Best week in the mission? Maybe...

Week 28 (January 23, 2017)

This week was incredible!!!! I had more success than I`ve had any other week. This has been an awesome week. It started off kind of slow. Monday all of our appointments fell (which is normal for Peru) and we just contacted all day. But it all started on Tuesday. We visited our investigator Enrique, and we taught him about the doctrine of christ. And then we invited him to baptism and he accepted!! Hopefully, he follows through with it!! 

Wednesday we contacted three awesome people who all seemed pretty enthused to learn about the gospel.

Thursday was great. I got to go on splits with my district, and this time I went with my pal Elder Bolduc. We had a successful day. We invited someone to baptism and they accepted. We had a bunch of good contacts and we hiked one of the tallest mountains in Puno. So we were about 16,000 ft in the air. It was a noticeable loss of air. Lol. But on the top, we found a graveyard made by the pueblo that lived there. But the thing about this graveyard was that the only thing covering the bodies were rocks. SUPER CREEPY. 

Friday we finished our divisions and the week was just kind of normal. Had visits, and contacted. And it also rains all the time now since we`re in the rainy season. I never thought I could see so much water coming from the sky. 

The best thing that happened all week happened on Sunday.

Nothing was happening. All of our appointments fell through after church ended and we didn't know what to do. So we just went and knocked doors until our last cita for the day. It was with Enrique, our golden investigator. We got to Enrique`s house and knocked on the door. And you wouldn`t believe what happened. He wasn`t home. Lol. So we sat down on the curb, frustrated as can be and just thought about what we could do. We both felt impressed to go to an old contacts house. His name is Anthony. When we contacted Anthony, he was smoking a cigarette. But politely noticed that we were holding our breath and put out his cigarette. We told him that we were missionaries and that we had a message, he didn`t seem too enthused to be talking to us. But he accepted the offer to have us visit him. That was 2 months ago, and we haven't been able to find him since. We had kind of given up on him. But at the same moment Elder Caal and I said, let's go visit Anthony. So we went.

Anthony opened his door and let us in, he was very nice to us, he got us a drink of chicha morada (a purple corn juice they have here) and we talked for a little while. Then we started teaching him about the restoration. Progressively throughout the lesson, he sank deeper into his chair and he was just kind of dumbfounded. I was nervous to see what his reaction was going to be. But when we finished, he asked ¨When can I be a Mormon?¨ We couldn't believe it and asked him to repeat it. and he said it again, ¨When can I be a Mormon?¨ 

HOLY SMOKES PEOPLE WE`VE HIT GOLD.  He told us that he would read the book of Mormon, and pray. But the most amazing thing about this was that a little over 5 years ago he left his catholic religion because he didn't feel like God existed. He told us all of his story. But in that lesson he told us that he felt God was real. He told right before we left that he knew that it was his time to find the truth. 

Moments like that make the mission all worth it. 

That Sunday night we had a little meeting with the missionaries in my ward and my ward mission leader because we had to plan our missionary night. (a night where people come to the church and learn more about what we believe.) But one of the sisters in my ward is dying this change, and she was really sad about it. So sad in fact that she had gotten sick. So we decided that we would give her a blessing. But none of us had oil, (because I had loaned mine out on an emergency) so we ran to a members house to get it. To be honest, I didn't really want to give the blessing, we were on a tight schedule and I had to be home to take care of some of the leadership responsibilities I have here. But she asked me to do it so I couldn`t say no. So my companion anointed, and I gave the blessing. I started in Spanish, but I clearly heard the spirit tell me, ¨Give her the blessing in english¨ So I switched over to English. What an amazing experience it was to feel the Spirit work through me like that. How do I know it was the spirit? Because I don't remember anything I said after I switched to English. The Spirit of God is so real. I love it. 

Today we went to some Incan ruins called ¨Kutimbo¨. They're basically towers where the Incans used to throw people in so they could die a slow painful death. The skeletons are still in there. Super freaky.  I`ll attach some pics. 

Elder Haws 6 Months Down

Week 27 (January 16, 2017)

Elder Fawcett and I enjoying coke while we burn our ties

Hellllloooo everybody. This week I turned 6 months in the mission. I'm finally a big boy elder. Crazy things have just been happening all week long and it's been hard to keep track so I´ll make a list. 

1.) We found 2 old investigators who I haven´t been able to find for 4 months. That is a miracle because they are now progressing and coming to church. One is Kelly, she wants to be baptized but her parents won't allow it. The other is Grecia, she lives with her cousins. They have no parents and are all working and studying in the university. They are both awesome, and I hope they catch the spirit of the Lord.(: 

2.) We actually got some of the members to come with us to lessons! MIRACLE. 

3.) I have been harassed by more drunks this week than in my whole life. It's always fun to mess with them back though. This one guy stopped us and he was WASTED, absolutely wasted. So he asked us, ¨Do you guys know my mom Candelaria?¨ We said, ¨no... do you?¨ He laughed and said, ¨Youre Mormons right?¨

¨Yes¨ 

You believe in God right?¨ 

¨Yes¨ 

¨You believe in the Virgin of the Candelaria right?¨

¨.... you don't know much about us do you..¨ 

The guy claimed to be a Mormon and told us that he was faithful to the Virgin. Drunk guys rock. 

Our visits are picking up again, and people are starting to listen again now that the holiday season is over. 

I TURNED 6 MONTHS THIS WEEK. HOLY COW.

6 months ago I left everything I knew to serve these people. As hard as it can be sometimes, its the most rewarding thing in the world. 

Cool story,

A few weeks ago we got a call from a recent convert who´s wife was in the hospital, he was frantic and his wife was in bad shape from her pregnancy. ¨Elders get over here! My wife is in bad shape and she needs a blessing.¨  We hurried as fast as we could to the hospital, (these hospitals here are the sketchiest thing in the world.) We met up with them, and he asked us to give a blessing to her. She was in bad shape, she had a very high fever and a lot of pain. So she asked me to give the blessing, and we left. And we didn't see them since them. Last night we went and knocked on their door. He answered and told us to come in. Inside on the couch we talked with the two of them. They told me this, ¨Elder, as soon as you left the hospital my wife started to get better. Thank you for being a priesthood that can worthily use the priesthood.¨ What a cool experience that was! The priesthood is a real thing. We really do have the authority of God on the Earth again. 

Love you all soo much. See you later. 

Me and my friend Elder Bolduc

This week I turn 6 months

Week 26 (January 9, 2017)

Well 6 months youre already here. In these past 6 months in Puno, Peru I've seen more things than I`ve seen in my whole lifetime. I`ve had my testimony, my patience, and my faith challenged a ton. I`ve met people I will never forget. And I still so much to do here still. 

This past week was kind of a boring week soooo.. sorry haha. On Tuesday we taught a lesson to a man. But what was different about this man is that he is a return missionary but has since then fallen away from the church. He has turned to alcohol and not the gospel of Christ. We have visited him a couple of times, and he was fine, he wanted to change and come back to church. But this time was a little different. We got to the door and his mom answered the door (nonmember) and she got really nervous and told us that they were busy. But the from the back of the house we heard a really drunken voice yell, ¨Is it the brothers?!¨ And before we knew it, Ronald( that's his name) was at the door. He told us to come in. And he told that we were his best friends. But of course we don't know if he meant it because of how plastered he was. We started the lesson, without knowing what to do, the spirit came into the room. And we had a sincere conversation with him. I'm not sure how much he remembers. But it was an incredible feeling. But after we finished, he stood up, he went to the cupboard and grabbed three beers so we could share them. We had to run out of the house, because we knew he wouldn`t let us leave until we had had some. Walking home that night, I had a lot to think about. But the very distinct thought popped in my head, ¨Elder Haws, you saw him, and you saw how he just went back to who he was. That was because he didn't let me change him. Now are you going to let me change you?¨  That moment and revelation has taught me a lot about who I need to be. 

The rest of the week was mostly uneventful. Elder Fawcett and I got sick and were bed ridden while our companions went out and worked. That was the worst. It gave me a lot of time to think about life though. Why Im here on the mission, who I was before, and who I want to become during this time. We watched the documentary about Thomas S. Monson, his life is awesome. Ordinary but clearly prepared by God to be our Prophet. 

This week I studied Jacob 5. About the Lord of the Vineyard and his servants. We truly are in the last dispensation of earth. And the Lord truly is hastening his work. Our job is to do everything he asks, because he knows best. He knows his trees and he knows our potential. Trust in him. And believe him. 

Love ya`ll lots and lots.

Tootles

The mural says "I hug you in my mind"

A Lot Of Weird Things

Week 25 (January 2, 2017)

Like the header says, a lot of weird things happened this week. It started off normal. We were excited for the new week to start, so we headed out on tuesday morning to visit. But no matter what we did, no one was home, It was basically a ghost town this week. Wednesday was the exact same, although we did visit one of the converts in our ward and he told us that he wants to prepare for the mission! So that was awesome. We are working with him a lot now. 

Thursday I was in bed just absolutely sick as a dog, So I watched church movies all day. What a day it was. ): But something freaky did happen that day, Elder Fawcett was sick too, so we had our comps leave and work while we stayed helpless at home. Elder Fawcett during the night before had told me that he saw someone in the bathroom mirror while we were sleeping, and he started to scream and he woke us all up, and he wouldn`t tell us what happened, he told us it was a dream. But I felt something was up, anyways during the day Elder Fawcett got up to walk around and get a drink. But while I was just chilling my bed I heard Elder Fawcett yell, ¨You cannot be here, In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to leave.¨ I`ve never had a phrase hit me in the very core like that one did. Elder Fawcett came running in the room and told me, ¨He was outside the house Elder Haws, and he talked to me.¨ I wont say what the spirit told him, but it was not good. So we knelt down in the middle of the house, and we said a prayer. During the prayer I felt the love of God, I knew we would be ok, and that nothing was going to bother us anymore. That was a cool moment! 

  

Thursday we got to do the same things we`ve done everyother day this week, walk around all day, have a few contacts, and no one was home at all. So I decided to take up learning some Aymarah. (One of the languages they have here.) Its super weird. My goal is to be able to speak enough to carry on a conversation.

On Friday we did Divisions with the Zone leaders, I went over to their sector with Elder Melo and Elder Wimmer came over to mine with Elder Caal, And basically the same thing happened, no one was home. But what a day. A dog was following us around all day long, and wouldn`t leave us alone, eventually we had to go to a part of the sector where the dogs were really bad and we were worried for the dog that was following us around, because he was a nice dog and was our friend lol. But we decided to take the risk and go with him. (if youre a dog, Puno is a very dangerous place to live.) So we got up to the door of the person we were gonna visit, and three massive dogs came out from around the corner. We thought, ¨Oh crap, we are screwed. ¨ The three dogs started to walk forward, and the little dog cowarded behind us in terror. Then the dogs sprang forward but didnt go for us, they went for the poor dog behind us, and started attacking it and biting it. The poor thing was wailing. So we started pelting rocks at the bully dogs. and they ran away. Our friend was alright, just a little dramatized. When the people answered the door we knew couldn`t leave our friend alone, so we had the lesson outside and protected him. It was super funny. 

Divisions ended and during the day before Elder Caal had gotten a golden contact, well the guy actually contacted them. I was so excited to go and visit this dude, and that night we had an appointment with him. We got there, and I met him! His name is Enrique, the past 10 years of his life have been very hard. His wife left him, his kid died, his business failed, and health went downhill. So he started looking for God. He told us that he didn`t believe in God before, but after all the bad stuff happened he wanted to know if there was a reason for it.

HOLY CRAP. 

Lesson 2, The Plan of Salvation.

Enrique was so overjoyed to hear this news, that he almost cried of pure happiness. This man was prepared. This man is an elect son of God. Im so grateful that God sees it fit for me to have these. 

Then on New Years, nothing happened at all, except the town was absolutely lit up with fireworks at 12:00. It scared us half to death, we didn`t expect it at all. 

2017 better be a good one. 

Love you guys so much(: I`ll see you next week!! 

Happy Christmas

Week 24 (December 26, 2016)

Well yesterday I talked to my family. And.. IT WAS SO GREAT. I love my family. 

This week was just full of activities, and eating Paneton(fruitcake), and listening to Christmas music with my white roommate comp. And giving Christmas to little kids in a poor town(:

This week started off, and we knew it was going to be a nightmare. Basically what happens here is people don't celebrate Christmas like we do in the states, but they act like it so they can get out of their responsibilities. Which includes having visitors! So instead of going and teaching, we did a lot more caroling. Christmas caroling as a missionary is cool, you're singing about the person you represent, and you can feel it! People here love music, so they were all open to hear some horribly sung Christmas carols by a bunch of white people on the sidewalk outside. Lol. (When I say people love it, it doesn't mean they're good at it.) But we caroled and it was cool. 

One of the highlights of the week for me was being to take toys and clothes to a small pueblito (village) about 2 hours away from Puno by bus. We pulled up to this little town and the biggest building they had was the school house. Everything else were just tiny houses made from adobe! We had a fundraiser the week before were we asked members to bring toys and clothes and to ask others to help too. We had a great turnout. People showed up from all over Puno. So we got permission from President to go to give them these toys. And it was sooo cool. 

The kids in the school

More kids

Me and my kid friends

Everyone gathered in the school yard. Everyone from the village to see us play with the kids, to give them something to be excited about. A lot of the kids had never seen a white person in their life, so they clinged onto all the Gringos. It was super incredible and being a representative of the Lord, Its cool to know he would do the same thing. 

Then Christmas came, on the 24th, and family from my stake came to Puno! The Augat family! That was super weird and awesome to see some people that I know from America. So they took us out to eat Pizza! 

The Augat family came to see me

Then Christmas day came. And I got to talk to my family. It was super weird to see them after 6 months. But It was super amazing. You learn a lot out here. And when you talk to your family you finally realize that. THE MISSION IS SUPER COOL. (and hard)  and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else right now. 

I love you all so much. Keep praying. Keep being cool

Our zone at Lake Titicaca

I sang in front of the Stake