September 17, 2012 Picarones & Falling Roofs

heres some pics of da vida!!! haciendo trabajo en todos modos! nunca nos cansamos......hasta la noche, entonces estoy muy cansado. jaja mucho amor!!  9/17/12 Pday. Elder Yanez & Elder Pinegar

Dear Familia,

So this week was good, not a lot happened, but we have some people that are progressing. We're hoping that the family that we are working with, that we can challenge them to be baptised this week. We'll see about that. They are family Gordon. (Here in Perú they have two last names, the name of the father and then the name of the mother......obviously the man is superior.)* They were going to come to church about two weeks ago when all of the sudden the night before they got in an accident, yeah that would suck....but at least the two girls came, and have gone another time since. They are great and very nice and friendly. (They always invite us to eat picarones--- kind of like a churro but not as good) We have a visit with them this Tuesday, and I think that everything will go well, but we'll have to just wait and see. hmmmm There are two other families that we are working with as well, but we are going to worry about them in the near future. Overall that's about all that is goin down here in Perú. 

The new haircut and a lunch break on pday. 9/17/12

I got a hair cut, and I think I'm putting on a little bit of weight, but in all aspects I believe that's a good thing....with the exception that all the weight is fat. haha but that's all chill. ohhh and yesterday our roof caved in, no one was hurt, but it sure was loud. Me and my companion, we just looked at each other and continued laying around haha.  That's what you get when you live in an abandoned house haha! Love you guys tons, and I'm always thinking about ya´ll!!!! keep up the work at home, and I'll keep it down on lock here!!

Ohhh and I got the package! Thanks a lot for the things that you sent. I appreciate the memory card and what not to, and overall I really enjoyed the pictures and no, they don't make me too trunky, they keep me normal and my sight put in the right direction!! I'm runnin a little bit low on cash here, so if you desire you can send me a little bit of $ in the next package please!" ;) yeah so all is good here!!! 

Much Love!!

Elder Pinegar

*Alex's humor coming through--we'll have to retrain him to American customs once he comes home about superiority :)

September 10, 2012 - An Overall Good Week

Dear Familia,

So first off, I wanted to make a correction. The pensión didn't make me cookies, I taught them how to do that yeah?!*  Sooo overall this week was good. We put in work and we're livin it up here in Negreiros. We were able to teach a lot of people this week, and we had a good time teaching. We're teaching another family, and we'll see what happens with them, but I got a good feeling about this one haha. Yeah, overall not a lot of new things happened this week. Ohhh, I taught an English class on Saturday to see if we could get some new investigators, but only members came. The people here really want to learn english and now I see why....its important--haah luckily I know it already, but I'll admit while I was teaching the class, it was a little bit hard to speak English haha. Yeah, so thats basically the downlows on what's happenin here, not much, pretty routine, but we're making sure that we're not wasting God's time. We're visiting alot of people and were just hoping to get results......I'm not worried, God's got our back!! 

We are currently visiting a family that is great, supposedly super catholic, but I think they go to church 1 time every year. They are great and their daughters went to the church with us on Sunday. We're just hoping that they didn't come for us.....but they said that they really enjoyed it. Their parents are great and really nice. They really want the best for their family, like Nick said, "The family is important."

Overall, this week was good. I'm glad for the family and everything good that is happening. I'm proud of Nick and his choices and desires.** I love my family and just know that I'm happy here. I'm not perfect, but I'm enjoying myself!!

much love!!!!

Elder PPiinneeggaarr 

*We thought the pensionista made the cookies--apparently Alex's cooking skills are paying off.

**Nick had his missionary farewell on Sunday, Sept 9, 2012 

NEW PACKAGE ADDRESS ON ELDER PINEGAR'S WEBSITE-ADDRESS IT TO A DIFFERENT PERSON

Sept 3, 2012 -- Year 2 Begins-Baptisms & Baking

Dear Familia,

So this week was good, the two kids from the familia Zapata Perez were baptised and everything went well in that aspect. We helped a kid in the branch baptise them. He's getting ready for the mission, so even though he was scared, he did it, and he did it good!! haha Anyway, the photos that I sent --one is of the family and the others are of us screwing around on p-day, enjoying ourselves with some of the neighbors and the pensión. That's the big note this week, that they got baptised and not only did they get baptised, I believe that they are happier!

Elder Pinegar & Elder Yanez with the Zapata Perez family--Jeremia & Mariana were baptized 9/1/12

Anyways, over all., this week was good. We put in work and had fun. The p-day was good. We made pizza and I made snickerdoodles, yeah, I still like them!

Cooking Pizza on P-day with the Pensonita and family--Sept 3, 2012

Elder Yanez & Elder Pinegar enjoying their creation 9/3/12

Pepperoni Pizza 9/3/12--Alex says this pensonista is the best yet!!

Snickerdoodles anyone? Thank you to the kind women serving our son! 9/3/12

haha Earlier in the past week, we had a change for a day, they call it a work visit. We had to help some of the leaders correct their negative criticism towards us. What happened to the love?! haha It's all good-we still keep the chin up!!! After all, he is Bolivian....and to answer your question mom; the Chileans and Bolivians are not really wanted here, especially the Bolivians*...haha but I'm still workin on my ever judging character.

I'm glad to hear that you guys got the letters that I sent to you all. I'm glad that you enjoyed them. I'm still waiting for the package that you sent, but I'm guessing that it will come the following week, so it's all good! Ohhh so about me and my companion, we're both a little bit orgullosos (prideful) haha. So I have some good stories about that. I see a lot of myself in him, and I'm sure that he sees alot of himself in me. Together we are powerful, very powerful!! But when there is a disagreement, it's over haha. For example, the other night I left the light on and told him to turn it off, and he told me that he is perfectly fine sleeping with the light on, and me being who I am, I'm not going to get up and turn off the light. So we slept with the light on the whole night haha. Dumb things, but it's interesting what happens when there are two strong opinions haah. At times it's good and at times it's bad! haha But y'all know I got this in control, not to mention we don't let it get out of hand, most of the time. We get along great and he is the kind of person that I could work with further along in life! Anyways, I thought I would just tell you guys about that and what not, considering that I don't tell you a lot of stories haha. Sorry, but I'm a busy, wanted man! ;)

much love and emotion!!!

Elder Alex Pinegar

*Jared said that the Peruvians are always complaining that the Chileans and Bolivians tried to steal their land--so there's not a lot of love going on.

August 27, 2012 - ONE YEAR MARK

Aug 26, 2012 with a finger banana

Dear Familia,

Yeah, so this was great, just wanna give a shout out to my uncle who's now a grandpa and his son who's now a father.* What a change of lifestyle. Luckily I'm still young.....haha oh and to my cousins who got baptised**, doin work, keep it up!!!

So this week went well, and we finally put a date for the two children of Jesus (no, not the other Jesus) Jeremías y Mariana are going to be baptised this Saturday at 4pm. and the asitence at church was great this week, there were more people than chairs, which meant that I had to be standing, cause we were only missing one chair. The president of the mission visited the branch this week, and it was great. He gave his thoughts and what not, and I think it helped the area where we're at. After church. we took him on a tour of the area and showed him around our crib. He liked what we were doing with the area and what not.

So as for my year mark.....I don't feel any different. I didn't burn a shirt or anything (cause I forgot and was tired) but now I can say that I only have one year to go. It'll go fast too. As for me and my companion, we're doing great, putting in work and what not. He was sick for one day this week but that was alright cause I needed a little rest ;) haha We ended up finding another family, but they are only free on weekends cause the parents work a lot, but they are great. We'll find more, I know that!

So that's basically the lowdown on my week here; doing good here in Perú. Have fun at Lake Powell, that's something I wanna do when I get back! Good luck to the new parents, returned missionaries and the 2 baptisims!!! Love you guys tons, ohh and tell Bek I got her letter and I liked it. Anyways do work!!!!!

Love your son, Alex Pinegar

1st time we've seen him in a suit for a while 8/12 - Not sure who took this

Dining with Elder Yanez dining-- we think! 8/26/12

ps:this pic is legit

* Patrick & Lindsay Buchan (cousins) had a baby girl on Aug 22-named Mary Ann Buchan. His Uncle Steve is the uncle he is referring to.

** Macie Brown & Hyrum DeMille

August 20, 2012 - Searching for Light & Families

Dear Familia,

That's pretty cool about what's been going on at home!* Hope you guys have enjoyed your summer and that you're all ready to get back into the "do work" zone! Ha ha--anyway, this week was a little bit tougher. We couldn't find all the people that we needed, and the family of Jesus didn't come to church, but he had the opportunity to go and work in Tumbes, and he got back Saturday in the early morning. But everything seems like its going good. We didn't have light for the church this Sunday because no one paid the bill, and I'm thinking that this is going to affect the activity that we have planned this Thursday.....we'll see what happens. It's getting a little bit tougher to find new people to teach, and we were pretty dependent on the activity to pass out invitations, that way the people actually will want to talk to us haha.

 That's cool that there are so many familiar faces returning home**....but I still got a year to go haha We're getting along good here and hoping for more success this week. We're gonna think of some new ideas here to find new people. What we really would like is another family. not to mention that we are still working with the family of Jesus. The kids actually want us to come over and teach ahah....what can i say right?! At least the few people that want us here love us!!! 

Anyways, love you guys tons!! I forgot to bring my cord this week so no pics....sorry. Oh, and we cleaned the house chapel this week, it was really dirty, so don't worry, we did our act of service!!  Love you guys tons, and I'm glad to hear that everything went well with the deal and what not, and for the shower***.....that's a bummer, but that's life haha! 

Your son,

Alex, peace!!

* Great News--Our commercial tenant committed to a remodel & new contract--after going back and forth the past year.

** Jared Wootton & Zach Sundwall from our home ward and Alex's cousin, Oliver DeMille all came home 

***Our brand new shower STILL leaks!!!

August 13, 2012 Progress in the District

Pday in Negreiros  -- It's not as desolate as we thought--8/13/12

Dear Familia,

So this week was good. We're making progress with the family of Jesus. He's been out working to provide for his family this week in Tumbes....what memories haha. We got the rest of his family to go to church,and the mom of Matilde (wife of Jesus), who is  a member menus activo, said that she was going to come to church this Sunday with her daughter. I feel like we're finally making progress with this area.

We had cambios this week, and me and my comp are staying in the same place with the same company. We're content. We had the opportunity to talk with the person who had started the house chapel in Negritos. He is super inactive, but I can see his pain and sorrow. We've got his son active again. He and his friends really love basketball, and we had the chance to play with them one Saturday. This district is finally coming to life, but I think it will be years before they actually have a chapel here, at least I can say that I helped!

This week we're gonna try and put a date for the two chibolos (kids-slang) for the end of the month. I'm pretty sure that they will be content, and we're planning on having the dad baptise them. That will be good for him so that he feels responsibility. We're not suffering here too bad haah, but the sun sure is strong here,  I'm gettin on top of that with some sunglasses haha.  This week, I'll be lookin extra legit!

Enjoy the rest of the summer, and I hope y'all have a good time in school and work! Just know that I always pray for you guys and hope that all is going well, Life is fast, but I'm sure we can out run it! haha peace!!

Elder Pinegar

August 6, 2012 Baptisms & the Olympics

Dear Familia,

So this week was good. We had the baptism go well, and we ended up spending a whole morning cleaning the pool where we baptised the brother Jesus. He's a great person and even though he can't read, we're working on all the things that we can to help him. We've adapted our large vocabulary to fit the simple and plainness that is sounding us in this house. His wife is a great support for him, and she wants a change in her family. We're planning on having the father baptise his 2 kids at the end of the month, but his children don't know that yet ;) haha ya we do work!

Elder Yanez, & Elder Pinegar with Jesus and his family Aug 4, 2012

Elder Yanez & Elder Pinegar Pday Aug 6, 2012

You guys are right, this week went very fast, but that's OK cause that's how it should be! Yeah, it's been kinda tough to not see the Olympics, but I'm not gonna lie I saw a little glimpse here and there ;)  This time I'm grateful for the fact that every person has a TV, even if they don't have a house! -haha Sounds like Nick had a great week*, tell him to keep up the good work! ;) Just tell him to not die. Yeah, so I sent you guys letters too. I sent them off today, hopefully you get them by the end of Agosto.

Sight Seeing on Pday "Peruvian Air Force firing range Danger of death Forbidden to Enter"

That's cool with Bek.  She's got a big heart, and a lot of guy friends. haha She doesn't need a boyfriend right now, and I hope Rylee (Hill) had a good 18th birthday. Send her a shout out for me will ya?! and as for Spencer, he'll end up with a scholarship and fine women if he sticks to football. He's gonna be a beast! Tell him that lacrosse is for people that are not him haha! But he has to like what he does, cause if he doesn't like it, then he's not enjoying life and that's not why we're here on earth. As for the reading that I've been doing, I have read in Spanish since the first day of my mission. I'm currently reading Jesus El Cristo and the BoM in Spanish. I'm about halfway through with Jesus the Christ.

Yeah, that's about all that I have to say this week. Just know that I love you all, and that I always pray for you!

Elder Pinegar

*Nick started the week getting stitches near his eye and ended it getting stung by a bee (he's very allergic to them)