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This week was good, pretty normal. We had a full week to walk, talk, and preach! I have been doing a lot of studying about Agency, and what it takes to be a good missionary. I've realized that the scriptures have to become us.

Sometimes when we teach, we apply the sciptures to the person, when really we need the sciptures more than them. Sometimes we read the scriptures, but the words go right over our head. This week I have been trying to make them apart of me. Because let's face it. If you're not converted to the Book of Mormon, especially if you're a missionary, Satan will get ya real good.

Elder Chicaiza are doing good. We're searching and studying how to help a struggling ward, and we found it all comes down to humility. Humility and Charity. if you don't love them, you arne't going to teach them, and if you aren't willing to be taught, you won't learn. This week we will finally go to our conference with Elder Gadoy the 70 of our area. I'm excited.

This week I had a lesson with a stake patriarca. That completes the list.

I've either been in a training or interview with the following.

Apostle.

Temple President

Seventy.

Patriarch.

Stake President

Mission President

Bishop.

I'm missing the prophet, but maybe in the future!

No wonder I've learned so much in the past 1 and a half! I'm really blessed to be here, and to have felt the things I've felt. God loves each of us, and provides the chance for each of us to learn and grow. we just need to act with faith, and he will give us more than we can imagine.

Anything funny?

Always something funny.

So my companion is 27. When we're walking, We make old man jokes.

I said this to him after seeing a picture of him before his mission.

"Man I thought that was your dad because the picture was taken in the 90's! Oh wait, that's just how old you are."

We were contacting and this guy was reading the porn section in the newspaper. I looked at him and said, "Brother, How about I give you something better to look at" He looked at me, I gave him a card of Jesus Christ. haha

Contacting is awesome.

Yeah no pictures...

I'm going to get to it! Sometime.

I love you all!

Doing good is a pleasure,... A good beyond measure

Since I'm so old and mature now ;) maybe I should put hymns as my subject line instead of songs from the world. Honestly, I've never had a better birthday in my life than this week. I'll tell you why.

First, we taught like mad men. Second, Peru doesn't make many things right, but they can make a mean cheap cake. Third, well we'll get to that. 

1. Elder Chicaiza and I are doing great together, we are teaching this couple, Victor 26 and Astrith 23. She's a member, but less active since she was like 12, he's not a member. they have a son. Not married.  The first time we taught them, he pushed us around with his questions, We almost thought about dropping them because they weren't progressing, but Astrith reminds me of my family so I told them realllll good a thing or two, they came to church yesterday, this tuesday, they're gonna get a good lesson on Chasity! 

2. I've been incredibly tired so for my birthday I bought a cake, some Inca, we sang, talked ate, and that was it. They have a tradition to slam your head into your cake, but I'm not about that life, so it was pretty relaxed. Also our pension, Ilda, is awesome and made a sweet lunch, I'll put pictures.

3. Saturday we were studying and got a phone call. An Investigator in my last area I had was getting baptized, and wanted me to do it. So plans changed! We headed to my old area.(Perks of having a small mission) It almost made me crying seeing all those members again, and seeing Julio, my favorite member in all of peru, now the bishop. that four and a half months I had in that ward changed my life. Carlos Fernandez is the most humble guy I know. Let's talk about him, he lives in the mountains, like 150 stairs, plus a hike.... the first time we went to visit him, colder than penguins in Antartica, I burned him and dropped him faster than I got off the mountain. a month later, his wife who is a member ran into us in the street and said, "My husband wants to get baptized" we decided to give him a chance... well. He dreamed a dream! and we taught him. every night. the hike was horrible. haha. Saturday as I baptized him and saw him and his family, now together in the church. That made my birthday. It was a moment, I'll never forget.

Anything else? Oh yeah. Listen. I'm not that great of a person, but if you all will wake up, and do something more. You will be blessed and strengthened. Go read Ether 12. It'll tell you how. it goes really well with the hymn. "Have I done any good in the world today" If you haven't, get off your phone and go, someone needs you.

I love you all,

Here's some pictures.

1. No! My camera man...

I had some great ones too..

Next week. Next week!

How sad...

Three Hours with an Apostle changes your perspective on things

This week has been longngg. First, I got transfered. I'm now right next to my first area, but in a different zone. If we remember right, my first area was the most dangerous in our mission, I guess I'm just meant to live life on the edge :) My new Companion is Elder Chicaiza, he's 27 and from ecuador. Yeah, 27. haha We're gonna have a great time getting to know all the less actives who live in our area! There are 300 members, 70 are active. Welcome to Peru!

Then on Thursday we went to Elder Bednar, An apostle, his wife, a seventy, two mission presidents and 400 full time missionaries.. I've never felt the spirit so strong in my life. It was something I can never forget. The interesting thing is that he didn't just give a talk, no one gave a talk. He talked to us, and with us, we asked questions, he is the best teacher I have ever meant. I can't explain all the things I learned, but I can say this, I have a promise from an apostle that If I do two simple things, I will never fall away from the church, I always knew the principles, but now I feel it deep in my heart.

A whole bunch of stuff happened basically. and I'm turning 20 this week! Holla! It has been long, and crazy, but we continue on, I miss Portales, they are great people there, now I just gotta find that love again for San Cayetano. Have a great week. Get ready for conference! I'm so excited! 

Read the book of mormon, like always.

If you have any questions, email me. 

I love you all, I really, really do. My prayers are getting outraugously long because I'm so thankful that god put person, after person, after person in my life. 

The only quote I'm going to share from Elder Bednar.

"Pray like an agenty, not like an object"

What do you think that means? 

Pics.

1. I HATE packing ties...

2. It pays to have members who love you :)

3. It was hard to leave them.

4. Julio Meza is my favorite. He's the new bishop now. Suprise? No. 

5. Fried Squid. Mmmmm :)

6. We're going to Elder Bednar!

7. The most dangerous areas have the best rooms. 

8. Great View...

9. Whoohoo!

 

Another Week

Another week, and transfer done. I´ve been in Portales for 4 and a half months now, and I honestly think I´ll be here for one more transfer. I´ve been hit with the spirit here more than any other time in my mission. People say, ¨Missions change people¨ How? Because when you witness people change their lives because of the the beuty of truth. It changes you.

We had a Family Night with F. Meza The 1st counsler, Luis the recent convert, and Family Brown. The inactive and non member. It was one of the sweetest lessons of my mission, as I listened to a 26 year old, humble, and broke as someone could be, testify of the blessing of baptism, to help a 40 year old woman, who is too scared to do so. Wow.

We´re also teaching a 16 year girl Hilary, and her Mom, Nelly. first visit, this girl was colder and heart more shut than anyone I had ever talked to. 2 months later, well. She read the BOM, and we know that changes lives. She is going to be baptized the 19th. 

I started packing my bags, probably going to go home and unpack them. haha. Our training with elder Godoy fell through. I don´t even want to talk about how mad I was. But. This Thursday, Elder Bednar.

Other than that? Happy,Healthy, Preaching the gospel. I have been reminded of this quote through the week, ¨The people who care, don´t matter, and the people that matter, don´t care¨ I dedicate that to all my leaders, people who slam doors at me, the black guy who always yells at me and tells me to get out of his country. haha I have a relationship with GOD and a great family. What else can really matter in our lives? 

 

1. Buen Provecha!

2. Our Pension is Awesome

3. Here to take care of your garbage, a big truck comes through the streets, when you hear the music ¨Neighbor, watchout for your health¨ You take it out... Well we are never home, and we´re not very good at it... haha

4. Would you believe me this package has something for ever 30 people? 

5. GENERAL CONFERENCE. Is probably my favorite weekend of the mission.

6. A year all wrapped up in two little books. Wierd right?

7. To the first knock on the door, to Sunday Lunch after church. Holla!

8.

 

 

Overfilled with Blessings

I am a really, really blessed missionary. This week was busy. We had interviews. like you know, they're one of my favorite things of all my mission. then we got Luis interviewed for his baptism, Thursday we went to the dentist, Saturday we had the baptism. When someone bears their testimony right after they're baptized, the spirit is so different, and so special. There were more investiagators there than members, so that was funny, but overall, I'll never forget it. 2 months, from the first lesson, to the baptism, I was with him, it's proof that the gospel changes lives, fast.

Other news! Get this.... Friday, we have a training with the area seventy, Sweet. Next Friday, we have a training with Elder Bednar....Ya. I ain't kidding. I'm so excited I can't even explain. It's going to be a dump truck full of revelation. I am blessed to be here at this time.

This week I hit one year, and my companion asked me how I felt, I responded, "There is still a lot more things I need to do" I'm not or never will be finished. I will never be the same after my time here in Portales, these last 4 months here have made a bigger impression on me than anything else in my life. I strive to do more.

Luis. Baptized.

F. Brown. they danced in the stake activity on Saturday, we couldn't find Alfredo's papers, so really soon we're going to baptize him, and then Doris.

F. Arcaya. This week was the first time I've stared someone in the face, someone who is trying so hard, and told him he can't take the sacrament. We found his papers, and he has the priesthood, so he's gotta get married! Nonetheless they are progressing. He's in 2nd nephi 10, and she just read the explanation of Lehi's dream in 1 Nephi 12.

With all that, we're looking for a new room, we cleaned the church real good, and put 2 more on date.....I likkkeee.. that christtiannn life.

1. Dentist

2. Luis Villano.

3. Let's great ready to Rummmbllle!

4. There's two types of people in the world. People who wait for someone else to clean the church, and people who clean it. I'm one of the people who clean it.

5. Us four get things done!

6. Why baptizing men is better than baptizing women.

7. 1 year. Yee! Yee! In loving memory of Eler Frazier

Things learned in Peru

If you ever look around this country, you'll notice that almost everything works, and is fixed, but never fixed right. Nothing is straight, or clean. I don't know if It's a good thing, or bad, but because of that. I figured out how to work my camera again, and we are in buisness! So none of you be sending me a camera. I'm a peruvian now :)

We had a good week. It went by really fast, Luis came to church yesterday so if you're wondering where I'll be this Saturday at 2pm. Well, I'll be at MZ D LT 39 Portales de Javier Prado Vitarte Lima, Peru. Most likely in a baptismal font :) It's been two months since we've first taught him. and we taught him everything! Even down to why we raise our hand us to a square in sacrament meeting. It has been awesome. teaching him, Lehi's dream was my favorite. I love it so much. I don't have many converts, but the ones I have, they read the book of mormon. and if you read the book of mormon, you'll be okay.

What else? Julio the first counsler came out with us a lot this week, everyone we're teaching really just has problems, and since he's a leader, he can help them more. After one lesson where an investigator asked, "Me and my exboyfriend live together, but we're seperated, and have 3 kids. We stay together in the home for them, but we're not, you know.. what does the church think of that" Haha after the lesson I patted him on a shoulder and said, "You should come out with us more often, you can teach, I can relax, and I can still count it as a lesson!"

Other than that, just preparing for a really busy week this week. Lima Central today, Interviews tomorrow, Dentist on Thursday. (I think I'm the only missionary who wants to go to the dentist when they have one year in the mission) Saturday Baptism. So I guess we'll see what happens!

I love you all, have a great week. You better keep praying. pray,pray pray, for some reason we taught that a lot this week.

Pictures! Where to begin??

1. That package though....

2. Porales and President at the Temple

3. Julio, 1st counsler, his wife, Yovanna, President of Relief society, and their son, Eduardo, or I just call him monster. haha they're probably my favorite family I've met in Peru

4. The biggest temptation in my mission. We can't eat food prepared by members, and never ever can we eat strawberries. but I mean, look at it. I just wanted to so bad! But. Like Corintios 10:13 says. I overcame my temptation.

5. We painted our pensions house..... I miss Elder Cldye.

6. This day, we had our district leader, zone leader, assistents, and presdient all in our room. Scary, right?

 

You becha!

Another week and another month, it's incredible how fast time goes by. This week was great. We taught a lot of people, people with real problems, the good news is, the gospel has real answers.

First, John and MariLou.... These two, they're awesome. They're going to get married on the 23 of September, then she'll baptized, and well, you know where that leads. :) He's finished Nephi in less than a week. When I was sitting next to him at church yesterday he told me he was 25, I couldn't believe it. I thought he was like 30. He seems like he's so much older than me, then I remember I'm almost 20.... Later we had a lesson with them, for the closing prayer, their 3 year old son wanted to say it.. Ay ay ay, It's been a while since I felt the spirit so strong.

I went of divisions this week with my zone leader, he's from a small town from Wyoming, so you know all we talked about what the ole Cummins turbo diesel. haha just kidding, it was really good, and we taught really well together. He taught me loads of things, and I actually put the things in practice, what do you know? Miracles exist. haha

I'm about out of time, oops. If more than anything, I want you all to know, whatever situation you're in. Don't leave everything you have to look for something new. we taught a man, living with his girlfriend, who is a faithful member of the church, he says bad things to her, and has all these dreams of doing great things. He was pretty high on his pedistool until I asked him, "Why are you looking for happiness when it's right in front of your face?" Pride man, I'm telling ya, it doesn't get ya anywhere!

Other than that, enjoying my time as a missionary :) There's no where else I'd rather be. Because this life is SICKKK.

Have a great week, and never forget your first love! That's god.