Last week in Lima

Feilz Navidad!

Today is the 25th of July and the dead of winter in Peru, so my District has decided to celebrate Christmas today!  One of the impactful experiences I have had here is watching others change.  I love the talk given by President Monson last fall about seeing men for there potential.  Something my companion and I have been saying to each other is "Every man is destine for greatness".  I want to live these words.  I know men change everyday.  I know that Heavenly Father would not have placed us here on this earth if we were not foreordained for greatness.  I feel like the days go by faster and faster as I get lost in the work.  My companion and I feel like we have know each other forever, and have great doctrinal and spiritual discussions.  He is a perfectionist, and I am not, so it has been fun for us to teach each other and learn from each other to serve the Lord.

I found out this week that over 1/4 of the Church speaks Spanish.  That is outstanding.  I am so blessed to be here in Peru, where the Lords work is hastening.  I love the people here.  I know, I know, I say that every email, but I mean it with all my heart.  With the little Spanish I know I love telling bromas (jokes) with the Latinos and finding out more about there culture.  Some of the Latinos ask (as a joke) if I am from Cajamarca, which is a town in Peru of white Latinos.  Also when Latinos see my name tag they say "¡Perry! like Feneus and Ferb".  For those of you who don't know, Feneus and Ferb is a Disney show for kids.  And another weird thing is when Latinos imamate dogs (don't ask how I know this) instead of saying "ruff" they say "Wah".  I even love the staff here at the CCM, one of the janitors always comes up to my companion and I and says "¡Mi Carazon! es enferma.  Necisito chocolaté."  If we tell him that we don't have any he tells us that he will die soon without chocolate.

Today is the last day to go to the temple in a couple of years.  It has been a gift to be able to go every week, and I wish I had gone more when I was home.  I realized that my purpose here is not to baptize Gods children, but to fully change there lives and bring them to the temple.  I know that God has a purpose for me here in Peru.  I feel so blessed everyday by Him.  I see miracles everyday and I grow everyday.  I am truly doing the Lords work.

Te Amo,

Elder Perryman