Elder Hale: two missions, one God

Sabado - Sayings for the baby onesies: 1: Say what you want. I don´t speak English 2: Change me? Why? I´m perfect 3: Baby <- that is me - Xiomara, Carlos and Marck got baptized! They all seemed so excited and it made me feel so good to see how united their family was. It was absolutely lovely. Now we just need to help their dad and mom with their marriage. I love them - As soon as we got out of the baptism we had a little time and I felt to knock a specific door that was on the other side of the street in front of the church. My companion explained that he had already tried that house before. The lady that came out was super nice and we set an appointment for Monday. I hope that it all works out! I know that it´s important to have faith in promptings regardless of how it turns out. - Hugo is someone that we met today. He told us when we were saying goodbye that he felt a happiness that rose in his whole body as he spoke with us. He is someone with immense faith who told a story wher...

Viernes The baptismal interviews went long. Also the mom decided to not bring one of the three kids that wanted to be baptized because the previous Sunday the branch president forgot to announce his name with the other two. She called her daughter and had her bring him and it all worked out.  We met the father of Jhirjhi today. He explained that he has heard many many different doctrines, even of people that worship the sun. Every comment he gave during the lesson was ended with him saying how that is his personal opinion, and he explained how he really didn´t know. He explained that he is catholic, but it was apparent that he was only like that because he is uncomfortable with change and was born catholic. His need? He doesn´t understand how to receive personal revelations, or how to be saved. He doesn´t have a testimony of how Jesus Christ WILL save him starting with his faith. And he doesn´t KNOW anything for himself because he has never exercised faith in something that was unc...

Jueves We woke up in the room for the Casma (Cumorah) Elders (Elders Mickleson and Carbajal). We traveled and we arrived late and sweaty to the pension about an hour late. The van that we traveled in was fast. We were really hot. I didn´t loosen my collar. I contacted. I am a missionary. Elder Delgado and I made an amazing duo. We had a great ping pong going. He is the most relaxed and easy going Elder in the whole mission I think. Technically we were not doing an interchange in one of the areas, but rather visiting the people from both of our areas. It was busy. Plans fell through, but we kept happy and excited. Every person that we talked to wanted this thing that we had.  We decided to look for new people and Elder Delgado pointed out one in the distance. We were going, but I felt to change course to a closer one. We went to the open door and were barely able to open our mouths when we were invited in. We ate watermelon (approved) and met some amazing people. Gregoria has great ...

Miercoles Temple Day Elder Saavedra and Arguellas needed to renew their papers for being in the mission a year, so they didn´t go back with us. Elder Delgado and I were paired up. He is from Huarmey 1. I am in Huarmey 2. We arrived at Casma 8:30 pm - way too late to finish the journey to Huarmey. Elder Delgado and I slept in the room of the Cumorah Elders. I beat Elder Carbajal in chess, and he me. 

Domingo Highlights: Freddy: I am have read a lot of the bible, yes… and I know that it's written that… when a soul is won, there is a celebration in heaven. If you guys want to win my soul, just know that I'm stubborn! But if you do so, there will be a celebration in heaven. -Luz has received missionaries in the past. She even has a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants! Her need is one of two things: hasn't received an answer yet (asked without faith), or that she hasn't recognized the answers when they have come. Called her to repentance. She is going to receive an answer this time. Met Manuela today. When I showed her a chart of the plan of salvation she recognized the name immediately. She sleeps with a pamphlet of the plan of salvation and has read it every night since the missionaries gave it to her (looks like it was years ago). We found a chart of the plan of salvation in our room that is way cool and simple. I put sticky notes to cover all of it except for the par...

Sabado In each lesson we really listened to the needs of the people and sought to connect their needs with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We met Luis and Deborah today. I felt to ask them each one after another, “are you happy?” They each explained that they don't feel happy and feel like something is missing from their lives. We explained that we were made so that we might have joy (2 Nephi 2:25), and that by living a righteous life we might obtain this joy. (GEE: Gozo). They want to be baptized. We met Mercedes in front of her house today. She has met with Elders in the past and described with her own words how they gave her a priesthood blessing that healed her from a serious sickness.  Andres is hiding something. He says he is completely happy 100%. His mother was in the other room and she looked sick. When we asked to visit with him in the future, he told us that he lives with his grandmother (who lives closer to us than his mother does). It was really hard to read him and ...

Jueves Learning the area of Huarmey. This area is large and windy roads. Elder Saavedra is very patient and loving with every person. Especially me!  I'm starting to focus totally on looking for the needs of each person I meet. 

Miercoles We were waiting for our vehicle for 2 hrs and then finally caved and piled into an expensive taxi to make the trip to Huarmay. While on the way there I felt it was important to spend the time meditating on how I can do better and I felt many spiritual impressions. Among them was that I need to “testify as an angel.” I studied it out and applied it. I have never before taught with such power and authority in my life. This is a good scripture: Doctrine and covenants 42: 6 And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God. First impressions of Huarmey: the people are all really friendly the pension does a great job and is clean and on time one of our neighbors are nice and they want me to teach them English Elder Saavedra is very dedicated to the work. Very kind and gentle with people. Easy to laugh and smile. He's from Ecuador. 

Martes I went to the homes of my bois to bless them before I left. Alexandra and Robin wanted to give me some food that was on the list of stuff not to eat as a missionary. I said no. They kept pressuring. I wanted to eat it. I decided no again, and told them if I am not obedient I will not be able to have the ability to bless them before I leave, because the spirit will already be gone. They stopped pressuring me. 

Domingo We couldn´t confirm the FHE cus Jose David´s phone chip got changed. It ended up falling through. Regardless, I felt strongly to ask if we could converse with his brother. Junior said later that he felt that it was a sign from God that we asked to talk to him specifically. Over the course of the conversation he talked openly about the many difficulties that he and his family face. He feels troubled about the things that are approaching in the near future. He likes the idea of following Christ, but said that he´s distanced himself from his old church because of his difficulties. The only way that I could really help him was fill my heart with love for him. It is then that I realized that his need is that he doesn´t understand the reason for life. I first explained that we are not physical creatures that are currently having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a physical experience. I shared the story of Job, and how he withstood all his trials, holding fast to hi...

Sabado Paulina wants to know how to recognize answers to prayers. She told us, "Carmen (a woman of another faith) always used to visit me. Week after week she brought her bible and taught me. Finally, she invited me to come to her church and I told her, ´no way!'" The first time we talked with Paulina, she said that she doesn´t enjoy life. We taught her that she needs to start praying to her heavenly father to be able to feel the peace that she longs for. I felt moved to call her to repent herself of not praying, and begin praying. The next visit that we had she looked way happy. She explained that she felt peace and she enjoys life. Also, she wants to come to church with us. Such a dramatic change! This has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with God´s influence on the people.

 Jueves Visited Bertha for the first time today. She´s an old woman whose husband died in the faith, and she faces health problems. We helped her realize that she needs to also feed her soul. Upon asking her about her desire to be baptized, she explained that she has many family members that were baptized, and even her son was baptized in two weeks (oro-gold). She still wasn´t very convinced that this was something for her, and the spirit told me that she needed scripture. I read aloud 2 Nephi 31: 13,15,17 and she was put to deep thought.  Milagros is someone with a really complicated repentance process. She is really upset with herself because she often returns to the same bad thing. Elder Diaz in the previous appointment accidentally called her by an incorrect name like 6 times, cus for whatever reason, right after Milagros corrected him and he asked forgiveness he forgot and returned to calling her Rita after 30 seconds. We used it the other day as a metaphor for how sh...

 Lunes

Domingo Found absolute gold today. Well, it´s more like Elder Diaz and I have found out how to make every single person realize that this is what they have wanted their whole life. Amazing. Just focus on THEIR needs. Listen to them while they explain their difficulties. Show scripture according to what they lack to be able to feel happy and peace, and testify of the importance of living according to the scripture. Highlights: Merly: I believe in Jesus, but I don't believe in the churches. Me: Do you realize that if Jesus were here today that he would establish a church? Me: I could make my own church with my own commandments that would be more fun and more socially acceptable than the commandments of God, but that doesn't mean that the people would be blessed. On the other hand, I could imagine that if we choose to do that, at the end of our lives we would be ashamed to even see the face of God