So my last companion is Elder Sulluchuco, he is from Lima Peru! He was already in my zone and we are already great friends. It was so funny because is the change meeting we sat next to each other and we didn't even know that we would be companions. I am happy that he is my last companion because he is a very hard worker.
This week we have been going crazy because two companionship's are changing their rooms and looks for rooms is tough sometimes. Also I have been showing the area and explaining some zone stuff to Elder Sulluchuco, so this has been a pretty full week. Happily we have had a lot of time to work and we even had five investigators in church.
This week we have been working a lot with Martin. Martin has been investigating the church for a long time, but has been unable to overcome his addiction to alcohol and be baptized. This week though he seemed to have a different character. He has had his ups and downs in my time in this area and it makes me feel for those who struggle with addictions. This man wants everything to change, but sometimes he does not feel strong enough to overcome his alcoholism. Only the gospel and the atonement of Jesus Christ can truly heal help. And it is.
This week we are planning to work like crazy in the area. The more we use time wisely the faster it passes. I love this work, and I want to finish strong.
Love,
Elder James Perryman
Monday, April 27, 2015
Monday, April 20, 2015
Cambios!
So this week we were in the middle of a lesson and President Williams called us to ask my companion if he wanted to go home early. This worked out perfectly for him because he will now be able to go to the temple dedication (in Cordova) with his family. So Elder Cosentino has a change and in two weeks he finishes his mission. I will stay here, but I do not know who will be my next companion yet.
This week went super well, but no one came to church. We had a lot of lessons and we are focusing a lot on the less active members here in the ward. We now have a solid teaching pool, which is great because when I first got here there wasn't much. I hope that my next companion comes ready to work so that my last change will be a great one.
As a zone today we played soccer Latinos vs Gringos and it actually was a really even game. I have started to really enjoy soccer and I hope my next companion will want to play too.
This week we had a random contact with a guy in the street while going to an appointment. When we came back the next day we taught Herman, the man we contacted, and he had so many great questions for us. At the end of the lesson he gave us sponges to wash dishes...which was really strange. That night we taught a family and when we finished we gave them the sponges and they told us that they were about to go out to buy sponges. The Lord works in funny ways, but sometimes the coincidences that we see are so random.
Anyway this week we had the opportunity to really be in the area and teach. I love teaching and learning more about the gospel, but now I see that the gospel is a life long pursuit, not something that we just find. We as members of His church must discover and continually rediscover the scriptures.
Love,
Elder Perryman
PS I am pretty sure I ate dog this week....
This week went super well, but no one came to church. We had a lot of lessons and we are focusing a lot on the less active members here in the ward. We now have a solid teaching pool, which is great because when I first got here there wasn't much. I hope that my next companion comes ready to work so that my last change will be a great one.
As a zone today we played soccer Latinos vs Gringos and it actually was a really even game. I have started to really enjoy soccer and I hope my next companion will want to play too.
This week we had a random contact with a guy in the street while going to an appointment. When we came back the next day we taught Herman, the man we contacted, and he had so many great questions for us. At the end of the lesson he gave us sponges to wash dishes...which was really strange. That night we taught a family and when we finished we gave them the sponges and they told us that they were about to go out to buy sponges. The Lord works in funny ways, but sometimes the coincidences that we see are so random.
Anyway this week we had the opportunity to really be in the area and teach. I love teaching and learning more about the gospel, but now I see that the gospel is a life long pursuit, not something that we just find. We as members of His church must discover and continually rediscover the scriptures.
Love,
Elder Perryman
PS I am pretty sure I ate dog this week....
Monday, April 13, 2015
Another Great Week!
Family!
This week has been filled, as always, but really great. We had the leadership training, zone training, and interviews with President Williams this week. I love President Williams because he has power behind his testimony. In the zone training we spoke much about the Holy Ghost and it made me want to study the scriptures more because the "Word" is the way to preach with power.
Kati and Ariceli were baptized this week. Kati is our pensionista´s best friend and Ariceli is our pensionista´s daughter. Kati was a Seventh Day Adventist and now she wants to serve a mission. Also it was a great day because our pensionista is becoming more and more active at church. I truly do not believe that I was sent here to baptize, but to help those who are lost come back.
Sunday Luis came to visit my ward because he is going on his mission next month. I gave him a couple of ties and shirts because he needs so much help to go on the mission. I was incredibly happy to hear that despite the opposition from many of his family members his twin and his younger brother are also going to send in their papers.
Every p-day we play soccer at a synthetic field and we usually talk with the young man who works there. We have now started to teach him and it is funny how he always asks us when we will visit him when we play soccer Mondays. Even though at sometimes we feel like people don't want to hear about the gospel, we must always try and be friends of others. Once we have true friends, then they will understand what our purpose is.
Love,
Elder Perryman
p.s. the package came in! Thank you so much Mom and Dad!!!
This week has been filled, as always, but really great. We had the leadership training, zone training, and interviews with President Williams this week. I love President Williams because he has power behind his testimony. In the zone training we spoke much about the Holy Ghost and it made me want to study the scriptures more because the "Word" is the way to preach with power.
Kati and Ariceli were baptized this week. Kati is our pensionista´s best friend and Ariceli is our pensionista´s daughter. Kati was a Seventh Day Adventist and now she wants to serve a mission. Also it was a great day because our pensionista is becoming more and more active at church. I truly do not believe that I was sent here to baptize, but to help those who are lost come back.
Sunday Luis came to visit my ward because he is going on his mission next month. I gave him a couple of ties and shirts because he needs so much help to go on the mission. I was incredibly happy to hear that despite the opposition from many of his family members his twin and his younger brother are also going to send in their papers.
Every p-day we play soccer at a synthetic field and we usually talk with the young man who works there. We have now started to teach him and it is funny how he always asks us when we will visit him when we play soccer Mondays. Even though at sometimes we feel like people don't want to hear about the gospel, we must always try and be friends of others. Once we have true friends, then they will understand what our purpose is.
Love,
Elder Perryman
p.s. the package came in! Thank you so much Mom and Dad!!!
Monday, April 6, 2015
What a great conference!
This week has been a crazy "Semana Santa" and a great Easter. This week we have been busy getting ready for conference and helping missionaries move and the week that is coming up is filled with meetings....I hope that for my last change I can just teach, teach, and teach.
This week we ended up using our first day to help move the sister from "la union" into their new room. It was also fun trying to get all the electric shower heaters up. Half the zone didn't have one, which means half the zone was showering with cold water.
I did a work visit with Elder Harper this week in "Imperio" and it went really well. He is a super funny missionary and we just talked about how we can become more effective missionaries. I have a problem because I like to analyze the numbers. But I also had the opportunity to visit three of the recent converts in "Imperio" who I had the privilege of meeting in their interviews before [their baptisms]. They all are active and seem to be happier than the first time I met them. The first year as a member of this church is a super important time to progress in the gospel.
Speaking of recent converts, one my favorite people who we taught in Ferrañafe is going to go on a mission to Quito, Ecuador next month. He will go even though his father does not want him to even be a member of the church. He has a lot of challenges, but also one of the greatest stories of real faith.
Wow, this was probably one of my favorite conferences as a missionary. I especially loved the talks given by Elder Packer, Elder Christofferson, Elder Holland, Elder Pearson, and Brother Gibson. They made me reflect much upon the Atonement and how this is the time for me to prepare to be a father. I was especially touched by Elder Hollands talk, because it made me think of my two greatest brothers: Sam and Jesus Christ. Also Brother Gibson's word made me remember my parents.
It is always important to give heed to the inspired men of today. I can't wait to read the footnotes in the May Liahona. Thomas S. Monson will guide me more in my life today than any other prophet. I have felt blessed to hear so many inspired men this week.
Love,
Elder Perryman
This week we ended up using our first day to help move the sister from "la union" into their new room. It was also fun trying to get all the electric shower heaters up. Half the zone didn't have one, which means half the zone was showering with cold water.
I did a work visit with Elder Harper this week in "Imperio" and it went really well. He is a super funny missionary and we just talked about how we can become more effective missionaries. I have a problem because I like to analyze the numbers. But I also had the opportunity to visit three of the recent converts in "Imperio" who I had the privilege of meeting in their interviews before [their baptisms]. They all are active and seem to be happier than the first time I met them. The first year as a member of this church is a super important time to progress in the gospel.
Speaking of recent converts, one my favorite people who we taught in Ferrañafe is going to go on a mission to Quito, Ecuador next month. He will go even though his father does not want him to even be a member of the church. He has a lot of challenges, but also one of the greatest stories of real faith.
Wow, this was probably one of my favorite conferences as a missionary. I especially loved the talks given by Elder Packer, Elder Christofferson, Elder Holland, Elder Pearson, and Brother Gibson. They made me reflect much upon the Atonement and how this is the time for me to prepare to be a father. I was especially touched by Elder Hollands talk, because it made me think of my two greatest brothers: Sam and Jesus Christ. Also Brother Gibson's word made me remember my parents.
It is always important to give heed to the inspired men of today. I can't wait to read the footnotes in the May Liahona. Thomas S. Monson will guide me more in my life today than any other prophet. I have felt blessed to hear so many inspired men this week.
Love,
Elder Perryman
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Chiclayo is Crazy
We have had a great and crazy week. We have had a couple of baptismal interviews, work visits, and we have visited the rooms again with President this week. Baptismal interviews are the best part of being a missionary. This week I spoke with a 90 year old man named Juan. He said that he still has at least 10 years more to live because his grandfather lived to be 140 years old. But when we spoke my testimony of the word of wisdom grew. He said that even though he recently is a member of the church he has almost always lived by this gospel principle. He also told me a lot of cool stories of his time in the military and made me laugh a lot.
This week we also went out with Billy Brian Bravo to teach and it went really well. Sadly he thinks that he needs to leave the country in a couple of weeks because of personal reasons. He is a great guy, but it is sad to see that sometimes people are put into tough positions.
This week while we were contacting we have seen the weirdest things. We met a guy named Jesus who said that he isn't Christian. When I said that is weird he just said "Asi es la vida" or "Life is like that sometimes." When I knocked on the next door someone stuck out a little baby doll hand to shake my hand, which freaked me out. And in the same street we were contacting houses and when we were walking to the next house a kid runs out being chased by his dad with a belt. Lets just say that we didn't have the chance to contact them...but Peru is crazy and I wish I could remember all the crazy things people do here.
I love serving here in Peru because the people are really great. Even if we go to a store just to buy something to drink the people want to talk to us. This week we met a man who literally cried when he spoke about how much he loved his family. Also while we were half walk through the lesson he stopped us to ask "Where is your church?" and then "Can I go?" I know that the Lord prepares hearts to receive our message. They have the opportunity to accept or reject the gospel, but out Heavenly Father will always help prepare the hearts of men.
Love,
Elder Perryman
This week we also went out with Billy Brian Bravo to teach and it went really well. Sadly he thinks that he needs to leave the country in a couple of weeks because of personal reasons. He is a great guy, but it is sad to see that sometimes people are put into tough positions.
This week while we were contacting we have seen the weirdest things. We met a guy named Jesus who said that he isn't Christian. When I said that is weird he just said "Asi es la vida" or "Life is like that sometimes." When I knocked on the next door someone stuck out a little baby doll hand to shake my hand, which freaked me out. And in the same street we were contacting houses and when we were walking to the next house a kid runs out being chased by his dad with a belt. Lets just say that we didn't have the chance to contact them...but Peru is crazy and I wish I could remember all the crazy things people do here.
I love serving here in Peru because the people are really great. Even if we go to a store just to buy something to drink the people want to talk to us. This week we met a man who literally cried when he spoke about how much he loved his family. Also while we were half walk through the lesson he stopped us to ask "Where is your church?" and then "Can I go?" I know that the Lord prepares hearts to receive our message. They have the opportunity to accept or reject the gospel, but out Heavenly Father will always help prepare the hearts of men.
Love,
Elder Perryman
Monday, March 23, 2015
Rain, rain go away!
This week it has been raining it Chiclayo. It hasn't been raining hard, but Chiclayo can't handle even a little bit of rain. I will send photos next week. A couple days this week we have woken up and parts of our room have been wet, and the streets here are super muddy. I like it though, because I miss rain, just it isn't super good for missionary work.
President Williams came this week to visit some of the rooms in our zone. His wife brought chocolate chip cookies and it made me miss Moms cookies so much. When President came into our room and saw that we have a mini soccer field set up he tried to shoot for a goal. We visited the other rooms and everything went well.
Also this week we moved the Sisters from Los Andes into a new room. They are super lucky because the owner of the house left an arm chair and a dining room table for them to use. But it was a work out to take apart all of there stuff to move.
This week that is coming up Billy Brian is going to come and teach with us. Since Henry left we haven't had many members to come out with us, but this will get better in the weeks to come. The best way to find new people to come out with us is by reactivating them and helping them see how fun mission work really is.
I love you all
Elder Perryman
President Williams came this week to visit some of the rooms in our zone. His wife brought chocolate chip cookies and it made me miss Moms cookies so much. When President came into our room and saw that we have a mini soccer field set up he tried to shoot for a goal. We visited the other rooms and everything went well.
Also this week we moved the Sisters from Los Andes into a new room. They are super lucky because the owner of the house left an arm chair and a dining room table for them to use. But it was a work out to take apart all of there stuff to move.
This week that is coming up Billy Brian is going to come and teach with us. Since Henry left we haven't had many members to come out with us, but this will get better in the weeks to come. The best way to find new people to come out with us is by reactivating them and helping them see how fun mission work really is.
I love you all
Elder Perryman
Monday, March 16, 2015
Vagos!
Happy Birthday Grandma Murphy!
I forgot that tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day.
With the change there are a bunch of new faces in the zone and now I feel really old. My companion and I are the oldest by far in the zone. But because we finish at the same time I am pretty sure that I have one more transfer left, but you never know.
This week we made a list of less active young men from 18-25 years of age and we have been trying to find them all. The list has about 50 names, so you can see that the work now in Peru is concentrated more on finding less actives. But I really like working with "potential future missionaries," I would love to have a calling with the young men one day. The problem is a lot of these young men come from broken homes and they don't realize yet how much the gospel can help them and their families.
I am starting to really love playing soccer. My companion is a soccer fanatic and he dribbles the ball in our room whenever he is thinking or bored. Also he cut my hair this week and as a joke he shaved off the sides of my head and left everything else. But don't worry he fixed it afterward.
I still feel like I am going to be a missionary for the rest of my life. I feel like I would get lost if I wasn't teaching someone daily. I love teaching now and I hope that I will be able to do teach in English too someday.
Love,
Elder Perryman
I forgot that tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day.
With the change there are a bunch of new faces in the zone and now I feel really old. My companion and I are the oldest by far in the zone. But because we finish at the same time I am pretty sure that I have one more transfer left, but you never know.
This week we made a list of less active young men from 18-25 years of age and we have been trying to find them all. The list has about 50 names, so you can see that the work now in Peru is concentrated more on finding less actives. But I really like working with "potential future missionaries," I would love to have a calling with the young men one day. The problem is a lot of these young men come from broken homes and they don't realize yet how much the gospel can help them and their families.
I am starting to really love playing soccer. My companion is a soccer fanatic and he dribbles the ball in our room whenever he is thinking or bored. Also he cut my hair this week and as a joke he shaved off the sides of my head and left everything else. But don't worry he fixed it afterward.
I still feel like I am going to be a missionary for the rest of my life. I feel like I would get lost if I wasn't teaching someone daily. I love teaching now and I hope that I will be able to do teach in English too someday.
Love,
Elder Perryman
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