July 4, 2016

Happy 4th of July

This was an interesting week... We are working hard trying to find a lot of new people to teach and baptize. I am really enjoying teaching Gian Franco, he learns so fast and applies the teachings in his life. I feel like it is so important the we apply what we learn as we read, and listen to the prophets of old and the new ones.

That way we too can experience the joy and blessing of the gospel. Gian Franco received the Aaronic priesthood this Sunday. He is determined to keep pushing forward. He is striving to help bring his family to the gospel too.

During the Sunday meeting, some guy robbed a television from the stake center. It sounds crazy, but it happened. I am truly surprised at how sly the thieves are here in peru. A guy dressed in a suit with a hymn book calmly entered the stake center and sat down to suposively wait for an interview. He waited until no one was around and then broke into the clerks office and took to tv. The crazy thing is that  we were all the the chapel in classes. We just walked out the door with the television in a garbage bag. it makes me so sad that someone would steal like that. Lets just say that ward council all the members were very worried.  Crazy no... I almost did not believe it when they told us.

Today we made pizza with the bishop of  Kennedy. It was great be able to talk to him and the pizza was great

I love this work... And HAPPY 4th of july

Mom i have something to tell you.. .but please do not worry to much... we went to the doctor because my toe is still swollen... and they took x  rays.. .I broke my toe... the thing is I will still be able to finish the mission....Breaking bones actually did not hurt as much I a thought as it would.

I have gained so much respect for the pioneers... do not worry I will be fine... I will send pictures next week. ..because my sd card got a virus again... I have pictures of the x rays.

I love you so much.. And I will see you in 4 months well actually a little less

June 27

I would send pictures of the baptism but the computer is being dumb... it is not reading my usb.... until next week... sorry

What an interesting and great start in my new area in Moshoqueque.  The first day that I arrived I had the grand opportunity to meet Gian Franco.   When taught about temples and reviewed the baptismal questions with him, Elder Lagava let me know that we were going to fast with him that he could overcome his smoking addiction.  We started the fast together and then we made sure that he was in our prayers in every moment of the day.  The next day we went to see how his fast turned out.  He told us that eating was not even a problem for him (this was his first time fasting), but his addiction temped him.  He did it though, he broke the chain! He told us that when times were tough and Satan was tempting, his wife reminded him why he was fasting and that we were there fasting for him.  This really strengthened my testimony.  The fact that if we depend upon the Savior and give it our all, WE CAN AND WILL overcome our weaknesses.  The next time we saw Gian Franco we were heading to pick him up and take him to his baptismal interview.  He had a worried look on his face and it made me nervous..  He told us that the night before he called his father and told him about how he was going to get baptized.  He father, being part of another church, told him to investigate more and ask for more testimonies.  He put some doubts in his mind with some anitmormon doctrine.  So he asked us plainly for our testimonies and we bore them and help him clear his doubts.  He Passed the interview and then yep was baptized Saturday.

Elder Lagrava is a great guy, he is helping learn more scriptures to teach.  We get along well

I am here in the same zone in Dorado but in a different area Yes, I have had the opportunity to run into many familiar faces. For instance, the bishop that is friends with you ( mom) on facebook works in his bakery that is in my area. He invited us cake both of the times that we said hi. Sadly, the first time we were fasting so we had to turn him down. The next time we went I asked him about his little daughter and surprisingly he told me that it was her birthday, so I send my wishs with him. I am still anxiously waiting to run into some of my converts,,, they now have more than a year as members.

My new companion is a cool and very intelligent guy. He is from Santa Cruz, Bolivia and has 13 months in the mission. The thing is he is training me how the whole Zone leader works. He knows the scriptures very well. He even told me that before his mission he taught seminary for two years that helped me a lot. Zone leader is interesting for sure and requires patience and good emergency planning. We have now made two trips to the office to pick up materials that the missionaries in our zone have asked. We have the fun opportunity to take all the numbers from the zone and report them to the assistants... and we are in charge and giving reimbursements to the missionaries. the whole thing with money stresses me a little because we have to be careful with the funds. Also as zone leader we have a monthly meeting with President Williams and his wife, also the assistants to train us... later we give the same training to the elders in the zone. We also have the fun opportunity to do interchanges with the district leaders to see how we can help them and learn more from each one of them.. We also do a work visit with the assistants...

I am doing well... I am super tired... but I am already falling in love with his area

I hope you have a great 4th of july.... 

(two letters posted this week)