4/16 The Grand Canyon is for wimps!

That's right, shots fired at the grand canyon. Now, who could possibly say that a mile deep canyon is for whimps? A person that just got back from seeing a TWO mile deep canyon. We headed up to Colca Canyon last night and got back this afternoon, and wow, it is pretty spectacular. It is actually the deepest canyon in the entire world (10,725 feet deep). To get there, you have to go first to Chivay, a little village/pueblito in the mountains, and then catch another bus to head up to Colca. At one point, you go over a mountain pass that is almost 16,000 feet above sea level (taller than any point in the continental United States). And then you make it to the canyon, and it is breath-taking. I sent pictures but you cannot convey the magisty of the canyon with the pictures. It was really well worth it, and I feel bad we probaby wont have time to go, because it requires waking up at the butt-crack of dawn to get out their in time. I'm super glad President let us go though. 

After getting back from the canyon trip we immediately went to the baptism of one of my investigators from Chachani, my first area. She never got baptized because she was living together with her boyfriend. We ended up baptizing her 13-year-old daughter more than a year ago and then I got transfered and didnt here anything about her until a few weeks ago when the elders in Chanchani told me that she was preparing to be baptized. This was actually the first time I had gone back to one of my areas to visit, and holy cow, I felt so much love from the people there. Chachani has always had a special place in my heart, and now it does even more. My pensionista came, some of my converts, and of course, I was there for the baptism. They even asked me to lead the music for the program haha. Anyways, the service went super well and I am continuing to see the seeds I've planted being harvested, which is almost better than harvesting yourself. Janet was there, and she told me that since her baptism, her mom, who when we were teaching her was a hard core evangelist, was baptized, and then her cousin came to visit more a few months and he was baptized, went home after vacation and now all of his family has been baptized as well. And now, the missionaries have begun to teach all of Janet's brothers and sisters. One person can make all the difference for the eternity of another. 

Needless to say, today was an awesome day, and a much needed one as well. Ever since being the assistant, I have just wanted to work in my area and sprint to the end, but my work here is a little different. With the large geographical size of the mission, we have to do a lot of traveling and that takes a lot of time away from our area here. When we are here, it always seems like we have something that we need to do in the office, and we only get a few hours of proseliting in everyday. That has really been hard for me. I know what I am doing is important as well, and I know we still do have at least some time to work in our area, but still, it's been hard, and this week has been like that especially. Today was much needed, and my comp and I have talked about it and we have the goal to spend less time in the office and more time with our boots on the pavement so to speak. I think we can do it, and with such a relatively short period of time left in my mission, I cant afford to waste any more time. 

Speaking of working in our area, we will NOT be doing that this next week, as we hit the road once again. Pedregal on Tuesday, Mollendo on Wednesday, Ilo on Thursday, and then Moquegua on Friday. Another week of interviews. I figure if I am not going to be in my area for a week, then I better make sure that these are some pretty dang good interviews haha.

Love you all, have a fantastic week!

The karate kid returns