Wherein Lane moved to Puno

 Mar. 31, 2025

Well, I made it to Puno!!

Left my old house at 7pm, rode to cusco until 5:30am, then waited in the terminal until 8am, drove until 3:30pm until the bus broke, walked with suitcases like a mile, got on other bus, finally got to Puno at 5ish, and got to the new house at 5:30pm.

So a pretty basic 22 hours of traveling. Not too shabby.

Anyways, I'll tell y'all a little about my sector and companion and what not.

First off, my companion is Élder Olavarría! He's Peruano, from Lima. He's got 16 months on the mission, so we've got a combined 24 months.

Anyways, he seems cool so far, he's been in this sector only one transfer.

Speaking of sectors, I'm now in Villa de Lago!! Next to lake Titicaca. So far everything has been great! It's a little different from my other sectors in that, its in the middle of the city, first of all. Secondly, it's a ward, not a branch! Third, my sector is tiny, like 1 square mile, compared to the thousands in my old sector.

So its gonna be an interesting transfer to say the least! But we'll see how it goes.

So far church was pretty good. We have some decent English classes and other activities. We have a few friends who are progressing, but I'm still getting to know everyone. 

 Spiritual section:

My spiritual thought is that of being ready to work. Despite teaveling the last 2 days, you gotta drop the suitcases and go to work

When you first get to a new area you obviously dont know anyone. But thats ok, you gotta go to work. My point is that even when you feel like youve done enough work to deserve a little rest (me after lunch every day). You just gotta go work!!

"And because of His example, we will endure to the end of the tasks He gives us in this life and be committed to do the will of His Father forever, as He was and is."

- Henry Eyring

#ihaveworkenoughtodo

 

Ya, thats all, guys!! Now im here in Puno, so get ready for these next 5 weeks :)

See ya

 - Élder Bailey  

Wherein Lane Leaves Talavera

 March 24, 2025

Wow, that came way too fast! Transfers came, and I am leaving Talavera!! I've honestly come to love Talavera so much over the last 12 weeks!! The members, the people, the city in general! Just the absolute best place!

This week was a good one. Not much crazy happened. On Saturday is when we received transfer news! I am going to Villa de Lago in the great city of Puno!! Its in the southern end of the mission, next to Lake Titicaca. I don't know how I feel about it. I have been wanting to change as far as certain factors go, but in the end, I don't really want to leave here, and not just because I'm lazy and don't want to pack my suitcases.

But in the end, i know that its all gonna work out, and im gonna be able to help more people! And i know that the members and our friends here are going to continue progressing.

Anyways, I guess that's the big update for this week.

The bus leaves tonight at 8, and I'll get to Cusco at about 5ish in the morning, and just chill for a couple hours until 8 when i catch another bus to Puno, which i think is another 4ish hours!!

So lots of traveling to be done!!

Also to end off my time here in Talavera I ran a 6:24 mile after only 10 miles of attempts... finally beating my 6:30 goal. So I guess <6min is my next goal.

 Spiritual section:

My spiritual thought is that we have to be open minded because it will bring about blessings. Well not really it will bring about blessings, but it will allow for blessings to be brought about!

My example is when I first came to Talavera! I was kinda bummed about leaving Calca. But after about 2 days, me and my comp were buddies, and from there I came to love this place so much!! Its really crazy to see how perspective changes with time!! But not on its own! We have to be willing and open to that change! Im sure that this will be the same case with going tl Villa de Lago, and so im trying to be ok with it.

I know this was certainly the case when I moved to Utah, except in that situation, I was way too close minded about the change for way too long. And only after i decided to make the most of it was i able to see the blessings.

My invitation is that we can all try and be a bit more loving, understanding, and willing in all things as we try and become more like our Savior!! The only one that can bring about a great change within each of us.

#godbewithyoutillwemeetagain

Final prayer list from Talavera:

- Ana Teresa and her two daughters

- Brayan and his whole family

- Mauro

- Albino and daughter

- Denilson and his mom Rosa

 

Love you all, keep being awesome, and Ill see ya next Monday from the other side of the mission :)

Bye

 - Élder Bailey  

Wherein Lane Sends Love to the Rasmussen Family

 March 17, 2025

   Heylo family, sorry I'm gonna speed through this quickly because im already over time, and need to send it fast!!

But i had to send one to keep up my streak, and for all of those Elder Bailey fans out there. Hehe good joke huh

But this week was pretty good, honestly went by pretty fast! And super chill as well. Not much happened. Except maybe that our branch had a lot of activities which was fun!!

This transfer is coming to an end, next week we will get transfer news!! At the start I thought this would be a very long transfer, but then I remembered a quote from a very wise man that says, "time doesn't fly, birds do" times gonna pass weather we want it to or not.

 Spiritual section:

 Anyways, I thought id piggyback off of that thought and say that, even if you don't want it to, or if you do want it to, time will pass regardless. So, we gotta make the most of it!! Especially in a spiritual perspective! We know that we shouldnt postpone our repentance, or really any of our spiritual progression. Today... right now is our moment!! And that goes for helping others too!! If we get an impression to do something,  DO IT!! 

#closeasaquietprayer

Also I just want to send my love to the Rasmussen family!! Ally was the best kid, and friend!! Always, always, able to make you laugh and smile!! Going to miss her a lot!

Love you Rasmussen 

See ya

 - Élder Bailey  

Thanks for reading these, sorry they get short sometimes!!!

Wherein Lane Falls Asleep in Zone Conference

 March 10, 2025

Hey guys this week was awesome!! Honestly went by decently fast!!

Started off the week pretty normal, until Tuesday night we had to travel the 8 hours, and very winding road to Cusco for zone conference, it ended up taking longer, more like 10 hours, and so we got there and it was like 30 minutes before zone conference started. So i was pretty tired. And they told us, "now don't you go falling asleep on us"

... if you know me, you know, I did indeed fall asleep . I kept dozing in and out, until Presidents wife stared right at me and said, "I think some of us are tired and we all need to stretch a little bit, stand up!!!" Anyways, she didn't single me out but at the same time definitely singled me out.

That also makes 5/5 zone conferences I've fallen asleep in. (I try not to) also shout out to Élder Franco for snoozing with me in the last one.

But then after zone conference we had to drive 9 hours back. And when we got home at like 4:30am I realized, because I was so tired, I left my wallet and our new frying pan (random, i know) in the taxi. But anyways, the promise in John 14:26 is true, and I, in some miraculous way, remembered the phone number of the taxi driver that i overheard him tell a different passenger. That was a big miracle, cuz id have had no way to get my wallet or frying pan back.

Then the week its self was good. We have some friends, that are kids of a member who's been inactive for many many years, progressing that live like 2 miles away, which isnt too much, but a 4 mile round trip many times a week sometimes gets tiring. And one day we did some service carrying logs and branches for like 2 hours, and i was exhausted after doing that and walking back home.

Sunday was super awesome, we didn't have that many friends or converts show up, but this week a young man helped pass the sacrament. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but after like 10 weeks here, that's the first time a young man has helped and it made me sooo happy!! Also those friends that live 2 miles away came to church for the first time including the mom who hasn't come to church in years, so that made me soo happy!! And various other inactive members came, including some that live way up the side of the mountain, so that made me sooo happy too!! Very happy Sunday!!!

Umm today we went to a cave which was pretty cool, I'll put pictures in the Google photos if you wanna see.

Also we were walking to our house and our neighbor sells firewood and just got a huge shipment, and we stopped to help him but little did we know it would take 2.5 hours. So there went our entire Pday. But it was good to help them.

Also they all speak Quechua, and i actually understood a weirdly good amount of what they were saying! And even was able to talk a little bit!! It was freaking awesome!! Like I was asking questions, and learning about this lady and her family, and I was answering questions. Sometimes my comp would hear something, and ask me what they said, and I'd translate it, and then he'd be amazed, and be like "oh my goodness what the heck how did you do that" anyways it was a super awesome experience.

Also Grandpa Groberg told me that the most important thing is that you can learn is to bear your testimony, so I have been working on learning my testimony in Quechua, and really that's the only big thing I want to learn now. I let you know when I have it down

Matter of fact I have a new challenge: Share your testimony to someone you've never born your testimony to before. Bonus points if you do it in a different language, and more bonus points if you do it in a language you don't currently speak, and triple bonus points if you learn in Quechua with me!!

Anyways, that's my goal this week, I'll check back with you on that.

 Spiritual section:

 This week I just want to invite you guys to do something simple. And its an invitation that I know we've all been invited to do before. And that is just to look for little ways to serve others throughout the day!! I know i know... basic! But really its important! The Lord bring to past great things through the small and simple things that we do. And its true! I have seen recently blessings of serving. Whether its our family or a neighbor or maybe a mission companion. Its important that we are just serving always. Especially when its something small that you think wouldn't matter, you'd be surprised how much it can make someone's day!! 

Go put there and serve folks!! 

#becauseihavebeengivenmuch

Another week done, and lots more to go!! Woo hoo! Lets do this baby!!

Until next time fellas

 - Élder Bailey  

Wherein Lane Drinks Too Much Soda

 March 3, 2025

Alright I'm just gonna get started writing this...

Ummm, this week was actually a great week!!

Apparently I sounded like super bummer in my last email, but i really was just tired and lazy and didn't want to write a good one, but this week I'm chillin' again.

Basically things are going super duper great with my companion . No but they're better, so that's good!!

And we've at least been able to but aside differences the majority of time to focus on doing good missionary work.

This week a few great things happened, we finally had a lesson with Brayan!! Holy cow that took (literally) months! But he is super awesome and has such a desire to be baptized. He has been telling his friends at football and what not that he's a member of our church, and like saying prayers and games and not drinking and already sharing the gospel with his friends... before being baptized.

The problem was that he is doing his residency or what not at the hospital and works A LOT! Including Sundays until 9, so that makes going to church at 9 hard.

Anyways he want to get baptized the 15th!!

Also we got in touch with Ana Teresa!! She said she finally has a personal desire to be baptized, after 2 dates fell through because she felt pressured by the old missionaries! She told us when she gets back from vacations on the 5th of April she wants to, and we said that sounds great, but then realized it's general conference, so maybe she'll get baptized in between sessions!!!

Also this week February ended, that's kinda interesting. Idk if this month went by fast or slow, but it's done none the less. Reminds me of that very poetic quote, "at the end of the day, it's night" I think we all need to really study that quote this week. There's lots to learn.

I tried to keep a count of how many times it rained this month, and it was about 43, but I definitely missed a bunch.

Lowest mile time was a 6:45... I'm working on it

I bought 32 soles of bread this month... that's 124 little bread loaves.

I bought 9 Chelius burgers... (there went all my money)

Ended with 45/54 collectable soles

And drank like 36 Liters of Soda (not a good idea)

Anyways that's all the random stats. 

 Spiritual section:

 I like what I said earlier about not letting things affect your work!! And really I think it's true as missionaries, that it don't really matter if you get along 100% or are besties the whole transfer, but what does matter is that any of your "problems" don't affect the work. Obviously we should try our hardest to work to become friends and what not, but the work should always be pressing forward

#pressforwardsaints

Um but yea, let me know how yall are doing back at home...

Send me pictures

Until next time

 - Élder Bailey