Monday, October 26, 2015

Week 57: Bien, buen siervo fiel

Hola familia!

So this week was super great! On Tuesday we had a reunion with President Erickson and the asistentes and with my old zone, Canto Chico. It was an awesome conference! President Erickson and Elder Nielson, one of the asistentes, talked about being a good servant and they rocked it! They talked about the parable of the talents and how we need to exercise them for the benefit of others. Elder Nielson talked about how we are really all leaders, of our areas, of ourselves, for our companions and that God doesn't bless us with "rest", he blesses us with more opportunities to serve and exercise more "mayordomìa" (sorry, I honestly have no clue what that word means in English) (it means stewardship). Being a missionary and called by the Lord and Prophet have helped me appreciate being a servant, it is a blessing, not a load. It also gave me some great ideas on how to lead my district lift them up like it says in DyC 84:106, si alguien is fuerte en espìritu, debe elevar a las demás personas con èl. God blesses us with opportunities, I hope that we all serve willing and happy so the Lord can say to us some day, "bien, buen siervo fiel" (Well done, good and faithful servant) and bless us to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father. 

Also, I've been working a lot more with the sisters in my district, Hermana Ricconi and Hermana Hurd and it was great to do a work visit with them and help them out. We've really been working with one of their investigators, Benjamin Lopez. I made a goal for the district to rescue a less active and baptize this month, sì o sì, so with the help of the Spirit, we did it this week. Yesterday I was able to do the final interview for Benjamin and he was baptized in the afternoon. I got to baptize him and it was a really special moment. After the baptism he was so happy that he knelt down in the water and started praying, I knelt down with him and we were able to pray and thank God for baptism and what it really is for a minute or two. It was great to see him give thanks to God for that, he is going to be a great convert.

Golden investigator! So two weeks ago we contacted this lady named Carmen in the street and taught her, took out another cita and when we went she wasn't there, but her nephew, Gabriel, was there. Hes 15 years old and has had a super hard life. Hes been a delinquent and has some very hard disciplinary councils for youth and things like that for some stuff he has done. We started to teach him and it was tough to find what he needed, but after we gained his confidence we knew he needed The Plan of Salvation. We taught it to him and it was amazing. At first he told us that he didn't really know if God existed, but at the end of the lesson, he couldn't deny it. We invited him to pray to know if God existed and he said he would, but wasn't so sure about it. Well, when we went back two days later, he told us he knew God existed. The night before he had gotten in a fight with his older brother and it was really bad, his mom separated him and he went to his room in tears, mad, frustrated and lost. He overheard his mom talking to his brother about sending him to the correction center again, he didn't know what to do. But then something told him to pray. "Recordè que Elder Potter y Elder Alvarez me habìan dicho que tengo que orar, dijo" (He remembered Elder Potter and Elder Alvarez had told me that I have to pray, he said). So he did. It was about 4:00 AM when he said his prayer for the first time in his life. Not even 10 minutes later, his brother entered the room and asked him for forgiveness. They healed the broken bond of brotherhood, in that moment he knew that God existed. He is going to be baptized on the 14 of Noviembre. He hangs out with us almost every day, he has a lot of potential. 

Were working with a few other people. To name a few, Benita this older lady that was a "testigo de jehova" (Jehovah's witness) but that now has a baptismal date. Ederico, who has been battling with an addiction to cigarros and a few other things, he has had a few baptismal dates but keep falling in addiction. But were not losing any faith! He can do it. I'll write more about some awesome people next week. 

Well, that is all I got time for. Love you all a ton! Have a great week! Be smart and find chances to serve!

Con mucho amor, 

Elder Potter
 
Benjamin and Elder Potter

Benjamin and Elder Potter, Hermanas Ricconi and Hurd
 

Monday, October 19, 2015

Week 56: Los Pinos y Roberta

Buenos Dias todos!

This week was really great! Elder Alvarez and I have been working hard and we've had a pretty successful week! 

In this area, were working with some really great less actives that want to be active again. We are working on reactivating two people right now. We had a great experience with one of them last night. Her name is Roberta and she has six kids. She hasn't been wanting to listen to us, in fact last night was the first time that I talked to her. At first she didn't want to listen, but we knew that she was a little sick so we offered to give her a blessing of health. As we gave her the blessing I felt as though I had already known her. It was a very cool experience. The Spirit was there so strongly! After the blessing she told us everything that has been going on in her life. Her husband doesn't support her and her kids are hungry. She feels as though her faith has been crumbling and wants help, but just doesn't know where to start. We shared some scriptures with her and it was amazing how the Spirit guided every single word that we spoke. We left the lesson and we were all spiritually edified. She is going to start to read her scriptures again and talk to the bishop on Tuesday. It was a very great experience. One of the greatest joys as a missionary is being able to reactivate people and help them regain a long lost testimony. 

Well, that is all I got time for today, ¡que tengan una buena semana!

Elder Potter
 
Elder Alvarez (new companion) and Elder Potter - They look like quite a pair!
 
Hermana Kelly and Rosa. They washed our clothes and I became a great friend to their family, they are awesome. La Hermana Rosa, the older one, was really sad when I left Los Manzanos.
Juan Javier and Elder Potter - One of the few people on my mission that I feel like I knew before coming to this life.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Week 55: Goodbyes and New Companion

Hola todos!

So, my new companion. His name is Elder A, he is from Colombia and like just about all Latinos has had a pretty rough life. He has had 4 different fathers. His mother has 4 children but all are from a different father. All in his family are members. His mom and his step dad are now active members. He is a very humble kid and wants to be a good missionary.  He only has 6 months in the mission and is ready to work and progress.

I'm excited to be here in Los Pinos (my new ward). I'm in Independencia, I haven't served here before, but I've served in Comas which is right next door. My area is very similar to my first area. I can see the sea from my area if I go up on a hill. It is a cool area and the members that I know are really great and have received me well. 

I'm not going to lie, I miss Los Manzanos a ton! I didn't realize how many friends and people that loved me and that I loved I was leaving behind until I had to say bye to them. It was easily the best time of my mission.  

Oh yeah, Osmar and Yessenia update....They are going to get sealed on the 18 of December!! They are the best and are very happy to be in the gospel. The gospel blesses families! 

Bueno, eso es todo por esta semana! 

Con mucho amor, 

Elder Potter 
 
Elder Villagran, Elder Potter, Maria, and Danixa
Moises and Elder Potter
Maria P., Elder Potter, and Jorge M our ward mission leader.If you put the soul of Grandma Fran in a Peruvian, you have Maria. She is awesome and has almost the same personality as Grandma Fran, she reminded me a lot of her, we ended up becoming great friends. Jorge was awesome too!
Nancy, Elder Potter, and Julio drove me down to the changes
Zafra Rodriquez Familia - Elder Potter is goofy!

The Fuentes Familia on Elder Potter's last night in San Juan de Lurigancho along with some other friends.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Week 54: Cambios!

Hola todos!

So, this week was been pretty great to be honest. The conference was great were working hard. 
I loved President Uchtdorfs and Elder Oaks talks about how to apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Atonement better in our lives, it was a really powerful conference for me and I was able to receive many answers to prayers there. 

Also, Meriela has been progressing a lot and has felt in her heart the Gospel is true and that families really can be together forever. Many years ago she got married and had a little girl but she passed away at an early age due to health complications and then separated from her husband. Shes been teaching kindergarten for a super long time now because she feels like she is closer to her daughter when she is with the kids, but she has been looking for something more than that. We shared the Plan of Salvation with her last week then on Friday night we did a Family Home Evening with her in her home with our ward mission leader (Hermano Jorge Marino, who is totally awesome) and Julio and Nancy. I couldn't be there because I was on a work visit with Elder Sangama in his area, but Elder Villagran told me that it was a big turning point for her. The gospel really does bless families and individuals improve their lives and have more hope, its a great blessing. 

Also, I'm pretty sure that one week from today I will be in a different zone, yes, today are changes. I have six months here so I'm pretty sure I'm leaving Los Manzanos. I have come to absolutely love the people here and am going to miss them a ton. But, in every change, there is a chance to progress, everything that happens to us in our lives is stacked in our favor to progress as children of God. Elder Villagran has been totally awesome, I'm really going to miss him, he is a great missionary and we made a solid team together. 

Today I have many things to do, apart from saying bye to everyone, we also have to move houses...It is p-day! But it's all good. It's going to be a crazy but awesome day!

Well, I hope that you all have a great week! 

Con mucho amor, 

Elder Potter
 
Elder Potter's zone maybe district?

Elder Potter,  Elder Villagran and Elder  Sangama at the top of un cerro(a hill).
 
This was a "once in a blue moon" moment... a clear blue sky day in San Juan de Lurigancho!