"So this week was really really good! We got Elder Chavez his first baptism! We baptized this dude named Abraham who is like a really good friend to us! And we are working with his mom and his sister right now! So he is 18 years old and has no relation with his dad at all and he lives with his family! And we taught them all together and it was awesome! The mom has a little trouble with going to church but we are helping her and his sister is 15 and she likes going! We have planned their baptism for the 18th! At first they were a little shaky with it but then we went to the baptism of Abraham and everything changed. She is really really excited and her sister is a little scared of water but we are going to help her! So awesome! That family is changing because of the example of Abraham. One of their neighbors is one of our new investigators too and he is always with us when we teach them! At first he was a little scared for baptism cause hes already been baptized before but we talked with him and Abraham talked with him and THE MOM talked to him! It was pretty cool and now he is progressing! We also have two miracles for the 4th of February! This member was walking with us and came up to us and said! "Elders you need to baptize my son. Hes nine. Anthony who do you want to baptize you" Anthony pointed at me and said "Him!" and then she said "And you need to teach my dad too!" Who I was convinced was a member because hes gone twice times from what I have seen and he always shares in the classes! So we had a lesson with them and we talked about the Book of Mormon and and Joseph Smith and he was so happy and ready to get baptized right there! He said "I want to be baptized because I want to be saved." It was so awesome. He is such a great old dude and we are very excited to keep working with him!
Tomorrow we have a conference with Elder Cook! Way excited for that! Hope to hear from you all!
It rained this week pretty dang good! Which is legendary for Lima! So I tried taking a selfie and it didnt work too well... but he I dont think I look terrible in the pic lol "
January 30, 2017
"So this week was awesome!!! We had the oppurtunity to see and shake hands and hear from Elder Cook! AND I had the awesome oppurtunity to ask Elder Cook a question and his anwser was very very awesome. So only 3 missionaries out of like 350 could ask a question and he picked me! So I asked him "What is your advice for struggling missionaries?" just so everyone knows I am not struggling at all I am doing great hahaha but I knew missionaries there who were. He told us that what we are doing right now will litterally effect everyone who means anything to you right now or in the future. This is the best thing I could be doing in my life. Whether it be for my future family or my family now or the families im teaching I know that there is no other place I should be. Today I had to wake up at 4:30 and go to the immigration offices and one of the members of the 70 was there (His name is hard im not even going to try to spell it) and me and Elder Canfield got to hangout with him for a good 35 minutes and we just talked haha. That was cool. This upcoming week was have 2 baptisms! Thats very awesome! We are doing alright here in Peru! We are trying to do our best we can so we can bring more souls to the Lord! Transfers are next week and im getting kind of nervous to be honest. We have a lot going on here but whatever happens I know that if I leave its what the Lord needs me to do. We had a cool experience this week! So we have been teaching this Mom and her daughter and we recently baptized her son Abraham! And they always talk about another kid that they have that lives a little ways away and we have never met her. So we went to another lesson after them and its this family who is investigating and they told us that they know some members who live close by and we gave our lesson which was awesome and they told us where these less actives live so we could pass by. So we decided to pass by their house and we went and none of the less actives were there. But one of the girlfriends was and we talked with her for a second and she said that her boyfriend/husband was a less active and shes never been to the church before but her brother just barely got baptized in our church! So turns out her brother is Abraham! And now we have a lesson with there whole family this week! That was pretty cool!
I dont believe in coincidences (idk how to spell that lol) But i know we were put in their path for a reason! Hope to hear from you all!"
February 9, 2017
"So this week was very awesome! We got to baptize Hermano Raul and his grandson Antony! That was awesome he has such a strong testimony and they really are such a happy family! SO this week was really fast I dont even remember everything haha. One cool story. So we were walking way way far the other day trying to find a member and here it is so dead hot its terrible. But we were walking and we walked past this mom with her son and I got this really strong feeling like we should go visit them. So we went and we talked to the mom and she let us right in. Its a family of 4 and there are really really awesome! We are going to take them to church this week! So the reason that was cool is becuase im not very good at listening to the spirit. And as a missionary we really have to be good at that haha. So ive been really trying to talk to everyone especially the people who I feel prompted to go talk too. No matter where we are going or how late we are its very important to follow the spirit. So that was awesome. We have transfers today! Thats scary. But dont think im going anywhere. Ive got a new born son I have to take care of. So Elder Martinez our zone leader ended his mission yesterday.. very sad im going to miss him. He was an amazing missionary and is a really good friend of mine. He called me right before he left and we talked for a minute and it was very cool. I hope one day I can be a missionary like him. But yea this week was cool. This week we should have a baptism of Hermana Karina. Shes the cousin of one of our converts! Pray for her! Transfers are tonight so we will see how that g
Shout out to Elder Green who leaves to Brazil tomorrow!! Love that guy everyone should send him a good email. Sorry I dont know his email but if someone has it they should sent it to me. Love you all hope all is well."
February 13, 2017
"Im staying here in Zapallal! So this next transfer I will end the training of my companion Elder Chavez! Im so happy I get to stay here another transfer but im also a little sad because I know that this could possibly be my last transfer here. But thats ok!So this week was a little bit on the more difficult side. We had some troubles finding new people to teach and we also didnt get very many lessons in but thats ok! We are still positive and working hard! So something I wanted to share with you all is the importance of the Book of Mormon. For the conversion of the investigators and for the conversion and continual faith of the members. As a member of the Church my whole life I grew up thinking that all people in the world believed in the Book of Mormon. Not becuase thats what I was taught but its what I thought. As a grew up I definitely knew that was not the case. And being here in Peru has definitely showed me how some people truely think if us "Mormons" Ive been laughed at sworn at threatened for being a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Ive heard countless of times from people that we are "servants of the devil" and that "The Book of Mormon is from the devil" whether it be from people we are contacting or from what our investigators have heard from other people. I dont know these people BUT I do know one thing. I KNOW that they have never read the Book of Mormon. And IF they have they definitely didnt do it "With a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ." (Mornoni 10:4) The Book of Mormon is the most correct books of any in the world. And one can not deny the truthfullness of the Book of Mormon if they read it "With a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ." The Holy Ghost WILL testify to anyone that reads this book with the right intentions. I KNOW it. I can not explain the importance of reading the Book of Mormon EVERY day. Whether it be 5 minutes or 2 hours. We NEED to read the Book of Mormon every day and we MUST have a strong testimony of it. And why? Because "The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion." Joseph Smith once said "Take away the Book of Mormon and the Revelations and where is our religion? We have none." If one can gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon and its truthfulness that means that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. And that by the power of God he translated that book. And that all the revelations that we have today are true and from God. If one can accept the Book of Mormon then they can accept the church and everything with it. I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and I ask you ALL! Members non members active members less active members to pick up your Book and give it a good read. You will never regret it. I love you all and Hope to here from all of you!
2 Nephi 33:1"
