March 12, 2012

Our mission president likes to stress the importance of¨the ¨seeds¨ we plant as missionaries, and how down the road, the people we teach that don't end up accepting the gospel now, or don't want to make those life changes, down the road are more likely to be in a position to bring the gospel into their lives.

Right now we are teaching our friend Ricardo. He is the bishop's uncle and is a perfect example of the seed that was planted by missionaries before. He was living in Lima before, and that's where he first met the missionaries, but because of work and a strong alcoholic addiction, he wasn't in a place where he felt he could accept the gospel. His wife ended up leaving him because of this addiction and his life was falling into quite a few pieces, when the bishop invited him to come live with him and his family for awhile, to help with his addiction and to get his life back in order. Living with the bishop, in a home full of love, support, and the gospel, has been the best thing ever for him. We have been working with Ricardo since he came and he has really turned his life around. He hasn't given into temptation since he came, and now he doesn't even have the desire to drink. He has been more involved in the church than some members, its amazing. He kept telling us that he knew baptism was essential and he wanted to be baptized but not yet, he would say, not yet. Yesterday we had a good chat with him and he told us that he wants to be baptized before the end of this month. We are so happy for him. That seed and the members in his life were so important. Don't ever forget the power of those seeds we can share with the people we talk to everyday, members and missionaries alike.

Yesterday we were invited into primary to help teach a little class of 5 and 6 year-olds how they can talk to their friends about Jesus. Oh Primary. I felt right at home haha

ALSO, thanks for sending that package, I haven't received it yet but i´ll let you know when it comes. But can I ask you a favour? after conference could you please send a Liahona, or something with the conference talks, in English, I want to make sure I don't miss anything, if you know what I mean :)

Have you ever had liquid raw fish soup? Because I think that's what i had this past week. Yup. not much to say about that haha.

Well I love you guys, keep being an awesome family!

Elder Lonsdale

March 5, 2012

Oh WOW. The wedding looks like it was BEAUTIFUL. I'm so glad it all turned out great. :) I'm so happy for them. I loved being there in cardboard cut-out form, that was a lot of fun. lol. Thanks for all the photos, I have such good looking sisters,......... and not to mention brother in laws.

Yesterday we had 15 investigators at church, that was great. Church attendance is one of those important steps to baptism and repentance, and seeing them take that step is such a good feeling.

Yesterday we had a lesson with a young less active family we have been working with, and it has been really rewarding helping them come back to church and seeing them make those decisions and changes in their life to get back on track in the gospel. We have been talking about temples and their importance, and the eternal blessings we can receive through the ordinances in it, and have made a goal for their family to achieve that celestial family. Seeing the Spirit touch their hearts and testify that the temple is where they need to go, really helps my testimony. You can see that fire and desire in their eyes to get there. I shared the fact that my sister was married the day before, in the temple and whenever I tell anybody here that she was married right there in the temple, close to our house, they just sigh in awe of the beauty of that blessing. And what a blessing it would be to have children in the Covenant. It really makes you stop and look at the blessings you have......

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, but awhile back me and my companion were robbed haha. We were in another area doing a knocking doors activity with our zone, broad daylight, when we were attacked, tied up, and gagged, held at gunpoint and stripped of our clothes and belongings and!...... ok ok, maybe not quite,. It was actually a civilized dealing. They (3 guys about our age, maybe a bit older,) jogged up behind us, searched us, taking our watches, taking about 3 dollars from me, and less than a dollar from my companion. The one frisking me decided to take off my backpack and start carrying it off with him after his buddies. I told him to just leave it, and that it had nothing and saying "Hey I need my backpack!". He asked "Why?" and I told him "Because I need my Bible!" and after seeing that it was just filled with books, he dropped it and took off. Pretty neat experience. I don't think it will be the last time haha. They didn't have a weapon that we know of, but we didn't resist. we also heard there was a big drug problem in that area after, and so we think it was just a good Idea to let it happen haha.

Things are going great here in our area, I´ll send some pictures sometime soon :)

Thanks for the pictures from the wedding. It sounds like it was an amazing experience. I love you guys, Have a great week!

Elder Lonsdale

February 27, 2012

AHA! So it´s your guys' fault!

You said you were praying for our investigators to be able to attend church? Mystery solved. Thanks to you guys, we had 17 investigators at church yesterday haha. It was AWESOME. A little crazy at times though, running around finding them classes and friends. Members are SO important, and don't ever forget it!

Well this is the big week! I pray everything will work out for you guys, through the craziness and the excitement. Just know that I will be thinking and praying about you guys! I will be there in spirit,(and in cardboard cut out form) ;)

Good luck! let me know how it goes, and don't forget pictures haha

Love you guys!

Elder Lonsdale

February 20, 2012

Hey family, sounds like you guys are having fun in Montana!

I hope its ok if I only send a short message and some pictures today, I feel it is necessary to have a little chat with my new bro in law if thats ok haha.

Good luck with all the wedding stuff, keep sane and enjoy your vay cay :)

Elder Lonsdale

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