09/28/2011-MTC in Peru

FAMILIA!!

Este Semama fue muy loco!! 

I have alot to write about but little time to do it. Hopefully you got the letter the second time i sent it. You'll get a double dipping this week.

So we went tracting on Saturday.. straight to slums of Lima. Straight up cardboard boxes and very humble people. Very resistant though. We tracted for almost 4 hours and knocked a ton of doors and didn't get in to one house. People would rather listen to our message through a window or the crack of the door than sitting down somewhere. We taught a bunch and i learned a lot. My spanish was ok. I understood probably 90 percent of what was said but it seemed like the ten percent that i didn't understand was always the most important stuff. frustrating but it was great!

Let me tell you what i learned!

First, Its straight up work! Walking, talking, trying to find people, trying to recall scriptures, figuring out what i want to say in spanish, bearing testimony, praying, more walking, knocking, hot, sweat, companions frustrated. Just lots of hard things. ITS WORK!!  But, I have to say, I LOVED IT! I didn't want to be anywhere else and i couldn't get enough! 

Second, its Dirty here. The first thing i saw walking into the barrio was a little boy, maybe 12, peeing and staring at me. It was like he was gesturing, "Bienvenidos a Lima!" hilarious. Tons of dogs, trash, smelly gutters, nasty dirty conditions. We were in one of the worst parts i guess...that's what some of the older missionaries were saying. Definite eye opener. But, again, i was loving it.

Third, people would receive a small answer that our message was true through the holy ghost, but, they reject anyway. For example, we were teaching this lady, she told us that her mom died recently, we bore testimony that she would be able to see her again someday and then invited her to church. She was crying, totally feeling the spirit, and still turned away saying, soy catolica. super frustrating. She was blinded by some garbage that her dad told her and she really didn't even know. She just thought. But, we planted the seed.

Fourth, prayer invites the spirit. We stopped and talked to this guy. We told him we had a message for him, but that before we shared it we wanted to start with a prayer. He seemed like he was in a hurry. I said the prayer, he probably had no idea what i was saying, but I know he felt the spirit. We looked up,  and he was ready to be taught, right there on the corner, and he didn't care how long it was going to take. He knew it was true too, he gave us his phone number, address, and told us he wanted us to come back. We told him other missionaries would be coming and he said it was ok. He was just excited to hear the truth I'm sure. But, without prayer, he likely would have said that he was in a hurry and moved on. The spirit calmed him down, and then gave us the chance to teach him what he needed to hear.

Fifth, the gospel was sent forth today because the world needs it! Thousands of people, in this barrio seemed worried, are in a bad situation, don't know anything about what god has in store for them. But, i know that through this gospel, people can find peace, happiness, true joy and feel perfectly ok, because they have a knowledge and testimony of Jesus Christ and a loving heavenly father. Its the only way people can experience true happiness. The reason I know this is because we were walking through the barrio, and these two cute girls came up to us. one was maybe 12 and the other maybe 9. The 12 yr old was poised and happy, and the 9 yr old was super happy, couldn't stop smiling, they were so happy to us. They told us they were members too and then, we became happy to see them too. haha! But, they just seemed so happy, even though they were in a similar situation as everyone else, possibly worse, they were SO happy. This is a testimony that the gospel brings happiness. I love it, i love teaching it, i love striving to live it, and love seeing others being happy from it. 

Sixth, I am super excited for the field!!!!!!! This made me realize what a mission really is. The MTC is great, but field is going to be better.  obviously, but, I just got a small taste for what its going to be like. And I am so pumped! Half way mark next week and then I'm in Quito. I don't know my exact departure date but its around three weeks from this coming Monday. Super excited!!

That's it! I have a ton more to write about but almost out of time.  I love you all and hope everything is well at home.

I sent some letters in the mail via pouch. They should be there towards the beginning on next week, if not sooner.


Elder Burr