WEEEEK

Hey!

So this week was interesting.  The zone leaders did a surprise intercambio with my comp and I, so I worked for two days with Elder E, and my comp worked for two days with Elder G, just as I did at the end of my training.  Same zone leader too, even tho I was in a different zone.
Anyway, the first morning, I got really sick all of a sudden.  It was weird.  So, as is tradition in Chile, I immediatley began recieving all kinds of weird Chilean remedies.  After rubbing healing oils on my throat and drinking Jarabe juice made from the leaves of this plant I dont know,  I was finally able to get a hold of some legitimate medicine haha!  I worked all the first day, but the mission nurse told me to rest the next day.  We worked a little anyway but I rested most of the day.  Anyway, its been a weird week, trying to get over it.  Im getting a lot better and Ive been able to work fine this week. My comp gave me a blessing, after which I got quite a bit better.
But, something really cool also happened.  We had some training meetings witht the Mission President which was really good.  Afterwards, one of the assistants, Elder R came and worked with us in our sector.  He is from San Antonio Texas, so it was cool working with another Texan.  He actually started his mission in our sector, so he took us to some people that he taught that were progressing but never got baptized.  We found one family.  The husband is looking for work and they expressed that our return visit after one year was very timely.  The husband accepted a baptismal date and we are going to be working with that family a lot the coming month.
Exciting stuff.  My comp and I are working hard to talk with everyone we can and to help our investigators progress.  It's awesome.  The Lord answers prayers and hears us.  I love my Father in Heaven.

Elder Peck

So, this week was awesome

Nothing really crazy went on.  I went on splits with our district leader.  He went with my comp and I went with Elder S from Florida and we worked in his sector for the day.  First time that I had left the sector to work since being here.

We contacted this guy on the street and he started talking about how our religion believes that God is unkind and mean. I was blown away, as our beliefs help us know that God is just, but merciful and loving.  He was using all kinds of religious knowledge and information and I was trying to testify and tell our simple clear beliefs, trying not to contend, but also just trying to speak as he would not let us for much of the time.  And then out of the blue, this lady came up and asked the man if he had met the mormons before.  She said that she was a member of a different nearby ward, and immediately began to testify of the truth of the Book of Mormon and our message.  Shes was a little older and probably the kindest person I've met, but she was kind of telling this guy what's up.  She then said goodbye and headed off.  The guy wouldn't let us go, so after we left him, we looked for her but couldn't find her to thank her.  It was really cool anyway.

We were able to challenge two investigators to baptism and they both accepted, for which the both of us were really glad.  We have lots of work to do with them and we are praying that all goes well.

But, the highlight of the week was general conference.  The general conference of our church is a conference that is held twice a year, during the which the Apostles and the Prophet, the presidency of our Church, speak.  I know that the man we call a prophet really is a prophet.  This knowledge and belief were confirmed by the Spirit during the conference.  Just listen to him! He is a man called by God to speak to us.

I learned a lot from conference.  Afterwards, I felt spiritually filled.  It was like the feeling of satisfaction that comes after a big delicious Chilean lunch during a long work week haha.

They spoke about several topics, but a few that stood out to be was the importance of truth and finding out for ourselves.  We should seek answers to our questions, trusting in God rather than in the doctrines of the world.  We do it an an unbiased way by maintaining an open heart and having the sincere desire to know, as well as the real intent to act upon whatever asnwer we receive.  We were encouraged to trust and follow the Prophet, but to also seek confirming revelation for what our leaders say.  Our leaders are called by God and are not elected or choose to be in that position based on their own knowledge or experience.  

Also, the work of salvation was strongly reinforced.  they spoke of preaching the gospel, supporting one another (as brothers of the church or brothers outside the church) and about the sacred work of the temple.

Much mention was made to respecting our fellowman, giving to the poor and loving everyone.

We may disagree, but not be disagreeable.

A man without a purpose is like a boat without a rudder.

Our daily actions are based on our goals.  Let us have good goals.

Absolute truth exists.

We share the gospel not out of obligation, but out of the sincere desire we have to share the joy and happiness we have encountered therein.

These aren't word for word quotes, but some of the things that I got out of the messages.

I love this gospel. That is why I decided to preach it.  It helped me and it can help you.  Just use it every day.  I love Christ and I am so grateful for the gospel He gave us.

Elder Peck

Fiestas!

New friend S

Empanadas

Half way point in Chile

Hey!

So this week was crazy.  We had the 18th of September, which is Chiles Independence day, and they go pretty hardcore with their parties all week.  We had a PDay (preparation day) on the 18th and went to the beach with the zone and played soccer and football and stuff, we had a huge barbecue with an investigator, and we ate another big barbecue thing the next day.  We ate tons of empanadas and all kinds of stuff. 
As this week was so crazy and all of our investigators were out of town, we worked a lot with less- active members and tried to get them back to church.  We are having success with a few of them.  I'm looking forward to this week and the work we will have. 
God lives. 
Elder Peck

Hey!

Hey!

So this week went well.  Not much to report, but things went well.  we saw a "cueca" competition, which is the traditional dance of Chile. One of our investigators competed, and it was very Chilean and very cool.  We also had our day of service on Saturday.  We went and took down a house and started renovating it.

The best news is that a woman and her daughter from my last sector just got baptized! My companion Elder N and I contacted them several weeks before I left.  We taught them a few times, and he continued with them after I left.  They were baptized on Saturday and confirmed Sunday.  It was so great to hear that news and that my comp Elder N and his new comp were able to baptize them.

Also, I have been thinking a lot about families this week.  Through my own personal family experiences, I have gained much of my belief  and knowledge of the truth of the góspel. The góspel blesses families. We CAN have a happy and strong family here on earth despite the fact that the world in general is going farther and farther away from the family.  As my mom once said, the world is heading in the wrong direction, not us.  We are not swimming against the current when we support the family.  We are supporting a divinely established institution through which we are uplifted, blessed, and carried to eternal life if we respect it.  I love my family and know that families are eternal.

Elder Peck

Hey! I love the mission!

Life is good.  We are working hard here and we are improving as servants of the Lord.  My comp is awesome and we've had some great experiences.

Interesting stuff from this week: someone stole our backpacks and Elder I's camera on Sunday in the church. Didn't see who it was, but we now have to buy new backpacks, which is lame.  Whoever took them left our scriptures though, which was nice.

Also, we had Return and Report, a conference for new missionaries and their trainers.  It was really great and spiritually uplifting.

One really neat experience I had happened last week and I forgot to mention it.  I went over to the Ortegas house, a family who has a son on a mission but are not members themselves.  They had noticed that my shoes were getting a little worn out.  During the time we were there, Brother Ortega pulled me over to the side and asked me if I needed new shoes.  I told him that mine were fine and that I had another pair.  Still, he took me into another room, and had me try on some new shoes.  They fit perfect and they were nicer than mine.  He took my old broken shoes away from me and put them in a bag and didn't let me say anything and just told me not to mention it.  I was touched by his kindness and nothing I could say would make him keep the shoes he gave me.  He wouldn't even let me thank him properly.  He just said that that is what Christ would do so he had the responsibility to do it.  I love that guy and I want to be willing to provide such selfless service.  I learned that we should just act when we see a need instead of waiting for permission.  Its a form of charity, an attribute of Christ.

Thats about it for this week.  Just keep your head up, look for opportunities to serve, and focus outward. You'll be happy.
Elder Peck

This Week

Hey,

So this week went by quickly but it was really good.  Sadly we didn't have much time to work this week, as we had interviews with our mission president and a district conference (kind of like stake conference) Saturday and Sunday.

The interviews took all day because our new President is trying to get to know everyone.  The interview I had with him went really well and it was awesome getting to know him better.  Also, we had interviews with his wife, and it was great to talk with her as well.  They are definitely called of God for this mission.

Also, we had district conference, to which our mission president and his wife came.  It was awesome and I learned lots of stuff.

Interesting stuff that happened this week, a drunk 12 year old hit us and tried to attack us because we wouldn't given him money.  It was sad and kind of funny at the same time.  He whacked us a couple times and spilled some beer on us, and then picked up a board and tried to hit us.  It wasn't a big deal because he was so out of it that his reflexes were pretty off and he couldn't do much.  We found out later that the guys watching from their houses later came out and whacked him around a bit and took the kids shoes off and threw them down the hill.  Interesting experience.

Anyway, I know that God always watches over us.  He controls this work, not us nor anyone else.  I've seen that more this week as I passed through a bit of sickness and a bit of difficulties caused by ignorant people. God controls this work.  His Son directs this Church.  We have a prophet who leads and guides the Church, not with his own ideas, but by actual revelation and inspiration from our Heavenly Father.

Elder Peck

Hey Everybody (exclamation point)

Hey Everybody.

The exclamation point doesn't work on this computer so sorry for the boringness haha.  Im really excited about this week and it went really well.  My companion is doing really well and I'm learning a lot from him.

This week we worked.  We focused on finding new people to teach and finding people who had been taught a long time ago but somehow lost contact.  We have had success with that.  We have found several new people and rediscovered some of those who had been lost.  One of them is named E and he was so excited that we came by that he gave us a giant key that doubles as a pen for a present haha.  Funny guy.   The other is M, and we have to climb through his window to get into the house. Hes way cool tho.  Hes like 17, break dances and really wants to shape up his life.  Hes a cool guy.

We also had a conference with a general authority of the Church, Elder Zaballos and his wife.  It was really good.  He talked about the importance of languages and also about enthusiasm for the work.  It was inspiring and gave us all that extra drive to go and work our hardest.  It was awesome.

Today has been kind of lame.  I got really sick and I'm still pretty sick.  Fortunately, this is the first time during my mission when this has happened, so I'm really blessed that it has taken 7ish months before I got sick.  It was funny, all this morning we were looking for medicine and we couldn't find any in the house and I couldn't really get out of bed.  So the other elders that live in our house left and went to a members house across the street to get medicine.  They came back with this cup of grass.  So, I sat and sipped some hot tasty herb water for a while haha.  It actually kind of worked for a little bit.  I ended up calling the senior missionaries that work in the office and handle the medical stuff and the told me what to buy.  My comp and another elder went and bought them, but brought the meds back in a mug with the state of Texas on it that they bought in the random Chinese store in town haha.  But I'm doing better now.

Thanks again for the emails and support. I love getting your emails and letters and just know that I know that we are involved in a good cause.  I know it.  Anything that persuades us or directs us to do good or come unto Christ is of God.  This is has been the greatest opportunity that I have had thus far to invite others to partake of the joy the gospel brings, the peace in knowing that Jesus lives and that He is the rock upon which men should build. Build your foundation upon Jesus Christ.  Trust in Him and you will find truth, surety, and happiness.

Elder Peck