Baptism Fotos!

Dear Family,                                                                                                                      

This week you get baptism fotos! The YM is Daniel, the one with her suit rolled up is Briseyra and the other one is Narda. That was all last Saturday though, so I won´t comment more on that one.

Briseyra

Daniel

Narda

This week we had a couple of experiences contacting that were kind of interesting. We contacted the father of a murder victim, and he told us the whole story, how his son was murdered was pretty brutal, but he was strong as he told it. When we told him about the plan of salvation, it didn’t affect him too much. It seems like that would be new doctrine to a lot of people, but the truth is that a lot of churches preach that nowadays, or more accurately, that they will return to see their families again, but not necessarily all of the details in the restored gospel that we know. We are returning to teach him again soon, but really we just hope that he can find the peace that he’s been looking for. When he opened the door to let us in, he was pretty surprised because he said that he had had MMM (Lutherans) knock on his door, as well as JW and Adventists, but never Mormons. He’s really a good man, just with a rally heavy load on his back.

The other experience was on the same street, the man opened the door and basically said, ´´finally!´´´ He had been contacted about a week and a half ago by elders from a different zone, but they forgot to pass us the reference, so he just waited and waited for missionaries to pass by. He borrowed a Book of Mormon from his sister’s friend and started reading from the beginning. He read the introduction and the witnesses, and the first few chapters of first Nephi. How incredible! So we taught him where the Book comes from and about the Restoration for the first lesson. We are returning for him too, but really its incredible what the gospel does when someone puts their effort into learning it. 

The other one was a reference from a relative that was leaving the house. He told us about his relative that was an inactive member and so we knocked on the door. Out comes this woman and she invited us in without too much of a wait. She told us she had been inactive for 16 years but wanted her son to be raised in the church. She still prays our way, but she’s been baptized catholic to avoid conflicts at work. Her Book of Mormon actually had a few words different it was so old, actually that was kind of weird.

Questions:

Yes it’s cold even though it’s like 60 degrees out. It’s pretty humid, but I don´t notice that anymore, just that it’s really cold. We proselyte in sweaters or coats every day.

We had a conference with the mission president and his wife this last week and will have interviews tomorrow. They are really two incredibly prepared people and I felt immediately that they will affect the way that I live my life from here on out. She served here in Lima North and he served in Chile. He’s a convert from 18 years and older who had parent trouble when join the church. He waited for her after being in a serious relationship with her at BYU. While he waited he studied law and they married when he got back. He wants to participate in the work with us, attending sacrament meetings and baptisms and even teaching lessons with us when possible.

Transfers next is at the end of the month, but here it’s usually 3 to 5 transfers, so I’m in the target zone to get transferred, who knows? We have a transfer meeting the day before where the zone leaders announce who has transfers immediately after writing home, then who ever leaves has the Pday to pack and the next day it’s a bus to the offices to wait for your companion.

I haven´t received a handwritten letter from grandma yet, but it could be here soon I think.

Yes I went to Camp Easton.

Melissa is the best, she´s incredibly strong willed and really her testimony in the Book of Mormon that I have is impressive. She´s a spiritual giant housed in the physical body of a little girl (she hates it when i call her that) and she´s righteous to the core.

We saw just about 15 minutes of the conference while we were eating dinner, it was broadcast via internet, Magdala Stake isn’t in my mission, but they broadcast the feed to all of the stakes. The facebook thing hasn´t been implemented here and I hope it doesn’t happen. It takes away a big part of being a missionary in my opinion and to be honest I don´t think a lot of missionaries can behave themselves with it. It´s sad but really true, the best way to do missionary work here in Peru is through the members.

I love you all, I know my letters aren’t very long, but really it’s because so much happens in one week I can only remember two or three days’ worth when I am writing. There’s no way I can say it all, but know that I’m safe and happy and praying for you all. 

Love, 

Elder Nelson

PS still waiting on the personal account from Braden of his proposal ;)