Aaron

Hey everyone!  Wow this week went by so fast!  Probably because we were in Cusco for a few days.  Hope you all are doing well.  It was pretty cool to see some gringos in Cusco.  Although very little spoke English.  They were either from Germany or Spain or Holland.  But it was cool.

So this last week we were in Cusco for a Multi-zone Conference with our area president, Elder Uceda.  It was way cool.  You could feel the spirit really strong the whole 4 hours or so.  Elder Uceda is an inspired man, I can tell you that much.  It was just super cool to hear from him.  He also speaks pretty good English!

So in Cusco we were able to eat at McDonalds!  Wow that was awesome.  The last time I had that was a long time ago.  We also found some pretty cool peruvian stuff like sweaters, the hats that everyone knows about, and some pretty cool duffle bags.  I will need to take some pictures.  We found them pretty close to the plaza and usually the people that sell them by the plaza, sell them for super expensive.  But if you know the right place to go, they sell them for super cheap!  Sweet deal.

Also in Cusco, (just a side note) there was a drunk guy that wanted to fight with us.  It was pretty funny.  I couldn´t understand a word he said.  First he wanted my stuff that I bought, (Jerseys) and when I wouldn´t give it to him he got mad.  It was funny.

Well that´s really about it this week.  I would tell you all more about the conference with Elder Uceda, but I can´t put it into words.  It was one of the coolest experiences.

Hope you all have a good week!  Pakaren cama!  Love you all!

Elder Augat

So its been a while but I'm in Cusco!  i cant even remember the rest of the CCM so im not going to talk about that.  Cusco has been a little interesting so far.

First day we got to Cusco we went up to this place called the white Christ.  Its like the statue in Brazil but white and way smaller.  Then we went to the mission home for orientation stuff.  we had lunch and watched some videos then we went to a hotel to sleep.

The next day we came to the church building where pretty much everything in the mission is run through.  We just call it the office.  We got our companions and areas.  I was assigned to Puerto which is the jungle but im still in cusco right now!

So that night i felt pretty sick and i was trying to make myself throw up to see if that would make me feel better afterward.  I threw up but i felt the same.  Pretty sure i threw up everything in me.  President told me to go to where i was going to sleep for the night and to rest but that really didnt help at all.  I kept coughing up some type of liquid not sure what it was.  so then they decided to take me to the hospital.

I wasnt sure what was really going on in the hospital but from what i was told is that my blood oxygen level was super low and being on oxygen wasnt helping.  i was also breathing twice as fast as normal.  turns out there was some liquid building up in my lungs from the altitude change from Lima to Cusco and it wasnt going away.

They hooked me up to a ton of wires, an IV, and gave me a ton of shots, and after about 4 days i felt better.  There is a doctor here that is also a stake president that we were waiting for to clear me because he was in Argentina at the time so i was in the hospital probably longer than needed.

The time we had in the hospital as well there were some canadians that had a similar problem, not as severe, that my companion helped translate for, so that was good.

now im out of the hospital just kind of following the office elders around.  Mostly just sitting in the office but i was able to get out a little today.  I'm pretty sure they will be sending me to Puerto still probably tomorrow or Thursday Everything is good!

Thanks for the emails! thats about it for this week.  Next week ill be in the jungle! Hopefully!

From Racquel:

We got a call from our Stake Pres Sun eve about Aaron's sickness.  He said we could call the Mission pres if we wanted.  Well, OF COURSE WE DO!  So, after acquiring an International Calling Card and figuring out how to use it, we got to talk to Pres Harbertson.  (Nice guy!)  We were told he had to undergo hyperbaric chamber treatments to help him with his oxygen.  They didn't tell us he was in the hospital. He said he was really impressed with Aaron's tenacity and eagerness to get out in the field and get going.  He said Aaron was sick from day one, so he was really looking forward to meeting the real Aaron-when he felt better.   So glad he is in good hands and please pray for him to continue to recover and stay healthy!

Pres. Harbertson: "He can only go up from here."  Gordon:  "Or, physically, he can go down to Puerto."  Pres Harbertson giggled.

All wired up

Hyperbaric oxygen chamber. I'll do whatever it takes to watch a soccer game.

Dear Parents,
 
As you can see in the attached photo, your son has arrived safely to the Peru Cusco Mission! We are thrilled to have him here! He looks great, a bit tired from the travel, but ready to go! Thank you for allowing us to watch over him for the next two years. He has promised that he will be a missionary we can trust, and we have now given him that trust. As well, you can trust that we will do everything that we can to care for him and to help him to become a successful missionary.
 
Con Gran Amor,
 
Presidente y Hermana Harbertson

President & Sister Harbertson

A big group of greenies! With llamas!

Cristo Blanco (Smaller than the one in Brazil).

Out of the CCM and at the mission home in Cusco - over 11,000 feet in altitude!