The Beach is the Enemy

Living so close to the beach here in Lima you know what everyone does on Sunday morning? Don't be fooled, they don't go to church! ay ay ay... This week was just a full of stuff, good and bad.

First, we had our world wide training as missionaries. Ill summarize it in 1 sentence. Repent now because the lord is coming. 

Right before the savior was born, all the prophets were preaching hard on the repentance, above anything else they were saying repent, repent! 

Well in the year 2016, how are you going to get people to repent? Easy. Meet up with 75000 missionaries who are teaching all day everyday in the whole world and tell them to do it. I testify that the savior will come.

Teaching wise, it was a hard week. we invited four people to be baptized, all of which accepted. None of which came to church........ We were teaching a recent convert of 6 months who is faithful, she does go to church, reads the bom, everything. I felt something was off for the longest time so we decided to have a lesson without her aunt being present. She explained that she wasn't ready to be baptized, and she told the missionaries but them and their aunt insisted that she was, so she did it. She is more converted than she realizes and she does know the church is true, and we had a great lesson of how she can get her own testimony, but it broke my heart.

On Sunday she came to church and explained to us that she has to move...Out of the BLUE. She leaves on Wednesday, moving to another mission. When people move it isnt that big of a deal, you can still talk to them, call them, and always see how their doing it.... When someone moves and your a missionary, You are never going to speak, see, or hear from that person again in your life. Its sometimes just a hard thing to wrap your mind around.

The lord test our faith, and the faith of others. Thats the whole point of gaining trust in him. Everything has a purpose, miracles haven't stopped and never will. But fetch sometimes its hard. Nonetheless hay chamba, y cuando hay chamba, Tiene que chambiar porque no siempre hay chamba, punto. 

The church is true! Amen!

I Lovvee the Temple

Today we went to the temple. Last week was great with 14 lessons with investigators. everything continues to look up. This week we have interviews, and the training for the missionaries in all the world.

I went on a division with Elder Wallace yesterday, after 17 months our dream came true, and the spirit testified as we invited a new investigator named Miracle to be baptized. We taught with so much authority she didn't have one doubt. and she has a 8 year old daughter. She basically asked to be baptized. I love prepared people. 

We also finally contacted a reference from the internet. her name is freya. She too accepted the book of Mormon and the restoration so nicely. She is just a miracle basically. The member who sent the reference came to church with her this Sunday. From the first time I walked into her house and saw she was watching "Friends" I knew things would just go good. haha

Yadhira went to church in Florida, with her mom and dad. This little girl is the light of her whole family. I hope we continue to teach her sister. 

After everything, nothing beats the temple. I was sitting in that celestial room without a doubt in the world. The future is as bright as your faith. That is true pure doctrine from a living prophet. If you need some guidance, go there. Because it is the house of the lord.

Another week, another soul.

Read the Book of Mormon, and pray always!

In the midst of a very special time

Give us 3 weeks and we will give you a baptism.

Yadhira Lopez was baptized this Saturday. When she showed up in the morning, about 15 inches of her hair was chopped off! I asked her why, shocked. She responded, with a smile, "I donated it to kids who have cancer again, Mine will grow back, but sometimes there's doesn't." I never felt such a special spirit as I did when she was baptized. Yadhira has made a very special place in my heart and that is not all. She is going to Flordia this tuesday, we called her dad. I can tell all of you that her dad will be baptized in less then one month. the missionaries in the Florida Fort Lauderdale mission are very blessed.

The lessons have continued to increase and the church continues to grow. At 11am now people come to church more. When I first got here in the Gospel principles class there was 1 girl alone. Yesterday there was 9. 

We started teaching Yadhiras mom. her name is gabriela. We call her the lion, because she is very advintista. but that's okay, I am Daniel ;)

If you have faith, and you really work with that faith. Miracles happen. and people are blessed. period.

Yadhira and the family Rodriguez are leaving this tuesday, I hope I am here to see them when they get back. Family Rodriguez will be in Provo Utah so if you see a group of peruvians, maybe you will run into them. haha This family leaving makes me dread the thought of me leaving this ward, mission and country.

I love the gospel.

There's no place I'd rather be.

Pictures.

1. her and the missionaries.

2. Her Sister and mom are next. ;)

3. The Family Rodriguez

4. The Man behind it all. Her uncle.

5. The end of a very special time.

 

 

Hey Chamba, Punto

We had transfers, and I got my favorite missionary in this mission. Elder Aguirre is from Colombia, I lived with him in my last area, now we are companions. I LOVE IT.

A month and a half ago I came to San Borja, first two weeks taught 2 lessons with Investigatores. This week we had 12 lessons with investigatores. BOOM. Give us two months and tell me we won´t find people to teach, and baptize. Yadira is 13 and she is going into the water this saturday. she is awesome. If I had the testimony and bravely she has when I was 13. I would have lived a lot better life as a teenager. Getting to know her and the Rodriguez family has been awesome. God hears prayers and I am lucky enough to be here after 1 year she has been waiting to be baptize.

We also found Sandra, she has a baptism date. The woman has straight faith! 29 years old with a 5 year old son. We taught her 2 times, she accepted a date, and went to church. The best part, it was Testimony meeting, during the meeting she leaned over and asked, ¨Who is Joseph Smith, Your family??¨ haha I LOVE teaching the gospel!  Marcela asked me to teach the word of wisdom in English so her husband would stop drinking so much coffe. So there ya go!

Something funny.

New years day, I got on a bus, and hit my head, hard. (That is pretty common) a old man next to me laughed and said, ¨happy new year man, I think 2017 will be better for ya. Don´t worry about 2016¨. I couldn´t help buy laugh.

I would love to send pictures but this computer is jacked.

Just know my colombian companion is dark, handsome and we get along great. Then we get teaching and the spirit comes crashing through the wall like the Kool Aid man. OH YEAH!