Referrals, El Mundial, and a Baptism

Well, here in Trebol we're working hard to find new people to teach. We still haven't had very many new investigators, and it's killing us! But, we had a little miracle this week of receiving 11 references! During all of my time here in Trebol, we haven't received even 10 referrals, and this week we received more than that! We're grateful to have these references to work with, and now we have high hopes to meet the standards of excellence for new investigators this week.

Hermana Pinto is really awesome. She has a really strong testimony and knows how to teach really well. She also has really great ideas to help us find new investigators. I'm really glad that I am her companion. She is a lot more quiet than my other companions, but she actually has a great sense of humor. She also really likes chocolate and likes to make brownies... there's no way I'm gonna complain about that! I'm learning a lot from her and we have high hopes for this transfer.

This week, we had a really great Zone Conference where our leaders taught us about the importance of being happy in the process of missionary work, not just in the baptisms. I've been trying to take that to heart, trying to find joy in contacting even when they reject us. Looking at each step from contact to investigator to member as an important part of what we do and that we need to value each part because without each step there are no baptisms. One of my goals that I set at the beginning of this transfer was to be a happier person, regardless of what is happening around me. Act as my own agent, and not let other circumstances act upon me to effect my attitude. With this in mind, I am trying to be happy in my contacting and finding investigators. It's not easy, but I am working on it and learning how to enjoy my mission more.

Here in Peru, it's el Mundial (the World Cup), and there is a lot of soccer going on! So many men are sitting around watching futbol and drinking...yuck! It's been a little bit of a challenge to teach sometimes because they don't want to be distracted from their game. But, we've been working through it.

Also this past week, we had an entire less active family come to church! We were able to rescue two members of the family, and we're hoping to rescue the other two within the next two weeks. I am so happy for this family! We had a Family Home Evening with them last night, and the father told us that he is beginning to understand the purpose of repentance and the importance of the family. He said that as a family, they're putting forth all of their effort to change their lives and be unafraid to stand up for what they believe. When I heard him say that, I felt such joy in my heart. I prayed that God would bless this family to help them stay on this path to endure to the end. Now, our goal is to help them prepare to enter the temple and be sealed as a family for eternity.

The Santiago family

Other than that, nothing really new! Just working hard and doing my best. So this week one of the recent converts of the Elders, Hermano Santiago, baptized his son, T. It was a really great baptism! In less than one year, they can go to the temple to be sealed as a family! What an awesome experience it was to help with the baptism.