7/17/17 Well another week has disappeared and I don't know where time goes... anyways this week has been awesome and I am simply loving life down here. Transfers are coming up and its possible that one of us will go, so I'm either going to another area or ill get a new comp... either way there'll be a change! This week went well, still working with that family and finding new people consistently, just need to turn the numbers into baptisms! Its a process but i know we can do it. There's not much new news this week so ill finish up with a scripture: Mateo 16:24-25. Its awesome and it really applies to those in the mission haha. So that's what I've been focusing o lately, and I hope that some of you will be able to apply it! Love you all! have a great week -Elder Grover
p.s. our baptism this week and his family (members), and a peruvian version of an enchilada haha
7/24/17 Hello good ol USA, hope everyone had a great week, my week was mas o menos but I am sure to improve this coming week! So today are transfers and I don't think ill be going anywhere, but you really never know. My comp is pretty much ready to go haha he really wants to see another part of the mission. This week we baptized Jherson Vilca, and he's the best, right now were working with the rest of his family and we should be seeing fruits from them next month! Other than that we have a few people who are also very interested and were loving our time here.
I'm not going to write a ton but I would like to share an experience... We have an investigadore named John, and he's been to several churches before but never found interest in any of them. A member of the branch one day invited him to the Church one day and he thought yeah why not. He went and met us and after the first 2 lessons he was praying to know if the church was true. Yesterday he related his experience to us and the most unexplainable joy came over me when he began to try to describe what the holy ghost feels like. The scripture DC 18:15-18 came to mind, and it explains it perfectly. I have never been a parent, but I think I can guess as to how it feels to watch your child take its first steps, or say his first words. John was prepared for us and we simply have the blessing of watching him begin his journey on the straight and narrow path.
This time that I have here is precious, and I need to make the most of it. I know that its only a short period of time, but its the best time there is. I hope you all have a great week, and ill see you all next week. -Elder Grover
7/31/17 Well a lot's happened and I wasn't expecting any of it, things that haven't changed: still district leader, and other than that nothing is the same haha. Right now I'm currently in YURIMAGUAS, a city out in the middle of the jungle and there's only 4 missionaries here. Its pretty much isolated from everything and as district leader I have to maintain everything. Its pretty much a mini-zone, and I'm seriously stoked to be here. its hot, but not too hot, and its very different from Moyo. the people here will actually talk to you! its a miracle seriously haha, in moyo the people were kinda hard, but here its nice and easy, there's really no worries about talking to someone, cause they almost always listen.
I've been here for about 4 days so I'm still semi-lost, but it'll come with time. Other than that I'm doing well and my health is back to normal. My companion is 'named Elder Belone, and oh boy is this one interesting haha. He's actually from an Indian reservation in Arizona! He's from the navajo tribe and he can speak officially 4 languages (navajo, apache, english and now spanish.) hes also known in the mission as the "lamanite". On top of that he's a little special, I think he has a very mild form of autism or something but to put it short he is the best haha. I'm blessed to be able to work with him, especially as he is going to be finishing his mission at the end of this month. Seriously blessed, I don't have a picture of him yet, but ill send one next week.
The area is huge... and there are a lot of people to talk to haha, the great thing is that the members are awesome, and we receive a lot of references... so its more looking for people in the mess of the city rather than knocking doors. there's that and I'm back in the mess of the jungle life, where people love to be naked and families don't really exist, just a whole lot of people who live together and reproduce like rabbits haha. Its a bit chaotic, but such is the mission, ADELANTE. Hope you all have a great week, and ill let you all know what's up next week, Chao! -Elder Grover
SURPRISE! Contact from someone else in Peru... a couple from Texas mentoring teachers in his area.. via text: "We met your sweet son and his companion at church Sunday. you've done a good job raising a fine young man. He seems to do very well. I will call you when I get back to Texas" and a pic!
8/7/17 whelp another week down and I'm still alive so I cannot complain! Seriously its been a week and I've had a ton a fun here already. Yurimaguas is a really cool place, and I've already seen a ton of blessing during my time here. Firstly, Elder Belone is still awesome and very interesting, he will be finishing his mission in about a month so... so sometimes his desire to work is kinda low but when he works he works haha. We had a baptism this past weekend (pics of that and their wedding!) so that's awesome, and there's more on the way! I still feel kinda crummy cause these people were all prepared by someone else... but still i get to see the miracle of baptism so I cant complain!
I really don't have much to write, since I really am actually pressed for time this week, but before i go i wanna say something about faith. Oh my goodness have I learned a lot about that this week. everyone can say the standard definition, but applying it is really hard haha. Right now this is my focus, to be able to have acts of faith, not just "work". I hope that in our lives we can all learn what are acts of faith and how we can be more humble and willing to do the lords will. It really does change ones perspective of things... I love you all and I hope you have a great week!!!
8/14/17 Another week gone and all i can think of is weeeerk. I really dont have much time, I just hope that you all understand that the work that one does here is real. recently I was reading through my journal entries abut what happened in the beggining of my mission and wow was I different. I dont feel like it now but from what I read I feel like a lot's changed. And I have no doubt in my mind that its because of what the Lord has done for me. When I first got here, I did not understand what it meamt to give yourself to him, but it makes a lot more sense now. He can make more of you than you ever could. If anyone is thinking about a major life decision, or maybe thinking abut the mission, always always always do what he wants for you, and you will come out stronger. He loves us so much, thats why its hard sometimes. Its becasue he wants us to rely on him, and if we do we will become even more. Its the truth, I've seen it happen and I'm experiencing it. I know he loves us and that if we do His will, we will become more than we ever thought we could be. LOVE YOU ALL have a great week! -Elder Grover
