Can you guys believe that we are officially inside the one month to go mark?? That's just nuts, it almost doesn't feel real! I am so excited, and so stoked to be able to see everyone again!!
Really just the usual as of late. Last week was a super slow work week for us, cuz of a giant celebration here in Quillacollo called Urkupiña. So everyone and their dog was down in the city partying, meaning that we had absolutely nobody to visit with. So as I said, slow week.
Luckily this week was a little better, and all the parties are over, so we were able to visit with some of the members and investigators we have. Turns out that Bella Vista is actually a pretty tough area haha. We don't have a lot going on in terms of progressing investigators, and they are very hard to find here! We do have one investigator that is pretty close to baptism, so I'm hoping that everything works out there, cuz that will be my last baptism in the mish! Crazy.
That about wraps it up, not a whole lot of news! Pretty crazy that we only have four more weeks though! Man that is gonna fly and I will be back so fast! I'm excited to see you guys, hope everyone is doing well! Talk to you next week!
Love,
Elder Sehestedt
Part Two: The Zone Leaders had something planned, so Brandon was only online for a short time before he had to go. The ZL said they could come back to finish up emails. Brandon come back online around 6:00pm Utah time.
Brandon started out with an email that included both Travis and I. Then they broke off and started having a side email about this...
Brandon: I kinda busted up my ankle pretty good playing some soccer. Rolled that sucker HARD. It happened about two or so weeks ago, and it is a lot better than it was. Normal activities are totally fine, I can walk and all that without any pain or anything. But if I go like intense High speed stuff, it gets all irritated again and swells up a little. Right ankle. Honestly dude I thought I broke my ankle when it happened. like I rolled it way bad and it popped loud, scared the crap out of me! But don't worry, things are good now.
It swelled up, but very little discoloration. the bruising didn't show up for about a week though. Yep outside right ankle, down low. Like right by that ankle bone that juts out, just underneath that and a little bit forward is where I feel it most.
I'm gonna take it easy now when it comes to soccer haha. I used to go HARD, but I'm getting to old for that now ;)
Somehow in the email exchange the above email was brought back in WITH Mom included. Hmmm... turkeys!
Mom: That’s crazy about your ankle!
Brandon: What the heck Dad I specifically sent that message to you and not to Mom. She wasn't included in the ankle thing ;) That was for your own benefit by the way mom haha, nothing personal.
Dad: Hey, you messed that up, I didn't share with her, you used that email to respond back to both of us about that new Elder, I wasn't gonna say anything, but if you look you will see that you sent it to her, not me :-/
Brandon: Alright not sure how it all happened but whatever, now we all now I busted up my ankle haha.
Mom: Can’t wait to hear the rest of the stories I’ve been shielded from for the last two years. :P You both will be on restriction, I’m sure!
Monday, August 25, 2014
Final Package to Bolivia Arrived!
Wow! I can not tell you how excited I was to send Brandon is FINAL package to Bolivia! Amazingly enough, the package arrived in 4 weeks. Miracle in Bolivia mailing! But this package I actually would have liked to take longer so it would get there right before I was packing to come home. No such luck. Either way, I'm just happy it arrived safely!
Another funny package... USA hat (yeah he'll probably never wear it, but it was funny and great padding!), more Sudoku books, a mini pool table to practice for our new pool table at home, treats to celebrate and treats for the plane ride home. And of course, Halo Legos.
Only 29 days!!!!
Monday, August 11, 2014
40 Days & 40 Nights
So 40 is a pretty significant number in many aspects. For example, we all know that it rained for 40 days and 40 nights when Noah built the ark and the Earth flooded. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before starting his Ministry. At age 40, we are "over the hill". And most importantly for us right now, in just 40 days I will be finishing up my mission, having my final interview with President and getting ready to go home! Aw yeah! Moral of that story, we are getting close!
Sorry for the lack of updates these past couple weeks. I just figured you guys were bored of reading "oh hey it was another normal week, thanks for wasting your time checking your email to read this awful message. Talk to you next week" haha. But don't worry, that's not the case this week!
So yesterday were transfers, and I know who my killer is! In the mission, your "killer" is your last comp who sends you home, aka "kills you". I am staying with my same comp, Diazgranados! Pretty excited, he is a super chill guy and we get along really well. I'm stoked that he is my last comp. So for us, no changes, we stay put in Bella Vista till Sept 23!
This week a bunch of my buddies that I've met here in the mish are going home, so that is pretty lame! I'm kinda gone be like the last one here haha, but not for much longer! Elder Van Horn came into Cocha this weekend, cuz he was out in Potosi. So me and Diazgranados accompanied Van Horn around his old areas, so he could say bye to everyone. It was fun, but man did we eat SO much food! The people here are really giving and inviting when you have a good friendship with them, so almost every house we visited invited us to eat something. Crackers, cookies, soda, full plates of food, etc. I thought I was gonna explode last night, it was just awful! My stomach was literally at max capacity, I was concerned that any more food was gonna cause some damage! But, we survived, so that's good! Now in just a few weeks time it will be my turn to make the rounds and say bye to everyone!
This week we also had the chance to go to the temple, so that was really cool as always. We had to wake up at 4 am though! Man it was rough! We had to be at the temple at 6 15, but we live so far away! So we had to get up really early, get ready, and make our way into Cocha. It was definitely not fun to wake up that early, but it was worth it to go to the temple. I will only have one more temple session here in Cocha, again, in just 40 days.
Well that wraps up this week! Hope everyone is doing well, and planning to hang out when I'm home! I miss you guys, talk to you next week!
Love,
Elder Sehestedt
Sorry for the lack of updates these past couple weeks. I just figured you guys were bored of reading "oh hey it was another normal week, thanks for wasting your time checking your email to read this awful message. Talk to you next week" haha. But don't worry, that's not the case this week!
So yesterday were transfers, and I know who my killer is! In the mission, your "killer" is your last comp who sends you home, aka "kills you". I am staying with my same comp, Diazgranados! Pretty excited, he is a super chill guy and we get along really well. I'm stoked that he is my last comp. So for us, no changes, we stay put in Bella Vista till Sept 23!
This week a bunch of my buddies that I've met here in the mish are going home, so that is pretty lame! I'm kinda gone be like the last one here haha, but not for much longer! Elder Van Horn came into Cocha this weekend, cuz he was out in Potosi. So me and Diazgranados accompanied Van Horn around his old areas, so he could say bye to everyone. It was fun, but man did we eat SO much food! The people here are really giving and inviting when you have a good friendship with them, so almost every house we visited invited us to eat something. Crackers, cookies, soda, full plates of food, etc. I thought I was gonna explode last night, it was just awful! My stomach was literally at max capacity, I was concerned that any more food was gonna cause some damage! But, we survived, so that's good! Now in just a few weeks time it will be my turn to make the rounds and say bye to everyone!
This week we also had the chance to go to the temple, so that was really cool as always. We had to wake up at 4 am though! Man it was rough! We had to be at the temple at 6 15, but we live so far away! So we had to get up really early, get ready, and make our way into Cocha. It was definitely not fun to wake up that early, but it was worth it to go to the temple. I will only have one more temple session here in Cocha, again, in just 40 days.
Well that wraps up this week! Hope everyone is doing well, and planning to hang out when I'm home! I miss you guys, talk to you next week!
Love,
Elder Sehestedt
Monday, August 4, 2014
It's Official!
So today I got what is called in the mission my "trunky letter". I think I've explained the term trunky before, but basically it means like you are ready to get out of here and get home haha. At the end of your mission, the mission gives you a letter, with your name plastered on it so everyone knows, giving you info on going home and other stuff like that. So when you get the letter, you know that things are getting real, cuz that means all the secretaries and the President now have you on the radar to go home haha. So its official!
Oh and that jersey isn't just a Cristiano Ronaldo jersey, it was symbolic today. Why? That 7 represents how many weeks I have left haha.
Fearsome Foursome of Bella Vista after our soccer game this morning. We played 3 different matches, lost the first 2-0, won the second 3-0, and won the third 3-1. Got two goals today too, watch out Ronaldo ;)
Oh and that jersey isn't just a Cristiano Ronaldo jersey, it was symbolic today. Why? That 7 represents how many weeks I have left haha.
Fearsome Foursome of Bella Vista after our soccer game this morning. We played 3 different matches, lost the first 2-0, won the second 3-0, and won the third 3-1. Got two goals today too, watch out Ronaldo ;)
Special Delivery....Surprise Package!
Thanks for sending the surprise package Mom, I had no idea it was coming! I knew Davis Mom was sending stuff with some lady, but it didnt even cross my mind you would be sending stuff too, haha should have known better! But it was great, thanks! And here's a pic of all the BYU punks with the cool Utah dude ;)
Monday, July 28, 2014
Almost August... No Real Update
Mom speaking: Time is ticking down. Slowly the emails are getting shorter, less pictures are sent and updates... well, no real update today. I'll piece together some of our emails we swapped.
Here we go...
Mom: I actually hung up and put away all your clothes that have been sitting on your bed for almost two years!!! It’s true! Before I wasn’t quite mentally up for doing this task, but with single digits to go I was feeling inspired! And I even dusted a little. :)
Brandon: haha you hung up my clothes and dusted my room? That's hard core!!
Arial fireworks are a big thing out in Utah now? They are here too, everyone has fireworks, and for absolutely no reason at all! Haha ya they can basically do whatever they want down here, no firework laws.
Mom: When are transfers? Soon? Do you think you’ll stay there since you’re headed out? What is church like in your new area? Are you catching onto the weird language?
Brandon: We will get the transfers on the 10th, so two more weeks. I'm pretty dang confident that I will be staying here, I might get a new comp, but I hope not! I would be totally happy to die with the comp I have right now. Church is a little strange in this area, cuz about half of sacrament meeting (or more than half) is in Quechua, so that makes it REALLY difficult to focus haha. And no, really not understanding anything of Quechua, I just know how to tell them I don't speak or understand haha.
Mom: That’s crazy about sacrament meeting! When you go to investigators homes do they speak Quechua too?
Brandon: Oh ya, most everyone speaks Quechua here, and some of them speak Spanish too. But it's not uncommon at all to find someone who just speaks Quechua, that happens a lot, and we just say hi and have a good day haha.
Mom: Are you guys still working out?
Brandon: We do work out still, not quite as often, cuz there are just so many freakin things to do in the mornings!
Mom: What are you doing today? Anything fun? Any pictures today? Get any packages?
Brandon: Today we are just gonna play some more futsal, which is soccer, just smaller scale, its 5 vs 5. I think I've played more here than in any other area haha, its fun though! no pics though, sorry! packages no.
Mom: So what does your normal day consist of? That’s funny you just say hi and continue on. Why doesn’t someone teach you guys the language once you get there?
Brandon: Oh ya, most everyone speaks Quechua here, and some of them speak Spanish too. But it's not uncommon at all to find someone who just speaks Quechua, that happens a lot, and we just say hi and have a good day haha.
What do you mean normal day? Of P day or like a week day? Cuz it would take way too long to actually sit down and learn the language, its literally from like the freakin Incas so it has absolutley zero relation to Spanish haha
Mom: Normal day. Not a P-day...
Brandon: Uh normal day. Wake up, exercise, breakfast, get ready, study, random stuff till lunch. Then its basically just walking around and teaching all afternoon, and then dinner at like 7:30 or so, and that' s the day. So we get to hang out and relax and get ready for bed, and all that good stuff.
Mom: You’re so funny…. “random stuff”, “good stuff”. You crack me up! Do you make appointments or just knock on random doors? Or talk to people in the street?
Brandon: Well working with appointments is definitely what we want, so that's what we shoot for, but it doesn't always happen that way. So we have to do a little bit of everything, talk to people in the street, knock on doors, stuff like that.
Mom: Are the Bolivian people nice or are they rude about listening to you when first approach the about the Church?
Brandon: They aren't rude, but they are super shy, they don't like to talk to strangers. So they aren't mean to us, but man is it hard to find people who want to talk!
Mom: Is it like that in all the areas or just Belle Vista?
Brandon: Its kinda like that everywhere, but especially in BV.
Mom: Bummer. Do you have an update today?
Brandon: Oh dang, kinda totally spaced the update, probably cuz I got nothing to talk about haha. So no, no update this week, but don't worry, your not missing anything!
Mom: That’s hilarious you forgot your update. C'mon there has to be something that happened not in the ordinary!
Brandon: Absolutely nothing
Mom: Well, that’s not very helpful! And you know that EVERYTHING is out of the ordinary for us! Parker Skousen is leaving this week on his mission to Spain, Brianne Mortensen entered the MTC and Rachael Miller goes soon.
Brandon: Spain will be sick, Phillipines..... good luck. Japan.... No thanks.
Mom: I think Bolivia has been good to you. What do you think?
Brandon: Ya its been good, I definitely could have gone somewhere worse, so I won't complain haha
Mom: Keep your head up and keep smiling! You’re almost there! FINISH STRONG! I love you to Bolivia & back!
Here we go...
Mom: I actually hung up and put away all your clothes that have been sitting on your bed for almost two years!!! It’s true! Before I wasn’t quite mentally up for doing this task, but with single digits to go I was feeling inspired! And I even dusted a little. :)
Brandon: haha you hung up my clothes and dusted my room? That's hard core!!
Arial fireworks are a big thing out in Utah now? They are here too, everyone has fireworks, and for absolutely no reason at all! Haha ya they can basically do whatever they want down here, no firework laws.
Mom: When are transfers? Soon? Do you think you’ll stay there since you’re headed out? What is church like in your new area? Are you catching onto the weird language?
Brandon: We will get the transfers on the 10th, so two more weeks. I'm pretty dang confident that I will be staying here, I might get a new comp, but I hope not! I would be totally happy to die with the comp I have right now. Church is a little strange in this area, cuz about half of sacrament meeting (or more than half) is in Quechua, so that makes it REALLY difficult to focus haha. And no, really not understanding anything of Quechua, I just know how to tell them I don't speak or understand haha.
Mom: That’s crazy about sacrament meeting! When you go to investigators homes do they speak Quechua too?
Brandon: Oh ya, most everyone speaks Quechua here, and some of them speak Spanish too. But it's not uncommon at all to find someone who just speaks Quechua, that happens a lot, and we just say hi and have a good day haha.
Mom: Are you guys still working out?
Brandon: We do work out still, not quite as often, cuz there are just so many freakin things to do in the mornings!
Mom: What are you doing today? Anything fun? Any pictures today? Get any packages?
Brandon: Today we are just gonna play some more futsal, which is soccer, just smaller scale, its 5 vs 5. I think I've played more here than in any other area haha, its fun though! no pics though, sorry! packages no.
Mom: So what does your normal day consist of? That’s funny you just say hi and continue on. Why doesn’t someone teach you guys the language once you get there?
Brandon: Oh ya, most everyone speaks Quechua here, and some of them speak Spanish too. But it's not uncommon at all to find someone who just speaks Quechua, that happens a lot, and we just say hi and have a good day haha.
What do you mean normal day? Of P day or like a week day? Cuz it would take way too long to actually sit down and learn the language, its literally from like the freakin Incas so it has absolutley zero relation to Spanish haha
Mom: Normal day. Not a P-day...
Brandon: Uh normal day. Wake up, exercise, breakfast, get ready, study, random stuff till lunch. Then its basically just walking around and teaching all afternoon, and then dinner at like 7:30 or so, and that' s the day. So we get to hang out and relax and get ready for bed, and all that good stuff.
Mom: You’re so funny…. “random stuff”, “good stuff”. You crack me up! Do you make appointments or just knock on random doors? Or talk to people in the street?
Brandon: Well working with appointments is definitely what we want, so that's what we shoot for, but it doesn't always happen that way. So we have to do a little bit of everything, talk to people in the street, knock on doors, stuff like that.
Mom: Are the Bolivian people nice or are they rude about listening to you when first approach the about the Church?
Brandon: They aren't rude, but they are super shy, they don't like to talk to strangers. So they aren't mean to us, but man is it hard to find people who want to talk!
Mom: Is it like that in all the areas or just Belle Vista?
Brandon: Its kinda like that everywhere, but especially in BV.
Mom: Bummer. Do you have an update today?
Brandon: Oh dang, kinda totally spaced the update, probably cuz I got nothing to talk about haha. So no, no update this week, but don't worry, your not missing anything!
Mom: That’s hilarious you forgot your update. C'mon there has to be something that happened not in the ordinary!
Brandon: Absolutely nothing
Mom: Well, that’s not very helpful! And you know that EVERYTHING is out of the ordinary for us! Parker Skousen is leaving this week on his mission to Spain, Brianne Mortensen entered the MTC and Rachael Miller goes soon.
Brandon: Spain will be sick, Phillipines..... good luck. Japan.... No thanks.
Mom: I think Bolivia has been good to you. What do you think?
Brandon: Ya its been good, I definitely could have gone somewhere worse, so I won't complain haha
Mom: Keep your head up and keep smiling! You’re almost there! FINISH STRONG! I love you to Bolivia & back!
Monday, July 21, 2014
Single Digits!
So in the weeks countdown, we are officially down to single digits, only 9 more to go!! Pretty crazy.
Not gonna lie, today has been by far the most eventful day of the week for me haha. We woke up this morning and went up to the mountains here in Cocha with some of our zone. The mountain is called Tunari, and we went because it snowed up there on Saturday. A big storm rolled through here, and down in our area it was just a lot of rain, but in the mountains it snowed. Snow is a big deal here, since in the cities it never snows. So we went up there to see it and take some pics and all that good stuff. Unfortunately a lot of the snow had melted since Saturday, but it was still kinda cool. Obviously being from Utah it wasn't nearly as exciting for me, but for a lot of the Latinos it was their first time seeing snow. Like in Colombia and Peru it usually doesn't snow. So they were excited. It was FREEZING though. Like it was just windy and nasty, so basically we got out of the car and I was ready to go right back down the mountain haha.
After coming back down the mountain (it was about an hour and a half up, and a little over an hour down) we went to a BBQ with one of the members of our branch. The husband is actually the 2nd counselor in the stake Presidency here. But it was a lot of fun, we just hung out, ate a ton of meat and chicken, and even had brownies for dessert. So that's why I'm so late today, cuz we had to do all that!
Besides that nothing really out of the ordinary, just business as usual here. I think this week our zone has interviews with the new Pres, so that should be cool, we haven't been able to meet with him in a one on one basis. This will be my only interview with him, except for my last interview right before i go home, pretty crazy!
That's all this week! Hope things are going well for everyone back at home! I miss you guys, but I'll see you in just about two months!
Love,
Elder Sehestedt
So here's our trip to Tunari. As you can see not a whole lot of snow, but then again I haven't seen it in over 21 months haha. SUPER freakin cold though. Definitely a one time thing.
Not gonna lie, today has been by far the most eventful day of the week for me haha. We woke up this morning and went up to the mountains here in Cocha with some of our zone. The mountain is called Tunari, and we went because it snowed up there on Saturday. A big storm rolled through here, and down in our area it was just a lot of rain, but in the mountains it snowed. Snow is a big deal here, since in the cities it never snows. So we went up there to see it and take some pics and all that good stuff. Unfortunately a lot of the snow had melted since Saturday, but it was still kinda cool. Obviously being from Utah it wasn't nearly as exciting for me, but for a lot of the Latinos it was their first time seeing snow. Like in Colombia and Peru it usually doesn't snow. So they were excited. It was FREEZING though. Like it was just windy and nasty, so basically we got out of the car and I was ready to go right back down the mountain haha.
After coming back down the mountain (it was about an hour and a half up, and a little over an hour down) we went to a BBQ with one of the members of our branch. The husband is actually the 2nd counselor in the stake Presidency here. But it was a lot of fun, we just hung out, ate a ton of meat and chicken, and even had brownies for dessert. So that's why I'm so late today, cuz we had to do all that!
Besides that nothing really out of the ordinary, just business as usual here. I think this week our zone has interviews with the new Pres, so that should be cool, we haven't been able to meet with him in a one on one basis. This will be my only interview with him, except for my last interview right before i go home, pretty crazy!
That's all this week! Hope things are going well for everyone back at home! I miss you guys, but I'll see you in just about two months!
Love,
Elder Sehestedt
So here's our trip to Tunari. As you can see not a whole lot of snow, but then again I haven't seen it in over 21 months haha. SUPER freakin cold though. Definitely a one time thing.
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| Here is our Zone |
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| Here is the BBQ today |
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