Missing Organs? Jed's to blame.... (Not really)

June 30, 2014

Well I got a lot of stuff to tell you this week and I have a little bit shorter time to tell you :)

So primero. This week started off great! We played soccer in the big football field of Pativilca. The stadium. All because I’m white! When we first walked in the secretary told my companion no but when I asked she told me of course! So Yep…. We got to play for freeeee!

We had a district meeting Tuesday and said goodbye to the 10 missionaries leaving our mission and the almost 100 others being deported from Peru. Some good friends left. We did a lot of walking and contacted a lot of families. Later that night I made PIZZA in the microwave! :)

Wednesday we finally had our first correlation mission al de pativillcal. That was great! They started burning the fields of sugar in our area and it’s like Pompei; the ash just reigns down :) Later the lights went out so we ate and planned that night by candle light :)

Thursday we had a great lesson with the family Haro. It went by kinda fast. We have had some trouble contacting this week because of the fish tacos (that’s how it sounds in English). PISHTACOS…. So here is what has happened….

There is an old legend here and it says when the gringos first came here with all their factories, they used the oil of human bodies to grease their machines, (it’s a story they use here to scare their little children). The other day they found a girl not too far from here (supposedly) left with nothing. They’d taken out all of her organs. So now everyone is talking about the pishtacos... and I’m the only white guy within miles of this little town so you can imagine the attention I’m getting....

Friday we gave a lesson with two members to a family Pauca. They are getting ready to baptize. We entered thinking and feeling like we should talk about the Word of Wisdom. We gave a great lesson and gracias a dios the Spirit was really strong. Really strong. The man shared his testimony about how he was a recovering drug addict and almost died selling everything he had for the drugs. He shared how thanks to God, today he’s alive with a wonderful family. You can imagine the spirit we felt being in this lesson, it was wonderful!

Also on Friday I had the best lesson on faith. Chile played Brazil in the world cup. My companion who is trying really hard to be obedient at a huge sacrifice on his part, decided not to watch it. That day we saw a lot of people praying to God that their team would win but he didn’t watch and would just pray in the streets while we passed by every television set. In the final second they lost in penalties.... He then said a prayer thanking God excepting His will. Faith is like that, just trying your best to be obedient and praying with a real heart. However in the end accepting whatever God sends you. USA plays tomorrow :)

On Sunday no one came to church but we had the Stake President come because of a stake meeting he had. 1 man came from the entire stake ... and he wasn’t even supposed to be there, so they came talking in our ward instead. We met an uncle of a kid who is preparing to serve a mission and he’s read 15 chapters of the Book of Mormon already and has accepted to be baptized. It’s not what you say, it’s the Book of Mormon that converts them.

I’ll end the letter this week with this thought…. it was shared a lot this week. When trying to come unto (or bring others unto) Christ…. In 3 nephite it talks about how Christ told the people to bring all the sick and the afflicted to Him. It says that in the end He blessed those that brought them as well as the ones in need. To come closer to Christ, you need to bring someone. Let out a hand, serve and love others and you’ll find in bringing them to Christ you’ll find yourself and them at His feet being blessed by His hand.

I love you all,

Elder Grow

(and I swear I don’t have a box full of little children’s organs in my closet…. despite the rumors)

Thank you for your prayers.

June 23, 2014

This week started out playing soccer.... as usual. The United States won! .... which surprisingly, brought a lot of nasty comments. On Sunday half of our members didn’t even come to church. I was super excited though. The rest of the day passed normally until we went to meet with the family Haro. They are the family which we just baptized. The family was waiting for us sitting down with the two sons who have never listened to us before (Alberto y Diego). Alberto hasn’t left the house in 3 years. They came out to the living room and they sat down to listen to us. They commented how their Dad was a changed man. A friend came by with a thing of beer to watch the game and then the Dad sent his little boy out with a sol. Shortly later he came back with some soda and the Dad said “why don’t we drink some of this instead”. His son again commented on how his dad had changed; so much that he never believed it could happen. They both are now reading the Book of Mormon. One has accepted a baptism date.

Miercoles we got some interesting news, the mission is sending a bunch of missionaries out, almost 100 missionaries from Peru and the surrounding areas for visa problems, including missionaries from my group. I’m praying for them and also I’m super grateful to be staying where I’m staying.

Wednesday was a work visit and we found a new family. Thursday there was a member whose family told us he was drinking. We had been teaching his family dia de reposo but we wanted to touch on the drinking subject, though just not sure how. We went to his house said a prayer and when we finished we asked him if he wanted to go to the temple? He responded, “Yes, but first Elders, I’ve got to quit drinking and start paying my tithing and going to church”. Lessons are a lot easier when the Spirit teaches them.

We visited a family and invited them to be baptized. They didn’t know. It was a little rough but he said they’d pray about it. We gave a lesson with a family who started fighting in the middle of the lesson and just cut us off and turned on the television watching the virgin maria... We kind of just snuck out without being noticed :) They weren’t paying much attention. We’re going to go back another day a little earlier before their program comes on :)

The next day we visited with a member preparing for their mission. That was a great day. Then we had another meeting with the family Haro. 6 people came from the ward to support them. That was super wonderful! We taught about the sacerdocio (sacrament?) then we played some fun games :)

The next day, Saturday, we went and talked to the hno pauca. (The family we invited to be baptized and they were going to pray about it.) He said mas adelenate but that he felt really peaceful. We told him this was an answer and he said he’d try. I opened the scriptures and said a prayer and then came across Moroni 7:30… If you have faith you will have the power to do anything that’s prudent. It was an answer to my prayers and the man who read it and said he needed to go to church Sunday.

Domingo (Sunday) almost no one came to church except hno pauca. He stayed long enough for the first talk. It really touched him he said. Our recent convert received the priesthood. We visited his house and he taught his 30 year old son how to pray and then they read the Book of Mormon together. In his prayer the only thing he asked of God was to bless his brother in the mission. It was a great day! We visited 2 new people, placed almost 25 Books of Mormon this week, had 13 new people (all families), 7 lessons with a member…. It was a great week. Although our consejo de la rama has almost become inactive and no one has been to church for 3 weeks. At the beginning of the week it started out easy to complain but I learned quickly that a happy face and a lot of prayers helps. I felt your prayers this week and thank you so much for everything. It was wonderful and I’m happy and grateful to be here.

Elder Grow

I know and I am grateful for everything I have. If it’s a little, it’s a little....

June 16, 2014

This week has been one to count your blessings and keep moving forward. I’ve included this photo hope it doesn’t take up a lot of room but this week has been a good one.

It started out kind of slow.  We went to the beach to play soccer as usual…. Then they started the world cup. We had a zone meeting were the Hermanas talked to us.  They had 21 new people this week... putting my 1 person week from last week (practically the lowest any missionary has ever had in Pativillca) to shame :)  They told us even if it’s awkward you just need to talk to everyone that’s part of a family. With that we left and walking outside our pension for lunch we saw a man with his girl walk by.  I opened my mouth but I froze.  They walked past and ah, we felt so bad.  I looked at my companion, he looked at me, I hiked up my pants and cinched my belt, whipped out a family pamphlet…. We both laughed and took off running like mad men.  We ended up contacting him (after the Dad calmed down from what he thought was a robbery) and we’ve been doing the same this entire week.  Running back and forth contacting whoever.  It’s been fun but we’ve yet to see or have someone listen.

We entered 6 houses (all preachers of different faiths) who needless to say, were very courteous but politely told me I was going to Hell.  It’s been one of those weeks were the only thing in the entire world that could make it better is a 3 Musketeers and a brown gravy mix!  My package came and it was a super boost for me.

Friday started off with service where we spackled a rough with mud.  All day.  It was great fun and I took the longest shower in my life trying to get it off.  Saturday rolled around and we had a wedding to start it out. Everything was wonderful until they served the cup of ceremonial wine….  The man that was about to be baptized cried out SALUD and drank it.... You can image where I’m coming from in this moment.  I was devastated.  I almost cried.  We calling our leader to see what we should do.  All day long I was looking for the words to tell him he couldn’t be baptized.  Following the council of the leaders, we went to his house and we explained it to him.  After talking for a long time the Spirit told us he was still ready for baptism.  We got to the baptism and I baptized him....  It took me 5 times to get him under.  When we came out there was about 40 people.  They’d all come to see.  Then we had the wedding party and ate cake.

Sunday was their confirmation and my talk (I found out when the speaker didn’t come…. they called me from the audience).  Only 2 people came, the rest were out buying or selling or working for Father’s Day... it was really hard and it hurt a lot but I know that it’s not my job to judge or punish them (but a good old sock to the jaw of the president of quorum de elders would make me feel better) but then again the faith of everyone will be tried.

My companion and I had a hard day after with the mundial.  Every house we entered was watching (soccer) and my companion entered more than one just to watch.  Who’s going to listen to a gringo when Messi is playing (they call him a God here…. I never understood the apostasy much until now.  After standing up and leaving every house we found a family and contacted some new ones.

This week has been a little rough for me, trying my faith on what makes a missionary and where I am and who I want to be, why being so obedient when other missionaries (who aren’t always) are having more success…. my companion struggles a lot with that.   I know and I am grateful for everything I have.  If it’s a little, it’s a little. I know that I’m not perfect I’m far from it, but I’m happy.  It’s been wonderful.  Now we have to work on this man so he can get the priesthood next week and serve the sacrament.

I love you all, and I’m wishing you a happy week. Thank you for your prayers.


Elder Grow J

Do what is right let the consequence follow

June 9, 2014

I love you all so much and thank you so much for your emails. This week has been super difficult and joyous. We had a ….not fight…. but a discussion with the other Elders of our ward to start off the week. There were two gringos that kept saying how we were super fun but boring and if we would just lighten up on the rules the ward would like us better (preface we’re having some difficulty with the members because they are not doing what they’re supposed to) Me and my companion insisted that if we keep being obedient the blessings will come.

Then the irony from heaven…. the next day we got a call from someone asking for the number of the other Elders…. he had a baptism for them. They got a freebee baptism. My companion and I were a little confused :) We have the faith and confidence in the blessings from God…. Just if He’s sending them here to Peru I’m sure that it will take at least 2 weeks extra to get here because well the world cup is starting and the entire country has come to a dead halt. It’s amazing. Not even in the Usa do we celebrate the super bowl this obsessively. We can’t even walk into a house without hearing about it, so no one wants to hear about the gospel it seems.

We are walking about 20 miles every day, and contacting with our charm, and the Spirit of course. It’s hard work. We’ve had 15 lessons (an area record) with less actives and rescued 1 and gave another 2 callings. All was going great in our ward till we walked passed our pinchanista (who has a restaurant on the main floor) and saw our bishop with his wife eating out... it seems like we are the only two people in this entire city that want to follow the rules or are even worrying about them and frankly the only two people who are dead tired with nothing to show for it :)

Well Rocky came from a little town in Philadelphia and won... like 5 times... in 5 different movies, Michael Jordan made a film with the Looney Tunes! Miracles happen and they will! Just trying our faith. The lesson is from President Holland…. the bumper sticker question …. What Would Jesus Do?.... doesn’t always bring a popular response. Do what is right let the consequence follow

Love,

Elder Grow :)

I will keep fighting and believe as should you, because we’re going to win! Its already been decided!

June 2, 2014

If this week were a joke, it’d be the following:

Movie Plot:

ACT 1

500 airplanes drop 500 lbs of bombs on vatican city

ACT 2

1000 planes drop 1000 lbs of bombs on the vatican

ACT 3 

1500 planes drop 2000 lbs of bombs on the vatican

So what’s the title of the movie? 

puré de papa (pope) ...... hahahahahahah (it means mashed potatoes) 

Today was a wonderful day, and today was cambios (transfers) and.... IM STAYING IN PATIVILLCA! :)

I’m super happy. The week started out... very bad. It’s one of those ones were you just want a mission change to Australia :) …. but then you realize that you just have to keep on walking :) Monday, we did nothing but played football. Tuesday we visited the family Manchego. They are trying to reactivate and having some difficulties because of his work. We promised if he´d pay his tithing and prayed, that God would bless him. The next day we stopped by and learned he lost his job. He was able to come to church on Sunday.... God answers prayers but often in mysterious ways. After our visit there we had practically else until Saturday; we had zero lessons. Zero. No one listened to us.

Wednesday, we had A WEDDING! We’re marrying the family Haro! They want to get married! :) I was so happy. Then we visited Luis Banifacio. Saturday came and we visited a new family. They promised to read the Book of Mormon. We then had one of our 5 min family home evenings, but I hadn’t brought any candy so we broke some french bread into little pieces and played a game.... it was pathetic, but great fun!

Sunday came and once we were at church we saw the family Manchego had come; also Hermana Valentina and Irwin Ortiz (a less active member we had visited) who stood up and bore his testimony for the first time in 6 years! I was so happy! We ended the night with tacos.... Well…. meat in bread with tobacco. Sooo good :) It was just a really good day :)

AND Today!!!! …. well I’m not leaving!! :)

The message for you today is that miracles are real! They exist!! There is no other explanation! I know because I’ve seen them pass into the lives of the people here. I will keep fighting and believe as should you, because we’re going to win! Its already been decided :)

I’m super happy. Me and my companion are working hard and loving life and hopefully everything will go by good this change :)

I love you all and I’m super happy :)

Love,

Elder Grow