30 March 2009--iHey Hey, como Estan!

Things are going awesome here in Pichanaki. Last week was pretty stressful, but we made it through with 5 baptisms in Pichanaki. Elder Maldonado and I baptized Soledad, Benjamina, and Dina Quispe. Elder Smith and Elder Guttierez baptized Adler and Nancy. So it was definitely a good weekend I was a little bummed because one of our investigators, Roberto Trujillo had a goal for this Sunday, but he couldn’t attend church this Sunday, so we have to postpone his date for April 11th. He is really animated for his baptism and everything and is cumpliendo with all of the commandments he just has to attend the church. Other than that things are going really good. We have set a goal for 4 baptisms in April. We have Roberto, the familia Salazar, and Raul that are all already ready we just have to help them strengthen their testimonies. The familia Salazar are awesome, we have been working with them for a while, and we are going to put a baptismal date for April 11th. The husbands name is Walter, and he came up to us and told us that he went up to his boss and told him he couldn’t work Sundays because it is a commandment of God and that he is attending a church. It was Awesome!! They are really a great family. So that is how the work is going.
The weather is as hot as ever, but I am loving it! It isn’t raining as much as it did for the last couple of weeks. We are just coming into summer so we are going to get a lot less rain, and a lot more heat. Its all good though, thats the way I like it! The food continues to be delicious, the mission is really changing my likes of food. Our pensionista likes to put huge chunks of onion in a lot of the foods, and I pound it like its normal every time, and my favorite fruit is officially the banana now. Holy cow they have these little bananas here for 3 american pennies a piece, and I pound them like crazy! Don’t worry I’m not getting fat yet though. Still getting a good run in every day, and I’m improving my time. I’m down to 14.08 for 8 laps around the park. Its pretty funny there are kids in the park that see us running and start to run with us. Well it started Saturday, and it was pretty hilarious. Yeah, everything is really going just great.
Oh and Saturday was one of the best days of my life. I got the package from grandma and grandpa with a huge box of butterfingers! Wow, I just grabbed the box and gave it a huge hug. Thank you grandma and grandpa! Hey thanks to everyone for all of the letters too, it is really good to just take a break and read about whats going on back at home. Thanks for everything, Love you all.
Family, sounds like things are going great. Keep up the good work, I always look forward to hearing from you, and am praying for you always. Chow!!

Love, Elder Lee

23 March 2009--Hey Familia! Como Estan!!

How is everything going back in Provo? It sounds like the weather is probably warming up there. So you guys are working on the yard, it sounds like it is completely full of rocks, is it worse than the Tooele yard? I’m glad you’re doing it, I’m looking forward to playing some hard core soccer on it when I get home! Allison went to LA sounds like a good time. It was a blast going to California for track. Sorry they haven’t given us mail in like 2 weeks because with all of the rain there wasn’t any pasage for Lima. Really hope everything is going well though. Keep working hard with your class mom, I know there are always struggles, what makes me happy is you always tough it out Steph, Andrew, and Jen keep up the good work at school, and with all of your other activities. Dad, keep up the good work out at Dugway too. I’m not going to lie I really enjoyed working out there with you and Allison, those were really some good times.
Well things here in Pichanaki are going great. We had 7 in sacrament meeting yesterday, and we really have a ton of investigators that are progressing really well. We have a few interviews this week, and are doping for at least three baptisms this Saturday. We have an awesome family the familia Salazar that are preparing they just feel they need to know more. We are going to be visiting them every day this week to prepare them for this Saturday. We also have Raul who is one of my favorite investigators who we hope will be baptized this Saturday. He says he doesn’t feel spiritually ready, but we are working hard with him too. I find that a lot of personas feel that they need more time to prepare, but we try to show them that all they need is to have faith and repentance, and baptism is the door they enter to follow Christ for the rest of their lives. We have a couple more too, so we should have a few baptisms this weekend.
We did a big activity in the church this week, and I ran practically the whole thing. My companion likes to mess around some times, and sometimos doesn’t help too much but it was a good time. We played Jeopardy and musical chairs. They loved the musical chairs, yeah it was a good time. Still working hard though, my companion Elder Maldonado is a little more lax than my other companions so I find myself having to force him to work hard sometimos. Its all good though, we are still working hard though. I think Elder Lima was a perfect trainer for me, he taught me to not waste a minute of the day, if there wasn’t dinner in time we left without eating. I’ve seen missionaries that are a lot more lax with their time, but I am not going to waste this short time I have, don’t worry. Everything is really going great, and I’m really living Pichanaki. Oh and I got my best time on my run today, around the plaza 8 times in 14:21. Man, I love doing the runs in the morning. Brings me back to the good old days of running every day. Pichanaki is amazing, the work of the Lord is amazing! Love you guys! Thanks for all of your support, and I’ll talk to you next week!

Elder Lee

Oh and Dad, happy birthday! Sorry its a little late, but I can only write once a week! You’re getting old!! Ha ha its all good. Love you guys, Chow!

16 March 2009--Oooooh Yeahhhh

Hey Hey, How are you guys doing? Things are going great here in Pichanaki! Yesterday was an awesome Sunday. We had 7 investigators in Sacrament Meeting, and they are all progressing really well. We taught Raul Oroyo yesterday, one of the best investigators I have had. When he says he is going to do something he does it. We put a bautismal date for the 28th of this month, and he accepted, and is preparing for it. I am way excited for him. We also have another family the familia Salazar that have come the last three weeks, and they really like how they feel when we are teaching, and when they assist the church. They have a bautismal date for the 28th too, we have a ton more investigators that are progressing really well, and we are really excited about it.
Mom, you had a question about what the days are like. I always get up at 6 and hope one of the 4 Elders wants to go running, if not I just do pushups and situps. We have the 3 hours of study everyday that I love. Then we Start prosyliting at 11. I like to get as much done as posible before lunch, I don’t know it feels like it gives me a good Start to the day. We set goals everyday for lessons with members, other lessons, contacts, and all that stuff that I’m sure you and dad did the same We go hard until 9 at night with a break for lunch and dinner. The time really flies though. Before the misión I was a little worried how I World handle preaching the gospel all day long, but the time really flies so fast. MOst of the time it feels like we don’t have enough time to get everything done we need too. I sleep well everynight though Its just like back at home, once I hit the pillow I’m out cold The other Elders joke around with me because I have the gift of falling asleep so fast! These elders really are a lot of fun, its great having 4 in the same room. So everything is really going awesome right now. I still feel like señor companion, but I think its good for me to get ready for it. I’m always leading out in the planning, and what we are going to teach and everything. Things are going really great though, I feel like I have a lot more responsibility, but really I am happy with how everything is going.
Sounds like things are going great back home. Sounds like all the kids are doing good. Steph keep up the good work in Polo, and don’t feel bad about losing to Tooele, they are one of the best programs in the state. Keep up the good work. Andrew and Jen hope everything is going well at school, and that you guys are having a blast. Keep having fun with everything your doing Allison. Mom and Dad, keep working hard like always Its really going to be fun when we all can chill again. Oh and Atta baby uncle Ted, getting married this summer. Its too bad I can’t meet her, its all good a year and a half and we’ll chill. Thanks for everything! I love you guys!! Hasta Luego, nos vemos, Chow!!

Elder Lee

9 March 2009

Hey Family, winter is almost over. How does that feel! Well it is nice and hot here in Pichanaki! It is great to get all of your letters, and to hear how things are going at home. Mom, it sounds like you are just as busy as ever. I’m not at all suprised though, you have always been extremely busy, I don’t know if you would know what to do if you didn’t have so much  Dad, sounds like work is still going well. How was that training with the finances. It sounds pretty interesting. Allison, hope everything is going well with your classes and work. I heard about your solo, it sounds like it was an amazing spiritual experience. Keep up the good work. Steph, sounds like school is going great. Its good to hear that your playing polo again. That is going to be a blast! Andrew you must be huge! You can touch the rim now, I’ve only been gone for 6 months, and it sounds like you are bigger than I am now. Maybe its true what mom said that one day you were going to be beating up on me! Jen, thanks for your package of letters. You really have been writing every Sunday, it was really great to recieve those letters. Keep having fun Jen, sounds like your having a blast.
Oh and thanks to everyone for all of the letters. Grandma and Grandpa Wheeler I always recieve those Dear Elders thanks a ton. I’m still loving the dear elder thing. Oh and a package, I’m way excited for that to arrive. Thanks for everything.
Things continue to go well here in Pichanaki. We actually had exchanges last Monday. My awesome companion Elder Per was changad to Lima. I was pretty bummed because he was an awesome companion. My new companion is Elder Maldonado. He is a good guy, each one of my companions is different though. I’m getting acustomed to how he does things. I don’t know why, but I feel like Senior companion right now. I think once he knows the area he will help out a lot more, but I feel a little more burdened. Its all good though, still working hard and everything will work out with the help of the Lord. We went to retrieve a bunch of investigators for church, and everyone we went to get had an excuse. I was pretty bummed when I got to church and only one investigador was there. The great thing was is that a bunch started showing up, and we ended up with seven. It was a blessing I definitely needed. All of them came on there own. I was pretty excited about that. So the work continues to go forth. I could use your prayers like always. Really apréciate everything you do for me. Thanks for writing. Couldn’t be happier to be here doing the work of the Lord. Love you guys, thanks for everything.

Love, Elder Lee

2 March 2009--It's Friday--Febuary 27th

Hey I just read a bunch of letters, and it is so great to hear from everyone. It sounds like everything is really going well at home. It is really so good to hear. Oh and Allison thank you so much for setting up that blog thing it sounds like it is pretty sweet. Steph, you guys won state! Yeah, that is what I’m talking about. I never won state  Way to go! Andrew it sounds like your wood work is amazing, can’t wait to see all of the staff you are doing. Jen, it sounds like the play is going to be awesome. You are going to be a professional actor and cellist when I get back! Hey dad its good to hear you in a van pool, hope things are going well at work. I’m praying you can sell the land and the house too. Hey Mom, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I know its in 4 days, but I’m not going to get to write so just want you to know that I love you, and apréciate you so much. Thanks for everything.
Well this week in Pichanaki was absolutely amazing. We had 4 people with bautismal dates for this Saturday, and we were working hard with them all week to prepare for Saturday. It was weird because the first 4 days of this week we were kina of low in our numbers of new investigators, and other numbers. Then we had a fast for the entire misión Thursday and Friday. It was really amazing what happened. We started finding amazing new investigators, and people were introducing us to their friends and everything. Our numbers shot up like crazy Thursday. Then it continued into Friday with tons of new investigators, and the really great thing was the 4 preparing for baptizm were so excited for Saturday. We had the four baptisms Saturday, and it went amazingly well. We baptized 3 from the familia Ereche that are awesome, and also baptized a girl named Catherine whose parents had died but she is living with her aunt and uncle that are members. They all were confirmed Sunday, and we had two huge new familias asist for the first time in Sacrament Meeting. The church was completely full. They need to build a chapel quick because there were over 90 people in Sacrament Meeting this week! We meet in a house type thing, but they bought the land for a chapel so we should be getting one this year. Then to top it all of we had a huge movie night yesterday, The Testements. We had a projector and did it all outside. Elder Per and I sat on the corner inviting everyone that passed to watch. It was a huge success we had like 20 people there that we had never met before. We are definitely going to do that again, it really caught peoples attention, and The Testaments is really amazing. I really couldn’t be happier with how this week went. It really goes to show when we sacrifice a little how much the Lord blesses us. I know that because of that fase the weekend went absolurely amazing! I really relieve Steph felt the spirit when she asked to pray for me, because the Start of the week was really kind of rough, but it ended spectacualar. Thank you so much for your Prayers everyone. I love you tons. Keep up the good work in everything your doing.

Love, Elder Lee

Sorry only had time for two photos. I have more though, next time! Love You!