Traveling by Map (as the Muppets would say :)

Dearest Family,                                                                               

Sorry it sure is a late letter, but today was CRAZY! This morning we took a bus into Piura for a zone activity, to have one last reunion before transfers this next Monday. The plan was to play soccer and volleyball and such, but in the end only about half of the zone showed up! So the 6 sisters and 4 elders (us and the zone leaders!) left and went to CATACAOS! Which is in my old zone, Castilla. It is like the most touristic place in the mission and there is a street filled with trinkets and souveniers. I still have a mountain of time left to be thinking about gifts to bring home, but I did buy a couple cool key chains that I will be using for the time being and maybe gift away in time to lucky companions. :) haha but it was fun! I love every minute we spend with the Zone Leaders, which is a lot really since they are in our District. They have helped me a TON.

Actually this week I had my third Baptismal interview that I performed. Let me tell you, doing those frighten the daylights out of me! It is such a great responsibility, but luckily right before this, one of the Zone Leaders gave me lots of pointers, how-to's, and we did a practice. In the end the interview went fantastic and this young lady had her baptism this past Sunday! She is an investigator of the Zone Leaders. She is very well prepared and she KNOWS how important this gospel is and what it means to strive to keep the commandments. And she is totally up to the task. :)

Well, as for Ecuador, haha here is the story! So we arrive to Piura Tuesday for District Meeting, and to conserve money, we did splits with the zone leaders for the day! And BOY! Did Elder Castillo work me hard or what?! But we got a mountain of contacts in, we contacted a family of like 8 and taught them a lesson and they are very interested, it was such an amazing time working with him!! That night we slept in their apartment, me comfortably on the floor! (they have one extra mattress, but Elder Martinez has a way of sprawling out on that thing, and the last time I got kicked in the face while he was sleeping so this time I thought it smarter to sleep on the floor. hahaha!!) Then at 5 am Elder Toolson and I get up to go to the bus terminal. We arrive and meet up with a big group of other North Americans, along with a handful of Latinos that had flown to Lima for visas the night before. The bus we took was to Tumbes, which is about a 6-7 hour trip. But wow, a beautiful trip!! I swear we were traveling by map, as the Muppets would say, because the landscape would change by the second! One minute we are winding down a mountain side, next thing we are driving by the beach with all the beach houses, then we are surrounded with massive rice plantations, and it just kept alternating! But BEAUTIFUL! I got photos for you to someday see. haha Then we arrive to Tumbes. There we take 2 mini vans to Ecuador. (for this, there was about 16 of us, like 8 elders and 8 sisters, I don't remember the exact number...) Those mini vans had roll bars on the inside, so we knew we were in for an adventure. ;) So the trip to Ecuador was like 1-2 hours, and it was just to this neutral ground between the countries. Technically Ecuador, the Province called El Oro, where we checked out of Peru and Into Ecuador. Then we drove to the other side to Check out of Ecuador and into Peru once again! So I shall forever treasure the solid 1 hour and 20 minutes I spent in Ecuador. haha then we took the mini vans to Tumbes, where we received new mini vans to return to Piura. We arrived around 11:30 that night. So it was just one day PACKED of adventures! And we were given no food. haha I bought Ice Cream and Soy Milk for lunch. Then I slept on the floor again that night! And let me tell ya, It was nice to be in Tambo Grande the next day, and the trip was super fun and full of laughs!! Quite the adventure! So now within the next 90 days I should be traveling to Lima to get more paperwork done so I can stay in Peru with a longer visa.

So one thing I learned this week from Preach my Gospel, well I actually am going to count the videos we have too. The District video sets had training segments and this week I have been watching a load of them about working with members and ward leaders. I have been thinking a lot of how we can strengthen the branch here, as it really needs our help right now in rebuilding its attendance. One thing I really learned is how special and vital the bond is between members and missionaries, and how that is truly the most effective way to do missionary work! I know that we live in 99% Mormon Morgan, but I invite you all to at least learn the names of the missionaries serving there and at least let them know that you are willing to help if they need it! That support means the WORLD to us missionaries. :)

Well, tonight we are going to teach L. and his family!! We are working on putting a date with him!! He has been reading the Book of Mormon and LOVES IT!! He read about baptism in Mosiah 25 and told us that is what he wants!! SUPER! I really think this family is awesome. He is such an amazing guy, it is such a blessing to work with him.

Well, gotta go now!! I love you all!! I hope you have a spectacular week! Keep reading and praying and studying!! One thing this week I am learning is the power of unity!! Make sure you are working to stay united in your families! It will forever bless you!! :)

Love you!

Con amor y felicidad,

Elder Collin Russell

"CORRAN, NO CAMINEN"

¡Buenas Tardes familia!

Espero que tuvieron lo mejor experiencia por la Pascua esta semana, la Pascua y la semana santa son dias muy especiales e importantes para recordar siempre.

Well, there you got your Spanish test in! :) I hope you all had a spectacular week, I got the photos you emailed mom, and man it looks like I really missed out! I have been thinking about that Easter Egg Hunt we always do, I guess you'll just have to leave all those number 6 eggs hidden until I get back! haha

The Branch Activity "Puertas Abiertas" (Open House) for Easter went pretty well! Here it has been a long while since the Branch has really organized an activity like this. And it was greatly organized! We got Priesthood, Relief Society, Primary, and YM/YW teachers who taught classes, then we showed the video "Finding Faith in Christ" then ended with Sandwiches and Chica morada! The teachers taught in pairs and there were 4 rotations. In each station they taught 2 principles of the first missionary lesson: The Restoration. The activity was focused to receive investigators and for members to bring their friends, but I am still pleased with the results. It brought one adult investigator, and a great handful of children that live nearby. haha We as missionaries actually had to run back to the apartment to get an extension cord and we prepared the video setup, but the Branch delegated a member to write down all the reference information for the investigators, so we will be starting to visit them real soon! It was so great to see the energy of the Branch, as it was a very full house of members, active and less active! So it was successful in planting the seed to return at least! The sad part was that church attendance the next day was painfully low.... so that will be our homework on kicking that back up. One thing about that, remember when I said they have permission to look for grounds to build a chapel? Well that is if they can keep up around 100 as their attendance. minimal 80. So I have made that my personal goal for us to reach that before I leave this area. Right now we hit 40 to 50. So let's put that real diligence and faith to the test!! :)

This past week was awesome also in how I got to go to the District Leader Training Meeting. Those are without a doubt the BEST meetings in this mission. LOOOVE THEM. This time, the theme was "CORRAN, NO CAMINEN" (RUN, DON'T WALK) And President Rowley powerfully taught us that this mission lacks the sense of urgency and setting high goals. I love a good smack in the face like that. I used that as the theme of our District Meeting. I hope and pray we can get this mission to run. He told us that every district can have the goal of baptizing every week. He mentioned how great the faith and diligence necessary is, but we can do it. I hope we can get to that point. Right now our District has 1 investigator with a date. Here in Tambo Grande we don't have anyone. And I am SO ready to get out of this rut and WORK.

As for my Preach My Gospel studies, I was impacted by something in the Teaching Skills chapter about Addictions. We aren't teaching anyone right now that has a serious addition, that I know of yet, at least. But I felt like I should read it today. And it really hit me how the strongest way to help someone with an addiction (or really ANY difficulty) is to never stop showing your love and do everything to make sure they keep strong growing in the faith. Sometimes personally I can be like "ARE YOU SERIOUS CLARK?! Why can't you get that you need to change NOW!! But that is exactly what we should NOT do. But be patient, be obedient personally, and show charity. These people are the ones that need Christlike attributes flooding around them. I plan to really start applying this, I really think that will help me.

As for adventures that come this week... Well, I won't be in Tambo Grande for much of the time... Tuesday District Meeting and a Training Meeting for Family History. Then Wednesday and Thursday.... I will be in Ecuador. Yep, Ecuador. There is a group of us going up there, and it is for visa stuff and all that. So looong bus rides and international missionary proselyting! haha I will be sure to send a postcard if we have time outside of visa offices and bus terminals. :)

Today we went and played soccer this morning. For only an hour and a half, and I put on sunscreen and wore a hat. But WHEW, that sun is strong here!! I got some great burn lines I will be sending a picture along before too long! :) We then played cards with the family of the Pensionista and that was really fun. A good P Day today! Also, Mom, our pensionista reminds me of you, as she is always always telling us to smile, laugh, and BE HAPPY! :) She is so great to us and we always leave feeling better than when we entered! No need to worry Mom, we are very well taken care of here.

Saturday we had a service activity, where we went and helped a less active in his fields. We "Thrusteth in our sickles with our might" haha! It was to clear out all the overgrown shrubs and plants surrounding their mango and lime trees. When we took a break and ate fruit, they talked to me all about how I could build a fortune in the mango export and import. Dad, I mentioned that you work as an accountant and so they told me to let you know about this. If you are interested, I can line you up with some stellar Mango farmers ;) Food for thought! But you never know, I sure am opening doors here if my future career ever wanted to take me international! 

Well, all is well in Tambo Grande! One member of the Lucas family asked what "Tambo" was. It is a type of tree if I'm not mistaken… So now you know! We are growing stronger every day. I feel my Savior's love, and I know my Redeemer lives. I watched the Testaments yesterday for Easter, I always cry at the end when Jesus heals Helam. I feel the power of Christ healing ME daily. Another thing I learned this week is that Grace is what will allow us to enter the Celestial kingdom, but we can also receive grace DAILY when we do our part. I know He strengthens us and carries us daily if we seek him. I love you all, I hope you have the best of the best weeks this week!! And I shall talk to you next week! :)

Let us all Run and not Walk as we work to personally know Jesus Christ more personally and invite others to do the same. As Presidente Rowley always ends his letters: ¡A Trabajar!

Con amor y felicidad,
Elder Collin Russell

On Exchanges with Elder Toolson, eating  Papa Rellena!

Gospel means "Good News"

Enjoying a meal at my Pensionista's house :)

Dearest family of mine,                                                                  

Well this past week has been a good one! Tuesday we had a multi zone meeting, and it was great!! There was a main focus in the Book of Mormon. Especially in how we use it and teach about it, and very importantly in how we teach people how to pray to know if it is true. There is so much to teach when you teach people about prayer, and it continues to sneak up on me the fact that here people have learned thousands of ways to pray differently or have never prayed before in their life. As we teach that, we truly form a new bridge between the investigator and God. We have such a profound message of eternal importance, and it was such a great time to learn how to better prepare in how we teach these two basic key points.

After the multi zone meeting, I had Exchanges in Miguel Grau with Elder Toolson, one of the zone leaders from San Diego, California! He is such an awesome missionary, he has 11 months now here in the mission, and this was my first time visiting their area! We had a great time together, taught well, and I already love the people there! And Mom, a plus for you, I already got a family there who said we could use their Skype for Mother's Day, since here in Tambo Grande the internet would be terrible for that, so we are all set! haha A couple fun things was we had a dinner appointment where we ate... I forgot what it was called... papa rellena? something like that. It is like a fried mashed potato ball with vegetables and meat inside, served with hot sauce. It is very common here but I had never had it before! So yep, it was delish! haha I have pictures of the occasion I will send to you all soon. :) 

Another awesome thing we did was the usage of our "Mi familia" booklets. We used it in every single visit! Our mission is testing out something awesome under the direction of the area seventy. Our goal is to really start using these booklets daily and begin working with the new members and less actives to get their family history work done and get names ready to go to the temple within these next 6 months. Our goal is for every companionship to have at least 5 people with names ready within these six months. That is 500 names for temple ordinances. I think that is pretty rocking, wouldn't you agree?! So we are starting to really get on board with that, and getting the members excited.

Well, the Branch here is doing well, we are getting some new fresh batteries set too!! Every Saturday the Branch has sports night where we play soccer or volleyball. And every week it has been us missionaries and like 2 youths. But this week the members flipped a switch or something and we had an awesome turnout like it used to be! Also getting word out about the Easter activity is unfolding! We have been giving out a bunch of announcements, and we are also putting up announcements in the streets and store windows. The activity is an Open House of the Branch house, where we will have short activities and lessons about the Restoration, Easter, and Jesus Christ by the various organizations. Then we are ending with everyone together to watch the Testaments video by projector! So I really hope it goes well, the Branch has really started to get better involved now that we are really asking for the help of everyone! So yep, I am so proud of Tambo Grande!!

Also, the Area Seventy sent out a letter to every ward and branch with the challenge to finish the Book of Mormon before the end of the year. So the challenge was to start today, so I started this morning with them! I plan to complete this goal and also try for the same goal that Mom and Logan have about finishing the same time it took Joseph Smith to translate it, so we will see how it goes!

I actually finished the Book of Mormon THURSDAY!!! It is seriously the best book in the whole wide world. I don't know if it was because it was in Spanish this time, or that I am on a mission, but this time reading it I learned SO MUCH. My desire to read daily was so much stronger than ever before. I now know what it is to feast upon the words of Christ a little bit better. And that book has changed my life and I know it can change anyone's life who reads it with real intent.

One awesome thing I read this week too, was in the Bible Dictionary in the English Scriptures, under Gospel. It explains that the word Gospel means "Good News". It also says what the good news is. Check it out! :)

And for my Preach My Gospel reading, one thing that stuck with me was in the chapter about Christlike Attributes. I am beginning to understand better that Obedience cannot be forced upon. From some zone conference we had long ago, someone explained that Obedience is an attitude. We can decide upon our own obedience, but to try to control or force obedience upon your peers is unrighteous dominion. We should not endorse disobedience and we should support and exhort others to be obedient, but the decision in the end is personal. 

To answer some questions,

Alfredo is the brother of our pensionista, he is a less active member. He has become a big help to us in teaching lessons and with service. And Fabian is also a less active young man who is become reactive again. He is 17 and he is always helping us visit and teach. When I first came to the area, he was the only member willing to help us out with frequency, so he is a great friend and super awesome! He also loves learning English and can speak quite well!! 

Well, things are going well here in Tambo Grande! Right now a step we are working on taking is with an investigator who has already started to cling to the Book of Mormon, he has a great interest in it! He accepted the invitation to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and our message, and he said if he got his answer he will be baptized! So now we are working for that, and also to see if we can teach his family. Because teaching the family together is where we will get the best results and really the key in continuing to the end as a member, so we will be looking into that this week. There is also another great family we have found.

I wish you all a very happy Easter!!! I will sure miss all the Easter egg hunting and being with the family, but this is such a great time to think of Christ and share his message. I know he performed a perfect atonement for us, that we may overcome both physical and spiritual death. Jesus Christ is our Savior, and we should strive daily to better walk his path and understand his teachings.

I love you all, thank you for all your lovely emails, I always look forward to P Days for this very reason! :) Keep reading the Book of Mormon, it is TRUE!!!

Con amor y felicidad,

Elder Collin Russell

~A few more photos from Stake Conference ~

with the Zone Leaders

and Branch Members...

I LOOOOOOVE this Gospel!

My Dearest Family,

Oh, how AMAZING was that general conference?!! I LOOOOVED it! What we had to do for that was go to the stake center to watch it, the usual hour long bus ride. Before, members would watch it in Tambo Grande on BYUTV, but it has been cut this year, and I am too skeptical of the internet to trust my general conference on it, so the best option was to go to Piura. We actually ended up spending the night Saturday night with the zone leaders and so we spent all day Saturday and Sunday with them. The other joy and blessing of General Conference in the stake center was that there was a little side room for all the gringos to watch in ENGLISH! So we got real spoiled. I had been praying really hard that I would be able to understand all that the Lord wanted to teach me during conference. Apparently I needed it all because He sent it to me in my native language! haha :)

About General Conference, thank you all for sending what you personally got out of it! There are MANY themes we were able to hear and learn about. For me personally, the explanation of what Discipleship is hit me strong. Also all the talks about staying strong and Standing firm in your obedience and beliefs also were important to me. After every single session I was so pumped to get out into the world and proclaim the Gospel. It's just so natural to me now. I LOOOOOOVE this Gospel, and it makes Perfect sense, how is it that some people DONT yet have this in their life?! We gotta fix that, folks. I am so grateful for conference, it is like an electrical shock into our enthusiasm batteries.

Do you remember the brief mentioning of "My Family" booklets by Elder Cook, Mom? THAT is my project for the photos and family information. Also one of the talks got me excited to learn better our ancestor conversion stories. Dad, I am especially unfamiliar with the Russell side of the family's story, could you tell me about that or send me the story sometime? Also, yes, with Elder Ballard's talk, the missionary spirit got a little bit stronger! I want you all to follow his council and read Preach My Gospel! And for your emails to me, tell me what you learned that week! If you promise to do that, I will promise to do the same! I am already studying that marvelous book every day and testify of its Godly Truths. It is scripture and one of the best books you could ever own.

Now, about other adventures! This was the week before, I totally forgot to talk about it! Mom, you remember that Quinoa super health food rice-ish food you would serve, and I was always a bit skeptical. And you also told me they grow it here in Peru! Well, I had long since forgotten this, until one day we were sitting on the bus waiting for it to depart to Piura. And the normal people come on selling their drinks, "Agua (Water), Sporade (Gatorade-ish drink), Gaseosa (soda), Soya (soy milk), QUINOA (WHHAAAAA???!)" I hear that long forgotten word and I remembered all the memories, and I wanted to see this drink. I asked my companion how it was, and he said it was pretty good. So I was like, I am a daring kid, and so I bought one! If this internet allows me I will send a picture of it. Apparently the internet didn't allow it :(  But it was like drinking oatmeal with a lot of cinammin added. It was the strangest thing ever, but it was rather tasty! haha so there you have it Mom, I am eating healthy here in Peru! :)

As for health, my companion and I are all back to normal, doing well! And that is a great blessing.

But this past week has been pretty good. We keep plugging along, I really hope we get a new blast of action soon. We are currently planning an Easter activity where we will have an open doors chapel for anyone interested. We will be doing rotative classes of like 10 minutes of games and scriptural classes to get people interested. We will do this for about an hour or two then we will bring everyone together and watch the Testament. Holy Smokes that is a good movie. So that is the big goal of us and the branch council right now, to bring that to pass.

This next week is going to be rather busy! Tomorrow we have a multi zone conference with zona Alrorrobos (that's us), Miraflores, and Paita. Afterwards I am doing exchanges with Elder Toolson, one of our awesome zone leaders, until Wednesday afternoon. Then Thursday we will be having District Meeting! Man, April is an exciting month for conferences and training classes! I am very excited for all this time to learn, and I really hope we can get some awesome action going down here in Tambo Grande. I think if we play our cards right, we can have two very great family baptisms by the end of the month! I hope and pray we can work well these coming weeks.

Our new apartment is pretty good. it's quite cooler, but it is also smaller. So the change to me has been a little bit on the unnecessary side. We should have looked around a little more, but yeah, I am content how we are now too! haha another big thing this week has been cleaning our old apartment for the renter. Apparently the deal she made with the Elders was that we would paint the apartment when we left. So we did that with help of Alfredo and Fabian. And, that paint was quite toxic. haha we all had buring eyes and noses in the end, and the fumes created almost a smoke in the room!! I ended up using that greatly in a lesson that evening, relating it to 1 Nephi 8:23 so it was an experience worth having. :)

Well, I always come to internet thinking I have loads to tell, then it all goes out the window when I sit down! But here it is! I know this church is true!! I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the key to every aspect of this life! I cannot deny that, and I plan to be a Disciple of this Church and Gospel for all my life. I know Satan tempts us seemingly unbearably, but we can overcome all things. I love you all with all my heart!! Stay strong and keep choosing the right!!

Con amor y felicidad,
Elder Collin Russell

Outside of the Stake Center after Conference.