Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Week 18: The Godhead and our Investigators

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Week 17: Interview with the Presidente

Familia y Amigos!

These past 2 weeks or so have been great and I've learned a lot. This past week has been one of the best weeks on the mission. Our zone had interviews and room inspections with Presidente Erickson on Friday and so all week Elder Guerra and I were cleaning the room for the inspection and all that good stuff. My interview with Presidente was really good to, he's just a mountain of spiritual knowledge and I learned some important lessons from him. I shared with him that were still having some problems getting people to church and he read with me in DyC 84:49 to 53 and it explains that for the most part when people don't come to church for a long period of time, or are less active or inactive, it's because they're under the bondage of sin so they don't come, it's uncomfortable for them. I learned for these people they don't need another lesson about the Sabbath Day and coming to church like many missionaries teach those people. Those people need to feel the love of God for them and that they can find peace in the love of our Savior for them. Those people need to feel how they felt when they were baptized more than anything else. It might seem obvious that that's what they need, but it's so easy to only look on the outside part of the problem and not for the "elephant in the room". That's something I learned this week that I'm really going to try to utilize in the work now. 

I learned many other things too, but that's what stuck out to me in particular. This week has also been good  because their aren't any more fruit flies, a week or two ago we had somewhat of an infestation that wasn't to fun, but it's all good now. For p-day last week we went to this super run down amusement park. They only had to rides and they weren't even really rides but all of the latinos were freaking out because it was their first time riding any kind of roller coaster, it was pretty funny. So yeah, that's about it for this week. 

I hope you're all doing well and I wish you all the best for this week!

Con mucho amor, 

Elder Potter

Monday, January 12, 2015

Week 16: Good Progress and Fruit Flies

Familia!

This week was pretty sweet! We had a lot of success the whole week, and especially yesterday at church. This week has been pretty crazy too though, we've been working really hard with the members and I think that's been helping a lot. I never really thought about it, but members have a huge role in missionary work and the converting process of new investigators. On Tuesday, I think, we were walking down this street to this new investigators house when some guy called out from his house ¨¨Ëlderes!¨¨, so of course we went to go talk to him if he was looking for us!  Turns out that he's been looking for the true church for a while now and about 2 or 3 years ago actually was taking some of the missionary discussions but then just kinda died off in the sea of investigadores that the missionary have. Luckily, he found us though! We've taught him the restoration, the plan de salvacion, y the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ lesson was really powerful. We had Obispo Balboa with us )Obispo is Bishop) and it was great. He definitely made a difference. He bore his testimony about repentance and the sacrament and the spirit was so strong. I believe that Agusto is going to be a strong member of the church. He has a date for bautismo on the 31 of this month. 

We've also been working extra hard with the members, like I already said, and its had a huge impact on the work. Yesterday at church Agusto and his daughter came to church as well as Hmna Lastina, Rosa Lopez, and Avelyn Gonzalez, less actives. It was a really good Sunday yesterday! Just know, that as members of the church you all have the responsibility to share the gospel with all people. In fact, when we were baptized, we covenanted to follow Christ and to share His gift to everyone, to share His message with all. I know it's tough in Utah, but I promise you that there are thousands of people you could talk to and share a part of the gospel with. Ya just need to look!

Right now I have a goal to finish the Book of Mormon, in Spanish, by the end of March and so I've been reading a ton lately and have found some really great things that I've forgotten about. This morning I read Mosiah 3 and 4 about our Savior and service. I was really impressed by the words of King Benjamin, they have great power. One thing that stuck out to me in particular is when King Benjamin talks about serving those in need and imparting of your substance to them even if they brought their condition on themselves. It was interesting to me because here in Peru it's really, really easy to find people who have destroyed their own lives because of addictions to alcohol or other things, and sadly, it's too easy to just look past those people. King Benjamin said something about this too, that when we just look past people like that, we have need to repent. It's my hope that we will stop looking past those people who have brought misery on themselves and instead help them, put our arms around them and help them back on their feet so they can begin their journey to CHRIST again.

Last night we had a devotional on Family History as a stake because we have Family History hermanas in our zone now, it's gonna be awesome. There has been a lot of success with Family Search in the Lima sur y central missions because of Family Search and so Pres. is starting to utilize Family Search in our mission. It was actually a spiritual experience for me because dad works for Family Search and is literally hastening the Lords work every single day from his office in Salt Lake. He's helping hasten the work 4 thousand miles away in Lima Peru, it's an amazing thought and we are so lucky to live in a day when we have this kind of technology, these tools to help the Lord. So, thanks dad for all the hard work doing for the Lord, looking back, I know our Heavenly Father has blessed our family because you stand steadfast and diligent in the Lords work, serving people everyday. I'ts a noble and sacred work to be involved in. 

On the more temporal side of things, life is good too. We have somewhat of a fruit fly infestation on our hands right now, but were going to fix that... Or at least I am cause it's nasty haha. We canceled our pensionista, kinda sad about it still, about 2 weeks ago because it will help us save money and because Guerra doesn't really like her for some reason jaja. And so the flies have been attacking our room because there's food in there. It also didn't help that the garbage trucks hadn't come for like 3 weeks until yesterday morning... ya that was gross. 

Also, last pday we had an emergency transfer. Elder Coleman and Vela left because there's a lot of areas that are lacking missionaries right now because a lot are leaving soon and there's not to many coming in, so President is moving around a lot of the missionaries to even things out a bit. It kinda stinks because I got to know them really well and their good friends, but it's all good. 

We had another tough service project on Saturday. We were leveling out this area for someone to build a house on and it was hard! We worked at it for almost 2 hours and barely did anything and there were 6 of us elders there jaja. 

So, we can have music in the mission, but it has to be a usb, can't be on an mp3 or anything. Anyways, I was wondering if you could include some music in the next package when ever that might be. There is a list of the music we can have, I'm not sure what all on is it but I know some...EFY, motab, byu choir, and stuff like that. Make sure you put a good Come thou fount on there, I like that song. Also, the piano guys have some really good piano music of hymns. 

Well, I think that's all! Hope ya'll have a great week!!

Con mucho amor, 

Elder Potter


Monday, January 5, 2015

Week 15: Mi Semana! (My Week)

Familia Mio,

This past week has been good as far as mission life and all that, but it's also been tough because nobody is coming to church! All of the investigadores and menos activos that we've been working with didn't come yesterday, it's a real struggle and kind of frustrating. They're not realizing that this is literally for their exaltation and "vida eterna". I've been trying to think of ways to make them feel the responsibility that they have to act on their faith in this life and to keep the commandments, especially to take the sacrament. A little more about those new investigadores...

Raul Alfarro: So this guy is gonna be tough to baptize, not because hes rejecting the gospel, but because he's paralyzed and in a wheel chair, that the church actually gave him. He's never came to church but has always loved the missionaries because they are always kind and patient with him. He really wants to know where his father is that passed away a few months ago. It was actually Elder Ramierez and I that found him, well, he called out to us, we were on divisions. He has potential, but he didn't come to church, this week he says. 

Solidad y Familia: We contacted Solidad, the mom and 2 of her daughter a week or 2 ago and all of the family is really interested. Their traveling right now so they didn't come to church yesterday. But they have a lot of potential as well. 

Javier y Ana: The parents of Manuel. I was really confused about their situation for a long time because I didn't understand the language very well, but it's claro now. So they live together, not married, and Javier is in the process of divorcement with his wife, which will take about 3 to 4 more months so I'm probably not gonna be here when they can be baptized...But were preparing them. They have desires to change and to read the book of mormon and I'm excited for when their married and baptized and can make those covenants with God. 

Manuel: This is a different Manuel than the one Pauro and yo baptized. Its the husband of Hermana Geovana that has done some pretty crappy stuff in his life but wants to change and is on the road to repentance and becoming clean. He left Hermana Geovana a few years back because of what he had done but lately has felt the responsibility of a father and has come back, he has a lot of guilt and I feel really bad for him, were gonna help him out a little bit, or do what we can. We have a cita (appointment), I can't really remember some words anymore sorry, were going to meet with him tonight, I'm excited about that. 

A little bit more about this week, we had a training by our zone leaders this past Friday about diligence and it was awesome! I learned a lot and that they only way to develop diligence is through obedience and hard work. It's totally true, as were diligent to the commandments we are blessed immediately. If you can, read Mosiah 4:27, its awesome. I wish I could tell you everything that I learn, but there's so much. But, you can learn it all too because its all in the scriptures!

On the more temporal side of things in the mission, all is well. Our full pday was actually last Thursday because nobody is home on new years day because they are all drunk and traveling. Pday was really sweet! Elder Lee and Ortiz know this guy that smokes meat and so the zone bought 600 soles worth of smoked bbq meat, it was just like the 4 of July! It was honestly the best. We also did a secret santa thing so whoever had me bought me a brand new tie, ties are just about the only thing that have some variety on the mission so its always nice to get a new tie haha. 

The dogs have also been crazy lately, Geddy would either be dead here or have many friends haha. 

Well, got to go! 

Con mucho amor,

Elder Potter