¡Feliz Año!

Dear family and friends,

Feliz año nuevo! So here in Perú, New Years is a bigger deal than Christmas.  They go all out for their New Years party!  Lots of fireworks at midnight, lots of food and alcohol, and lots of noise! Much like Christmas, Elder Fernandez and I went to bed at 10:30, only to be waken up by the all the fireworks at 12:00.  We turned on the light, rushed up on the roof, and took in the scene.  It´s pretty neat actually, all sorts of fireworks in all directions.  Then the next morning it´s dead! Haha no cars, no noise, just lots of garbage in the streets.  That is, until about 3:00 or 4:00, until they start up again.  Our church now starts at 2:00 in the afternoon, and we had a less-than-average attendance haha.

I went on an interchange this past week with an Elder Diaz from Lima.  He´s 25, was baptized at 19, is a concert piano player, and is a really super solid guy.  I loved just being with him and working super hard in his area! We also found a family that seems pretty cool which was a fun thing.

We had, at one point, four investigators that we thought could be baptized.  One of them moved to another area, one of them won´t come to church anymore because the schedule change conflicts with her work, one of them won´t give up his beliefs about the Holy Ghost and how it´s recieved or given, and so we´re left with one! Daniela.  She went to a baptismal service two or three weeks ago and described it as "feeling sacred," which really got her thinking about her own baptism.  We have a soft date for January 21, so we´re gonna work super hard with her so she can be ready for that day! 

For the first time in my mission, I studied in Spanish today.  Not really to focus on language skills, but because reading in a different language makes you see things you didn´t see before! Every word counts.  It´s weird, but I did it to change things up a little bit.  As I was studying 3 Nephi 12, I came accross this verse in D&C 103: "For they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men; And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as salt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men."  Wow! Covenant makers are set to be the saviors of men! The church wasn´t just established to be attended, but to save the children of men! If we just fall into our routine of going to church and the activities, without trying to save men, the church doesn´t serve it´s purpose! So invite your friends and spread the gospel! :)

Love you all, happy New Year! Talk to ya next week!

Love, Elder Hart 

This is what happens when you combine two aspects of the culture here.  Tons of fireworks on New Years, and lack of parental supervision.  Crazy! The owner of the car wasn´t even in town and didn´t even find out until a week later when the neighbors sent him a pic!