"The Spirit's company is not just a nice convenience, but it is essential for our survival"

So conference was amazing, but I watched every session in Spanish, so I want to go back and review a bit.   The title is one of my favorite quotes, I hope it is translated right.   Sunday morning we didn't have any power in Pueblo Nuevo and I was afraid we wouldn't be able to watch Sunday session, luckily it came on before the session started and everything was fine.   I took notes for everything, but I need to review.   If I didn't take notes my mind would have wandered after 10 hours of straight Spanish talks.   Thank you so much dad for the quotes.   I loved Elder Dubes talk, but I missed out on his sweet accent because of the interpretation.   You picked a lot of my favorites, but I missed this one.   "A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh.  Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well." – Elder Dallin H. Oaks.   I love this, because I have tried to apply this in my life.   I am a people person, but I do not like dwell upon what others think.   I want to live my life only trying to make my Father in Heaven, my parents, my future wife, and my future children proud.  I guess this is what everyone wants, so it shows how imperative moral courage is.

Time to answer some family questions.   Yes, mom, I still dream in Spanish, and English, and Spanglish, but it is usually in Spanglish because that's where I feel my life is.   Everyone we teach is interesting, pero [but] all for different reasons.   Right now I love teaching Martina, who is a single mom of 4.   She is super humble, and I love helping her kids with there school work.   We have a FHE at her house tonight.  

So it is not considered rude here to call people fat or be blunt about weight, and people here have told me that I have gained weight in this area. Normally gringos lose weight in this mission (especially if they are in the jungle).   But a lot of missionaries put on what is lovingly called a "rice pouch" because they feed us mountains of arroz [rice] here.   I also have Cuy [Guinea Pig] about once or twice a month (sorry mom). Elder Palacios keeps telling me that we will eat cat or donkey before he leaves.

In Pueblo Nuevo we have a statue of "angel Moroni's wife" in the Plaza de Armas.   I couldn't resist but to get a picture with her.   Next week we are going to San José, which is near Cajamarca.   Because it is far I am not sure how much I will be able to email next week, but I will have pictures.

"Never look back.  Look forward at what we still have to do." – Elder Edward Dube from Zimbabwe. This is one of my favorite quotes too.   I will try to apply it to my mission.   I will not look back at my mistakes, or weaknesses.   I will serve and always see that there is more work to be done.   This work is grand, but it is not over, it is never over. I need to lengthen my stride and bring more to Christ. I hope that I will one day finish my mission and only think, it is not over, there is still work that I have to do.

Te Amo,
Elder Perryman