November

Hello all

Can you believe we are almost halfway through November? Seriously...time sure flies. I would like to apologize first and foremost for not sending pictures once again. Seriously, one of my big changes this week will be taking my camera with me everywhere I go to take pictures! I just never have been that guy to take a ton, but I know it is boring for you guys to see pure text, and I know I will regret not taking more pix when the mission is over (I hope it never ends!)

We had a fabulous week this week! I caught a cold, but that didn't stop us from working our ninnies off (as Dad says). We ran around looking for all the new people we met, and we were even able to committ one to getting baptized on the 24th! He is a great man named Alejandro. What is interesting is how we got him to that committment. We had interviews with President this week, in the which he told us that the mission basically wasn't using the Book Of Mormon effectively at all. He even asked us to teach the first 4 lessons in one appointment each, and then after that, read the BOM with the investigators every day until their baptism! This seemed a bit odd to me at first, but, true to the revelation, we did exactly as Prez said! We were originally going to teach Alejandro about keeping the Sabbath day holy when we went into our appointment last night, but ended up changing and just reading all of 1 Nephi 3 with him. The Spirit completely invaded the room, and he committed to being baptized on the 24th before I could even get the invitation fully out of my mouth! This too coming from a man who refused to completely committ to anything else we had invited him to do. The Lord really does work through His mission presidents, and the BOM really is the word of God!

I am excited with all the progress that we have been seeing lately. The mission is always full of ups and downs, but I feel like a young elder again with lots of time ahead of me! I think the key is really just exercising a mental discipline strong enough to keep us grounded and focused. I plan on pushing harder and harder every week.

Hope you are all doing well. Let me know what else you want to hear about in the letters! I received the Thanksgiving box! Seriously, the chips are a HUGE hit with me. I especially loved the Flamin Cheeetos with limon! You guys are the best!
Love ya
Trace

PS Stole a picture from the Turks blog. This is all the zone eating chicken at Norkys after the interviews!

Fall for All

Hi Everyone,

Things are definitely looking up here. It is nice and warm in the day, though since we are next to the beach, we also get a nice constant breeze which makes me happy. We actually already have a soccer ball to play with which is nice, and also we found out that the guy who owns the house where we live is going to be putting a ping pong table downstairs!! We are super pumped to use that baby on P days, though it will definitely be a temptation during study time...haha

Everything is going fine here, and I am actually starting to get used to the food. My packages are running dangerously low on goodies though, which scares me. Those Dynamite Dorito roll thingies were AMAZING btw! Send more!!

First off, I must say that the Ricky themed pumpkin is THE BEST PUMPKIN OF ALL TIME IN LEVOS FAMILY HISTORY. Seriously, a work of art. The words are nice, but the rendering of the Ricky face is absolutely exquisite! It shall be forever etched in the annals of Halloween-land. You are the best Dad.

Sounds like you had a ton of fun for H day per usual. Scaring girls is always part of the game. I think it's rather amusing that you get MORE excited about it every year, even though you're getting more elderly. How did you guys flavor the seeds this year? Was it typical Tony Saccheres? Were there any trick or treaters in Rustic Lane? Anybody else decorate? I remember it was a bit difficult to decorate for Christmas last year, since the land is so...spacious

We did have a baptism this week but I will give you all the details next week. I can't believe that half the mission is over either! It is exciting to know I will be back with my family this time next year, but at the same time, I will NEVER be able to be a missionary again, so I am definitely trying to soak up every moment.

Thanks to the Owens for the great package!  I miss all of you and appreciate all that has been done on my behalf. The goodies are great and the kids in the village love the toys.
Much Love,
Trace

Another Week

Hello all!

It was another week- another week of work, another week of closed doors, another week of dusty streets and sunsets and dirty dogs and greasy food and testimonies and happiness. It was also another week without pictures, so please forgive me. I will definitely be trying to improve on that front...

Elder Almazan and I are working hard here, which is all you can do when you have a year in the mission and want to do what is right. We are actually finally starting to find good people though, and...wait for it...we are finally starting to find some FAMILIES! I have never been able to baptize a family in my mission, and it is my goal to find at least one in this area before I leave. Though, seeing as I  have been here since May 1, I shouldn't think that time will come very soon...

We were able to finally committ an eternal investigator to being baptized this coming Saturday! He has been listening to the missionaries for 6 months now, and the Spirit has worked in him little by little until this point. It really is interesting how the Lord helps His children come to the truth in His own chosen time.

It is starting to get a bit warmer here, which is nice. I do wish I was able to feel the Texas fall weather though, and more than that, eat the Texas fall food. I know you will all enjoy it for me.

So sorry the letters are boring, but there is simply not much to report this week. Hope you are all healthy and happy!
Much Love,
Trace

ONE YEAR

Dudes!

I can't believe that I really will be completing a year this week. I don't have any plans to do anything crazy. In fact, it should be a normal Friday, but at the same time, it really is surreal that I have already hit the halfway point. I almost wanted to cry thinking about it all the other night. At the same time, I am quite excited that I will be able to give my all in this last year. Things are definitely looking up.

My brand new comp, Elder Almazan, is super cool. He is from Ecuador (you can see a nice big picture of us on the blog), and is really humble and teachable. I am trying really hard to train him in the right way and help him in any way that I can. He loves learning, and has really injected a new sense of energy and happiness into the work. It is something that I really need.

We are working hard to find some new investigators and get them to the font! Looks like we won't be seeing any baptisms until November, but we have found a few awesome families, so cross your fingers and pray hard for us! I still have yet to baptize an entire family in my mission, and it is my goal to find one before my time in Alto Moche ends. This area has really won my heart, and I want to give my all to the people here.

Thought you guys would enjoy the photos from last week's baptism. We are still working on getting Maria's mom married and baptized. She is a great lady, and I know it will happen. Also have a fun picture of Elder Vanden Bosch and I in the work visit that we did. I got to work for him for an entire day in his area, which is a really cool country place full of farms and stuff. I am holding up our favorite Peruvian chocolate bar, Wazzu, and he is holding up some DELICIOUS dill pickle flavored sunflower seeds from home.

You guys are all awesome! Can't believe I will be seeing you all in one short year.

Much love
Trace

Alto Mochero, Forever

Dear family

Changes came...and I AM STILL HERE IN ALTO MOCHE. Yep, I can't really believe it either, but I will be training a new missionary, supposedly, and I will be doing it here. He is going to come tomorrow though, so at least it's for sure this time. I really am shocked that I'm staying here for more time, but President said that he has received council to keep missionaries in areas for longer time periods. Following the Lord I'm sure!!

Yes, both the packages were from you guys and No, the shoe box did NOT get smashed!!! Thank you so much for everything, especially the Texas tie and tshirt!!! They are both so cool. I even wore my Texas tie to the baptism that we had, and everybody commented on how great it looked. It is easily the prettiest tie I have. I also LOVED all the chips!!"! Seriously, every single kind is so delicious. I am also intrigued by the Dorito tube looking things, though I'm trying to save the best for last. Your packages are always the best of any other missionary's.

Running a bit low on time here, but just wanted to tell you that Maria did get baptized! We are so excited for her and working with her mom so she can get married and baptized too. We also have a great big family now that we are teaching and are VERY excited for. Pray for them!!

Love you all
Trace

PS Happy late birthday Ryan! You are still the man.

PPS I actually have photos this time but the computer is Peruvian and isn't letting me see them. I'll definitely send them next week.

Conference Fun!

Fam!

How was conference? I definitely LOVED it, especially because this year I got to see it in English! Such a blessing. Spanish translators can only do so much, especially when it comes to personal stories and jokes. I especially loved President Eyring's and President Monson's talks on Sunday morning. I actually kinda felt like Joseph Smith after having received the First Vision...so much spiritual learning in such a short time period (I saw all 5 sessions, Saturday and Sunday), that I was basically sapped for strength at the end, even after having just sat in a chair all day. Can't believe that they will be building another temple in Peru (let's hope that speeds up the progress of the one here in Trujillo), and that the missionaries will now be leaving at 18 and 19 years old.

Had an awesome experience that I thought I should share with you all this week. We had an amazing lesson with an older lady named Ofelia, who is listening to us with her 10 year old daughter, Maria. Ofelia can't read, and so giving her the Book of Mormon and inviting her to start reading was a very tough moment for her. However, she faithfully enlisted her daughter to read to her at least 1 chapter every day, and Maria has kept up the pace. We asked her this week if she had prayed to know if the Book was true, and she exclaimed promptly, "Oh Elders, I KNOW it's true! Even though I haven't been able to read a single word for myself, when I prayed and asked God I felt so good inside, that I can barely describe the feeling to you. I know with all my heart it is true." I almost burst into tears to be honest, seeing the great faith of this woman. She couldn't read the Book of Mormon herself, but the fact that she took the time and effort to get her daughter to read it to her was amazing. I know that God saw that effort and has blessed her with a strong testimony of the book because of that. By the way, Maria will be getting baptized this Saturday, and we are working to get Ofelia married so that she can enter the waters of baptism too.

President Turk has challenged us all to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year, and I want to invite you guys to do the same. I too know this book is true, and that it changes lives. I hope you will always remember that there are people out there who don't know what we know, and simply need an invitation to do so. Share the Book of Mormon with someone today!

I love you all. Sorry that there aren't any pictures this week!
Trace

Craziness

Hello all!

First, I know you are probably tired of just seeing baptism pictures, but they are definitely the coolest part of the mission (and the reason why we are here), and what's more, at least this one was inside at a different place! You can actually see a little bit of what the inside of the chapel looks like in Alto Moche, Peru.

Anyways, this week was pretty dang crazy! I got emergency changed into a district leader, since our district leader, Elder Cerpa, got bumped up to be a zone leader. Being a DL basically means that I am in charge of two different areas, and basically supervise the work that is going on over there with the other missionaries. It is fun, because they are both my friends and we all get along great. Stuff isn't too different to be honest, but at least I have some new interesting responsibilities and whatnot!

Haven't gotten anything yet in terms of your packages, but I will definitely be on the lookout! I can't believe I have almost a year already...it sure has passed by super fast. Time flies.

The young woman we baptized in the picture is named Melissa. She is super awesome, and simply chose to get baptized due to a friend who referred her to us! Never forget how powerful your testimony can be to family members and friends! This girl chose to enter the waters of baptism due to just such a testimony.

My new comp should be arriving from the UNITED STATES this week! I am so excited that I will have a gringo once again. There will be lots of things to talk about and lots of updates that he will have to give me on what's going on in my home country.

Miss you and love you all!
Trace