1st Week in Peru

Hey guys,

Ok so this is my first week in Peru. It was awesome!! . I am serving in Lima District in South San Juan Lurigancho.  My companions name is Elder Moreyro, he is from Argentina and he actually speaks really good English. I thought that would be a problem at first but we made a rule that he will only speak English in the house but only Spanish everywhere else. We have a good ward but most are inactive. We only have about 80 active members and 100 and more inactive so that sucks but we will do are best to reactivate them. We are teaching this woman who is an alcoholic, we are helping her recover and  she is attending church next week. I am serving in the absolute poorest part of Peru is what my mission president told me. Homes here don't even have a roof. I have only been in 3 homes that have a roof, but the reason is it never rains. The people here are so friendly and nice and ready to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We already have 3 people preparing for baptism !!! It is so amazing. The thing about Lima is it is dirt, literally. There is barely any grass and most homes are just dirt mixed with cement for a floor and a brick wall that has holes and if the house is lucky enough to have a roof it is a couple sticks across the walls with posters and paper glued to the sticks. It is insane how happy these people are when they have so little. If you thought Mexico was poor, times that by about 50 and you only have an idea of how poor this place is. If you thought the traffic in Jamaica was crazy you should see this place. I will have pictures next week because I found a place to buy a card reader today.  You will have to wait 1 more week. Anyway,  the traffic is crazy and most taxis are a 3 wheeled car with a small bench in the back. you might be able to find a picture on Google but I will send you one next week.  I had to fit all my luggage and me and my companion in that thing for a 1 and a half hour drive to our home. Talk about uncomfortable. The food here is freaking amazing, I love it. The people feed missionaries a lot and give them way too much food but you have to eat it all. Missionaries gain about 20 pounds of fat a year which is amazing considering how much we are walking and hiking. On Saturday me, my Companion, and the Hermanas went to an investigators house to help them move. Hermana Osignagi and Hermana Kirratti. Literally those are there names. Hermana Osignagi is from Bolivia and Hermana Kirratti is from Utah.  We are the only GRINGOS in our district ha-ha. Well anyway we were supposed to help them move well we ended up helping them cement there floor. I had to carry 4, 93 pound bags of cement 1 mile up a mountain in the burning sun. We all got sun burnt pretty bad but oh well it heals. That was the most exhausting thing that I have ever done. They have this drink her called INCACOLA you will have to order some online its really good.  They only make it in Peru. I met the ward mission leader my first day here his name is Miguel.  Get this he was baptized 6 months ago and has read the Book of Mormon 4 times since then.  He is awesome he actually reminds me a lot of brother Courter except more hipper ha-ha. Anyway, Hermana Kirratte told me of a promise made by Gordon B Hinckley that by the time you finish reading the Book of Mormon in that language you will be able to speak that language . So I have been reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish out loud a lot everyday and I am on the book of Jacob as of today. I really believe that if I do that I will speak Spanish. I remembered the scripture faith without works is dead,  so I actually have to work and have faith the miracle comes after the trial of your faith.  Man I just love being a missionary right now, everyday is like a privilege. I have never been this happy. We actually had a meeting with all of the new people so basically everyone in my district at the CCM and it was crazy. They all wanted to go home they were complaining about how they weren't doing any good here and wanted to go home. I know I'm not zone leader anymore but I still felt obliged to talk to them. I gave them some tough love,  I said your are sure as heck not going to do them any good away at home so stop being a baby and suck it up there is nothing waiting for you at home right now so finish the job. It kind of felt good to get that off my chest because they have been complaining since day 1 at the CCM. It was funny Elder Johnson wicked whinny was always saying that the MTC is the hardest part of the mission. He probably wants to go back to the MTC .  My shower electricutes  me every time. For the first 3 days the heater didn't work,  it's electrically heated. All my clothes are filthy and there are dogs everywhere. I love every bit of it, every time I get shocked I wake right up and I am full of energy, its great. By the way, me and my companion found a gym nearby to go to everyday for really cheap its awesome because he wants to lose weight and I am

building muscle so I love it. The President actually scolded some people for not going ha-ha.

  There is no greater blessing than to be a missionary right now. Anyway I love you guys so much .

SEE YOU IN TWO 

Love Elder Atwood