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

January 2, 2012

Thanks for the family letter, very original haha. When I pulled it up my companion was like whoa whoa is that Facebook? lol, I assured him it was just my family being creative.

Well its a new year! FELIZ AÑO NUEVO! New years is HUGE here in peru. They have this tradition where they make these scarecrow things called Muñecos, where they use their old clothes to make the outside and then stuff it full of hay and firecrackers and stuff, and then at midnight, along with more firecrackers and fireworks you can imagine, they light their Muñecos on fire in the streets, as a symbol of leaving behind the past and starting a new year. We got to make a missionary muñeco with some members on New Years Eve, but sadly we didnt get to see him go up in flames. Our mission president let us missionaries stay out a little later in the houses of members. But between that time and midnight it was a little hard to sleep, so at 12 we took a look and the city was pretty much on fire, with fireworks galore and burning muñecos in the streets, noise and smoke engulfing the entire city haha. Yeah it was quite a sight.

Other than the local festivites this week was pretty normal. My companion and I decided to make our street contacts with more quility, where we can gain trust with the people we talk to in the street. Where we actually talk with people and see them as people and not as just numbers, and not give them the whole memorized, Hi. We´re missionaries from the church.... The people here will practically treat you like family if you can gain their trust. Which we saw this past week. We were searching for a referrel and found his family in the house instead and began talking with them and showing that we care about them, and they invited us to eat lunch with them a few days later, and since then we have been teaching this strong family that treats us like we are family and really want to hear our message. I know its not always like that, but it really is a testimony of how we need to show these people that we care, and truly desire their salvation.

One other thing I thought I would share is that I had the opportunity to try Cuy, which is guinnie pig.. It was actually pretty good. A little hard to eat civilized-like, but who really wants to be civilized when you are eating a big huge hamster? yeah, I rest my case. But also, guinnie pigs; Bald, and dead, are probably the ugliest things you´ll see. I decided that they are definatley cuter alive......... with fur,....maybe even tickling my nose. but Maybe thats just me, haha.

Yup its getting hotter here in Peru, chiclayo at least. we were playing soccer with our investigador and some of his friends today, and I think I actually got burnt through my shirt......haha now thats a first, and probably not the last. Now that i think about it, im not quite sure why im telling you this, but OH WELL! you are my family right? I can tell you anything! :)

Alright, honestly its really wierd to think that Alan is home, and even weirder seeing those pictures of him haha. Wish him the best for me, in school and getting married.

Well family, its a new year. New things to learn, new things to experience, and new things to become. I'm so grateful for the opportunity we have to continually grow and strive to become more like out Saviour. I know I am so blessed to be here on my mission and I love it so much,. Im also so blessed to have a family like you guys, and I love you so much ;)

Elder Lonsdale

December 26, 2011

Do you ever get that feeling, when your sending someone an email, and its like you just talked to them yesterday? J

It was awesome to be able to spend some time with you guys yesterday, you all look so good might I add, Daniel and Krista so grown up, mom and dad looking younger everyday, and Isaac and Jocelyn looking more Japanese every day…..I dont really know what that means but dont worry, its a compliment.

I'm glad you guys all had a good Christmas, what a special time of year, to be able to remember the birth and life of the Savior and what incredible things he did for us. What a blessing Christmas is here in the misión, to have the opportunity to help people feel the true meaning of Christmas and help them bring the Saviour a little closer to their hearts and homes. Kinda like Saipan the rain on Christmas kind of reminded me of snow which was neat. And its funny, you can tell that it doesn't rain a whole lot here when people can tell you the exact dates of the three days it rained last year haha.

It really is an amazing blessing to have such an awesome supportive family at home, it means that I can have my whole self here in the mission without having to be stressing about my family at home. Knowing that you guys are strong in the faith and know why Im here in Peru sharing the góspel is such a blessing.
Elder Lonsdale

PHOTOS!

December 12, 2011

These past few weeks have been hard for me to sum-up, I'm learning so much and I dont know where to begin sometimes when I want to tell you about it haha. Me and the new missionaries I came with are on a program called The First 12 Weeks, where, because of the increased amount of new missionaries, they need more trainers. So this program is where new missionaries stay with their trainers for the first 12 weeks and are on a program to help them be prepared to maybe train new missionaries in the field after their first 12 weeks. Some older missionaries have said that its kinda like all the things you learn in the first 6 months crammed into the first 12 weeks haha. At times it stretches you and really puts you out there as a new missionary but it is a great program. Being able to become, hopefully, a more effective missionary is great. Im learning so much, and my companion is really the best. I dont think I´ll be training anytime soon though, I still have lots to learn and not to mention the language too haha.

One of the things I´ve noticed as a missionary is the ability you develop to see people´s potential. The potential that they have as individuals, or families, to progress and grow closer to our Father in Heaven. One lesson we had with an investigator, her toddler, and her less active "spouse" was really eye opening. We were there all kneeling together in and opening prayer and I was able to see the potential this family had, kneeling together as a family, I almost got emotional, it was pretty powerful. It was another motivating moment for me I guess, to help people come unto Christ and recieve those blessings that he is wanting to give them.

I know that the Lord loves each and every one of us, and He sees us as what we can become, Like our Father in Heaven, and we need to remember that too.

Elder Lonsdale