June 25, 2012 - Week 30 something!

Mom and Dad,

Hey wow guys it sounds like you are keeping pretty busy! Mom thanks for that quote from the Prophet! I love that quote.  Its in Preach my Gospel and its one of my favorites and really comforting.  And what a cool story from Brock. What a stud.  I can´t believe he is about to come home in August. I can remember when he left.  And Dad it sounds like you are tearing it up in Arkanasas with Michael.  I wish I could go back there so bad and see everything.  Arkansas sounds like quite the place.  Maybe when I get home I can go check it out.  Oh and did you activate my debit card by chance???

This last week has been pretty good.  I didhave the oppertunity to eat some crazy food this week.  First the awesome lady named Teresa cooked up this cow stomach stuff which didn´t look too good.  Its like white with weird looking texture like the sucion cup on an octopus and on man the smell was horrible.  she is like you probably won´t like it and you don´t have to eat it if you don´t want to.  So anyways I took one bite and my gosh it was one of the grossest things I have eaten.  I was so strong and I couldn´t do it.  She was really nice about it and laughed luckily.  She has other food prepared so it was all good.  Then the next day we go to lunch and the lady cooks up cow heart!  I was like wow I have the craziest luck this week...  So I decided to try and to be honest it was actually pretty good!!  I didn´t mind it and actually ate more of it.  Its kind of weird and if you think about it too much its kind hard to eat. But not too bad.  But yeah that was interesting. 

Things are going pretty good here in Fabian Onsari.  Its pretty cool because there are a lot of paraguayans here and my companion can speak in Guareny perfectly and so a lot of the time he talks in Guareny with them.  Some of them don´t know spanish very well so he talks to them in Guareny.  I just listen but I don´t understand what hes saying.  Some words are simillar to spanish but the majority no.  Its kind of fun to listen to though.  Also here there are people from Africa that sell like watches and stuff and one day we were talking to the guy and he told us that he speaks french in Africa where he lives.  It was kind of interesting.  He was a nice guy but he didn´t know a ton of spanish.  Its an interesting place.

This last Saturday we were in our church and all of a sudden I heard like a ton of gun shots and I was like what in the world is going on!? I thought maybe there was a gun fight or something.  There was so many gun shots.  Turns out a soccer team had won and everyone was just celebrating. haha Gotta love it.

Today for P day I went out to lunch at this pizza place with some other elders.  I was with an elder who actually sat next to me on the plane on the ride over here to Argentina.  It was cool to talk about everything that has happened since we have been here.  Can you believe I have been in Argentina already for 6 months???  Wow time flies when you are having fun I guess. haha 

Anyways everything is going here I guess!!  Well I love you guys a ton!! I hope everything is going well I wish you all the best!!!   Hasta luego!! :D

con amor x 64 zillion

Elder Peck

June 19, 2012 - Thanks for everything!!!

Mom and Dad!

 

Hey you guys are the best!!! I opened up the packages I got from you guys and grandma and grandpa.  I love everything you got me! The ties, peanut butter, cups, gummy snacks, pictures of Christ, and the pencil refils!! Everything I needed!  And can you thank grandma and grandpa peck for the tie and blankets?? I love the blow up tie they gave me and I am totally wearing that next district meeting. haha  Also I have been thinking about taking my raft out to the lake all week! I can´t wait to use it.

 

Well I had quite the birthday experience here this week.  I´ll start with the begining, in the morning after opening my packages we studied and went out and worked in the morning and then for lunch we ate at a members house but I didn´t tell them it was my birthday. I didn´t really want to tell them.  But anyways after we went to the church and prepared everything for a BAPTISM!!!!!  We filled up the font and everything.  Then we went back to our pension to change..  Anyways on my birthday I had the opertunity to baptize this 19 year old kid named Cristian Contana.  It was seriously so awesome!!  He is such a stud and was really hesitant to get baptized at first but we baptized his sisters and his parents are members.  But anyways it was kind of like baptizing one of my friends.  I was super excited.

 

Anyways after the awesome baptism we changed and everything to do some service because we had ward conference sunday and anyways I guess the tradition here is when its your birthday they throw eggs at you and throw flour all over ya and I wasn´t an exception...I knew it was coming but still I got eggs smashed on my head and flour thrown on me hahahaha.  I will try to send some pictures. It was pretty funny.  I definitely won´t forget my birthday here. haha 

 

Then after cleaning the church up really good I went over to Cristian´s house because his mom wanted to have a cake and stuff for my birthday and for Cristina too.  So we went over there and she made pizza and empinadas and they gave me a cake and everything!!!  It was really cool and they gave me a trick candle I couldn´t blow out.  It was pretty cool.  I felt really good and loved.  Its a pretty awesome ward.  Oh yeah my branch is now a ward!  So yeah thats pretty cool.  I have never eaten so much food in my life this weekend by the way.

 

Then on sunday (yesterday) Teresa, the lady I baptized, made me a cake as well and they all signed a card for me.  So that was pretty cool again.  It was definitely not the birthday I am used to but I had a good time.  It was weird not having Lacy there with me to celebrate it!  I felt like its not only my birthday! haha  I did miss the usual pancakes in the morning and beeing sung to in swedish but its alright I guess for now. haha  I thought about you guys a lot on my birthday as well.

 

Anyways thats a brief overview of what happened for my birthday.  Well yeah things are going good and I am getting alone well with my companion so thats always a good thing!  He´s from Paraguay, 26 years old, recent convert, 20 months in the mission and likes to clean our pension really good. 

 

Well I hope everything is going well! Well I better go and thanks again for everything for my birthday.  Take care and I love and miss you guys!!! :D

con amor x 26 zillion,

Elder Peck

May 14, 2012 - Best family ever!

Mom and Dad,

That was so good talking to you guys yesterday!  I wish I could have talked a lot longer and told you about everything!  It was so bittersweet but it was good to see all of your faces.  I am glad that Jenny was able to come as well! She looks like she is doing well and I hope her surgery all goes well.  And Dad I wanted to tell you happy birthday yesterday but I got caught up in the moment! I know you birthday isn´t for another couple weeks but still.  And mom I hope you had an awesome mothers day yesterday as well.

Last night after I said good bye I felt really sick and I went back to our apartment and drank some hot chocolate just to throw it up.  So I decided I would just go to bed.   Then i woke up this morning and wrote in my journal and decided my body needed some rest so I went back to bed and it seemed to help a lot.  I told you I was going to write you in the morning but we had a change of plans.  Today we had a zone activity and we had like a barbeque thing which was pretty fun.  i felt a little better so I played a little football which was pretty dang fun because all they play here is soccer.  If you don´t play soccer here you´re weird.  haha It was pretty fun talking to all the kids in our zone.    But yeah i am still alive and I already told you everything about my week yesterday about the high speed chase and shots fired and everything. 

It was soo good to talk to you guys yesterday and see your faces.  I feel like I was a cry baby but it was awesome to actually see you guys and talk to you all.  Even though its hard being away from you guys I know this is where I am suppossed to be and I am having some amazing experiences here.  I love it here and maybe someday we can all come back here and visit parts of Argentina.  Man I am so blessed to have the best family in the whole wide world!  When I get back we will all have to do something together with Mike and Jennys family as well! Sorry this letter is short, I already told ya everything! haha  Well I love and miss you so much and I hope you guys have an awesome week!!  Talk to ya next monday! 

con amor X 49 zillion!
Elder Peck

May 28, 2012 - Happy Birthday Dad!!!!!!!!! 53!!!

Dad!!!

 

Happy birthday Dad!!!!!!!  I wish so bad that I could be there!!!!!  I was going to try and send a picture but these stupid computers aren´t working.  I´ll see if I can some other time.  But Dad I wish I could be there for your birthday tomorrow May 29!!   Its going to be sad not being there but I will be there in spirit.  I hope you guys are going to do something fun.  I want to get you something so bad from here!  Maybe when I get back I will be able to give it to you.

 

Man Dad I have been thinking about all the fun things we have done together and man we have had some fun.  To just name a few: Backpacking up Pine valley when I was little, sleeping in ice caves, rafting down the colorado river and flipping on the big kahuna on the snake river, sleeping at Peck Hollow with bear skat next to camp, shooting m1 Garands, eating MREs, sleeping in the Atlanta airport, going on the griffin at Busch Garden, swimming at virgina beach, swimming at pacific beach and fort bragg, backpacking for scouts with Brad,  swimming to sand hollow island, flying remote control airplanes, kayaking across sandy beach, biking all over the place including mount Everest hill and much much more!!!  Man we have had some amazing times together Dad.  I am so glad we have been able to share so many awesome experiences together.  When I get back we are going to do so much fun stuff together.  Those are just the beginning of the list of the stuff we are going to do.  I am so glad that your my Dad and my best friend!!  I am seriously so blessed to have such an awesome Dad and supportative Dad.  I´m so glad you were always there for my wrestling matches and watching me run.  Seriously that means so much to me that I can´t even describe it.  Especially now.  Thanks so much Dad and I can´t even thank you enough for all the stuff you have done for me.

 

Dad I hope you have the best birthday ever and I wish so much that I could be there to share it with you.  But just think when you turn 55 I will be able to be there with ya!  I have less than 17 months to go! Thats better than 24.  I remember as I was going through high school and middle school and even college how hard it was going to be to say good bye to you and everyone.  I remember counting down the years thinking wow I am not going to be with everyone but now I am actually doing it.  The clock is ticking down. I can´t wait to tell you all my crazy stories that are happening here in detail and hear about all the amazing things you are doing back at home.  Thanks for always keeping me updated on things and for always writing me everyweek.  I can always count on you and it makes me so happy to hear from you and everyone. 

 

I am sorry that all I can send is an email for your birthday but at least eat an extra piece a cake for me, alright?? :D  Well I better go but thanks for everything Dad I love and miss you sooo much!!!  You are my best pal thats for sure!  It is going to be soo good to see you again!!  Just don´t be in too good of shape when I get back to wrestle ya.  Take care Dad and have a happy 53rd birthday!!!

 

con much amor x 54 zillion!!!!

Elder Luke Peck

May 21, 2012 - les extraño mucho!!

Mom and Dad!

 

Hey it was so good to hear from you guys this week and in fact you guys were the only ones I recieved letters from this week so far.  Pretty crazy!  I am glad I can rely on you guys. 

 

I hope Jenny is starting to feel better that sounds pretty rough about her ankle.  I will pray for her for sure.  I wish I could have seen the eclipse too! How often does it happen??  The sky has been so gray here for days now.  Its been raining off and on.  Really kind of dreary but I don´t mind it.

 

And dad I hope your finger gets better! I remember it always locking up on you. Thats cool too that Mike had the same advice on what to do.  I hope he does good with his boards!  I have been praying a ton for him.  I am sure he will do great.

 

Well this week in Argentina has been pretty chill I guess.  We did have a baptism for a 79 year old guys named Luis.  He is such a cool guy.  He is really old and has like ulcers on his leg for like 10 years now.  Hes really skinny and old and I really feel bad for him.  It was cool to see him get baptized.  He was kind of tough to get baptized because he believed he was baptized before and didn´t need to but finally he realized he needed to be baptized.  We are pretty excited for him.  It was funny one day we went to his house this week and this lady said something to me in English and she said she knew English and was a teacher or something.  So I tried talking to her really slow so she could understand and sometimes I just talked in spanish to her so she could understand.  She was like oh English is hard for you since you have only been talking in spanish so much.  I am like yeah its hard...not.  She said she had been to salt lake and las vegas but I don´t really believe her.  She couldn´t really speak english either. haha It was pretty funny.

 

I had a crazy dream this week.  I dreamed that I was getting transferred so I was on a bus with a ton of missionaries for some reason and then the next thing I know I woke up in my bed at our old house.  My president said something happened to the bus or something like that.  But you guys were all there and I was home and everything.  It felt so real!!  It was soo good to see all of you.  But the funny thing was I was still a missionary so I went out tracting with jake Beynon and then I couldn´t talk in English!  I kept saying stuff in spanish.  It was so crazy. haha  It was so weird.  I was so confused when I woke up that next morning.  So it was good seeing you guys again! haha

 

Things are going well here and transfers are in 2 weeks so we will see what happens.  Its crazy how fast this transfer has gone.  Time is going by a lot faster I think.  I hit 7 months this week too! How cool! And Dad your birthday is next week!!  I can´t believe it!  You are going to be 53!  Thats awesome! I wish so bad I could be there! Are you guys going to do anything fun? Well I love you guys sooooo much and miss you guys like crazy!  I hope all is going well with you guys and I look forward to hearing from you next monday.  I have the best parents in the whole wide world!!  Love you guys!  Hasta luego!

con amor X 51 zillion!

Elder Peck

 

P.S. Thanks for sending my debit card! You guys are awesome!

May 7, 2012 - I will be talking to you in a week!!

Mom and Dad!!

I get to talk to you sunday!!! I am so excited!!  I miss you guys a ton! Thanks for all the stuff you are sending and for finding that collapsable cup! I know it sounds kind of weird but I have been thinking how nice it would be to have down here.  And I am really curious what the big box thing is?! haha You guys shouldn´t have gotten me anything! I have arlready recieved so much!

Also Dad I remember how fun that trip was to Virginia and Bush Gardens!   We are going to definitely do some more stuff when I get back!  Mom you need to come to bush gardens with us!  I have been missing Peck hollow and the mountains to be honest.  It is so flat here and I haven´t seen a mountain since I have gotten here.  I just want to run up a hill or something.

Okay for this week in Argentina...Well this Wednesday we had intercambiars (exchanges)  so I got to be with an Elder from Nevada for the day and got to spend the night in their pension and everything.  It was soooo awesome!!!  He is actually a younger Elder than me in the mission so it was kind of crazy for us 2 just to be on our own.  It felt good though and I felt okay with my spanish.  It felt so nice talking in English again.  I started losing my voice because I wasn´t used to talking that much.   Also they have a walmart in their area and I went in it!  After 6 months I finally got to go in a walmart! haha It was huge and felt kind of like the united states but definitely different!  They had peanut butter there but it was way expensive and it was like a knock of brand.  But still it was way cool to be in there for some reason.  I had a good visit there.  I love intercambiars so much! I didn´t want to go back ha.

Now for some more exciting news!  We had 2 baptisms this Saturday!!  Their names are Teresa and Glaribel.  Teresa is like 45 to 50ish and I got to baptize her!!  I was really excited to baptize her but I was scared I was going to mess up her name.  Her full name is Maria Teresa Librada Rivarola.  But everything went fine so it was good.  And so the next day right before sacrement when we confirm them she asked if I would confirm her!!  Usually its the branch president or his councilers that do it and its in front of the whole ward!  And so I had to hurry and figure out what I needed to say in spanish and then like 10 minutes they called us up and I confirmed her a member of la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos días.  Talk about nerve racking!!  It went well I think but holy cow I was so nervous to give her a blessing in front of our whole branch (100 people were there).  My legs were shaking but it went well.  It was my first real blessing in spanish. I always anoint with the oil but never the blessing.  It was quite the experience.  But yeah that has been my week!

Well  I am super excited to talk to you guys this week and I really hope everything works out!  I will talk to you one way or the other!!  Well I love and miss you guys so much and I wish you the best!!  I can´t wait to see your faces and hear your voices!  Hasta luego! :D

con amor X 47 zillion,

Elder Luke Peck

May 1, 2012 - Burrrrrrr where did summer go???

Mom and Dad,

It was so good to here from both of you guys!!!  Seriously thanks so much for taking the time to write me each week. I bet its kind of hard being so busy.  So thanks so much!  I miss you guys a ton!

 

When is Mothers day anyways??  I am not exactly sure when it is.  I am hoping that I will be able to call you through skype again! We are going to see if we can borrow some computers at a members house! 

 

I haven't recieved the package yet with the Jesus pictures on it.  When did you send it? It will probably take awhile before I get it.  The reason is all the mail goes to the mission offices and then it just depends when they can get it to me..  But thanks so much for sending me stuff!! I really appreciate it so much!!  

But it sounds like everything is going good at home.  Thats awesome that you are starting to get food storage and everything. How cool! Thats awesome we have room now because of the new house.  Man we are so blessed to live where we live.  Seriously here I haven't seen real carpet. Most of the time its just cement floors here and sometimes tile.  Its so crazy.  I can't wait to walk barefoot in our house on carpet!  

 

Well here it is starting to get cold!!  Like right now it feels like a cold st. george winter already.  I don't really like it haha Its so cold in the mornings! I don't have any motivation to work out anymore in the mornings. Its just too cold.  Its a really weird kind of cold though.  It isn't like slap you in the face cold but like a cold that just like creaps into your body! Its hard to describe but ah man I think its going to be a cold winter here.  Yesterday we were making lunch at like 2:00 in the afternoon and we could see our breathe in our house. haha  Luckily my missionary mall coat has been keeping me nice and warm in the street. 

 

I am getting along better with my companion even though sometimes its a struggle.  I think we are both trying to be nicer since we have 5 more weeks together.  Its getting better and I just don't let things bother me and I feel pretty happy.  My spanish is improving a lot with him which is awesome even though I still lack a lot I think.  I can understand a lot better now. 

 

Things are moving right along here in good Ol' Fabian Onzari!!  haha  I feel like I have been a missionary my whole life! Its so weird.  I wish so bad you could see this place.  I can't tell you how many times I think, "I wish my family could see this." 

 

Well I love you guys so much!!!  I hope you guys know how much I love and miss you guys!!  I seriously wish I could just talk to you guys and tell you everything!! I seriously can't wait to talk to you guys! Its going to be so awesome!!  Well I better go so take care and thanks for being the best parents in the whole wide world!!!! :D

 

Con amor X 45 caliber million

Elder Luke Peck

April 23, 2012 - Its p day again!!!

Hey mom and dad! thanks so much for the letters! I love to hear how you  guys are all doing!  I am doing good and we had transfers today....And there is no change for me or my companion.  I am still here for 6 more weeks... I wanted a change to be honest but its okay I like the area at least...  This week also I had entercambiars with an elder from Utah which was pretty nice!  It is just so nice to be able to communicate so easily without any problems.  haha i miss having normal conversations.  But its okay I guess.  I am learning a lot here.

 

Also I officially hit my 6 month mark!  Can you believe it?? I burnt a tie with the elder from Utah but it was just a paper tie. i didn´t want to burn a real tie.  Plus its a lot easier to burn a paper tie.  I took some pictures and stuff so hopefully I can send them to you in the future.  i wish I could send more pictures.  I t feels like I have been on my mission my whole life and home is like a dream! Its really weird.  I miss you guys like crazy!

Here in Argentina is starting to get cold..I am not liking the cold haha but its not horrible just quite yet. I still need to wear like a light sweatshirt on most days.  Not to bad though.  I hear it gets pretty dang cold here so I am not looking forward to that.  i always forget its backwards and that its just starting to be summer there! How weird!!  also today I bought a fake nike watch today for like 50 pesos which is like 12 dollars. haha I was pretty pumped about that!!

 

And Dad about my birthday you don´t have to get me anything! That MP3 player is more than enough!!!  I do need a new journal pretty soon though like next 3 months or so.  Do you remember like the small binder kind??  I can get a cheap journal through the mission but its not very nice if I need to.  And Dad  I don´t know what to do for your birthday coming up!!! I want to send something but I am not sure how and I don´t know if I would trust it anyways.  I am not sure what to do! I will figure something out! haha

 

Well I better go and write everyone else now but I love you guys so much and thanks for all the support! You guys mean the world to me! I have the best family in the whole wide world!!!  Without a doubt!  I love you guys so much!  I miss you guys so much! take care! hasta luego!

 

Con amor x 43 zillion!

Elder Peck

April 16, 2012 - Week number 26...

Mom and Dad!!

Also thats awesome that return missionary talked in church! I always loved listening to return missionaries.  It was always cool to see how they changed and everything.  Taiwan would be quite the mission especially with that language.  I can´t even imagine.  So how is Uncle Brads fish and chips doing??  Is he still doing that? Hes down with learn key then? What happened there??

 

Well this week was a pretty good week I suppose.  We finally got water and light on thursday.  You really don´t appreciate that stuff until you don´t have it.  It is so nice to have water!  It kind of felt like camping again.  My apartment is pretty nice though compared to my last place thats for sure.  I want to send pictures to ya but I don´t know when I will be able to.  Also this saturday we had 2 baptisms!!!  The girl I invited to be baptized a few weeks ago named Florencia and an 10 year old boy name Laureano.  Laureano´s dad isn´t a member but only because he is trying to get divorced from his old wife.  But he seriously is so inspiring.  He is trying so hard and has been trying to get divorced for awhile.  I wish you could meet him.  Really he is so cool.  He gave a talk at the baptism and just cried. I just love seeing what the Gospel does to people.  It is so inspiring.  I wish you could meet them so bad but even if you did you wouldn´t be able to talk to them.  haha Thats the sad part.  But yeah we had 2 special baptisms this week which I was pretty excited about.  It makes everything worth it.

 

 Also this week I have been working on fixing my suitcase.  I don´t know if you remember but the handle broke last transfer.  It was the part with the mechanism and everything.  There was a part stuck in the little tube and after working on it off and on when I had a few minutes I finally got it out.  Then I got some epoky stuff to glue and duck tape and got it all fixed! I was pretty happy.  I just hope it lasts! I Think it will though.  Transfers are this monday so we´ll see what happens.  Its always nerve racking but I am excited to see what happens.  So next email you will find out I guess!!!  And by the way this Thurday will be my 6 month mark in the mission! Can you believe it?? The first marker!  Its like running the 1 mile race and finishing the first lap!  Now just 3 more to go. haha  I think I am going to burn a paper tie instead of a real tie because I don´t have any I want to burn!  I let you know what happens next week.  Well I love you guys so much and I hope everything is going well! Thank you sooooooo much for all of the love and support!  I couldn´t ask for a better family!  Love you guys!!

 

Con Amor X 40 zillion

Elder Luke Scott Peck

April 9, 2012 - Wow what a week!!!!!

Dear Mom and Dad,

I am so happy that Little Louiston Russell Peck is born!!!! How awesome! He is the cutest baby ever.  When I see him he will be walking and maybe even talking a little bit.  Isn´t that crazy?  I wish I could see him!!  I am so happy he is healthy and Heather too. I wish I could call Mike and Heather and tell them congrats but I guess an email will suffice.

 

Also thanks so much for sending that package! I am so excited for it! Sorry for all of that work to put you through to do all of that. I really appreciate it!!!  I am so pumped for it.  

 

Now for my crazy week here!  Well some funny news a member in my branch gave me a video call "Mi nombre es Peck" Or "My name is Peck" haha its about a boy named Michael Peck! haha  When I get home we can watch it but I thought it was pretty funny.  Everytime I see her I say Mi nombre es Peck.  Also Yesterday we had a baptism for an 8 year old boy we have been teaching. It was pretty neat and a lot of family were there.  We have been teaching him for a while so it was good to see him get baptized.  Hopefully next week we will have even more baptisms too!  Also one interesting thing I learned is that some people here think we are spies and when we were walking in the street one guy yelled Espies or spies to us! haha It makes me laugh.  It guess it would be kind of weird to see a chileano and an American walking together.  They don´t really like Americans or Chileanos.

 

Now for the crazy part...Well Thursday morning we woke up and it was a little cloudy and overcast but nothing to out of the normal.  And so we have a pretty normal day and we are teaching this girl at our house with her family and a member and a huge storm hits.  Like bad!  Bad enough were I am like I really don´t want to go outside.  It seriously looked like a hurricane or something.  The trees were moving like crazy, it was dark, tons and tons of rain, and super super windy.  Then the power went out and it lasted for like an hour.  It was a way violent storm.  And so we left and got home and come to find out it was like a tornado, hurricane, monsoon, or something I don´t really know but a ton of our area is without light right now and we can´t go into it at night.  And actually we haven´t had power or water since thursday either which is horrible.  Its just our apartment too on our block! Who knows how much longer its going to be until we have water and electricity too..  Its annoying.  I don´t mind not having electricity but without water is horrible.  We have to shower at other missionary´s pensions.  Its pretty annoying!  But this storm took down so many powerlines and knocked over trees into houses.  It has been pretty rough on a lot of houses here.  And actually my district leader was like in the middle of the tornado and like almost died, if a bus hadn´t picked them up they would be in bad shape right now I think.  He told me their area is like destroyed way way bad.  Its crazy thats for sure.

 

And so its been kind of annoying not having water or power.  The other night my companion wanted to go teach someone in the area without light and I told him I don´t want to go in there because its super dangerous and plus our President said not to go into areas without light.  He was pretty mad at me and kind of went off on me.  I don´t care though I am not going to be stupid.   That area is a little sketchy even with light!  Íts pretty nuts here at times. haha  Gotta love it though! Always on my toes.  But really its not too crazy and I am doing just fine so no worries!!  So this week has been kind of out of the ordinary!!! 

 

Well I love and miss you guys like crazy! You are the best family in the world! I love showing them pictures of you guys and they are always like your parents are soo young!  Your mom is really pretty and your dad is hansome! I am always like yeah they are the best!!  Well mom and Dad I love you guys like crazy!!  Thanks so much for all of your love and support!!!  Keep on being awesome!!!!  Until next week!!! Tengan un buen día!!

 

Con amor X 36 zillion

 

Elder Luke S. Peck

April 2, 2012 - Love you guys!!

Hey mom and Dad!

Man I love hearing from you guys! You guys are the best and thanks so much for your weekly letters! I bet its hard to write sometimes so thanks!!  Hey thanks so much for getting the MP3 player and everything all together! That is so awesome! You should let me pay for it! Thats too much! Thanks for the support though it means a lot! That is going to be so nice.  I´m excited and I hope it gets here! And thanks for the Peanut butter as well! I told one of our investagators about you sending peanut butter and they were like how did you do that? I thought you couldn´t do that! And I was like yeah it made it here just fine.  So I say risk it again!  I am about half way done with my journal (Like a mini binder) so in the future I am going to need another one but right now I am fine!  Also Old Spice and hair stuff is always good but I am good for awhile since I just got your last package! Sorry I feel like I am send orders to your guys! Thanks though it is greatly appreciated!

So did you guys like general Conference this week???? I was so pumped for it!!!! It was dang awesome! It was kind of weird to see live shots of Utah though haha. Luckily I got to watch it in English too which was good.  Well the first session I had to watch some of it in spanish because something was wrong with tv.  Here we have to watch it at the rec center which is kind of far away but it was okay but we were on the bus a lot this weekend.  It was weird watching it in english for 2 hours and then stepping back into the real world with spanish and buenos aires. haha It was cool though.  After the last session one elder was like well I guess vacation is over now haha.  It was pretty funny.  Its such a blessing to be able to listen to the prophets in our time. I was so excited and I can´t wait to  read it in the Liahona down here.  We didnt get to watch the Priesthood session because it was too late in the day.  Here we watched it at 1:00 and then 5:00.  Kind of different.

Thanks for the recipe dad and the ideas for workouts! I think I am going to do them.  I have been doing  push ups and crunches and mason twists and stuff.  Its a pretty good work out if I do it right.  But I want to mix it up so that will be good.  And thanks for the food ideas too. My companion has been teaching me a little bit how to cook and today I actually made a pizza!  It was okay but edible so I was pretty pumped!

Sorry its really hard to write to you guys because I am at this computer place with kids playing on the computers and they are sooooooo loud!!!  But anyways I am so touched that Grandma and Grandpa Peck are giving me money! That is too much! She doesn´t have to do that! That really just shows how awesome they are.  They are so giving!  Tell them how much I love and appreciate them will ya? I will write them too!  Seriously that is just so touching.

This week was a pretty good week and actually we went on splits so I went with members of the ward which means I was in charge of leading the lesson.  I was pretty nervous not going to lie but it went just fine and I invited the girl to baptism and she said YES!!! It was the best feeling ever.  She was ready so I kind of expected her to say yest but still I was nervous.  The gift of tongues is real I swear.  Sometimes I don´t know how I explain stuff.  Its like when I need to talk I can.  Normally I am not that good.  I can carry on a conversation with my companion and some people but its still a test but its starting to get a little easier so thats good! I still lack a lot though. Thats funny what Doctor Chamberlain said! And Dad you are exactly right about what he said.  They use Vos here instead of TU (meaning You) so thats why it was cool haha.  But yeah this transfer is half way over already I can´t believe it! 

well Mom and Dad I love you guys so much! I am going to write you more but I hope you guys have a great week and always remember how much I love and miss you guys! I think about you guys every day!  Love ya guys!

Con amor,

Elder Peck

March 26, 2012 - Love ya mom and dad! You guys are the best!

Mom and Dad!

hey thanks for the letter like always!! For real your letters help so much!!  And I always dream about you guys! I can´t tell you how many times I have dreamed that I was just about to say good bye to you guys to leave to the MTC. I always have those dreams!  And I´ve got good news! I recieved your packages! Both of them!!!  I got one with pictures and letters and pictures of Christ and all of the other good stuff! Thanks so much! I should be set on Razors for the rest of my mission I think now.  Also I got the package with Peanut Butter! Oh my gosh that stuff is like gold! I am serious I have eaten half of one already.  I love it! And those reeses are the best!  Also the news paper you used to wrap it with was pretty dang awesome.  I´m not going to lie I read a few articles just to see what st. george has been doing. It was way cool. It made me miss you guys a ton! Thanks for all of that stuff though for real. It was all the stuff I needed.  Especially old spice, razors, peanut butter, flossers, pictures, etc.  Thanks for spending $50 a package! thats way to much thanks so much!

This week I have been sick again...I hate it so bad! Its not horrible being sick at home because I can just relax and watch TV or something but on the mission I can´t really do that.  I don´t like to stay home because I feel guilty so you just kind of have to tough it out.  Luckily I had those new vitamin pills and I am starting to feel a little better luckily.  Also this week we had interviews from President Stapley (mission President) and man he such an awesome guy. He is a man of God you can just tell.  He helps me so much! Seriously.  He told me a story about when President Boyd K Packer asked him to come over and look over one of his talks before Conference.  Seriously I wish you could meet him. He is from Summit, Utah just North of Cedar City.  He is so cool.  Also this week I saw something you are never going to believe...a Walmart!!!  A real Walmart!  I live pretty close to the Capital and so there is big stuff like that here! I wanted to go in so bad! An I have heard there is peanut butter in there but its kind of expensive and its not American brands but I don´t care! Hopefully I´ll get a chance to go in it.  Its not in my area unfortunately. 

 

Hey I´ve got a few requests for ya.  How do you make pancakes from scratch and easily? Do you know any easy to make meals?? Because literally for the last week my diet has consisted of microwaved hot dogs and sandwhiches. haha  I think I am going to get sick of that soon so if you know any easy to make meals please let me know!  Hey before you send me a package will you tell me?? There are some stuff I will probably need!  I was wondering if you could send me a little really really cheap MP3 player with church, EFY, and Disney music with my money or something.  I have reallly missed music. Lacy can help you with it!  Also maybe a little speaker that takes batteries like the normal AA I think.  If its to much work its totally fine! Thats one think I wish I would have brought.  Tell me what you think about that? Thats a really big request and I don´t want to trouble you to much.  Oh and if you send packages it might be a good idea to put pictures of Jesus on the box or the Virgin Marry!  Just to be safe.

 

But I have thought about you guys a lot lately!  You guys are always in my prayers and I miss you guys like crazy! I wish so bad I could talk and tell you about everything.  All the time I think I wish my family could be seeing this.  This is quite the place good or bad! haha  I love it though.  Well Family I love you guys so much and thanks for the packages and the support! You guys mean the world to me and nothing is more important to me than you guys!  Its true our family is the best and I am realizing that more and more each day! Love you guys!  Talk to ya in a week!!!

Con amor X 32 Zillion!

Elder Peck

March 19, 2012

Today is my 5 month mark! Can you believe it? Another month! time is so weird on the mission. I can´t even describe it.  It feels like I have a ton of time left though.  Its alright though.
Now this week has been a pretty crazy week.  It seems like when there is change or something hard going on I think about you guys a lot. I thought about you guys a lot this week! I always have dreams that I am with you guys and I am about to leave on my mission and then I wake up and realize I have been gone for 5 months already! Its kind of hard sometimes. But its all good.  My new companion luckily likes to work which i was worried about. So thats good.  I haven´t had too much trouble with him yet.  He only speaks spanish.  He is really helping me with my spanish which is good.  for the past week I have basically only spoken in spanish.  He has me teach a lot too which is helping me but really intimidating at times because its really hard to teach let alone in spanish.  but its getting easier.  I am feeling more and more comfortable in my new area.  My new area is a lot more city and I´m actually pretty close to Buenos aires the city.  So there is a lot of city.  I like it.  It is more dangerous than Luis guillon but I´ll be safe.  There is always a lot of people in the streets though its kind of different except by our apartment.  Its pretty nice where are apartment is I think.  the apartment is super nice compared to the one luis guillon.  bigger too.  sorry my grammer and stuff is so bad this stupid keyboard is hard to type on..Anyways if you have any questions let me know about the area!
Yesterday we taught this guy after lunch with him and he UFC on the tv.  Oh man was it hard not to look.  for real.  I saw who was fighting and it was rich franklin Vs Forest griffin.  I wanted to watch it so bad but I resisted luckily.  He is a super chill guy.
But just know that everything is going good hear.  I had to bear my testimony in church yesterday without any warning which is always fun. It was okay though.  But yeah I´m getting more and more comfortable here it my area. I think I am going to learn a lot in the next 5 weeks.  
Well I love you mom and dad! Please know I think about you guys everyday and please know how much I love you guys! You guys are the best parents in the whole wide world!!! Keep on being awesome! :)
con amor X 30 zillion
Elder Peck

Pictures!

March 5, 2012 - Hello mom and Dad!

Padres!!!

It sounds like you guys had quite the week with Jacob´s baptism!!  Thats so awesome!  I wish so bad I could have been there.  I love when all of our family is together!  That seems like forever that we had my farewell with everyone! Thats too bad about my car being messed up.  Its alright though.  I haven´t driven a car in over 4 and half months! How weird.  Hopefully I´ll remember when I get back.

 

Well this week has been a pretty good week! I went to this place called Constitution to see if we could buy these cards called "Sube Cards"  basically we need it for the busses but they are super hard to get especially being a foreigner.  We have tried for weeks any way we could.  But still no luck there.  But it was a super cool place with huge ceilings and everything.  There was thousands of people trying to get the sube cards.  We never were able to get them. Oh well it was a nice trip.

 

This week I have been feeling like crap.  My companion says you will feel like crap the whole mission. haha I don´t know what is normal really.  But I feel fine now I think.  So no worries!  But some exciting news we had 2 baptisms Saturday!  It was so cool!  They were 2 kids 10 and 8 years old.  They are so funny. Their mom has been a member for a long time but super inactive until we got her back to church.  She is super nice and likes going to church.  She just had a baby last monday too!  It was cool.  Her name is Griselda.  She has a cool accent.  Her husband isn´t a member and smokes a lot but was super supportive about his sons getting baptized.  They were way excited to be baptized.  Lucio the youngest one yelled out the car window when we driving to the baptism, "I´m getting to be baptized!"  It was so funny.  The older one´s name is Franco.  We were pretty excited for them.  I´ll try and send some pictures.  They are so funny!  Then this Wednesday we are going to the wedding of one of our investagators which will be cool!  We plan on baptizing them next week.  Hopefully all goes to plan!  They are super cool.  They gave us wedding invitations and everything.

 

Today for P day we played a little basketball in my area with some other areas which was fun.  It was sunny and pretty hot and then we went into the church for a little bit and came out and it was stormy and then we were waiting for the bus to go to a town called Monte Grande and its started pouring!  It was crazy.  Then it settled down by  the time we got to Monte Grande.  We met some other Elders there and went to this place called "Buen Comer"  to go eat.  It is super nice!  Like way nice for Argentina.  It was all we could eat too! It was soo good!  The meat was amazing.  We only saw one cocaroach haha  But it started pouring and rain was leaking from the ceiling a little bit.  haha Gotta love it!  I ate so much.  Then we went outside and it started pouring so hard.  We made it to this little over hang thing and waited for it to pass but it wouldn´t stop so we ran for it and we got drenched! Litterally it was like I jumped in a pool almost.  haha It was so funny!  It was kind of fun actually but a little cold. haha

 

Well next Monday is transfers so I may or may not be leaving Luis Guillon so we will see what happens.  I think my companion will be staying there but we don´t know for sure.  We will just have to see what happens!  I am a little nervous but its alright.  Well Mom and Dad I hope you guys are still doing good!  Love ya guys a ton!  I think about you guys everyday!!  Thanks again for all the support. I can feel your guys love 6,000 miles away!  Hasta Luego! :D

 

Con amor X 23 zillion!

 

Elder Peck

February 27, 2012 - Have no fear your son is doing well!

Dear Mom and Dad!

I will say though I am pretty good at walking now. Haha I walk all day every day.  Its a good way to burn some calories I guess! haha  Actually this week I was a little sick with a sore throat and a little out of it.  But I am feeling better now.  I just have a little sore throat but nothing to worry about now.

Do you still use my laptop? Its weird to think I have a laptop. I forgot about all of that.  Also texting seems so weird to me now.  I know it has only been 4 months but seriously.  I remember in the MTC I used to get like phantom text messages and check my pocket to find like my planner instead of a phone.  Haha Basically I could have gone through the MTC twice now! Crazy huh?  Time flies when you are having fun I guess...  Hey thanks so much for that package! I miss peanut butter and stuff like that! Actually there is a really cool member family in my ward and the guy named Pablo Miño  who has a sister in Utah.  I guess a missionary came back for her and married her and went to Utah. Anyways she has been to st. george and sends them Peanut butter!  So I actually got to have some!  Just like a tiny bit.  One time they gave us like 2 mini resses and I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  It was so good.

 Seriously this church is the best!  I love it so much! You can just see the changes it has on people.  Its amazing.  Its interesting how much different the wards are here and then again how simillar they are.  

It was pretty disappointing that we couldnt baptize Aylen last week but I hope we will be able to soon! But this last Saturday we did have a baptism for a lady name Marta who is actually the mom of Alejandra who we baptized.  She would always say, Por ahora...no, Which means like, for now...no.  She would always say no but I think she knew it was true but was just a little scared of the water. haha  We were so glad to see her get baptized!  Ah this is the best work ever!!  I seriously so frustrating though because its still super hard for me to talk to the people but I am just going to be patient!  In time I know I will be able to talk with them.  I swear its been like a roller coaster.  Sometimes we are happy and have a little success and then next we are walking for hours and dont have any.  But I am learning so much here. 

Well Mom and Dad I love and miss you like always!  Please be safe too and know that you are in my prayers every single night!!!  Love  you guys!

Con amor X 21 zillion!

Elder Peck

February 20, 2012 - Hola! Como andan?

Hey Mom and Dad!!

Now for this week we had a pretty tough week...  We didnt get to baptize Aylen this week basically its because of the parents.  Aylen wants to be baptized so bad but basically the mom is to scared to talk to the Dad about it.  I think he probably beats her or something.  Its really sad.  We will have to see what happens with her.  Hopefully soon we will baptize her! We will just keep praying. Anyways for Valentines day here I had intercambiars with another Elder so I was in a different area for the day.  It was pretty rough because I didnt have like any food the whole time.  I was starving.  It was horrible and when I got back to my pension the other elder ate like 9 of my hotdogs! So I had to go buy more food.  Latinos just use all your stuff. They are just raised different I think.  But anyways during intercambiars I woke up in the middle of the night to english love songs. hahah People were having a party outside the apartment or something. It was really funny.  Also this week all of these little kids came up to me and wanted me to say stuff in spanish because of my accent here.  They thought it was so funny! I was glad I could make them laugh at least.  But yeah it was definitely an interesting week!  I hope we can have some more success this coming week and that I can finally understand the language haha.  But I sure love and miss you guys and you are always in my prayers!  I am so glad I have supportive parents that are always doing the right thing!  I am more and more greatfull for you guys every single day! Thanks you soooooooo much!!!  Really guys you mean the world to me!  Take Luck! :)

Con amor,

Elder Peck

February 6, 2011 - Hola el mejor familia en el mundo!

Mom and Dad!

It sounds like everything is just going so good for all of you guys!  I love to hear of all the good things you are doing. I feel sick about giving you the wrong address! I feel so bad.  Hopefully there is something you can do to fix it or something.  I know that is going to be such a pain for you guys. I´m so sorry!  Seriously please let me pay for it!  I can only imagine how much it costs!  Thanks for the thought at least! The means a lot.  I hope it all works out. Hopefully you have my real address now.  I don´t know how I forgot that part.  I thought I double checked it like 2 or 3 times.  But that one is the right one my companion said and he gets a lot of letters so thats good.  It cost about 9 pesos to send a letter so about $2 or so by the way.  No biggy.  Do we have any good pics of home?  People always want to see where  we live.  Also Dad do you know any good works outs like Ab ripper X or anything I can do here?  I kind of gave up on the jump rope because its a little too long and its hard to do in a small room.  I just run in place or do jumping jacks.  I want to stay in some kind of shape haha.  Its hard though.  

This week has been a pretty tough week with a lot of walking in the sun.  Friday night for lunch we ate at a members house and she cooked omlets (Eggs)  I was so dissappointed haha.  When she left the room I hurried and gave them to my companion to eat.  She brought me another one out later and I did the same thing again haha.  I just ate rice with bannana sauce or something I don´t really know.  It was good though but I was still hungry.  Then the next day I woke up with a bad headache and I felt really sick. It didn´t want to do anything.  I rested a little and then went out to work.  I made it to lunch and they cooked asado which is like steak and potatoes and all this good stuff.  It was awesome! I ate so much and I felt stronger again which was good.  I still had a killer headache after but it was alright.  Their family is so cool we ate with! They are the Rodriguez family and after he cut my hair for me.  First real Argentine haircut. I wish you could meet them so bad!  You wouldn´t be able to understand them at all but still they are awesome.  

Also this week it rained off and on which is good but sometimes its so humid when that happens. Its a little miserable but its all good.  Today is my P day and I got to see one my friends who was a mini missionary here last transfer and he came back to see us which was cool.  We always try to talk to each other even though he doesn´t know english and I know barely any spanish. Its always fun.  Also we got a new kid this transfer so now I´m not the youngest!  Its pretty cool.  But yeah nothing too crazy this week.  Well I better  write the rest of the family now..Take care and know how much I love and appreciate you guys and your prayers!  Keep on being awesome! Les amo mucho!  ustedes son el mejor familia en el mundo!!

con amor x 11 zillion

Elder Peck

Pictures!

Pictures!

Our baptsimal picture with some of our awesome members

Road by my Pension

Cool car I passed

My District

January 9, 2012 - Still alive and well!

Hey mom and dad!!!

Hey it was nice to hear from ya dad!  Thanks for the awesome letter!

............................................................................There is seriously so many dogs here.  I walk past them all day long.  They bark but I haven´t had any problems with them yet.

Anyways some of my experiences this week were I got to go on intercambiars which are when we switch companions and I get to spend a night in their pension and go to their area.  I went with an Elder from Utah going home at the end of this month.  His name is Elder Jackman.  He´s a stud and we had an awesome time.  He even gave me a haircut...It will do I ´m not trying to impress any girls so its all good.  But as we were teaching the lady starts nursing her kid in front of us!  I guess its really common here.  I knew it was bound to happen soon. Oh well.  But their pension was pretty sweet and I liked it a lot.  We stayed up talking for a long time.  The problem was my stomach hurt pretty bad off and on.  Basically he told me my stomach will hurt more than it feels good here. But right now I feel fine so no worries here.  I think my companion might have a parasite or something though from his last area.  he said he has lost a lot of weight and stuff.  Oh this week I woke up and I was saying my prayers and there was a cacaroach on my ear!!  It was so gross!!  It doesn´t surprise me.  But seriously this place is so awesome! I just love the people here!  We are going to baptize this really sweet lady named Alejandra who is actually the aunt of Walter who we baptized a few weeks ago.  she was really unsure at first because she was a catholic but she prayed about the book of mormon and recieved her answer and finally committed to a baptismal date!  She is loving it though I think.  She has been coming to church and the members are really nice to her.  It seriously is so awesome!!  I´m really excited for her.  We have a lot of people we are trying to teach here but that is our next baptism.  But yeah its really really hot here.  Its like st. george except I´m walking everywhere in it in my shirt and tie.  We walk so many miles a day but I like walking so its kinda fun.  Me and my companion get along really well so that is definitely a plus.  We laugh a lot.  I´m still struggling with the language but its all good!  With time it will come I´m sure.  Oh last p-day I went to mcdonalds down here!!!  It was like 30-35 pasos! It was good though.  All they had was hamburgers.  I´m going to try and send you some pictures if I can right so I better go but I love you guys so much and think about you everyday and wonder what you are doing.  Just know home much I love you!!  Don´t ever take church for granted it is so important!  Our biggest struggle is getting people to just go to church!  I´m so glad you guys are so strong in the church.  I really am.  Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky to have such great parents as you guys.  Anyways take care and I´ll talk to ya in a week!!!

con amor(X 3zillion),

-Elder Peck

Pictures!

 Where he sleeps

Where he lives

January 2, 2012 - Week 2 here!

Mom and Dad!!

Hey thanks for your letters so much!!!  I love to see how things are going there!  I´m so mad though my camera cord won´t work here so I can´t send any pictures!!  I´m so bummed out!  My companion said he had to buy an adapter so I guess thats what i´ll have to do.  So i´ll try again next week I guess!  I want you guys to see this place so bad! Its crazy.  Right now its soooo hot.  Especially today.  But that sounds like you had a lot of fun on new years!  I´m glad you could play some ping pong.  For new years here we spent it with some family that were just baptized.  It was really cool but they played music like the whole time and I did´t know what to do.  I just tried not to listen to it.  The funny thing is we hear music all the time as we are walking and most of it is from America!  Its funny because no one knows what they are saying.  But yeah new years was like Christmas with tons of fireworks.  We had to be in by 9:30 so it woke us up at 12:00. When we went to the members house they had these things called ¨Globos¨ and basically they are like mini paper hot air balloons.  They light the candle and it rises.  Well the family lit one and it was going up and hit a powerline and bursted in flames and fell in front of house.  It was crazy!!  It was pretty cool though. We got the fire put out so no big deal.  Anyways it sounded like quite the trip to new york and I guess back home as well! Thats crazy you had a 12 hour layover in pheonix! At least you made it home safe. haha  Dad thats funny how you played santa claus! I wish i could have seen that for sure!  I bet that was really hard to say good-bye to them.  I´m so sick of good byes too.  I swear it seems like I make friends here and then we leave each other but luckily I get along with everyone in my district.  I feel a lot better that way.

Well some more news about here is we had 2 of our investagators get shot this past week.  Don´t worry though its not as dangerous as it sounds.  One was one of our investagators husbands(not legally married) and someone stole his motorbike or something and shot him.  the other one was riding his bike in public about 9 or 10 at night and shot him in the leg to rob him but they didn´t take anything.  We gave him a blessing.  Its crazy though.  Thats pretty unusual.  I debated on telling you guys because it makes it sound a lot scarier here than it really is.  But other than that things are coming along good.  Every day I can understand spanish better.  I know its not me doing it.  Its so frusrating because I want to teach people but I don´t know the words well enough.  It is coming slowly but surely.  I wish people could just see the importance of our message.  Some people are funny.  We were teaching this catholic guy and he was trying to tell us Joseph Smith was in the bible and that we didn´t teach him anything new.  It was pretty funny!  Everyday is an adventure here though.  Mostly its a lot of walking.  We were teaching this one guy that knew nothing about church or anything and as we were teaching they just lit up some ciggerettes and offered us some and so as they are smoking we invited them to baptism and one of accepted and seemed really interested.  So it was pretty funny.  I hope he gets baptized but it will be some work for sure.  You have to be legally married before you can get baptized if you are living with someone else.  Most people just say they are married when really they aren´t.   Anyways I love you guys so much and don´t forget that!  And one thing I´ve learned is that getting out of your comfort zone is when you grow the most!  So don´t worry if you get callings in church or anything. haha Its just a chance to grow and better yourself.  There is nothing better than being able to help people come unto Christ! This is the hardest, frustrating, but best experience ever!!  Everyday is sometimes difficult but when we can help someone, it makes it all worth it.  I love you guys so much!!!  Know I think about you guys and pray for you guys every single day.  Best of luck and thanks for being the best parents ever! I can´t thank you enough!

Con Amor,

Elder Peck