Hey Family!!!

Hey family how is it all going for you?  It is going great for us here just had a solid week of work just trying to work super hard to be an example for the Callao Zone.  I sent you two pictures, one of my bathroom and yes there is no room it is crazy.  Sitting on the toilet and having to turn to the side because the have put the sink right over the toilet which is crazy.  and then another picture of me and the marriot.  haha because you have booked our room haha how awesome is that.  O ya I was thinking about coming and getting you from the airport that night depending on what time you get in so you can still have the translator there but if you dont want to you dont have to, because I think I will be there.  :) haha But you just gotta let me know what time you will be getting in. haha Man I remember how lost I was when I landed too, haha I didnt understand a word they were saying to me haha.  But I cant wait either it is going to be crazy, seeing the pictures of Jordan just blew me away and cant believe that he is already home and that he got there safe.  haha But we had a good week, we had Lander, Jacky, Abraham and victoria in the chapel yesterday.  And So we had more this time and we are thinking that lander could be getting baptized this saturday or the next and jacky we are gonna put a date, but abraham and victoria have to get baptized.  But a good week we have been working super hard just trying to give it my all knocking a ton of doors asking everyone who we can teach and finding some people.  My sector is crazy, my shoes get so dirty, it is like walking on four wheeler trails and ya my shoes will be toast at the end of these next couple months.  But I still have alot left to go .  I always think that it is getting close but it is still far away , alot of work left to do before I can rest.  I have a couple cool experiences that happened to me this week.  So we knocked this door and a pretty cool lady answers and told us that she was listening to the missionaries a couple months ago and that she was busy and if we could come back a different day and so I said ya thats fine, and then this dog comes up to the porch and starts to shake like dogs do after they get out of the bath and I thought it was slobber, but then I look down at my agenda and there was blood all over my agenda and then I start to turn my back to the dog and there was blood on my shirt and man it was a mess of just dogs blood that he was shaking and it got all over us and so we spent the rest of the day with dogs blood spots on our shirts.  It was gross but hey at the same time awesome because I would of never had stories like that in the office.  And another story is we were walking down the street in our sector and I saw this door and I felt the need to knock it, it seems to stick out to me, and so we did and this guy answered and just opened it a little bit so we could barely see his face and we said hey brother how you doing and all that good stuff and we asked him if we could come in and he said sure, one sec, and he opened the door and his daughter was seated there and his son and his wife (well his girlfriend because they arent married) it was awesome to find a whole family like that together becasue it doesnt happen to often and we showed them pictures of our families and then we taught them and it was a good lesson and we will see what we can do there.  The dad told us that he is looking for the truth.  But we really had a good week of finding new people to teach, but now it is just finding them again and getting them to church.  But I will just keep working hard.  President Tyler called me last night and told me that I have to find a Casa Capilla  ( that would be like a house chapel, I dont know how to say it in english) and that I have to do it this week.  Because the chapel that we go to is too far away and so the stake wants to open up a branch where I am at and then combine the other part of the ward with other wards, so that is exciting to find a closer place for us to go so that we can have more in the chapel.  But the only thing is that is wont be this nice chapel it will just be a house and that is where we will be having our sunday meetings it looks like.  But wish me luck. haha O ya that is an awesome idea for the webbs way cool.  But for Pres tyler you dont need to buy anything if you dont want...  O ya another experience, we were teaching this lesson and we went into the house and there was dog poop and pee on the floor and I sat down like right next to it, and the lady didnt even care and so I was like ya whatever and then in like the middle of the lesson my backpack strap fell in the pee and I was so grossed out it was nuts, and now you know how my sector is.  There are millions of dogs, because we are right by the beach and everyone just dumps their garbage out on the beach and then all the dogs come to eat the garabe.  SO ya practilly I am serving in a garbage dump with houses on it.  haha but it is awesome because the people are so humble but at the same time not married.  This friday we had a meeting in the office and got to see the webbs and Elder Diaz and it was awesome to go back. I felt a little sad not to be there any more but I love my sector and the work that Elder Sagastume and I are doing.  He is awesome also and so we are doing good.  But this next week coming up we have a few service projects planned to paint and help abraham lift some tree trunks from the garbage so he can sell them to make some money, and excited to help but not excited to sort through garbage.  haha and so we will be super busy .  Love you all so much , And just so you know kod, Lucas is spelled with an A.  Love you all a ton.  Have a great week mom and dad love you both, thanks mom for the boxes and yes sister I will pray for him.  Hope all goes well with steph , let me know how it is all going.  Hope all the nephews and niece are good.  Keep up the great work tor and tam. Hows the countdown dev?  Elder Stauffer.

A Missionary Christmas

I skipped the sales after Thanksgiving. The thrill just wasn't there.
No pictures taken with Santa Claus, My decorating has no flair.
His presents are shoes, shirts, and ties, two suits and socks...no fun.
I've bought him all white clothes because... 

 This year I'm giving Christ my son. 

 I've spent more time in the temple, my testimony stirred.
I've reread November's Ensign, Felt strength come from His words.
Our family prays more frequently. My tears are quick to run.
Abraham seems closer because,

 This year I'm giving Christ my son. 

 I wonder how those Lamanite mothers, gave their sons to war?
Or how the pioneers chose Zion , their sacrifice was so much more.
My loss will be his presence, I'll miss his smile a ton
For two years we will pray for him, 

 I'm giving Christ my son. 

 I stare at his face when he's not looking. I memorize his eyes, their
shine. He's always hungered for the part of him, that makes his soul
divine.
The stories and lessons he always heard, His choice and mine are one.
I'll put my faith in God's hand,

 This year,

I'm giving Him my son. 

 Past gifts have lost their glitter; I think I finally understand
Christ's birth should be celebrated by giving Him a hand.
It's because I know Christ lives and reigns that all his packing's done.
My gift has taken years to make, This year... 

 I'm giving Christ my son. 

 I know there's One who understands, the sacrifice I'm making.
Who knows the gift I willingly give, The toll it will be taking.
For He has done it all before Greater love - there could be none.
For years ago God gave to me,

His only begotten son. 

 The hands I washed, the hands I held, The hands I taught to pray;
Now knock on doors to find the ones Who will listen to what he'll say.
Because I know Christ needs him, Until all the gathering's done,
My gift has taken years to make. 

 This year...I'm giving Christ my son.

--Author Unknown

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FAMILY!!!

Hey family thanks for all of the great emails and pictures, it is crazy that it is getting snowy there because it is starting to get pretty hot here haha but I had a great week just getting back to work.  I sent you a picture of my companion, his name is elder sagastume.  He is from guatemala but a cool fact about him is that he lived in Holiday for 6 months and worked in Park City. He is awesome and has about 6 days in the mission.  haha I am training him and he already knows everything, I dont even have to do anything.  He is a really cool guy and we already get along great.  These last ten days have flown by for me.  President Tyler sent me to La Chalaca 3 and I am opening the sector because before there werent missionaries, a while ago there was but he put us back in now and so we have just been trying to find more investigators.  My sector has to be the coolest sector in the entire mission, dirt roads, poor people living in little shacks, and they have never seen us before so they all listen to our message it is awesome.  It is going to make these last few months fly but we have a lot of work to do and I want to baptize so we will see how it goes.  The chapel is so far away from our sector that we have to take everyone in a bus and they dont want to go in bus so that will be a struggle.  But it is just like in san luis, I had to take everyone in bus.  But I also sent you pictures of the view from my room, clean huh?  I dont live in my sector that is a part of the ward but we have to walk to our sector and so we just live close.  In my sector there is nothing but dirt roads and it is just like if I was in the provinces of Perù and so happy that I get that experience but my shoes and pants get super dusty and so mom I will be needing alot of wet wipes and maybe in the package every week you could put a little package of wet wipes.  I like to clean my shoes with them, it works good.  I still have a lot from the last time you sent them to me but I will for sure need more.  But ya I dont have hot water in the shower.  So I have to get used to that again because I got spoiled in San Isidro as assistant haha but I am happy to be out in the field again, I loved being assistant but at the samed time I always wanted to work and now I get to do that.  But now I feel so wierd not being in charge haha but o well, I have my little district to be in charge of now.  haha My zone is called Callao.  This week we just knocked alot of doors and found a lot of cool people.  It is just going to be hard to get them to church.  They cant get baptized if they dont come to church.  In my sector there is a couple that goes to church everyweek but they cant get baptized because they arent married, and they cant get married because Victorias birth certificate is in the provinces and they dont have enough money to travel to go get it for her so she cant get married, so we cant get her to the provinces to get that, I would have two baptisms.  But we will see what happens the stake president is trying to get it but it will never get done.  But it has been a great week I have enjoyed myself back in the work, I have been super exhuasted though, it is crazy how hard the work is on ya.  I just come home beat and ready to sleep but we have so much to do that we can`t.  But just keep praying that I can find people that will progress. 

But that`s awesome that steph is gonna have her baby soon I can`t wait.  No one has told me yet what his name is going to be??????????????????? 

Hope that I could answer all of your questions and hope that you are all doing well.  I am doing great here in La chalaca.  O ya mom I already sent my transcript from Dixie State to Weber, I think that I only need my transcript from High school now. Thanks mom your the best and keep your eye out for anything from BYU. and let me know.  I was gonna tell you just to stick with Moroni Tours if they are helping you out a lot, whatever you do will be great.  What do you have planned?  Let me know, wish me luck fam.  Love you all alot.  Elder Stauffer

¡¡¡LA CHALACA 3!!!

Hey family so President Tyler is sending me to La Chalaca 3 which is a really sweet sector, people so  humble that it will be even a more of an eye opener for me right before I get home haha I am going to train and going to be a district leader.  Love you all so much and I made a little painting of my sector. and yes it is right next to the airport so I will be able to see all of the airplanes haha love you all alot wish me luck with my newbie and out in the middle of nowhere.  Love you all. 

Hey Fam!!!

Family how are you all doing?  I am doing great just feeling a little wierd because I am gonna go back out AND WORK!!!! whoo hoo!!! haha I am pretty excited about it because President was thinking the same thing that I should go out and be in the field with the missionaries and work with them rather than just train them all of the time and I am so excited because I am going to one of the best sectors in the entire mission and will just be able to work and talk to everyone and their dogs about the Gospel and thats why Im here, im not here to sit in an office and train missionaries.  haha it was fun, I wouldnt trade it for the world but I just like working in a ward a lot more.  So I am pretty excited.  But some bad news, my pday is going to go back to mondays, so you wont hear from me until the next monday, this monday no, the next monday.  So it will be about 10 days before you hear from me, I will be doing some good work by then , so wish me luck.  President didnt have us help him with the changes this time so I don´t even know where I´m going actually but the last thing he told me was that I was going to go to the ward Rimac 1.  And it is amazing up there, I have done a couple work visits and you can just talk with everyone on the hills.  And he told me that I would probably be a District Leader, and so I am super excited to have a lot less responsability.  I will probably only have 4 Elders in my district.  haha I go from having 198 missionaries under my belt, to 4, sounds great to me.  haha but really everyone will still be watching me, its not like I am leaving the mission, they will still remember that I was assistant and that I need to give them a good example.  But I am super excited.  It is actually really common in our mission to only be assistant for a couple changes, because it isnt like Blakes mission where he gets to travel and all that it is alot simpler here in Lima so President Tyler is just trying to change a lot of things up in the mission because a lot of missionaries are in a Routine.  Dad do you remember how I used to always come home from school and you would ask me how my day was and I used to always say, "Routine".  That is what we try to avoid here in the mission because once the missionaries fall into a routine they don´t love what they do, they forget how to do the job right, they dont give it their all because they dont enjoy the work.  So we are just trying to do alot of different things this next change that is coming up and I am excited to be able to help from the field.  And I hope that I can drop all this wieght that I have gained here in the offices.  But it is alot different actually putting into practice now all that I have trained the Elders to do but I did it before so I can do it again.  Just pray for me that I will have the desire to just work hard and share the Gospel with everyone.  Wish me luck these last 4 months that I can give it my all to end strong.  I feel a strong desire to end strong..  But it still hasn´t hit me yet that really I dont have a lot left.  All of the members ask me how much time I have left and I say 4 months and they always say "O le falta poco" that is you dont have very much left.  haha and it still doesnt hit me. But at the same time I still have a lot left so we will just go for it. 

 

Thanks mom for the great pictures of lacie, I cant believe that she is hanging in there for me..  She still looks good though.  And that you got to go down to St. George.  So I have applyed to a couple schools and alot of letters are gonna be coming from all of them, you can open them and read them for me.  I think that a letter from Weber state will be coming to the house telling me that i have to send in my transcript from northridge, if so you could just talk to Diane Larkin and she will know what to do, it costs a dollar.  Thanks mom.  Don´t worry about me I will be just fine and I am super excited to get back out and work.  I will let you know how it goes.  O ya some other bad news, we went to take pictures with the llama that day but it was closed and so they told us to come back on tuesday and it was a day of a counsil the we had with the zone leaders so we got there late and it was closed again.  Sorry mom I tried two times for you :(

 

Dad sounds like you are loving it... sometimes.... haha just keep working hard but don´t forget what is really important, like those feelings that you have in the st. George temple.  Just try to always have those feelings and I will too.  Your doing a great job and just enjoy it, don´t fall into that routine, do it because you love it...

 

Tory, Tammie, Branik, Brixston:  Thanks tamm for the update you are the best, well we are both going back to work, our fun days are over now, it is time to work..  Haha tell BT that he is the man and that I can´t wait to talk to him this Christmas.  BT LOVE YOU BUDDY.  And hope brixston stays that way for me when I get home. 

 

Kody, Steph, Payton:  Hope all is well, you still haven´t told me what his name is .  when is he due, I am getting excited, he is gonna play football right?  LOve you guys.  PAY you are getting so old...  You better talk to me this christmas.  :) 

 

Sister and Dev:  haha thats what you get for so much partying, now you are out of money.  JK I am not excited for those days to be poor and not have money...  :(  JK  but all is well wish me luck this change that is coming up.   LOVE YOU. 

 

Well I am going to send this email but I will send you another one with where I am going to be for sure.  Love you very much.  Elder J Stauff

 

 

The package got here this week

Mom the ties were sick, I put one of them on right after the picture and wore it that day.  Thanks mom it was an awesome package you did awesome.  Your the best and you know it.  Love you and ok well now we will just see if I get accepted. Love you fam.  I am gonna go take pictures with llamas today.  Love you mom

WHOO HOO!! THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT PICS

Hey fam how are you all doing?  I am doing just great now that I got to see all of the great pictures, It took me forever to see them all it was great thanks mom for all the pictures.  The family looks great and happy and so that is what is important.  You will never believe what Elder Webb showed me this week! My plane ticket home!  I came into the office and elder webb said hey elder stauffer, come over here and so I went over there and he showed me the voucher that the church sent to the office, man o man where is my mission going?  My time here in the office has flown by and and that is all the time that I have left.  But hey I just gotta keep working.  But I am really thinking about talking to President Tyler to let me go back out into the field and just WORK.   It is such hard work for us here in Perú and I feel like I still have alot to learn in these 4 months and I think that the best place for me to be is to be out in the hills knocking no doors and learning how to just WORK.  I will do whatever President wants me to do but I have loved the experience here in the office it has been awesome.  But one thing that I have learned is that I really love talking to everyone about the gospel rather than filling out reports making phone calls, training missionaries, taking care of their problems, doing the changes, etc.  But hey I´ll go and do right?

 

But here is the picture of us last week at the temple.  As you can see the sun is starting to come out alot more here in Lima and it is getting hot sometimes.  By the time you get here in march, it will be pretty humid.  I will never forget the feeling when I first took step off the plane here in Lima last year.  It was so hot in my suit.  It was crazy.  But glad mom that you liked that web site that I sent to you, hope that it all keeps going good.  A lot of missionaries use them when their parents come, so it will be great.  And yes I will try to get a picture with a llama for ya mom, I have seen those guys walking around with their llamas alot too but it is just that I cant really carry my camera around in the streets when I am proselyting if I want to keep my camera.  haha If you know what I mean?  As soon as I take out my camera it wont be mine anymore in my mission.. hahah haha but i will go to this one place I know of and take a few for you okay?  But thanks for the pic of tann, he looks like he is doing great.  Cant believe that Blake is almost done, how crazy is that, how is sonya feeling?

 

Thanks toads for the picture of the tow trucks, so we do have a rotator now?  And sweet that you learned a lot more.  Hope that you just enjoy this winter and work hard.  There is no better feeling of just being exhausted after a long days work, I LOVE IT.   I feel so accomplished when I get back to my room at night after talking with everyone and their dogs about the Gospel and just being beat.   It is the best feeling ever so that is why I think I wanna just go work for my last 4 months.  But keep up the great work. 

 

Thanks sister for all of your great trips that you get to go on and then get to rub it into your little bros face, haha jk.  Tell tj not to worry about it and congrats for his new job, that will be great.  Hope all is well with him tell him.  And get better, I still remember when I first got here, and how sick I was... It was crazy. 

 

Thanks pops for all of the great updates, you are doing a great job, just tell everyone to keep the trucks clean and to not smoke in them... I have been thinking about that a lot, are the kearns trucks clean or what?  And ya I will try and end strong my mission to bring more souls unto Christ.  Love ya pops

 

Well mom this week we had a talent show and Elder Diaz plays the guitar and loves to sing so we sung this funny mission song about the dear john letters that we get as missionaries and yes he made me sing but hey everyone laughed and so that was good, and we had alot of our investigators there in the chapel.  I will send a picture.  this week just gonna be doing the changes with Pres Tyler, and not a whole lot else.  Love ya lots.  Elder J Stauff

TALENT SHOW!!