Happy Birthday Justin!!

Justin's birthday is tomorrow. Twenty years old!! I hope he has a good day. We'll have to wait and see if he got eggs cracked over his buzzed head of hair! His mom and dad sent him a couple of birthday packages that he received already. He is waiting for the official day to open them. Mom baked him a giant cookie with 20 written on the top with M&M's. Something home baked. He should enjoy it! We also sent him a calendar with pictures of his family and some more treats. He should enjoy it all we hope.

One of his companions in the CCM, Elder Carpenter, is living in the same house with him. He is the district leader in San Clemente, the area 10 minutes away. "In the zone we now have 5 gringos and 7 Latins." I"ll ask Justin where all the gringos are from.

Justin and Elder Gil had two baptisms this past week. "Mario Oscad who is dying and another lady Mari who got married Friday morning to get baptized." They are also getting another family ready, the Quispe family.

Elder Evans, Mari and Elder Gil.

Elder Evans, Mario and Elder Gil.

Group picture!

"Thursday we are going to build a house for this lady we are teaching. Or it's more like a straw hut. Hers fell in the earthquake and she doesn't really have a place to sleep and gets really cold outside at night so we are going to go try to build one in a couple of hours. I am going to organize it all and find all the materials and everything and one of the members is going to come to tell us how to do it. I'll take some pictures." Sounds like they are able to keep doing some great service every week. In mom and dad's email, Justin wrote that he will pay for it and it will cost around $75.00. Seventy five dollars for a home she will be so grateful for. Amazing!

Building day.....

The missionaries doing good things...... service!

The house is finished. Humble abode.

A peek inside the home.

Vicki (the one in the hat) in her new home.

Good work Justin!

Justin wrote that the Peruvians think that being out in the cold or the change in the climate or drinking a really cold beverage will give you a cold. "They also think that if you are really hot and sweating and you drink a ice cold drink that you WILL die. No questions asked. They always freak out when I do it (drink an ice cold drink). I tell them it has to be in their Peruvian blood because everyone does it in the states. They are content with that answer. It is puzzling. .... I will probably never figure out their logic."

He still hasn't heard anything about going back to Bolivia. He said his president didn't say anything about it in his zone conference and he didn't have a chance to ask to ask him. In a letter we received today he said he was a little overwhelmed by the news. "I wouldn't mind staying here (out of Lima of course) in Lima Sur for 6 more months. Do a 50/50 in Bolivia and Peru. But we'll see what the Lord has in store." It's good he has come to love the new area in which he serves. His heart is wherever he serves.

Justin is still working with the ward mission leaders and members teaching them the lessons. Each one is going out with them for at least one hour and they are going out to visit the converts and less active on their own. He says it is going real well. In his letter he said, "What I've seen, most converts here within a period of two weeks stay active or go inactive. They reach the fork in the road quickly. Elder Eduardo Govarret (the visiting seventy) told us, we aren't going to make sure they are converted because a conversion is something that can take all of your life, just that they are ready to start the process. He also said it's not our fault that the retention rate is low. Which is true. The members and bishopric should care more."

Summer is coming to an end there. He said it is cooling off a little, but it is still "way hot." When our summer comes, it'll be cold there. He said around 12 degrees celcius. He has no idea what that is like because he doesn't know what celcius temperatures are like. He doesn't think it gets as cold as here back home in freezing Southern California!

He has finally gotten rid of the fleas. Hoorah! He bought a can of Raid that did the job. Now if they keep the rat out of their home, all will be well on the homefront!

Justin said his reading of the Spanish Book of Mormon is going well. "Still in 1 Nephi. It's not too hard to understand because I already know the story and I can put the words I don't know into context. I have a little notebook to write down the words I dont know though."

Justin also mentioned that today the general presidents of the relief society, primary and young women are there in Pisco and are going to their chapel in La Villa. "I don't know why. I guess we'll see. We are going to play soccer and volleyball. Have fun celebrating my birthday, I'll let you know how it goes. Love you guys." Tomorrow our family is going to a local Peruvian restaurant to celebrate Justin's birthday! Gram and Gramps Evans are coming to celebrate with us. We'll end it with Justin's favorite birthday cake and send him the pictures of his party! Happy 20th birthday my baby!