Week 39 - Teaching in the "Hood" of Juliaca

Hola,

What a week full of TONS of hard work! My companion and I are super exhausted due to working super hard this week. The sad thing is that we don’t exactly have P-Day today because on Friday we are having a Special P-Day with President Herrera and going to the Floating Islands following the a Multi-Zone Conference on Thursday. This week was seriously incredible because my Companion and I found several new and very good investigators. One such investigator named Darlin, we found when we were out contacting this week. We were out knocking on doors and street contacting when a guy walked past us. I felt like I should talk to him, but seeing as my Companion was about to knock on a door, I decided to not. After contacting a house without any success whatsoever, I immediately got this feeling that we needed to go back and contact the guy I had felt prompted to talk to earlier. I told Elder Melo and he said we should back track to see if we could find him. We began to literally sprint to try and find this guy! After looking for about 10 minutes without any luck, we decided we wouldn’t find him. So feeling pretty bad and like I had missed out on a prompting, I prayed and asked for forgiveness for the prompting I had not acted upon. Later that day after visiting some investigators, we saw the same guy again. This time I acted on the prompting to contact him. We are now currently teaching Darlin and as many would say, he is a golden investigator and is progressing very well.

As well this week, we were visiting an Area of our Sector that I would say is “The Hood” of Juliaca. In this area it is very poor. The streets smell like garbage and there is a feeling that is very interesting in this part of town. While we were teaching one of our investigators named Tanaya, there was a park type of area right next to her home. In this park, we saw people smoking pot, doing drugs and drunk beyond belief. As we were teaching there seemed to be so many bad things going on around us. A lot of things that go against everything we teach. As we taught this lady, I felt the Spirit very powerfully as I testified of the Truthfulness of the Restoration. As I sat there, I realized that in the world we are always going to have those moments. Moments in which those around us are doing things that are against what we believe and represent. It was in this moment that I realized the Spirit can dwell with those who are striving to represent the good, even when the bad is all around.

It has been really cool throughout my mission to watch and realize that I am changing and growing in a lot of ways. One of these ways is the type of food I like eating. At this point now, I have been eating strange foods for months now and it just doesn’t really faze me anymore. I have eaten rice for I think every meal for the past several months and to be completely honest, I always find a way to make it interesting.  Well as I think I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been eating a lot of octopus tentacles lately since my Penchanista owns a restaurant that serves ceviche. Well, since being in this Area, I’ve found out that a mixture of rice and octopus isn’t really bad especially when you add in a side of cow tongue or whatever other part of the animal it may be!  So basically, I have found there really isn’t any food I can’t handle eating.

The missionary life is a life so different from any other. Eating strange things, walking all day, speaking another language and living high standards isn’t exactly easy. There is a lot of missionaries who have found a lot of ways to try and change the mission rather than let the mission change them. Living such a different life each and every single day makes me realize why our Heavenly Father calls such Young People to do something so much different than what they are use too. Missionary work is not just about changing lives of others forever, it is also meant to change yourself forever.  I Love this Work and for the experiences I am Blessed to have each day. I am thankful to have the Guidance of our Heavenly Father to help me know what it is he would have me do. I love you all so much and for the chance I have to be a missionary in this time here in Juliaca Peru!

Love,   

                                                                                                                   

Elder Fawcett

                                                 The Street Meat Market Outside Our Church Building!!!

Elder Fawcett Sitting in Their New House

Guy on the Street Made this for Me for Only $4!

Typical Downtown Street Here in Juliaca

Another Typical Street

Ties are Really Cheap Here, ~40 Cents,
I Only Show My More Bizarre "P-Day" Ties
But I Also Have Some Really Nice Ones!

Week 38 - Translating For Doctors

Hola.

Hey everyone!  Man what a very crazy week it has been for us down here in Juliaca!  On of the biggest highlights of the week was that we got to go to Cusco for a Leadership Training Meeting with President Herrera, which was a ton of fun!  As well, we had General Conference and since the Stake President and I are good friends, he was able to help set up a room where all of us Gringos could watch it in English.  Not because we don’t like or want to watch it in Spanish, but because it was really special and amazing having the chance to watch and hear the words of God’s Prophets in our own native tongue.

Now for a few quick stories of the week.  Some doctors from the United States who are LDS, came here to Juliaca this week to give a class to the Doctors in Juliaca.  The class was on the birth of babies because here in Peru, there is a huge problem with babies dying right after birth.  The night before the class, I got a call and was told by the Assistants that President Herrera wanted me and a couple of other missionaries to be there to help translate from English to Spanish because not many of the Doctors could speak Spanish.  So, me and a few other missionaries had the chance to go and translate for these Doctors.  It was really cool to be able to help teach these Peruvian Doctors by translating and seeing how grateful and thankful they were to learn.  One of the things we helped translate and teach the Doctors was what to do if a baby is born and is not breathing.  We were able to learn and teach the Peruvian Doctors how to put this mask on the face of the baby an how to slowly pump air into the lungs of the baby. It was overall a really neat and amazing experience to be able to help these Americans teach the Peruvian Doctors how to save human lives!

Throughout my time here in Juliaca, I have been working with several amazing and incredible people who are so ready to hear the message of the Restored Gospel.  As I have been able to find and teach people here in Juliaca, I have realized how ready the people are here to hear God’s word.  These people are so humble but at the same time so happy with what very little earthly possessions they have.  They all seem to say that they are missing something in their lives and we as missionaries know exactly what this is.

On other quick story form this past week occurred when my Companion, Elder Melo and I, were coming back to Juliaca after our Leadership Training Meeting in Cusco.  There was this young American couple probably like 26-27 years old who were lost!  They literally had no idea where they were.  They were trying to get a bus to travel to Puno and visit the floating islands but due to the fact that neither of them knew or could speak any Spanish, they couldn’t exactly get to there desired location.  That was when my Companion and I felt the prompting to go and help them.  We were able to help them by showing them where to go and how much to pay etc.  They were so grateful and even accepted to have the missionaries visit them back in New York when they got home.

After thinking about this experience, I realized that there was a greater and deeper meaning to this experience.  As the Lord’s Ordained Representatives, we walk the streets each day looking for those who are lost, those who need and want the Restored Gospel in their lives.  They want our help but they just don’t know where to look and find it.  I Love this Gospel and for the chance I have to look for God’s lost children every day and to be able to share his message with them.  I am so blessed to be here at this time to Proclaim His Truth.

Love

Elder Fawcett

Teaching Supplies Brought by the American Doctors

We Help the Doctors Teach the Peruvian's How to Get the Babies Breathing!

Elder Fawcett with the Peruvian Doctors and Other Elders

Not Quite Sure What This One is, Although Elder Fawcett Doesn't Need Glasses

Week 37 - Hitch Hiking

Hola,

What a week it was! This week was SUPER loaded with tons of Hard Work! My Companion, Elder Melo and I, spent our week finding over 20 new investigators to teach along with a ton of work for the Zone. I absolutely love to be busy and working hard in this Marvelous Work! It truly is the best! It’s all super awesome to see how the Lord will bless you with incredible stories as you are working hard in his work! Here are a few experiences from the week.

So one day this week we had to go out to another Sector in our Zone that is about an hour and 10 minutes away from Juliaca. As we were out there, it took a bit more time than what we had planned for and so by the time we were finished it was 8:20 and all of the buses to get us back to Juliaca had stopped for the day. Knowing that we needed to get back to Juliaca, my Companion said a prayer that somehow a way would open up so we could get home to Juliaca. We decided to just wait where we were for a bit to see if any buses would pass by. After a bit of time, nothing was passing. We were not sure what to do, but still felt like waiting a bit longer. After a few minutes, a car came by and stopped. A man rolled down his window and asked if we needed help. We told him that we were looking for a way to get home to Juliaca. He told us that he was headed there and that if we wanted, we could go along with. At first, we were a little hesitant because hopping in a car with a random stranger usually isn’t the best idea. But, both feeling the prompting of the Spirit, we hopped in and headed back to Juliaca. As we were riding, I realized that the Lord had opened up a way for us to return to Juliaca, even if it wasn’t what I was previously thinking. In a sense, I laughed and thought how funny it was that we essentially ended up hitch-hiking back to Juliaca. 

Another pretty cool story occurred this past week when we were out street contacting and felt like we needed to stop at the house of a member. Thinking it would be a good chance to ask for references, we knocked on the door and were invited in. Not any more than two minutes after we had sat down, did we hear a screeching of tires outside. We got up quickly and found the sister of the member climbing up, her motorcycle wrecked a few feet from her. At that time, we were able to give her a blessing, a blessing I know that helped her a whole lot. At first, I thought we ended up there by coincidence, but then I realized that our Heavenly Father does not work that way. 

Other than that, a few interesting things I would like to share about my life here in Juliaca.  On the side of the Church they sell sheep heads and raw meat. Yes, sheep heads. I thought it was crazy when I found out that they sell these because if they sell them, then there is also people who eat them. My Penchanista Hermana Roxanna, owns a Cevicheria. Ceviche is a type of fish they make here in Peru, but unfortunately it is against the mission rules to eat it. I would encourage you to look up what ceviche is and then you may understand why we are not allowed to eat it.  Ceviche is typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with ají or chili peppers. Additional seasonings, such as chopped onions, salt, and cilantro, may also be added. Ceviche is usually accompanied by side dishes that complement its flavors, such as sweet potato, lettuce, corn, avocado or plantain. This dish is not cooked with heat. (Inserted by Parents)  Along with Ceviche, she also fries up octopus tentacles which I am allowed to eat. So many times for the past months here in Juliaca, I have found myself snacking and eating the octopus tentacles that are actually SUPER good!

We are currently working with so many investigators right now. Many of which are new. We are hoping that we can start to get a few Baptisms going for Nely, Melsy and Denis. It’s super incredible to see the progress of an investigator. Our Heavenly Father truly does prepare these incredible people for us. 
This Tuesday (tomorrow), I am headed up to Cusco for a leadership meeting with President Herrera. I am excited to go, but also anxious to get back here to Juliaca and work hard in this work. 

I testify that Jesus Christ lives. He walked this earth showing many miracles unto God’s children. It has been an incredible blessing to watch how he is helping me to see miracles. He lived and died for us to provide a way for each of us to return to our Heavenly Father. If we can each accept Him and His Atoning Sacrifice into our lives, we can each be blessed with noticing the incredible happiness that can only be found through following Him. I am so Grateful to Represent a Perfect Man who has walked every step of my mission with me. Helping me and changing the hearts of the people we come into contact with. I know that my Redeemer lives, and because he lives, we can and all will live again.

Love, 

Elder Fawcett

Elder Fawcett and Elder Melo Playing Soccer on P-Day

Didn't Ask What Type of Meat it Was But, Might Explain Why I Get Fly's with Dinner!

Sheep Heads!!! All Cooked up and Ready to Eat!

Not Quite Sure Where the Meat is; Some of Them are Still Smiling!