Merry Christmas!

 Hello family!!

It was so great talking with you all! It is great to see you all doing so well! It reminded me a bit how much I miss Teddy and his hair (our dog, whose hair is always somewhere! :), but I'll be home before long and I can start murmuring about that again. And love the photos!! A White Christmas!!! What a blessing. Today we had a water balloon fight. I would say we are living on opposite sides of the world or something. :) And I had totally forgotten what was in those gifts! haha but thanks for the photos to remind me. I got a laugh out of what I gave Logan. I am sure I was filled with great ideas with that kit...

Well, answers!

What has been your favorite thing about Christmas in Peru this year?

I love Paneton. And here the people are always inviting us to eat Paneton. Also this year I actually made Chocolatada (Hot chocolate, but different. I got to melt the chocolate bar myself to make the drink! It was a fun experience.) And the music. Here there are other types of Christmas songs too, and all Christmas music gets me excited. :)

What is your favorite thing about the area you are working in now?

Right now we are working on the Directory. There are lots of people that have moved away so we are really cleaning it up to make the directory list more helpful and effective. And in the process we are finding less actives with quality doubts to answer and help back to church and also finding SUPER less actives (like 20+ years) and that gives us lots of work to do. I just like having big projects and having to work constantly.

As for A, she says she still believes that it is all true, but she is going to take time away from the church for a while... So we are just focusing on helping her family right now with this drama and hopefully we can get her back. Crazy how Satan works. She is just enbarrassed, but she still talks to us and everything, so we are gonna help her get over this and continue to teach her.

But good note!!!! There is a RM here in the ward with like 2 months back home. He is the only member in his whole family. And now he is going to town on getting all of his family into the church!! So we are teaching the family of his oldest brother who is super awesome!! So hopefully we can get them committed to baptism this week or two. We have hit it off really well and real quick with the whole family, the 2 we visited Saturday went to church the next day, so hopefully that will all work out well!!

Also at church a woman with a young girl showed up. She is from another ward in the stake, and the girl is her niece who lives in Los Polverines, which is a closed area since 5 weeks which now pertains to our ward but the missionary area of another ward (yeah, its confusing, hopefully we can clean up that kink.) But the lady there said that we should visit that family "there are 4 baptisms there" she said to us. it was like "Ok!" so hopefully we can figure out how to help that family and see if they really would like to be baptized. another goal for the week.

It has been fun lately to see the Nicodemus scenes. A "Nicodemus" is a street contact that comes to US. They are awesome. Like P, who went to a member in his neightborhood asking if we could visit him. We passed by and was asking about what he needs to do to be baptized. Can't really complain with those situations. Recently miracles are popping up and hopefully this week we get some sight of baptismal dates. They are super powerful miracles and I hope and pray we can take Godly care of them. Pray that we receive revelation to handle all these people as they need to be and help them make it to baptism.

This last week I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting. I gave them the 6 steps of discovering who in their lives they can introduce to the Gospel. Here it is easy since like 80% of the people are converts. But my goal for this week is to edit and apply it to a Utah setting. Hopefully I can get that to you guys by next week. Deal? :)

Also today I was starting to reflect about the inner peace we feel when we do what's right. You find situations where you stand alone no matter where you are. But just follow what is right. Be obedient. And whatever happens, you can feel that inner peace. My goal to help me enhance that inner peace is be better in street contacting. You guys gotta do follow up for that on me, alright? :)

For New Years there is a ward activity starting at 1am. We are the only people not invited. haha But New Years is like over there -- stay up until midnight then fireworks. But here they make like scarecrow dolls and burn them in the streets too. But I will be enjoying the night sleeping in my bed. haha

Well, I love you all!! The church is true! Talk to you next year!!

Elder Russell

Ward Christmas Party

Christmas Multi-Zone Conference

He is the Gift

Hello family!!

Well, this week was great!! And this next week will be CRAZYYYY. This week consisted of way too many rehearsals. As a zone we performed for the multi zone conference, and we also performed in a park as a zone. The sisters in our zone contacted a lady on the board of some organization, and they ended up inviting us to perform a choir for a Christmas activity for local children (especially the homeless and less privileged I believe they told us). We went and sang and that was such a blast! The people really didn't seem to be too enthusiastic with us, but we gave it our all with the Christmas hymns and ending with the Spanglish "Feliz Navidad" song. That was an unforgettable experience. Then we gave out a million of those "El es la dadiva" cards (he is the gift) and hopefully the sister missionaries get a lot out of that!

Today we have a multi zone conference. Remember how I told you about how I needed to repent and play more piano? Well I am now well repented. Full out broken heart and contrite spirit. I had to play piano for ALL the songs. But it was great to learn all those songs! :)

Tonight we are also singing as 2 zones in the biggest shopping mall in Piura and we got missionaries dressing up as Santa and elves for photos and with a projector of El es la Dadiva (He is the Gift) playing and we will be giving out more of those cards. IT IS CHRISTMAS

This week is going to be crazy. Hopefully this week we get people to visit. We've also got to help A. Her baptismal date fell again. This time we really don't know what happened. Pray for her please. :)

Thinking about He is the Gift, I actually think a lot about the song, Little Drummer Boy. Elder Encarnacion had that song and it is seriously my favorite. But when it says "I have no gift to bring" but then "shall I play for you? Me and my drum." We all have our gifts or talents or something to give to our Savior. Right now I have the miraculous ability to give my full time. But you all also have your miraculous gifts to give. Maybe it isn't Gold or Frankensence or Myrrh. But we must all find what we can give, just like the little drummer boy. We can all give something. Something personal, something special.

The Book of Mormon explains that if it were not for the Saviour, we would all become the Devil´s angels. We would be under Satan's control, to be miserable forever. Only through Jesus Christ can we escape from the bands of Physical and Spiritual Death. Think about that. Now I know why there were so many angels singing at his birth. It makes me want to sing praises to my God. And I hope every single one of you feels the same way this Christmas. Trust in the Lord, discover who He is, "Come and see" was his personal invitation to every single one of us.

Sorry I don't have too much to say today, I will be seeing you all on Christmas :) I love you all!! Did you guys find my presents I had ready for you? I already forgot what they were... hahah they should be in my room or maybe you already have them?

But I love you all!! Jesus is the Christ. His birth changed this world forever.

con mucho amor,

Elder Russell

RANCH DRESSING!

Hello Family!!

Well another week flew by!

One fun thing this week was that I had exchanges with one of my Zone Leaders, Elder Rich. On the moto taxi ride to their house, he tells me "Hey, I got a suprise for you in our house." I was like "sweet!" I was thinking it would be my new set of scriptures I asked for. But no. When I got there, he motions to a big blue sack. "Look inside." I start sifting through the letters and packages and then he says "To help you out, those are all for you." WHAAAA? So thank you all, wonderful friends and family!! We are all set and decked out for Christmas.

This week went by quick. We had a district leader training meeting (yes, I am still District Leader here in Lopez Albujar, it is actually my 8th transfer holding this responsibility) and the assistants asked if I could play Christmas music for the meeting. I told them I am so sorry but I don't know any well enough right now. Later the President came up and told me to repent. I explained it wasn't my fault that I have 15 months in the mission and that not a single area has a ward building with a piano. But I did tell him that I am repenting anyways because I have to play for the next multi zone conference. And I found that our ward actually has some old keyboard they don't use anymore. Some say that it is broken, others say that it isn't. I think we are gonna run over there after internet right now to check it out. But my fingers have been playing some good Christmas tunes recently! :)

What plans (if any) have you made for Christmas Day? 

Well Christmas Eve as a Zone we are going caroling in the Plaza de Armas of Piura (like the central plaza) then I heard members are inviting the whole Zone to a dinner. Which is awesome, but we also have lots of invites from members, the Bishop, so we are going to do a lot of running around. On the 25th we've got skype all set up. An awesome family we are teaching told us we could use their skype. It seems like it might be in the morning or later evening... my companion has to figure out if his mom will be working or not and schedule when they'll be home. But I will have all the info set for next Monday. any preferences of time? 

Does the Ward have any big events or activities going on for Christmas?

YES! we have a Ward party with a nativity, choirs, hot chocolate and paneton (even in this desert they like hot chocolate!) and it is going to be awesome. We are trying to invite lots of people. but I am excited because this ward is doing serious planning and they seem to plan well! I am excited!

Tell us about your Pensionista... and what is the best thing you ate this week?

GREAT pensionista. We always get a main dish, then usually a side dish of vegetables to share as a companionship, or a soup, and then always dessert like Jello or flan or fruits. it is awesome. Her name is Socorro. She is a great lady, active church member and just awesome. But actually one of the best things I ate this week was homemade RANCH DRESSING! The Mission President's wife has to make it, or taught their pensionista how to make it, and they served it for the lunch in the District Leader meeting.

Well this week we are going to work really hard with A. She had a baptismal date for the 21st, but she didn't come to church. We have been having to focus a lot on helping her mom (recent convert) with personal problems and stuff but this week we are going to really help her out and hopefully to end the month or to start January she can be baptized. She is an awesome young gal.

Sorry gotta go now. I gotta take care of bugs on my USB and get some more Mormon Messages to share. We got some less actives that LOVE those things.

But I love you all!! Have a great week!!

THE CHURCH IS TRUE!! MERRY CHRISTMAS

ELder RUssell

Merry December!

Hello family!

I wish you a merry December! the first Presidency Christmas Devotional was awesome!! We got to watch it last night!

What lessons do you feel you learned best in Zarumilla?

I feel like I learned loads and loads about the Christlike Attribute of Knowledge. I had two spectacular companions that focused a lot on expanding their knowledge. First off, Elder Corpona would not sacrifice his personal study for the world, and CONSTANTLY used scriptures in lessons. Elder Encarnacion studied everything. He read the Book of Mormon within a week at one point. And also the New Testament within one transfer. And lots of other books and we always talked about doctrine. He would try to trick me a lot about doctrine. He would even get the whole District in on it. He once told me that the Islamic religion comes from the genealogy of Ishmael (1 Nefi). I knew it was not true but he fought it off long and hard, then Elder Moses confirmed it and told me to check out the Institute manual about it. When I started searching frantically they all started laughing. Elder Moses also knows a ton of doctrine. But I say that now I have grown a good deal in knowledge, and a real strong desire to constantly learn more spiritually.

What are you most excited about experiencing in your new area?

This ward is strong. We got a girl with a baptismal date, and the other companionship in our district has 3 with baptismal dates! I am most excited that is seems to be really progressing here! We found 8 new investigators even this week!! We got to really organize our missionary forces and focus well, and if we do that and get settled, we can really take care of business.

What is the most interesting/funny thing that happened to you this week?

Well, this Sunday we were walking to find a family we contacted in the street and on the other side of the street there was a group of young hoodlums and one of them yelled out "HEY! GRINGO! TEACH ME THE WORD! (to say the scriptures or such)" And normally we just shrug it off when it is just kids or whoever just yells out GRINGO!!! But in the Zone Conference we talked about not wasting any opportunity. So I was like, "Hey Elder, lets go talk to them. Let's go give them the word." So we started walking over and the majority went running into the house. 3 stayed outside and we talked a bit. We were like "you guys like internet?" "Yeah!" "Alright, then you guys gotta check out this video. check out this URL, it is a video about Jesus Christ. Watch it, share it, and if you want to learn more, we are always walking around here, you can just flag us down." And they were like "yeah cool."

It was a real fun contact! I am making lots of friends with all the people who yell out GRINGO here. We have a special bond, I always yell out to them a big QUÈ TAL! BUENOS DÌAS! :)

Elder Villalba is awesome. I am his third companion and this is his first time to have to teach a new companion an area. He seems like a youngster, he has his fair deal of voice cracks, haha, but he is awesome. He loves music (we are the only 2 in the zone who play piano, he is self taught.) He has his harmonica just like me but he plays his a lot more. He is very personable and loving. But awesome. We've still gotta get the hang of one another but I think we are gonna have an AWESOME Christmas. Here they have been working with lots of Investigators. The big trick we've gotta work out here is organizing the forces. Also I love to work with less actives so we will quickly be coordinating with the ward on magnifying our role with that.

A massive strength of this Ward is the youth programs, and YSA! It is unlike anything I have seen in my past areas, it is really awesome. And the ward is really getting down on fellowshipping investigators and less actives. The bishop is spot on.

Well, we don't have much time today... We gotta go to Catacaos to buy me a new bag... That is another story for another day... haha But I will be sure to send pictures next week!

Love you all!!

Elder Russell

Transfer!

Hello my dear family!!                                                  

Merry Christmas!! We are in December!

Well, let's start with the questions:

When is your next trip to Piura?

It was TODAY. We had transfers, and I have now left Zarumilla. I am now in Lopez Abujar 1, in Zona Piura Central. I am rather in the center of Piura City! I am now with an Elder Villalba. He has 6 months in the mission, from Ecuador, we have a good pensionista, the ward has around 170 in attendance, and my area is 100% sand. And that is about all I know for now. So there is some big news!! I will miss Zarumilla, it was such a blast and learning experience and now I am going to move on to even bigger experiences. I intend to baptize every waiting soul.

Here our apartment is a little smaller but awesome! There is so far NOTHING of Christmas decoration. This is my last Mission Christmas so I went ahead and bought a baby Christmas tree we are going to deck out. :) And Mom don't worry about the packages now!! I am in Piura, the office missionaries are in my zone and so we are some of the first to know when the packages arrive. :) Tumbes is a hard place for packages, but Piura I will get them in no time. :)

What is something new you learned this past week?

I learned that I gotta stick to it with the Book of Mormon!! We found that that could really be a key deal especially with R, M, and their family. So we are getting them on reading and they are getting interested and READING!! Also when I got to say farewell to a couple members, they shared with us the fact that they had never seen missionaries as dedicated as Elder Encarnacion and I when it comes to following up if they are reading the Book of Mormon. it is the keystone, ALWAYS read it and keep your testimony strong about it.

One thing about R and that family: well, they are actually going to Piura for Christmas/Summer break and they won't be heading back to Zarumilla until March or April... They will be living with R's Sister and Brother-in-law. Bummer right? Well, not quite. The brother-in-law with the father R is a MEMBER. And guess which ward he attends? Lopez Abujar. Not quite my area, but my ward/district. hahaha small world right!! I will be keeping tabs on them and see what I can do to get them to church! With a family member helping out that could be a lot of extra help!

Looks like you are all having a blast over there in USA! That is so cool, Becky, you guys have a Spaniard staying with you guys! What part is he from? That would be so fun.

Also Uncle Bryan made a quick note about how this summer we will be having another pair of missionaries off! Connor and Parker, prepare yourself NOW. Read the Book of Mormon daily! Learn all you can, it comes in handy later. :)

As for Thanksgiving here, a member invited Elder Encarnacion and I dinner, so that was my way of celebrating. I actually had actually lost track of that holiday.. haha But Christmas is big here like there. With lights, trees, Santa, all that jazz. And also, us missionaries bringing the most important message of Christmas to their homes.

Sunday for lunch was the coolest thing EVER. The district had lunch together in a member's home. The father that night later traveled to Piura for his cancer treatments and asked for a health blessing. As us 6 missionaries joined together to give that blessing I felt the power and knew we were the Lord's hands and His missionaries. We were a stellar District, but now I am in Piura, Elder Orellana also, and Elder Moses to Sullana (With Elder Plata!!!!) I love this work and I know it is the Lord's work.

Well, I love you all!! Talk to  you next week!!

Elder Russell