Week 45

¿Qué tal cholos? 

Another week down here in the land of Perú. They call Piura “the city of eternal heat”, and it’s definitely for good reason. My entire time here in the mission I’ve experienced a never ending summer, where you get used to always being a little sweaty. However, things have actually started to cool off a little around here. But when I say cool off, I’m only talking about the mornings and nights, which are now starting to get a little chilly. It’ feel so good to finally experience some cool breezes every now and then. The only downside is where there’s no hat water here, taking a shower in the morning is like doing the “Polar Bear challenge” at scout camp where you had to sit under the glacier-fed waterfall for 10 seconds to gain the respect of your fellow scouters. It’s definitely a painful few minutes each morning, but it really wakes you right up. The funny thing is all the Peruvians think that the breezy 60 degree mornings here are like our mornings in the middle of January back in Utah. Each morning I’m out with my short sleeve shirt and shorts enjoying the cool weather while everyone else has their winter coats, scarves, and hats on with their arms folded and shivering. It’s hilarious. Nobody understands what real cold weather is like around here. 

On Tuesday we had our last multi-zone conference with President and Hermana Rasmussen. The conference was centered on the atonement, and like always, it was super good. President talked about how the atonement not only has the power to cleanse us from sin, but can also make good people better, helping us to overcome challenges and weaknesses. During his talk, while while explaining the magnitude and importance of the atonement, President read Matthew 26:30 which says, “ And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.” He then had me, Elder Newman (Idaho) and Hermana Araya (Chile) go up from and sing “Oh Dios, Eterno Padre” “Oh God the Eternal Father”. It went really well and really brought the spirit. I’m so grateful for Christ’s infinite atonement in my life and for the power it has to make me better each day. 

On Thursday, we met up with Hermana Medrano and Hermana Calsina from the Miguel Grav Ward to teach an investigator named Hugo. The Hermana had been teaching Hugo for about a month or two, and he had been attending their ward with one of his buddies. However, Hugo actually lives within our ward boundaries, so on Thursday we had a lesson with the 5 of us to introduce him to us, and hopefully encourage him to start attending church in our ward. We had a short little lesson, and then we started to explain to him the situation. When we proposed the idea of attending our ward, he quickly shut it down saying that he feels comfortable in the ward he had been attending, and is accustomed to receiving lessons from the hermanas. We tried all we could to convince him, but he seemed like he wasn’t going to budge. It was at that moment that a scripture that I had read that same morning in my personal study popped into my head. I quickly turned to Mosiah 25:22, and read him the following: 

22 And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were all one church, yea, even the church of God; for there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God.

Knowing his love and testimony of the Book of Mormon, Hugo really liked this scripture. We were able to explain how the church is one, and though he may not have his amigos from the ward in Miguel Grav, he will receive the same teachings and feel the same spirit at any church he attends. He agreed to start coming to our ward, and is going to start receiving lessons from us. I definitely feel like it was not a coincidence that I had read that scripture in the Book of Mormon that very same morning. I remember reading it and thinking how cool of a scripture it was, and how cool that the primitive church and the church in the latter days is set up the way it is. I felt like that was a cool little miracle and I truly felt like the Lord was watching over me and helping me out in time of need. What a testimony builder it was for me to see that if we put in our part, the Lord will help us out with His part, even in the smallest details. Also, to all of my missionary friends reading this, never doubt the power of our 1 hour personal study each day!

On Saturday, Pool (Paul) was baptized! Due to what they call “la hora Peruana” (Peruvian time), the baptism started about an hour and a half late from what it was scheduled. You always have to remember that if you want to start something at 6:00, you have to tell everyone that it starts at 4:00. That’s just the way it works around here. I always have to remind myself it’s just the culture here, and not to get too frustrated when things don’t go as planned. The important thing isPool was baptized. Like always, it was such a good spiritual experience. It doesn’t matter if it’s an 8 year old kid or a 70 year old convert, baptisms are always special. I’m grateful for the chance that I had to teach Poo and help him take the first step in coming unto Christ by baptism. He really is such a special kid and has such great potential. 

On Sunday something really cool happened. So I believe I mentioned the Focundo family a few weeks back. They are a member family that the majority of them have been inactive for quite some time. After the baptism of one of their younger kids, Duani, we started to visit the whole family to help strengthen them and with the hope of bringing them back to church. 

They had a ton of doubts about the church, and the mom Maritza and her 16 year old daughter Isabel were really questioning their own faith. I don’t know if you remember, but we invited them to really read and study the Book of Mormon, to answer their questions and doubts. Well, with a little reluctance, they accepted our challenge and have been reading diligently. On Sunday, they showed up to church and during fast and testimony meeting, both Maritza and Isabel went up in front of the ward and each bore powerful testimonies of the Book of Mormon and how it has helped them answer their questions and solidify their faith and testimony of the church. It was honestly so cool. It almost put me to tears to see and hear the changes that they have made in their lives as a result of diligently seeking answers by reading the Book of Mormon. I have loved working with the Facundo family. They’re so awesome. The Book of Mormon has the power to answer any of our doubts and questions and can strengthen any weak testimony.

Today for P-Day we went as a zone to Paita. Paita is a little beach city just 40 minutes from Piura and it is so sick. Us missionaries took on a bunch of kids in a game of fútbol on a court right on the beach. You already know that I torched those kids with a hat trick. ;) For some reason all the kids kept calling me the “big German”, haha. Usually when people don’t assume I’m from the states they think I’m from Germany. I guess the blonde hair and blue eyes just scream German to everyone here, lol. After smoking those kids in soccer, we went to the Paita Coliseum where there were legit basketball hoops! It felt super good to get some shots up for the first time in almost a year. I’m definitely a little rusty. Overall it was a really fun P-Day.

Well that’s it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys their summer back home! I can’t believe I graduated high school a year ago. That’s nuts. Anyway I hope everyone is doing good. I love and miss you all! The Church is true. Que tengan uno buena semana. 

Avanza Su Verdad!

Elder Bailey