Jan 23, 2012 - A New Companion & Teaching English

Elder Delgado & Elder Pinegar exploring in the Chacra outside of La Union Jan 23, 2012

 

 

Alex's P-day artwork - Jan 2012

To all the fam at home!!!

First off,  I would like to give a very belated thank you to all those who have sent me gifts through the mail carrier, especialmente grandpa for the marshmallow guns and granny for the spices. I have yet to have a guerra con las pistolas pero muy pronto voy hacerla. The spices are wonderful and the canlela (cinnamon) is awesome!

 As for this week, yeah, its been little bit crazy getting a new companion and saying goodbye to the ancient ones. So first off, I wanna say that my new companion is basically a perfect match! We have the same interests and like to talk about the same things. This 6 weeks is gonna fly, cause we push
each other to do better. Our teaching methods are a little bit different, but that's all good, we can work that out. He is from Lima and se llama Elder Delgado. I call him skinny haha but he is basically professional at beat box and we do little raps in Spanish and English haha yeah-- the kind of burra (noise) que mi papa no le gusta haha.

We're working hard and getting things done. Two days ago, we found a woman that has edad of 22 años. She seems really interested and attended the clases de ingles that -- yes -- I'm teaching haha. They call me maestro and what not!

Oh, one more thing, there was a death in the ward, and it was interesting to see a catholic and LDS mix because 80% of the people are catholic here. The chapel was the most llena (full) that I have ever seen,  and the bishop spoke about the life and how they needed to be baptised and humble themselves. Pretty direct but it's good, cause if you're not here,  you end up talking about the chakra (farm) or problems with other things that really aren't that important.  As for Elder Castillo, he went to Tumbes, basically hell on earth especially in el verano (summer) haha, but he kept saying that he wanted to go there.  So I guess that's good.  He was always good to me and was a good companion that I truly do respect.

As for the fam at home, I love ya! and Mom and Dad, enjoy yourselves in Cancun.......just know that when your walking in the sand, picture me without water, sweating, gasping for breath and speaking perfect Spanish ( I wish), but at least I understand and what not!

Love,
Elder Pinegar
** The pics posted are Elder Pinegar & Elder Delgado in their best "thug" poses...we'll be waiting for the ties and white shirt next :)

Jan 16, 2012 - He's staying in La Union--but with who???

The "Moto" - La Union's Taxi Cab

This week we were able to email back and forth live!! Pretty fun to get a couple questions answered, even if it was an English/Spanish mix.

Alright, so tio answer the first question, no I don't have a microwave, but my pensionista si tiene.

We drink juice and bottled water. My pensionista always whips up a mean glass of juice. It's probolemete 10x better than anything I've ever had in the states.

As for pics, I took the risk and sent home my memory card.  I'm hoping that you all will get it and that you can read the pics.  It has some virus or format or something, but Shark can fix it. I couldn't make
a copy of it either cause the computer couldn't read it. Yeah and for pics of Piura. I'm an hour and a half south of piura and yes, we had cambios (changes) this week. I don't know who will be my new companion, but I know that I'm in The Union. I'll let ya know more about this next coming week! Yeah, The Union is doing good. I'm going to finish up a piece of art this week of some Mexican that I've been painting that will be sweet! (a member has is an artist has been teaching him on p-days).

**More pics are on flckr so check that out--

January 9, 2012 - Last Week with Elder Castillo-1st Transfer Next Week

Showing off dinner - Jan 2012

Hey Fam,

This week was good. We worked hard and our numbers were up from last week. We are still having trouble finding people to baptise 'cause everyone that we had talked to is either not married and doesn't want to get married, or they don't want to come to church haha. Yeah, I guess that's life though. Anyway, we're doing good here in the good ol union. This is the last week that me and Elder Castillo have together...yeah, we're pretty tight. We're working hard and getting things done around here. He keeps saying that when transfers come, he's the one that's leaving, which is probably true 'cause he has been here 6 months. We don't know what's gonna go down, but we do know that we're not going to be companions after this week, so we're planning some fun things to do haha.
I like the pic of the office. It looks nice! And about the snow hahah sooooo sad, maybe you have just the slightest glimpse of how I am here. haha I got sunburned today playing fútbol, and we got our hands on a American football, but it was hard to play 'cause the others didn't know what they were doing haha.
I'm doing good! Tell the fam that I love them and yeah about Stevo (Elder Stephenson), we have almost 5 months together. Yeah, It's nice to have someone to talk to in English every once in a while, at least when I get a chance, but then again, we rarely talk in English, usually it's Español.I love you all so mucha!

much love
elder pinegar

January 2, 2012 A NEW YEAR

La Union December 2011

Dear Family,
 This week was kinda tough, with Christmas and  Año Nuevo and what not, but I'm doing all right. So we don't have any new baptisms this week and better yet, barley had church. This ward is struggling a little bit, but that's what we're here for. Now I understand why the Union was closed before haha. It's a hard area. We've had maybe one reference in the whole past month and maybe 2 or 3 from the months that have passed. I'm getting a little discouraged out here, so please pray for me. We spent 2 days straight knocking doors and only got 3 nuevo investigators. Yeah, that was kind of tough, but I looked at it as a chance to improve my Spanish a bit haha. Anyways, we're teaching a person se llama Tempora.  She's pretty open to what we're speaking and likes to hear that word of God. She doesn't know a ton, but that's fine, cause that's what were here for haha. Anyway, I'm hoping that she will be the next one to hop in the water and be baptised. Elder Castillo is still great, and he is doing his part. We help lift each other up. We're a good team, although we have a huge height difference....but I guess that's normal for me everywhere in the world.

I'm glad that everyone is doing good. Tell Bek that I hope that she gets a little bit better, and that I love her. Tell Nick that he's a champ and that he can do anything.  Tell Spencer thanks for his letter. It's kinda weird, right now they are playing musica americano en ingles pero its kinda hard to distinguish what they are saying cause usually its in Spanish....I like it haha love you guys sooooooo much. If the extended family is there, tell them hi for me. We're doing good here in La Union. Just sometimes, the mission is a little hard, so pray for me please......please.

Love,
Elder Pinegar
**New Pics on flickr - Go to website by clicking below on ElderAlexanderPinegar.blogspot.com  Then click on Photos of Elder Pinegar. From there you can click directly onto the flickr site.

December 26, 2011 - 1st Christmas in Peru

Elder Pinegar & Elder Castillo celebrating Christmas 2011 La Union

Hi Family,
So I talked to you guys yesterday, so I don't have a ton to say hahah! Everything is all good here in the mish and I'm sending more pics today. Christmas was hard.....but ya know we do what we can when there are reglas...haha Anyway, yeah we had our pannetone (bread) and the pres. did a nice dealio for us with chocolatada and panetone and a devotional. It was nice to see all my old buds from the CCM Lima and Provo - all new stories! Stories about how one of them bought a shower head heater thing that makes the water like lukewarm to shower in haaha and another story about one of the apartments where they live. One of them said that the cement toilet they had, cracked in half hahah tight i guess.....I'll stick to the one I have! haha.






Yeah this week was interesting -- hard, very hard, but I'm happy and glad for my family and thankful for everyone that I got to talk to! And yes, I promise my Spanish is better than it sounded. I was just emotional and it was hard to speak.* Just know one thing, I love you guys! Thanks for all the support that you gave to me! Tell everyone I say whaz up. also Feliz Navida, prospero año y felizidad!!!!! Enjoy the Christmas!!!!!!!! 

Elder Pinegar

*Elder Pinegar prayed for our family in Spanish before we said goodbye on the phone Christmas day. 

December 19, 2011 A Very Loooooong Week

The Wedding Dec 2011 La Union

 

 

 

Elders in La Union Dec 2011

Hi Family,
It's been a loooooonnnnnggg week. hahah but its all good, filled with travels, baptisms and a matrimonio to top it all off!

K- so Tuesday was a lot of work talking, conversando and what not and paperwork. Yeah, try that in Spanish...a little bit more difficult than I thought it would be! Yeah, then Wednesday, we had the matrimonio, that was fun. We decorated the church and did all sorts of stuff We even got our hand on a cake! haha yeah Herminia was reluctant to get married. she was worried about only of today and not tomorrow or the future that she has ahead of her. Anyway, she is good now. Happy! Thursday we were planning the baptism for them and we got it all planned for Friday in the tarde, but on Thursday night I got a call saying that I needed to be in Lima in the morning to finish some paperwork to be legal. So I went with 9 other people, all norte Americanos. The trip was awesome...kinda like a pday with travel haha. Yeah, we flew that was ,definitely nice!!! but the bummer part was that we had the baptism in the morning and I was supposed to baptize Herminia, Turns out that they both got baptized and everything worked out just fine. Then we had another baptism Saturday, and she is called Jasmin, a product of more that 4 months of work!!! Yeah. we are having success. We confirmed all 3 of them yesterday and that's basically the week in a nutshell. I got like 5 hours of sleep for like 2 days straight. Put that with getting up at 6:30 every morning and its hard!!!! hahah

Love you guys so much and check for the pics I'm going to send. Much love!!!  You should be getting my letters eventually. All I know is that I sent them. Oh, and also i got the 4 packages!!! Thanks a bunch!!!! but it needed one thing! pics!!!!!!!!!!!!thats allllllllllll i want!!!!!! haha please send me pics in the next package!!!!!!! love you guys to death and just know that I think of you!!! thanks for all  your support and love!




Elder Pinegar

December 12, 2011 Gearing up for a great week with a great companion

Primary Children in La Union Dec 2011

Church in La Union Dec 2011

This week has been a lot of prepping, convincing, talking, running, and just about everything else. We have the wedding date set and all the papers in place for this Wednesday!

The primaria had a get together for Christmas, and they were great. The chapel was full, and I saw a lot of the kids' dads who just came for this special occasion!  We have been working with the ward a lot and getting families that are -activos to come to church. The church is kinda disorganized here I gotta say, haha but that's alright. Christmas is right around the corner, and I'm starting to see luz de navidad! (Christmas lights) here in La Unión! Yeah, it kinda makes me miss home sometimes, but anyway, I guess it's not all that different here, considering you guys don't have snow! hahah Oh, and for Christmas, I'm hoping to know when I'll be calling or whatever I get to do. We're talking with the president. I'll be sure to bring that up with him. Tell my best friends hi for me. I miss my friends this time of year and fam, but it's all good. I hope my gand familia is doing good to! salud all of them for me please!!!!

About Elder Castillo (in english this translates to castle), he has been out 2 cambios mas de mi. He's a great person and very persistent with the people. He has a good heart and good deseas. He is puttin' on the pounds eating haha. That's one thing we lack....more exercise! yeah, I figure I'll do that my last 6 mes de la misión. He is the only member, and his family is in Peru. He's native here and is good with the people. He likes to make jokes and is thoughtful of others. He's 25 and going to be 26 in febuario. Together we have been successful. He has learned to be very patient with me especially in the primera 2 semanas. but now we are teaching good! My Spanish has evolved and even the music I can understand....well most of it, and considering that half of it is English.....haha. Y'all get the point. My Spanish has gotten better thanks to him, and my knowledge of the scriptures has gotten better thanks to him. (speaking of which, I'm reading the old testament in Spanish. It's interesting how it's translated....not as direct as English. Sometimes I wonder how much better we would understand them if we spoke Egyptian and Hebrew.....yeah I'll learn those later haha ) Anyway, he's been good! And we have 5 weeks left with each other! esperemos éxito!!

As for Christmas, we've been eyeballin' around for a tree a sacar para nuestro cuarto ( to takes for our room). One of the members has a gigantic pino that we might go cut a part off if we can't find another hahah. Don't worry, we asked! haha and our pensionista is bomb! She cooks mean meals for us! We're gonna have pavo (turkey) for navidad here, and she knows how to cook. Soo dont worry about me not eating! hahha Anyways, I'll let you know what goes down, and when I get to call in my next letter!!!!

Love you guys so much and am so grateful for my family, friends, and associates.!!!!

Love,
Elder Pinegar

**Alex now has a flickr account where he will be uploading pictures. If you want to see more pics of Elder Pinegar---Click on http://www.flickr.com/photos/elderpinegar/