The Peru Piura Missionaries
(Can you find Elder Russell? He really stands out in a crowd, if you ask me :)
Hello family!!
Well, this week has been a crazy one!!
Hermana Mara was married and baptized!! That was such a miracle,
there were so many hurdles to overcome and SHE DID IT! This was all such a
happy occasion for us as missionaries and her family as well. Next Sunday will
be the confirmation, and I am so excited to see her progress as she continues
to grow more and more in the church. She will be a very strong member of the
branch and I have learned so much from her and she has strengthened MY
testimony!
Hermano Jacinto and Hermana Mara have several children, they are
also grandparents. Peralta Kemper, or we know her as Marion, is a family
friend, and a recent convert. She is a great help in the missionary work and goes
on visits with us often.
About the typical day, the missionary work is greatly changing.
Where 2 years ago, it was all about street contacts and knocking on doors. Now,
we do none of that. It is all about references, which we try to ask for in
every lesson from every person we teach, and also to retain the members we
already have. We learned that this past year in the area Suramerica Noeoste
(northwest, covering about 5 countries, including my mission) there were 35,500
baptisms, but church attendance only increased 10,000. Where are the other
25,000?! Well, that's what the ward/branch/full time missionary work is being
focused on, recent converts and less actives. And when we baptize, we baptize
CONVERTS. So a lot less knocking on doors and focus on baptisms. And more focus
on all of these people being baptized AND receiving their temple ordinances and
enduring to the end. It's a great work to be a part of!
Bueno, Thanksgiving isn't a thing here, but me and Elder
Inocente were going to buy a couple pizzas to celebrate. But we are deciding to
wait until Tuesday because that is when they have the 2 for 1 deals. haha! (always a bargain hunter :) BUT,
Hermana Marion and Lourdes bought me and Elder Inocente hamburgers that night
and that was a golden Thanksgiving dinner, something to remind me of my USA
home! :)
All is going well, I always love hearing from you all and
knowing what you are all up to! I always think and pray about you guys, I get
lost in the work a lot, but I still always think about and miss you! Keep going, the
missionary work is beginning to have another focus on enduring to the end, and
I hope you are all focusing on that for yourselves too! I imagine that eternal
life is a pretty good reward if we just stick with it and choose the right. And
I know that this church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church
and living it's teachings is choosing the right. I know this to be true because
the Holy Ghost has born testimony of it to me. And you can all receive this
testimony as well if you test it out. And for me, I want a stronger testimony
of it so I hope and pray I can continue to persevere and know with a surety
that is a little stronger every day. And that should be a goal for all of us! I
know that if we continue to work, our testimony will continue to grow.
I love you all!! I have started my Christmas countdown, and I
love reading all of your notes!! Uncle Bryan, yours today about self motivation
was superb and I hope to apply that to myself as I continue in my missionary
service. I wish you the very best in the beginning of this Christmas season,
and I am so grateful for you all!!
Ok, well, I am off! Love you all! I hope I answered a couple
more questions, I don't think I will ever answer them all! haha but we´ll keep
working on it!
Con amor y felicidad,
Elder Russell
Congratulations to Hermana Mara and Hermano Jacinto!
(with Elder Inocente, Elder Arce and Elder Walker who are also serving in Sechura)
Hermana Mara's baptism day!
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