Huanuco, Peru

I tried to find some pictures on line. There was some celebrations on U-Tube, but no pictures. I think that Huanuco is off to the left in the distance in the river picture. In the videos it shows Huanuco sitting on the side of the mountain with the river below. Huanuco sits quite pretty atop the river valley and terraced farm hills.

letter of 4-21-08

4-21-08

Huanuco is cool. It is a chill town. It is not huge but pretty big. It reminds me of Cedar. Everyone here is Catholic, everyone!! On Saturday and Sunday the streets are empty cause everyone is in church. You can hear them, “Oh Jesus son of Mary”. It makes contacting kind of tough.
People here are really in love with 3 things. It is so terrible almost all investigators have problems with chastity, drugs and drinking even 12 year olds! I have seen men literally fall on their face trying to walk home from the bar, no joke!
Huanuco is the motorcycle of the world. You always see couples on them. City parks and corners are like make out spots. Most people we contact have to stop kissing before we can talk with them. “free love” I will have to admit the motorcycle thing does look way fun cruising through the pretty down town. Huanuco is very pretty in places.
They have big churches in the downtown central too. We like to ride the 3 wheel machines occasionally.
2 hours away from here is a big drug trafficking area, Tico Maria. We are not allowed to go their only native missionaries can work in that area.
Please keep me in your prayers; I am right on the brink of conquering the language. I need divine help! P-days rock. It is fun to be with the other companions.
Your Son Elder Rogers

Road to Huanaco

5/11/08 Written letters are so slow. We just got this letter yesterday in the snail mail. The email letter on the blog of 4-8-08 tells of this adventure, but this picture is so cute I had to put it up.

First Baptism 3-9-08

Today we had the wonderful opportunity to baptize 6 people. We completed a couple of families. One family had not been to church in a while and we baptized their 16 yr. old daughter and 12 yr. old son and brought them back to church. I baptized the 16 yr. old and another little boy named Jepson. It was a wonderful experience for me my first baptism. We have been working on these 6 the last 3 weeks and today was the day. We went up the hill and got all the families and kids and took them to church.
After church we had the baptism. My little guy got scared when he was in the water because it was freezing and up to his neck! He was all smiles after words! It was a great day for those 6 and me as a missionary. I felt the spirit so strong.

Pictures from Jon's first area in Lima, Peru

These are some pictures from Jon's first area.

To make the images bigger double click on the picture.

letter from Jon 4-8-08

4/8/08



My dear mother and father family and friends, I am in Huanuco a mountain town high in the Andes mountains and I love it.. Early last week I got transferred to a province shipped out on a bus for 9 hours. I was so scared and anxious. I traveled on the highest freeway in the world through the Andes with three other Latinos. The area is 15000 feet above sea level. The bus ride was so crazy! We drove right by Cerro de Pasco, the highest city in world, and I saw llamas and little old ladies in cowboy hats just like national geographic. It was exciting and so foreign. We were at 15,000 feet and people were literally up-chucking everywhere. I prayed the whole time and only had a little headache. Altitude sickness didn’t bother me and still doesn’t. I’m really blessed. It was a crazy trip. We were literally 6 inches from cliffs in this bus plus the driver dude had road rage! I am here in Huanuco with my new companion, Elder Hamoani from Arequipa. He is good guy who wants to work hard!!!!
Dad and Mom, I’m ok!! It’s no secret I’ve been through absolute hell in my old area and with my old companion--- he was such a punk! Now I am in the mountains and it’s so pretty. We live above a family in a cement box house and they are really nice. The food is better too!
I want to be the best I can. I can literally feel the Lord leading me by the hand and directing my life and in this mission. It is inspirational and I know this mission is molding me into the man God and I want to be, fast. I’m growing up so much and have been through really hard times but I’m doing great and I am happy and I know the Lord is with me every step of the way.
I have built my faith on my savior Jesus Christ and I will not and cannot fall.
The day I got here I was one of three white dudes and this way nice kid helped me learn the ropes and things and now I’m doing so good! Everything is good, my new comp and the area and this new kid and me have lots of fun. He is old, but that I have grown to really like him and I’ll give you a hint he doesn’t have a tooth? .....You got it Elder Birdsall-take 2. hehe Yep two nebies/greenies up in the mountains. haha I love Huanuco, its so pretty like Germany and Hawaii and it has perfect weather. It is a little frigid at night and when I shower (woof !). But I’m happy and my zone leader is the bomb and Elder Birdall and me have lots of good times! We buy salchi papas hot dogs and potatoes to survive and I’m happy.
I’m sorry the next couple letters that you get might be hard to read because it was so hard for me. The days were so rough. I am fine now, and I can do this! I’m gaining weight and I’ve only been here for 5 days,.
We are in an area that hasn’t had missionaries. We are opening this area my companion and me. I am a new Elder, sometimes I don’t know what Pres. Lindstrom is thinking giving us so much responsibility and trust, but I will do my best.
I really have loved the last week its completely different in provinces and I couldn’t be happier. Thanks for all wonderful mail. I try to make every letter a little care package for you mom.
I am in the mountains and its crazy mail. It still comes every week and the same address. My new comp is chill, everything about this new area is for me and I thank the Lord everyday. I feel like I have broken through my first wall. Be happy for me!
I will send pictures of this place. You will all love it!
I had opportunity to listen to one and one half sessions in English what a tender mercy!! My favorite talk was the one on prayer by Elder Bednar. Oh how wonderful! I loved it and I liked the last talk of President Monson and also Elder Ballard’s talk before that on mothers. I thought of my sweet mother. I love conference and that powerful talk by Elder Zwick wow . Conference was really special for a tender mercy for me!
I know you were probly all thinking of me and i was thinking of you too! Muah—(Ani told me this word means kiss) my heart burns for you all thanks!
I forgot to say happy b-day to you dad! Happy B-day! I love you and way to go Clint, wow you’re a stud! (He is saying congratulations to Clint. Clint won the Outstanding Young Engineering Professional of the Year for the Utah Water and Environmental Association) I know the Lord has blessed you Clint and Dad. You have a good life course and you do good service and I want to be just like you.
I’m in the jungles and I couldn’t be happier. Don’t be sad mom! Your sonshine is fine! “ They ain’t nothing going to break my stride …ain’t nothing going to bring me down,” …. I will try to be more positive and have good attitude. I feel so blessed with the way everything is right now. Look up Huanaco on Internet. I’m here with a big river and green mountains. I love you all and will talk to you next week.
I know this church is so true. I can feel spirit flowing through me. God and Jesus live here with me everyday! Love your son Elder Jon Rogers

3-24-08

Hey mom and dad ,
This is your son down in Peru thanks so much for fun emails and wonderful
letters. I’m glad you had a good time and got a taste of what I deal with everyday. I’m also glad you had fun last night for Easter. I was thinking about you
I’m so sorry for email last week the server was down and it didn’t work I tried so hard mom. It shut down after that sentence I tried writing. I am here now and everything is alright. I will email next Monday as well. We didn’t get any cards or email this week. It’s been tough but I will be patient. I pray you get my letters let me know. I love little blogs to catch me up every week. I read a few last week and that was good. I understand its hard with one way thing but know I read it all. I’m just happy to get it. I will try always to let you know how I am.
This last two weeks has been extremely hard on me and difficult I’m having a hard time with my companion and I let Pres. Lindstrom know but nothing is changing he is so mean to me and I’m just lonely and we aren’t doing what we need to. I will never give up but he is really disobedient and says hurtful things about kylee and fam cause I guess he likes putting me down. I don’t know what to do some days and with the diarrhea and my comp not wanting to do what we should. I’ve had comp study 3 times since being in the field. I know this is a test for me so please keep me in your prayers some days aren’t so bad, but I’m glad to hear things are going good.
Thanks so much mom and dad Clint fam. Tell everyone I love them so much. I went to temple last week and had a good long prayer for all my loved ones and to help me get through these hard times. I feel like cast away some days like no one knows what is going on with me but the Lord does so I will try to be positive always. Don’t worry about the mail, or email I write every week. I love you mom and dad fam. I know sometimes there is technical difficulties but have faith and stay positive. I’m here and I love you. I’m trying too. Thanks so much for everything. I’m looking forward to next week should be a good week for mail. I love you. I will go on in this great cause. love your son Elder Rogers