This last week we had changes and i have been left to keep working in my area. At first i was depressed but then a couple of miracles happened this week to change my mind completely. Lets start off with the good things that have happened.
We were lead to a family this last week that are just awesome. The three kids are super and have every desire to get baptized and only after 2 lessons! Their names are Jimmy, Jiseña and Iris. They are awesome and are gonna get baptized this next month. We taught them the first lesson and they were hanging on every one of our words during the lesson. And then we read 3 Nephi 11 together, and at the end they asked us if they could get baptized and we said OF COURSE! So they are already well on their way to getting baptized this next month.
Another great thing happened. We had the baptism of Mishell this last weekend! It was a great experience and everyone came. There were 26 people there and all were the family of her. We had been working with her forever and we finally got permission for her baptism. And the funny thing was when all the family of the mother that are members were praising Elder Muñoz and I for what we were able to accomplish. We were practically famous for a day haha.
Things have made a drastic change in these last few weeks and it has made things so much better for me. I learned from my hard time patience and humility. Also, our zone leaders are going through it now, so i can help them out a lot now. Its funny and amazing how things can change so quickly and how we can all help people in their times of need.
We have also made great strides with the ward. They are now going to help us out a lot more. We are setting up a program for our investigators so that people that have passed through similar problems as them can help us out in the lessons and provide the help that the people need.
Life has made a 180 and it is truly amazing. I hope that everyone has a great week this week and remember that the tough times suck, but there is always a purpose. Humble yourself enough to find it. I love you all and i also received the letters from the whole family and they were awesome! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Now im gonna go take a nap haha. Ill write you next week!
Elder Washburn
Monday, August 24, 2009
Well, it has been yet another tough week for us, and our leaders are letting us have it for the unsuccess that we are having.
This week, we actually had a great change come around, we found some new people to teach and they look to be good investigators, but they all decided not to come to church on sunday. It was very discouraging that none of the people that we were teaching came to church on sunday, so that puts them back even farther on their progression. But the ward is chaning and they are working to bring things back to the way that they were. They are visiting people and giving us references to new people. We still have visited any of them, because they gave them all to us on sunday, but this week we shall see how are these references. I am just hoping that they arent like the last 10 that we have received from them, which were the following. He is a drunk, doesnt live much in the house, and he needs your help, oh ad he doesnt know that your coming. So much for a reference.
Elder Muñoz is doing alright, but he is having a peeing problem, and is always getting up in lessons and peeing, not to mention in bed sometimes. Its pretty gross, and our room smells of it too. He is still learning how to be a missionary, but its as if he doesnt listen to me and just doddles the whole day. I just feel like i am doing this whole thing by myself, and then when we dont have great success, our leaders love to rip me a new one. It is quite a pleasurable time out here right now, im just hopin and praying that it gets better some time soon.
I hope you get to move into the house soon, and get this whole thing done. Im sure that it will get done in the near future. One thing that my president told me was that when we dont have blessings here, the people at home are the ones receiving them. So ENJOY YOUR BLESSINGS haha.
I did read one thing this week that helped me out a lot. I was looking in the teachings of the prophets by joseph smith and found a great couple of pages. I read that no person in this world is worthy of the celestial kindgom without receiving great and demanding tasks. Also that the people that survive through the trials, and WITHOUT complaining are the ones to be crowned with glory by the Lord. It has given me a little more drive and personal reflection, and i have changed me prayers from take away these challenges to give me the strength to learn from them and make it through them.
I hope you all enjoy your weeks and all goes well in your life.
Elder Washburn
This week, we actually had a great change come around, we found some new people to teach and they look to be good investigators, but they all decided not to come to church on sunday. It was very discouraging that none of the people that we were teaching came to church on sunday, so that puts them back even farther on their progression. But the ward is chaning and they are working to bring things back to the way that they were. They are visiting people and giving us references to new people. We still have visited any of them, because they gave them all to us on sunday, but this week we shall see how are these references. I am just hoping that they arent like the last 10 that we have received from them, which were the following. He is a drunk, doesnt live much in the house, and he needs your help, oh ad he doesnt know that your coming. So much for a reference.
Elder Muñoz is doing alright, but he is having a peeing problem, and is always getting up in lessons and peeing, not to mention in bed sometimes. Its pretty gross, and our room smells of it too. He is still learning how to be a missionary, but its as if he doesnt listen to me and just doddles the whole day. I just feel like i am doing this whole thing by myself, and then when we dont have great success, our leaders love to rip me a new one. It is quite a pleasurable time out here right now, im just hopin and praying that it gets better some time soon.
I hope you get to move into the house soon, and get this whole thing done. Im sure that it will get done in the near future. One thing that my president told me was that when we dont have blessings here, the people at home are the ones receiving them. So ENJOY YOUR BLESSINGS haha.
I did read one thing this week that helped me out a lot. I was looking in the teachings of the prophets by joseph smith and found a great couple of pages. I read that no person in this world is worthy of the celestial kindgom without receiving great and demanding tasks. Also that the people that survive through the trials, and WITHOUT complaining are the ones to be crowned with glory by the Lord. It has given me a little more drive and personal reflection, and i have changed me prayers from take away these challenges to give me the strength to learn from them and make it through them.
I hope you all enjoy your weeks and all goes well in your life.
Elder Washburn
Hey Family and friends!
Another tough week at the work of the Lord, and we finally have a spark of hope for this month of august. After many months of talking wih the father of a young woman, he has finally allowed her to be baptized this month! For about 6-7 months, the missionaries have been fighting to get her baptized, and we were finally able to do it! Her baptism is for the 22nd, so we hope all goes well, and they dont get stage fright at the end.
Other than her, there hasnt been much success. This week we had the chance to go to the temple and to a conference. The Temple was awesome and it gave me a lot of strength to keep pressing on in this work and area. We also have been praying for one of our Zone Leaders that has a hernia and could probably ending his mission early. The Zone has taken a hit from his absence and we all have been trying to stay positive for him. We also had problems with our room and have been asked to leave as well. So we are going to move in with the Zone Leaders.
Things have been quite the challenge for us, but we have been having a little success. We are becoming more dedicated to the rules and keeping every one of them and we have seen the results from that. We have found new investigators this week and they look to be promising. We can only hope that the work continues as it is and that we can find more people to teach.
One great thing has happened this week. About two weeks ago, we came across a woman named Edith. She was quite the case for us. As we started to teach her, she opened up her soul to us and told us about her life. She had once tried to commit suicide, she hates her husband, doesnt even want her children and tried to abandon them once, and she doesnt believe in God whatsoever. This last saturday, we went to visit her once again. In the previous visit we asked her to pray twice a day to know if God exists. As we visited her we asked her how her prayers were and she told us that she had prayed everyday, at least twice a day. We told her to keep doing that and then we started to teach about faith. At one point we asked her if she had any questions and she asked us two amazing questions. The first being that she believed that God had put us into her path and that he lead us to her. I told her that it was true, in our planning that we do every night, i had the impression to visit this area where she lived and to knock doors. We were personally lead by the Lord to her house and specifically to her. She then asked us why she felt so different around us and at church, she said that it was if she was walking on clouds. I explained to her that it was the spirit that we bring and how we are the only church that brings that spirit with us. I then told her that she could feel that way everyday if she would be baptized. She said that she would like that.
Through this experience i have come to realize two grand things. The first being that our Heavenly Father is always aware of our situations and is always ready to bless us. He desires to speak to us at night and we must be willing to do so, so that he can help us. I have also come to learn of the great calling that it is to be a missionary and to be a member of this church. We have something special that no one else has, but that everyone desires. The truth and the guidance of the Lord. I know that this church is true, and that all of our experiences are for a reason. She is the reason for why i am here, and now i dont have the desire to leave, but i hope to be able to stay until she becomes baptized.
I love my mission, all the great and hard times are well worth it.
Elder Washburn
Another tough week at the work of the Lord, and we finally have a spark of hope for this month of august. After many months of talking wih the father of a young woman, he has finally allowed her to be baptized this month! For about 6-7 months, the missionaries have been fighting to get her baptized, and we were finally able to do it! Her baptism is for the 22nd, so we hope all goes well, and they dont get stage fright at the end.
Other than her, there hasnt been much success. This week we had the chance to go to the temple and to a conference. The Temple was awesome and it gave me a lot of strength to keep pressing on in this work and area. We also have been praying for one of our Zone Leaders that has a hernia and could probably ending his mission early. The Zone has taken a hit from his absence and we all have been trying to stay positive for him. We also had problems with our room and have been asked to leave as well. So we are going to move in with the Zone Leaders.
Things have been quite the challenge for us, but we have been having a little success. We are becoming more dedicated to the rules and keeping every one of them and we have seen the results from that. We have found new investigators this week and they look to be promising. We can only hope that the work continues as it is and that we can find more people to teach.
One great thing has happened this week. About two weeks ago, we came across a woman named Edith. She was quite the case for us. As we started to teach her, she opened up her soul to us and told us about her life. She had once tried to commit suicide, she hates her husband, doesnt even want her children and tried to abandon them once, and she doesnt believe in God whatsoever. This last saturday, we went to visit her once again. In the previous visit we asked her to pray twice a day to know if God exists. As we visited her we asked her how her prayers were and she told us that she had prayed everyday, at least twice a day. We told her to keep doing that and then we started to teach about faith. At one point we asked her if she had any questions and she asked us two amazing questions. The first being that she believed that God had put us into her path and that he lead us to her. I told her that it was true, in our planning that we do every night, i had the impression to visit this area where she lived and to knock doors. We were personally lead by the Lord to her house and specifically to her. She then asked us why she felt so different around us and at church, she said that it was if she was walking on clouds. I explained to her that it was the spirit that we bring and how we are the only church that brings that spirit with us. I then told her that she could feel that way everyday if she would be baptized. She said that she would like that.
Through this experience i have come to realize two grand things. The first being that our Heavenly Father is always aware of our situations and is always ready to bless us. He desires to speak to us at night and we must be willing to do so, so that he can help us. I have also come to learn of the great calling that it is to be a missionary and to be a member of this church. We have something special that no one else has, but that everyone desires. The truth and the guidance of the Lord. I know that this church is true, and that all of our experiences are for a reason. She is the reason for why i am here, and now i dont have the desire to leave, but i hope to be able to stay until she becomes baptized.
I love my mission, all the great and hard times are well worth it.
Elder Washburn
Hey Everybody!
First i have some bad news for everyone, i can no longer use pouch mail to send you guys letters. So sorry that i cant write you guys anymore, but when i find a way i will try to do so. It only adds another challenge to life out here in Bayovar.
This week has gotten a little better. We still dont have anyone to teach, but things are looking better for us in the future. I dont know how, but i have a little more faith that its going to happen soon.
This week has been really crazy for us out here. On Friday, we went to the doctors office in the night for my companion. It took us one hour and a half to get there, and then once we got to the hospital, another bad thing happened. The doctor wasnt in the office that day. So we had to just turn around and go home. We searched for a taxi for two hours and we couldnt find one. Finally we found one to take us home. It was a waste of a day, and a waste of 40 soles. I was a little mad, but i got over it quickly. Saturday was even worse in a million ways. We have this one woman named Jenny that wants to get baptized and was going to get married on Saturday. We had an Alcalde, that can marry people, ready to go on saturday in a city called Chosica. Well saturday was as follows. I got a call from the couple on saturday saying that they were ready to go at 7. I was still waiting permission from my leaders so i told them to wait. We went to breakfast, but i was dumb and locked my keys in my room. So when we came back we just waited until the locksmith was in his tienda. We did use the telephone of the other elders to call the zone leaders, and they told us that there are no weddings in chosica today. The alcalde had flacked out. Well as we waited, the sister of the couple came to us at 930 asking us why we werent at their house. Everyone, that is their family, is in the bus and ready to go. We told them that there wont be weddings and they were devestated. I then had to tell the couple. They too were devestated and almost killed us, literally. We found out of some other mas group matrimonies here in san juan de lurigancho, so we left to go their. We got there at 1130 when they had already ended the ceremony. From there, everyone started to fight, and then they turned against us saying that we were the guilty ones for this. After about an hour and a half of this, we went home. They went to their house to eat the lunch that they already had prepared. After we ate we went to their house to visit them. Jenny, who wants to be baptized, understood that it wasnt our fault, and was still looking forward to getting married and baptized. This helped us out a lot too. They day continued pretty normal, and then the night came. While we were in our room, we got a call from Hma. Luz, who lives around the corner from Jenny. She called us and told us that Jenny and her husband, are drunk in the street. That really broke me down. I wasnt mad, but just sad that it happened.
Another hard week it has been for me out here in Peru, but i still dont feel hopeless like i did before. I know that i am here for a reason, and i need not whine about my situation because there are worse situations.
Thank you for your prayers and love, i have really needed them this last week, and i still need them. I hope everything is well with the house, and that you are doing much better than me haha.
Love
Elder Washburn
First i have some bad news for everyone, i can no longer use pouch mail to send you guys letters. So sorry that i cant write you guys anymore, but when i find a way i will try to do so. It only adds another challenge to life out here in Bayovar.
This week has gotten a little better. We still dont have anyone to teach, but things are looking better for us in the future. I dont know how, but i have a little more faith that its going to happen soon.
This week has been really crazy for us out here. On Friday, we went to the doctors office in the night for my companion. It took us one hour and a half to get there, and then once we got to the hospital, another bad thing happened. The doctor wasnt in the office that day. So we had to just turn around and go home. We searched for a taxi for two hours and we couldnt find one. Finally we found one to take us home. It was a waste of a day, and a waste of 40 soles. I was a little mad, but i got over it quickly. Saturday was even worse in a million ways. We have this one woman named Jenny that wants to get baptized and was going to get married on Saturday. We had an Alcalde, that can marry people, ready to go on saturday in a city called Chosica. Well saturday was as follows. I got a call from the couple on saturday saying that they were ready to go at 7. I was still waiting permission from my leaders so i told them to wait. We went to breakfast, but i was dumb and locked my keys in my room. So when we came back we just waited until the locksmith was in his tienda. We did use the telephone of the other elders to call the zone leaders, and they told us that there are no weddings in chosica today. The alcalde had flacked out. Well as we waited, the sister of the couple came to us at 930 asking us why we werent at their house. Everyone, that is their family, is in the bus and ready to go. We told them that there wont be weddings and they were devestated. I then had to tell the couple. They too were devestated and almost killed us, literally. We found out of some other mas group matrimonies here in san juan de lurigancho, so we left to go their. We got there at 1130 when they had already ended the ceremony. From there, everyone started to fight, and then they turned against us saying that we were the guilty ones for this. After about an hour and a half of this, we went home. They went to their house to eat the lunch that they already had prepared. After we ate we went to their house to visit them. Jenny, who wants to be baptized, understood that it wasnt our fault, and was still looking forward to getting married and baptized. This helped us out a lot too. They day continued pretty normal, and then the night came. While we were in our room, we got a call from Hma. Luz, who lives around the corner from Jenny. She called us and told us that Jenny and her husband, are drunk in the street. That really broke me down. I wasnt mad, but just sad that it happened.
Another hard week it has been for me out here in Peru, but i still dont feel hopeless like i did before. I know that i am here for a reason, and i need not whine about my situation because there are worse situations.
Thank you for your prayers and love, i have really needed them this last week, and i still need them. I hope everything is well with the house, and that you are doing much better than me haha.
Love
Elder Washburn
Hey!
This week has been quite the grind for us out here in Peru. We have only one person to teach, but she is set for her baptism and her marriage for this week, so unfortunately after she gets married and baptized we wont have anyone more to teach. We are kinda bumed for that. But i do have to report on a great experience that i had this week
I have been pretty down this week because its raining everyday, and there is lots of mud and we have no one to teach. So one day before i started to study i said a long prayer begging to read something that could help me. Afterwords i opened up to where i left of in my reading of the Doctrine and Convenants. I opened up to Section 122. I read the section and was filled with hope. I wont say what was inside, but i challenge you to read it and apply it. It holds a great secret to happiness inside and can help anyone in any hard situation.
From that moment forward, my attitude changed and i started to feel like there was hope in my area. Saturday we worked our butts off, as well as sunday. We finished the week strong and we are looking to make next week even better.
I still need your prayers to help me out because i still am dragging a little. Having to teach someone to be a missionary, but then not being able to give him anyone to teach is quite burdening for me. But i know that we will have someone soon.
Enjoy your week and go have some fun!
Elder Washburn
This week has been quite the grind for us out here in Peru. We have only one person to teach, but she is set for her baptism and her marriage for this week, so unfortunately after she gets married and baptized we wont have anyone more to teach. We are kinda bumed for that. But i do have to report on a great experience that i had this week
I have been pretty down this week because its raining everyday, and there is lots of mud and we have no one to teach. So one day before i started to study i said a long prayer begging to read something that could help me. Afterwords i opened up to where i left of in my reading of the Doctrine and Convenants. I opened up to Section 122. I read the section and was filled with hope. I wont say what was inside, but i challenge you to read it and apply it. It holds a great secret to happiness inside and can help anyone in any hard situation.
From that moment forward, my attitude changed and i started to feel like there was hope in my area. Saturday we worked our butts off, as well as sunday. We finished the week strong and we are looking to make next week even better.
I still need your prayers to help me out because i still am dragging a little. Having to teach someone to be a missionary, but then not being able to give him anyone to teach is quite burdening for me. But i know that we will have someone soon.
Enjoy your week and go have some fun!
Elder Washburn
A very good week out here in the Dust Bowl of Bayovar, that has recently turned into the mud slide.
We had yet another baptism thus completing our goal of 3 baptisms for the month! Natali, or Monchi as i like to call her, was baptized this last saturday and it was a great baptism. She is the cutest little girl and i felt honored to have baptized her. Her mother is inactive but the rest of her extended family are members and are going to help her out. But she is super devoted to the church and loves it there.
One funny thing did happen this week, more of a miracle than anything else. As we went to the room on saturday to get the baptismal clothing, my companion locked the keys in the room on accident. We left for the baptism knowing we could take care of the problem after it. Once we got back, we started to manipulate different ways to enter into the room. We tried jimmying the lock to no avail, and then we got the idea of going through the window. Well those are on the second story, so we asked the owner for the keys and he said that he didnt have any. WELL, we asked for a ladder to try the windows. Ya, Peru has a different concept of what a ladder entails. It was a rusty old oil drum with a very old rickety wooden ladder on top of it. I lost rock paper scissors to my companion so i had to scale the ladder of death. I got to the windows and turns out that they are locked too. I climbed back down and then asked for the keys that they had to the house. He pulled out a bunch of different ones and we went to the door. He tried 8 or 9 keys to no avail. He got to the last key, and i started to pray in my head that the door would open. The key didnt work, but he tried it once again and opened the door! I grabbed the keys with much relief. The owner tried the key one more time and it wouldnt work at all. He asked me how it worked and i told him that it was faith.
Its not a grand miracle but it still counts for me. I now have a stronger testimony of the power of prayer. The scripture that states Ask and ye shall recieve, knock and it shall be opened up to you, brings new meaning to me. I know that it is true, whether it be with an actual door or if you are looking for an answer to a question. Ask and it shall be given.
I love being a missionary. Another great thing happened as well. One elder that had been very prideful lately was humbled last night. He entered into our room and begged for our pardon. He started to cry and said that he truly had seen the errors of his ways. He asked for council and we gave it to him and then we gave him a huge hugged as he cried into our chests. The power of the atonement covers all sorrows and helps us to become better. He is now a great friend and i look forward to spending more time with him here.
Bayovar is pretty ugly, but the miracles that i see change my perpesctive. Its beautful here.
I love you all and thank you for your individual prayers, i feel them throughout the day and they give me the help i need to be succesful. Thank you so much.
Elder Washburn
We had yet another baptism thus completing our goal of 3 baptisms for the month! Natali, or Monchi as i like to call her, was baptized this last saturday and it was a great baptism. She is the cutest little girl and i felt honored to have baptized her. Her mother is inactive but the rest of her extended family are members and are going to help her out. But she is super devoted to the church and loves it there.
One funny thing did happen this week, more of a miracle than anything else. As we went to the room on saturday to get the baptismal clothing, my companion locked the keys in the room on accident. We left for the baptism knowing we could take care of the problem after it. Once we got back, we started to manipulate different ways to enter into the room. We tried jimmying the lock to no avail, and then we got the idea of going through the window. Well those are on the second story, so we asked the owner for the keys and he said that he didnt have any. WELL, we asked for a ladder to try the windows. Ya, Peru has a different concept of what a ladder entails. It was a rusty old oil drum with a very old rickety wooden ladder on top of it. I lost rock paper scissors to my companion so i had to scale the ladder of death. I got to the windows and turns out that they are locked too. I climbed back down and then asked for the keys that they had to the house. He pulled out a bunch of different ones and we went to the door. He tried 8 or 9 keys to no avail. He got to the last key, and i started to pray in my head that the door would open. The key didnt work, but he tried it once again and opened the door! I grabbed the keys with much relief. The owner tried the key one more time and it wouldnt work at all. He asked me how it worked and i told him that it was faith.
Its not a grand miracle but it still counts for me. I now have a stronger testimony of the power of prayer. The scripture that states Ask and ye shall recieve, knock and it shall be opened up to you, brings new meaning to me. I know that it is true, whether it be with an actual door or if you are looking for an answer to a question. Ask and it shall be given.
I love being a missionary. Another great thing happened as well. One elder that had been very prideful lately was humbled last night. He entered into our room and begged for our pardon. He started to cry and said that he truly had seen the errors of his ways. He asked for council and we gave it to him and then we gave him a huge hugged as he cried into our chests. The power of the atonement covers all sorrows and helps us to become better. He is now a great friend and i look forward to spending more time with him here.
Bayovar is pretty ugly, but the miracles that i see change my perpesctive. Its beautful here.
I love you all and thank you for your individual prayers, i feel them throughout the day and they give me the help i need to be succesful. Thank you so much.
Elder Washburn
2 MORE BAPTISMS, but i dont have my camera with me so i cant send the pics today, sorry. We had to go to Plaza Vea this morning and buy all the food for today, so i forgot to bring everything.
The baptisms were great though, we completed a family so they now have the goal to go to the temple in a little less than a year. We are so happy for them, and if im in the city then ill go to their sealing! The baptisms was at 830 though, so we didnt get home until 950, but we broke that rule for a good purpose i believe. What happened was that we combined 2 other baptisms with ours at the last second, so that is why we were so late. But the baptism was great and very spiritual, the only bad thing was when an investigator answered her phone during the closing prayer and talked on her phone through the whole prayer. We strung her up by her thumbs afterwards, to be an example of course haha.
I am doing great, no more problems with the kidney stones! Not a great experience and not one i would recomend to the world haha. DRINK WATER! The area is looking good, but i do think that they are going to close the area at the end of this change because we have 4 missionaries in this ward and were losing a ton this change. But ill keep working like i dont know that haha. I got a call from my last companion telling me that they baptised this family that i left there, so that really pumped me up. I was so happy to hear that. I do hope that ill be able to see her sometime soon too to personally congratulate her.
Nothing really else has happened here, just trying to keep my companion from being trunky, which takes some great effort haha. The other companionship in our house are fighting a lot, especially from one elder that is picking fights with us too. And for no reason, this morning he started a fight with us about how my companion has more shampoo in his bottle than this angry elder. Odd, i know, but it is what it is.
I am happy and healthy and enjoying my time here. I bought some shoes this last week, the only pair in Peru that is my size, a little expensive but i dont have pday shoes, only my tracting shoes. But they are great and will last me the mission. I could use some toothpaste from Dr. Rule, the procrest please, and pepto bismal pills if you could. That would be the best. Enjoy your weeks and remember that America is great because it has running water in the houses.
Love
Elder Washburn
The baptisms were great though, we completed a family so they now have the goal to go to the temple in a little less than a year. We are so happy for them, and if im in the city then ill go to their sealing! The baptisms was at 830 though, so we didnt get home until 950, but we broke that rule for a good purpose i believe. What happened was that we combined 2 other baptisms with ours at the last second, so that is why we were so late. But the baptism was great and very spiritual, the only bad thing was when an investigator answered her phone during the closing prayer and talked on her phone through the whole prayer. We strung her up by her thumbs afterwards, to be an example of course haha.
I am doing great, no more problems with the kidney stones! Not a great experience and not one i would recomend to the world haha. DRINK WATER! The area is looking good, but i do think that they are going to close the area at the end of this change because we have 4 missionaries in this ward and were losing a ton this change. But ill keep working like i dont know that haha. I got a call from my last companion telling me that they baptised this family that i left there, so that really pumped me up. I was so happy to hear that. I do hope that ill be able to see her sometime soon too to personally congratulate her.
Nothing really else has happened here, just trying to keep my companion from being trunky, which takes some great effort haha. The other companionship in our house are fighting a lot, especially from one elder that is picking fights with us too. And for no reason, this morning he started a fight with us about how my companion has more shampoo in his bottle than this angry elder. Odd, i know, but it is what it is.
I am happy and healthy and enjoying my time here. I bought some shoes this last week, the only pair in Peru that is my size, a little expensive but i dont have pday shoes, only my tracting shoes. But they are great and will last me the mission. I could use some toothpaste from Dr. Rule, the procrest please, and pepto bismal pills if you could. That would be the best. Enjoy your weeks and remember that America is great because it has running water in the houses.
Love
Elder Washburn
Hey fam and friends!
This week has been an interesting one for us down here in Peru. I have recieved that package mom so thanks a ton! As for some of the highlights here, we went to the temple again! It is my second time in only three weeks, so i felt very blessed to go again and so quickly. This time i did do a session and it was awesome. I had a lot of questions answered and a lot of strength given from on high. It is a great blessing to have a temple in your mission, i feel sorry for those that dont have one and miss out on these great opportunites to replenish your spiritual strength.
Another interesting thing is going on in my life. I have baby kidney stones! So turns out that all of that rice can get ya haha. They are only little baby ones but i have fallen to te knees a couple times in pain. Things are going much better now because i drink about 2 liters of water everyday, so they should be gone in about 2 weeks. I was so relieved to find out that it wasnt the vericroseseal one more time, and only kidney stones. So maddy, we can relate on the whole kidney stone level haha. But im lucky and they arent as big as yours were, I WIN!
I also had a very good experience this week with a member here. She is a convert of one year and has had the worst of times in her life. She has been robbed many times of a lot of money and a car that she purchased. But recently we went to her house and found here crying because someone had stolen from her workplace all the money and some things that she had there. She was telling us that sometimes the things that go wrong in our lives are almost unbearable, and we lose the faith sometimes. My companion and i were silent for the longest time because we did not know what to say. But i prayed and recieved the inspiration to tell her about the house fire that we had. I told her the story and told her the part that was most important. How the first thing that you did, mom and dad, was call us and find out if we were safe. The house was only little thing compared to the safety of your family. We cried together for a little bit and then she told me after a little pause how much she needed to hear that. She said that the elders always have the right thing to say. All i could think of at that time was the thanks i had for the spirit and of the experiences i have had in my life. Many times we think, why does this happen to me? I am a good person but why do bad things happen to me? The answer is simple. We have experiences in this life so that we succour the people around us. The Lord fords us these opporutnities so that we can be like him. Let us not forget that he has suffered it all, and so merciful that he allows to experience that misery in our lives so that we can be like him in comforting those that need counsel. We become those saviors for these people. Many times i have seen my bad experiences help someone else in their life. Be thankful for the hard times and pray for the strength to endure them and learn from them. Our sorrows are to help those around us, be sure to be ready to help the feeble knees and raise the fallen hands.
The church is true, and i know that with a surety. I have learned a great deal this week and will never forget these experiences. I am almost at the point where i am lost in the work once again and i am loving it. I love you all very much and pray for your benefit.
Elder Washburn
This week has been an interesting one for us down here in Peru. I have recieved that package mom so thanks a ton! As for some of the highlights here, we went to the temple again! It is my second time in only three weeks, so i felt very blessed to go again and so quickly. This time i did do a session and it was awesome. I had a lot of questions answered and a lot of strength given from on high. It is a great blessing to have a temple in your mission, i feel sorry for those that dont have one and miss out on these great opportunites to replenish your spiritual strength.
Another interesting thing is going on in my life. I have baby kidney stones! So turns out that all of that rice can get ya haha. They are only little baby ones but i have fallen to te knees a couple times in pain. Things are going much better now because i drink about 2 liters of water everyday, so they should be gone in about 2 weeks. I was so relieved to find out that it wasnt the vericroseseal one more time, and only kidney stones. So maddy, we can relate on the whole kidney stone level haha. But im lucky and they arent as big as yours were, I WIN!
I also had a very good experience this week with a member here. She is a convert of one year and has had the worst of times in her life. She has been robbed many times of a lot of money and a car that she purchased. But recently we went to her house and found here crying because someone had stolen from her workplace all the money and some things that she had there. She was telling us that sometimes the things that go wrong in our lives are almost unbearable, and we lose the faith sometimes. My companion and i were silent for the longest time because we did not know what to say. But i prayed and recieved the inspiration to tell her about the house fire that we had. I told her the story and told her the part that was most important. How the first thing that you did, mom and dad, was call us and find out if we were safe. The house was only little thing compared to the safety of your family. We cried together for a little bit and then she told me after a little pause how much she needed to hear that. She said that the elders always have the right thing to say. All i could think of at that time was the thanks i had for the spirit and of the experiences i have had in my life. Many times we think, why does this happen to me? I am a good person but why do bad things happen to me? The answer is simple. We have experiences in this life so that we succour the people around us. The Lord fords us these opporutnities so that we can be like him. Let us not forget that he has suffered it all, and so merciful that he allows to experience that misery in our lives so that we can be like him in comforting those that need counsel. We become those saviors for these people. Many times i have seen my bad experiences help someone else in their life. Be thankful for the hard times and pray for the strength to endure them and learn from them. Our sorrows are to help those around us, be sure to be ready to help the feeble knees and raise the fallen hands.
The church is true, and i know that with a surety. I have learned a great deal this week and will never forget these experiences. I am almost at the point where i am lost in the work once again and i am loving it. I love you all very much and pray for your benefit.
Elder Washburn
Im in my new area out here in the city still, but it is a great area. It was weird that we didnt work too much because we had to go a bunch of weird things. Turns out that my companion has two weeks here because the two other elders were pulled out since they fought one another. So its like opening an area again! haha. But the area is great and the best part about everything is that the ward is the greatest that i have had in the mission to this point. Its almost like America haha. The Bishop is a recent convert and was actually called to be a bishop when he had 4 years as a convert, but he is amazing. He runs his ward very tightly and lovingly, he reminds me of our good old Bishop Eyre back home! The best part of this last week was church because its the first place with a piano and they had someone that kind of knew how to play, but i think that i will be giving lessons to the people here. But there wasnt any apostasty in church and it was very reverent. The other classes were awesome and enjoyably. At the end we had the meeting with the presidents of their quorums and the bishop and they were dyeing for us to give them work or people to visit. They wanted to know all about our investigators and how to help them. I was blown away and so happy to see initiative that i havent seen the other 9 months of my mission. I am so happy to be in this ward and get to work.
As for my companion he is from Bolivia and his name is Elder Guzman. He is super cool and doesnt want to coast to the finish. He told me that right off the bat and i was pumped to hear it. We are trying to find someone to baptize his last week in the mission and we are getting close to finding someone. I am not worried about killing him, because i know that he will work hard.
My area is only hills haha. We take a bus up into the hills and then work from there. Its about 7 different hills and all the houses inbetween and around them. Its the part of our ward that is full of members. We cant walk down a street without a member greeting us, its really cool. Our pension is funny and cooks well, and her son is studying to be a chef so he cooks for us everynow and then. He is also a RM.
My life is great out here and i also got to meet Elder Wengren again. My best friend from the CCM and he is in my zone! Its going to be a great couple of changes. I also filled out one journal so im working on my second one! It has my first nine months of the mission in it and this next one will be until i have 20 months. I am so glad that i started one and have kept writing in it. Looking back at old entries makes me laugh and to realize my progress here in the mission. So when you guys ask me about my mission, ill just give you my journals so i wont have to talk so much haha.
I love you all and am thankful for the letters. I hope that you will find someplace to live haha.
Elder Washburn
As for my companion he is from Bolivia and his name is Elder Guzman. He is super cool and doesnt want to coast to the finish. He told me that right off the bat and i was pumped to hear it. We are trying to find someone to baptize his last week in the mission and we are getting close to finding someone. I am not worried about killing him, because i know that he will work hard.
My area is only hills haha. We take a bus up into the hills and then work from there. Its about 7 different hills and all the houses inbetween and around them. Its the part of our ward that is full of members. We cant walk down a street without a member greeting us, its really cool. Our pension is funny and cooks well, and her son is studying to be a chef so he cooks for us everynow and then. He is also a RM.
My life is great out here and i also got to meet Elder Wengren again. My best friend from the CCM and he is in my zone! Its going to be a great couple of changes. I also filled out one journal so im working on my second one! It has my first nine months of the mission in it and this next one will be until i have 20 months. I am so glad that i started one and have kept writing in it. Looking back at old entries makes me laugh and to realize my progress here in the mission. So when you guys ask me about my mission, ill just give you my journals so i wont have to talk so much haha.
I love you all and am thankful for the letters. I hope that you will find someplace to live haha.
Elder Washburn
This week was very fun and interesting at the same time. First i want to talk about some of the funny crazy things that happened. This week we went to Plaza Vea, which is like Walmart to pick up a few things that were on sale. On the bus ride there, the bus was absolutely packed, so i, being the last one to get on, was left to hang onto a bar inside the bus with my body hanging out side the bus. It was really fun and i talked to the money guy the whole time. The only problem was when the bus driver got really close to poles or motos haha, but i made it through unscathed! Another interesting occurence was a blessing that we gave this week. A man approached us and asked us for a blessing on his mother who has cancer. She was really bad, and the blessing ended up being one of those death blessings. We just blessed her to do die comfortably and know that there is a plan for her in the next life, she died the next day. It was really weird but still not anything bad. We did have a first this week with our church meetings. This last week was fast and testimony and it was the first meeting where apostasy wasnt spoken by anyone but just great testimonies by everyone, it was actually really nice. But then our bishop gave us apostasty when he tried to prevent a baptism of ours. He tried to stop it, so he called our president who ripped him apart, and then he allowed us to have the baptism. The bishop is just apostasy, but we have to live with it for now.
Well that is the funny things that have happened this week. As for our spiritual happenings we had some good ones and bad ones. We have a TON of people to teach here and sometimes we cant reach out to everyone, which is a huge blessing. We will have at least 4 baptisms by the end of the month, which we are so pumped about, and we are hoping to get people ready for June. The time has really been flying by because we are so enveloped in the work, this change is half over and i didnt even realize it! The work is progressing greatly, and we are having a blast doing it.
I do have news that i will be calling home around 11 to 1 tomorrow Peru time, so mom stay at home for the morning afternoon time, and tell me what time you want me to call. On mothers day, or on my Birthday? Whichever is fine, but ill probably call in the afternoon for mothers day and night if its my bday. Try to see if we cant do a conference call so i can talk to andrew and zach and samira too. That would be a great bday present!
I love you all and am happier than ever out here. Thank you for the prayers and the love. They always help.
Love
Elder Washburn
Well that is the funny things that have happened this week. As for our spiritual happenings we had some good ones and bad ones. We have a TON of people to teach here and sometimes we cant reach out to everyone, which is a huge blessing. We will have at least 4 baptisms by the end of the month, which we are so pumped about, and we are hoping to get people ready for June. The time has really been flying by because we are so enveloped in the work, this change is half over and i didnt even realize it! The work is progressing greatly, and we are having a blast doing it.
I do have news that i will be calling home around 11 to 1 tomorrow Peru time, so mom stay at home for the morning afternoon time, and tell me what time you want me to call. On mothers day, or on my Birthday? Whichever is fine, but ill probably call in the afternoon for mothers day and night if its my bday. Try to see if we cant do a conference call so i can talk to andrew and zach and samira too. That would be a great bday present!
I love you all and am happier than ever out here. Thank you for the prayers and the love. They always help.
Love
Elder Washburn
Howdy there friends and family!
We are already seeing the success of this area and why our president decided to open this area. We have found many new people to teach and spread the gospel with. Here are some pictures of a place called new america sand, where there are a lot of great people ready for the gospel.
We were also blessed with 2 baptisms this last week. These two teenagers that we baptized are great and really strong in the church. We felt really blessed to have been allowed to teach and baptize them. That is one thing that i have learned this week from the scriptures. The success that we have is not ours in any way. The Lord has done all the work in preparing these people, and we are only allowed to baptize them. We become worthy to teach these people through our actions and how pure we are. I literally have not baptized anyone, but have only recieved the blessings of being allowed to do so. It is very humbling to remember this, and makes me want to repent daily, and make myself worthy to be allowed to work among these chosen people of the Lord.
As for the ward, they really dont want us haha. The bishop refuses to speak to us, and do much of anything as a bishpop. Surprisingly he is 29 and a return missionary, but yet hates us as missionaries. We will try to gain his respect and love, but it will be hard. The members are just as cold as well to us. There area few that love us, but its mostly scrutiny. It only goes to show how one missionary can destroy a ward. So now we are in the act of repairing those ties with the ward. We really dont worry about the ward too much, but just try to do the work. Our ward mission leader is alright, but still a little lazy. Needless to say, i went from the heat to the frying pan when it comes to the wards that i have worked in haha. But i am not sad or depressed by it, rather i am thankful for the challenge and ready to do my part.
Collin´s letter was awesome and im happy that he is enjoying his time. I recieved the package and THANK YOU!!! It was amazing to recieve all of my favorite foods and more. Im trying to conserve them and what not so i dont run out too fast. Half of it is in the freezer of our pension haha. Thank you so much for it, but be sure to use the new office address and to put it up on the website for everyone else!
Thank you for the letters and the great love.
Elder Washburn
We are already seeing the success of this area and why our president decided to open this area. We have found many new people to teach and spread the gospel with. Here are some pictures of a place called new america sand, where there are a lot of great people ready for the gospel.
We were also blessed with 2 baptisms this last week. These two teenagers that we baptized are great and really strong in the church. We felt really blessed to have been allowed to teach and baptize them. That is one thing that i have learned this week from the scriptures. The success that we have is not ours in any way. The Lord has done all the work in preparing these people, and we are only allowed to baptize them. We become worthy to teach these people through our actions and how pure we are. I literally have not baptized anyone, but have only recieved the blessings of being allowed to do so. It is very humbling to remember this, and makes me want to repent daily, and make myself worthy to be allowed to work among these chosen people of the Lord.
As for the ward, they really dont want us haha. The bishop refuses to speak to us, and do much of anything as a bishpop. Surprisingly he is 29 and a return missionary, but yet hates us as missionaries. We will try to gain his respect and love, but it will be hard. The members are just as cold as well to us. There area few that love us, but its mostly scrutiny. It only goes to show how one missionary can destroy a ward. So now we are in the act of repairing those ties with the ward. We really dont worry about the ward too much, but just try to do the work. Our ward mission leader is alright, but still a little lazy. Needless to say, i went from the heat to the frying pan when it comes to the wards that i have worked in haha. But i am not sad or depressed by it, rather i am thankful for the challenge and ready to do my part.
Collin´s letter was awesome and im happy that he is enjoying his time. I recieved the package and THANK YOU!!! It was amazing to recieve all of my favorite foods and more. Im trying to conserve them and what not so i dont run out too fast. Half of it is in the freezer of our pension haha. Thank you so much for it, but be sure to use the new office address and to put it up on the website for everyone else!
Thank you for the letters and the great love.
Elder Washburn
Monday, April 20, 2009
March 30
Well, April is finall upon us here in Peru, and its still devilishly hot haha. We have come close to a couple heat strokes, but thanks to the 4, 20 liter bottles of water that we have, we managed to survive haha. But the work is progressing a lot better recently. We didnt have any baptisms this last month, but that will change in April. We have one for this friday, and then more for the middle of the month. We are really pumped for these baptisms, because we have been dying to have them. We did realize something that we had been doin wrong this last month. With the lack of success that we had, we had been trying to do all the work by ourselves. Contacting everyone we found, and trying to fill our days with appointments. But we lacked one fundamental thing in all of this, and that was the Will of the Lord. We had forgotten to pray before we planned, and every night and morning as a companionship. We forgot who is the person that actually does this work. And as a result, we were shown what happens to the missionaries that forget this fundamental fact, no success whatsoever. As such, for this month we have changed that and set more goals to spend more times on our knees, and listening to what we should do. I had done that the first few months of my mission and received the blessings, but then i fell into the horrible pride cycle and started to rely on my own efforts. And it all started so slowly, and hardly noticeable. But now i have seen my errors and realized how little i can do without the Lords help.
Transfers are coming up soon, and i have this feeling that i will be staying here one more transfer. But at least i will be able to celebrate my birthday with our laundry lady who has her birthday on the 10th! Hopefully i can stay and spend some more time here!
Thank you for the love and support mom. Im going to write you a letter in spanish so you can see that i still dont know it haha.
Les Amo Muchisimo
Elder Washburn
ps. mom, money please for some things at the temple and im cooking for my pension one night haha, and if your sending packages the office moved locations to
Calle Los Agròlogos 368
Urbanizacion Las Acacias De Monterrico
La Molina, Lima 12, Perù
Transfers are coming up soon, and i have this feeling that i will be staying here one more transfer. But at least i will be able to celebrate my birthday with our laundry lady who has her birthday on the 10th! Hopefully i can stay and spend some more time here!
Thank you for the love and support mom. Im going to write you a letter in spanish so you can see that i still dont know it haha.
Les Amo Muchisimo
Elder Washburn
ps. mom, money please for some things at the temple and im cooking for my pension one night haha, and if your sending packages the office moved locations to
Calle Los Agròlogos 368
Urbanizacion Las Acacias De Monterrico
La Molina, Lima 12, Perù
April 4
Well, it is shaping out to be a good month, but with some unfortunate turn of events that could happen. So we have 3 people that have baptism dates for this month, and we just had a baptism on friday! Sorry i dont have the pictures yet, but ill send them next week. Her name is Alondra and she is 8 years old, we did almost nothing expect teach, it was awesome. And that will be the same for two other baptisms this month, the families are doing all of the work. It is truly great to see the missionary work done by the right people, THE WARD!!! It even says so in Preach My Gospel, we as missionaries shouldnt find people, rather only teach the people that the ward finds. Unfortunately we havent really recieved that. We had interviews this last week and we were given strong words that the president might close our area this next transfer. It will be decided tomorrow or wednesday. We are sad to know that it could happen, but we know that it would be better for the ward. The ward really isnt doing much except for two families. Its sad. Nevertheless, we are forging on and leaving the ward with baptisms to do themselves.
As for me, i am happy. I have been thinking about my time here and how i have spent it, and if it is my fault for the possible closure. I have come to the conclusion that i have done all thats possible to help this area. We havent wasted time in any aspect and we have been diligent to the end. This alone brings peace to my soul. I have seen other people cry at this, but i know that it is for the betterment of the ward. But i do hope that the ward will change for the better and soon.
I love my time here, and i loved conference even more. I cant wait for the liahona to come out so i can tear through it.
Elder Washburn
no i havent received the package, but next week i will
As for me, i am happy. I have been thinking about my time here and how i have spent it, and if it is my fault for the possible closure. I have come to the conclusion that i have done all thats possible to help this area. We havent wasted time in any aspect and we have been diligent to the end. This alone brings peace to my soul. I have seen other people cry at this, but i know that it is for the betterment of the ward. But i do hope that the ward will change for the better and soon.
I love my time here, and i loved conference even more. I cant wait for the liahona to come out so i can tear through it.
Elder Washburn
no i havent received the package, but next week i will
new area for Elder Washburn! April 20, 2009
I have finally reached a new area in the mission!!! Im now in Vitarte opening up a new area here!! It is one of the best blessings of the mission to open up an area, and i am so glad that i have recieved it so early in my mission. I am here with two companionsl Elder Mamani from Arequipa, and Elder Smith from Florida. Elder Smith is with us until he goes back to Bolivia in a week or so. My companion is the best companion that i have had to date. People usually say that arequipenions are trouble, but he is just awesome and we have fun the whole day long. He keeps all the rules and is a hard worker, while still having fun. He keeps a great balance on everything.
Our new area is ENORMOUS!!! They split the boundaries of this ward in two, so right now this ward has 5 missionaries. The area as a whole was much larger than my last zone! It is so big that for a lot of its parts, we have to take 10 to 15 min bus rides. But this area is so ripe and ready to go. In this first few days of work, we have two baptisms set up for this saturday, and more coming in May. We have truly been blessed with this new area. The area is poor, but not as poor as my last area, there is one part in our area that has Corn crops and has a slice of america. Its a rich condomium area that also has a convention center that has a little water park and a golf course. Of course im going to find out about the golf course, cause there are a few guys in our zone that like to golf, and im dying to go play haha. But there is success in this rich area, and in all the area. I will try to send pictures to you so that you can see what i mean.
This last week has been a little crazy though. With transfers, the president only this last week divided this area. So all 5 of us missionaries ended up sleeping in our little room on three mattresses, i have a video and it will be coming in the cd that i will be sending home very soon. It ws pretty funny, and a very interesting night. Now were only down to three in our little room, so its a little cramped but still enjoyable. Everything else has just been great this week. We are having a blast in the area and look forward to tearing it up.
Thank you for the pictures, its funny that all of them are a little weird, and not everyone is smiling in them. And then the random one with Steve. Is he starting his papers yet or what? Tell him to get on those already. Thats great you had time with Zach and Samira, be sure to send them my love and support. We actually have an investigator whose father just got back from iraq. He was a pilot, and he is a big man.
Things are great here, and i dont have any complains. The office is slow of getting my package to me, so i think that we will stop by there and get it, cause i REALLY want it haha. I hope things are great out there in Chicago. The summer should be coming in there, and summer hasnt ended here yet. It is still pretty hot everyday, but its not bad. Try not to have too much fun without me haha.
With love,
Spenser
Our new area is ENORMOUS!!! They split the boundaries of this ward in two, so right now this ward has 5 missionaries. The area as a whole was much larger than my last zone! It is so big that for a lot of its parts, we have to take 10 to 15 min bus rides. But this area is so ripe and ready to go. In this first few days of work, we have two baptisms set up for this saturday, and more coming in May. We have truly been blessed with this new area. The area is poor, but not as poor as my last area, there is one part in our area that has Corn crops and has a slice of america. Its a rich condomium area that also has a convention center that has a little water park and a golf course. Of course im going to find out about the golf course, cause there are a few guys in our zone that like to golf, and im dying to go play haha. But there is success in this rich area, and in all the area. I will try to send pictures to you so that you can see what i mean.
This last week has been a little crazy though. With transfers, the president only this last week divided this area. So all 5 of us missionaries ended up sleeping in our little room on three mattresses, i have a video and it will be coming in the cd that i will be sending home very soon. It ws pretty funny, and a very interesting night. Now were only down to three in our little room, so its a little cramped but still enjoyable. Everything else has just been great this week. We are having a blast in the area and look forward to tearing it up.
Thank you for the pictures, its funny that all of them are a little weird, and not everyone is smiling in them. And then the random one with Steve. Is he starting his papers yet or what? Tell him to get on those already. Thats great you had time with Zach and Samira, be sure to send them my love and support. We actually have an investigator whose father just got back from iraq. He was a pilot, and he is a big man.
Things are great here, and i dont have any complains. The office is slow of getting my package to me, so i think that we will stop by there and get it, cause i REALLY want it haha. I hope things are great out there in Chicago. The summer should be coming in there, and summer hasnt ended here yet. It is still pretty hot everyday, but its not bad. Try not to have too much fun without me haha.
With love,
Spenser
April 13
Sorry about last week and that my letter didnt get out to you. The email place that we changed to isnt that great, and the computer shut down before i had the opportunity to finish. But dont worry, not much happened haha.
This week we just flat out worked hard. We finished out this change with a bang and rocked all of the numbers that we had. We only had 121 contacts, but we whipped out 12 lessons with members and 23 others. Not to mention we have 2 people that are going to be baptized this saturday and should have 2 more at the end of this month. We really have been blessed lately and it has been glorious. And it was just in time for the Easter Holiday!
The funny thing about here is the great hypocrasy and apostasty during this week. There are traditions of walking this hill, and then an actor is crucified on the hill. Not with nails but with chords. Then at the end of all of this, everyone gets pretty drunk. Their time of reflexion was done staring at their reflexion at the bottom of their booze haha. So the weekend wasnt that great to talk to people because most everyone was drunk or crazy religiously haha. Still a very enjoyable time because one of the people that i baptized gave his testimony and it was power. His name is Juan and he is just an awesome member. I feel proud to have been allowed to be part of his baptism.
Other than that we have just been happy to have been able to better this ward. They are finally making the changes to be better and its great to see. Its only funny that i will be leaving this area right at the point of success, but i do not feel bad or have any regrets about my time here, and i plan on keeping that trend through out all of the areas that i will be in.
Elder Washburn
This week we just flat out worked hard. We finished out this change with a bang and rocked all of the numbers that we had. We only had 121 contacts, but we whipped out 12 lessons with members and 23 others. Not to mention we have 2 people that are going to be baptized this saturday and should have 2 more at the end of this month. We really have been blessed lately and it has been glorious. And it was just in time for the Easter Holiday!
The funny thing about here is the great hypocrasy and apostasty during this week. There are traditions of walking this hill, and then an actor is crucified on the hill. Not with nails but with chords. Then at the end of all of this, everyone gets pretty drunk. Their time of reflexion was done staring at their reflexion at the bottom of their booze haha. So the weekend wasnt that great to talk to people because most everyone was drunk or crazy religiously haha. Still a very enjoyable time because one of the people that i baptized gave his testimony and it was power. His name is Juan and he is just an awesome member. I feel proud to have been allowed to be part of his baptism.
Other than that we have just been happy to have been able to better this ward. They are finally making the changes to be better and its great to see. Its only funny that i will be leaving this area right at the point of success, but i do not feel bad or have any regrets about my time here, and i plan on keeping that trend through out all of the areas that i will be in.
Elder Washburn
Thursday, March 26, 2009
letter from 3/23
Sorry that i fogot to tell you guys that i am still in my first area, or also known as Viña, Canto Grande. This week has been a lot better for us though. These last few weeks have been a great challenge for me. They have been a challenge of my patience and of my diligence, adn i can proudly say that i didnt fall through during these times. We didnt spend one day in the house or anything, but kept pushing on with the work until we gained that success that we had been looking for. We have found that success through a few people. One woman named Iris, who has a crush on me and its weird because she has two children, and then another young woman that is the child of a member. Both of which have propsects to be baptized this next month. But its kinda funny that the success that were having, will be for my companion because i will probably be leaving the area that i am in this next transfer. But it isnt sad or anything of that sort, because i will be leaving the area with much more than the beginning of this transfer, this fact alone makes me very happy. My companion has perked up this week too. We do contribute our success to a mission rule or goal that we have. We have been told to do 200 contacts every week that we are in the mission. So that means, about 35 people a day. This last week we completed that goal and we have now seen those results. The area 70 gave us this goal and now we see why. Sadly none of the people that we contacted came to church or are progressing, but since we were diligent and kept on working, we were granted blessings in another form.
As for me, i am just dandy like candy. Spanish is growing stronger everyday, and everyone tells me of the progress that i have made. It also helps to make relationships with the ward and other people, because now they listen! And when they talk, i understand them! I truly have been blessed in this regard, and i make sure to give my thanks to my heavenly father for it.
The work is progressing very strongly and i am so very thankful to be out on the Lords errand for these two short years. Heck, i already have 7 months out in the mission!
Love
Elder Washburn
As for me, i am just dandy like candy. Spanish is growing stronger everyday, and everyone tells me of the progress that i have made. It also helps to make relationships with the ward and other people, because now they listen! And when they talk, i understand them! I truly have been blessed in this regard, and i make sure to give my thanks to my heavenly father for it.
The work is progressing very strongly and i am so very thankful to be out on the Lords errand for these two short years. Heck, i already have 7 months out in the mission!
Love
Elder Washburn
Thank you for the letter mother haha. Well it sounds like we are both enjoying the heat, because this week it spiked down here. We hit mid 90s again for most of the week. But it could have been worse haha.
Elder Huanambal and i are living it out down here. He has been a little sad still because we dont really have anyone to teach. We have hopes for the family of bryan, the young man that we baptized this last month. His mom and grandparents are so so, but we hope that they will find their testimony. they continue to come to church and everything, so that is what keeps our hopes alive.
I am doing fine down here. Im not sick ¡, and am still pretty lively. Its funny how our pensionista always asks elder huanambal why he is sad. and then tells him to be happy like me haha. sure the work is discouraging, but im happy that we are doing all that we can to help move things forward. But he is getting happier as the days pass.
I do have one weird story for you guys. So yesterday, a white guy came to the church and said i am mormon in english. I responded to him in spanish and then my companion told me to talk english. So i asked him what he was doing here. Turns out that he really doesnt know english or spanish, but does know German. So he told me in his broken english that he was robbed on a bus, and doesnt have money for his medications. So we got him some food and took him to the bishop. He stayed with us, until after church and from there we went and dropped him off at his house. It was funny to play the translator for everyone, and fell important haha. But we left him at his house where he has friends and a bed and all that jazz. It was just weird to speak english in the middle of the day with someone. And during the meetings, i translated the whole thing for him. Now that was hard, to listen in spanish and then speak in english. My brain was fried at the end of the day haha. But i was impressed that i did the whole meeting for him.
Well that sums it up for this week. We are praying for some miracles down here and we have faith that we will get them.
Elder Washburn
Elder Huanambal and i are living it out down here. He has been a little sad still because we dont really have anyone to teach. We have hopes for the family of bryan, the young man that we baptized this last month. His mom and grandparents are so so, but we hope that they will find their testimony. they continue to come to church and everything, so that is what keeps our hopes alive.
I am doing fine down here. Im not sick ¡, and am still pretty lively. Its funny how our pensionista always asks elder huanambal why he is sad. and then tells him to be happy like me haha. sure the work is discouraging, but im happy that we are doing all that we can to help move things forward. But he is getting happier as the days pass.
I do have one weird story for you guys. So yesterday, a white guy came to the church and said i am mormon in english. I responded to him in spanish and then my companion told me to talk english. So i asked him what he was doing here. Turns out that he really doesnt know english or spanish, but does know German. So he told me in his broken english that he was robbed on a bus, and doesnt have money for his medications. So we got him some food and took him to the bishop. He stayed with us, until after church and from there we went and dropped him off at his house. It was funny to play the translator for everyone, and fell important haha. But we left him at his house where he has friends and a bed and all that jazz. It was just weird to speak english in the middle of the day with someone. And during the meetings, i translated the whole thing for him. Now that was hard, to listen in spanish and then speak in english. My brain was fried at the end of the day haha. But i was impressed that i did the whole meeting for him.
Well that sums it up for this week. We are praying for some miracles down here and we have faith that we will get them.
Elder Washburn
Well father, your wish has come true out here in Peru. We are having the challenges of the mission life right now. Many of our investigators have fallen out, and the ward is pretty much sleeping. Its tough, but were not depressed. We gave talks on Sunday about how the ward needs to pick up there efforts of teaching. I used the book The Miracle of Forgiveness, which is an amazing book by the way, and talked about the sins of omission. I didnt burn them in any way, but i was direct with my message and hopefully the ward will start to pick up in their efforts as missionaries.
This week has been a lot of walking to and from appointments that seem to fall through more often than not lately. But we have really grown accustomed to it. Whats funny is that i tell my companion that i feel like i havent left the states because of how hard the work is. I told him about you andrew, and how you had 5 baptisms your whole mission, and how in our ward back home, one baptism in 2 years is a miracle. He just looked at me with big eyes and wondered how it was possible. He is a little down, my companion, because he came from a ward that was great with the missionaries, and they had baptisms almost weekley, and now he is here and has only seen 1 baptism in 7 weeks. But i help him to stay chipper with the usual jokes. Our pensionista also helps us stay happy with her jokes, as well as our laundry lady.
I am doing really really well though. This last week i finished reading in my language book and realized that i knew practically all of it! Its funny how its progressive and you dont realize that you know a lot of spanish. Dont get me wrong i still mess up and have a lot to work on, but i understand practically everything that is said, and can respond to practically all of the questions they give me. I truly have been blessed with the gift of tongues because i see people that have much more time than me but still are at my level. It is testimony to keeping the rules and continually relying on the Lord and his power.
I am glad to here that things are getting better at home, with the houses and everything. Ill be sure to pray for you guys and the house situation. Thanks again for the great box of goodies, the snickers have been GLORIOUS!!! Especially because i froze them mmmmmmm.
Thank you for the letters and the support. Be sure to try and help out the missionaries somehow this week. Make them happy! haha
This week has been a lot of walking to and from appointments that seem to fall through more often than not lately. But we have really grown accustomed to it. Whats funny is that i tell my companion that i feel like i havent left the states because of how hard the work is. I told him about you andrew, and how you had 5 baptisms your whole mission, and how in our ward back home, one baptism in 2 years is a miracle. He just looked at me with big eyes and wondered how it was possible. He is a little down, my companion, because he came from a ward that was great with the missionaries, and they had baptisms almost weekley, and now he is here and has only seen 1 baptism in 7 weeks. But i help him to stay chipper with the usual jokes. Our pensionista also helps us stay happy with her jokes, as well as our laundry lady.
I am doing really really well though. This last week i finished reading in my language book and realized that i knew practically all of it! Its funny how its progressive and you dont realize that you know a lot of spanish. Dont get me wrong i still mess up and have a lot to work on, but i understand practically everything that is said, and can respond to practically all of the questions they give me. I truly have been blessed with the gift of tongues because i see people that have much more time than me but still are at my level. It is testimony to keeping the rules and continually relying on the Lord and his power.
I am glad to here that things are getting better at home, with the houses and everything. Ill be sure to pray for you guys and the house situation. Thanks again for the great box of goodies, the snickers have been GLORIOUS!!! Especially because i froze them mmmmmmm.
Thank you for the letters and the support. Be sure to try and help out the missionaries somehow this week. Make them happy! haha
Monday, March 2, 2009
March 1, 2009
The life on the opposite side of the hemishpere is pretty interesting, and fun at the same time. First and foremost, THANK YOU FOR THE SNICKERS THAT ARE THE SIZE OF THE HILLS THAT I CLIMB!!!! Im going to put them in the freezer and eat them later tonight or tomorrow. Mmmmmmmm.
As for the work. We kinda fell off a little bit this week. Mostly a lot of walking with appointments falling out, but we still had success. We are teaching a new family that are really good friends with some members, and another boy that has member parents. We are hoping for 3 baptisms this next month, and im pretty sure that we could make it happen. This month we fell short of our goal of 4 when we reached only one baptism. Kind of disappointing, but at least we had one! As for the area, we are still not sure if they are going to cut it down. The ward really isnt doing much and the percent of inactives to actives is not good. 500 members and 80 attend, so in this next stake conference with Elder Godoy, we will find out which area in our zone will be shut down. It tough to see it, but at least we have done some great work here.
As for myself, i am doing much better now. A little loose in the stomach, so i have been showing Peru what im made of Andrew. And yes he knows what im talking about haha. Its all from that dang cold pizza too, NO MAS! But im much better now, and can really get back to working. It slowed us down this last few days, so thats why we didnt teach too much. I am doing great though. I still have the greany power and love to keep all the rules and do the work until the last minute of the day.
Thank you so much for the letters from practically the whole family! As for maddy, my companion rocks, guinea pig is only small chicken, and spanish is awesome. I had the chance to talk with some of the guys in mygroup, and not to brag, but i smoked them haha. And these were the guys that knew more than me in the MTC! But i still have a lot more to learn, because some people still dont listen to me when i speak haha.
Thank you once again for the prayers and the wonderful package. I will enjoy every second of it haha. I love you all dearly, and pray that you may overcome those sedductive temptations of the devil, and be able to enjoy every blessing that our Heavenly Father has in store for you.
Elder Washburn
As for the work. We kinda fell off a little bit this week. Mostly a lot of walking with appointments falling out, but we still had success. We are teaching a new family that are really good friends with some members, and another boy that has member parents. We are hoping for 3 baptisms this next month, and im pretty sure that we could make it happen. This month we fell short of our goal of 4 when we reached only one baptism. Kind of disappointing, but at least we had one! As for the area, we are still not sure if they are going to cut it down. The ward really isnt doing much and the percent of inactives to actives is not good. 500 members and 80 attend, so in this next stake conference with Elder Godoy, we will find out which area in our zone will be shut down. It tough to see it, but at least we have done some great work here.
As for myself, i am doing much better now. A little loose in the stomach, so i have been showing Peru what im made of Andrew. And yes he knows what im talking about haha. Its all from that dang cold pizza too, NO MAS! But im much better now, and can really get back to working. It slowed us down this last few days, so thats why we didnt teach too much. I am doing great though. I still have the greany power and love to keep all the rules and do the work until the last minute of the day.
Thank you so much for the letters from practically the whole family! As for maddy, my companion rocks, guinea pig is only small chicken, and spanish is awesome. I had the chance to talk with some of the guys in mygroup, and not to brag, but i smoked them haha. And these were the guys that knew more than me in the MTC! But i still have a lot more to learn, because some people still dont listen to me when i speak haha.
Thank you once again for the prayers and the wonderful package. I will enjoy every second of it haha. I love you all dearly, and pray that you may overcome those sedductive temptations of the devil, and be able to enjoy every blessing that our Heavenly Father has in store for you.
Elder Washburn
Monday, February 23, 2009
Oh Peru, you are so dang hot, but yet you grant me blessings of baptims!
This last week we baptized brayan nieto. A young man of 16 and very strong in the church already. He also already has plans to serve a mission along with the other young men of his age! WOOO I BAPTIZED A MISSIONARY! Its pretty much one of the dreams of every missionary. And i feel so blessed to have been the one allowed to do it.
As for the weather it is very hot and its been like this for about a month and a half now. We hit 90s about everyday and we walk it every day as well. I have developed an extremely dark tan line, and i personally think its great haha. Just shows that i am out in the sun doing the work! My only worry is skin cancer, but i doubt that i will get it.
The work has been getting better. We had our struggles there for a while but things have picked up and we have more things to do during the week.
As for transfers they are coming this next week. So in my next letter you will know where it is that i am going. Hopefully out into Providence, that is where i will get all the crazy stories. But if its city, not a problem. I do like going to get mcflurrys every now and then and that is a pirk of the city. It really doesnt matter where i go, as long as there are people to baptise, i am happy.
Dont get too bumbed out mom. Febuary always is terrible, no matter where you are in the world haha. Things are always bad now, but when things turn around, it is only that much sweeter. As you could have seen from my letters of this month. Bad, to much better. Just wait it out a little longer, and then you will see the reason for all of it really soon.
Well querido family, i am having the best time of my life here and Peru, and i will be sending my photos as soon as my chip is filled. They will be coming through a cd that i will send through the mail here. I love you all very dearly, and pray for you constantly.
With love
Elder Washburn
This last week we baptized brayan nieto. A young man of 16 and very strong in the church already. He also already has plans to serve a mission along with the other young men of his age! WOOO I BAPTIZED A MISSIONARY! Its pretty much one of the dreams of every missionary. And i feel so blessed to have been the one allowed to do it.
As for the weather it is very hot and its been like this for about a month and a half now. We hit 90s about everyday and we walk it every day as well. I have developed an extremely dark tan line, and i personally think its great haha. Just shows that i am out in the sun doing the work! My only worry is skin cancer, but i doubt that i will get it.
The work has been getting better. We had our struggles there for a while but things have picked up and we have more things to do during the week.
As for transfers they are coming this next week. So in my next letter you will know where it is that i am going. Hopefully out into Providence, that is where i will get all the crazy stories. But if its city, not a problem. I do like going to get mcflurrys every now and then and that is a pirk of the city. It really doesnt matter where i go, as long as there are people to baptise, i am happy.
Dont get too bumbed out mom. Febuary always is terrible, no matter where you are in the world haha. Things are always bad now, but when things turn around, it is only that much sweeter. As you could have seen from my letters of this month. Bad, to much better. Just wait it out a little longer, and then you will see the reason for all of it really soon.
Well querido family, i am having the best time of my life here and Peru, and i will be sending my photos as soon as my chip is filled. They will be coming through a cd that i will send through the mail here. I love you all very dearly, and pray for you constantly.
With love
Elder Washburn
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
HEY FAMILY!
SUUUUUCCCCCCCEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS! Let me give you some background first. So w=
e started this month with no one with a date for their baptism. As you c=
ould probably tell we were pretty bumbed about that. But as we kept work=
ing this month we have finally seen the fruits of our labors for this mon=
th and the next month! We now have three people set up for their baptisms=
this month! One for this weekend, and he is a sure thing. And two more f=
or the 28, one is a little sketchy, but the other one isn=C2=B4t. The on=
e that is teetering is a 9 year old kid with inactive parents that really=
dont like the church. He likes the church but were not sure if we should=
baptize someone that doesnt have the support to stay active. But it all =
depends on him and if he really wants to be baptized. We are still grate=
full for the success from the Lord, and realize that it was only through =
him that we actually have these people to baptize!!!
I am doing really well out here. I did mess up my back a little bit, but it=
s fixed now so no worries. We went running on monday, and that is what k=
illed me. Bad shoes and concrete are not a good mix for running haha. S=
o instead we have been playing basketball. I am teaching some kids in th=
e ward how to play. They are cool and in return they leave with us to do=
divisions and to go to lessons. =20
We are still walking in this REALLY HOT SUN ALL THE TIME haha. The days ar=
e finally cooling down a little bit so its much more pleasant, but dont k=
id yourself, we still bathe ourselves 3 times a day! And amazingly i don=
t have skin cancer from all of the sun haha. =20
The transfer is almost done, and im pretty sure that im going to leave, alo=
ng with a lot of people in our zone. We have a bunch of people that are o=
ld in this area, so we all should be leaving soon. Hopefully i will be g=
oing out to PRovince!! Cerro de Pasco or somewhere!! It will be really in=
teresting to see the people and the life out there in the wild haha.
We did play some games on the bus recently. One game is where an american =
speaks english and the other latin speaks spanish. Us americans can say =
whatever we want, so were dying the whole time as we say things like =C2=
=A8I have a lovely bunch of coconuts, tweedley dee, there they are a standi=
ng in a row, bum bum bum.=C2=A8 Oh the good times. And then to make it e=
ven funnier we switch up the roles- My companion spoke the english that h=
e knew and i just made up stuff in spanish. Oh.......priceless haha.
Thats all from here in Peru. Have fun in the cold, and ill probably get to=
enjoy it soon!
Elder Washburn
SUUUUUCCCCCCCEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS! Let me give you some background first. So w=
e started this month with no one with a date for their baptism. As you c=
ould probably tell we were pretty bumbed about that. But as we kept work=
ing this month we have finally seen the fruits of our labors for this mon=
th and the next month! We now have three people set up for their baptisms=
this month! One for this weekend, and he is a sure thing. And two more f=
or the 28, one is a little sketchy, but the other one isn=C2=B4t. The on=
e that is teetering is a 9 year old kid with inactive parents that really=
dont like the church. He likes the church but were not sure if we should=
baptize someone that doesnt have the support to stay active. But it all =
depends on him and if he really wants to be baptized. We are still grate=
full for the success from the Lord, and realize that it was only through =
him that we actually have these people to baptize!!!
I am doing really well out here. I did mess up my back a little bit, but it=
s fixed now so no worries. We went running on monday, and that is what k=
illed me. Bad shoes and concrete are not a good mix for running haha. S=
o instead we have been playing basketball. I am teaching some kids in th=
e ward how to play. They are cool and in return they leave with us to do=
divisions and to go to lessons. =20
We are still walking in this REALLY HOT SUN ALL THE TIME haha. The days ar=
e finally cooling down a little bit so its much more pleasant, but dont k=
id yourself, we still bathe ourselves 3 times a day! And amazingly i don=
t have skin cancer from all of the sun haha. =20
The transfer is almost done, and im pretty sure that im going to leave, alo=
ng with a lot of people in our zone. We have a bunch of people that are o=
ld in this area, so we all should be leaving soon. Hopefully i will be g=
oing out to PRovince!! Cerro de Pasco or somewhere!! It will be really in=
teresting to see the people and the life out there in the wild haha.
We did play some games on the bus recently. One game is where an american =
speaks english and the other latin speaks spanish. Us americans can say =
whatever we want, so were dying the whole time as we say things like =C2=
=A8I have a lovely bunch of coconuts, tweedley dee, there they are a standi=
ng in a row, bum bum bum.=C2=A8 Oh the good times. And then to make it e=
ven funnier we switch up the roles- My companion spoke the english that h=
e knew and i just made up stuff in spanish. Oh.......priceless haha.
Thats all from here in Peru. Have fun in the cold, and ill probably get to=
enjoy it soon!
Elder Washburn
As for Peru, the work is slowing going. Its not really the greatest so its tough to get out, but regardless we get out there and talk with everyone that we can. We do have one baptism planned for the 21 of Febuary, but we dont have anymore. Its sad because we had 4 planned or it was our goal for this month, and we wont come close.
This week has been fun in some aspects though. Its CARNAVAL!!! And everyone is throwing water balloons and water at one another. Luckily we havent gotten that wet. Only the members hit us haha. Especially Hma Rose, she does our laundry, she always hits us with water. This last Tuesday we had a huge water fight with her and her kids. I ROCKED THEM!!! They had a little water gun, so i grabbed a huge bucket and let them have it. I got her, and her son SOAKED haha. But they did get me pretty good too.
Elder Huanambal has been a great help to me so far. He helps me with the language and shows me how to work with the ward more effectively. The ward is still slow and not doing much work, but Elder Huanambal and i gave great talks this last sunday about how the ward needs to start working or its going to become a branch. We hope that instilled the force necessary to get them to work and not be so afraid to talk to people about the church.
Lately i have been reading Teaching of the Prophets, Heber J Grants book. It is a great book and i hope to read all the prophets books. He puts a great message about missionary work and about many other aspects of the gospel. It also helps my spanish a lot since its in spanish, and its the way normal people talk too! I reccomend those books to everyone.
I am healthy and happy, and doing the Lord´s work so i really cant ask for much more in my life. I love you all and am thankful for your support!
Elder Washburn
This week has been fun in some aspects though. Its CARNAVAL!!! And everyone is throwing water balloons and water at one another. Luckily we havent gotten that wet. Only the members hit us haha. Especially Hma Rose, she does our laundry, she always hits us with water. This last Tuesday we had a huge water fight with her and her kids. I ROCKED THEM!!! They had a little water gun, so i grabbed a huge bucket and let them have it. I got her, and her son SOAKED haha. But they did get me pretty good too.
Elder Huanambal has been a great help to me so far. He helps me with the language and shows me how to work with the ward more effectively. The ward is still slow and not doing much work, but Elder Huanambal and i gave great talks this last sunday about how the ward needs to start working or its going to become a branch. We hope that instilled the force necessary to get them to work and not be so afraid to talk to people about the church.
Lately i have been reading Teaching of the Prophets, Heber J Grants book. It is a great book and i hope to read all the prophets books. He puts a great message about missionary work and about many other aspects of the gospel. It also helps my spanish a lot since its in spanish, and its the way normal people talk too! I reccomend those books to everyone.
I am healthy and happy, and doing the Lord´s work so i really cant ask for much more in my life. I love you all and am thankful for your support!
Elder Washburn
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Alright, I know that i am a little late this week with my email, but it is
because we didnt have time to go to internet yesterday.
AS for this past week, we have been walking till the soles come off our feet.
As we have been contacting and meeting with people, we have been walking a lot
more than previously. We are still not having a ton fo success right now, but
it will come along shortly. We have one baptism planned for this week, and then
another for the 21st of this month. They are both kids so its not that great
but it still counts. We are still very grateful to be able to baptize them. As
for our investigators, we really dont have too many. Many of the people that we
meet in the street, fall through with their visits or are just not interested.
It is a little depressing but not really. We are trying extra hard to get the
ward back into helping us, but it is a little difficult. Elder Huanambal and I
have our talks this sunday, so we will be trying to instill the vigor and life
back into this ward. Our pensionista is very helpful, because she is a return missionary, and
so is Hma Rosa, the sister that does our laundry and goes to all of our
appointments with us. They are always giving us new ideas and places to go.
Without them, we would be dead in the water haha.
I finally feel that i am not a dead beat in the lessons and that i have finally
arrived in the mission. Spanish is alright, but good enough that im not scared
in lessons to give my part. Life has improved dramatically and it only seems to
rise higher and higher. I really dont have any amazing experiences this week.
I have given a lot of blessings lately, and all of them have worked or come
true. Those that were sick, are now healed and those that needed comfort were
counseled. The priesthood power is most definitely alive and real. And it is
not because I healed these people, no it is far from that, but it was the faith
that these people had that they were able to be made whole. I was merely a
conduit of the priesthood that was nearbye. Any worthy man in the world can perfrom the miracles that christ
did, if only they would have the faith to know that the miracles would happen.
It all seems to boil down to that 5 letter word, Faith. So small, but it holds
the power to everything. I still have a long way before i can say that i have
faith, but it is reassuring to see some miracles because of my miniscule faith
haha.
I am still grateful for your support and your letters. I will probably recieve
them in the next week or two, so dont worry, they will get here. As for the
package i dont really need anything desperately, American candy and beef jerkey
is always a plus haha.
With my love
Spenser
because we didnt have time to go to internet yesterday.
AS for this past week, we have been walking till the soles come off our feet.
As we have been contacting and meeting with people, we have been walking a lot
more than previously. We are still not having a ton fo success right now, but
it will come along shortly. We have one baptism planned for this week, and then
another for the 21st of this month. They are both kids so its not that great
but it still counts. We are still very grateful to be able to baptize them. As
for our investigators, we really dont have too many. Many of the people that we
meet in the street, fall through with their visits or are just not interested.
It is a little depressing but not really. We are trying extra hard to get the
ward back into helping us, but it is a little difficult. Elder Huanambal and I
have our talks this sunday, so we will be trying to instill the vigor and life
back into this ward. Our pensionista is very helpful, because she is a return missionary, and
so is Hma Rosa, the sister that does our laundry and goes to all of our
appointments with us. They are always giving us new ideas and places to go.
Without them, we would be dead in the water haha.
I finally feel that i am not a dead beat in the lessons and that i have finally
arrived in the mission. Spanish is alright, but good enough that im not scared
in lessons to give my part. Life has improved dramatically and it only seems to
rise higher and higher. I really dont have any amazing experiences this week.
I have given a lot of blessings lately, and all of them have worked or come
true. Those that were sick, are now healed and those that needed comfort were
counseled. The priesthood power is most definitely alive and real. And it is
not because I healed these people, no it is far from that, but it was the faith
that these people had that they were able to be made whole. I was merely a
conduit of the priesthood that was nearbye. Any worthy man in the world can perfrom the miracles that christ
did, if only they would have the faith to know that the miracles would happen.
It all seems to boil down to that 5 letter word, Faith. So small, but it holds
the power to everything. I still have a long way before i can say that i have
faith, but it is reassuring to see some miracles because of my miniscule faith
haha.
I am still grateful for your support and your letters. I will probably recieve
them in the next week or two, so dont worry, they will get here. As for the
package i dont really need anything desperately, American candy and beef jerkey
is always a plus haha.
With my love
Spenser
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
That is great to hear that the hole is finally being filled and that your stress
levels will go down. Ya things are pretty hot here, but it could be worse, it
could be a chicago heat!
The work flew by this week. It is the last week of the change and i still dont
know if i will be staying or going, so ill be sure to put it in my letter next
week from wherever im at! Our work this week has been focused on a few people.
Milagros and Fernando and his mother Juana. Milagros will probably be baptized
either this week or the next one depending on her interview with the stake
president. And Fernando had his baptism this last week! It was fantastic and
the best part was to see how happy his mother was. She wants to be baptized so
bad, but she needs to wait until she gets married. So now she has extra
motivation to get married!
The days are going by quicker, which is a blessing and a curse. But one really
good thing has been going on lately at night. I have been having more and more
dreams in spanish. But the funny thing is that the latins speak english and the americans speak spanish!
I actuallly had a dream with Jake Heaps in it, and we were both speaking spanish
to one another in the MTC. Kinda weird but super cool at the same time.
Hopefully all of my dreams will be in spanish soon! My spanish is coming along
very well, now it comes down to learning more words. And cleaning up the
grammer a little bit.
I have felt more and more at home here in Peru. Its not weird walking the
streets and talking to random people. I rather enjoy it more than sitting in
our basement watching the golf channel. Hard to imagine, but its true haha. The
members are still a blast, and more and more are starting to like me and get to
know me. It helps too when you know some spanish!
Here are some pictures of the life down here. The man in the black shirt is
Amner, and he is a super smart convert to the church that served his mission in
Chile. We talk to him a lot about those weird doctrines and what not.
I love you all and am so thankful for your support. And i finally received my package!!! Only one
month for bigger boxes, and a week and a half for those envelope things. Oh and
the get fuzzy calendar is EXACTLY what i wanted!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Washburn
levels will go down. Ya things are pretty hot here, but it could be worse, it
could be a chicago heat!
The work flew by this week. It is the last week of the change and i still dont
know if i will be staying or going, so ill be sure to put it in my letter next
week from wherever im at! Our work this week has been focused on a few people.
Milagros and Fernando and his mother Juana. Milagros will probably be baptized
either this week or the next one depending on her interview with the stake
president. And Fernando had his baptism this last week! It was fantastic and
the best part was to see how happy his mother was. She wants to be baptized so
bad, but she needs to wait until she gets married. So now she has extra
motivation to get married!
The days are going by quicker, which is a blessing and a curse. But one really
good thing has been going on lately at night. I have been having more and more
dreams in spanish. But the funny thing is that the latins speak english and the americans speak spanish!
I actuallly had a dream with Jake Heaps in it, and we were both speaking spanish
to one another in the MTC. Kinda weird but super cool at the same time.
Hopefully all of my dreams will be in spanish soon! My spanish is coming along
very well, now it comes down to learning more words. And cleaning up the
grammer a little bit.
I have felt more and more at home here in Peru. Its not weird walking the
streets and talking to random people. I rather enjoy it more than sitting in
our basement watching the golf channel. Hard to imagine, but its true haha. The
members are still a blast, and more and more are starting to like me and get to
know me. It helps too when you know some spanish!
Here are some pictures of the life down here. The man in the black shirt is
Amner, and he is a super smart convert to the church that served his mission in
Chile. We talk to him a lot about those weird doctrines and what not.
I love you all and am so thankful for your support. And i finally received my package!!! Only one
month for bigger boxes, and a week and a half for those envelope things. Oh and
the get fuzzy calendar is EXACTLY what i wanted!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Washburn
Hey everybody,
So we just had another change out in the mission here, and i will be staying
here in Viña for a little while longer! And even better, i recieved a new
companion!! His name is Elder Hunambal and he is a thousand times better than
Elder Estrada. Elder Estrada was a good elder and all, but we never had fun
doing the work, and he was very serious. Elder Huanambal on the other hand
loves to have fun while doing the work. And the funny thing is, that we are
doing more work now than before! We actually do contacts in the street, and
dont spend a lot of time in members houses. It really is being a missionary
now.
This week was pretty poor working wise because Elder Estrada didnt want to do
anything. It was pretty tough not teaching anyone and not doing much of
anything. We also got to hear about it from our Zone Leaders too. But we are
recommiting ourselves to the work, and we are going to shatter last weeks
numbers with this weeks numbers.
So here is a funny story about a baptism that we were supposed to have yesterday. This boy named Jair is 9 years old. We have
taught him all the lessons, and the missionaries before us have taught him as
well. Anyways, we were preparing for his baptism this week when we ran into a
little snag. In his interview they asked for his information for the papers we
have to fill out. Turns out he doesnt know his own age, neither does his
grandmother and neither do his parents!!! No one knows his age or what day he
was born or anything. And without this we cant baptize him. So we are in a bit
of a pickle, and hopefully it will get resolved soon.
Our investigators have fallen off the wagon again, and now were down to only 2.
It really sucks, but we have been receiving more refferals and more contacts in
the street, so the numbers should pick up this week. Milagros is a bit of a
problem because she has a boyfriend and doesnt want to comply with the law of
Chastity, but she has accepted all of the other laws. Ya......we will see haha.
I am doing much better now. I am much happier and feel free to talk to my companion. It has been a
little struggle to lead the area, but we haven´t been lost or anything! Other
than this very small problem i am enjoying my area more. Instead of talking to
my companion, the members talk to me, and depend on me to do things, which is
great. I dont feel like a shadow to my companion. Life is just grand, and it
looks to be better this next transfer with Elder Huanambal!
Love,
Spenser
So we just had another change out in the mission here, and i will be staying
here in Viña for a little while longer! And even better, i recieved a new
companion!! His name is Elder Hunambal and he is a thousand times better than
Elder Estrada. Elder Estrada was a good elder and all, but we never had fun
doing the work, and he was very serious. Elder Huanambal on the other hand
loves to have fun while doing the work. And the funny thing is, that we are
doing more work now than before! We actually do contacts in the street, and
dont spend a lot of time in members houses. It really is being a missionary
now.
This week was pretty poor working wise because Elder Estrada didnt want to do
anything. It was pretty tough not teaching anyone and not doing much of
anything. We also got to hear about it from our Zone Leaders too. But we are
recommiting ourselves to the work, and we are going to shatter last weeks
numbers with this weeks numbers.
So here is a funny story about a baptism that we were supposed to have yesterday. This boy named Jair is 9 years old. We have
taught him all the lessons, and the missionaries before us have taught him as
well. Anyways, we were preparing for his baptism this week when we ran into a
little snag. In his interview they asked for his information for the papers we
have to fill out. Turns out he doesnt know his own age, neither does his
grandmother and neither do his parents!!! No one knows his age or what day he
was born or anything. And without this we cant baptize him. So we are in a bit
of a pickle, and hopefully it will get resolved soon.
Our investigators have fallen off the wagon again, and now were down to only 2.
It really sucks, but we have been receiving more refferals and more contacts in
the street, so the numbers should pick up this week. Milagros is a bit of a
problem because she has a boyfriend and doesnt want to comply with the law of
Chastity, but she has accepted all of the other laws. Ya......we will see haha.
I am doing much better now. I am much happier and feel free to talk to my companion. It has been a
little struggle to lead the area, but we haven´t been lost or anything! Other
than this very small problem i am enjoying my area more. Instead of talking to
my companion, the members talk to me, and depend on me to do things, which is
great. I dont feel like a shadow to my companion. Life is just grand, and it
looks to be better this next transfer with Elder Huanambal!
Love,
Spenser
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Hey Everybody!
Things have just flown by this week. Quite literally, we went to do weekly
planning on friday and i said to myself, but we just did this yesterday! haha.
It has mainly been to the fact that we work everyday, and the spanish is coming
along so i play a more intrical part in the lessons. It has been great to speak
and listen. There are still a few people that ask questions about me to my
companion, who then tells the person to go ahead and ask me. Kind of makes me
feel dumb, but then i show them by giving them their whole answer and then some
in spanish. It shows them that im not dumb and that i actually am listening
haha. But that rarely happens now, so it only means that people know that i
know spanish!
As for the week, it has all been leading up to Sunday and to our Baptism of
Juan. He is part of a family where all the sisters and mother are members and
only he and his father are not members. His sisters converted 5 years ago, and
he has heard the discussions a dozen times but never accepted the church. Well about 3 weeks ago, he came to us and said that he
wanted to be baptised. So we have been working with him for the last few weeks,
and finally the great and glorious day came. His baptism was amazing. We had
over 40 people there and some were non members that were really intrigued by the
baptism. Some of them afterwards really wanted to hear our discussions! Juans
family was crying too, which made the day that much more special.
Another cool thing sunday was when some old investigators of Elder Estrada came
to our church to see him. They gave him a cool shirt and then we talked for the
rest of the day. They talked about the ward and all the fun things that they
did. It was great to see how much the worshipped him, and it only made me think
about the people that i have baptised and how much they will love me too.
The missionary life has become my way of living now. I have thought about home,
and just said eh...i kinda dont want to have all those problems of school and
stuff. Myabe ill just stay here haha. The life as a missionary just seems more
fulfilling than anything else i have done in my life. I look forward to each
day and the people that we have to teach. I definitely recommened a mission to
anyone that feels like they havent accomplished much in their life. You will
have no regrets for the time that you put into the mission field.
We have transfers next week, so i will let you know if they are sending me to
the jungle or somewhere!
Love
Elder Washburn
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
HOLA!!!
Life is still gleaming here in Peru, and i am ready to start the new year with a
bang. Nothing with guns or anything but with work. Funny fact, guns arent
legal here, so everyone just uses knifes. ANYWAYS!!! I am very thankful to
start the year off with a fast. I feal completed regenerated and ready to go
for this year. We have been a little lazy when it comes to contacting in the
street, but we have recommitted to do better this week and the following weeks.
As well as using the members more. They all have become more willing to help
and it really shows in the work when the members are doing the finding and we
are doing the teaching. As for teaching, things are going great. We have a new
family to teach, and we taught them the first lesson this morning! They called
us, and we just dropped everything and went, and it turned out to be a great
lesson with everyone participating. My companion is really good at adapting the
lessons to the smaller kids and having them interact more. Something that i really want to learn, because the people react much better to interactive
teaching than just the same old lesson.
I do have one really good experience teaching this week. We are teaching a
woman named Milagros, or miracles in english, and she is really nice. She
doesnt believe in God or anything, but has wanted to learn. So we gave her the
first discussion and she just drunk it all in. But the best part was when she
asked a question about Jesus Christ, and how he did what he did. My companion
looked at me bewildered of how to answer, and that is when the Spirit took over.
I told her that no one knows how he did it, but know that he did it for her
personally. How he did everything, all the suffering, for everyone one of us
individually. We say that he died for us very easily, but do we really taked
the time to realize that we are the prints on his hands and feet, that such
excrutiating pain was taken for you personally? Think about that, and realize
the great love that the Saviour has for you personally. It will truly change the way you think.
This week has been a little slow due to new years but still very enjoyable. It
turns out, that in the middle of the night there was a party on our roof, and
that was the reason why i couldnt sleep haha. All the youth from the ward were
up there blasting music haha. I didn´t even know! We have transfers coming
up, and i think that i am ready for a new companion or a new area, a little
change would be nice. But whatever happens i will know that it is for the best
and it is what i need.
I still have not received the package, but lets wait one more week, and if it
doesnt arrive then we will know that you gave a great christmas to a peruvian
haha. Speaking of which mom, i used 40 dollars to make these two huge canastas
for two families. The one family that i baptized first, and then the family
that does our laundry. We did it in secret though so no one knows haha. It is
like what we did as a family when we were kids, leaving stuff on the porch and running. Oh the good times haha.
I think that kylee will be married by next year. You can kinda survive freshman
year, but sophmore year is the killer! And letters have been really slow, i
just received the prusse´s letter, and your letter, as well as kims. The mail
is just on and off, but it should come around soon!
All my love,
Spenser
Life is still gleaming here in Peru, and i am ready to start the new year with a
bang. Nothing with guns or anything but with work. Funny fact, guns arent
legal here, so everyone just uses knifes. ANYWAYS!!! I am very thankful to
start the year off with a fast. I feal completed regenerated and ready to go
for this year. We have been a little lazy when it comes to contacting in the
street, but we have recommitted to do better this week and the following weeks.
As well as using the members more. They all have become more willing to help
and it really shows in the work when the members are doing the finding and we
are doing the teaching. As for teaching, things are going great. We have a new
family to teach, and we taught them the first lesson this morning! They called
us, and we just dropped everything and went, and it turned out to be a great
lesson with everyone participating. My companion is really good at adapting the
lessons to the smaller kids and having them interact more. Something that i really want to learn, because the people react much better to interactive
teaching than just the same old lesson.
I do have one really good experience teaching this week. We are teaching a
woman named Milagros, or miracles in english, and she is really nice. She
doesnt believe in God or anything, but has wanted to learn. So we gave her the
first discussion and she just drunk it all in. But the best part was when she
asked a question about Jesus Christ, and how he did what he did. My companion
looked at me bewildered of how to answer, and that is when the Spirit took over.
I told her that no one knows how he did it, but know that he did it for her
personally. How he did everything, all the suffering, for everyone one of us
individually. We say that he died for us very easily, but do we really taked
the time to realize that we are the prints on his hands and feet, that such
excrutiating pain was taken for you personally? Think about that, and realize
the great love that the Saviour has for you personally. It will truly change the way you think.
This week has been a little slow due to new years but still very enjoyable. It
turns out, that in the middle of the night there was a party on our roof, and
that was the reason why i couldnt sleep haha. All the youth from the ward were
up there blasting music haha. I didn´t even know! We have transfers coming
up, and i think that i am ready for a new companion or a new area, a little
change would be nice. But whatever happens i will know that it is for the best
and it is what i need.
I still have not received the package, but lets wait one more week, and if it
doesnt arrive then we will know that you gave a great christmas to a peruvian
haha. Speaking of which mom, i used 40 dollars to make these two huge canastas
for two families. The one family that i baptized first, and then the family
that does our laundry. We did it in secret though so no one knows haha. It is
like what we did as a family when we were kids, leaving stuff on the porch and running. Oh the good times haha.
I think that kylee will be married by next year. You can kinda survive freshman
year, but sophmore year is the killer! And letters have been really slow, i
just received the prusse´s letter, and your letter, as well as kims. The mail
is just on and off, but it should come around soon!
All my love,
Spenser
SHALOME!
This week has been yet another week of the hard work. Dad i have felt the same
this week. I have been wiped out at the end of everyday, but im glad that im so
tired at the end of every day because it shows me that i worked hard that day.
And its funny that im asleep by 9 30 or 10 everynight. My companion thinks that
im a little crazy. But he is the one that needs naps every now and then haha.
But the work is progressing, very slowly unfortunately. We have our
investigators but they are both a little slow mentally, so we have to teach them
for longer. We do have one woman that has a lot of problems, she thinks that
her baptism is valid in the catholic church when we told her no and she is
afraid of water haha. But the hardest and coolest part of the lessons is that
she speaks quechwa, and very little castellano. Quechwa is the old aztec
language, and my companion knows a little and we use his Book of mormon in
Quechwa so she can understand. And it was awesome, to read quechwa. Its
actually similar to english with the grammer, its also pronounced the same way as
english, so it will be the next language that i learn after spanish. WHO KNOWS
THAT ONE BACK HOME HHHMMMMMMMM!!!! Ill probably give my testimony in quechwa in
the states and here, just to be super cool. Its alright to be proud of me
parents haha.
Other than that, not much has been happening out here. We have walked to
highest part of our area, and found a family of 7! We are going to work hard
with them for the end of January. They are our blessing among all the walking
in the hot sun. I forgot my chapstick one day, and my lips are totally burned.
As a result i cant open my mouth too much, and my lips are super sensitive to
hot and cold stuff. But it has still been a great time.
I will look into the call thing, but im sure that ill be able to call on new
years day or a day afterwards. Just tell me the best day for you, and whether
to call you on the home phone or a cell phone. Im going to buy a phone card so
the whole thing will be payed for by me. They are cheap here, only 10 soles for a lot of time
so dont worry about it.
I do have one funny story for the week. So we were walking last night to visit
less actives, and people are getting drunk more and more often with the holidays
coming up and all. Anyways we were walking on the sidewalk, and a drunk man was
peeing out front of a bodega in the middle of the sidewalk we were walking on.
I jumped out of the way at the last second because my companion didnt warn me.
Moral of the story, watch where you walk cause you might get peed on, and drunk
people have no shame.
Have fun for your holidays, and try to not do what our drunk friend did haha.
But most importantly, remember why we have this season. WIthout our savior we
would be nothing more than the dust of the earth. After reading Jesus the
Christ i have gained so much more appreciation for the Savior and his sacrifice
for us.
I love you all, and am so thankful for your prayers and love this christmas
season. Cuidanse!
Love,
Elder Washburn
This week has been yet another week of the hard work. Dad i have felt the same
this week. I have been wiped out at the end of everyday, but im glad that im so
tired at the end of every day because it shows me that i worked hard that day.
And its funny that im asleep by 9 30 or 10 everynight. My companion thinks that
im a little crazy. But he is the one that needs naps every now and then haha.
But the work is progressing, very slowly unfortunately. We have our
investigators but they are both a little slow mentally, so we have to teach them
for longer. We do have one woman that has a lot of problems, she thinks that
her baptism is valid in the catholic church when we told her no and she is
afraid of water haha. But the hardest and coolest part of the lessons is that
she speaks quechwa, and very little castellano. Quechwa is the old aztec
language, and my companion knows a little and we use his Book of mormon in
Quechwa so she can understand. And it was awesome, to read quechwa. Its
actually similar to english with the grammer, its also pronounced the same way as
english, so it will be the next language that i learn after spanish. WHO KNOWS
THAT ONE BACK HOME HHHMMMMMMMM!!!! Ill probably give my testimony in quechwa in
the states and here, just to be super cool. Its alright to be proud of me
parents haha.
Other than that, not much has been happening out here. We have walked to
highest part of our area, and found a family of 7! We are going to work hard
with them for the end of January. They are our blessing among all the walking
in the hot sun. I forgot my chapstick one day, and my lips are totally burned.
As a result i cant open my mouth too much, and my lips are super sensitive to
hot and cold stuff. But it has still been a great time.
I will look into the call thing, but im sure that ill be able to call on new
years day or a day afterwards. Just tell me the best day for you, and whether
to call you on the home phone or a cell phone. Im going to buy a phone card so
the whole thing will be payed for by me. They are cheap here, only 10 soles for a lot of time
so dont worry about it.
I do have one funny story for the week. So we were walking last night to visit
less actives, and people are getting drunk more and more often with the holidays
coming up and all. Anyways we were walking on the sidewalk, and a drunk man was
peeing out front of a bodega in the middle of the sidewalk we were walking on.
I jumped out of the way at the last second because my companion didnt warn me.
Moral of the story, watch where you walk cause you might get peed on, and drunk
people have no shame.
Have fun for your holidays, and try to not do what our drunk friend did haha.
But most importantly, remember why we have this season. WIthout our savior we
would be nothing more than the dust of the earth. After reading Jesus the
Christ i have gained so much more appreciation for the Savior and his sacrifice
for us.
I love you all, and am so thankful for your prayers and love this christmas
season. Cuidanse!
Love,
Elder Washburn
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