Still has his finger

Questions:
1.  How is the "invasion"
     It's good. Oh man I must be terrible at these letters.....

 2. Are you still with Elder Rivera? Will you be till the end?
     Yes. Yes.

 3. Can you look at BYU.edu to see what classes you can take?
       I don't know......... I will check

 4. What time do you come home on the 28th?
       I don't know

 5. Have you ever had a baptism in a regular font?
     Of course I have.................... I REALLY must be bad at letters.......

 6. Do you have any families right now that you are close to?
     Yes. The family of the bishop. Our other family had to move away because they were tired of getting robbed all the time..... ha ha ha

 7. Are you still writing to your friends?
     No....... I don't. I figure they are like me, and don't have much time to respond anyway. But I plan on writing those still in the mission field when I get home.

 8. Do you do splits in your area with members?
     A recent rule passed says that we can't do splits anymore. Something bad must have happened in the mission with that.

 9. How much help do you get from members?
     It's decent here. The church is new in this part of Perú, so the members struggle a lot. Most of the members of ward counsel are in actives themselves. Thats how it's been my whole mission. It's a frustrating work, but these people need help that way. EVERYONE in Perú is inactive, has recently been inactive, or soon will be inactive. Ha ha ha ha. Very few members actually get a hold on the true nature of the Gospel here. That it is something we can never leave behind. This call to be a member is forever. But in a world where there are many churches on every block, it's hard to see the church as something "different." Trujillo has an activity ratio of 2/10. Meaning, that 2 out of every 10 registered members is active. It all has to do with what happened in the 80's and 90's when people thought it was a good idea so hike out to the farthest camp and baptized a hundred small children who have no support, and expect that they would stay active after there were no missionaries in those far-out reaches. That's what President Uceda explained to us. Missionaries came in for a long time thinking that they needed to go home with a huge list of converts. What they were missing was that a CONVERT should be focused on becoming CONVERTED instead of BAPTIZED. It's just that the vision was different then. We understood the work differently. It has evolved and become even better than it used to be. It is the same great work, just phase 2. "the rescue."

 10. What kind of a church building are you meeting in there?

        A standard Peruvian chapel.

 11. What is the name of the city you are in?

       Alto Moche

 12. Did you get your bday package? It was in an envelope so I didn't think it would have to go thru customs.

       YES! Thank you so much! Dad's beard is ridiculous. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. And Grandma Boekweg, thank you for your letter! You will have to let me know when we can go. Grandpa Thorpe, thank you very much as well. I look forward to interviewing you for a family history project. For that matter, you will all get your turn.

 

I almost cut my finger off this week. I was being dumb trying to use a Gillette razor to cut off part of my pen that doesn't let me put it in my pocket, when it slipped and left a centimeter deep slice wounds across the tip of my left pointer finger. I am lucky the skin didn't detach completely, or it may have been a problem with guitar in the future. Ha ha ha ha. Idiot............ It bled a ton. 

 

That's it for this week.

Love,

-Elder Boekweg

 



Extending

Mom,

 

I am going to the Trujillo Temple dedication? Sweet!!! Thank you so much for this.........I am so grateful for this opportunity. I am looking forward to it so much. 

 

 

 

I should probably tell you that I am EXTENDING MY MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I asked President for a whopping 3 days more. I will come home on the 28th now in the morning. Just in time for the homecoming talk the very next morning! That'll be sweet. I'll be fresh. I am extending because Elder Leavitt was going to be the only missionary that went home that day (thanks to an extension that president asked from him to train the next office guy.) I don't know what I'll be doing for those three days, but it really isn't that much of a difference. I might go back to the office and help Elder Leavitt train the new health guy, because I used to do it too. So put three more days on your countdown!

My package has not arrived yet. It must be stuck in customs or something. Maybe it will come this week?

 

I really don't have much to say this week.......

 

Mom...... I love you.

 

Got to go again. But I love you very much. I'll see you soon. Tell me what you want from Perù. Thank you for making miracles posibles.

- Elder Boekweg

ps - dad. Pàsame los nachos

 

 

Worn Shoes

Mom,

Last night, my companion shined my shoes for me while I took a shower, and as I picked them up and stared at them, I realized how worn they were. I realized that I have walked a VERY VERY VERY long distance in them. I cried. I don't want this to end. I have never been so happy and so sure that I had a purpose. My soul has never felt such a profound thing..... it's sadness, but happiness that I will get to see everyone again.

 

It sounds like Brayden is already a general authority. I could write his biography on LDS.org right now if I wanted. Ha ha ha. Everyone seems happy. So Brayden and Sadie are engaged, eh? Right on. CONGRATS, GUYS! I have waited for this day for many years...... ha ha ha ha.

 

I only have 5 more letters home........ and then I AM home................ And I have absolutely no idea what comes after that. I sure hope I can figure it out quick. I don't want to waste any time.

 

I have thought a lot about the temple this week. There is no greater blessing than those that are had in the temple. We can in  no other place find a promise so eternal. We can be with the people we love forever. Without ever having to worry about losing them. We all need to focus more on those blessings. Go to the temple more. Remember more clearly that it is for that very reason that we are here in mortality........ and that's my thought for the week.

 

Happy Birthdays, cousins! ¡Feliz Cumpleaños, primas! Me parece que debo escribir eso en ambos idiomas para que todos me puedan entender. MJ- Vamos a hablar mucho cuando estè en casa yo. Me tienes que ayudar a recordar lo que he aprendido aquì para siempre. ¡Te contarè historias de la tierra de tu papà! Seguro que èl tambien tendrà aùn màs historias que yo, y yo las quiero escuchar en ¡PURO CASTELLANO! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Grandma Boekweg - "Cancha" or Popcorn, is a highly popular snack food here. They eat it at all times during the day. Morning, afternoon, night, etc. So yes, we do get to eat popcorn every once in a while. There is an abundance of corn here in Peru

 

I have to go now...... but I love you. Until next week, and until next month when I can talk forever if you want, I guess I'm signing off. Isn't that the most frustrating thing? Ha ha ha. I have consistently hated that in the mission. I wish I could type faster. But it won't be a problem for too much longer.

 

I love you. Love you too dad.

- Elder Boekweg

"the dunes"

Questions:
1. Did you get your travel plans and what time to you arrive here?
    No mom..... ha ha ha. not yet. I promise I'll send them when they arrive

 2. How is your training going?
     Extremely well. Elder Rivera is changing a lot.

 3. Did you meet Sister Marlers daughter and family?
     Yes. It was so strange to hear little children speak English. I haven't heard that in a LONG time.

 4. How is life in the invasion?
     It's.................... uhhh.............. inexplicable. So so poor.

 5. Will you be transferred again before you leave?
      Negatory. I'm "dying" here.

 6. Do you need anything? I still have time to ship it to you if you do?
     Nah. By the time it gets here. I'll just have to pack it up and carry it home.

 7. Did you receive my bday package?
     Not yet

 8. What is your favorite part of your area now?
     Still the invasion. "the dunes" they call it sometimes.

 9. What is your weather like on the coast?
     We've been having a tiny bit of rain these past few days. Mostly overcast. But it's usually very hot and very very sunny and very very, very humid. Oh man the humidity kills. It's so gross. I just want to be dry.....

 10. Have you had any baptisms in the invasion?
       No. Most people there cannot afford to travel to the church. So we have very little success there. People also usually can't read, so they can't gain a personal testimony of the Book of Mormon easily. They also usually have no desire to progress.... interesting, huh? Here in Perú, the success is found where they money is these days. I'll have to explain that to you when I get home.

Aunt Colleen's email last week was incredible. I love her. Send her my thanks. Tell her I'll teach her Spanish if she wants.

Its so fun to hear about the Gonzales family, MJ and Gus. I am so thankful that I won't lose my Spanish. But this means that I will always need to speak to them in Spanish. Are they down for that?

Happy Birthday Kelly!

That's if for this week.
Love you all,
-Elder Boekweg

Elder Leavitt and Elder Boekweg