New Zone - Basically

 Buenos días a todos, cómo han estado? Busy busy first week of the transfer here with my new companion Elder Flores. He's 19 too and loves basketball and guitar, so we get along great already. I am truly thankful for this quick transition and getting to work like we have this past week. We have been on calls getting acquainted with the members more and lifting their spirits, the ward is amazing and I have grown some life-long relationships. We had another set of Elders added to the district as well and they are a great group of guys ready to work no matter the circumstances. We run in the mornings and practice lots of English, I admire their goals and aspirations for learning the language and supporting their families. 

The days were really full with talking to people over the phone and sharing messages with everyone. The spirit felt through a phone call is something special and the holy ghost has helped me to best understand their needs through their story-telling and tone of voice. Unfortunately many people are swamped with work and sharing the gospel can be difficult so we are grateful to be led to those who are ready and willing to listen. Our friend Dennis who had a baptismal date has not been contactable and we are working through members who know him. The majority of notable calls were with recent converts and we focused on the importance of enduring to the end and carrying on the work to others who need the good message. The Father's Day celebrations are legit down here and the holiday is taken very seriously. For example, yesterday no one was found in the streets and everything was shut down, felt like a Sunday in Utah. The Puerto Paita Ward held a live Zoom broadcast Saturday night for all the fathers in the ward. We helped out with the tech and our buddy Israel hosted the show. The dads loved seeing different talents from the youth and songs from their wives, a great time overall. Happy Fathers Day to my dad, made me who I am.

I listened to some great talks this past week and got really into Liahona. Troy Dunn in a talk he gave to youth titled, "Roller Coaster of Life" invites us to imagine what a roller coaster would be like if it just went straight with zero turns. I love roller coasters and that one would be pretty dang boring. Roller coasters have inclines and drops and loops and can be pretty scary sometimes. Life is like a roller coaster with ups and downs, that's how it should be, super awesome and frightening. Expect the downhills to come and have faith in Christ that you will start rising again. Pull something else out of the message if you'd like but as for me I learned of life's great journey and how I need to perceive it. "Men are that they MIGHT have joy", your joy in life depends upon your trust in Heavenly Father. Chao

 - heating up water for a baptism

Zona Cambios Y Regional Work

 Wow what a great final week of the transfer here in Paita. I am staying for another transfer and all the companionships are getting new comps. We grew together as a family and change is difficult, but that's the mission and we're all headed towards the new transfer with loads of energy. My new comp is pretty old in the mission too and it will be great. Looking forward to work with all the new soldiers in the zone and planning for success. This past week we were busy as ever with scheduling appointments for this week to come and getting Anthony ready for his baptism. It was amazing and he did a great job, we're proud of him and know that his family needed to witness his faith through baptism. In his testimony afterwards he was trying to describe how he felt. He said "good" and that he knew this was the only true church in the world; God sure is good isn't He. On Friday we held a great activity with the zone called 'Invasions'' which I've explained before. But this time we loaded up in vans and trekked north to the Pueblo Nuevo branch. Our stake conference was over the weekend and we had to let all the inactive members know in person. Missionaries used to be there in the past but because of recent obstacles they haven't been able to minister there easily. The place was beautiful, out of no where we dropped out of the flat desert into low, green farmlands. A big river flows through and ancient looking windmills pump water over there acres of various fruit plants. Why were cities settled up in the flat dusty deserts and not along this river where plants and life are booming? I'll study on it later but know we're focused on missionary work. A few of us and the branch president headed 20 minutes through legit jungle to a tiny town called Miramar. We crossed the river on a boat and visited some old old members. Oldest was Felipe with 91 years on this planet, sitting outside his house reading the greatest book ever. A great experience that I could go on about but you get the idea, about 40 people were able to attend the conference. The church is true so the work is true and I understand that more every day. 

Elder Christofferson taught in the weekly devotional about how The Book of Mormon helps us to become true disciples of Jesus Christ; his third point stated that we must understand and feel our accountability before Christ. He referred to Enos 1:27 and our preparation before our father. I'd like to include a portion of Bruce R. McConkie's words just 2 weeks before he passed.

"And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God—I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person.

I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.

But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way (“The Purifying Power of Christ,” General Conference, April 1985).

I will remember that my return to the presence of God can be a happy and a peaceful experience. I will strive to repent of my sins and to serve others, so that I might look forward one day, as did Enos and Bruce and Papa Bruce, to a joyful reunion with God.

Christ in America

 Apparently this didn't send earlier but all good, here we are in Paita still killing it. Great week truly with solid lessons and video making all around. Our friend Dennis is doing good and will be back from Ecuador soon for his baptism. Little Anthony learned about commandments this past week and understood it like a champ. His older sister may have helped out a bit but that's why families are so important. Looking forward to a smooth interview and baptism on Saturday. While out and about grabbing clips and coordinating keys with bishop we met some kids. We were about to hike up the stairs from Kung Fu Panda to our apartment and they warned us about some rabid gang of dogs at the top. We talked to them some more and blew their minds with the fact that Christ visited the Americas. We passed them a card and are waiting for the call from mom and dad. Then we were eaten by dogs. jk

As a mission we discussed the lesson from 'Come, follow me' on D&C 60-62. I learned that I must open my mouth and teach with power and authority. Christ is my advocate which means He will defend me and you always. We must look to Christ to re-form by grace what we have de-formed by sin. May this hope for wholeness point our westward-wandering souls eastward toward a garden, a cross, and an empty tomb.