Elder Waddell's Visit

So this week an Area Seventy, Elder Cabrera, and a General Authority (Seventy), Elder Waddell came to visit Cajamarca.  I never knew that there was a difference between the first two and the other six quorums of Seventy, but Elder Waddell explained it to us.  Elder Waddell came just to see the missionaries and it was fantastic.  He spoke so boldly about the gospel and how it is to be a missionary.  He speaks with a Spanish (like Spain Spanish) accent so it is just entertaining to listen to him.  But he made it clear that we eat, sleep, and even shower, to baptize.  That the Lord’s work (Moses 1:39) is different from our work (D&C 11:20).  But the greatest thing is that he spoke of how we are not assigned to Peru Chiclayo, but that we are assigned to President Williams.  I forgot my notes (which are in Spanglish) but overall he spoke of how the goal is conversion and not baptism and how that everything that occurs in the gospel is to seal families.

Also for stake conference Elder Cabrera came and spoke about the family.  It was incredible; he spoke of how celestial families should be.  He spoke in such a kind and tender way.  Luckily my pensionista sat up in front and she said that she loved it.  She has a heart of gold and I know that one day she will be sealed to her husband.

Because of the visits, President Williams, his wife, and the assistants came up to visit.  Elder Lalli and Elder Noriega (the assistants) stayed with us for a couple of days and it was great.  Elder Lalli is a good friend in the mission so we talked a lot about Elder Waddell.  Elder Waddell said that the one thing he has learned as a Seventy is that he is nothing.  He also explained a little about what happens before and after general conference.

Anyway I do not have much time left, but I love you all and I will send photos next week.

Love,
Elder Perryman

Waffles!!!

I just have to start this by saying that I had two breakfasts’ today; I made my pensionista banana pancakes and then we ate waffles as a district.  I missed waffles.

So I love missionary work, but I would be a liar if I said that I love touching (knocking) doors.  It is an essential part of the work, but we always try to contact people in different ways when the traditional tracting does not work.  This week we were walking to visit a member and we saw two ladies struggling to paint a lamp outside a very nice gated house.  I offered to paint and told them that I wouldn't need a ladder.  When the owner came out she started to put her hand out and tell us that she didn't want anything, but when we told her that we were just there to paint she let us in, fed us lunch, and accepted a date for us to return to teach.  Service brings miracles.

The gordito in the photo is Jesus.  He turned one the other day so we stopped by to see his family.  Part of the family are members of the church, but the other half are investigating.  The husband (who is holding his baby in the photo) works in another city, but we try and teach him as much as we can.  He is great and his wife wants to be baptized, but is waiting for his permission (Cajamarca is a very "machista" society).  I love seeing families together, but I want this family especially to be united in the gospel.


The picture of all the missionaries squished together was all of the North Americans in my zone at conference.  The price that we pay to watch these inspired messages in English.

This week has flown by and in this week that is coming up an Area Seventy is coming up to visit Cajamarca.  I am super excited for another opportunity to listen to Elder Waddel.

Our new pensionista is also our new investigator; her family is the greatest.  She has already said that she always wants to be part of this church and one of her sons today said that he believes that Joseph Smith was an inspired prophet of God.  My favorite thing about eating with them is that every time we eat we usually end up staying and teaching a small principle.  Today we finished breakfast talking about temples with Maribel (our pension) and we finished lunch speaking with her son about why there are so many churches.  It truly is a blessing to be with them.

I really do think that I am in the best zone in the mission and I am extremely happy to be here.  While visiting with other Elders here I see how they teach and I am so happy that this zone also has great missionaries.  We see sad things almost daily, but it all just makes me feel so grateful for everything that I have; especially this opportunity to preach the gospel of Christ.

Love,
Elder Perryman

 

  

    

Conference! (I was late to the party)

So conference was awesome!  I watched the Saturday session in English and the Sunday session in Spanish.  I enjoyed being able to listen to the talks in Spanish and English without translations.  But I especially loved the priesthood session.

So this week we were super low on lessons but we decided to do a lot of service this week.  We helped two different families move into the fourth floor of different buildings.  But thanks to this service we had 10 investigators (4 families) come to conference.  One of the families investigating the church even gave us a ride to church in their van, we even passed by to pick up another family.  But I just feel Like my Heavenly Father has blessed us this week.  To open an area, this is a miracle.

Ia am sorry I do not have photos this week :( Because this computer will not accept my SD card.

One of the new families that we have been teaching is Marivel, Alexis, and Diego.  They live right by us so we just offered to help them move.  Two years ago Marivel lost her husband and she has been searching for a church to solve her doubts.  When Marivel came to conference she cried and said that she had never felt the spirit so strongly, and that she feels like this is the church for her.

I know that this is the church for everybody, because it is His church.  I love that we have a prophet on the earth and I attempt to sustain him everyday with my service.

Love,
Elder Perryman

Elections!

So I feel lame today because everyone has seen conference except for the missionaries in Peru.  We had elections this week so conference here has been postponed till this weekend.  Elections are a bit different here because they are one day and are obligatory.  If you don't vote you get a huge fine.  Also there can be no public gatherings on election day.  One of the weirdest things too is that police officers cant vote.

Anyway this week has been fun because we had a multi-zone conference and President Williams came up.  The conference was great and I also had an interview with president and with his wife.  They are both fantastic and I can tell that they have great testimonies of this work.

Tuesday we had a meeting with our stake president and then election day he invited us over to his house for lunch.  Presidente Barbosa is such a great stake President and he helps us so much in the work.  The members make ALL the difference in the work of salvation.

Also this week we went to visit a member in our area and told him of the help that we need in the area.  He told us to wait a second and he left he room.  He (Walter is his name) came back with a map of Cajamarca and started pointing at streets to tell us where members live and who we should visit.  Sometimes they say that we always should find the "Golden investigators" in the mission but "Golden members" are way better to find.

I am so excited to watch all of conference this week!  I know that it will help me so much as a missionary.  I love you all and the next fall conference we can go as as a family :)

Love,
Elder Perryman

Abraham Sacrificing Isaac??!!??