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
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