New Area?

Dear Family and Friends,

Okay so I don´t have a new area right now. Transfers aren´t until 8 de Abril. But my companion and I did just find that our area was bigger then we thought. Our area includes the Institute building and more further. So we are preparing to do some contacting for that area becasue we don´t have any members in that area.

Our baptism was great this Saturday. Leyla is so happy, and so is her family. She is 18 years old. She has had a hard time living with her mom. And well now she is living with her dad, and step mom, with her step sister, and half sister. They are all really active in the Church and I know they will help Leyla grow in the Chruch. At Leyla´s baptism she told us that she wanted a white dove to descend like at the Baptism of Jesus. I thought that was pretty funny, and so did she. We are all really happy for her and cant wait to see her progress. 

So what more is new? We had 84 street and door contacts this week. We are hoping this will lead to many new progressing investigadors. This week we need to go back and visit many of them. My plan is to teach them the restoration and then invite them to hear from our living prophet this weekend in General Conference. We are hoping since there are so many sessions that they won´t have the excus that they are busy. Because how could they be busy at 11 and 3 Saturday and Sunday. Hardly anyone works Sunday anyways. But anyways pray that they will be able to attend and they can accept the message of the restored Gospel. 

Con mucho amor,

Elder Peabody

Luckiest Person in the World!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

So I had a great week. Nothing too different this week. You know wake up everyday at 6:30 get ready, eat breakfast, study, teach, eat again, teach again, eat again, and then return to my room to get ready to do it again the next day. But I have been doing some thinking. Lots of people ask me if I miss my family or Friends back home. And the answer is yes, but I am the Luckiest Person in the World to be here in Peru serving the Lord. The people here in Peru are amazing, and I have grown to love them so much. I have so much love for this people especially in my area since I will be compelting 6 months in this area next month. There is nothing more satisfying then teach, and preach the gospel. I have seen lives literaly changed. I have one example...

So I don´t know if you remember my first baptism, but I will do a quick reminder. Graciela was a less active member who served a mission in her youth, and has a child. Anthony was the father of the child, but he wasn´t a member nor was he married to Graciela. Anthony didn´t have a job, and there financial stress also was putting a strain on there relationship. Well Elder Muhun and I began to teach them. We got them married and got Anthony baptised. Now lets skip forward to today. First of all with the help of the ward we found Anthony work. Also with the wonderful message of the Gospel in there lives, they have more peace and happiness in there home. Anthony has been called to a Ward Missionary and Graciela has been called to the 2nd Counselor in the Relief Society. We are preparing Anthony to revieve the Melchezdek Priesthood so they can get sealed in the Lima Peru Temple next year! Anthony is also excited to baptise his son in 2 years! It is just amazing!!!!! No? 

So our baptism last week didn´t happen. The Father was out of town working, so we changed it to this Saturday. We have to wait for the Dad because he is the one baptising Leyle his 18 year old daughter. She has been super excited about getting baptised, and I can´t wait for her baptism. 

So things are doing great. Thanks mom for the packages. Thanks everyone for the letters and emails this week. I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Peabody

Another week

Querido Familia y Amigos,

It has been a long week! The days are long and it is really hot here in Peru. I am so tired by the time I return to my room at night. We have had a lot happen this week. Seminaries started and Institute started so my companion and I along with the YSA leader and the Leader of Seminary went to visit a lot of memembers who should be participating in seminary or Institute but aren´t. We got a lot to start going to seminary and institute. We have plans to get even more to assist. 

We have one baptism for this Saturday. Her name is Leyle and she is the daughter of a member. She had been living with her mom who is not a member but she turned 18 and decided she wanted to live with her dad. we have been teaching her for about two weeks now and she is really excited to have her dad baptise her this saturday.

On wednesday we had a Mormon Batalion in the Ward Chiclayo Central. We got 8 missionaries and then each missionary split off with members and contacted as much as we could and taught lessons. We are doing it again this week in a different area. The one after this one will be in my area, and we are hoping to find a lot of new investigadors. 

This Sunday we had a suprise visit in our ward Priesthood meeting. A member of the 70 who is in the area presidencey for Chiclayo Peru was visiting and spoke to us. He gave a great message about how it is the members responsibility to love there families and friends enough to introduce them to the missionaries. He also said not to just introduce them but visit your family and friends who aren´t members with the missionaries. The missionaries are called to preach the doctrine of the Gospel, while the members can be there to show there love. He said sharing the gospel works best this way. I thought it was a great message for our wards Priesthood. 

Well that was basically my week. I have had to run from a few dogs, chase a few investigadors trying to leave church, I´ve eaten some chicken feet soup and oh yeah there was an earthquake. I could hardly feel it but I guess it was a big thing for the people here in Chiclayo. Everyone acted like it was a giant earthquake, but it wasn´t a small one. Or maybe I am just used to bigger ones in California. Anyways I had a great week. Thanks for the emails and letters. I hope everyone has a great week.

Con mucho amor,

Elder Peabody

6 Months!

Dear Family and Friends,

Tommorrow I complete 6 months exactly. I can´t believe it has been 6 months. I have had so many amazing experience. I have had 6 months of preaching, baptising, reactivating families, and helping people. Honestly I don´t ever want it to end. I am a little sad I am completing 6 months. I feel like I have only been here for a little while. And it is funny because I am in my first area still. But everything is great. I will catch you all up on this week.

We set three baptism dates. All for the 22 of march. I will start with the cousins. I met there aunt with my first companion when she was breaking up dirt with her neibhor a member. Elder Muhun and I helped them and after started to teach her. Deysi eventually told us the truth that she liked what we taught but our message wasn´t for her. She told us I think you need to teach my niece. So we started to teach her niece Estephany but then Estephany moved to Cajamarca. And then 3 months later a different niece of Deysi moved in Sandy. And we started to teach her. And then Estephany came back. So we started teaching both of them. And well this week they both excepted to be baptised the 22 of March. One problem though is Estephany moved again and all we have is her number. Sandy says she is ready and we don´t see much of a problem with her. She is having problems with her mom, but her Aunt Deysi is her Guardian right now, and she has no problem with sandy being bautised. 

The other bautism we have for the 22 of march is Leyle. She is 18 years old and her dad is a member, but she was living with her mom who is not a member. Well she moved in with her dad and his family who is all members. And one day we got a call that they had a daughter who wanted to learn more about the church. And ever since then things have been perfect. She always tells us how good she feels when she reads the Book of Mormon, and when she listens to our messages. We taught her that she is feeling the Holy Ghost. And when we asked her if she would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptised the 22 of March she cryed out yes. She is really excited to have her dad baptise her. And she has more enthusiasm then any invesdigador I have ever had. And she is great, she is really honest when she doesn´t know something or if she didn´t read. It helps us a ton. So yeah as of right now I think we are going to have two baptisms for the 22 of march because Estephany is no longer here, but we have plans to get her address and send missionaries to her. 

My companion completed one year in the mission last week. We had a small celebration with Lasagna and Cake. He has been here 1 year and has 4 areas. We always joke because I have 6 months and only have one area, and soon I by the time I leave this area, I will have 7 and a half months. 

So I have been all over Chiclayo this week. One Elder was sick, and we had to go and bring him clothes and food, and then one day we had to go meet his sister in a hotel, and then finally we had to take him to the airport for him to return home. I think I officially know all of Chiclayo. Haha. Chiclayo is actually really big. It is the third largest city in Peru. Anyways while I was in the Airport I was talking with my Mission President. He saw the Movie poster for the Movie Mr. Peabody and Sherman. So basically I am famous in Peru. People still can´t prounoucne my name right. 

So I have heard a lot of things about Ukrain and Russia. What is happening? And what I really want to know is what is happening with the Missionaries in Ukrain and Russia. If someone knows let me know! 

Well it has been a good week. It was great to hear from eveyone. I hope eveyone has and had a good week. Thanks!

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Peabody

Week #25

Dear Family and Friends,

Everything is great here in Peru. We have anothe baptims planned for the end of the month. It is a 18 year old daughter of a member. We ate Lunch at there house the other week, and the daughter just moved here with her dad who is a member and says she wants to learn more about the Gospel and hopefully be baptised. 

Our ward Talent show was great. I played the piano and my companion played the Flute to Come thou Fount of Every Blessing. It turned out pretty well. There were also a lot of other cool talents. Everyone in Peru seems to be able to dance really well, and sing. It is cool to see the different dances and songs in Peru. 

We had a Kinkana today with the missionaries in my zone. A kinkana is just a big party. But since we are missionaries it was just a few games of scripture questions, and if you got it wrong we got to throw flour at eachother. 

There isn´t much more going on. It is really hot, but we are working really hard. I had an interview with the President of the Mission, and he said for sure I will have a new area April 8! When I asked the President why I was the only one in my group who didn´t have a change, he said President Monson said good missionaries with good companions should stay in there area for 6 months. So I guess it is good thing. 

Well sorry this letter is short, but I will write more next week. I also hope you enjoy the fotos I sent. 

Love,

Elder Peabody