July 22, 2013

Mom and Dad!

Hey guys! Thanks for the letter!!  It sounds like it has been pretty rainy there as well.  mom that sounds like a sweet trip you went on up there.  That sounds super nice.

Well this week has been freezing!!!!  Well one day was actually really warm and then the next it was freezing!! Like super super cold for me.  I definitely got the st. george blood in me because man I hate the cold.  It like never snows here and the last time it snowed was in 2007 and everyone talks about it and it almost snowed here and actually snowed in other parts of buenos aires I believe.   It looked like it was about to snow though. It was super cold though and the thing that makes it even worse is the humidity.  I had like my sweater, north face winder breaker(I use it everyday), my big jacket, kneck warmer, gloves and some thermals my companion let my use.  Its so cold!!  

Anways this week we had a zone meeting where we got to meet everyone in the zone because there was a lot of new people in our zone. Its always fun meeting everyone.  My companion and i are the only ones from America in the zone!  There is one sister missionary from Austrailia but thats it.  Its cool though. 

This last friday we had an activity in our ward and unfortunately not a lot of people came (I think for the cold) but it was pretty sweet.  We did this activity where we played games for a prize and then we changed it where if we all worked together everyone could win.  So then we got everyone into a line to recieve the treat we made for them but there was still one more thing to do.  To get the treat they costed 10 push-ups but they couldn´t pay the price theirselves so I did it for them.  I ended up doing like 170 push-ups...It was pretty tough to be honest and at first the people wanted one but as it went on they are like no I don´t want him to suffer so we had them all sit to a side. And then after we went through one by one who didn´t want a treat and my companion would ask me if I loved them to do 10 push-ups for them anyways and I would say yes and do 10 more and then we would give them the treat.  They were like begging me to stop but I didn´t.  We did it to demostrate the Atonement.  How Christ suffered for everyone one of us and how now we can enjoy the treat of it and how people in the world don´t know that the Savior suffered for them and how we need to help them realize the blessings they can recieve.  It was actually a really cool activity and it was really a neat experience for me.  It was pretty tough at the end but it made me think a lot about the Atonement and how hard it must have been.  It has made me think a lot.

Then the following day we had another activity in the church with our ward for Friends day or something.  We always go to the activities to support the ward and get to know the people. I set up a mini ping pong tournament for some of the Youth and of course I played a few games.  I ended up winning it! I played my companion in the finals.  It was fun. I really like this ward.  

Then yesterday at church our audio system caught on fire! We all smelled smoke and we were like what is that?  And turns out the audio caught on fire. It was a little fire I think nothing too big.  And also the power went out here too during church.  The power goes out all the time here in Argentina and especially this area.  But yeah church went pretty well.  We passed all of these Jehova witnesses yesterday in the street which is always kind of fun. We always say hi to them and sometimes they look at us weird but we are always respectful. As we were passing them we ran into some of our investagators and talked with them.  The Jehova witnesses were all looking at us.  It was funny.  Sometimes people think we are Jehova witnesses too.

Anyways for today we played soccer as a zone in the freezing cold and it was actually pretty fun.  My body is beat though and already super sore haha. I am going to be hurting tomorrow for sure.  Its alright though.  

But yeah everything is going well here and I can´t believe that there is only 11 weeks left! That blows my mind.  There are missionarys that have been in the MTC longer than that.  I try not to think about it too much but its kind of hard not too. Well thanks for all of the support and i hope that you guys have an awesome week!! You guys are the best!! Love you guys!!

con amor x 176 zillion,

Elder Peck

July 15, 2013 - Transfers!!

Mom and Dad!!

Hey guys thanks for the letters!  I am glad to hear that everyone made it back from Arkansas fine.   Sounds like you guys made it back home pretty late.  Dad that´s too bad you had no time to sleep!!  That would have been super tough thats for sure.  I feel like I don´t know anyone that lives in our neighborhood since I was only living there for 5 weeks!  It will be interesting to get to know everyone thats for sure.  It will be weird when I give my homecoming talk because it will be in a ward that I don´t even know really!  Hopefully I will see some of my friends that are in the ward.  And Dad  I didn´t know you drew out for any elk tag or at least I don´t remember!  When is the hunt?  

Well we just had transfers and for me there is no changes!  Thats good I wanted to stay here with my companion because we have a lot of good things going on right now and I really like it here.  I just have 2 transfers left!  So that means only 12 weeks left.  Thats so weird because that means there is only one group of elders that are going home before me now.  A group is going home today.  I only have to worry about transfer calls one more time.  I really hope that I can finish my mission here but you never know.  If I go to another area I will only go for like 6 weeks.

Anyways this last week has been really...WET!!!  It rained a ton this last week .  On the 9th its a nation holiday (like the 4th of july) and in the morning there was like a parade right by our pension basically of like Argentine cowboys.   It was pretty cool because as we were riding through we saw all of these horses and they guys were all dressed up in their tradional clothing.  Its funny they wear these shoes called Alpargatas which are like the shoes called "toms" in the states.  I guess the guy who invented toms got the idea from Argentina.  Anyways I bought some alpargatas because they are supe cheap here.  They are pretty cool.  But anyways like right after that it started raining and raining and raining.  I bundled up pretty good so it wasn´t too bad but my feet were wet like the whole day.  Then it rained other days too.  My companion has been pretty sick and I think it was from the rain.  We did some service this last saturday and we dug this huge hole so they could put up a little water tank for their house and anyways after my companion felt really sick so we couldn´t even leave the pension the rest of the day.  It was alright with me because I felt exhausted and my stomach hurt and I actually threw up but I feel totally fine now.  He is still pretty sick though I think but I think he is getting better at least..

This week we went and talked to this really inactive family and we ended up teaching the son and man does he have so many crazy ideas.  He is definitely one of those persons looking for the truth and not knowing where to find it.  We  talked to him for a long time and he has all of these strange ideas.  We gave him a Book of mormon and hopefully he reads it.  I just feel so blessed to know the gospel and not have to be searching for it.  It really is such a  blessing.

Today we just took a chill p day again because my companion isn´t feeling that good.  We did a little shopping and I bought some cheap soccer jerseys and I bought this sweet little scale I can use to weigh my suitcases.  It was really cheap and will work perfectly.  I think I am going to leave a lot of stuff like clothes because to be honest they are getting pretty worn out.  Plus I weight like 160 now!!  Crazy huh?  Maybe not but still I weighed myself today and I was around 74 kilos with my clothes on.    I have been working out pretty consistantly though and I hopefully I can keep it up until I go home.  Its a lot easier when your companion wants to work out with you and so we have been working out together.   We do those F.B.I. push ups like every other day.  We go up to 12 and go back down.

Also thanks so much for that money you guys sent to me!  I am so thankful for the money grandma and grandpa peck have been sending.  That really means so much.  I am so greatful for all of the support you guys give me.  It really is a sacrifice for the whole family when some serves a mission.  

Well I better run but I hope that you guys are doing well!!  I love you guys soo much! You are the best parents anyone could ever ask for! I realize that more and more each day!  Talk to you later!

con amor x 174 zillion,

Elder Peck

July 8, 2013 - Another week in the Korn‏

Mom and Dad!!

Hey guys!  I hope things are going good for ya.  Mom thats sweet that you got to visit Mike and his family in Arkansas.  I hope I can make it out there one day.  That would be a lot of fun I am sure.  Dad thats cool about the Police Academy granduation and cool that Zach Stoddard graduated as well.  I know he always talked about being a cop.

Thats cool you went to the movies with trevor and tyson.  If I remember right I think tyson is going to Paraguay and going to the MTC here in Argentina.  I have actually been right by the mtc because its right by the temple.  I actually will be right there a week after he leaves the mtc. 

This week has been a pretty chill week for the most part.  This last monday night 2 elders in our zone didn´t answer their phone at night and so we had to call like the stake president to send some members to see if they made it back to their pension alright and their bishop went over there and no one was there or at least no one answered   It was already late and so our new president told us to go check in the morning so it the morning we headed over there to just find them in their pension and their phone was off or something.  I was kind of frustrated that they didn´t call.  I think they learned their lesson though. haha  And anyways on Tuesday we had a meeting with the stake president and we got to meet our new mission President, President Thurgood and his wife.  He sure seems like an awesome guy too.  He taugh religion for like 36 years or something and is a patriarch and a temple sealer.  He is really cool and brings a lot of peace being around him.  

On thursday we had a zone conference so that everyone could meet him too.  That was cool too.  We also had like mini interviews with him and his wife with our companion to get to know him.  Also at the zone conference we had to teach our zone for like an hour or so.  It turned out pretty good.  Its kind of fun teaching everyone sometimes.  I bet that would be crazy teaching for hours like you do dad.  I want to go to one of your classes one time.

Yesterday at church we had and a ward lunch which was kind of fun.  We had some good chicken and potatoes.  Then we walked one of our investigators back home.  Also at church my old companion Elder Inostroza from chile came and visited.  He finished the  mission in febuary and came back to visit. It was kind of weird seeing him to be honest but it was alright.  We have actually had like 3 of the same areas which is kind of weird too.  

Today has just been a really chill p day and we didn´t really do much.  We just cleaned out the pension a little bit and took it nice and easy.  It was relaxing.  

Well I officially have 3 months left!  Can you believe it?  I really can´t.  Well I better run but I love you guys a ton and I hope you have a good week!!!

con amor x 172 zillion,

Elder Peck

July 1, 2013 - Wow what a week!!

Mom and Dad!!

Sounds like you guys have had quite the week!!  Thats crazy that zach and kathy have already left!  I wish they could have waited a few months so I could have seen them! haha Its all good though.  It sounds like it is getting pretty hot up there.  It is getting pretty cold here actually.  Right now its actually pretty nice but some days and nights are pretty chilly.  Especially with the bikes it gets cold.  Speaking of bikes mine is broken again.  I swear my bike breaks like once a week.  Its all good though.  The bike guy knows us well and always gives us good deals.

Well this week has been very eventful and I had the coolest experience in my mission by far.  On tuesday I went to the temple to see some of my converts go through and get sealed.  They are the contana family and I am not sure if you remember them.  They are the family that I helped baptized in Fabian Onsari.  I baptized the son on my birthday last year.  Anyways I went through with them to get their temple endowments.  I was like the host guy for the dad.  I helped through everything.  It felt soo good being in the temple.  I felt so much peace it was really nice.  It was awesome being in there with that family because they are seriously so awesome.  They are the family I am probably the closest with here.  Then I got to see them get sealed together and I got to be a witness so I totally got to sign their marriage certificate.  I seriously felt soo good and happy.  It was probably one of the  happiest moments in my life.  For real I can´t even describe how it felt.  They went through a lot and it was awesome see them make it to the temple.  I hope one day you will be able to meet them.  I sent you a picture of them.   It just reaffirmed my testimony of how sacred the temples are and how lucky we are to have them so close to us. When I get home I want to go a lot.  They are definitely the house of the Lord.

Well this week was President stapley´s last week.  We had one last meeting with him before he left.  Right now he´s in Utah!  Thats so weird to me.  He was such a good president.  President Thurgood is the new president and I still haven´t met him yet but he seems like is going to be a really good president.  It was funny after the meeting with president stapley we were riding on the train back to our area and this guy comes up and is like how is it being spys and then he walked away.  haha For some reason some people think we are spys here.  It made me laugh.

Also this week I got kind of sick and totally lost my voice and i could barely talk.  My throat didn´t hurt that bad but I just couldn´t talk.  That definitely makes being a missionary tough when you can´t talk  It was alright though.  I also did intercamios with an elder from Peru this week and he was kind of sick as well.  I am feeling pretty good though.  

Also here in Argentina its legal to smoke marijuana and we saw this guy smoking marijuana in front of the police station as we was walking by.  Its a different world down here haha.  Thats cool dad you got to help with taking down that spice operation.  Drugs are horrible.

Today we just took a chill p day and got of relaxed in the pension a little.  I printed off some pictures from the temple but yeah it was just a nice chill day.  Things are going good down here.  Well I better run but I love you guys a ton and I hope you know how lucky I am to have you guys as my parents!!  You are the best.  Well I will talk to you next week!!

con amor x 170 zillion,

Elder Peck

Sorry one last thing.  I wanted to tell you I finished reading the book of mormon in spanish!!!  I read it in 3 months and these last 2 weeks I read like 265 pages trying to finish it in time!  I finished it last night and man it felt good to finish.  I have been waking up early to finish it.  That is the best book and I love it so much!  I can´t wait to read it again and again and again.  I wish everyone could read it.  Well thats all I wanted to tell you! Love you guys!

Pictures

June 24, 2013

Hey Mom and Dad!

Thats crazy that Kiera is already going on a mission!!  She will do great I am sure. The Lord really helps us here in the mission field thats for sure.  I won´t have seen her for like 3 years!!  Thats weird to think about.  Its cool to have another Peck out in the mission field.   I am glad that you went up there to her farewell.  I bet they were glad for that. Do you know how long she is going to be in the MTC?  I bet not too long. 

This has been a very packed week thats for sure.  We had to do 2 intercambios with some of the missionarys in our zone.  There has been some little problems we had to take care of but I think it will turn out for the best.  I went with 2 different missionarys from Paraguay.   It was good. 

Yesterday we went to go look for some investagators before church and I totally wrecked on my bike!  The dogs here are so stupid and always go after us so one went after my companion and I kind of swerved at it (we were on a dirt road) and my front wheel like locked up and I went flying over the handle bars and did like I  roll on the ground and landed on my feet.  It was pretty funny and I didn´t get hurt at all.  I just worried about my suit but it was fine.  The only bad thing was that my wheel bent.  It was pretty funny though. 

Here it has been getting really cold and super miserable!  I hate the cold so bad I have decided.  I don´t want to live in the cold thats for sure.  Its just like humid cold.  Luckily we have a nice heater in the pension.  When I was on intercambios we taught this member who is living in a tent and we taught him around his campfire thing he has.  I feel so bad for him because it is sooo cold sometimes.  Hopefully he gets help soon.  Its just crazy the things you see here. 

Did you by chance go to the broadcast lasat night titled "The work of Salvation?"  It was super sweet!!  It pumped me up a ton!! There was so many missionarys it showed.  It looked like an army of missionarys and so cool.  It felt good to think that I am apart of it all.  It makes me glad to be a missionary. 

Well today I don´t really have a p day because tomorrow I am going to the temple to see some of my converts get sealed!!!  I am super excited.  I will tell you more about it next week.  But yeah things are going well here and I am just taking it all in.  I only have like 15 more weeks!  Thats so scary to me.  Somehow Lars was online just barely and I got to chat with him for a second.   We are both just like wondering where time went.  haha Got to love it.

Well I better go but I have looked at the Ar-15 picture I printed out so many times this week. Just saying.  Well I love you guys soo much and I hope that you have a great week!!!  You guys are the best!!!  Hasta luego!! :D

con amor x 168 zillion,

Elder Peck

June 17, 2013 - Best Parents in the whole wide world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mom and Dad,

I just want to tell you that I have the best parents in the whole world!!!   Thanks  so much for the AR-15 .233!!!  I am seriously sooooo pumped to shoot it!!  Thats going to be such a blast!!  I can´t believe you were able to get one! That sounds like it was on pretty high demand.   I can´t thank you enough!!   We are going to have to do some serious shooting when I get home thats for sure.  I already went and printed the picture of the gun off.

Also Dad I wanted to wish you happy father´s day!!  I was totally going to write you last week but it totally slipped my mind.  I thought about you a lot Dad!! I hope you had a great father´s day and had a good day.  You are the best dad in the whole entire world!! For real I could´t ask for a better dad!  When I get back we can celebrate all of the holiday´s I have miss.

To be honest I tried to keep my birthday on the down low and no one really knew about it.  My companion found out about it though..  We had zone conference on tuesday and they give treats to all of the missoinary whose birthdays are coming up.  So I got one and then on wednesday we had to fill out this form for the mission so I had to open my email and it said I had 14 letters and all of them said happy birthday so I could´t really hide it.  I didn´t tell him what day it was though and he looked at my I.D. and found out.  It was alright though I guess.  Only a few members knew which is better for me.  I don´t like a lot of attention like that so it turned out good.  I will celebrate it when I get home.  

We decided to buy a cake though on saturday and celebrate both of our birthdays and so that was fun except that the cake was disgusting!!  We took like 3 bites and we couldn´t eat anymore haha.  We were laughing hard about it though and we had a good time.  Yesterday was cold and wet too and for some reason it always rains on my birthday!  

Things are going pretty good here in Alejandro Korn we decided to go do some contacts this week and we found some awesome investagators that we are excited about.  We both just want to finish off our missions strong.  He goes home 6 weeks after me.  We have been working out and everything in the morning.  We have been doing those FBI push-ups dad that we used to do.  I am super sore right now!  It feels good though. Elder Prestwich is a stud though and we have like all of the same hobbies including remote control airplanes and making things out of wood. He lives up in riverton.

This saturday I might be going to the temple to see some of my converts get sealed as a family.  I am seriously so excited!!  We´ll see how it goes.  It could be the week after that we go.  Man I can´t believe how fast time is going.  Its starting to scare me more and more.  I have no clue what I am going to do when I get home but probably i will go to dixie for my associates as of now.  I could probably save a lot of money that way.  

Well thanks again for the gun and everything!!!  I can´t thank you guys enough!!  I am seriously so lucky to have such good parents!! I hope you have a good  week!! Love you guys sooo much!!!

con amor x 166 zillion,

Elder Peck

June 10, 2013 - Another week down in the Korn (Alejandro Korn)

Hey Mom and Dad!!

Hey thanks for the letters!!!  You guys are awesome!!  Thanks for the money too for my birthday!!  You guys give me way too much stuff!  Yeah I think I am good on packages now and I won´t really need anything more.  I can suffer without some peanut butter for my last few months haha.  My companion elder Prestwich cooks a ton for me so I am in good hands haha.  He´s a stud thats for sure.   So I got a letter from the mission asking me about what airport you want me to fly into and stuff and I am going to tell them the st. george airport. I sent you a copy of the email by the way.  Thats a really weird email to get!  I feel like I have lived here in Argentina my whole life!  Oh by the way Elder McLaws that just went home from here is going to drop something off for you.  He´s the one from st. george and he just got home this last week.  My other companion lives in California so he won´t be able to.

I am glad you could sell the trailer and it sounds like it was pretty hard to do so.  That trailer is better than some houses here and bigger.  Tents are good enough for me!  Thats too bad mom that you have Arthritis!  I hope you are alright but i´m glad they are going to be able to treat it with some medicine.  

Thats crazy Zach and his family are moving to Florida so soon though.  Tell them to wait 4 more months! No its alright I guess.  

But yeah this last week was super crazy.  We had something every single day going on.  On Tuesday we had a meeting with the stake president and mission president which went pretty good I think and then on wednesday we had a meeting the mission president and all of the other zone leaders which lasted for a long time. We were there in the mission home for like 6 hours or so.  It went well though. Then on saturday we had like an open house thing at our stake center.  It was pretty cool actually.  My companion and I dressed in our baptismal clothing and taught about baptism at the baptismal font.  It turned out pretty cool I think. We just had groups keep on rolling in and we just kept teaching.  It died down a lot though after it got dark.  It was pretty fun though.

Things are going good though and my companion and I get along great.  We have had a ton of fun already.  He really cooks a lot though which is good for me.  Today for p day we got the zone together and we played some games at a church and ate pizza.  Its kind of boring though because sometimes we play soccer and its not the fun.  We played ping pong though and had a good time with that.  It made me really miss playing ping pong at home.  Ping pong is so much fun thats for sure and I will definitely have to practice up again. I was a little rusty today but it was still fun.

Well I better go but thanks for everything you guys are the best. I love you guys so much!!  Well I will talk to you next week!! :D

con amor,

Elder Peck

Pictures!

June 3, 2013 - Transfers again!

Dear Mom and Dad,

Hey sounds like you guys are keeping busy as always!!  I sure hope you had a good birthday dad!!

This last week has been pretty crazy!  On wednesday we had a super awesome fireside with Elder Cook one of the 12 apostles!!  It was the Buenos Aires south and West mission together.  We were going to do it in the capital but there was some protests blocking the main roads to get there so we had to change places.  But anyways it was super cool to see him and he shook everyones hand!  I got to shake an apostles hand!! It was super cool and I learned a lot from him.  He doesn´t speak spanish so he had a translator to help him. We are so lucky to have prophets on the earth today thats for sure.  I definitely won´t forget it.

Then on saturday I went with another elder while my companion went to the capital with all of the other elders going home.  I went to an area right by Fabian onsari my old area!!  We actually shared a church building with them and I got to go back there because the were having a ward baptism.  So basically I got to go see my old area!!  It was so crazy and brought back so many memories.  I wanted to go visit so many people.  I saw some people that I knew and I got to talk to them a little bit.  It felt so weird being back there but yet so awesome.  It made me really miss my old area  a lot.

So anyways my companion is heading home in like 3 hours!!  I dropped him off this morning.  He is ready to go home.  I had a really good time with him.  Also Elder McLaws is going home as well!!  He is going to stop by and I gave him something to give to you guys.  I hope that you like it!!  So anyways I got a new companion!!  His name is Elder Prestwich and he is one of my friends from when I was in la cumbre!!  He is super cool and I am super pumped to work with him.  We are going to tear it up!!  He goes home only 1 transfer after me too which is cool. I might be transfer 1 more time before I go home which is alright.  Its nice to know new parts I guess.  He´s from Riverton, Utah too by the way.

And mom to answer your question money would be great if you want to send it to me for my birthday!  To be honest you don´t need to get me anything but money would be good.  

But yeah I better make this fast but I love you guys so much and I will talk to you in a week!!!  Thanks for all you guys do for me!! Hasta luego!!

con amor x 162 zillion,

Elder Peck

May 27, 2013 - time keeps on flying!

Hey mom and Dad!
Hey guys!  Dad that sounds like quite the tornado they had in the states!  People down here have told me about it too.  I am glad that you made back home dad that is good at least.  Thats cool you were able to help that lady feel better on the plane ride she probably really needed it.  Also thats sweet you guys could go camping!  I want to go backpacking or something when I get home.  I miss mountains a lot since they basically doesn´t exist in my mission.  So Laura is getting knee surgery mom?  What for? Hopefully it all goes smoothly.

This was kind of a crazy week for some reason.  It went by pretty fast and my companion actually heads home next week.  Its kind of weird to think about and he is so excited to his family.  I makes me miss you guys a lot.  We went to the mission home this week for my companion´s exit interview where he talks to president about his mission and what his plans are after the mission.  He said it was kind of weird thinking about going home and stuff.

We are just trying to find some more people because right now we are kind of low on investagators.  Pretty soon I am going to have to take over the area since my companion is leaving so thats going to be interesting.  I feel like I know the area pretty well but there are still a lot of parts that I haven´t ever been too.  So we´ll see what happens. We are still doing the district leader´s job since the district leaders got changed so we had to set up a little class and stuff but it went by smoothly.  I also went and did a baptismal interview which was pretty cool. Its cool being able to do that.  

I am sending a picture of some of the kids that got baptized like 2 weeks ago.  Hopefully we will be having some more in the future too!!  My favorite is when we baptize someone and reactive a family.  It is so cool to see.

Well I am going to make this one kind of short there isn´t a lot to say!  Well I love and miss you guys a ton and I hope you have a great weeek!! Take care!! :D

con amor x 160 zillion,
Elder Peck

Picture

May 20, 2013 - Its getting cold down here!

Hey Mom and Dad!!!

Dad thats soo cool you are in Arkansas right now!! I am so glad that you didn´t ride your bike down there because that could have been bad I think.  That sounds pretty scary. Hopefully you make it back alright too.  Thats really cool Mike and his family sang you happy birthday!  And I was just telling my companion the other day how bad I miss your pancakes and waffles.  They sound so good right about now.

It was good talking to you guys a week ago and made me think about you guys a lot during the week.  Its probably a good thing we only call a few times a year!  Its crazy to think the next time I see you I will be home!  Elder McLaws is going home in 2 weeks and maybe he will go see you guys!  That would be cool.  This week we did intercambios with the asistants so Elder McLaws stayed the night in my pension while he went out with my companion and I went out with another elder from California.  It was pretty fun and I learned a lot.  Then the next day we all didn´t have lunch (becaue we usually eat with the members) so we ate at an all you can eat meat buffet.  I had so much meat.  It was really good and I stuffed myself.  The meat down here is so good.

This week it started to get super cold here.  The weather here changes soo fast its crazy.  For example we had to go to another area to go do a baptismal interview and we went in short sleeve shirts and it wasn´t too cold and then we finished the interview and it was raining and freezing.  It was getting kind of late so the buses stopped running where we were at and so we started walking in the cold rain and a bus came by and I think he had pity on us and let us in.  The bus wasn´t in service but he just let us on with him.  We talked to the guy a bit and he was joking with us a little bit.  Really nice guy though.  It was kind of a tender mercy for us because it would have been a long cold walk.  Then we had to wait at the train station to go back to our area.  But yeah ever since that day it has been pretty cold.  I have had to wear my big jacket and everything.  I don´t really like the cold that much. I miss the st. george heat.

Yesterday we had 3 baptisms for 3 little kids which was pretty cool.  Their names are Nahuel, Rocio, and Benjamin.  It was nice little baptism and their families came to support to which was good.  Also during the week we had interviews with President Stapley which are always good.  Hes a good guy and I think that is going to be my last interview from him because he leaves next month. Thats so weird that he is already leaving!!  We will be getting the new president pretty soon. 

Today for P day I just went shopping with my companion.  We went to a lot of cool little stores and he bought a lot of stuff before he leaves.  He goes home in 2 weeks which is so crazy.  Its hard to imagine that he going to be gone.  I will have to take over the area here which is going to be kind of a challenge because its soo big but it will be alright.  Hopefully everything works out alright.  There was some changes in my zone and basically one of our district leaders had to have an emergency transfer and so my companion and I have to do his job as a district leader but its alright.  So basically we are zone leaders and district leaders.  

Everything is going good here though!  I hope that you guys are doing well. I found the letters you gave me when I entered the MTC and it brought back a lot of memories.  That seems like a lifetime ago.  It was good reading them though.  Well I love and miss you guys soo much! You guys are the best.  I´ll talk to you in a week!! Hasta luego! :D

con amor x 158 zillion,

Elder Peck

May 13, 2013 - It's your son again!

Hey mom and Dad!

It was so good talking to you guys yesterday.  The time went by so fast talking to you.  I wish I could have talked longer to you guys yesterday.  I can´t believe that is the last time calling from Argentina!  The time is going by soo fast.  I want to work really hard these next 5 months because there is still a lot more work to do before I get home.  

Mom I hope that you had a good mother´s day yesterday. It was so good talking to you!  Next year will be a lot different thats for sure. i am glad they choose mother´s day to let us call.  A fun fact for you is that mother´s day here is october.  Basically the only country that does that.

Seriously it was soo good talking to you guys yesterday and I am glad there wasn´t any tears.  Its a little easier knowing I am coming home in 5 months.  It was good seeing Jenny and her family.  Her little girls look so big! I couldn´t believe it.

Today for p day we went and played some american football! It was soo fun!! I love playing football.  Then we watched the movie "UP" since we can watch 1 movie from disney a transfer.  It was pretty fun. I am pretty tired right now.  

Well I think I already told you a lot yesterday but thanks for all you guys do for me and I hope you know how much I appreciate it.  I feel so blessed thats for sure!!  Well I love you guys a ton!!  Take care!! 

con amor x 156 zillion,

Elder Peck

May 6, 2013 - Talk to you in 6 days!

Mom and Dad!!

Thanks so much for your letters!!  Also thanks for the money that will be very appreciated!  Thanks for always taking care of me while I am gone.  For you guys are the best.  

So I will be talking to you on sunday at 6:30 Argentina time and I should have everything set up.  We will be using the computer of  the lady that lives in front of us so that makes it easy.  I have some phone cards too I think just in case. Also I have email ready too.  Thanks for sending my username and stuff dad. I was just thinking about that so thanks for sending it to me.

So you guys saw ironman 3?  I didn´t even know there was one.  Thats pretty cool.  I will have a lot of movies to see when I get back.  My companion goes home in 4 weeks!  Its crazy to think about and he is getting ready to go home and stuff. He is still working hard though so thats good.  He makes me miss you guys a ton though!  Only 5 more months though and its over.  That is so weird to me.  Today we went shopping for p day because my companion wants to buy a lot of stuff before he leaves.  It was cool seeing some new parts of my zone.  It definitely isn´t like la plata but its alright.  

This last week was pretty good I guess.  We went to a district meeting and my good buddy Elder Preece taught it so that was pretty cool.  I remember when we were super new in the mission together and now he is teaching and everything.  

This last Wednesday we had a meeting at the mission home which has a nickname of  "Jedi Council"  because its for all of the zone leaders in the mission.  There is a huge table we sit around and we talk about the mission and stuff.  It was pretty cool.  At the end all of the people going home this transfer gave their testimonies and they were all crying and stuff.  It was pretty sad and it made me realize how short the mission really is.  I could feel the spirit so strong too.  I am so glad I am serving a mission.  This is the best decision of my life thats for sure.

This last Friday there was a huge rain storm here and we got pretty wet.  We went out to this house out in the boonies like super far from everyone and we got in the house.  It was a house basically all made out of tin roof so it was kind of loud inside with the rain.  There was a ton of people inside though and we taught a nice lesson.  It was sad to see though people living like that.  It really makes me appreciate all that we have.  Coming back we got kind of wet and we had to wait at the bus stop for awhile.  But finally it came.  Its starting to get kind of cold here too.

Then the next day we went out on our bikes and since our area is mostly of dirt roads there was a ton of mud.  We were riding through this super slippery mud and my bike slipped out from under me and I put my foot down to catch me and then my foot slipped too!  I fell right on my back in the mud !  I was covered in mud!  It was pretty funny though and it didn´t hurt at all.  I took some pictures after when we got back to the pension.  I will show you when I get back home.  But yeah it was pretty funny.

Yesterday was a pretty chill day at church but I found out I have to give a talk which will be fun I guess.  Well I better run but the good news is I am going to be talking to you soon!!  I will talk to you on sunday!!  I love you guys soo much!!  Take care!

con amor x 154 zillion,

Elder Peck

April 29, 2013 - Week 2 of Alejandro Korn

Hey Mom and Dad!!

I hope you guys are doing good!  Dad I hope all is well with your finals.  Finals were so stressfull but so nice when i finished.  Thats to bad you were feeling sick throughout all of that.  I actually have been sick like all week which has been kind of a pain.  I am feeling back to normal basically though.  I hate being sick soo bad.  Its the worst.

Thats cool Kiera is going to Arizona!! We´ll be close then and she will be able to go back and see everyone in her mission easily.  Thats the only bad thing about going foreign.  She´ll do good there. When does she leave?  I probably won´t see her for like 3 years or so.  

Things are going pretty good here in my new area.  Its always kind of weird starting a new area and learning all of the streets and the people´s names and stuff.  My area is like super countryside compared to my other areas.  I like it here.  Its so much more relaxed compared to my other areas.  Its a sleep little town.  There is this place where we have been going where its like a huge open field where people have just gone and put up shacks basically to live on. I want to take a picture of it.  Its pretty crazy.  Like my room would be like their house basically.  Its pretty crazy and humbling to see.  Like yesterday we went and taught a lesson in one of the house and it was a dirt floor.  The funny thing is though is that a ton of the shacks have direct TV.  Its kind of funny.  

But yeah things are kind of crazy right now and I am just trying to figure everything out.  My companion goes home in 5 weeks which is kind of wierd for me because he doesn´t seem that much older than me in the mission.   He´s a cool guys though and he´s from the san diego area I think.  Like between L.A. and san diego.  I love san diego so much.  Anyways we are working really hard and we found a lot of people.  Its kind of weird to have a companion older than me because the last like 6 transfers I have been the oldest.  Its cool teaching with him because he has a lot of experience too.  

Yesterday was my first day in church and I had to introduce myself for everyone in sacrement meeting but there wasn´t really a lot of people because it rained.  When it rains like everyone just stays inside.  Its kind of annoying. But church was good and after we had lunch with the bishop.  He seems like a really cool guy.  Also my old companion Elder Inostroza from chile was in this area so people have talked about him too.  

To be honest it was kind of a crazy week and I kind of missed my old area but at the same time I am glad to be here to start over new.  I was getting really comfortable in my last area. In 5 weeks when my companion leaves I am going to have to take over the area and everything which is kind of stressfull but its all good.  

Also I am kind of running low on money and I was wondering if you could lend me some and then I can pay you back after.  But please let me pay you back.  I should be good for a bit though.

For mother´s day we are thinking about calling at 5:00 argentine time but we can change it.  What time do you have church at??  When will you be able to?

Also I am going to be writing in the mornings for now on so if you guys write late I am probably not going to get it until the new week.  Well I better take off but I love you guys sooo much!!!  I will talk to you soon!!  :D

con amor x 152 zillion,

Elder Peck

New Calling for Elder Peck

Dear Brother and Sister Peck,

            It is with pleasure that I write to inform you that your son, Elder Luke Scott Peck has been called to serve as a Zone Leader in the Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

            In this capacity, he and his companion will direct the missionary work of between 12 and 28 missionaries. He will conduct and lead the training in zone conferences held under the direction of the mission president every transfer cycle. Baptismal interviews and monthly meetings with the stake president are among his many other important assignments. Particularly vital are the 24-hour companion exchanges or “intercambios” that he will conduct with the missionaries in his zone. Other missionaries will look to him for guidance in a wide variety of difficult situations. He will be one of the corps of leaders to whom I also will look frequently for assistance.

Thank you for raising such a fine son.

Sincerely,

Michael J Stapley

President, Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission

April 22, 2013 - Todavia estoy vivo.

Mom and Dad!!!

Hey guys!  Thats super crazy about the bombing at the boston marathon!  I never heard about anything.  Also I sure hope Louiston is doing alright.  I bet that was so hard for Mike and his family but it sounds like everything is going alright.  Dad I sure hope your hand starts to get better and then everything works out alright.  And mom tell Shayley hi for me!  

Well this has been kind of a crazy week...This last tuesday I had to teach my district and then I did intercambios with an Elder from Riverton, Utah.  He is super cool and we had a lot of fun.  I love doing intercambios to switch things up a little bit. Also on Saturday we had a baptism for 2 little kids named Jazmin and Yerson.  I baptized jazmin and it was super cool!!  Being in the baptismal font I was thinking wow this is really the best feeling and I felt really blessed to be apart of this work.  It was a really neat experience and I could feel the spirit strong.

My companion baptized Yerson and the funny thing is he forgot to take out his camera from his pocket and it got all wet.  I think its broken because its still not working.  But it was a nice little baptism and I really enjoyed it.

Later in the day there was an activity in the church and as I was sitting and listening to the lesson thing our phone rang and it was President Stapley!  I answered it and he told me that he was calling me to be a zone leader!!!  I was like what??  I have only been a district leader for 1 transfer!!  But so that meant I was leaving my area.  I was pretty sad to leave but it was kind of time to leave because I had been there over 6 months.  In church I had to give my testimony in sacrement meeting and I cried in front of everyone and so did some of the members too.  It was a pretty sad good bye to everyone to be honest.  I will miss them so much.  After church I went and had an Argentine BBQ called an asado. It was sooo good.  Then I went around saying good bye to everyone.  It was really hard because who knows when I am going to be able to see them again..  I will miss the people and that area so much. It really is like holy ground for me.

So last night I had to pack all of my stuff which was kind of a pain.  I got everything to fit but only barely.  I went to bed at like 12:15 and then I had to wake up at like 5 and head up to transfer meeting.  I was happy to go to transfer meeting to go see everyone because Elder smoot my old district leader and Elder Griffin were heading home.  It was soo weird seeing them sitting in front with everyone.  They gave their testimonies and Elder Griffin cried in his.  They are seriously soo cool and I really hope you can see them some day.  Elder Smoot´s parents were there too.  One of the missionary´s going home was giving his testimony in front of everyone and then he like paused and he´s like and those are my parents and we looked and his parents were just entering the chapel to pick him up.  It was  so funny and I can´t even imagine how that would be.  As soon as they finished with the testimonies he like ran to them.  It was pretty cool to see.  It made me miss you guys.

So anyways my new area is called Alejandro Korn and my companion´s name is Elder Talbot.  He is from California.  I am super pumped to work here.  Also Elder Preece is going to be a disrict leader in my zone so I will be seeing him a lot as well!!  On the way though both of my suit case handles broke... Its kind of a pain and I will see what I can do.  I am going to try and fix them I think.  Also I got your package!!  Thanks so much for the journal and jerky! Right now I am wearing the belt which is super cool!!

But yeah it has been quite the week thats for sure and I am like exhausted right now.  Well I better run but I love you guys a ton and I hope that you are doing well!! Take care!! :D

con amor x 150 zillion,

Elder Peck

April 15, 2013 - Poor Bessie

Mom and Dad,

Hey guys thats super sad about Bessie dying..  I am doing alright about everything even though my companion was very disrespectfull about it.  He was laughing because I was sad about it.  I wanted to punch him in the face. Really I am alright right now and at least she is with buddy right now.  I was kind of worried about that after buddy died if she would get sick too.  It sounds like she was really sick and at least now she can rest and not be in anymore pain.  They were only seperated for 6 months or so

I am sorry you guys had to go through all of that, that would be so hard I am sure.  I wish I could have been there too.  I am sorry about everything and sure hope you guys are doing alright.  I know you guys took the best of care for them and I guess its just part of life.  That would have been so hard to clean up the kennel and stuff and throw the dog house away.  Dad I can still remember when we built that together and I won´t ever forget it.  Those dogs were definitely a part of my growing up in dog town.  I had a lot of good memories with those 2 dogs.  I will be able to see them again someday though.  Its hard to wrap my mind around everything but its like you always say day the only constant thing in life is change.  I always remember that and its so true.  But I just want you to know that I am totally fine with everything even though its kind of hard to hear.  I am just so glad to have the knowledge we have about the gospel and really that helps me out soo much.  I sure hope you guys are feeling alright though.  

Well things are going good here for the most part.  We have been working hard trying to find new people but we didn´t have too much luck but yesterday we had 9 investagators in church!  I was so happy!  Also this last week we had a special fast for all of the missionaries waiting for their visas.  I guess there has been problems getting them and I was pretty lucky to get mine so easily.  So I hope they all get here and I am excited to get to know that new missionary that is from California.  There should be a ton of new missionaries coming to our mission.  It will be interesting to see what happens because they are going to have to open new areas and stuff I think.  Its pretty cool to see the work progress

Dad how has your hand been doing?  I hope its doing better!!

Well this next week is transfers and I am a little nervous to see what happens!!  Elder Griffin and a lot of my other friends are heading home.  I can´t believe they are already going home.  I am kind of sad to see them all go but I will probably see them after the mission.  I hope you will be able to meet some of them. 

Well I hope that you guys have a better week this week!!  Love you guys a ton and I will be home before you know it!  Take care!

con amor x 148 zillion,

Elder Peck

April 8, 2013 - wow what a week!

Mom and Dad!!!

Hey guys!!  There is some problems with the computers right now so I hope I will be able to send this.  But wow it was definitely quite the week thats for sure.  It was pretty crazy being in the flood thats for sure.  I took a lot of pictures and I will see if I can send some.  It was just surprising how fast the water came up but its all good.  I feel bad for some families because they lost like everything.  It water ended up coming up to a little above my knees inside the pension.  But I guess people died pretty close to where we were at.  But it was kind of crazy after because everyone was just throwing out all of their stuff out into the streets and then like some of the people from the poorer parts came and were trying to take everything.  It was kind of sketchy because they were also like blocking of streets and stuff.  Thats how they protest here I guess.  Its actually really common.  But we just stayed inside the pension at night and most of the time.  We have been trying to clean everything out because there was a lot of mud everywhere.  It was nuts though.  Luckily I didn´t really lose anything valuable so thats good.  I put my journal and my scriputres in my back pack and put them on top of the bunk bed with me just in case.  Those are like the most important things I have.  Also I had my camera too but luckily its water proof.. 

Also this week I got a really cool phone call from a family from last area.  I am not really sure how they got my number but they called to tell me Cristian (the boy I baptized on my birthday) just got his mission call to Peru!!!  We are going to be serving at the exact same time!!  I am seriously so pumped!   When he goes through the temple I will be able to go through with him too.  He will be a really good missionary too.  

So how was conference for you guys??   I got to see one session on saturday and then I watched both of them on sunday.  The last session I got to watch in English so that was pretty cool.  I hope that I will be able to read the talks later because I love the conference talks.  They are super cool and I feel so lucky to have modern revelation for us in these days.  I really wish I could have gone to all of the sessions but on saturday we could only go if we had investagators but with all of the storms and everything it was really hard for all of us to go on saturday but luckily I was able to go for at least one session.  

It feels so long since i have driven a car.  I can´t believe I go home in 6 months!!  Time is just going faster and faster!  I really can´t believe it though.  Its weird that a lot of my friends are already home. It feels like I have been here for so long though.  It will be weird when I finally leave here but hopefully I will be able to come back one day and visit everyone again.  La Plata is a really cool place too.  Dad I hope your hand is starting to get better.  I hope they can figure out what to do for it so you don´t have to have another surgery.  I have been definitely praying for yeah!!  

So Mike Crowley knows a family whos son is coming to my mission?  Thats super cool!! When does he leave? Hopefully I will be able to meet him some day!!

Well I better go but I hope that you guys are alright and know how much I love and care for all of you guys!!  You guys are the best!!  I have the best parents ever thats for sure.  Talk to you in a week!!

con amor x 146 zillion,

Elder Peck