Well this week was pretty darn good. We had cambios/transfers last week, and I’m with Elder Puma (from Cusco, Peru). We worked really hard, and it was an awesome week. He speaks Quechua already so we are visiting a ton more people (that only speak Quechua), and it’s been pretty crazy and fun. Sometimes I understand everything, but other times, I don’t understand a darn thing. Hahaha. I think it’s just because some people talk faster or not as strict (like not following all the rules). But it’s helped a ton to have a comp who speaks it fluently.
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| Left to Right: E. Bird, E. Vergara, E. Sorensen and E. Nieto. |
Ok so martes/Tuesday, I was with Elder Waldvogel (from Utah)
most of the day while he waited for his companion to get here and while I
waited for Elder Puma to get packed. We made it to Betanzos in the afternoon
and had lunch and then went to the few citas/appointments we had. We were
hoping to visit Max, but he wasn´t home and we ended up teaching his two
younger siblings. It went super well. Later we visited with Remedios and
Virgilio and read the Book of Mormon with them and reminded them about what
they need to do so they can go to the temple in May.
Mièrcoles/Wednesday I got up and there was water to shower,
so I actually worked out pretty good. I’ve gotten kind of lazy. Haha. We had a
good personal study and companionship study, and then we left. We looked for
several past investigators and then contacted a bit. It was pretty cool. We
contacted this kid and were teaching him in front of his house, and then this
teenage girl (13) walked by and was like “Do you guys teach about the Bible?” And
we were like of course. :) And then she asked if we could teach her. So we
taught the two about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the principles and
ordinances of it. She is super smart and knows a ton of the Bible and has a ton
of questions for us. It was super cool to be ‘contacted’ instead of us reaching
out. Hahaha. Also it is awesome to see how God leads us or people to us who
really are ready and looking for the truth. After lunch we went out and looked
for our investigators and members. We actually found most of them (or were able
to teach most of them). We taught Raul and Julia about the Plan of Salvation
and then invited Julia to be baptized, but she said she wasn’t ready. Then she
changed the conversation, and we kept coming back to baptism and she just kept
talking about other stuff. Soooo... haha, it was still a pretty cool lesson
though. We also visited with a guy named Roger who normally is living in Sucre
to study at the Universidad. We have taught him several times in the past, and
so we reviewed the lessons to see what he remembered. Then we invited him to be
baptized, and he accepted!! Now the only problem is getting him to come to
church. He always says he doesn’t know if he will be here or in Sucre. So we
told him to go in Sucre if he is there. Kind of goofy and a bit harder to help
him, but he is super awesome. Later we visited with Hermana Daría and read the
Book of Mormon with her. We read and then talked about her going to the temple
and what she needs to do. She is super awesome, and it always makes my day to
see her limp slowly into the church every Sunday. She used to never come and
say she would never come back, and now she comes every single Sunday. :)
Jueves/Thursday we studied and then planned our coming week.
Elder Puma wants to learn English, and I want to learn Quechua so we are
helping each other a ton. It’s pretty fun. After lunch we went out to Tecoya
and looked for several people out there. Unfortunately we found nobody and didn’t
teach anybody. We contacted several people and even helped this guy and his two
kids carry carrots from their field to the road. Hahaha. It was a good workout.
(It was probably like a quarter mile but through a field.) We talked to him, and
then he tried to pay us, but of course we declined, but we asked for a visit
sabado instead. Later we visited with the Estrada family, but the parents were
busy so we didn’t get to teach anything.
Viernes/Friday, we went to Potosi for our district meeting,
and it was pretty cool. When we meet as a zone, we all introduce ourselves and
only 3 elders in our zone have more than a year in the mission. Pretty crazy.
Most are either being trained or recently finished being trained. It’s sweet
because we are all super new and just want to work. After getting back to
Betanzos and having lunch, we went to work. We had several good citas. One was
with a contact from miércoles, and it was a little goofy but super good. The hermano
(named Jernardo) apparently had met with missionaries before and assists a
different church (with a few different ideas). It was a great lesson though,
and I felt the Spirit pretty good. I don’t remember which day, but in my
personal study I was reading Preach My Gospel about being a successful
missionary. I really liked how it didn’t say anything about teaching or
baptizing tons of people, but it did say something like “You can know you are a
successful missionary when you feel the Spirit.” I really liked that. Later we headed
to see the teenage girl that contacted us miércoles, and we found her and her
older brother. We taught them all of the Plan of Salvation, and they both had
tons of questions and it was super cool to answer them. They had a tough time
believing that there is a prophet and apostles and that this really is the true
church. I normally show a picture of the prophet and his counselors and the
twelve apostles. I was saying something like, “I know these guys are called of
God and really do talk with Him and tell us what He says. I know this is the
only true church on the earth, and it really is guided by Jesus Christ.” The
brother (Felipe 22yrs) was like, “Well of course, maybe, you think that, but
everyone has different opinions.” I kind of got a little defensive of my
testimony and said, “No for reals. I really know this stuff is true. I know it.
It’s not just my opinion or nothing. I have prayed and looked to know if it’s
true, and I really know it’s the true Church of Jesus Christ because of the
feelings I have felt and keep feeling from the Holy Ghost.” I felt the Spirit
pretty strong while saying that, and after we left, I got to thinking a
successful missionary isn’t found in someone who baptizes or teaches a ton; it’s
found if they feel the Spirit. And I´ve easily recognized I feel the Spirit
most in my studies and when I share my testimony with others. Later, we visited
a member family (the Chambi family) who has a son on a mission in Peru and will be coming home in
May. They are a pretty cool family.
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| Sofia Chambi took a picture of me and sent it to my mom. Sofia thought the filter (with the glasses & hat) was funny. |
Sabado/Saturday we studied and then left to visit a few
people in Betanzos. We visited with Luis Acarapi (who we’ve taught several
times but we always have a hard time finding him). We taught him the Plan of Salvation
and then invited him to be baptized, and he politely declined and told us
straight up he isn´t ready yet. I really liked his frankness and not like
beating around the bush or changing the topic. He is super awesome, and we
reminded him it’s his decision and requires his effort to find his testimony
and desires to act. After lunch, we visited with Silvia. She is pretty awesome
and knows a lot about the Bible and different churches. She says she has the
desires to follow Jesus Christ, but every time we invite her to come to church,
she always says she can´t, like she doesn’t have time, or has to sell or some
excuse. Kind of sad really that she doesn’t have enough faith to leave work and
other stuff to come to church. After, we went out to Tecoya and looked for the
people we didn’t find jueves. We found Remberto and answered some of his
questions and told him about General Conference coming up. One of his questions
was pretty interesting. He asked if the Book of Mormon is like the Bible and
the word of God, why doesn’t everybody have it or read it like the Bible? Or
why isn’t it available to buy in regular religious Bible stores? We explained
that a lot of people don’t accept it as the word of God. Also that that’s our
job as missionaries; we are here to share it with everybody and teach them
about it. And then he asked, “If all the members do the same, like if the Book
of Mormon is for everybody, then whoever has got it or understands it should
share it.” He is right, no?? Soo... I invite all of you to share the Book of
Mormon with somebody, a friend, a neighbor, a family member, somebody who
doesn´t know about it. If they don´t accept it, that’s ok, but just try, and I
know that God will help you. Later we looked for the guy that we carried the
carrots with Jueves, and we found him!! Hahaha. (His name is Victor.) He
started laughing when he opened the door and saw us. I think he was surprised
to see us, and we were just as surprised when he let us in and actually
listened to us. Later we visited a few member families and then came back to
Betanzos and visited with Hermana Daría and 5 or 6 of her grandkids. We read
Alma 34 and then answered their questions.
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| E. Sorensen and E. Bird. |
Domingo/Sunday, I was going to teach the jovenes/youth
because my comp wants to be in the primary. I had my lesson all ready, but then
the family history people from the stake came and kept everyone together. It
was awesome what they did though because now tons of members have family names
that they can take to the temple in May. After church, we had a really good
ward council (with help from our high councilor). After lunch we went to Tecoya
and taught the institute class. Then we came to Potosi and cooked pizza with
Elder Nieto and his new companion, Elder Montenegro from Ecuador too.
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| E. Sorensen and E. Vergara from Ecuador. |
Today we played soccer all morning. It was fun, but I missed
my old comp (Elder Vergara). He plays soccer professionally in Ecuador. And
also Elder Bird who is in Cochabamba. It was still a good pday though. We are
all super excited for General Conference. I’m also super excited to see tons of
members from the ward go to the temple (many for the first time) and be sealed
as families for eternity. I hope we can go with them, one because I really miss
the temple a lot and two because I’d love to share the experience with all of
them. Well that’s about it from me out here in Betanzos
Les amo!!
Elder Sorensen