Week 79 - Chimbote

I write to you this week from the city of Chimbote. Its super hot here and it smells like fish in parts, but its a pretty nice city. It has been a great first week here in my new area with my new companion, Elder Parra. He is from Lima and he is a pretty funny missionary.
Last monday was my last day in my last area and we had a nice family home evening in my pensionista´s house with our converts, Hermana Roxana and Hermana Yaquelin. We talked about the tender mercies of the Lord and it was awesome to get to talk with them and see how much they had grown in the time I was there.
Last tuesday morning i got on a bus with a few other missionaries, and I came here to Chimbote. I got all settled in to my new room and we got to go meet a few people my first day. One of the families that we are working with here is really progressing quite well. The mom´s name is Eva and the dad´s name is Percy. They have been passing through a few trials lately, but they have decided to listen to the missionaries. They have been going to church, reading the Book of Mormon and praying. In my first lesson with them I became friends with the dad as i found out that he likes to watch old western movies with Clint Eastwood in them. One of the coolest parts of our first lesson with them was listening to Hermana Eva share her testimony. It was awesome. This week we also got to talk to her a little bit about the word of wisdom and the very same day she took the coffee and tea that she had in her house and threw it away. Getting to help people that have been prepared is such a blessing.
One other family that I got to know this week was the Hermano Cristofer and his wife Hermana Rosa. Hermano Cristofer has been a member for quite a while, and his wife was baptized this last December. They are great people. Hermano Cristofer has a taxi and he has helped us a ton this week.
This past friday we got to go to Trujillo for a training with President and Sister Ríos. It was a great training. One of my favorite things that Hermana Ríos told us was that love and patience can get us a long way. President Ríos talked to us a little bit about having faith and not being hesitant when we invite people to live the Gospel of Christ. He helped us remember that we need to replace fear and doubts with faith.
It was a great week here in my new area. I am grateful to be serving here at this time. I know that this is the work of the Lord and that as we choose to have faith we can stay on the right path and help other people along the way.

Week 78 - Huaraz

My last week here in my area in Huaraz was a great week. We started off the week last Monday with an awesome family home evening. We were super busy all week with activities, and we ended the week with transfers.
Last Monday, we had a family home evening in a member´s house with a less active member and her daughter, an investigator, that we have been teaching. We watched a little Mormon message about our Savior then we got to talk a little bit about the plan of salvation. It was awesome to see how their faith grew as we talked with them. As we learn more about the plan of happiness and as we learn more about how our Savior can help us we get filled with hope that drives us to put our faith into action. We got to visit these two sisters Friday and they told us that they are reading the Book of Mormon and are praying more. It is so awesome to see people progress in the gospel.
This week when it started to rain one night we felt like we should knock on a door close to our apartment. A young lady opened the door and was really nice, but told us to come back another day. Then came her mom and she let us enter their house. As we finished the lesson I saw a blue book of their shelf. We asked them if we could see it, and we realized it was an older Book of Mormon. The missionaries had taught them a while ago. I sure hope this is their time to progress.
This last week I got to go to Caraz one last time on Friday for an exchange. It was awesome to go back again.
This last Saturday we got to have an activity in our church here in Huaraz. It was an open house and we had a ton of success. It was awesome to work with the members. One of our converts came as well with her cousin and her friend to show them the church. It was a super fun evening. It is so cool to see how we teach people and after a few months they are teaching their family and friends and inviting them to activities. (here is a blog where there are pictures from our activity) gngwhitney.blogspot.pe
Last night we got the transfer call for our zone. There's lots of transfers in the mission this time. I am going to be leaving Huaraz to go to Chimbote. I am sad to be leaving, but I'm grateful that I was able to come back here and serve here. Its such a neat place and the people here are awesome. I am excited to go to Chimbote. It is a city on the coast. The fishing industry is very big there and parts smell really fishy. It´s going to be an adventure. I am excited for this new transfer. It´s going to be a great week.

Week 77 - Huaraz

One more great week here in Huaraz has come to an end. This week we got to teach quite a few people, and we were super busy all week long.
This last week we got to visit a man named Esteban. He is passing through a few trials in his family, but he has a very sincere desire to change in order to help his family. We got to watch a little mormon message with him this week about how having faith in Christ can help us overcome our weaknesses. It was great to see a little flame of faith in him and see the hope that he has now. We also got to talk a little bit about the gospel with him. As we talked he was very interested, and it is awesome to see the sincere desire he has to change. I know the gospel will help him and his family.
This week we also got to visit a less active member with her daughter that is recently getting to know the church. We got to share with them the message of the restoration and it went very well. We realized that they have a few doubts, but we know that as they develop their own testimonies of the restoration their doubts will disappear.
The missionary department has changed a few things in the past few months to help us to better be able to focus on our purpose as missionaries. We have more time to find and teach people now, and I have really learned the importance of living the doctrine of Christ. It is the only way that we can have eternal life.
Today for p-day, as a zone, we went to Llanganuco. It was so awesome. It was my second time going. We had a great time, took some great pictures, and enjoyed getting a breath of fresh air outside of the city.
I know that this is the work of the Lord. I know that as we live the principles of the gospel and receive the ordinances we can overcome our weaknesses, be strengthened, and have eternal life.

me and huascarán

p-day today. by the Laguna Llanganuco

Llanganuco

Week 76 - Huaraz

Monday, February 13, 2017

This week was a super busy week. We had people to teach almost all week, so that was great. I got to spend some time with a few other missionaries in the zone and it was awesome to get to know them a little bit more.
Hermana Fiorela has been progressing pretty well. In the beginning of last week she had a few doubts about the Book of Mormon and wasn't really super excited about reading it. We did get to visit her this last Friday, however, and we read 1 Nephi 1 with her and as we read we let her meditate a little bit about what we were reading. In the end of the lesson we asked her if she felt like what we had read was true. She told us that she thought it was true, so we invited her to keep reading and to pray so that she could KNOW it. We will see this week how it is going.
We also got to teach Hermano Franklin a little bit this week. When we are with him and teach him it seems like he is going to make the decision to go to church and live the gospel, but he hasn't been able to progress a whole lot. I'm definitely learning patience.
Yesterday was so awesome at church. I was kind of disappointed that our investigators didn't come to church, but when we were sitting in the sacrament meeting one less active sister showed up with her daughter that's not a member yet. We got to know them a little bit this past week and we invited them to church. We were pretty happy to see that they came. We also got to go teach them after church with a few members and they are pretty excited, so we are looking forward to helping them progress even more this week. The Lord is always preparing people that can and will progress.
This last Saturday I got to go back to Caraz to help them with their open house that they had in their casa capilla (they use an office building as their church for now) it was great to see the members there and be with the missionaries there for a little while. It seems like just yesterday I was serving there.
I am grateful for the mission and for all that I am learning. I know that our Heavenly Father always wants us to progress and learn. I know that this time in the mission is so important, and that the message of the restoration of the gospel is true.

our zone a few weeks ago during a training

Week 75 - Huaraz

This last week was a really busy week. It was kind of tough because we weren't able to teach a lot of our investigators that had been progressing, but we were able to meet a lot of new people this week. The work of the Lord is never frustrated.
Last Monday one member family invited us to their family home evening and they invited one of their friends, so that was super awesome. Their friend´s name is Hermana Fiorela. She has been progressing a little bit this week, and has started to read the Book of Mormon. It is such a blessing to have good members who are willing to help us.
This week we actually found a family with the help of a dog. It was pretty interesting. We were walking in the street in the night and a big rottweiler came up to me, and I wasn't sure if it was super nice or if it wanted to chase me off. I stopped to make sure the dog was not going to do anything to me, then a lady told me from her doorstep that the dog is really nice and that it just wants to play. We went over to talk to the lady, and we talked a little bit about her dog. Then we got to know her a little bit and the next day we got to go visit her and her family. It turns out that her mother in law lost her mom about a month ago and her ten year old daughter lost her friend this past week. The Lord puts us right where we need to be to help people know his plan.
This week we also found another new family. They had never talked with the missionaries before, but the daughter has a friend who is a member, and he has been a great example to them. The mom told us that she was very impressed with this young man, and they were really willing to learn from us. This week we are going to have a family home evening with them. I am very grateful that that young man has been a good example.
This week we had the visit of President Rios, Sister Rios, and the assistants here in Huaraz. They taught us a lot of great things and we had interviews with them as well. Of my favorite things that I learned from President Rios was that repenting is depending on Christ. When we depend on Christ we repent. My interviews with President and Sister Rios were great as well. They always are making sure that we are doing well and help us to progress spiritually.
I'm grateful for the many blessings that I have been given. I know that The Gospel blesses families and that through the principles and ordinances we can find peace and happiness in this life and receive eternal life.

Huascaran

Im not sure what Elder Torres is doing haha he is a character! the mountain in the background is Huascaran. its famous

pics we took today on the roof of our apartment. 

Week 74 - Huaraz

This week was an awesome week here in Huaraz. We are having a great time helping a few people here and we also had a worldwide telecast this week that brought us a few changes in the work. it was another busy week in the work.
Last Monday we got to go play soccer again with a few members and it was super fun. Then in the night we had a family home evening with Hermana Agripina and her daughters that were baptized a few months ago. They are doing very well. We had another family home evening with them Thursday with the second councilor of our ward and his family. We talked a little bit about faith with them. It is so awesome to see their progress. I have realized that the conversion process isnt easy, but it is much easier if you decide to do the little things like reading the Book of Mormon and going to church.
We have also gotten to teach Hermana Estela a little bit this week. She has been investigating the church for a few months now and we are trying to help her strengthen her testimony so that she can make the decision to live the gospel. We got to read the vision of the tree of life this week with her. It really brought the spirit and we were able to help her to apply the story to her life. I am very grateful that the Lord has given us the Book of Mormon.
This week we had the privilege to teach one member´s friend. Her name is Hermana Jacky. Her daughter passed away about a year ago and she has has been trying to cope with that. When we went to visit her she told us a little bit about how tough the past year has been, and I was so amazed by her strength. As i listened to her I realized what a blessing it is to know about the Plan of Salvation. I am very grateful for the chance to help her understand this perfect plan. I am also so grateful for Jesus Christ all that he has done to make the plan possible.
We have one investigator that is really progressing. His name is Hermano Franklin. He is 21 years old. We lost contact with him for about a week, but finally this last Friday we got to talk with him a little bit. He was a little bit worried and discouraged, but we listened to him and read with him in Ether 12 and he is doing much better. He also went to church yesterday.
This past week we had a worldwide training and I learned a ton from the missionary department. I realized how important it is to have the spirit with us and how important it is to listen and be patient. They also told us a little bit about a few new changes that they have made. They changed our daily schedule a little bit, so now we have more time to proselyte and to decide when we are going to study. We are excited for the new changes.
I am grateful for the chance to be a missionary. Today we went back to my first area to help a few elders there that are moving to a new room. It feels like just yesterday that I was there in Caraz. Time sure does fly by. I know that the gospel blesses our lives and that our Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for us. We just need to trust in him.

Week 73 - Huaraz

This week was another super busy week here in Huaraz. A lot of great things are happening. My companion and I are excited for one more week in the work.
This last Tuesday we finally got to visit a reference that we got from another companionship here in Huaraz. Her name is Hermana Elizabeth. She has a little family and has learned quite a bit from the missionaries in the past. We got to meet with her in the church with the help of a few of the members here, and we got to teach her about the restoration. She has a very sincere desire to understand the gospel. As we finished the lesson one of the members explained how she had gained her testimony and how she felt, and when she finished the Hermana Elizabeth told us, ¨that's how I feel.¨ It was so awesome. I was pretty happy when we left the lesson.
We are also teaching a young man named Franklin. He is still progressing little by little. We got to teach him a little bit about the Plan of Salvation this week. He was really interested. President Rios actually told us this week that we need to work with more young people, and we are starting to see why. They are very willing to learn and have a strong desire to find answers that the gospel gives us.
This week we got to go to Trujillo again to a training with President and Sister Rios. It was awesome. President Rios showed us Elder McConkie´s last talk about the atonement. He helped us to understand how Christ has atoned for all of us, but we can only receive his help and the blessings of the gospel if we are obedient and live the principles of the gospel.
I am very grateful for our Mission President and for all that he teaches us. I am grateful for modern day revelation that helps us to progress. This week we have a worldwide training for all of the missionaries in the world. Its going to be interesting! Im excited.
I know that obedience brings us blessings, and I am grateful for our Savior and for his perfect example.

this picture is from august when Elder Montoya came with his wife.