Bye Bye Baños (I think)

So this week has been crazy.  It has flown by and I am just ready to know what is going on.  Monday night I received a call telling me that there will be 2 new elders in my district.  Then Tuesday we had our district meeting and in the night I received a call telling me that President Williams will be coming Wednesday.  Wednesday night President told us that the Cajamarca Zone is going to split in two and then each district will receive (at least) 2 MORE elders and that we need to find a pension and a room for them the same week.  Thursday was a leadership meeting and afterwards President came to our area to revise our room/area book (our room is super clean) and then to see the pension and room for the new elders.  Saturday we signed the housing contract and Sunday we showed the new Elders the area.  On top of all of this I think I have a transfer and I don't know what is going to happen.

This week we started off having FHE at the Stake Presidents house.  He spoke with us about the area, the families that need help, and what we can do.  Then my companion and I taught about unity and how it affects conversion.  The spirit we felt in his house was super strong and a great way to start off the week.

Friday night we had mission night and it was super fun.  We brought Andres (a recent convert) and promised his mom that he would be back before 8:30.  Andres is the best, we always visit him and I gave him a CTR ring the other week.  In the activity I lost track of time and at about 8:40 I told Andres that it was time to go back.  He said he didn't want to go, but I insisted because I didn't want his mom to think that I am a liar.  He ran back to where his mom works crying and I knew something was weird.  We followed him and when we got to his moms work I sat down by his side and talked with him.  He told me that he was sorry and then explained to us about in his school how they bully him and he just wants to stay and hang out with us.  I gave him a hug and told him not to worry and he started to cry on my shoulder.  I felt so bad that some times the most valiant youth have to pass through difficulties too.  My companion gave him advice to help him and then we left.  But what I love most about Andres is that he told me "I am sorry that I lost my CTR ring in school (someone stole it) I will always try to do what is right".

This week we taught a new couple.  The husband is German and the wife is Peruvian.  They were super nice and receptive to us, but I feel like we were teaching their minds, and not their spirits.  Sometimes we can teach and feel the spirit super strong, but it is still up to each person if they want to open their heart to feel the same thing or just to think about the problems.  Also when we finished the lesson they said "padre nuestro" in German.  You can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink.

Anyway this week was crazy and the week that is coming up will be crazy, I love you all.

Love
Elder Perryman

[Sorry, no pictures this week from Elder Perryman]

Alberto Einstein

So Albert Einstein has a Peruvian cousin and he is one of my new investigators.  His name is actually Jorge and he is a physics professor here in Cajamarca.  But he has a literal zoo in his back yard with a monkey, eagle, owl, peacock, and some other animals.  We are trying to find new people to teach here to start off this new transfer well.

We are working super hard here, but I need to say that every fruit of my work comes from the members.  I can have 50 lessons in a week, but when the members help, it makes all the difference in the world.  We need to have some leadership training here, but the youth here are the best.  I love the spirit that the young men bring to the work.

 This week our pensioniasta took a trip to Trujillo because the Bishop baptized his mom.  So because we didn't have a pension for a week we had to fend for ourselves which explains the photo with the bunny.  It was delicious needless to say.

I am super tired, but I am so excited for this week. we are starting off with a FHE at the Stake Presidents house tonight.  I love having FHEs with members because I can feel the spirit always in their houses.

The Vargas family is doing super well and they just need to get married to get baptized.  I really hope this happens because they are such a sweet couple, but they have a lot ahead of them.  But I have seen them, in there humble circumstances, find so much happiness in the Gospel of Christ.

Love
Elder Perryman

PS Contacting here is rough

Aqui no es = This isn't it

 

Darío

I'm staying in Baños del Inca!  This week is transfers and I am staying for at least another change, which is great because I love working with Elder Gomez.  Also Elder Gomez is an uncle!  His 14 year old sister had her daughter a couple days ago and everything is fine.  Despite everything, he is super concentrated in the work and shares all of his experiences with his family, who aren't members (yet).

Harry and Gina are a sweet couple that the missionaries have taught for a while.  The other week Gina came looking for us in the street and wanted us to talk with her husband Harry.  When we went to their apartment they just started to say the worst things in Spanish to each other and Gina said that she wanted to take their child and leave.  This was one of the most uncomfortable moments of my mission and one of the few times I had know idea what to say.  Finally, we told them that we are not judges and all we could do was pray.  When we prayed I asked for guidance so that we would know what to say.  We ended up speaking of Christ and how the only way we can form a family is if we follow His path.  We told them that all they must pray and talk when there are problems, never yell or accuse, and then we left.  The other day we visited and Gina was in her house with her mom and brother; she told us that everything was better and that they are praying more together.  It is notable the difference between when people try to solve problems following the world or when they solve problems following Christ and His example.

I miss having dogs. The other day a dog on the street followed us for about an hour and when we got back to our room we looked out the window and saw him waiting for us outside.  It sat down in the middle of the street and was looking up at our window whimpering.  We felt bad so we put a bowl of water outside for it.  But the whole time it was waiting outside my companion was asking "should we let it in?" I told him that we couldn't and that it probably has fleas, but I felt bad to leave it outside.  Basically I miss dogs, especially domesticated dogs and not just 1,000 dogs in the street. By the way the dog zapper thing works.

This week I was so happy because we had so many less actives in the church Sunday.  We work a ton with less actives, but this also makes me realize how much the members are needed to help these members who are coming back to the fold.  This week we taught Darío who is super funny, but has a lot of problems in his past.  He told us about how he knows the world but because of that he misses the church.  He talked about how he enjoys our visits and going to church because it reminds him of the spirit he felt when he was active.  The company of the Holy Ghost is one of the greatest gifts we have as members of His church, but it is also something we can never take for granted.  I have learned of how much people (especially less active members) crave for this peace in their lives.

I love you all - have a great week!
Elder Perryman

Richard Cusma!

The work continues in Baños del Inca!  Congrats dad on 15 years since your baptism.  Your conversion is something that has had a large impact on my mission, and on my life.  This week we visited a man named Antonio whose wife is a member.  The sisters were teaching him for a while but they gave him for us to teach (they teach with more love, we are a bit more direct).  While we were teaching him he spoke about how he feels like his family is the most important thing, but he doesn't think religion is super important.  I shared Dad's story and I promised him that they only way to unite the family is through the Gospel of Christ.  He shared how he respects everything his wife and step daughter do but he has his own beliefs.  I felt compelled to tell him that it is not enough to respect our family, but we must support our family.  This week was the first time he came to church.  I was so happy to see him there because I love seeing families together at church.

The pictures below are from the Fongal Festival which is like a small state fair.  It was a very cultural experience. I especially loved seeing all of the animals there.

Richard was baptized!!! Woohoo!  His grandfather baptized him and it was a great experience.  His cousin and his aunt gave their testimonies crying.  Everyone spoke about how this was the start for his preparation for the mission.  The last Sunday my companion and I taught the young mens class (The YM president wasn't there) and Richard said that he wants to serve a mission.  I am telling you that the greatest joy I have had in my mission is to see(and baptize) so many future missionaries.

President Williams came to Cajamarca this week to do interviews.  He and his wife are fantastic.  He is super funny but at the same time can be very serious and spiritual.  He is also extremely encouraging, he said that he could see the love that I have for me companion and for the people we visit.

This week we taught a young woman named Margeri.  We taught her with a North American who was visiting family and is preparing for the mission.  She had a thousand questions about the book of Mormon, the priesthood, and Joseph Smith.  We taught everything about the restoration and for part of the lesson she had tears in her eyes.  She prayed and when we were about to leave she asked us "I feel like it is true, but my father is a preacher, what can I do?"  As soon as she finished to say that my companion told her "We will teach him the same, because it is the truth, I am the only member in my family, but one day that change because the truth will never change and they must accept it too."  It was something so strong that we were just on a spiritual high all day.

I love you all and I hope that you have a wonderful week

Love
Elder Perryman