"Just having a terrific day"

August 15, 2009 -
Hey Perfect Family, How’s everybody doing? I think that everything sounds like it’s basically perfect; you’re just missing one member of the family at home… :) I’m so glad that you all enjoyed Elder Nemelka’s Homecoming. The pictures look great. And Mom, yes, that hug was from me to you. I knew that Elder Nemelka would give it to you with the greatest amount of love that anyone could. I absolutely love the photo of you guys with Elder Nemelka and the other one with the other families and Returned Missionaries. I have to say that we are a family full of studs and a one amazingly beautiful Mom. Dad, well, let’s just say that you haven’t changed a bit… :) I’m just kidding, you look really good. Mom, holy cow, you look great. You look so happy and perfect. I was so glad to see a huge, laughing smile on your face. Oh, how I can’t wait to see you in person… :) Chase, my new look-a-like… :) I don’t know about that, but bud you look great... Dallis, how tall are you? I can’t believe it. I love seeing you guys. It helps me know that you are happy and still going on with life. What a perfect family I have. I love you guys so much.
As The Office Crew, we get a lot more privileges. Today was an awesome day. We had the awesome opportunity of hanging out with President Pérez and his daughter Carolina in their house. That’s right, the house on the 21st floor of the building next to the golf course in the pretty part of Lima, Miraflores (San Isidro), right by the ocean. It is such a good place for President to live. We went there and he made us a delicious lunch: roast beef, mashed potatoes, salad, bratwurst, BBQ sauce, Coca-Cola, spaghetti, and brownie ice-cream to finish the meal. We were also able to watch Madagascar 2 with him, and we laughed throughout the whole show. I absolutely loved being with President. He is such a humble, knowledgeable, and kind person. He is really like my Uruguayan and Peruvian Dad. He takes such good care of me and I love him to death. I would spend all day, every day with him if I could. I really enjoy the moments when he is around. He knows so much about the Gospel and shares so much with us. You would also love to meet him… On Monday this week, President invited The Office Crew to lunch, and you’ll never guess where we went… CHILI’S… that’s right. There is a Chili’s in Peru and it was so good. But that wasn’t even the best part. President knows that I love High School Musical, and that I played the part of Troy in it with Whitley last year. He teased the waitress, telling her that I was Troy Bolton from High School Musical and that at the end of my meal, I should receive some cake and ice-cream like they give for free when you have a birthday. She got a kick out of it. I ordered the good quesadillas they have there with a frozen lemonade. It was delicious. Then, the funniest part of the meal… President tells me to sign a napkin as Troy Bolton. I signed my signature that I signed on all of the programs last year with “Elder Quinn” written beneath it. President then took the napkin and put it with his credit card to pay for the meal. It was so funny. I didn’t get any cake or ice-cream, but I thought it was way funny that President picked me out of the group to help tease the waitress. He is such a funny person and has me laughing all of the time. I really have such a good friendship with him and am so excited for the time I have to spend with him.Today was also a great day because we had a BAPTISM… My companion, Elder Sandoval, baptized Carmen Ermilia Teran Taco. She is an awesome older, single lady, who is very smart and gained a testimony really fast. We had some conflicts involving her sister Luzy, but she survived through it and was baptized in less than three weeks. She is so great and I can’t wait to form an even better relationship with her. Her sister America, and her niece Sarah, are lined up to get baptized next week. Pray for us to help these baptisms turn out. They are all three awesome people and I will update you next Saturday about how their baptisms went. The baptism tonight is also another reason why I am writing so late. We got home from President’s house and then had to leave right to the baptism. That’s why I am writing you right now, but know that I am perfectly fine, and was just having a terrific day.

"WOW"

August 8, 2009 -
Hey Best Family on Earth,
All I can say is “Wow.” Did you even feel this week go by? I cannot believe how fast this week went by. I am still shocked that it is already Saturday and I am writing home again. I almost feel like I don’t have anything to tell you because this week went by so fast. Working here in The Offices is so much fun. I love spending the day here with six Missionaries and at times President Pérez.I absolutely love my work here. I work with all of the Missionaries, and I am sure that I will have every single one of their names and faces down by the time I leave The Offices. I also work with the Doctor of the Area, Doctor Drake. Like Mom would say, “He is a darling man.” He really is. He and his sweet wife are so fun to talk with and they take such good care of the Missionaries. They have served four missions together. Dr. Drake has been Area Doctor of three missions, and was President of the Reno Nevada Temple. They are finishing their mission here in Peru this change, and are already ready to hand in their papers to go out again on another mission. They say that they miss seeing the kids and the grandkids, but they know that they receive many more blessings by serving the Lord. They are an awesome couple. I could honestly just sit down all day and talk with them and never get bored. I hope one day to meet with them again.I think we were all in awe that the house sold so fast. What a good neighborhood the new family is moving into. Are they members? It’s okay if they’re not...we’ll just have to convert them… Just kidding. But it really would be a blessing to have members move in and keep that ward going… Mom, what a sweet story of Sister Homer and Sister Mickelsen. We have too many terrific friends there, but don’t worry; we will all be living together again in the Celestial Kingdom for Eternity. This is what I have to tell all of my converts when I leave an area, and I cry every time that I say it because I am so close to them. I have to tell them that if by chance we are not able to meet again, we will be seeing each other in the Eternities because they have been baptized in the only true Church of God. It tugs at my heart strings to have to say this to them, but when the Lord says it’s time to leave an area, you have to obey. The hardest person to say this to so far was Yolanda from Iquitos. She is so sweet and loving that I cannot explain it to you guys through an e-mail. I have to tell it to you in words, and I cannot wait for you to meet her. I have adopted her as another grandma. I call her “abuelita” and she calls me “nietito,” or grandson. I am absolutely in love with her and her family. You will all fall instantly in love with her when you meet her; I’m sure of it. Oh, I cannot wait until we come to Peru as a family. I am hoping that in a year I am able to go to the Temple with her to receive her endowments. Her husband died about a year-and-a-half ago, and I want to do the work for him so that Yolanda can be sealed to him in the Temple. It would be an awesome experience. Maybe she won’t do it until we all come back to Peru and we could all help her with her Temple work. That would be awesome. I am perfectly fine… Keep me updated on the Missionaries that are returning and leaving. I love hearing where they are. Never forget that we have the most amazing family on earth. I love you guys so much and cannot wait to be with you. I love you all so much.
Love you forever, Coco

"What a blessing it is to find yourself in that room"

August 1, 2009 - Hey Family, How’s everything going? Sounds like we all had a busy week. I love working in the Offices because I kind of feel like I am at Dad’s work… Everyone has their office; there is a meeting room; we all have lunch together. I am like the person found at the front desk. I love it… This week was changes. As Personal Secretary, I am in charge of getting all the Missionaries where they need to go. Tuesday night I sent all of the Missionaries who finished their missions to their homes. Wednesday was change day and I had people flying off to the jungle in the morning and then had to receive the Missionaries arriving from the jungle. I was in charge of getting lunch to all the Missionaries, taking care of their suitcases, making sure everyone had their new companion and knew where they were supposed to go, and keeping everything in order. Then Thursday was the Zone Leader Conference here in the Offices. As Secretaries, we were invited to sit in the Conference as well and learn. By the time we leave the Offices, President Pérez wants us to be prepared to be Zone Leaders. It was a very spiritual conference that lasted all day long. I had a short time given to me to share a powerpoint I made about the things that I need the Zone Leaders to do for me. It was such a busy week, and I am thankful for that. Our goal this month of August is to have 6 baptisms for each companionship. To achieve this goal, the Assistants came up with the idea of each companion putting 3 rocks in their pocket. As we walk, we feel the weight and uncomfortableness of the rocks… a constant reminder of our goal for August. In the Zone Conference, President Pérez asked me to say the prayer, which the whole Mission did at noon that day. I was shocked that he would ask me, and also a little afraid because I was in front of the leaders of the Mission. But I did it, and was very grateful for that chance. I asked that Heavenly Father would just watch over us and keep us going, and help us stay focused on our goal. With each baptism, we are allowed to take out one of the rocks and put it in a jar that each zone has. We are praying to have the success we want. I really like the relationship that I have with President and I feel like it is getting even better. I learn so much from him because he has a great knowledge of the Gospel. I am so glad to hear that everything is going great at home. I’m glad that everything went great with the move. What a cool opportunity you all had to go to new Oquirrh Mountain Temple. We are so blessed to have Temples so close to us. Here, it is a little bit of travel to get to the Temple, and even longer if you are in the jungle. The people that live there are lucky if they get to go to the Temple once every year, and it is a huge sacrifice to be able to go. I think that the Temple is a huge symbol of sacrifice. Dallis and Chase, you probably don’t understand the importance of the Celestial Room, but just know what a blessing it is to find yourself in that room. I love going to the Temple and just being able to sit in the Celestial Room. I always say a prayer asking for special blessings for my awesome family, and it is a great place to feel the love that God has for each one of us. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father, and that he wants the best for us. He has honestly blessed our family so much. We are and always will be an Eternal Family, linked in bonds here on earth and in Heaven. This knowledge always reminds me that even though I am so far away from home, I am still so close because we will never be separated. We are going to live together forever. I love you guys so much and miss you as well. Never forget the reality that we are a Celestial Family. I love you. Take care until next week… Love, Colyn

"Everything is going absolutely fantastic!!!"

July 25, 2009 - Hey Amazing Family, What a terrifically fast week this was! I can’t believe that it is already Saturday. This week passed by so fast. You sold the house!!! Are you kidding me? I am fine with the decision you made to sell the house, and I am even happier that it sold so fast. :) I know that Heavenly Father is taking such good care of us… I’m glad that you all liked my BIG NEWS.I am loving my work here in the Offices. I am excited to get up in the morning, go downstairs and get to work. I am really enjoying everything that I do. It is a big job and sometimes can be a little stressful. I am busy all day long...and I LOVE IT!!! I am so spoiled here in the Offices and we get a lot more privileges. This week, President Pérez just randomly invited us to lunch, and let me tell you, it was so good. We went to a place called Rustica and I ordered a delicious Italian pasta and we all had frozen lemonade. Just one of the fun perks we have being close to President. I LOVE IT!!!... I also receive packages and letters the second they get here, which I love as well… I can’t believe how hot it is there in Utah… I came from Iquitos to Lima, and I wake up freezing cold every morning and put on a hoodie and sweatpants… We do have a heater in our room, but I still wake up cold… I also have a shower with hot water… The whole time I was in Iquitos, I was showering every morning in freezing cold water… I don’t know how I survived it. I would get in the shower and just start shaking because I knew what was coming… It’s like getting shots; you already know the pain that’s coming and so you expect it… But, I am loving my hot showers now… Always remember that we are so blessed to live in the USA, where we always have the choice of what temperature of water we want… Everything is going absolutely fantastic!!! I couldn’t be better. Just know that I am not worried about anything and you don’t need to worry about me… I am great. I hope this week goes great and that we start finding a place to live and make a home… Happy 9 Months this week. I can’t believe it. The time is passing so fast. I will be home in no time. I love you guys so much. I miss you too, but what can we do. Don’t ever forget that we have the BEST Family on earth. I love you so much. Take care. Love, Colyn

"THE BIG NEWS!"

July 20, 2009 -
"Hey Amazing Family!!!
The BIG NEWS... I don't think I should tell you until you get the letter... But hey, I can't wait any longer either... The Big News is... Monday last week (6th July), I was still in Iquitos and we were as a zone in the big zoo of Quistochocha looking at cool animals and taking pictures... Suddenly, the Zone Leaders came running with their cell phone telling me to hurry up and answer it... I was so afraid that I was going to answer and that on the other line, there was going to be some bad news, or that I was going to be in trouble, even though I hadn't done anything... Come to find out, it was President Pérez on the other end of the line… He asked me how I was doing and how I felt and how Iquitos was. I told him that everything was good. He then told me he had a favor to ask of me… A favor? What could possibly be this favor when he is in Lima, and I am in Iquitos?... This is the BIG NEWS… PRESIDENT PÉREZ CALLED ME TO BE HIS PERSONAL SECRETARY!!! I was at a loss for words and couldn’t believe he was asking me to be his Personal Secretary… He told me that I would have to come two weeks before the next change and be trained by the current Personal Secretary… I said yes… He told me that it is going to be a great privilege to have me in the Offices with him. I said the same and thanked him for this opportunity… That is why I am now in Lima. I AM IN THE OFFICES!!! Being the Personal Secretary, I do basically everything for the President, and all the missionaries. I make flight plans, hotel reservations, take phone calls, handle the important documents like Passports and IDs, help with the changes, make the packets for the missionaries that are going home, call the parents of the Gringos that are going home (which means I talk in English!!!), help the foreigners get their Peruvian IDs, and I get to hang out with the President a lot of the time… Mom, I cannot honestly put into words how happy and excited I am. Please do not worry about me for nothing. I am right where I need to be. I know Heavenly Father was listening to my prayers. Being in the Offices, we work on computers and do all of our work in the mornings, and then we leave in the afternoons to go out and preach the Gospel. My area is a hard area, so I will probably not be seeing as many baptisms, but I know that I am going to be so happy… I will be here in the Offices as a minimum amount of time, six months… That means that I am going to celebrate my Birthday, my 1-Year-Anniversary in the Mission, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s with President. I am so excited and I am going to have so much fun!!! :) I know that for Christmas, we spend the day with President in his house and we get to eat a huge meal with him and his wife… I am so so so so so excited… So that is my BIG NEWS… I hope you are all fine with that… I couldn’t be better… I know I always say that I am fine and could always be better, but I think right now, I am perfect. The only thing that could make everything completely perfect would be to be with you guys…my family… Elder Nemelka is here as Assistant to President so I get to have a fun couple weeks with him before he goes home… He came back from interviews in the jungle and brought back some huge ants called Ziquizapa for all of us in the Offices to eat… These ants are huge… They find them in the jungle, cook them up, and serve them, just like the suri… I was totally prepared to eat it and thought that I would just soar right through it… But, it was disgusting… It was fine at first just crunchy, and then the juice came out, and I about threw up… But I conquered the Ziquizapa! And to take the flavor of the ant away, I ate some of my Tootsie Rolls…Family, just so you know, I am doing perfectly fine… I am without any worries. I can’t even put into words how good I feel… Keep up the good work at home… Enjoy the hot days of summer… I am living in winter weather right now, and I feel kind of like it’s Christmas time, wearing my sweaters and jackets, but Christmas still isn’t for a couple months… Honestly I am doing fine. Don’t worry about me. I hope you like my Big News… I am really happy… Have fun and enjoy summer!!! I love you guys so much… Love, Colyn"

"I will go where the Lord wants me to go"

July 13, 2009 - "Hey Amazing Family,
I'm not going to tell you why because you guys are going to receive a letter in the mail this week from me that explains everything... But I'M IN LIMA... I'm not in beautiful and hot Iquitos anymore. I flew into Lima last night and right now, it's winter, so it's a little cold and I've got my jacket on... Don't worry about why I'm in Lima. Just know that the letter will explain everything...Don't worry, I'm not sick... I am completely fine and am super happy right now... I will explain more on Saturday after you have already received the letter that I sent you... :)
I had a baptism on Saturday. I baptized Diana Maria Bicerra Saavedra. She is so cool... My last baptism in Iquitos with Elder Llacsa... :)
I had a group of people send me off in the airport in Iquitos: Yolanda, Anthony, Mishel, Diana, Angelo, Jair, Karla, Analiz, and the grandma of Angelo and Jair, Isabel... They were so nice to travel all the way to the airport just to see me off... :) Mishel gave me some photos that I have to give to her when I come back and visit... It's like a treaty that makes me have to come back... We are definitely going to come back to Iquitos... Yolanda was crying... She cried during Church yesterday, and then at the airport. When I went through security and had to say my last goodbyes to everyone, I also shed a few tears because I am really going to miss them… I have a family in Iquitos… On Friday night, because she knew I was going to be leaving, Yolanda threw me a surprise going-away party. It was such a special night. She invited all of my converts, and my good Member friends… Some of my converts shared their thanks and testimonies. My companion, Elder Llacsa also shared his testimony, which got me a little worked up, because I have lived with him for 3 months… Then it was my turn to say a few words… I couldn’t even get two sentences out and I was already in tears… It was a special moment to thank all of them for being my family from Iquitos… I have so many friends that I am going to miss…
I have to admit that yesterday, there were a few moments when I wanted time to stop and I couldn’t stop it… I was so wanting to just spend a few more moments with Yolanda, Anthony, and Mishel… I know that I always want the time to keep passing, but I have now realized that it is passing too fast… I am loving the mission… I have had the moments of wanting to stop the time; but, just like I can’t speed it up, I can’t stop it either…
I love you guys so much and I pray for you guys every night and please know that you are always in my heart…
I can’t wait for you to read my letter… A BIG Surprise is waiting for you… Know that I am totally fine… I miss the jungle, but just like Nephi, I will go where the Lord wants me to go… I love you so much… Take care and go have fun and enjoy summer… I love you. Love, Colyn…"

"Two more children of God brought to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ"

July 6, 2009 - We had 2 baptisms this week! I baptized Carlos Martin Bonilla Tenazoa. His two sisters are already members. He is 19-years-old, and I hope that he will start to prepare to go on a Mission...The other Baptism was Angel Manuel Orosco Montes. He was baptized by his uncle Ricardo, who we baptized May 30. Yes, Ricardo is already using his Priesthood to baptize... it was a sweet moment to watch recent convert Ricardo baptize his nephew Manuel. He had to baptize Manuel three times because he is a little bigger and his whole body needed to go under...The Bishop joked that he had a lot of sins that he needed to repent of and had to be baptized three times... :) No, it is that Baptism has to be done the right way... Two more children of God brought to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ...
I missed being with you guys on the 4th of July...I thought all day how amazingly blessed we are to be citizens of the greatest nation on earth--the United States of America!!! Never forget that we are soooooo blessed to be Gringos.....
Yesterday we had lunch with Yolanda and her family... After lunch, we just hung out with her, Anthony and Mishel.... We looked at photos, talked and laughed, and just had a good time... It was so enjoyable to just spend a few hours with them... Anthony is the cutest kid, and I don't want him to grow up because I want you guys to see him how he is....Wow, I think I'm turning into a parent...not wanting a kid to grow up..... :) I love this family and I am so thankful to be here for the time that I have been here; to get to know them and grow to love them even more..."