March 11, 2013 - Transfers coming--Many Prepared for Baptism

Dear Familia,

Yeah, so some tips on the mish. First off, hangers you don't need. They are old school haha.  The clothes come ironed and fresh to death! Other is shirts should be really thin--missionary shirts as well as p-day clothes.*

Changes were today, and it looks like I'm outta Paita. I knew that and what not. Ive been visiting since the last week, but still it's hard sometimes. I'm grateful for where God put me. Thanks to Him, we activated a kid, and he's waiting for his papers, we use the name apreton and bateria seria. I'll explain when I get back home hahah -- but really it has been some for the best and worst moments in the mission. We're teaching good and have another family with a date to be baptised. The mom (Maria) asked me how she would know when she's ready, and I whipped out the good ol' book of hechos and let the scriptures do their job. 

In other news, we're also working with an abuela that's gonna be baptised this months, as well as another family that's gonna be baptised. His name is Anibal. He's gonna be a stud. That's about all for Paita. It's hot, but I'm sure that my other area will just be hotter.....Wow-- love you guys to death and just know that you ll always be my baterias serias!!! hahah love the word! 

Oh and my comp and I have gotten along super good this whole 3 months.  We have had some word fights, but that's like a true man! haha After like 5 mins, we're back in action. Ive gotta visit Quito (Equador) some day!

Love y'all to death. Keep it fresh!!!

Elder Pinegar

*A young man in our ward, Michael Smith, was just called to serve in Alex's mission. He'll actually arrive in the mission field as Alex returns home. Pretty cool :)

March 4, 2013 - Baptisms, Rain & Living Life as a Missionary

Sup Fam!!

So I'm doing great here in Paita. I believe that it's going to be my last week here. This past week we put in some serious work....como frijoleros ;) jaja Anyways, I'll start off with the beginning of the end. Yesterday we went to church, and all was great. Turns out that we had a baptism...by surprise! haha It was a child, but still that's always tight. Saturday we got a call from someone named Meller. He's the father of the son Jeffery. He is the leader of the quorum of elders. His son (not biological, political) wanted him to baptise him. that was great and he did it.

Elder Pinegar and his zone in Paita, Peru with Sister Uceda and Elder Juan A. Uceda of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy and President and Sister Rowley March 2013

In other news, the week was good. We taught a lot and I believe we worked harder than any past week. We have a few progressing. There is an abuelita that we're teaching named Juanita. (72) She can't read, but she's got hope. She went to the church inicitiva propia the week before last. The other people that we're teaching, I'll update you on when they progress more. Two days ago it rained.....a little bit of rain goes a long way here. Some of the streets were completely destroyed. That really affected the church asitance. (50%) drop, but that's alright cause were keepin the good spirit!

As for the cook, we still have her for lunch, and she invites us to dinner every once in a while. We put in action our plan to eat dinner with the members so that they can enjoy our presence ;) And so we can build an even stronger relationship with them. That's the deal on cooking, and just so Dad knows, I've lived in a few rat holes in the mission, with scorpions, ants, and bats! hahah but still I'll admit that Dad was more brave than me. 

Today was nice. We went to a beach called Yasilia, great beach, great seviche! ;) The best Ive had so far!!! mhhh!! que ricoooo! jaja Anyways, keep up the good spirits!! and yes there are bikes and motos, more motos than people! haha

That's the DL on the week.  I love you guys, and I'm putting in a worthy work hour here. Keep me in your prayers and you ll stay In mine!!!!! chow!!!!

Elder Pinegar

February 25, 2013 - 18 MONTHS Baptizing and Baking

Dear Familia

Shout outs: congrats Emily on the dealio with your main man*! Shark, happy birthday very shortly and just know that I never will forget the good ol tiburon!!

So this week was good, we ¨did work¨ ya'll know that. We had the opportunity to help a kid named junior get baptised, we were able to involve his dad. My plan is to get the dad baptised, but we all know how stubborn a 50 year-old man can be... haha Anyways that's the big news and I sent a photo of the baptism. As for the rest of the week, we were able to go to a conference where elder Uceda spoke. It was good, and he seems like a good guy ;) I learned quite a bit. Overall to study the scriptures more.

Elder  Pinegar, Junior, Jr.'s Dad and Elder Chavez Feb 2013

As for the other photos, the one with the tree is called unce. It's where they celebrate one of the saints and put a tree in the middle of the street and then cut it down. it's pretty chill. We should do it one day at home haha.

Unce - Time to chop the tree down! - Piura, Peru Feb 2013

 The other is a cake that we tried to cook because it was the birthday of the branch president, that was fun and it actually turned out ok.

Anyone for cake? Have no idea what those little white things are on top??

And the last pic is of me cooking breakfast, nothin like breakfast in bed! And yes i can cook...kinda. Anyway that's the big news of the week.

Cooking in his new kitchen...which consists of a hotplate, microwave, fridge and pans

As for Paita,yeah I've got some serious time here, and I definitely have got my family here in Paita! We're working with the branch, and it's starting to have its fruits. I believe we will be seeing more baptisms in March! My comp is doing good. We're learning together. Patience and humility is something that we are trying to develop. The Bolivian is backin off a little, and the rest of the crew in the mission is doing great!!! Anyways, I love you guys to death!!! and I'll try to get ya the memory card sent this week or the next.

Love,
Elder Pinegar

* Alex's Aunt Emily was married this past week to Matt Faraoni in Mesa, AZ

February 18, 2013 - Building the Kingdom in Paita

Dear Familia,

So this week was good, not much happened, but overall we're getting a little kid ready to be baptised. He's 10 years old and called junior. His sisters are active, but his mom can't get baptised cause she isn't married. That's basically the biggest news of this week. We had a good heart to heart with our branch president, and he told us stories about his mission. Wow! Fascinating! It was good to be able to reflect about the things that have happened in the mission. It was great to be able to see the progress and what not. 

The other good news is that the whole time that Ive been here in Paita, we've been able to have a good bond with the young people, and we got 2 of them to send their papers to the mission. They did it and are waiting for their callings. That's always something that is good as well.They are the only members of their family and I know that this will help them a ton. 

As for our convert, she couldn't be happier, and shes doing great, definitely one of the best in the mission! 

Just know that I love you guys a ton. I'm always pumped on every lunes para escribirles! Just know that I don't every forget about yall!!! love ya with all my heart!!!

Love, 

Elder Pinegar

love your guys to death!!!

February 11, 2013 - A Week of Work

Dear Familia,

Elder Pinegar & Elder Chavez visiting the daughter of their pensionista in Paita - and a little war paint :) Feb 2013

Wow! Wo that's gotta be great with the car and all! haha jk Anyways, I hope Bek's alright, lemme know how she's doin k? And as for the car....that's all part of life.*

As for the mission, we're doing good here in Paita. we have a baptism scheduled for the 23, it's a little kid. He's gonna help his 2 sisters, one who is really active, and the other who isn't all that active. Their mom gave us the go ahead this past week. The mother wants to get baptised, but she can't cause she's not married and her husband doesn't want anything to do with the church. But it's all good. We're doing OUR BEST, and that's what God wants! 

Yeah so I'll give ya the downlow for this past week..**

Lunes Feb 4-We went to some light house thing that I sent you pictures of the past week. In the night, we visited a less-active family, the daughter of the pensionista. I sent the pic this week so y'all can see what went down.

Pday - This is as close to the ocean as a missionary can get. Feb 4, 2013

Catching an octopus in Paita with Elder Chavez - Pday Feb 4, 2013

Martes Feb 5- As usual, we have companionship study and personal study. Then we went out at 11am just to have 2 citas fall through! haha. In the evening, we went to visit the sister Janet. She wasn't there, so we visited junior and were able to get a baptism date cause luckily his mom was there!!  We visited the mother of an almost baptism. She said she was going to go to the church but didnt. ;) After that, we went and visited a less-active member that was living in Chile (Gloris), now she's active and we're gonna see if we can work with her daughter. After that, we visited Rosa the convert. I always feel great when we're there in her house. After, dinner, plaificacion, sleep.

Míercoles Feb 6- In the morning, we had a service project, unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera. We helped rebuild the tin roof of a less active. His wife said that he was going to go to church...he came ;) but he cant be baptised cause he's not married and doesn't want to be anytime soon, but he loves his wife! In the evening, we went to a reference that came from Tumbes. He was there, and we taught him the Restoration. Then we went to a less active with Gloris, to visit her cousin. She came to church last Sunday!! We visited someone called brother cruz (89), and he is very capable of understanding, very lucido. He told us about 10000 stories, just like all the old people do, but he is chill.  After, we went and visited Angela, a new investigator. She had a little bit of interest. worth passing by another time. And just before dinner, we went and visited the family Paico. They are good, and we could baptised a kid that lives there, but I'm not into baptising if they don't go to church.

Jueves Feb 7-  Six in the morning we went to the gym.....I felt it alllllll week wow...pain...like bek! ;) In the morning, we had a zone conference, and I did a demonstration of the perfect nightly planning....but for real. in the afternoon we visited Enriques. He can't be baptised cause his wife doesn't want to get married. but he knows the church is true and goes just about every Sunday. He told us some tight stories. He is a fisherman, but we're not talking about a mediocre, he has been all over the world. What an experience!! After, we did some tracting and visited Ana, she is the mother of the husband of the pensionista....she is nice, but nothing is going to happen there, maybe her grandson...then we visited some less actives.

Viernes Feb 8- The morning was weekly planning. I about died cause they are building above us and were with sledge hammers the whole time....Overall, we did a good job cause we dropped down to the first floor after an hour of listening to sledge..in the afternoon we had to pass by another church of the Mormons to talk to the pres. We all just got kitchens....yeah, your son is gonna be a pro at cookin!! haha Chill I guess! After that I had to interview a potential baptism candidate. She passed and was baptised the next day. In the night, we had a reunion with the ward mission leader. He is really chill, and I consider him my friend. dinner. sleep

Sábado Feb 9- In the morning, we visited a member that's blind and what not but he is really nice and very happy! In the afternoon, we passed by the citas, but they all fell through. We had a member that accompanied us, and we visited her friend that doesnt want anything to do with the church, but she listened to us...and went to church for Sunday...Wow!  A friendship goes a long way and that's the key, members! After that, we went and saw the baptism of Xionara (sionara English..i think) and then we passed by the family Paico again...we're hoping to activate them. 

Domingo Feb 10-  Eight am church. 5 investigators came, of the 5, 3 are progressing. In the afternoon, we had a reactivation that really turned out well. We had a bout 20 people. In the night, we visited the boyfriend of a member. He has gone to the church 4 times for the chick, haha love...what a joke. But he actually listened, although he has definitely got an attitude, but so do I, so it turned out great!!! In the later night, I made some phone calls and collected numbers....asi es una semans a la otra.

thats the DL for the week!

love ya tons!!!!! I always pray for y'all. 

With much love and affection like always, your second son,

 Alex Pinegar love y'all !!!!!!!!!!!

* Bekah totalled Nick's car on Sunday - Feb 10. Everyone was alright--bumps and bruises, but the car is not.

** We've been asking Alex to send us a typical week for a while

February 4, 2013 - Tearing it Up and Living Without Regret

Dear Familia,

Elder Pinegar, Elder Chavez and his zone Feb 2013 Piura Peru

This week was good, not in the matter of teaching or finding new investigators, it was a trial in that manner. but we still have got our animops up in the sky. We're ready for this week, and were hoping that everything will work out. I basically know all of the the area, and I'm anxious to get some new ground.... My lider de zona dice que hola..jajaj..bueno. Yeah, so that's the downlow for this week. 

Not much has happened, but the family that we're teaching (lopez correa) is progressing a lot, Hanival (the dad) called me on my cell yesterday, (I have cell cause I'm lider) and he told me that when he went to the church he felt a peace that re energized him for the week, and that he knows that he is going to get baptised. We just don't know when.... but that's all chill, be it in a year, a month or tomorrow. When he's ready. They are a great family, mainly our focus is with the wife so that she can be able to accept the church a little better.

Elder Chavez and Elder Pinegar at a missionary activity in Piura Feb 2013

Anyways, on the package, don't worry bout a thing, just make sure that the memory works with my camera, which is . MOV format. and were doing good with animos and what not.  Me and my compy are getting along like true friends, and were enjoying the mission a lot!! Anyways, just know that I love you all like my family that you are!!

Love,

Elder Pinegar

January 28, 2013- 18 Months and Enjoying the Mission

Dear Familia,

Ya, so this week was good. We have been having a little bit of problems with investigators, Rossiss, he's in the hospital. He basically had heart failure and is in critical condition. He's is going to pass away I'm guessing in the next few following weeks. Sad, but that is all part of the cycle of life. I think that the people that it's really going to affect is the family of Rossiss....we're visiting them and they are strong.

In other news, we had a great chat with the hna. Norma. She talked with her mom about getting baptised, because her mom was planning the baptism for her in the catholic church. Her mother was kinda stunned, but I can just imagine how it would be for any parent.....could you guys imagine if I said that I wanted to be a Jehovah's Witness? haha Yeah basically the same reaction. We're gonna see what happens with her. She's gotten to the point where she has to make her own decisions, and I'm not gonna push her any further..if she really wants it. she'll find a way.

Elder Pinegar & Elder Chavez Jan 2013 Paita Peru

Anyways, we passed through changes this week and my companion and I are here for another month and a half. hahah I knew that. We're trying to find our next good investigator and we'll see what happens. I'm still being patient with the Bolivian....he is really trying my patience, but I think I got it down on lock! As always, I'm enjoying the mission and we're excited this week cause we got some great actividades planeado. A mission night that's gonna be spectacular. Love you guys like I love snowboarding, possibly more!! ;) haha have fun in Florida and tear it up out there, cause we only got one life, live it without regrets!!! 

Yours truly,

Elder Pinegar