Week 25: Let Freedom Ring!

 Happy fourth of July! I hope you had a fantastic week and were able to give thanks to God!


Last pday we almost had a rerun of the time we got locked out of our apartment for 2 days. We went to the chapel to play sports with the other elders when I realized I didn't have the keys anymore. I looked around but couldn't find them. I thought they had probably slipped out of my pocket in the taxi we used to get over there. Luckily, inDriver allows you to call your previous driver! I called, and yes the keys were in his car. We had to wait a little bit, but we got them back and avoided a crisis. Saved again by technology!

As we were walking down the street someone meowed at me on a bike. I did what anyone would do and meowed back. I'm surprised that guy didn't die when he looked back at me laughing considering how fast and all over the place he was riding in the middle of a busy street.

Last week I said I was going to get fat from the bakery across the street we discovered, and this week was a partial fulfillment of that prohecy. We didn't go as much as we thought we were going to, but I guess that shows a lot of self control!I tried these cone shaped pasteries stuffed with caramel and dusted with powdered sugar. They are so good!!! Goodbye self control. But you know today we're going to be partying! It's pday and Independence Day!(in America, but I don't care that I'm in Perú right now. I'm still celebrating) One of my favorite holidays and one of the bedt days of the year! I won't get the same barbeque or fireworks, but you'd best know we're getting loaded with stuff from that bakery and getting some street food! Those cow heart kabobs look pretty good... Even though I'm not in the United States right now, I'm still very grateful for the country I was born in. I'm thankful that Heavenly Father guided many people and provided a way for this great country to exist with principles of freedom,  especially religious freedom. If it weren't for America, the restoration of the fulness of the gospel that took place in it, and religious freedom, I wouldn't be here in Perú serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Make sure you have enough fun for me on this special day! I guess I did one of the most American things you can do down here in Perú and got an M&M McFlurry at a McDonald's at the mall.

Elder Vilca and I met a lot with ward members this week, often with the Hermanas in our ward, Hermanas Gamarra and Baird. We met with Hermana Janeth who had invited Elder Vila and I on Sunday. She gave us a whole bowl of popcorn which I loved since I hadn't had popcorn in a while, but then she also gave us two slices each of a soda cracker pudding cake that I've had before, and is delicious. That night we met with a young couple in the ward who are expecting their first Child soon. Along with the Hermanas we gave a lesson on temple and then they fed us dinner. We had bread and I was able to put butter and jam on them! Now all I need is a smoothie... They also gave us ecco, which is just Mormon coffee so I don't like it very much. Luckily we were fed dinner that night because our pensionista just gave us a few slices of sweet potato for dinner, which isn't filling at all. Later in the week with the Hermanas we met with Hermano Jorge and his wife, who are faithful members of the ward. They have a son who's studying in the US in Georgia right now. We gave them a lesson on enduring to the end. Afterwards she gave us each an empanada and a small Pepsi. On Friday night we met with Kevin and his wife Alejandra, the young ward mission leader. His mother fed us each a delicious papa reina and we had some Coca Cola. With each of these meetings all 4 of us missionaries gave the same introductions each time, so I pretty much have them memorized.

This guy talks a lot about food

I had my first service project here in the field on Friday! I'm surprised I hadn't done any before. Maybe it's because my old comp didn't like doing service. Along with the other elders in our zone we helped someone in Chan Chan move by carrying their stuff down stairs, loading most of it into a mototaxi with a trailer, but still carrying some of it a 1/2 mile to the family's new place. It was fun and quite challenging to carry sofas and heavy desks down a very narrow staircase. I also got to carry a tv all the way to their new apartment. All 8 of us also got to ride in the mototaxi trailer on our way back to the apartment. It was quite fun and also a little sketchy with how many pot holes there are in the roads down here. I never really liked Coca Cola or Pepsi before my mission, but seeing how Coke is served so often down here, I've grown used to it and it tastes normal now. It's not my favorite by any means but it's soda. We were served some at the end of the service.

On Saturday we had a short zoom call with President and Hermana Hiatt, our new mission president! They seem like great people and I can't wait to meet them in person.

That was my week! I hope you have an amazing 4th of July and have fun celebrating tonight! "Sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing."

Elder Jensen

1. Misión Perú Trujillo Norte
2. Elderes y Hermanas de Central
3. A lesson with members. (I have a full time career as a photographer)
4. Coca cola
5.







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