Week 1 in Peru

Hola

We will start with the flight to Peru. I met Elder Smart and rode next to him to Atlanta. From Atlanta it was down to Peru. A great flight. Slept and ate the airplane food. It was good. It is now 12:30 when we arrive to Peru. I have stepped off the plane and am in line for visa. They start speaking and I just cry inside and say si. That is Monday.

Tuesday: spent the day doing legal things and getting a card that says I'm a resident for two years. Very basic day but still don't know Spanish and just look lost. After the legal they drop us off at the airport for Trujillo and the other places some elders may be serving. Since it was a group of us. So, we are there and again Spanish is very minimal and we can teach lessons that's about the only Spanish we got. We don't have our luggage and from what I understand is that it’s on the way so I don't worry. Later comes around and arrives another group of Elders. In that group is Elder Robinson. So, I got to experience the airport with him. We don't get our luggage until an hour before our flight. It was a lot of laughs.

Wednesday: It is orientation and meet your companion. He is from Cuzco Peru, and his English is minimal like my Spanish. During orientation they ask us to contact five people. That was a moment. I started with hola, we have a message then my companion took over. Then from Trujillo was to my first area. Paijan, it's a nice place. I can't speak the language but I love the people.

Thursday, Friday: Nothing special. Went out and taught families or at least sat there and tried to pick up on the Spanish. Wake up at 7:15 go for a run and then get ready for the day. Then it was out to teach and study times. Then bedtime at 11:30. The days get busy.

Saturday: Start like every other day and just like every day but went to la playa (beach). It's in part of my area. Tried fish again and it was good. Saw the beach. It was beautiful and amazes me every time. (coming from landlocked Severance, Colorado)

Sunday: One more day to go. I know it is long but it was a packed week. Showed up to church and again no Spanish. From what I got is bishop asks me to bear my testimony and if I can bless the sacrament. That was fun to do and new.  That was my week.

Matthew  10:39 If we forget about ourselves and do what Christ will like us to do and serve him. We will find a purpose.

While reading I was shown this other scripture that can summarize the blessings and why it is good to be here. Mark 10:29-30

His camera doesn't have the correct date, but here are a couple pictures.  The other pictures didn't come through correctly...

Elder Cormack

Safe

Just heard from Jake...

Querido Madre, Yo made it to Peru and all good. It has been a great experience. I've learned that i need a lot more spanish and the first months will be rough. My companion doesn't speak much english and is a native from Peru. Just saying I made it and I will talk to you more monday which is the new P day. Oh I also contacted 5 people already and that's when I learned my spanish is mal.  

Adios Madre. I love you all. 

Atlanta to Lima

At the airport

Elder Burnside's dad sent this to us from his neighbor who also happened to be flying out of SLC today.

Update: Just got another picture

He's on his way

Monday November 11, 2019

Jake checked out of the MTC at 4:45am.  He is on his way to Atlanta and then Lima,Peru!

I'm afraid this is going to be another emotional day for me.  I didn't sleep well last night thinking about Jake leaving today for Peru...  

• Will he make all the bus/trains transfers? 
• Will he know what to do when he gets to the airport?  
• Will he eat when he gets to the airport like I told him so he won't get a headache?  
• Will he make his connecting flight? 
• Did he pack everything?  
• What did he forget?  
• When will I know he made it?
• Is he ready?  I'm not ready!  
• The list goes on and on...

I am so thankful for the tender mercies all around us.  The first thing I saw this morning was a picture - Meilanie ran into Jake this morning at the bus stop as he left the MTC.  This is exactly what I needed.  As always, Jake is smiling and ready to conquer whatever comes his way.  I'm sure he wasn't thinking about anything I was worrying about.

posted by mom

Last Week in the Good Ol' United States of America

Note:  Jake has miscellaneous Spanish words through out this week’s email.  I added the English word for ya.

This is my last week in the good ol' United States of America. This week is gonna start with Sunday. We had fast and testimony meeting and then it was a mission conference oh how fun. It was a recap of past conference talks from the General Conference I saw in the MTC. After that we went on a temple walk as a zone and it was very beautiful and fun. After was classes. went and learned about faith and repentance some more. Went to choir that Sunday. It was the song Joseph Smith's First Prayer. It was just a practice. Went to dinner, same thing I have been eating for the last six weeks. I'm ready for a difference in comida (food).

We then had a Devotional from George Durrant a former MTC president. Very funny speaker. He had so many jokes but they all taught something in them. One thing he said that I loved was "Sometimes the lord makes the most handsome guys shy".  I can see myself as shy at times. The other part I liked from him was when he was ending and said I hope to see you again and that's in the Celestial kingdom. It was so funny. He then kept going and said that we don't have to be perfect and just try our best. And while here at the MTC I've learned it's about trying. He taught many things.

Monday was nothing special; more class and TRC. It was just another fun day.

Tuesday was a very good dia (day). I'll say that there was a General Authority and come back to him. Started with class and kept waiting around. Elder Anderson got his flight plans and I kept worrying about mine and wondering why long. Then we went to more Choir practice same song and it was so spiritual and beautiful. It reinforces my testimony that Joseph Smith couldn't make up the Book of Mormon and he had the power of God in him.

Now back to the General Authority… it was Dieter F. Utchdorf! It felt like a dream at times. He was amazing and taught us about success and the key is to control what you can. Very simple and powerful. It was so spiritual and loving. The vibe of the room couldn't be felt anywhere else. It was that cool!

Wednesday was more classes and another TRC.  It was the same person as last week and it was going so well. Taught about the Gospel of Jesucristo (Jesus Christ) and she said she wants to follow his example because of many blessings. You know what that brings up and we asked if she would follow his example and be baptized. We first got a no. But we asked why and what we can do. And she wants to know more and feel ready. We promised her she would be ready. So she said okay when I feel like it. So it was a maybe and that's great.

Thursday was class again and the last TRC for the MTC. We taught her The Plan of Salvation and used the wood object lesson pieces and it was divertido (fun). That's the majority of that day.

Last Friday and it was sad since it was the last time we got to see the teachers. We talked about the mission fields and how we can do better. It was a class of saying goodbye and finishing up some last minute things. It has been great here at the MTC and lots of learning. I am gonna miss it, but ready for the next step.

Love, Elder Cormack 

El Libro De Mormon

Hola, Madre. I am awake early so I can go to the temple earlier…

Sunday, we had a devotional from President Rahlf and he talked about why our church is different than others. It was a good devotional.

Then Monday we had classes again. Played soccer every day of the week even if it was cold. Nothing big on Monday just more learning about the language. Some of the Mong elders left sporadically through Monday and Tuesday. I had TRC on Monday and it went okay. The Spanish is better and easier to talk.

Tuesday was class in the morning. Then a devotional that night. Elder Basset of the Seventy came to speak. His talk was really good. One of his points was get up and keep working and that you will forget the hard times. Love the people you serve. In between classes and other activities, we get study time. During study time I read in the Book of Mormon and starting the Old Testament. What I remember about the old testament was the children's book. It is way nicer than what actually is happening.

Wednesday was class again. More Spanish was learnt. And the English is slipping. TRC again and this time wasn't so good. We asked what she wanted to learn and she had said all of it. That is good for us so we start talking about lesson 1. After TRC we got feedback and she said we didn't teach to what she needed. That was a bit hard to hear. We got more districts for our zone. Most are English speaking or tagalong.

Thursday came around and it was Halloween. Some Elders from my district and another Elder from the Polish district dressed as the Ninja Turtles. Meaning we wore ties that correspond to the turtle. Went to class again. TRC one last time for the week. I asked her about any specific questions to help with understanding and it seemed to go a lot better. Kept studying en el libro de Mormon.

Friday finally came and it was P-day eve! We learned about the Word of Wisdom in Spanish. La palabras de Sabiduría es muy importante porque we like to be healthy. The morning class was bueno. After that was lunch and study time. Read about the garden of Eden and then we had exercise time.  

After exercise time we just sat around for a while and relaxed. That is when the district started getting flight plans. Except for me, my companero, and Elder Anderson. We are still waiting for them. So, it may be Monday. But I also heard that you don't know about visa till Thursday and they just plan it out for you getting your visa. It is all good and things are going to work out for the great. Then it was the last class before p-day. It went by quickly and then bedtime. Watched the new El Libro De Mormon video. Es muy bueno. 

That's my week.

Elder Cormack

Happy Halloween

Sorry - we got distracted watching the Oregon Ducks throttle USC.  Here is a quick post from Halloween.  Tomorrow we'll get the weekly letter posted.