Monday, March 30, 2015

Power week!

Hey!

So this week was fantastic.  We worked really well and had some success.

Also on Monday I had one of the best experiences I've had on my mission.

On Monday we went to a lesson with two of our investigators that were kind of progressing but slowly, L and C.  We testified that they could know of the truth of our words if they prayed to know. We invited them to pray to know if they should be baptized, which they have been considering for some time. We explained that the Spirit testifies of truth through feelings such as joy, peace, love, and security.  Lucy prayed and she asked in her prayer if they should get baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When she ended the prayer she told us she was surprised by what she felt.  She smiled and said she felt a powerful feeling of peace and joy in her heart.

Her daughter C said she felt happy and also had a huge smile on her face.  Lucy waited a moment and thought and then said, let's get ready to get baptized.  They accepted the invitation to get baptized in April and came to church this sunday.

 Also, this week one of the assistants came down to work in our zone and he came and worked with me. We were in the same sector when I began my mission so it was cool to work with him again.   We also happened to be doing a zone intercambio, splits? and I worked with another elder in my zone who is really good. It was awesome and the three of us in the trio worked super hard and found several new people to teach and I learned a bunch.  It was awesome.

We chopped lots of wood this week, our own and the neighbors wood, to get ready for winter.  Im so glad we don't use wood to heat our houses in the states haha.  But I learned that the saying is very true: He who cuts his own fire wood warms himself twice.  Haha

The Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, is powerful.  The feelings we receive from the Spirit overcome all doubt and fear, all worry or concern. They comfort, uplift and edify.  But those feelings can only come if we let them.  We need to have a great desire to have the Spirit in our lives.  We need to diligently seek and work to do good. We need to have faith.  And then the Spirit works miracles in our lives and in the lives of others. Like with L,the Spirit was able to overcome all her doubts and fears.

The Lords ways are not ours, so all divine communication that comes from God depends on His will. But we can know the will of God through the scriptures.

Thanks for everything and hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Peck

Monday, March 23, 2015

This week and last week

Hey,

I didn't write last week, so I'll do a quick summary of the last two weeks.

Last Sunday our investigator J came to church and she accepted a baptismal date on Friday! We are really excited for her.  Shes progressing really well and we hope she will get baptized next month.

Last week we also went to this little town that belongs to our sector.  We go there once a week by bus to proselyte.  We always meet interesting people there.  Last week we met a lady who lives in a cabin-ish house built next to a spring.  We are in a drought right now, but behind her house was blooming with all kinds of plants and flowers.  She brought us glasses and we drank some of the spring water, which was cold and clean and tasted great!  It was way cool.  She also has a bunch of Frank Sinatra records and her husband likes John Wayne movies haha.  She is also really receptive and we hope she progresses.

This week we had two conferences, one with our zone and one with our mission president and another zone.  They talked about faith and how we can apply it as missionaries.  It was fantastic.  We also saw a video which I think is called Because He Lives, about Christ.  It is a video the Church is going to put online on the 28th.  It is really really good!  Everyone has to see it!  As missionaries we are going to be using it daily in our proselyting.

The gospel is a beautiful process that allows us to improve daily as we come unto Christ. He has paid the price for our mistakes, so all we need to worry about is accepting Him with ¨a broken heart and contrite spirit¨ and doing our best each day.  He loves us and will lift us up in the process.  He gives us daily peace, happiness, and moments of pure joy to give us a small hint of what eternal life will be like.  It's pretty awesome.

Thanks for everything and have a great week!

Elder Peck  

Monday, March 9, 2015

Cambios/TRANSFERS





 Hey!

So, we had transfers today! I'm staying again here with Elder M! So this will be my third transfer here and the longest time spent with one companion.  Elder M is way cool so we are both looking forward to it and hope to baptize again this month or the next. 

Also, a volcano near us erupted this week! It just erupted a little bit and it is far enough away not to affect us, but it was cool to hear about it and to see the huge volcano smoking while working here in our sector. 

Anyway, also this week we had a district activity about temple work.  I am amazed at the work already being done all over the world in temples for those who never received the blessings of this great gospel. If you don't know about the temples of our church, or have questions about it, ask me because the doctrine is amazing and unique to our church.  Though I am involved mainly in preaching the gospel here in Chile, when I get back I look forward to being able to participate more fully in the work of the temple.

Have a great week!

Elder Peck


Monday, March 2, 2015

This week

Hey

So this week went well.  We worked hard and had a great time. We watched a really great conference from the Area Presidency and learned a lot about how to help the members of the branch.

I learned about study this week.  Gospel study brings spiritual strength, which can be used to overcome challenges during the day.  If we study with a purpose, being open to let the Spirit guide us, we will be granted light and understanding.  Even if we don't know how to start, simply deciding how we are going to study allows God to put in our path the principles we need to read, and the thoughts or inspiration from the Holy Ghost that are specific to our needs.  It's really cool.  Simply reading the scriptures starting from page 1, or starting with the first topic in the Topical Guide allow this inspiring process.

Have a great week!

Elder Peck