February 13, 2012

Well this week we had transfers, and it as pretty inevitable that my companion Elder Insaurralde was going to be transferred, so we cried our tears together and did the whole -Until we meet again!!---thing, ..ok, maybe not quite like that. But he took off in a 12 hour bus ride to his new area deeper into Peru. And I am still here in Urrunaga, which I am really ok with, I really have grown to love this ward and the people we are teaching. My new companion is Elder Tamani. He is Peruvian and is great, we have about the same time in the mission so we are working together, still learning and trying to help our investigators as best as we possibly can.

We had an invstigator, her name is Alicia. We met her and her son when we were walking from an appointment and these little girls run up to us and ask the usual questions, like whats your name, where are you from, do you speak english and all that jazz, and then they were like -Hey! come and teach my grandma!.. Of course we were like YEAH! so we met alicia and Leviss her son and began teaching them. They are perfect examples of people who have been prepared by the lord. 2 weeks later alicia was baptized, even though her husband didnt want her to do it. He even came to the baptismal service to try and convince her otherwise, but she knew what she needed to do and continued with her baptism. Wow. But don't worry, everything is ok with her husband now, and we are even working with him and Levis which is excellent. It is such a blessing to be able to see investigators like Alicia accept the gospel because it makes sense, it sounds right to them. They know it's true and they can feel it. I know we as missionaries are here to help people develop faith in Christ and gain a testimony, but a lot of the times the people you teach can really add to your testimony, seeing the gospel and the Holy Ghost in action. Priceless.

Today we did some service for a less active lady whose daughter is serving a mission right now in chile. Some really humble living circumstances, so practically the entire ward came out to pretty much tear her house apart and make her a new one. That kinda support in a ward is so esential. But it was a funny site, us running around trying to catch some of her loose guiine pigs. some of her thousands. haha

Well as for those questions, spanish....hmm Well like dad said, there are always going to be new words to learn and jargon to use haha, but I am feeling pretty comfortable with the spanish. It has become easier than english, just because spanish is what you use all the time and you even start to think in spanish, or talk to yourself in spanish......not that I do that often or anything........

But all in all its going great, its at the point where if in a conversation, I don't know a word, I can ask what that word means and by using other words and describing it I can figure out what that word means. Spanish is awesome. I am so blessed to be learning it.

Well I love you guys, keep sane during all the craziness! Good luck!

Elder Lonsdale

February 6, 2012

Whoa, is it February already? Crazy.

Well today we found out about transfers, and my companion is being transfered to another area. We dont know where yet. Its funny how it works, you dont know where you are being transfered practically until you step into the vehicle to go there. Ok, well maybe not quite like that. All you know is that you are being transfered and all the missionaries meet together that are being transfered on wed. and then everything gets sorted out and you are sent off to your new area. Its kinda sad to be seeing my companion go. We´ve been together for over 3 months and with that much time we have really become friends. I´m a little scared too though, because who knows what my next companion is going to be like lol. But like Laura said; ¨You will get a bunch of different companions of all different shapes and sizes and levels of commitment. You might get a hard one, but Dont just grit your teeth and say you´ll hold on until the next transfer, really try and see why our Father in Heaven really loves them and why that missionary is special to Him.¨ That really is part of becoming like the Saviour isnt it? And thats why we are here right? To follow His example, because not only does he invite us to Follow Him, but along with that invitation He invites us to Become Like Him. What a blessing it is to have His example and His attributes that we can learn from and Develop.

Well, you wanted me to answer some questions right mom? ok, I can try!...

The weather here is very hot. Yup. Very very hot some days haha. The kids here really like to play with water balloons, its called ¨Carnival¨ the water fights and random people they hit with water balloons, and , being missionaries and one of them a gringo, we are obvious targets lol. its fun.

Fruits? They have tons of different fruits here, all grown in peru....I think. There are some street venders with every kind of fruit you can think of, starfruit, pineapple, apples, oranges, guava ..etc and a bunch of fruits Ive never even heard of, but love to try, It reminds me of saipan in the jungle with dad haha. Hunting fruit.

I love the markets here, very south american with hundreds of street venders selling everything you could every want. And every food you could think of. We can buy stuff off the street but we need to be careful, you never know how well something has been cooked you know?

Well Thats all for now! Im doing just great, I feel like I am very....adjusted. haha that word makes me sound like a therapist lol

But I hope you guys are doing alright! I love you guys!

Elder Lonsdale

January 30, 2012

This week was pretty great, we are really working hard with some investigators to help prepare them for their coming baptism. The few days before baptism are really crucial. We have really seen Satan work hard in those days, and if we don't work even harder than him, through daily contact, and focusing on them and their needs, our investigators are going to have a harder time making those steps towards that covenant. The Spirit really is key in that part too, when they are keeping those commitments, reading and praying, the Spirit gives them that courage and strength. And that's not just for investigators before baptism, That's something that is a worldwide eternal truth, the light and revelation we can receive through those commandments is without end. Wow. What a blessing.

I love you guys, take care this week!

Elder Lonsdale

January 23, 2012

This week I made an interesting personal observation; I realized that I am kinda like, (lack for a better term) a Cultural Mutt. haha. I Dont think thats a bad thing though. In fact I am so grateful for it. But it does make it a little difficult to answer questions about Canada. I don't know, I guess coming from a diverse cultural house it makes it difficult for me to answer ´what kind of food do people eat in your country?´ , or what do they export most? I guess I have realized how much a don´t know about my own country, living here in Peru haha. But thats ok. They seem to accept my guesses and apologies for not knowing lol.

Speaking of culture, the stake had a big cultural night at this new stake center that was just dedicated, and we were able to go and see a little bit of that. Wow. It was really neat to see some legit south american traditional culture, they can sure dance.

This week we were able to find some people that have really been prepared by the Lord. what a blessing it is to be able to present to someone what they have been looking for in this life, whether they knew they were looking for it or not. An experience really special is when you can see that flicker of light in their eyes, when you know they feel the Spirit and it is testifying to them that everything we are talking about is true. Those moments really are something, when you can feel that you are an instrument in the hands of the Lord. The Spirit really is key in missionary work, and in our day to day lives as members. When we have that spiritual connection with our Father in Heaven, there is no limit to what understanding and light we can receive, and other people will be able to see it in us.

I love you guys, take care this week!

Elder Lonsdale

January 16, 2012

This past week was fantastic. Our District made some goals for the week to help us all work a little harder, to push ourselves a little more and reach a little higher, and me and my companion really pushed ourselves. Which felt great! That is really the key to being a happy missionary. Preach My Gospel never lies! But that is something that I am glad I have learned early in my mission, That the answer to almost everything is just to work hard. Time flies when you really immerse yourself in the work and give it your all. A wise returned missionary once told me.(ahem, Laura...cough cough) ´That hard work is hard, but extremely gratifying, like the burn after a good run´. Now the key is to KEEP working hard ALL the time haha.

We had Junior´s baptism this past Saturday, the young man we have been working with for awhile. Wow. The ordinances of baptism and recieving the Holy Ghost really are amazing. To be able to witness and help in those saving ordinances is priceless. I will try and send pictures...someday haha.

On Saturday we got permission to visit some recent converts that live out in a little town about 10 minutes outside of Chiclayo. It was my first time being out of the city since I arrived. It was so cool to be out of the city for a bit, seeing the fields with the grass twice the size of me, with the animals and mountains in clear view. wow. it was quite an adventure. But more importantly we got to visit this family that we really care about and help strengthen their testimonies as new members of the church.

I am so blessed to be able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help people come unto Him.

Love ya

Elder Lonsdale

good luck with wedding stuff! muwahahaha

January 9, 2012

First Week of the new year come and gone. It has been an interesting week haha. Turns out that sunburn I had wasn't actually a sunburn, but a really weird allergic reaction to something I must have ate. My ears and eyes swelled up, oddly enough and my whole body was red and itchy, so i was pretty much doing the itchy monkey dance most of the week. As I type that out I realized how interesting of a mental image that must be. I guess if you really think about it, all those symptoms kinda made me look like a monkey. Yeah I guess I dug that hole myself. lol

Our area is really great. Its called Urrunaga. The members are really supportive of the work and it is really helping out our investigators. Transfers are in the beggining of february, and my companion has been here for quite a while, so we are betting that I'll stay and he will go, I wouldn't mind another 6 weeks here in my first area, but who really knows what will happen right?

This week we had some real quality lessons, which is great. Sometimes we forget that although numbers are important, quality is better than quantity. Because when you really focus on the person and really teach to their needs, they are going to be way more likely to feel the spirit and have those desires to make those changes in their life and accept the gospel.

I had an experience yesterday that I{ve been thinking about. We were teaching a less active member, Cesar. He has been a member for about 10 years, and only recently has become inactive, because of his work on sundays. We have had visits with him before but this time I just felt this heart wrench for him, you know what I mean? He is the nicest guy you've ever met, with an obvious strong testimony, and you just want to grab him by the shoulders and say everything you possibly can to help him regain that desire and to excercise his faith to come back to church. I don't know, it was an interesting feeling, kinda like the feeling you get with investigators sometimes, but with someone who knows what you know, and knows it is all true. I guess you could call it a lesson with a less-active-investigator. All in all I guess what Im getting at is all the new powerful emotions you experience on your mission. They really are powerful. I guess thats what we can experience as we become representatives of the Saviour. Really amazing, to feel a little for what he feels for his children, wow. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary, teaching the people of Peru, What an adventure.

Love you guys take care!

Elder Lonsdale