this year is writing down all my SPIRITUAL New Year´s Resolutions. With a new year coming, it’s a new fresh time to kind of re-vamp our relation with the Gospel.

 Con Amor,
 Elder Reschke

P.S. Apparently New Year’s Eve here has even MORE fireworks than Christmas Eve did. I´m in for an adventure. Hopefully, a stray rocket does not shoot into our room or something!

Questions Elder Reschke answered this week:

What did you do after we SKYPED on Christmas?
That night Elder Quille called his family, so I just hung out and ate my "Muddy Buddies", read Jesus the Christ” and talked with the A_____’s.

Did you like your Christmas gifts we sent?
The gifts were absolutely fantastic. Thank-you so much.  I am excited to use the stuff.  I take the pedometer with me in my pack!

What is the weather like now?
It’s summer.  It is actually pretty dry and dusty. It kind of reminds me of Southern Utah or something. Or, maybe like Cairo, Egypt because of all the dust and sand.  It will get more humid in the Winter.  Sometimes it’s a bit humid in the morning now.  I think Fall will start in March.

Does it ever rain?
We did have a couple of drops one day.  Sometimes in the morning it is really misty and kind of feels like rain.

What are you doing for P. Day today?
We are having a BBQ with the Zone, and we are going to have another water balloon fight to cool off. If they get burgers, they have to be careful not to get the horse meat ones.  The thing is....we don’t exactly know which ones are horse meat and which aren’t. It’s an interesting situation.

Tell me about your new companion.
I really like Elder Quille. His style of teaching is really fantastic.  He is 23, and I think he has six siblings.  Member most of his life, but still a convert.

What is your goal for the week?
I am excited to work this week because we are going to contact a TON of people.  Our goal is 105.  Cross your fingers!

                                        The whole District with matching Christmas ties:

                                          Christmas Eve BBQ Fiesta with the entire mission:
                                          Elder Reschke and Elder Aoki on Christmas Eve:
                           The highlight of Jake's day; a Snicker bar from the Mission President:
                                         Elder Crespo (from Chicago) and Elder Reschke:
                           Elder Crespo, Elder Reschke, Elder Quille on the bus, Christmas Eve:
                                  Christmas party with the mission.  Elder Reschke, Elder Aoki:
 
On the bus to the Christmas Eve Fiesta:
                                    Christmas Day lunch.  Turkey, chicken, rice, fries, salad:
                                                                      In the kitchen:
                                                                        Out working:
                                            Walking down the dusty, dry, sandy road:
                                     The pictures/letters Jake opened each day of December:
                                                        Christmas tree in the Elder's room:
                                                   Knocking on "random" doors:
                                                  A door right along the side of the road:
























1 comment:

  1. Ha ha knocking on that random door! The best would have been if someone answered! And he looks soooo happy with that snickers!

    ReplyDelete