Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Get on board

Mom-
 
I know that the Savior lives. He is with us unto the ends of the very earth. There is no place that we can be that He cannot find us and be with us if we let Him be. Don't give up on Him, because He never gives up on us. Yes, we are imperfect, and sometimes even stupid human beings, but He understand that. He understands that we have doubts and concerns. He understands that we don't understand the vast majority of what He does. But He keeps with us still. He asks us to get on board His ship in life's stormy seas, and not let go for anything. It is the only way to safety. It doesn't make sense to abandon ship just because it looks like the waves might rock us. There is less hope in the ocean than on the deck of the only boat. He asks us to not jump ship´. To hang onto what we know, and be patient until we undertsand the things that we do not know.

I also need to say something to dad - Dad, don't forget about my truck. You are running out of time. Ha ha ha. But way more importantly, I wanted to ask you to do something cool with me. I want to read the Book of Mormon at the same pace as you. I will read one chapter every day and never fail if you promise to do the same. I am going to start tomorrow. That should put us ending around the same time as Christmas, I think. 

Courtney, THANKS FOR THE PICTURES of the Boekweg cabin!?  I love them. 

Mom. I love you so much. Most every day, I am thankful for the things you taught me before my mission. how to love people was such easier to figure out once I used the example of your life. Being a mom to so many.... you are a near perfect example of love. Thanks for being patient with me as I passed through the idiot days....... which might not be completely over just yet..... I am still stoked to laugh like a fool with Uncle until the wee hours of the morning someday..... I don't have much time to write today.... like always......... but I wanted to tell you that I do think I will still be here in November.... in fact I am almost sure of it. Every six weeks, we don't have "changes" we have "stays". Ha ha ha ha. My President likes to put us places for a LONG time....... 

Anyway, I love you and will try to write more next week when internet is hopefully a little bit faster.

- Elder Boekweg

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Eden Water

Courtney- I am getting changed a ton because there are insane things going on in the mountains. Areas are getting closed and shrunk all around. Sounds like the church might make us shut down the mountains completely. In which case, I am extremely grateful for my chance to have been in them. Even if they are the hardest part of the mission. They are so beautiful.

I am pretty jealous of dad. Alaska sounds awesome. I want to see some whales someday. 

Huamachuco is crazy...... It's probably my favorite area in my mission so far. It's SO beautiful. Today for Pday we are going to a place called Eden which is like an hour from here up in further into the mountains. I am going to drink the water from the spring that I hear is there just so I can say I drank Eden water........ Maybe it's the fountain of youth? Ha ha ha.

Reagan is HUGE! All of the sudden it looks like she can throw baseballs and do big kid things..... I can't believe how big she is already! And London too! It's crazy!
 
 
How is Erin doing? I haven't heard anything about her in literally years now. Ha ha ha. She comes home pretty quick, right? 

That brings up Jared. How is he?

We had a baptism this last Saturday, though I only taught him once. Still, it was cool to see. 

I only have 15 minutes left, but I will get in what I can.

I still wish I had more internet time. I hear that in other missions they have 2 hours...... Oh well.

I love you mom and dad and Courtney. I have realized that I really have very little in this world except for you. When you take away everything, all you have left is family. 

I will try to send more pictures. The internet in Huamachuco is a little better that in Otuzco.
 
I hope you know just how much I love you, mom. You are so important to me. And I miss you a ton. It's hard to go almost a year and a half without seeing your own mother. It's probably harder to do the same without seeing your child. Thank you for everything. Someday I 'll have time to tell you all the insane things that have happened here. 

Have a good week.

- Elder Boekweg
 
 
 
 

Monday, July 14, 2014

Transfer to Huamachuco

Dear Mom,

You will be happy to hear that I got transferred again this week....... but you will be unhappy to hear that instead of being pulled back into Trujillo or the coast, I am being sent even farther into the mountains.......... ha ha ha. Huamachuco is the furthest out place in the whole mission. I'll be zone Leader A up there. in charge of the mountain zone of the mission.... Elder Harris, from Salt Lake, will be my comp. He is half Japanese. (Cool, right?) We will be FAR out there..... seems like President took the fact that I am a pig farmer to mean that I am used to being a zillion miles away from civilization........

You should know what I did this morning. So we have been living below our branch president's room for a few weeks now. Early this morning, his wife knocked on our door crying, and told us that he had finally died after a long fight with cancer. We were able to put him in his temple clothes and shave him and get him ready to be buried. There was a very special feeling in the room as we dressed him. You could feel that his spirit was no longer in his body. Makes me think of just how "shellish" our bodies are. He was a good man. It was odd to be around a body. I have never done it before. But nothing felt creepy. Just peaceful. I know he is happier now that he is free from the pain that accompanied his last few months of mortality.

In other news, I am glad Germany won the world cup. BECAUSE NOBODY WANTED TO RECEIVE US DURING THE GAME.... You should've seen it...... The world cup is way cooler in South America. People were lined up outside in the streets watching whatever tv they could find, be it in a bar or even a guy who owned the tv store who had turned on the biggest highest definition tv onto the game. People here wanted argentina to win, because they wanted the cup to stay in south america. It was funny. EVERYONE was drunk. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. The whole city reeked of beer. I admit that I stuck my head into a little "tienda" or basically a living-room store, which are abundant here, just to see the score, and this guy who owned the house (a complete stranger) said, "come on in! sit down, amigo!" Like soccer was the most sacred thing on the planet and he thought that every human being deserved to see it. I kindly told him that I just wanted to see the score, and he laughed and said it was cool - I was always invited to take a seat in his house during the world cup.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD, JOYLYNN AND DALLON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I love you all.......

Will somebody send me a picture of my showerhead in it's glory? With lights working and everything? I haven't forgotten it....... it is still my favorite place in the world.

- Elder Boekweg
 
 
 

Monday, July 7, 2014

Clean Laundry

Question time.....

1. Have you done your laundry yet?
    FINALLY!

 2. Did you get the package yet?
    FINALLY!  The voice recorder is SWEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
So are the books! Thank you so much!!!!!!

3. Is Otuzco touristy? I remember its the place where you were holding the llama right?
    It's called the "capital de la fe" meaning, capital of the faith. It's SUPER bad apostasy here.....    They worship the virgin de la puerta.

4. Have you had any baptisms yet?
    My current area has not baptized in over 8 years...... :) like I said, it's bad apostasy here..... ha ha ha

5. How was the crab catching in Trujillo?
    It was super fun.

 6. How is your new companion? From Chicago right?
     He is cool. He is a little older than me, but that is how my whole mission has been. I think it's to help me stop laughing at bathroom jokes and humor.

7. Do you study your English scriptures or do you have new Spanish ones?
    I am weird...... I always study in English. I figure that all the rest of the day speaking in Spanish is enough practice. I'd like to understand my studies without thinking too hard. Ha ha ha. Most study in Spanish.

Dad's beard is ridiculous...... BUT NOT AS RIDICULOUS AS MASON. What the flip is he doing!? I'm going to call him Boady McCaw...... I figure that suits him better now. I love that fool to death. Where is Uncle's beard?
Sister Marler always makes fun of me because everyone I know has a beard. I hope to join them someday........ in the league of excellent beards...... We'll make everything. I am finding out that I too, have a sweet beard..... If I don't shave every day, It shows............ 
 
I am currently typing this letter with a mentally handicapped man hanging over my shoulder like we're best friends...... He's telling me about his dogs..... and touching my hair..... literally as we speak. But I have long gotten used to such things. My comp is laughing at me because I am playing it so cool. Ha ha ha ha. Just imagine it.... and now the "w" button on the keyboard is sticking bad.... and internet's slow..... i have acquired an unbreakable patience these days................ 

He's yelling now....... in my ears....

 
Have fun in Alaska dad!

Mom... it is so hard to write home..... I have to type every words three times because the keyboards stink so bad...... I wish I could show you it all...... it is SO hard.........

This week was horrible.... we got 5 lessons all week..... This is well known as the hardest place in the mission. NOBODY wants to be in Otuzco. Ha ha ha.

People are super mean most of the time. They have very little respect for us. Yell at us. Spit at us. Make fun of us in every street. They never stop laughing and mocking. I have never imagined rejection like this. It's such a hard place...... ha ha ha ha ha ha. We just hike all day hoping that someone will open their door. We knock doors here because even the members won't help us. There is no more effective way. They don't give references. They leave church early 2 hours early after showing up 30 minutes late. They are in need of some serious conversion here in Otuzco. 

To be honest, this was maybe the hardest week of my entire mission. I hope next week proves different. If not, I may be in for a LONG couple months here. Pray for me............. ha ha ha. I can't convey just how "dead" the work here is. it's especially terrible because we were just in Santiago, which was a dream come true. We got pulled out, and put in this place....... where things are different. But give me some time, and we'll have this place turned around. I just hope we don't have to go on like THIS for much longer. Ha ha ha. I'm just frustrated and running low on patience right now.... sorry for being a bum with short letters..... 
 
But I have learned so much about Christ in this.... He was always willing to do the hard things. He suffered and died for us..... I cannot imagine how long and hard the road must have looked when He stood in the Garden, knowing that what was about to happen would cause Him to bleed from every pore, and eventually die........ But He did it. That is the good news. It is done. And because it is done, we each can be freed from the awful chains of sin and death. We can be made free from our guilt, our pain, our burdens, our afflictions, our doubts, and all things that seem hard. I love Him to the very bottom of my soul. And while He requires me to be here, I will be. Hiking. Searching for someone who cares that this debt has been paid. We cannot begin to understand what He did for us. I know He is always with me in this work. The great part of righteous living, is that you can always have that confidence. You never have to doubt that He approves of what you are doing. And when you know that, everything else seems very small and insignificant by comparison. I invite everyone who reads this to read the accout of the Atonement and Crucifixion in John. I find strength in it every time I do. And it is always enough to get me through one more day. He paid the debt. We can do hard things. That is my testimony for the week. 

I love you. Mason's beard and mullet is still disgusting. Ha ha ha. I love it.
 
I love you all, have a good week,

-Elder Boekweg

Thanks to Sister Marler for the picture of Chance crab catching in Trujillo.