Week 86 - Companion is on crutches

Letter sent to those in his contact list

So this week, my comp got put into a nice cast. He tore one of his ligaments in his knee.
No, there were no arrows or anything, just a hit from a volley ball post.
...
This week, Maria Fernanda and Jaryo did not come to church. Today we are going to visit them and talk to them about The Sabbath Day.so yeahhhh.
Other than that all is well in Zion, well, except for the new neighbors... they are loud. They had a party until like, 3:30. It was grand listening to bachata.
Look it up.
...
But Wilson came to Church! Wilson is an investigator who can only say, yes and no. He had a big accident and is in therapy to start recovering. He is reading the book of mormon and says ´´by saying yes´´ that he likes it.
I have come to realize that God loves all his children. And even in tough times, he is still there.

Elder Pead

Photo of comp in muletas.
I remember those good times

Letter Home

Well, we have had an eventful week. Today we've just been cleaning and washing clothes. I've been washing my companions clothes, well because he's kind of limping around.

First off to answer your questions, yes we did hear about the earthquake in Ecuador. My companion was freaking out a little bit. He did receive word that his family is all safe.

I haven't heard from Eric yet so I'll take your word that he is safe and OK.

The earthquake was felt in Colombia as well.  In Cali a lot of the missionaries said they felt it. Here in Palmira we felt it but it wasn't very strong.  We were out teaching and I turned my companion and ask if he felt that.  10 minutes later as we were walking we started to hear people talking about the big earthquake in Ecuador. I guess Eric will have a few stories to tell.

Thanks for your advice on how to help my district. We have a great district. Everyone is working hard, it's just that a lot of times we don't see the fruits of our labor and some get down.

No, I did not receive that package yet. Don't know what's up. Yes, my shoes are pretty bad.  So you asked if both my pairs of shoes were worn like that. Well I did have two pairs of shoes. When I was with Elder Sanchez, his shoes were worn out and he took them in to get repaired.  So I let him have my other pair while his were getting fixed. Then he got transferred and he didn't have any shoes to take with him.  So I told him to take mine.  No I don't need money to buy new shoes, these are fine. They are a little worn out but they will make it.

We found 4 people to teach on Monday. Found them really quick. It was cool to find them like that.

Tuesday we had our interviews with the president.  Sister Pricoli had to go and remind me that this was my next to the last interview. I had to ask her to stop trying to make me trunky. The mission president reminded me as well. I told him I would continue to work hard. 

We had our zone meeting the day after that. It was the funniest zone meeting I've ever been to.  The discussion was on "the eye of the tiger."  One of the zone leaders started singing the song and the other one started dancing around. Then they pulled out these masks.  They gave us all tiger masks.  We were instructed to use these in our district meetings.  We are to keep our eyes focused on the goals like the tiger focuses on his.

Thursday was a very strange day. We were on divisions. My companion had to go to Cali because he said his leg was feeling strange.  He went with Elder Burdick and I was with Elder Rojas all day. We talked to a lot of people that day.  We had a lot of good contacts.

We got a phone call from Elder Burdick and my companion. They said that my companion had broken his leg. I sat there for a minute going, seriously? They said no just kidding but he did tear a ligament. So they have his leg bandaged up and will need to place a cast. So he's walking like a robot. Kind of funny. He's also using crutches. Oh how I remember those fun times. So we are walking very slowly and we only go to appointments that we have made previously. So dad now I know how you felt with me.  When he goes down the stairs he wants to go down fast. He likes to hop a lot. I have to keep reminding him not to do that. ”No elder. Stop, don't do that". How I remember you telling me those things.

We had an area conference this week. It was for all of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. It was sweet. We heard from the second counselor in the presiding Bishopric.  He spoke in Spanish, it was great. We also had the second counselor of the general young women presidency. She gave her testimony in Spanish. It was very good and powerful. We heard from Elder Hales and then from Dallin H. Oaks. He started off saying he would try to speak in Spanish. And he sounded like the typical new gringo.  After his first sentence he smiled and started speaking English. It was very fun to watch.  It was a great Sunday. 

Jorge is doing good, but he struggles with a few family problems and getting depressed from time to time. I felt for him and out of the blue started to share with him a church hymn.  Tú me has dado muchas bendiciones. (Because I have been given much).  We talked about it and sing that song. Afterwards he said he felt at peace. He said “thank you elders, let's pray, today is my mother’s birthday I want to ask God to bless her”. He gave a beautiful prayer. I love him so much, he's one of my favorite converts.  He seems to struggle with so many challenges, so please put him in your prayers, he's a really good guy.  

So that was my week.  Trying to figure out how to help my comp.  He will be starting physical therapy this next week.  Don't quite know if he will be staying here for the duration of this transfer or if he will be transferred out early.  

Love you dad, love you mom, I love you Jarrett, love you all everyone else.  

Elder Pead

Week 85 - I Feel Happy

This week we had a older man get baptized. His name is Jorge Manzi.  His children have been baptized but have gone inactive since 10 years.

He has always seen the missionaries, from Bogotá to Buga, but he has never really understood the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We stopped by one day, and well, he said ´´ the day I say i'll sit down to talk to you, is the day I'll go to church´´
That next week he went to church... he is a man of his word.
When he bore his testimony he said a few words that really touched me.

´´I knew I could not have been baptized the 26th, for God did not give me an answer but in these last 3 days, I got my answer. I have felt a happiness that I cannot describe, the way the missionaries come when I need them, the members who visit me in time of need, and the love for God that he has for me, is hard to describe... but I feel happy. I know that his gospel brings peace, for I felt it.´´

After a good 15 years of missionaries chasing him down, we helped him get to the waters of baptism and to start following the Saviors perfect example.

He will receive the priesthood next week and our branch president has many things planed for him.
I'm just happy we could help someone come unto Christ. my comp always shares a scripture with me.

Lucas 15:4-7

 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

I feel happy that he feels happy. The Gospel is true. There is no other joy greater than the good news that it brings.

-Elder Dallin Pead

Week 84 - Conference Boost

Let's  see, to answer your questions.

What and where do we eat between the sessions of conference? We ate in the church. Our pensionista brought arroz con pollo (rice with chicken).  It was very very good!

When will I get my new name tag? I've been asking that same question for about two months now. I don't know. I don't even know when I'm going to get that package you sent me.

Did you guys hear about the new temples? My companion was freaking out. A new temple in Peru and one in Ecuador!

Conference was really good. I loved it so much. For me all the talks were about charity and they got to me a lot. I found myself asking why do I feel so good. We had three investigators show up to conference. Jorge who has a baptismal date for this week. We also have two new investigators who have baptism dates. They are Maria and Jairo.  She is the daughter of our recent convert and her boyfriend.  She did not want to listen to us at all. After she saw her mom change and change her example in the church she decided  to come.

We talked with them yesterday. We talked about charity and how God loves us so much. We discussed how through the restoration, the gospel of Jesus Christ is back on the earth and the ordinance of baptism is the gate to enter in. We talked about celestial marriage in the temple. While we were talking we asked them if they were thinking of getting married and would like to get married. They said yes. We asked them if they would like to get baptized.  They said yes. Afterwards we had a prayer and Jairo offered it.  He was a little hesitant at first but he did it. During the prayer he started to cry. After he was done, we were on our knees for a good 10 seconds in silence.  Then Maria started saying her own prayer out loud.  After that the spirit just was put upon us. I testify that we felt it! I don't know how God works sometimes but he works good!  After that prayer we got up and gave each other hugs.  We left and my companion and I didn't quite know what to think.  We realized that we really do have pure love for the people here.  Like they said in conference, have charity for these people, for they are sons and daughters of God.  And if they are sons and daughters of God we must have love for them.  It made me think about how I need to have charity in every aspect of my life. I know that is what makes a missionary very successful. How he demonstrates his charity and service unto the people. I received my answer during conference and that is what I will be working on these next few months before I come home. Really having charity and how it embellishes itself and how I can feel it and help others feel it.

I'm really happy I had that experience. I have had many spiritual experiences during the mission, but this is one that I can never forget. And every time I think about it, the Holy Spirit just reminds me that this is the best thing I can be doing.

I hope all of you can put conference more in your lives. Now that it has passed, like Elder Holland said, We have had a great conference but we cannot forget about it.  We need to put the teachings in our lives. Use family home evening to discuss the conference talks.  You can use every Monday to discuss a conference talk. Pray to know which ones you should use.

Dad, never give up on anything.  Something I have always admired about you, dad, is that you have always persevered. You always did your best. That's what I want to do here in my mission. I want to keep serving until it's done. I don't want to come home and feel like I didn't give it my all. I want to be like my father.  Because my father gave his all during his mission time. And my other father has given everything he has owned unto us, even his beloved son, our brother Jesus Christ.

Love you all,

Elder Pead