Week 69: Christmas

Hey everybody,

This week was super awesome. Monday night my comp and I went Christmas caroling for about 2 hours. Just went singing hymns to the members and our investigators. It was actually a super spiritual experience to see the faces of everybody we sang to light up! 

A super crazy thing happened. We were in a lesson with our investigator named Daniela (which is her middle name, everybody here in Huangala goes by their middle name not their first name). And I offered the opening prayer. And I don't know why because I know her name was Daniela but in the prayer I used the name Diana. And instead of saying Daniela I said Diana. And at the end my companion asked her, is your name Daniela or Diana. And she said both. Diana is her first name and but goes by Daniela her second name. But she had never told us her first name. It was super crazy we were all super surprised! 

Also this week we did service 2 times in the banana farms! We went with the members Friday morning and today. We just cut branches for over an hour with machetes. And it was super fun! Just hacking away at branches for hours, it was like I was a ninja! The only problem is that I got a big blister on my hand, and my entire body is sore from the work! But it was awesome! We plan to do more service soon. So today my companion  and I bought our own machetes to do work! They were 15 soles each so like 4 bucks!  

Also just so you know, never sniff rubbing alcohol!

That was about it for the week! Everyday here is the best day ever!!! 

Love, 

Elder Luke Gruber

Week 68: Santa Claus

Hey everybody,

Hope you all have had the bestest week ever! Things here in Huangala have been great. The highlight of the week was probably Saturday night. We had a zone activity in Sullana where I dressed up as Santa Claus in a super busy park. Then took photos with tons of people, then wrote their addresses and numbers etc. and this week we are going to pass by their houses with the photos. It was super cool! 

Sunday night a member invited our entire zone of 22 missionaries to their house for dinner. Then today we played soccer in the morning and had a white elephant gift exchange! It was fun! 

On Wednesday we had a Christmas party with our mission president, in the mission home! We played games, ate lunch, then watched a movie. Its was a new 2018  Netflix original called "The Chronicles of Christmas." If you haven't seen it I would recommend it. It was actually really good! 

That's about it for the week! The sun keeps blazing but everyday here is the best day ever!!! 

Love, 

Elder Luke Gruber

Week 67: No Water

Hey all,

This week was super bawler! Lots went down and at the same time lots of things didn't go down. Mostly water hasn't been going down. Water in Huangala has been shut off again! so we have returned to showering with buckets. Its now been 2 weeks with out water. They say they will turn on water on Christmas day for 2 hours then shut it off again! 

I went down, we were playing soccer today, I boot the ball hard but another elder puts his leg in the way and bounces back and nails me straight in the eye! I couldn't open my eye for 5 minutes, and now it is swollen and wont open up all the way! so that was fun. We will see how it goes! 

Lots of food went down. We went to Piura today and I ate a full Papa Johns BBQ chicken pizza with a Carmel venti blended cream and cinnamon rolls! I am still stuffed and have a stomach ache! 

Also this week I did 20 push ups Saturday morning and I am still sore. I am super out of shape! 

A member gave me advice, he said, "if you don't want to get fat don't drink lots of water, water puts on fat". He said I should limit the water I drink! 

I woke up yesterday and knelt down to offer morning companionship prayer. I started off slow because I was super tired. Then after like 3 sentences I fell asleep and for about 5 minutes I was sleeping and my companion just waited thinking I was meditating. I woke up super confused and I had no idea if I finished praying or not. My companion had a good laugh. 

That's about it for the week! The sun is super super super hot here! I have returned to be a human water fountain. All the members and investigators laugh and always point out all the sweat on my forehead. But everyday here is the best day ever!

Love,

Elder Luke Gruber

Week 66: Staying in Huangala

Hey all, 

So on Saturday we got the call for transfers and it ends up that I am staying here in Huangala another transfer! It surprised both my comp and I a lot because we both thought I was going! I was super happy to stay but he was super super super sad to leave. Also all the members cried a lot saying good bye, as if their own kid was leaving on the mission. It was crazy sad. But I'll be here another 6 week which will include Christmas. My new companion is Elder Diaz from Lima, Peru. He has the same amount of time in the mission as me. 

Also this Sunday was voting day again here in Peru so all church was shut down. It was super weird not to go to church. 

Also for the entire month of December we have family home evening every single night! With different families! They have been tons of fun! We have been getting lots of references and finding new people to teach! Also we always try to play games and laugh with the people! 

That's about it for the week, not much else happened. Just lots of work! Seeing the lords hand a lot in the work here! big things are happening, praying for lots of miracles this transfer! 

I love and miss you all!

Love, 

Elder Luke Gruber

Also we have this family of investigators, its a mom with 2 daughters one 14 and one 9. Their dad abandoned them and they live alone, we have been getting really close with them and they are progressing really well. And one day the 9 year comes to me and says ¨Elder Gruber you are basically my new dad." And now all the members tease me saying that I'm a dad. Then the members on Saturday told the 9 yr old that I got transferred and they said she cried for over an hour. 

Week 65: Sweet and Salty Night

Hey all, 

This week was super awesome, but it flew by faster than Usain Bolt. Its crazy that it is already December! Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we had service painting and cleaning a house, it was fun. Then on Saturday was the world wide day of service. So as a ward we set up a table in a park and handed out hot chocolate and panaton (bread with chunks of fruit and raisins), sang hymns and talked with people! It was lots of fun! Also Thursday night we had a Sweet and Salty night, where everybody made a different food and we came together and ate and played games, it was fun and we were able to get lots of references! I made waffles and my companion made cheese empanadas. That was basically it for the entire week! Just been out here grinding and working! This Sunday we wont have church because Peru has elections again, and next Monday are transfers and I have a feeling this will be my last week in Huangala. I want to stay so bad because I love this area and all the members here! Everyday here is the best day ever! 

Love, 

Elder Luke Gruber

 

 Also here in Huangala there is no trash service, so every other Saturday we carry our trash to the edge of town and burn it! Its not very Eco friendly, but its all good, I know you guys recycle! 

Week 64: Thanksgiving Chicken

Hey all, 

So this week was super awesome but super busy. It flew by super fast! We were only in our area for about 50% of the week, with multi zone in Piura, interviews with our president, Thanksgiving lunch, and other meetings. It also meant we spent a lot of time in cars, buses and motos. My comp and I were both super wiped so today all we did was just lay in bed and sleep/rest. 

Our Thanksgiving was pretty cool, we got together as a zone (22 missionaries) and we ate a chicken with Doritos with soda and fruit lunch. Then a member made us a Peruvian apple pie. It was super delicious, but not anywhere close to American good. That's about it for this week! Just lots of hard work and hot sun! Everyday here is the best day ever!! 

Love, 

Elder Luke Gruber