A GROWING WEEK

Howdy all

 

This week was a good week.  Guess what?  When people say missions are hard...they mean it.  This is the hardest thing I have ever done.  Not because I am walking around in a desert with huge gusts of wind with another language all around me, but because it is so hard to be away from my family for so long.  But I am starting to adjust and am improving everyday.  Still when I wake up, its the hardest hour of the day because every night I dream of family, of friends and home.  It's tough...but once I get studying and working I am usually fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zack and his zone at the beach...Zack said that he TOWERS over everyone!

This was a growing week.  I learned so much.  My companion loves to teach me in sort of a 'immersion by fire' kind of way, which is so tough...but I have learned so much.  

I don't really know where to start, so I'll just go into the week.  

 

Monday and Tuesday were pretty good.  Just regular days.  But a regular day here usually includes a taxi ride with 6 or 7 people packed into a car the size of my rabbit...with cars driving on both sides of you...going the opposite way...with horrible Latino music blasting.  Or waking up with a black spider on your face.  Or finding a cockroach in your food.  But all is well.  I always wish I had snapchat or a phone just to send pics of the weird things I see, because there are lots! (All of the things previously mentioned, just so you know, actually happened)

Wednesday was a kind fun day.  We did inter-district cambios this week, so I packed up my day pack and left to another companion for a day.  It was awesome.  I was paired with Elder Martinez, an Argentine who has been in the mission for 21 montys and is our Zone Leader.  He is such a cool guy.  I learned so much from him about how to be a great missionary.  Elder Mamani is a great missionary and trainer, for sure, but it was nice to see a different example of a great missionary.  Wednesday night I returned and resumed our regular deal.

Thursday and Friday were just fine days...nothing great, nothing bad.  I decided just to try to learn from every experience possible, whether I messed up in a lesson or anything else, for that matter.   I've just decided to kind of laugh it off, and try to do better.  It's kind of hard, but it is a better way to learn.  I had two opportunities to give blessings this week.  That was quite the humbling night.  The second blessing was to a little boy who father left the church and his family.  I was really struggling before I gave it just because it was kind of a hard day.  But when I went to give the blessing, I cleared my mind, and prayed with faith.  It was amazing, words came, and they weren't my own.  I thought of Sam and Josh, because this little boy was just like them, and then I just spoke some decent Spanish.  What a cool experience. 

Saturday was the best day of this week by far!  We went into Talara in the morning for a Zone Conference with the President!  It was so cool to get some advice from such a great guy!  I really really like him.  After, I had an interview with him.  It was like talking with a friend!  We discussed how I am doing and some scriptures.  It was a great day.  After, we just worked.  Elder Mamani found a familia a couple of weeks ago and we have been teaching them a lot!  They need to get married soon, but I would expect to have a family baptized in Octubre!  We have three this Sunday, one in Octubre, and hopefully that other family soon.  The ten year old boy, loves to read the Book of Mormon!

Sunday was great, we had a stake conference which was good.  President was there, but it was a broadcast from Elder Bednar and Scott from SLC to all of Peru.  It was great, but I had a hard time listening.  We were there waiting for our investigators before, and none came.  Hardly anyone from our branch came.   SUCH a bummer.  Then, we were sitting in the meeting, and I looked out the door...boom one investigator!...Boom one Menos Activo (less active)...!  I was so excited!  We then started to watch more, but I was still a little bummed because the familia de Omar didnt come.  I was pretty disappointed....but then I looked out, and there they were! Their whole family!  So rewarding! We showed them around, and they loved the chapel.  All great people and perfect investigators!

So now for moms questions...I have 1 hour and 15 minutos in the internet cafe.  No mail this week.  I sent photos.  Things with my companion got pretty low this week which was hard...and totally my fault becuase I was pretty frusturated with being critiqued one hundred percent of the time...but we talked about it and we are super good buds now!  I am lucky to have him.  Most spiritual moment:  I had a great study session yesterday where I really received some personal revelation for some things I needed.  Funniest moment?  I don't know...it's hard to tell.  Everything is just so different here, and I wish I could show it all to you, but it's all kind of funny in some way.  Favorite food?  I haven't really had really any great food yet.  Although, I am learning to cook on a budget and to plan...which is tough (I had two hot dogs and two oranges for breakfast today) but I really like the pinnapple juice or the passionfruit juice.  We just switched pensionista so our food now is WAY better...No more cucarachas (cockroaches)!  Laundry is good.  I am healthy.  And today...we are going to get icecream!!  I am really excited!

I am running out of time, but know that I love you...and pray for all of you...all the time!  I am excited to be here and am adjusting more everyday.  I can basically communicate the basics in Spanish now, and I am learning more everyday.

 

Buds:  Zack and Elder Mamani

 

Love you so much!  Sorry that it is a little scattered!  

 

Love you

Elder Bradshaw