July 16th-28th

Jul 15, 2019

Today was an awesome day, we woke up and got our room cleaned, we cleaned our clothes, ate lunch, and went out and did some service. We swept in front of people’s houses for a long time! Afterwards I talked to this guy from New Jersey in English! It felt awesome, but he said I was a cool guy and he wants me to come to his house with all of his cousins to drink with them... I told him we can share a message about Christ. Then I told him that members of the church do not drink alcohol as I pointed to my name tag. He said well just take off your name tag and come along. I told him that’s not how it works... though sometimes it feels that way now a days, people can just change their morals for a moment than go back to the way they were before. I know when we lower our standards they never go back up to the same level. We then did have some awesome lessons. We found a family and taught them the plan of salvation, they had a lot of questions. Like why did the kids of Adam and Eve have more kids with their siblings. We responded by asking [Marcos] if he wanted to have kids with his sister, he quickly said no, and we laughed! I love you good night

Jul 16, 2019

Today we went down to the office and had our interviews with president. I had a nice long talk with him, and it was probably the most I have ever talked with him in one sitting than I have over the whole time of my mission. It was amazing. We got back to Jayanca and had some great lessons and, we visited with Olenka. She is an investigator who the day of her baptism decided not to get baptized. We explained that a baptism needs to be in a lot of water, like Jesus Christ. That the person needs to be baptized by someone who holds the priesthood, like John the Baptist. Also, you need to be able to make your own decisions, as Christ chose to be baptized. We explained that Jesus lived a perfect life, and we need to follow his example especially with the baptism he had. She said no. So, we talked to Noelia because I was a little disappointed, she was so happy because she talked with three of her friends for about 2 hours about the church and invited them to come next Sunday, she was so happy and said she wants to serve a mission because she just loved the feeling of preaching the gospel. So, we invited her to our next lesson that we have with a teenager so she can practice. It honestly made my day! I love you good night

Jul 17, 2019

I’m going to get real with you, we have not been having much success finding new people to teach. We are missing something. We go into a home share the gospel and ask when to come back, and in return receive 101 reasons of why their lives are too busy at the moment. Nothing personal against the people here, I love them, but everyone says it and we are also really polite but at the end of the day we have no lessons planned for the morning. We fault something. Maybe a friendship with the people we teach, maybe the spirit, maybe a form of unity of work with my companion. I’m not too stressed because with stress, fear, or nerves there is no faith. So, I will just try again tomorrow. I’m making a plan that every day I leave the apartment I talk to someone within the first 3 min. because at times it’s hard to start, it’s like running, cutting firewood, or peeing. At first its hard and not enjoyable but once you get in your groove or get the flow going it’s a lot easier. That’s my new goal. Maybe if you invite the missionaries over someone will do the same to me. I love you good night.

Jul 19, 2019

Today we had a multi-zone conference and the missionaries leaving are the first full group of our mission president, so it was a big good-bye day to them. He talked about the characteristics of our feature wives. It was so good I have more to say than I have time for! I love you good night

Jul 20, 2019

Well today started off slow for me, but I got the wheels moving and we had a lot of success today! In March I baptized Luis Tello, and his cousin two months later. Well I contacted Noelia in the streets and turns out her, Luis and, Olenka are good friends, and along with Diego. Now this friend group is teaching their friends and we have 5 appointments with their friends to visit and teach. They all try to go on splits with us to teach more friends. Long story short we are going to baptize the whole school that they all go to! I know it’s a little confusing, but they have only been members of the church for less than 3 months, and they are bringing friends to us to teach and passing by homes before activities to bring them. Morale of the story- with hook and line you get one fish, but a net brings you many. I am also making progress on memorizing lesson 3! I called sister Balderrama and told her I will finish it before next week, then I called president and invited him to come study with me, and he accepted! I love you good night

Jul 21, 2019

Today was a good day, we have an investigator named JIMMY! His family is super Catholic, they have saints on the walls and everything. Well we have visited him one time and today he said he wants me to baptize him! I told him I’m probably leaving next week and that my companion has the same authority! He also goes to the same school as Luis, Olenka, Noelia, Diego, Naemi, and Blanca. The group we have been working with! We are teaching everyday with new converts so that’s been working really well! I’m really happy with the work here in Jayanca and they should continue in this direction for a while! I love you and good night

Jul 22'23, 2019

Yesterday we did not do much, we stayed in Jayanca and cleaned, then went to talk to our families and ended the day teaching some people. Today I woke up with another stomach infection, so I was throwing up all day and sleeping. President also was not able to come out and study with us. I was content with that, because I felt so bad. We went out for the last 2 hours and had not much success. We did swing by sister Ines to talk with the youth at a fireside. My head hurts so I’m going to bed, I love you good night.

Jul 24, 2019

Today was not much better, but I feel like I’m growing a lot so I will just try to send a little something tonight. First of all, I feel like the word {{thing}} is a terrible word. It is just a lazy way of thinking. But honestly a piece of advice I have learned on my mission is never go to a boss, coach, or leader of any kind with a problem. Instead go with a problem but take three solutions as well. That if we want to get ahead in life its best to solve the problems of our boss. I got this from a book by John Bytheway. Also, in the same book, I learned that everyone needs to know why, and how come. Just as a man who does not desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the gospel of Jesus Christ until he understands why it’s important, and how it can bless his life. This mission is hard, I have been in a really small town for 6 months and is the most Catholic part of all of Chiclayo. I have knocked on every door 3 times and will never forget the first words my companion said when I got here it’s really catholic here, so there are no baptisms. You just wait out the time until you go to a better area. However, in my 6 months here Our Heavenly Father has helped me, and my companions double the number of baptisms from the last two years combined in just 6 months! God has helped me so much and I have been so blessed to come here, I have almost learned the bible forwards and backwards, He has helped me learn how to get someone to invite us in after saying [I will never talk to Mormons or anyone from your church] and I can keep myself entertained and not go crazy with very little. My companions I have had here do not talk much so I have a lot of nights to self-meditate..... I am soooooo much more patient! I love you with all my heart! good night and sleep tight

Jul 25, 2019

Today was a much better day, I had a nice long talk with my companion, and we are a lot better. We then had a lot of success talking to the youth here in Jayanca and have tons of visits planned to pass by for them. We then had the interview for he baptism for Jose and Danilo but when we went to pick them up, they did not want anything to do with us or the church. So, we went and told Elder Taggie and Elder Flake so they could start their 2-hour drive home. Later in the night about an hour or two later we got a call that Danilo wants to get baptized. Well we talked with him to make sure he was certain about it and he really is. So, my companion did the interview and he passed! What a good day! I love you good night

Jul 26, 2019

Today was an excellent day, we got lost in a farm and stumbled upon a man and taught him a lesson... about Jesus Christ. We had amazing lessons and were able to help everyone progress a little in this earthly journey and grow their faith. We taught a lesson with Diego and he was like a little missionary! I do not have much time, I love you good night

July 27, 2019

Another tough day in the books, we had the baptism service for Danilo the font filled and ready and he never showed up. We went by his home and he said he did not have the desire. So, when that happens you just tell them that you love them and want them to keep coming to church. Today we did some service, well I did some service. There were some bags of rice and I moved them into a home, they were 54 kilos so my companion could not lift them... but he cheered me on and kept the small talk with the wife and kids. The bags were covered in dirt, so my white shirt got REALLY dirty. We did some more service and it felt really good! I love you good night

Jul 28, 2019

It’s the fourth of July here in Peru, or in other words day of independence. Other news, DAY OF COMBOS!!! And I’m going to the beach! The Pimentel and I will be replacing Elder Huff, my companion from the MTC so that will be really nice. I’ll get to read all his reports and meet all of his investigators. I love you and good night