"...by their fruits ye shall know them."

Hello family!!

well, this week I have to do a questionnaire and also do a monthly report and we got to the internet a tad late so I am going to be a little short! Sorry!!!! But I mean... I'll be seeing you all before too long so you can ask me all the questions in the world when I am back home... haha

What did you learn this week?

This week I learned a bit more about persistence when prompted by the Spirit. Sometimes I can be a little stubborn when we already have plans set and we are already running late, but this week we had several SPECTACULAR contacts because I took the initiative to step aside and chat with people. Also persistence in the same thing. We contacted a man about 2 weeks ago that just never has free time, but we have just kept passing by and saying hi and asking when we can visit. We still haven't gotten to enter his house and teach something but his family already seems to be very warmed up to us! The magic of planting seeds in the hearts of these people.

Speaking of one of those contacts, we found an awesome guy who had LOTS of questions about the church. He had a school teacher who taught him that the Mormon church was a CIA program to send spies (us Missionaries) througout the world. Never had I heard that before!! But we explained what the church is all about and we took care of that rumor.

...But walking away from that contact the first thing I said to my companion was "We gotta relocate. They've caught on to us." And we started talking about how a helicopter was going to come out of nowhere and take us away and we would leave that young man sitting there in shock as we flew away. hahah we found it to be a fun thing to imagine.

What have you liked best about working with Elder Mallo?

Lots of things!!

He keeps me working hard in talking to everyone and to never forget to street contact.

He keeps me from making excuses and working hard. Sometimes there are things that I don't like doing but he keeps me in line with some of that stuff.

He loves the Zone and holds high expectations for them, he always wants them to fulfill high goals, and he influences them well.

He helps me do a more effective exercise in the morning, He's got me lifting more weight, running, eating more protein (I'm no buff yet... but I'll get there someday. haha)

and so on! We fill each other's faults real well and make a good team. So it has been real fun and a good learning experience!

What are you are most looking forward to eating when you return?

During my whole mission when asked that question I always replied that I would most enjoy a Pork Burrito from Cafe Rio. That always sounds good to me.

What do you feel is the greatest change that has occurred in the Collin who left two years ago and the Collin who is returning next week? (I know! That's a big question! :)

wow... yep, BIG question. hmmm....

I would say honestly the degree of discipleship I have committed myself to. And I'm much more mature now, I feel like I have developed a much stronger self control. In Luke 2:52, it teaches how Jesus grew:

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."

I'm not a perfect man or anything close to Jesus, but I have felt the same way during these past 2 years. I don't know what others will see out of me, maybe I am totally wrong...

but I feel like my wisdom has grown: I now understand the scriptures, I truly know more in depth than before about the Plan of Salvation. Also in how to work with people, teaching skills, etc.

In stature, I think I am not as skinny as before, maybe not by much... haha

in favor with God: I have grown to more fully understand and accept His Plan, as well as the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I better know what He expects of me and how I can receive and follow the promptings of the spirit as well as improve my Christlike attributes.

and in favor with man: I know how to love my neighbor a lot more than I did before, I feel like I am more able to submit myself to the ideas or desires of another even though I may not be in full agreement, and I know how to work better with others and help others and show my love to others.

So to sum it all up, I feel that the greatest change has been that I am now following the steps that the Savior took and would like me to take. I feel as though he has been able to form and tune me to be a better instrument in His hands. But, "by their fruits, ye shall know them." One of the things I have most reflected upon is how I will be able to affect the lives of those around me when I get home. My hope is that I may become a light to help all of you in some better way and bring to pass much good as a dedicated servant of God, with or without a black nametag.

Well, I don't know if I will be able to write next Monday or not... We'll see!

I love you all so much!! Have a great week and I'll see you on the other side!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church. I know it and I testify as a personal representative of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is His church. He has restored it in these latter days through the prophet Joseph Smith. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet who leads the church today. The Book of Mormon is true and is the evidence of this message I share. It is also the strongest manner of coming to know Jesus Christ and of his Atonement. I know that through the Atonement of Christ ALL MEN shall return to the presence of the Father and that all men may be saved from sin if they apply the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. I know that God lives, He is our Father. He loves us and has prepared this plan so we may return to live with Him. I testify that these things are true. I know they are true because the Holy Ghost has indicated to me that they are true. I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Russell

Catacaos, Chili's and Being a Missionary!

 More stylin' ties :)

Hello family!!!                                                              

to quickly answer some questions:

Do you get many dinner appointments from members?

No, dinner is not a big thing here, so just every now and then when we do a FHE or something, but more often we get lunch appointments.

Do the wards have a mission prep program to prepare kids that are getting ready for missions?

They did have one going on before, but I honestly am not sure if it is still going on or not, the teacher moved away.

Do you ever attend those classes?

We haven't actually. But the priests help us in visits a lot.

Do you eat much fish and if so what kind?

in my current area not too much, more chicken. and I honestly don’t know what kind it is... especially in English... haha

Is there anything green where you are at or is it as dry as the last places you have been?

It is rather dry, but there are several grassy parks where I am currently at, and that is nice.

Do you have to think about what you are saying in Spanish anymore or is it just like speaking English to you now?

Not too much, every now and then I switch back to English but I get along just fine now with Spanish. It will be a shock to dive back into full English, honestly.

Were you able to meet up with J? How is he doing?

Yes!! He is great, we just saw him for a solid 2 minutes. We had a visit set up but he had to cancel on us because he traveled away again. Now he is in Santo Domingo working, but I think he gets back today. So we are going to try again, but he is excited to get back to talk with us!

And how about E?

Really good! We are teaching his mom now too and she is progressing as well, slowly but surely. E is preparing for the 22nd for his baptism and he is accepting really well the commandments we are teaching him.

Do you have any other new investigators that you are working with?

We got T who has pretty much already become family with the ward. He is only 15 but really a big kid and mature, we are trying to help his family but they don't come to church. But T already has like a month attending. We are still working on them!

We have a new family, the H family, who the father is a less active and the wife and kids are not members. He wants to return to church and the whole family are just starting to receive the lessons!

There is also a RM who just barely got back this week and he introduced us to pretty much ALL of his non member family and we are starting to teach several of them so that is a fun new thing this past week and coming week!

You mentioned before that you often eat dinner with the members on the weekends... Is this a regular occurrence? Is it usually the same members each week, or do you rotate through the Ward?

We eat lunches on the weekends, yes. This is every weekend, there is an assignment a church member receives and they assign families to feed the missionaries. Normally the people volunteer and they set that up during Relief Society or Elders Quorum at the end of the month. we rotate pretty well within the active ward members.

How are you coming on your Book of Mormon and New Testament reading?

I am in Ether and 1 Corinthians. This is my first time really getting solid in my New Testament reading I am sad to say, I wish I had done it sooner because I am learning lots! I will have it finished before I get home. :)

What was the best thing about last week?

hmm.... wow I don't know. We had LOTS of good work done with the members this week. the RMs are working real hard and we are also getting to work with several people and everyone is getting more excited. Also, yesterday the Stake President talked in our Sacrament Meeting and invited every member to pray about who they should give a Book of Mormon to and what they will share to them about the book. They were told to do it yesterday or next Sunday. He promised that if every member there did it we would have 15-20 baptisms in August. So I started talking to lots of the members who live within our area to get them Book of Mormon copies and we have several people excited to do it! So THAT is a great thing this week.

 What are you most looking forward to this week?

To invite lots of people to be baptized and work hard! I also look forward to learning a lot of new stuff from the New Testament and Book of Mormon. and we've got a couple less active families who are finally starting to progress and we got visits set with them, etc. I am just looking forward to being a missionary!! haha and we are finally making good progress in helping people reserve names for temple work. They have a temple trip here on the 27th so we are helping people with their family history, and I really enjoy that stuff!

It is true that ending the mission can be a sad thing, but I have come to realize that it will just be a new chapter. Elder Perry (I believe it was...) came home after serving a mission he had several successful moments sharing and preaching the gospel. In a missionary training video set we have one of the missionaries says that the last 6 months is really the missionary's time to shine because he's been trained, he's experienced, etc... well for the last 2 years I have been trained and experienced and I will be able to go home and be a great missionary still!! I am actually in process of setting goals for when I will be home and for my future and one of the goals I am setting is to be able to give at least one referral to the missionaries each year. Maybe, if I will be living in Utah my whole life, that will be a real challenge, but I plan to make missionary efforts a constant mindset of my life. I know that God has great things he needs me to do, and during this time doing all I can to be a good missionary He is preparing me for all the other tasks in the future he will need of me. I have come to know my Savior a lot these past 2 years, and I don't want to go home and have it stop there. That isn't how it should be, but I have learned what I need to do so I can continually grown to know Him even more, even though I won't have a black plastic nametag on. These past 2 years have been hard and stressful, but I would not take it back for all the money in the world, these past 2 years will be a treasure for me. I know I'll be home in 2 weeks, I forget sometimes, but I know it is coming. And I know it needs to come. I am excited to come home, even though I am very sad to leave this place, but I find a lot of peace knowing that God has a need for me back up there.

Well, have a great week!! I love you all!! Share the gospel!!

Elder Russell

Elder Plata 

Shopping in Catacaos

Dinner at Chili's!

Stylin' Ties and a Baptism

hello family!!

Well, this week D got baptized!! That was a fun little deal, every baptism has a way of unifying the Ward together. Even though it was a Primary gal (her family has several members in it, that is why she has attended church for years but never been baptized) we were happy to take part. I got to do the ordinance and you always feel good after taking part in that.

What was the best thing that happened this week?

Lots of things actually!! But here are 2 things that were great:

J sent us a text this week saying he is coming home and plans to call us on Tuesday to go visit him!!! WOO!! He also said he was going to attend church yesterday (Sunday) in Chiclayo. We aren't quite sure what church he was referring to, but we are hoping for the best and happy he still is focused on the importance of church.

Us 2 companionships of Elders in our district went and bought a stylin' fabric one P-day and asked a sister in the Ward to make us ties. We showed them off yesterday all together and got lots of comments. The sister in the Ward was VERY content to hear all the 

compliments :) The picture has been sent.

Do you have any funny or unusual experiences to share?

One funny thing of the week was the Ward Talent Show we put together!! We announced it would be starting at 6:30. We started at 8 when everybody finally showed up... Dad, you mentioned how the Mormon culture tends to run late to meetings... I feel ya.

But us missionaries ended up doing several skits. Have you ever seen "How animals eat their food" from youtube? You'll have to check it out, that is what we did. haha we also did "The Bad Samaritan" and the sister missionaries sang a song one of the members wrote about the first vision that was way cool! I have the videos, I will show them off when I get home.

How did you spend your P-day?

We went to Catacaos today. We went all touristy and bought things to bring home to our families. I got a cool thing or two. :)

Then we bought our food for the week. I still have a lot left over from buying last week, so this week I just bought soy milk, whole wheat bagels, cream cheese, and toothpaste. Bagels here are extremely rare, but recently we keep finding them in Tottus! And soy milk is a new favorite of mine, it is rather inexpensive here.

Logan wants to know if you ever see any llamas? :)

sadly not as often as you would think... but every now and then, yes! haha

Well, sorry I don't have too much to write this week... I also am going to try to help a reactivated member fill in his family search account, we are helping him send like 15 names this week if all goes well!! I love family history!!

This week I have been trying to advance a lot in my reading in the Bible. I am really enjoying the book of Acts, there is a lot of stuff in there I didn't know about honestly. But this morning it really hit me just how much I LOVE the Book of Mormon. I read Mormon 7 today and WOW I really like that chapter a lot!! It just puts together the purpose of the Book of Mormon, The Plan of Salvation, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ short and sweet. I love the Book of Mormon and I hope you are all reading it and feasting upon it every single day!

Well, I love you all! The church is true!! Have a great week!

Elder Russell

Zone Conference and Monopoly

 

Zone Conference with the Rasmussens

Hello family!!

This week went by quick! 

D is still right on target for this Sunday baptism, her interview is tomorrow and hopefully all goes well!

O is still in the hospital and we haven't heard anything from him since, we passed by his house to say hi to his family but we just got to talk to his son for a moment. They are doing well and I am sure that when all this gets sorted out they will progress real quick.

We had a quick Get to Know President and Sister Rasmussen Conference this week. That was really fun to get to know them better, and they also showed off many photos of their children, photos of their marriage, Pres. Rasmussen's mission, etc. They also talked about what appears to be the theme of their mission: Be epistles of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 3:2-3) and that is a really cool topic. They are really excited to be here and the mission already loves them, I do too. :) And Sister Rasmussen even prepared homemade cookies for us which were DELISH!

Do you have problems with bugs? And do you use mosquito netting over your bed?

We do not have mosquito problems in our apartment, like lots of other places in the mission. But in our room I am in constant combat against spiders and spiderwebs... and ants here and there. But we keep things clean and they are in process of finding another home.

What are you most looking forward to this week?

finding!! We need to find some new golden people!! I am also excited to see in Jorge Luis really does come back this week like he said! He said it is possible... so we'll see. I am also excited for interviews as well as the baptism of Daniella, and we are also working on a Ward Talent Show activity! so there is lots to look forward to!

We got E and T to church this Sunday!! So that was AWESOME! E apparently was up super late and couldn't attend with us this week... but it was great to get those two boys up there! T is a young man we are teaching. It is tricky because he is only 16 and his parents are not as receptive, but we are still working to see if we can get his parents out there and hopefully all works out!

E is still going strong for the 8th of August. Before we were working for the 25th of August, but then one of the last visits he told us "I said the 25th because I still wasn't sure if this was true and all that. But now I do. I want to be baptized. Like, tomorrow. Can I?"

We were like, "you've got to attend church with us! How about we prepare for the 8th of August?" And now he has his mind 100% set that on the 8th he is getting baptized. He is a real stellar young man, we are trying our best to get him all set to be a golden convert.

Well, the church is true!! My goals for finishing the mission is to finish the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. I am already in Mormon in the Book of Mormon, but I am only in St. John in the Bible, I've got to hurry up there, but I am learning LOTS! And I am already set that I will spend a good deal of time in the Harold B. Lee Library at BYU studying more church doctrine books when I'm home with a free moment. I love to study the scriptures now, it is one of the best things we can do to strengthen ourselves.

Well, have a good week!! Love you all!

Elder Russell

Our Zone in July...

and some P-day Monopoly!

Getting to Know the Rasmussens

First Leadership Council Meeting with President and Hermana Rasmussen

Hello!!

Well this week was a great one!

President Rasmussen is really great!! And his wife is also very awesome! We got to see them during our leadership council meeting this week, where they read us their notes from the new Mission President Training they had with the 1st Presidency and Quorum of the 12. THOSE are some spectacular notes! The Second Coming is very close and now more than ever we need great missionaries and steadfast members.

They were pretty emotional and excited to be here. President served in the Dominican Republic when it first opened up to missionary service. They have 4 children and 7 grandchildren (if I remember right...). His wife doesn't speak anything of Spanish, but she is learning REALLY fast! you can see the gift of tongues working in the both of them! Very happy people and you can see his energy, the first thing he said to us was that he was SO happy to be a missionary once again. I am excited to work with him for this last transfer.

So we have gotten word from J that he should be coming back in the middle of this month!! Which is awesome! We have decided there are a couple things we should have taught him better so we are going to get right to work on that when he gets back and maybe he can get baptized before too long!

E now has a baptismal date for the 29th of August. He is preparing to enter the university so he is in some preparation courses that take up a lot of his time and have a way of cancelling our visits.. but he told us "on the 29th of August I will get baptized", so we are working with that! He is doing well and we are finally getting routine visits with him now!

His brother in law E now has a baptismal date for the 8th of August! So that is really awesome and hopefully we can help him out there!

D will be getting baptized most likely the 19th of this month. It was going to be this coming Sunday but we are in the process of changing it to the 19th just to be better prepared. She is just so excited to be baptized, it is fun to teach her. :)

We visited O in the hospital this week. We visited his wife at their home earlier in the week and she said that he keeps talking about us and misses us. He brought his Book of Mormon to the hospital with his pamphlets and a pass along card with our number on it. He is such an awesome guy, and what we have taught him has really impacted him, I think real quick he is going to be back home and progressing for baptism.

From your house building photos: Is that a pretty common style of home for the people there where you are?

it depends on what part you live in. But that is a more humble style of home, but common in that part of town.

What was the best thing about your week?

hmm... getting to know President and Hermana Rasmussen!

What was the craziest/funniest thing you saw or experienced this week?

I had a rather interesting encounter with a man in the marketplace today... This man when he saw me just started going off about how he wants a girlfriend that is white, "white like you" he said to me, and he just keep going on and on about how I am very white and how he is of a darker skin color, and that he wants a white girlfriend, and all the saleswomen around us were watching and dying of laughter... I just stood there listening until he finally walked away. You meet fun people in the marketplace... haha

Well, all is going well! This week I am really starting to pick up the pace and get cracking! My plans are to set up baptismal dates for every weekend of August, so hopefully we can get that set up!

Have a good week!! Love you!!

Elder Russell

A Full Day of English Speaking

Hello family!!

Well, I am going to have to be a little quick today, I've got lots of things to do actually! but this has been a fun week!!

We had a real bummer deal... Tuesday was J's baptismal interview. As the District Leader and my companion waited for his arrival for the interview, he calls to say he is leaving for Chiclayo for a job offer and doesn't know when he'll be back. so we are going to try to get back in contact with him, but he's gone for now. It was a bummer deal and made a bit of stress for the night but we are right back to working hard and I think next week we are going to have a baptism of D!

As for President Rasmussen, I will be meeting him tomorrow night. This transfer we got lots of stuff set up to get to know him. so fun stuff! I will let you know more about him when I meet him.

So about yesterday, We went to Palominos, a small little village like 20 minutes outside of Tambo Grande. we were 6 companionships, every companionship having a North American in it. We worked as Translators for The Hope Alliance Humanitarian group!!! They were doing eye exams and giving out glasses. Of the 11 volunteers only like 3 could speak Spanish so that is how we helped out. SOOO AWESOME!! I will explain the whole deal when I get home and explain with the pictures. But all of them are from the Park City or SLC area! A full day of English speaking and holy smokes that was one of the best service activities I've had on my mission! They also have projects today and tomorrow and they got other missionaries helping them there. I wanted to do it the three days! I think when I get home I want to look into doing one of those trips! haha That group is the group Brother Ferrell does the dental trips with actually, I think. Lots of new friends to look up when I get home!

E is doing great, he is progressing and we are teaching his brother-in-law too who is super great, he is golden! When we invited him to baptism he was like "Of course! If this turns out to be true why wouldn't I get baptized?!" And it all just keeps clicking and making perfect sense to him! It has been really cool to teach him. And we are still trying to get more of the family to listen. Bit by bit they are coming!

D is a 8 year old we are teaching. She is honestly a Ward baptism, weekly attending girl, but neither of her parents are members. She lives with her mom and grandma and goes to church with her grandma every week. Her grandma wants her baptized, the mom is allowing it, and D
wants to be baptized too. The Mom just left for Lima looking for a job so we lost the teaching process with her for now, but D is just about all set and has really helped us learn how to keep the doctrine simple which can sometimes be a bit tricky. And having to find fun ways to teach to keep them focused: The Plan of Salvation drawing map, movies, games (she asks for a game after EVERY lesson so we promise one every once and a while if she reads the scriptures) and it has been fun!

Well, all is well!! Have a great week!

Elder Russell

On our way!

 

 Dad...?

Temple Dedication

Hello my dear family!!

The temple dedication was AWESOME!!! A real nice set of journal entries for sure. The cultural event we were able to watch via satellite and that was really cool to see all the dances of Northern Peru. Piura was one of the first groups and we didn't get the web page set up to watch it until it was about half way in the Piura performance. But they represented real well and it was fun. We got J there and a couple other less actives we got starting to return, so it turned out nice!

And the temple dedication was a real wow. To walk into the stake center was great. They prepared it to be as if it were the temple, and boy did I feel it. And when they started the dedication and said the prayer, WOW. Seriously I have REALLY missed the feeling of the temple. But I felt it there. When I get home one of the first things I plan to do is go to the temple.

President Uchdorf and Elder Bednar came to Trujillo to dedicate it. President Uchdorf was really great and talked a moment about father's day. Because yesterday was father's day, he talked about how yesterday was a perfect day to remember our earthly fathers as well as our HEAVENLY father through this special event. A new way to look at Father's day, wouldn't you say? :)

Really great talks, an amazing prayer, the spirit was way strong! And it was nice to see several recent coverts there as well as a big group of my old Tambo Grande friends showed up!

Well, about the missionary work. A couple of our progressing investigators left town without telling us... one to Chimbote, another to Chulucanas, another to Lima.... bummer deal there but hopefully they contact the missionaries there! 2 of the 3 I think will be living with LDS members actually!

But we got our Nicodemus progressing (E, but just like Nicodemus approached Jesus, E came to us). He is a top notch young man who wants to join the church and we got him reading and praying and he is doing real well.

J will be having his baptismal interview Tuesday, and his date is set for Saturday! This week we got him working on getting a testimony of Thomas S Monson, and I think he got it! We watched that video "On the Lord's Errand" of his life, and we all walked out filled with the spirit. J walked out super edified, so that was a really great lesson. He should be great and set for Saturday!

We got a couple others this week to set baptismal dates. We have a family that is super awesome but the father now is getting sent all around town for spinal problems that have recently come up, so hopefully we can get a hold of them this week! O and his family could be our convert family! Pray for O's health and that we can get a hold of them!

well, I am going to start sending some pics now! Love you all!! Have a great week!!

Elder Russell

Some photos from last week's house building service project

"Trabajar como Locos"

Hello family!                                                                

Well this week was a fun one! A couple changes coming up, and all outlook optimistic! :)

So first off, with JL we decided together to change his baptismal date to the 27th. He was a little sick this week so we didn't get as many visits in as we wished, and with the 21st as the Temple dedication, we thought it best we get him super solid for the 27th. He is pretty much all set, we are working this week to help him get his testimony solid on Thomas S. Monson, and help him advance in his Book of Mormon reading. And we are going to start working on his family a bit harder I think, their work hours have not allowed anything yet really, but we are going to get more serious on that.

As for the tipsy man, we have gotten to know his whole family a bit more. We got to his house last Monday and his sister about his same age got up and walked into the house away from us. When we were walking up they were playing some card game outside. So we get up and sit down and we ask this investigator "How do you play this game?" And he replies, "My sister knows how to explain." And yells out for his sister. She peeks her head out and he says "They want to play cards." And we said "Yeah, Teach us!" It is a fun little game I will be sure to teach you when I get home. We played like 10 minutes but then we had to go for another visit, but now we've gained confidence with the family. He takes a good deal to capture what we teach... so we are going to try to take it real slow and see what we can help him reach.

This week we also came into contact with a new investigator. The other elders were buying a drink or something in front of their apartment one night and a young man walks up to them and says "You guys are Mormon's right? I want to be Mormon. What do I have to do to be Mormon?" Those are always awesome moments as a missionary. He came to church Sunday and also attended the baptismal service of the investigators of Elder Miller and Elder Plata, and we are going to start the missionary lessons this week! His family also seems nice, so pray for E!

What was the best thing about your week?

Well, we were able to pull out the service project clothing Saturday! The Ward is helping to rebuild a member's home, so this week we helped out! We built a wall, put up another wall, and laid out the sheet metal roof. Working with the Bishop, Ward Mission Leader, and a couple Young Adults, it was a good time! I will have pictures next week!

 What are you most looking forward to this week?

THE TRUJILLO TEMPLE DEDICATION ON JUNE 21ST!!!! We are going to be able to participate through satellite transmission! So we are going to see it! They are also going to transmit the Cultural Program the night before, so we are going to try to load up the Ward building that night with investigators and less actives! I am so excited to be close again to the temple. Everyone here is so excited for the Trujillo Temple. You should hear these faithful saints "We are so privileged to now have a temple so close. it only costs 90 soles to get there and it is only a 6 hour trip!" I hope all of you Saints with temples close realize how privileged we really are.

The funniest thing you saw or experienced during the week?

hmm... honestly this week I stressed myself out a little. We had my first Multi Zone Conference as a Zone Leader and we had to conduct the meeting. Also trying to organize the Zone P Day activity we had today with the missionaries from Chulucanas and losing our cell phone and our current replacement doesn't get cell service in our apartment... lots of stories I will surely laugh about when I get home! hahah but probably the best part was doing exchanges with Elder Volcanes in Chuluananas. Chulucanas is a town a lot like Tambo Grande, just a tad bigger. So that was fun to met some people there and teach once again with Elder Volcanes who was in my District in Lopez Albujar. We had some good laughs from all the inside jokes we developed in Lopez Albujar. We are now in process of deciding the Pokemon similarities with the missionaries in the zone. haha

This multi zone meeting was the last one with President and Sister Rowley. To end the conference, all the missionaries got up and started singing "God be with you till we meet again" and we got to shake hands with them once more afterwards. Lots of missionaries got emotional to see them leave. If I didn’t know I live pretty close to them back home I am sure I would have been a tad more emotional as well. They are top notch and they have made unforgettable marks on the lives of all of us missionaries. We will miss them when they go in 2 weeks, but we are also excited to meet and follow President Rasmussen and his wife.

This week is going to be great!! We are working to get a couple new people all set up for baptism!! We are working hard and we know what we need to do to hit our goals. So it is time to "trabajar como locos"

Well, I love you all!!! Have a great week!!

Elder Russell

Another Week Gone!

Hello family!!

Another week gone! Holy smokes!

The leadership meeting was great!! We talked a lot about setting goals and making plans, which was a great refresher. We also talked a lot about Family History and how we need to work a LOT harder with our recent converts to send names to the temple.

This week we got 3 new people with baptismal dates! One is a new couple we invited in the first lesson. The young man has yelled out to the missionaries many many times to go visit him as he has walked in the streets a little tipsy... but we finally visited him and he is willing to change and his wife is happy to see it, so we are going to start working with them and see how it goes

The other new person is a member of a LDS family. She is the aunt that has recently moved from Chimbote (if I remember right) and she likes what she sees in the member's family. So we taught her the plan of salvation and she really liked hearing all that and is working for baptism.

Questions:

How far away from the Ocean are you now?

like around 2 hours I think... maybe 1.5 hours.

What are your favorite activities to do for PDay?

Today we played Monopoly again. But I lost rather quickly today... But I like low key PDays, we work hard during the week and I like to take a rest.

How much does your rent cost?

we pay 300 soles per month. So around 100 dollars a month.

Do you have air conditioning?

Nope, but we have a fan and open windows.

Does it ever rain?

There was a rainy season where it rained like 5 or  times. Now it is just cloudy a lot of the time, which is nice.

Do you still play the piano sometimes?

Sadly no... In my whole mission I have not yet had a ward with a piano.

What was the best thing about your week?

This week we found several families where there is like just 1 or 2 baptized members in the family. Part Member Families are AWESOME. So hopefully this week we are going to get a hold of several of these families and reactivate the members and baptize the others! A lot of that came from the help of our Ward Mission Leader and his assistant because yesterday we did splits with them so we could attend our regular visits as well as go track down the inactive converts of the last 2 years. We found lots of work to do! :)

Anything else you want to share? :)

All is well! We are having fun! I am tired, but we keep working.

I finished the Book of Mormon this week!! Tuesday I finished. When we were invited by President Rowley to read the whole Book of Mormon before 1st of July, I was already in Alma 30. So I put that to the side and started over. Now I finished so I am starting back in Alma. I plan to finish before I get home and maybe try for one extra run through if I can! I LOVE the Book of Mormon. I have seen how God gives us Line upon Line, Precept upon precept. I now understand SO much more than I did 2-3 years ago when I was reading back home. This Book is loaded with amazing stuff.

Well, I honestly don't have too much more to tell! We keep working hard and I keep trying to improve! I want to become a better teacher and I've just got to keep working on it!

Well, I love you all!! Have a great week!

Elder Russell

A Busy Week!

Hello family!!

Well this week I don't have too much time to write.... I've got lots of little things to do here... send off emails in preparation for the week and print stuff out and all that jazz...

But it was a great week!! JL is doing GREAT and progressing! We've got him with several good friends now at church. Today we went out to lunch; the missionaries, J, S, and JC (2 other members that help us out a lot in visits and friends of JL) and that was really fun. He is still going strong for the 20th. We are trying to get him to go send his resume to the auto-sufficiency organization that the Piura Central Stake has so he can get his name out there for people looking to hire here in Piura, so I think this week we are going to help him figure that out.

The other missionaries are also doing well! The sister missionaries are teaching a young man who is a real character! This Sunday I sat with him the first 2 hours and I had to teach him how to read a hymnbook. some little things in the church can seem so natural, yet to others it is something completely new.

This week I got to go out and proselyte again with Elder Plata, my old companion from Tambo Grande! That was fun to see how he is doing. He is the same old Elder Plata with such a fun attitude yet he has grown in his power to teach.

Hopefully this week we are going to get a couple new people with baptismal dates!! We need it desperately!!!!!

This week a miracle happened!! Have I told you about D? She is an 8 year old girl whose grandma is a member but her mom isn't. Her mom gave permission for her to be baptized but never comes out so we can talk to her. Well... Monday we went over with the video of the Restoration. We asked D to go call for her Mom just to come watch a video with us. And FINALLY she came!!!!!! So we watched the video and Elder Mallo and I were Praying during the whole video that the spirit would just touch her heart. And it looks like it did!! Afterwards she started asking questions about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and we were able to set up a following visit for tonight to teach her the first lesson!!! So it is a miraculous start, and hopefully we can help out this entire family. :) 

As for this week: Leadership Training Meeting, meeting with the Stake President, Zone Meeting, apartment inspections, it will be busy but AWESOME!!!

Congrats to Connor!! THAT will be such a great experience! And a culture change for sure!! haha ¡Felicitaciones!

Well, that is all for this week! Love you all!!

Elder Russell

Working Hard and Having Fun!

Hello!!

To answer questions first:

What do you guys typically do on your P Days. Do you usually do something as a zone or do you do something as a companionship?

depends, it looks like this month we are planning to do zone activities every other week. Some zones have zone activities weekly, others have 1 every other month... depends where you are in the mission.

Do you get many dinner appointments?

nope. I could count the dinner appointments I have had in the mission with my hands. But that is because dinner here is a very light meal normally. Here Lunch is the big meal, and with that we do have lunch appointments. We eat with the members on the weekends.

Is there much of a difference in the weather from other areas of your mission?

Not really... Sullana is the hottest place, Tumbes after that, then Piura, and Paita and Talara always has a breeze so it isn't as hot. But the sun shines strong wherever you are. But recently it has been nice and cloudy, and cool in the night.

Have you ever used a coat?

never. for those coming to serve here in Piura: you don't need a big coat. A sweater is good to have, but you will never need anything more than that.

Is there anything that you wished you had brought with you to begin your mission?

hmm... nothing in particular. I was well set and I have always found where to buy things I needed.

Do you go on a lot of splits with the missionaries in your zone?

yes, with the District Leaders and then the Assistants also do splits with us. So we do 1 almost weekly.

Do you do any team teaching with the sister missionaries?

is that where you teach a lesson together with the sister missionaries? I have only done that once in my mission for a family home evening to introduce us to someone in our area the sister missionaries were previously teaching. but no, that isnt common, in fact I didn't even know that was a thing..

Favorite Peruvian thing of the week?

hmm...  I don't know... it is all my favorite by now! haha

Best thing about serving with Elder Mallo?

We work really well together! We are well balanced and he really knows how to use the scriptures well, so he helps me out in that. But LOTS of good things happening working with Elder Mallo.

What was your highlight of the week?

Placing a baptismal date with JL!!

So I don't have too much time!! But this week was awesome!! We are really working hard to baptize, and we are inviting everyone! And it just so happened that Sunday I had to teach Gospel Principles class about Baptism, and Elder Mallo got up at the end and announced to everyone that we are preparing baptismal services for those present who are not yet baptized. And I think it actually really got an investigator excited that the other Elders are teaching! So that has been fun!

We got J getting ready for the 20th of June!! He is progressing GREAT and loves being with us, he honestly would run around with us all day if we could! haha we just need to help him get really set on getting baptized, because he is without a job right now and he told us before that if he gets an offer out in his small home town village, he is going to go and take it.. and there is no church out there yet. So we are praying that he can find a job here in Piura so that doesn't complicate things.

We've also got C, whose nephew (even though they are the same age) is going on a mission at the end of June. He wants to get baptized and we are still trying to help out his other family members. Their home is full of potential! So C has a baptismal date and 2 other family members in the home we are trying to reactivate, so hopefully we can get that all worked out!

And we are working hard and having fun!! Today we are going to visit a hilarious family. You will have to ask me about them when I get home, they are a laugh! But hopefully we can get them baptized too!

The church is true! Hopefully this week I can finish reading the Book of Mormon, I will keep you posted! I also know that by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things. I had several spectacular experiences with that this week. I know that God is guiding us in this work.

Love you all! Keep up the good work!

Elder Russell

Goodbye Elder Montero, Hello Elder Mallo!

New companion, Elder Mallo!

Hello everyone!!

Well, today we had transfers... of the 9 companionships in the Zone, only 2 escaped without transfers. Elder Montero has left for Talara, and I am now with ELDER MALLO!!! He is from San Pedro, Argentina, which is within the province of Buenos Aires. He was in the CCM with me and he was in my District in Lopez Albujar!! I already have several photos with him from earlier on in the mission. He is super awesome! I already know him pretty well and we are going to work HARD and we are going to be awesome!!!

Elder Miller also has a new companion: ELDER PLATA! So I will now be seeing an old companion of mine on a very constant basis, and he also happened to be Elder Mallo's companion at one point. So our District is going to be very tight knit. :)

to answer some questions:

How much do you usually spend a week on food.  Do you get good food or do you usually have to buy cheaper quality food.

We get something like 350 soles to buy food and personal hygiene stuff for the month. We don't eat like church mice, but we don't eat like kings either. Every once in a blue moon we will eat something like Pizza Hut or Chilis, but normally for dinner we prepare burgers or spaghetti and breakfast is cereal or fruits.

Are there any big box retailers like a Shopko or Walmart or Target in Peru?  Do they carry the same kind of stuff that you were used to buying in the US?

Here you've got Metro, Tottus, and PlazaVea as the supermarket retailers. It is the same setup but Peruvian food. There are some of the same brands, like the world wide brands, but other than that they are Peruvian brands.

Do you speak in church very much?  Do you have to teach lessons.  

The missionaries speak in church here every month. So I personally get the chance to speak like every other month. I gave a talk last month about the Atonement with Missionary Work, which I enjoyed giving. We have been teaching Gospel Principles as missionaries (here locally that is typically the case) but this week one of our recent converts was just called to teach the class! So we are now just helpers and sit with the members. 

How many Book of Mormons do you hand out on a regular week?  Do you run into people that are unfriendly to the church?

It depends. Here we could give out Book of Mormons like chocolates and everyone would take one, but the majority would end up just covered in dust. We normally give one to every new investigator who shows interest in progressing (they read the pamphlets we gave them in the street contact, they went to church, the spirit tells us to give them one) Here we don't receive too many to give away either, speaking of logistics, we have to be wise in how we use them.

There are always some people here and there who don't like something about the church and are not afraid to tell you. Also I have seen Anti-Mormon websites as a stumbling block for people.

Do you have Sisters in your Zone or just Elders?

There are 9 companionships in total. 5 companionships of Elders and 4 of Sisters.

Best thing that happened this week?

We taught some GREAT lessons. People accepting the Restoration, People excited to read the Book of Mormon, People praying and receiving answers.

Funniest thing that happened this week?

We found a spectacular family who are very receptive and excited to meet with us. They have just become so attached to us so quickly! After the second lesson they are inviting us to go hang out with them in their house out in the countryside! They want to invite us to lunch, they always serve us something after the lessons (even though we need to get off running to the next visit), and just want to spend hours talking and chatting! They are super awesome, we just have to keep explaining the mission rules to them. But they are such a funny family! Hopefully we can keep them focused, because they are also praying and reading and they are starting to realize that this message is just what they needed. But LOTS of laughs in those visits.

Any upcoming events that you are looking forward to?

hmm.... placing baptismal dates this week. If all goes well hopefully we can have at least 4 or 5 set with baptismal dates for June this week. With Elder Mallo I know we are going to be taking care of business! He works hard and we are going to be sleeping like rocks at night!

This week was a little slower honestly, but we are getting a lot of things set to make a bang out of this week. WE also got to see a training video from the Area Presidency for Ward Council Training. And that was AWESOME! I was thinking a lot during that broadcast about how I really want to stay involved in the work of Salvation when I get home. So many missionaries are so sad when their mission ends because they feel like it is all over. I am trying to form the ways and ideas NOW in how I can continue when I get home. I LOVE the work of Salvation. And the way that the church works now to help the work progress is miraculous, I want to always stay involved. There is no other blessing like taking part in the work of Salvation.

The church is true!! The Book of Mormon changes LIVES! The Lord needs us all to work in His vineyard. This is His work.

And to the future Elder Lucas - DUDE!!! That is AWESOME!! That is YOUR mission, get ready NOW! start reading the Book of Mormon like a missionary. I didn't understand how to do that beforehand, but I wish I did. But when you read, search and mark the scriptures that relate to the missionary lessons. It will help :) Parker, I am so excited for you, seriously there is nothing better than the mission! Get pumped!! (his cousin, Parker, received his call to the Washington DC South Mission this week!)

Have a GREAT week!!

Elder Russell

Saying goodbye to Elder Montero (and others :)