Two Months!

Which one of these elders is not like the others...? :)

Hola Familia!!

Thank you ALL for your amazing letters, you are all so spectacular! I draw so much strength from you all and hearing from you all is the highlight of my P Day!!

So, as of TODAY, I have been in Peru for 2 MONTHS!!! Crazy, ¿no? I can't believe it. Sometimes it rushed by, and other times, well, I'll admit it, it has felt like 2 long months. haha! But I am loving it and every week I get a little stronger and more confident and better! I hope you are all doing well back home! and oh my goodness, I apologize about the birthdays, these past couple weeks there have been bunches of birthdays in the family!! I apologize to all that I have missed, I will get better. And Dad, if I'm not mistaken, yours is on the 3rd, right?! If so, I wish you a happy, happy birthday!! You are the best dad I could ever ask for and you have been the strongest example for all my life! 

Ok, so I figured it out, letters take usually 8 to 11 days to get to the office I believe. Packages I still don't know because they don't mark the arrival date on them, but it is less than a month. But we recieve all of our mail at zone conferences and such.

We had a zone conference this Thursday, and our homework for it was the fourth missionary packet, the same one I read in the CCM! Oh it is fantastic, only this time I read it in Español, I already was familiar with it in English so I decided it would also make good Spanish study material! It is a great read. The multi-zone conference was with my zone (Castilla) and the zone Paita. I really enjoyed it, I learned a lot and I really got a vibe for how things roll in the mission and whatnot. We studied scriptures of Book of  Mormon examples of people who followed the principles of the fourth missionary, great stuff!!

Zone Conference

One thing that Elder Inocente showed me yesterday was so profound! I believe it is 1 Corinthians 14:16 or 19... But it is about how 5 words in the language people can understand is better than a thousand in a language they can't! On Sunday a man in the ward asked us to give him a blessing, he was having some real pains I guess. But Elder Inocente had me anoint, and that was difficult to figure the words! Elder Inocente helped me step by step and in my language study this week I plan to memorize those words. But I was asking Elder Inocente later that day about if it was ok to give blessings in English, because that is the language I know how to do it in right now. And he showed me those scriptures. Also in my blessing in getting set apart as a missionary I was told that my power to heal rests upon my faith and the faith of the individual being healed. How can they have perfect faith if they don't even know what they are having faith in?? It blew me away. And I am beginning to be much more grateful and showing of my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for when I have the gift of tongues. This gratitude also helps me become more prepared to recieve more, and those blessings I really need! However.. the Spanish is coming very well! When I get concentrated and dive into the lesson, I can really do it! For example in a lesson with some investigators, I could feel the spirit so strong and I don't rememeber ANY struggle in trying to find the words to say. The spirit is AMAZING!!

I do stick out like a sore thumb here! Elder Inocente also told me, he has never had a companion that has been called out as "GRINGO!" as much as me. People always call it out! Or just stare... haha

Oh, last Tuesday during lunch, it was delicous!! Then they told me what it was. Cow Intestines. Yep. And I cannot deny it, I thought it was tasty. I don't know what has happened to me. haha!! Later in the week I think they also said it had stomach in that mix too... Who knows sometimes, eh? :) And today I had something that they explained to be more or less, Shark. A cousin to Shark.. But family and friends, I ATE SHARK!! It kinda tasted like crab to me... also Tasty! And they have grapes here that are GIANT, like double the size of the biggest grape you find at the local grocery store. Big and delicious! Also, one night me and my companion made Huevos Rancheros, we are getting good at preparing dinner! :) I am not sick, and do not worry about the food, I am doing great!

We now have 3 baptismal dates! One wants to be baptized in the ocean, so I am so excited for that! It is a 30 minute walk from the center of Sechura.

They do celebrate Halloween here, I don't think its terribly big, but then they also have Dia de los Muertos on November 1st and 2nd where many people spend most of the day in the cemetery, I will have to tell y'all more about that next week because I still don't know for sure.

Elder Miller is in my zone so I see him whenever we have conferences, or zone Pdays together, so maybe 3 or 4 times a month, but he seems to be doing great!! Sadly, I have not seen Elder Chapman since our days in Piura, I do miss him though, he is awesome.

The other Elders in area Sechura 2 are the other missionaries for our district. OH!! I never mentioned this! This week, Elder Navarrete, the District leader, got called off for an emergency transfer to be in a companionship elsewhere. Elder Arce is now with a mini missionary, just serving until the end of this time between changes, or 6 weeks. We are now starting week 4. But now, Elder Inocente is District leader!! haha!! So that will be a fun new thing! I actually will be going to Piura on Thursday while he has a work transfer here with one of the zone leaders, and I will be in the zone leaders area for the day, so that will be an adventure!

Piura to Sechura is Ogden to Morgan. So, many many people travel to Piura for their purchasing and whatnot. Area wise, I would say Sechura is a bit bigger, but I think comparing it to a 3rd world Morgan is kinda accurate... Just a little bit bigger, more city styled.

Many of the men here for work are fishermen. Also many work with spearfishing or oysters and whatnot on the ocean floor. It is quite interesting, but the downfall is that many of the men are gone for multiple days on end, therefore the missionary work with men is less effective and the church attendance is the same. But those that can come, do come and they are VERY great in the work.

Oh, I taught the Primary on Sunday with my companion about sharing our testimoniues with others!! it was awesome and a great opportunity to improve my Spanish!

Well, time to go! Thank you all for your prayers. I feel them always. I know you are all here to support me, and I am growing to become a stronger and more confident and more powerful missionary!! I love you all, and never forget that your Heavenly Father loves you and you are a child of God!!

con Amor y Felicidad,

Elder Russell

The Iglesia, a cathedral in Sechura

The LDS church building in Sechura

The outside of our 2nd floor apartment.

A Spectacular Week!

Diana's Baptism Day

Hola Familia!

Wow, this week was awesome!! It FLEW by until about Saturday, and Saturday and Sunday were just plain spectacular. :) Also, thank you all for your letters, I love you all so so much and I think about you all the time!! Chase, thank you for your experience with Español, it gives me greater hope and desire to persevere! Also, I got letters and packages this week!! Elder Arce, an elder in our district, had to fly to Lima for Visa stuff earlier this week and when he returned he brought a box full of stuff for ME from the mission office in Piura! I think usually they hand stuff out at zone conferences, which are the first Thursdays of every month! Also, I think everything makes it here relatively quick, I know for sure within a month, but I don't really know otherwise yet, but I will tell you when I find out!

Ok, yesterday, the baptism with Diana happened!! I had my first baptism within 12 days in the mission field! ¡Qué loco! It was a great experience. Diana is a very shy girl and she always puts her hands up to hide her mouth because she is so timid to talk and do things. So I think she was a little nervous about the whole thing. I was also kinda nervous with it being my first time... I had never been taught how to baptize. All week I have been reciting and practicing the baptismal ordination, and I knew about how you put your arm to the square, and hold their wrist with the other. But we were both nervous to get into the cold water. (Oh! It was at la Arbolada, a pool here in Sechura, that I think a lot of baptisms are held. We had a rooster crowing nearby during the whole service... jaja) And we start the service and when we go to immerse her, she was bending back and her face got about half way down and she started coming back up. And I was thinking, no... You gotta go all the way! So I think she had a second of fear while I was still working down but I quickly let up. I felt SO. BAD. Like, I gave a million pardons for my mistakes. haha But then the second time we both got some instruction from Elder Inocente and Elder Navarrete (the district leader) and we did it a second time. She was shivering even! But then I recited the ordination and she was immersed in water for baptism. And right there, I could feel she was baptized. I knew it was valid. I don't know how to explain it, but I could feel the remission of sins, I could feel her being cleansed. She came up, and she was smiling. After the first unsuccessful run, I was feeling so apologetic and I was just hoping that Diana was feeling good, but now, after the fact I am realizing how WONDERFUL I even felt in ME! That was so special. And the service was great too, we had a little talk by another girl in the primary, a special musical number by the newly formed Sechura Rama Coro, formed that day. jaja! They sang the song "A Child's Prayer" I believe it is. The one that goes "Heavenly Father, Are you really there? And do you hear and answer every child's prayer," That one. But in Spanish. LOVED IT!

She will be confirmed next Sunday by Elder Inocente, I think. Then that night we all went over to their house for cake! Celebrating her baptism, and ALSO her baby brothers birthday that day too! So that was fun getting together with a lot of members and celebrating the day!

Our work this last week was AWESOME! We smashed our goal for investgator lessons, and hope to do it again, but now also do a little more focusing on less active and recent converts. And our new investigators has been basically on track! A family we are teaching wanted a lesson on patience, so we talked about patience, and attributes of Christ, and the importance of following the example of Christ. And I think that we have a beautiful tie there to baptism, so I think we are going to get on that road. And also, we have a new investigator. We were heading back to the apartment at night when they called out to say hi! We were introduced and we all set up a time to meet and talk about what we do! Our first lesson went great! We had been practicing a lot from the "How to Begin Teaching" portion from Preach my Gospel and we put that to use and it worked out! We taught about our loving Heavenly Father and how the gospel blesses families and how we can pray to know. Then we invited them to Church and also to the Baptismal service! She was like "Yeah!! Let's go!" We both think that she is sincerely interested in learning about this!

Things with my companion are AWESOME now!! We both have different ideas, I am a very goal oriented person. I forget the names of people so planning can become frustrating to him because of me. And one night we both kinda just cracked, since I wanted to hit the goal, and he just wanted to help the right people. So I think we both learned, now he has taught me that I need to focus on LOVING the PEOPLE, not the numbers. The numbers and goals are important in measuring the work and evoking the work in us, and I think he is growing to understand that a little more, but I have grown so much more to work out of LOVE. Elder Inocente is one of the most loving people I know, and he is here for the right reason!! And He works hard! And he is teaching me.

I have not yet taught English, although we usually do that every Saturday night at 7. But this last Saturday we had a Noche de Hogar (FHE) with Diana's family. We taught about the strength of the family, importance of scriptures and prophets, then played UNO! It was a blast!

The leadership in the Rama is great! The Branch Mission President is awesome! His name is Elder Fasabe, and I think very highly of him!! He is very intelligent in the gospel and loves to laugh too! We do a lot of lessons with him and meet with him often too. I think he is our biggest asset of missionary work in the branch.The Pensionista does not do our laundry, there is another branch member that does that for us. The members are very helpful in the work!!

Well, I better go now, Thank you all for all of your help!! You have no idea how much you all strengthen me! I love you all!! Keep loving the gospel and choosing the right! The strength of this gospel is greater than anything else on this earth!! I love you!!

 Baptism/Birthday Celebration

The view from my apartment

Sechura 1

Elder Bradley, Elder Inocente, and Me

(Elder Bradley was Elder Inocente's previous companion)

Hola Familia!

I am in Area Sechura 1. Zone Castilla. My companion is Elder Inocente. And, this is it! I am in the field!! Holy smokes....

Ok, well, Spanish is killer. I mean, I understand a lot, and Elder Inocente says I am really well compared to other North Americans. I am convinced there is a switch in my brain that randomly turns on or off, and sometimes I can understand almost everything, and other times it's nothing at all. But I only have 6 days out here, I shouldn't get frustrated. But I will admit, I really break down sometimes.

Elder Inocente is a jokester. I would love that if I understood what he was always saying. But he is great! He can be so loving for me, and all the members seem to love him, he is very personable, and loves children. He is going to start really working with me with Spanish which I am so grateful for. I am working to be better, I fasted to have the gift of tongues, and I think an answer I got is quit worrying about yourself and go to work, and serve your companion. So I am going to start being better for him. haha

As for the work, if all goes well, we have a baptism next Sunday! Diana, is 11, and they challenged her to baptism before I was here. If I understood Elder Inocente correctly, there are 2 places to do baptisms: the river, or the ocean. The ocean is a 30 minute moto ride.

Here, we don't even use referrals really, all of our work mostly consists of menos activos y conversos reciente (less active and recent converts). And then we are also searching for new investigators through the branch directory.

It is a branch here for all of Sechura, with 80 members, but I think maybe 50 of us attend at most. It is really small. There are 4 misionaries for Sechura and we all go to that branch. I also teach English lessons there on Saturday nights at 7, but last time nobody came because I don't think anyone knew...

One thing that happened this week that was kinda a sweet thing, We were teaching a family with a youth member and an old investigator, and one of the other daughters looked JUST like Ensley to me! A Peruvian Ensley! Her name is Flor, and I don't know, maybe I just miss home and my eyes are playing tricks, or she looked a lot like her! But either way, I thought that was really something! haha

Oh, Uncle Bryan, where in Guatemala did you serve? My companion is from the northwest of Guatemala!

Our apartment is nice, it's just me and my comp there, and it has concrete floor. When we kneel to pray, we kneel on the chairs or beds because the floor is just always dusty. Everything here is! And the bathroom is nice, every morning I have a wonderful shower with one temperature, Cold. haha It wakes me up though, and that is really good!

Today we went to Catacoas for a zone get together, which is right outside Piura. We played some smaller games, and it was fun! and the best part was probably seeing ELDER MILLER there, and see how he was doing! I miss all my old comps and friends from the CCM, I took the CCM way too much for granted... haha!

But yeah, my companion is 18 months into his mission!

The food here is great! I have actually grown to LOVE rice!! The next thing to learn to love... Potatoes. haha But the food our Pensionista cooks is delicious! It's one of my favorite parts of the day, she makes great food! It also typically includes three scoops of rice with it. hahaha!

I am always The Gringo out here. Kids love to point me out. People take pictures too. Once even during a lesson!! haha it's fun.

It depends on who I'm talking to, but sometimes I can understand Spanish really well! The District Leader, a Latino from Lima speaks in a way to really easily understand. 

The president of the mission is AWESOME! I love him, he is a great man. I hope I can get to know him better as the mission goes along.

We have had only one meal at a member's house other than with Hermana Mara, and that was with our laundry lady, also a member. She served us rice and potatoes and carrots with some meat, and it was very tasty!! I was looking forward to a great story to tell, but it wasn't anything terribly wacky! haha Mostly just a ton of rice here!

Bueno, my time is up! Rats!! Well, I love you all SO SO SO much!! I will talk to you again next Monday!!

Oh! With letters and packages, send it to the mission home, but also put the mission president's name above mine! It will get to me with or without it though. :)

I love you all! In 1 Nephi when Lehi's family was commanded to travel into the desert, that's ME right now!! I will send pics next week! I love you all!! have a FANTASTIC week!!

Con mucho mucho amor,

Elder Russell

When Collin sent me these pictures of his apartment he said, 

"Don't flip out, it's different from home. haha!" 

The bedroom

The bathroom

The kitchen 

 The study area

I Have Arrived!

With President and Sister Rowley and my new companion!

Hola mi familia!

I made it to Piura! Today has been great. This is currently Day 2 and I just got my new companion! He is from Guatemala and we will be serving in the southern most area of Piura! I'm super pumped! There is a lot of Spanish here, and so it's no English from here on out! Bueno, all is well! This is all so crazy, but it will be great!

I love you all, you'll hear from me Monday! The Presidente and his wife are Amazing and all the missionaries are here for a reason. You can tell God sent them here!

Well, I love you!
~ Elder Russell

Ready to Hit the Ground Running... HARD

Hola Familia!

Ok, this week was great!!

This week I became so rejuvinated, we had an AMAZING devotional by an Area 70 and his wife, and they hit every topic under the sun that I wanted to hear about! Overcoming our Goliath, how to get along with companions, overcoming pride, making sure nobody allows you to waste your mission, and so on. Very good and uplifting and just what I needed!

Today I bought me some very nice Spanish scriptures at the Distribution Center by the temple, they are the dark red cover and they have tabs, I am so excited to use those and start marking them up!! They gave us paperback scriptures that are kinda bigger, so I will bring and use those too, but I wanted nice ones to keep forever and others in our disctrict have gotten them too. So I am so excited to use them!

I´m glad to see I have been replaced by a dog. But it´s ok. Elder Chapman was replaced by a new car I hear. hahaha

I can´t believe Chase is home!! I thought about him a lot this week and especially last Saturday when he was coming home!! Man, that sure did fly by, didn´t it?! I hope I can be even a fraction of how spectacular of a missionary he was. I got some great examples to look up to, don´t I?!

Ok, so... there is a girl named Hermana Kirk in my district. And ever since I got here, I knew that there was something familiar about her... And this week I finally figured it out. SHE HAS AUNT CATHY´S LAUGH!! haha I was so happy when I finally realized! So that´s just something fun!

We do get to watch General Conference here!! We are all VERY excited! I can not wait to learn, and especially that it is in English for us! haha Man, we lucked out, althought, Spanish is going well! Actually, yesterday we were practicing with the North Americans that got here a week ago, and after I finished giving the lesson to them, they were like, Man, you got the language down!! And I was like, hahah thanks (glad I got them fooled, eh?) haha but yeah it's awesome, it really does come to you!

Our room mates are SO AWESOME! We have even done role playing with them in Spanish! They don´t know like any Ingles whatsoever so we have taught them a little and they teach us and they talk to us a lot in Spanish, so it really helps! They are so funny, I really hope I can be one of their companions in the field at some point! Their names are Elder Olortegui and Elder Villena.

You guys wanna learn some Quechua??! Tupananchis Kama, wawa. That means, Hasta Levista, Baby. haha it's the one Quechua phrase here everyone knows. :)

Oh also, you remember how my mission call got put on facebook and stuff?! there is a Latino here from VENEZUELA who saw it on there!! He told me and I was like, ¿¡En Serio?! haha I think that is just crazy. And he is going to Piura too. All the Latinos are so awesome!

Yesterday, our district did the only Spanish challenge, where we tried to see who could go the longest without speaking any English! I made it until lunch, and that was the farthest anyone made it, except for Hermana Eames, who won! I was proud of her for that! The best part was when Hermana Linford, who created the game (and definately one of the most competitive people in the district) lost not even 2 hours in by accidently saying Hello instead of Hola! We all got a kick out of that, she was quite bummed out!

One thing about the new roomies, two nights ago, they set the AC on cold. And I mean COLD... Elder Paucar when he was here before them, didn´t even want a little fan, he loved it hot! But then Elder Villena put it on 16 degrees Celcius! I was freezing under my blanket and sheets! Whew! Every single one of us was freezing that morning, even Elder Villena, so we haven´t done that again. haha

We watched last Sunday Elder Holland´s Don´t you Dare Go Home Devotional. Wow, powerful stuff. I hope I can do everything I have been sent out to do while I´m here, I am so excited to finally get out to Piura and hit the ground running and hit the ground HARD!

Also, do you remember when in my setting apart I was blessed that I would be healing a lot. Well that's even been coming to pass here in the CCM! There has been a lot of sickness here and there, and me and my companions have actually given healing blessings to both of our teachers, Hermano Gonzalez Braullio (who says hi, by the way) and Several Hermanas in our District. I am so grateful that I have been blessed with this opportunity to help and serve others, and even heal others. I feel like I can best focus when I drown myself in the cares of others. When I focus on myself is when I start to sink. I honestly feel that way, so that is another reason why I can not wait to get to the field where I can really give all my attention to real investigators and their lives and needs.

We have a new teacher investigator, Rut. She is Yomira´s mother, but she is a less active. She hadn't gone to church in over 20 years and we invited her, and she liked it but when she went she also felt very sad because she would look around and see all these faithful and obedient members and feel bad about herself because she doesn´t keep the commandments. So we are now working with her on reestablishing the commandments, and yesterday taught the word of wisdom. I hope and pray she is doing better and we can continue to help.

Oh, I don´t know if I already told you about this, but WRITE THIS DOWN. Before I get set apart when I get home, let me give the family (mom, dad, Logan) blessings as a missionary! I would really like to do that. :)

Wow, Chase was right, I really do write Epistles sometimes, that was a lot! I hope you enjoyed it all!

Oh, quick thing! About gaining-losing weight on missions. Elder Chapman has actually gained some weight! He says he has never had this much of a gut!! hahaha! Ok, maybe not too fat, but it´s become a big joke in the district that he´s getting really fat. :) I actually feel like this is some of the most eating I´ve done too, and althought I still look scrawny, I think I got a little extra on my belly. I hope, I could really use it. haha Also, I heard that Hermana Dionicio (PM teacher) her brother served in Piura and he came back PLUMP! Like, with extra chins even! So lets hope the same goes for me, eh? hahaha!

Well, I best be heading off, my timer is ticking down! and then its off to learn more language, teach Teresa, and learn how to teach better!

The church is true!! Satan tries very very hard to make us not feel ready or worthy to do the Lord´s work. He knows how to strike fear! But I also know that the Lord blesses us with peace and a sound mind! And I know that as we come to know and understand the Savior and His Atonement, that we can feel with absolute confidence that we are ready and worthy to perform His work and return to His kingdom. I love my Savior very, very much! And I know He loves me, and I know he will never EVER stop loving me, or loving you, or any single one of us. I love this Gospel and the peace and joy it brings to our lives! I love you all!!

Con amor y felicidad,

Elder Russell

My district with our morning teacher, Hermana Carrillo, aka Yomira :)