Week 31

Hey there!! 

First week here in Ignacio Merino is in the books! Let me just say that it is the coolest thing in the world to be out here in the mission with one of my best friends ever. During the week, we would just look at each other at random times while teaching and just smile, thinking how cool it is to be here together. It is honestly such a blessing. Its something indescribable. We're living the dream!! 

As far as our work goes, this new area is completely different than Sullana. It is probably one of the nicest areas in the mission (in Peruvian standards), and that means people are a little more prideful. We hit the pavement and knocked doors diligently for a lot of hours this week and didn't see a whole lot of success. However, we are working really hard to prepare to baptize each week next month! We have some people that are really prepared to be baptized. Hopefully I will have more time to write about them next week.

This ward here in Ignacio Merino is great!! The members here are really strong and super friendly. I feel a lot of similarites to my old ward back home. It is so cool to see the faith and diligence of the members here, considering my old ward in Sullana struggled sometimes. It is another testimony to me of the truthfulness of the gospel to see the strength of the church in every part of the world. :)

I'm sorry I dont have much time to write today or explain much about the week. I promise to do better next week! Just know that everything is going good here, and that the gospel is true!!

Also, I want to wish my mom a feliz cumpleaños! Her b-day is tomorrow, the 27th! Thank you mom for all that you do and for your great example to everyone. I love you sooo much!! You are the greatest. :)

And... Sorry for no pictures. Little internet cafes aren't the most reliable sometimes. I can't load anything. Hopefully I will be able to next week. 

Avanza Su verdad!

Elder Bailey

#BallinOnABudget

#ShouldaWoreShorts

#BuckleUp

#HotRightNow

(Pictures are from Elder Randall)

Week 30 - MIRACLES

Hello everyone!! 

What a week this has been. Honestly I don't even know where to start. I have been transfered to Los Algarrobos in the city of Piura as a district leader!! But more importantly, my new companion is Elder Mason Randall!! I seriously can't believe it. For those of you who dont know, Elder Randall and I have known each other for a really long time, and he is honestly one of my best friends. It is absolutely amazing that we were able to grow up together, play sports together, go to school together, and now be here in this town in Northern Peru together serving the Lord. I definitely feel like this is not a coincidence. I know that it is a miracle and a blessing from the Lord, and I know we have been put here for a reason. I am so excited for this opportunity to serve with Elder Randall and to carry forth this work of the Lord here in Piura. I am so excited for this next chapter of my mission!!

As exciting as this transfer is, my heart is breaking for the people that I have left behind in Sullana. I'm so grateful for the time I was able to spend with the amazing people that I met there. My life has truly been changed from my time and experiences there. Yesterday was honestly one of the saddest days of my life having to leave some of the friends, members, and converts that I had made in Sullana. Im so grateful to my Heavenly Father for placing me there to start my mission. I was able to learn so much and meet so many amazing people. For all my friends reading this from Sullana, I will be returning soon to visit, no worries! :)

I dont have much time to write today, but I just want to share a quick experience that I had this week. Elder Huarcaya and I had gone to shop for some things for our missionary activity in the center of Sullana, when we were walking back through a park. We were just walking through fairly quickly, when I heard someone in almost perfect English (which caught me by surprise) say "are you guys Christians?" I turned around quickly to find an African-looking guy sitting on a bench. I started to talk to him, and he told us that his name was Jack, and he was from Nigeria. Jack turned out to be one of the coolest guys I have ever met in my life. I always remember my brother Alex saying that met and taught a lot of African people on his mission in Sweden, and that they were the kindest and coolest people ever. He was so right. Jack, like I said, is originally from Nigeria, but he travels the world meeting people and looking for different types of work. Right now, he is here in Peru looking to teach English to kids. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that Jack speaks Swahili, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and a little of Italian. The coolest part about Jack was that he told us he is a member of the church! He said that he had met with the missionaries a few years back, and had been baptized into the church. It was so cool to talk with him about the church and about his life. It was such a cool experience to be there with him and realize that I was standing in a street in Peru, having a half English/half Spanish conversation with a Nigerian and an Argentinian. These are experiences and adventures that I could never get anywhere else. The mission has made me realize that there is so much more of the world to see and explore than your own backyard. It is something indescribable. Im super grateful for my mission and for these experiences I am gaining here. I am truly seeing a different part of the world here. I am also starting to feel so much love for all people.

It also hit me hard while we were talking with Jack that the things of this world do not make us happy. I witnessed that day, someone who only had a backpack-worth amount of stuff, the clothes on his back, and a Book of Mormon in his hand, be completely happy and content with life. In fact, Jack seemed to me to be one of the happiest and friendliest people I have ever met. Sometimes we forget what truly makes us happy in this life. I learned a lot from Jack that day. :) 

Matthew 16:26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

D&C 6:7 Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich. 

I know that this is the work of the Lord! I am loving this mission and the changes it is making in me. I am truly a better person for serving the Lord.

Have a great week!!

Avanza Su Verdad!

Elder Bailey

Week 29

Hey everyone!! 

Another week down here in the Piura Vida. I can't believe how the time just keeps on movin. It is looking like this could be my last week here in Sullana! I have grown to love this area and the people here. I have grown so much and have learned what it is to be a missionary here in this first area. Its not 100% certain that I'm going to be leaving, but I have 6 months here so it's probably time I'll be heading out. My goal is to make the best of this last week here and to work super hard to leave the area in good condition. :)

On Tuesday we did a lot of knocking doors to find new people. It is definitely my favorite way to contact here in this mission. I love to see the surprised people look on peoples faces when they open their doors to find a strange gringo looking to talk about Jesucristo, hehe. Unfortunately we didnt find too many people who let us in, but we kept knocking and eventually found our golden family. We found a woman named Kely and her two kids Marcio (age 14) and Nayomi (age 9). They are seriously the perfect family. They let us in right away, offered us some water and some crackers, and then asked about what we had to share. It was honestly super cool to see how interested they were in hearing our message and what we had to share with them. We taught them all about prophets and the restoration of the gospel in these last days and also the Book of Mormon. They all loved the message and told us that they felt it was true. After the lesson, Nayomi (cutest little girl ever) asked her mom, "can they visit us every day?" It was super funny. Im really excited to visit them again and to set a baptism date for them.  It was so awesome to see some fruits of our labors after knocking doors all day and not seeing much success. I know that the Lord is always preparing people to teach, we just have to be diligent and go looking for them. :)

On Wednesday we had our interviews with President Rasmussen that we have once a transfer. It's always really cool to sit down with President one on one for a few minutes and just talk about the mission and the gospel. President and I talked a little bit about how we are pioneers here in this part of the Lords vineyard, not only bringing in new members, but also establishing the church here. As I have mentioned before, the church here is nothing like back home in Utah. The majority of members and even leaders of the wards and stakes here are fairly new to the church. It has taken a lot of patience and hard work to try to help them and establish a strong church here. It is a big responsibility to be here to offer help and to be an example to all the wards and stakes. I definitely feel like a big reason I was called to this mission is to do exactly that. I have grown up in a strong ward and now I am here to bring those things I have seen in my own ward to this small ward and stake here in Northern Peru.

On Thursday our ward played in a volleyball tournament that was going on at the stake center. There was a ton of people that showed up to cheer the different groups that were playing (Elders, relief society, young women). We decided to go as missionaries to cheer everyone on as well. :) It was really fun to see all our ward members play and have a good time. Everyone kept looking at me funny for cheering and yelling super loud in English, but my ward loved it. :)

On Friday we had our multi-zone conference in Piura. I always love the multi-zones. I always learn so much from President and Sister Rasmussen. Sister Rasmussen talked about how God doesnt usually call the qualified, but rather he qualifies who he calls. She talked about how a lot of the elders of the early church often critized Joseph Smith for his lack of schooling and education, but none of them were able to do the things that he was able to accomplish because they were not divinely called of God. It was really interesting. President talked a lot about what makes a successful missionary and he said something that really made me think. He said, "Be the missionary that people will miss when you return home." I have been thinking a lot about those words and have really made that a goal for me. I want to be the kind of missionary that is extremely diligent, obedient, and full of love that people will remember when I leave. 

Well I had more things to write about but due to lack of time (again), I gotta jet. I know that this is the work of the Lord and there isn't anything I would rather be doing right now! I know the gospel is true. 

I hope you all have a great week.

Elder Bailey

Also shoutout to the lil bro! It was his birthday this past week. Ladies hit him up ;) Love you Aus.