Week 53 - Viru

This week was another really great week here in Viru. The highlight of this week was definitely a little conference that we had in Trujillo this week with Elder Montoya of the 70 and his wife Sister Montoya. He is the second counselor of our area here in South America. 

They shared many life experiences that really helped me to strengthen my faith and really inspired me. Sister Montoya Spoke first and she shared with us a few pieces of advice that I really liked. She said that as missionaries we get rejected a lot, but it is so important that we maintain a good attitude at all times. It definitely isnt something new, but it was a good reminder. They both talked a lot about being consecrated as well. Elder Montoya shared a lot of stories about the power of the priesthood that have really motivated me to do my best each and every day to live worthy of the POWER of the priesthood. One thing that he said as well that has echoed in my head all week is ¨ustedes cambian vidas¨ it means you change lives. He shared with us stories from his mission and his kids missions. The Gospel of Jesus Christ really does change lives.

This week we had a good lesson with the family that I talked about last week, Carlos and Elisa. We got to talk to them more about Christ and the power of the atonement. It was really cool to see hope grow in them as we talked with them. I know the Lord has sent us to them for a reason, and that with his divine help they will be able to overcome their challenges and all will be well.

This week we also got to do a few visits with our old pensionistas sister. Her name is Arminda. It was really interesting actually. We brought her to a house to visit a family and it turned out that the mom was her neighbor when they were kids. Sunday they sent their kids to church, so that is one step in the right direction. Little by litte.

Yesterday we got to visit my converts, Monica, Manuel and Gonzalo. I really enjoyed talking to them. Gonzalo explained to us the change that he has seen in his son, Manuel, and it made me super happy getting to listen to his testimony of missionary work. I really enjoy being a missionary. It is a great privilege to be able to serve. I definitely have lots of things to improve, but I know that as I keep pressing forward the Lord will help me become a better teacher of the gospel and help make weak things become strong unto me. 

Week 52 -Viru

Email Summary from week of: 
August 22nd

This week was another good week here in Viru. My companion and I got to work with lots of great people this week and were able to enjoy another week in the work of the Lord. 

When I think about this past week one family really sticks out to me. Carlos, Elisa and their two kids. We have been teaching them for quite some time now and they have come to church a few times. We have been talking to them alot about marriage lately as we try and help them to see the importance of it. Slowly they have been progressing towards a marriage. They are passing through a few trials right now as a family. We visited them this week with our old pensionista and she brought up the idea of doing a fast. So that is what we did with them. It went super great. They also came to all three hours of church yesterday, and it was really awesome because the whole third hour was all about marriage. I am so grateful for the oportunity that I have to walk with these people for a short time in their lives to be able to help them grow closer to Christ. I know that he lives and that he will help and bless this family. 

This last wednsday was a pretty interesting day. In the morning we almost had our plans ready to go, but we just needed one member to help us with a visit. We couldnt find one for the life of us either. I was a little bit frustrated, but as I look back I know it was for a reason. We later passed by the relief society presidents house and asked her if she could help us with a visit, and she told us that she could. Later that day we went to the visit and the person we were going to visit wasnt there, so we walked for a few minutes, then we decided to visit one of the relief society presidents neighbors. Long story short. We got to know her neighbor and her family this week. They are super great people and they told us that the night before we visited them that they had been talking about churches, and had come to the conclusion that it was a good time to really get closer to our Heavenly Father and come to church. I am very grateful that Heavenly Father is preparing people in our area to receive the gospel. 

I know this is the work of the Lord and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it. I know that Christ lived, died, and was resurrected for us. I know he is a perfect example for each and every one of us. 

Week 51 -Viru

Email Summary from:
August 15, 2016
Helo I am back in Viru this pday and it is a super nice day here. My companion and I had a pretty good week in the work here. I really enjoy serving here in Viru. 

We had a really good visit with a family that we have been teaching for quite a while. They are really awesome and we have a few members that have helped us a bunch with this family. They are working towards a wedding right now. They are kind of nervous, but little by little we are helping them to overcome their fear. It has been really cool to see their faith grow. The wife in the beginning had a few doubts, but right now she really has a desire to do the right.

This week we had a lesson with an old invesigator that we havent visited very much lately. He is one our recent converts husband. He has a few doubts. In the beginning of the lesson we shared the scripture in D&C 6:36, and we talked a lot about how the gospel helps us not to have fears or doubts in our lives. It is something that we forget at times I thing, but it is something that I love about the gospel. As we strive to have more confidence in Christ he helps fill our lives with hope and happiness. 

This week we also got to go visit one of our investigators with the first councilor of our branch. I havent really had the chance to work much with him, but he really helped us explain the apostasy and the restoration. It was really awesome to see our investigator understand the importance of the restoration. He came to church yesterday for the first time and is progressing little by little.  

This week I also had the chance to do a companion exchange with one elder, named Elder Ricse, In the district that is being trained by a really good elder, named Elder Hart. It was a really fun day. We had a few great lessons, and we got to teach a family that was recently baptised about repentance. Being a missionary is such a blessing. I really enjoy it and I am very grateful for the patience that our Father in Heaven has with us. I know that this is his work and that thanks to Christ and his atonement everything is possible. I know that families can be together forever.

Week 50 - Viru

One more week is in the books in good ol Viru! It was a really great week and I really enjoyed it. Today I am actually in Trujillo. My companion had to go to Lima to do some paper work for his visa so I am here for the day. It has been a pretty fun day. We stayed with the Elders from the mission office last night and now I am with a a few missionaries that are serving here in Trujillo.
This week was awesome. Sunday was  a great day! One less active member that we have been working on for a while finally came to church this Sunday and he bore his testimony. He is so smart and knows quite a bit about the gospel. Like everyone he has his own struggles, however, so he has not been active. This last Saturday we visited them and we invited him to come to church and he told us ¨yeah ill go in two thousand.....¨ and then I said ¨sixteen¨ we laughed a little bit and he ended up coming to church with his wife. He is a teacher and when he bore his testimony he talked about how kids from the church and the missionaries have been instruments in the hands of our Heavenly Father as they have invited him to come to church and have constantly reminded him of that invitation. It never hurts to invite someone that's for sure!
This week we also got to teach Hermana Augustina. Her husband is a less active member and she has been traveling a lot lately because her daughter has been sick. Well this week her sister in law, the relief society president, helped us go visit her. We talked a little bit about the restoration and talked about the Book of Mormon. I knew that she had been reading the Book of Mormon a little bit, so we talked about that a little bit. She told us that she has received an answer that it is true. It is so amazing to see how the Lord is preparing his children here on earth to receive the gospel. He is at the head of this work.
Yesterday I studied a little bit about patience and as I studied the story of Ammon in the Book of Mormon came to my mind. He had such a good attitude. I love his story and his example. He went to do the Lords work and it was super hard for him. He had to serve the king and as he was trying to serve the king the sheep got completely scattered. I think in this situation I would probably get mad and frustrated, as I'm sure many people would, but he was more or less excited and grateful for the opportunity to gather the sheep and fight off the people who were scattering them. I really am very grateful for the Book of Mormon and for all that we can learn from it. I know that as we study it and as we apply what we learn we become better and stronger people. I know this is the work of the Lord and I'm grateful for the guidance that he gives us.

This week we got to do a little bit of service to help a family here in Viru. It was a pretty interesting little process. We put corn into bags made out of net material and then beat the corn with these poles to separate it from the cob. It is a pretty good job if you want to relieve some stress I guess. I'm really grateful for combines! It was not really that efficient at all! It was a good workout however! It was cool to get to do it one time, but I couldn't imagine doing that for a living!

Week 49 - Viru

This past week was a really great week here in Viru! We also had transfers yesterday and I am going to be staying here for six more weeks with my companion Elder Cruz. I really do enjoy serving here in Viru.
This week was a really awesome week in the work. We got to know a few new families and we got to help a few people progress a little bit. The highlight of my week was probably a lesson that we had with a family this last Friday. We had taught the mom and the daughter of this family before, but we hadn't been able to teach them all together yet. We were proselyting over by their house and our visit fell through so we decided to see if they were home. The dad answered the door and said come in. After a few minutes the whole family was sitting in their living room and we got to teach them about the restoration. They had great questions and it really was an uplifting experience for me. The mom really likes the church because she knows it will help her kids. In the end of the lesson the mom stood up and said ¨you know what I like about this? we are all together as a family.¨ That made my whole day. The gospel really does bring families together!
This week we also got the chance to be part of the Trek that they had here in Viru for the first time ever. The youth really enjoyed it and learned a lot. We got to go with them for the first day and we shared stories of the pioneers and encouraged them in the path. I cannot imagine how tough the pioneers were. They had such firm testimonies. I am grateful for their examples.(i included a photo of my companion, Frank, and I)
This week we also got to work with the family that i talked about last week a little bit. Carlos and Eliza are doing well. She left on a little trip this week, so we just taught him. He is really humble. We explained repentance to him this week and talked about baptism. He is very willing to learn and I really enjoy teaching him. This week I have realized that so many people really feel that they need to be baptized, but just are scared to enter the path. I really like how it explains in the scriptures that fear doesn't come from the Lord. I am very grateful for that knowledge that we have. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of Hope and Happiness.
I am so grateful for this gospel and for the blessings it brings into our lives. I am grateful for a Father in Heaven that loves us and is patient with us. I know that he knows us personally.

Pday hoops at the church

TREK

Frank, Elder Miller & Elder Cruz at TREK