Week 18 in the Office

So Christmas was this week. It was a good time to reflect on the Birth of Jesus and how my conversion has grown to him since becoming a missionary. The week was pretty crazy I guess with all of the stuff that was going on. We kept ourselves busy. We had the opportunity to meet a lot of cool people that have desires to follow in the steps of the Savior. Some of them were references for other areas, but we still had a few in our area too. One of the things that we did to find people was that we did a big Chocolatada in our area with the zone on Christmas day. We wrapped up Book of Mormons along with folletos (pamphlets) and stuff to give away with hot chocolate. It was a pretty effective activity and a fun way of mixing stuff up, and we got some good references out of it too. I like this whole mission wide fast that we did again! One thing that I've really been able to gain a testimony of is fasting. The mission was able to find a lot of people directly because of that fast! Elder Pardo and I were also able to find someone as well. We were sitting there in a correlations meeting with the ward on the day of the fast and I turned to him and said, "Hey, remember that time that we got a reference for the prima (cousin) of that less active member? We should try visiting them again since they weren't home last time." So once it was over, we went over there and knocked on the door. The person that answered the door was the primo (from Santa Felicia) of the prima that had originally gave us the reference. So we went in there, where his sister from Provincia was visiting too. We were talking to them and they were cool, but they said that their prima doesn't ever get back from work until late at night. So we went to take out a cita with them for another night, but justo en ese momento (right then), the prima (Nereida) arrived. That was pretty cool. We were able to teach her the gospel and invite her to church and to attend our baptism, which is tonight. Tonight Diego is going to get baptized! We've gone through a lot of drama with his mom. He's 9, but his mom is a member. She's really dramatic because she wants this huge elaborate celebration for his baptism. She's kinda lazy really, which makes things complicated sometimes. The baptism date has been moved back and forth, but we finally pulled it back for tonight. So yeah, that's where we're at right now. Elder Pardo and I are working hard trying to find more people who have desires to follow the path of Christ to baptism. Have a good week!

-Elder White
 
Saturday
There's a quote that I really like by President Nelson: "It is mentally vigorous to look unto God in every thought.  But, when we do, our doubts and fears flee."  I testify that this is true.  I have seen it in my own life and the lives of others.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  Today was a roller coaster of a day.  It started with us going to Manchay to play soccer early this morning.  There's a brand spanking new court 5 minutes from where I used to live.  I was exhausted and not sure how I got up, but I had fun playing.  The ward Christmas party was tonight.  We sat through all of it until 10:30 just to have them cancel our funny skit we had planned.  We were a little frustrated with that one.

Sunday
I know that the Lord won't forsake us.  Sometimes people may feel like he has, but in reality, he loves us with a perfect love and never truly abandons us.  Sometimes God will put us through the refiner's fire.  It's not always a pleasant experience and it may seem like God isn't there, but He is.  When Jesus was on the cross in the last moments of his mortal life, the last trial he had to go through was to feel like it is to be forsaken.  For the first time in his entire life, he didn't have the spirit with him.  For a short bit, he was totally and utterly alone.  What a terrifying experience that must've been for him.  That was the last thing that he had to go through to "descent below them all".  Because he did, I know that he can comfort us in whatever hardship we're facing.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  Well, the special church sacrament meeting was today.  Everyone had told us for all of December to have our musical number ready, so we did.  So right before it started we asked where we were in the program and the bishop was like, "What?  We don't have you guys on the program."  Someone somewhere was misinformed.  Pedro came to church today, so that was cool.  There weren't any classes today.  Instead we all went to the cultural hall and had paneton with hot chocolate.  Believe it or not, this was my first chocolatada of the year, which is pretty odd considering that last year I had not chocolate and/or paneton at least a bazillion and a half times.  We talked to Diego's mom after church.  Elder Pardo roasted her pretty good again.  We all decided it'd be best to move his baptism back to this Saturday like it was originally supposed to be.  That was pretty cool.  For lunch, we ate with the Garahm's, a Senior missionary couple.  They invited a bunch of other senior couples, as well as all the English-speaking Latinos they know.  One of them was a 16 year old named Maria.  She was a super cool and nice but not a member yet.  She went to church in Utah when she was a foreign exchange student there and liked it.  She lives in Lima Tambo though which is too bad because it would've been fun to teach her.  The other Elders had a contact come to church, but he showed up to the cita super drunk.  Funny, yet sad at the same time.

Monday
I know that if we keep the commandments, we will prosper in the land.  But if not, we'll be cut off.  It talks about that 18 times in the Book of Mormon, which probably means that it's important.  I know that this promise is true.  The blessings we receive are in accordance to compliance with Celestial laws.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  I don't know why, but I forget to shave every day now.  I'll get all the way ready and then look in the mirror to brush my teeth only to see my gorgeous scruff.  "Dang it."--Elder White almost every day for the past 2 months.  I think it's a sign that I'm meant to grow a beard.  Oh, I can't wait.  One thing that I do do every morning is shout like Terry Crews when I put on my Old Spice deodorant.  I leave the house smelling like a "leyenda-epica (epic legend)" every day.  The Lindstroms invited us over to their house this morning for breakfast.  It was good.  I've got 2 canker sores in my mouth right now--on the upper right and lower left.  Having 2 at the same time just ain't fair.  All the stuff I eat is so acidic.  Oh well, it builds character.  We went into a market and I somehow ran into Consuela (from Manchay).  I almost walked right past her.  She was there working with her abuela.  She got baptized right after I left, but unfortunately she is less active right now.  It was nice to have run into her at least.  Tonight, Hermana Juana made fried cuy (guinea pig) for dinner.  I've wanted to try it for my entire mission.  I've gotten close before, but this was my first time trying it.  In conclusion: there's not a lot of meat on it.  At first it tastes like chicken, but then it gets kinda weird.  It's good, but over hyped.  Elder Pardo was grossed out, so I talked to him wit the fried head the whole time.

 

 

Tuesday
It's Christmas Eve.  I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have to be a missionary.  I've learned a lot about the gospel and doctrine of Christ.  I'm grateful for my family and the opportunity that I have to live with them in the Celestial glory if we endure to the end.  I'm grateful for the Amatos and for the things they've taught me, the example they give me, and the love that they show for me.  More than anything, I'm thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ and the knowledge that I have of His restored church.  This morning we had a consejo de distrito.  Not much really happened there.  The zone leaders thought that it'd be a good idea if every companionship brought their favorite talk and shared insights on it.  It was a good in theory, but after a while it really started dragging on.  Everyone put on a video of the full talk.  I almost fell asleep.  The zone leaders had asked us a week ago to prepare a motivational training for consejo.  But by the time that we finished, it was too late, which is a shame because we had a super cool Superman clip that we were gonna use.  We worked like normal today.

Wednesday
I know that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Marry and lived his life with the expressed intent of helping us to be able to have the gift of Eternal Life.  I know that if we follow His example, we will find more peace and happiness.  He is always there, even when you can't see him, I know it.  As much as I know that the sun is coming up tomorrow, I know that Jesus Christ is my brother and Redeemer, the Savior of the world.  In His name, Jesus Christ, Amen.  So last night the fireworks were straight up boring.  Huge disappointment.  La Molina passed a law forbidding fireworks.  You fools!  Fireworks are more iconic to a Peruvian Christmas than Santa Clause.  We had to watch the fireworks out in the distance.  Speaking of Santa, I took that role upon myself this morning.  I got up early, opened my package and filled the stockings, then did my best to sneak around to leave them on people's beds.  Step aside Santa; there's a new jefe (boss) in town.  And he's got a sexier beard too.  I called my parents and brothers this morning.  We talked for a while, like, a 3 1/2 hour call kinda long while.  I enjoyed it.  As I sat there watching them open gifts, it occurred to me how blessed we are economically.  Like there were a lot of cool gifts.  They were getting all this cool jazz when a kid down here stays entertained with a mere bouncy ball hours on end.  Kinda funny how different the cultures are.  Believe it or not, I had work to do in the office today.  Working unpaid on Christmas.  I think a missionary might be the only person in the world to do that.  Elder Pardo and I made a bunch of hot chocolate while the zone wrapped a bunch of Book of Mormons and pamphlets and stuff.  Then we went to our area to do a chocolatada and give all it away.  Half of the time I was contacting with Hot Chocolate instead of contact cards.  While they would take it, it was harder than you would think to hand out.  One lady said, "How do I know it's really not chocolate?"  It was hard not to be sarcastic.  All in all the activity was a big success.  We had a special dinner with the obospo (bishop).  Hermana Juana really liked her gift and gave us a gift too.

A lady trying to decide whether or not she wants a cup of delicious homemade missionary made super tasty gourmet hot chocolate.

Thursday

I know that the Lord hears and answers our prayers.  When we pray with faith in real intent, the Lord will answer our prayers as long as our will is aligned with his will (which is easy to know if we're following the spirit).  I know that God loves me and hears and answers my prayers according to His infinite wisdom and mercy.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  Since we're at the year's end, I had to do the entire expense report for December today.  It was a fun marathon.  While I was doing that, I listened to a BYU speech called "Be 100% Responsible".  It's one of those speeches that really opens your eyes spiritually and helps you to know how to be better.  It's gotta be one of my favorites.  We had a cita with William and Rosa tonight and tried to teach them a few more commandments.  Questions.  I mean, it's good to ask questions, but then sometimes I just want people to say, "I knew it!  I knew coffee and tea are bad!  I hate those things if you say so."  Then go and get all of it and burn it in a righteous bonfire in the center of the room.  That'd be cool.  We had a correlations meeting tonight.  Andre wasn't there again, so Takeshi did everything.  He's surprisingly responsible for an 18 year old.  While we were there, I suggested to Elder Pardo that we try visiting Piedad Chávez (MA with a PF niece) again.  Some cousins of the PF had told us about her a few weeks back.  So after the meeting ended, we went to check things out.  Upon arriving, we found the cousin that gave us the referral (from Barrio Santa Felicia next door) and another cousin from Provencia.  They were like, "Yeah, Neireda (the cousin) doesn't get home until 9."  But just then she walked in.  Milagro!  We were able to do a lesson with her.  She's good, but at the end we felt not to invite her to baptism.  I was confused and did anyways.  She said no.  Hopefully I didn't screw anything up.  We're gonna keep teaching her though.

Friday

Today is 18 months.  I know that fasting works.  To be honest, I have to idea how it does, but when I do fast, I can definitely feel the blessings of Heaven.  We did a mission wide fast starting yesterday and ending today.  It was a fast to help us find people to teach.  It worked; yesterday the mission found more than double what we find in a normal day.  Today the mission found a lot too.  It worked in Covima too: the other Elders had some really promising contacts and we did too, including Neireda.  Long story short, I know that God rewards us for sacrifices that we make to Him, like fasting.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  Today was super long.  And nothing much really happened either.  Elder Wilcox and I went to Subway with the assistants to break the fast.  Being trunky is a real threat to missionaries.  I've met very few missionaries that haven't gotten trunky at the end of their missions.  As my friends and I progress in the mission, they've started to get a little trunky.  Today was one of those days, especially since there wasn't a lot to keep us busy during office hours.  But ya know, you fight it.  It turns out that Elder Pardo is a lot easier to scare than I remember.  These popp-it things that I bought last year really do the trick.  At one point when we were in the house, he was looking for me.  I was brushing my teeth in the kitchen, so I hid behind the door.  He was nervously checking each room while jokingly holding a broom like a baseball bat.  Then as he walked in I scared him and he yelped pretty good.  I like the people that scare easily.