Thanksgiving in Peru

Hola familia!

Most of the Piura Mission...they all traveled to by bus to see Elder Nelson speak...Zack is on the far left...smiling!

I don't know why, but I loved your emails this week!  It was super good to hear from you all.  I don't really know where to start, so it just jump to it.

This week was a good week, nothing really too special, nothing really bad.  It's kind of an adjusting stage for me right now, from a trainee, to a trainer and leading an area.  I am pretty sure that I am learning more than Elder Rodriguez from this experience, but everything is going really well!

Believe it or not...I didn't eat dinner this Thanksgiving. We had branch council, so we went to that, then didn't have time to eat anything.  Earlier that day, a member fried some fish for us...head, eyes, tail and all...for us, so I guess that will count as my Thanksgiving Day dinner. Luckily, I realized that we weren't going to be able to eat on Thursday.  My package hasn't arrive yet, so we improvised. Wednesday night, we bought a huge 2.5 liter Coke, and cooked up some Arroz Chaufa (basically fried rice).  We also had some cookies.  It was something small, the rice was burnt, and it was only halfway tasty...but it was a Thanksgiving I will always remember.  I didn't rest the whole day, I walked miles in the desert with the sand blowing in my face, and there was actually nothing resembling Thanksgiving at all...but it was something special.  I truly felt grateful for the blessings I have, which is basically the Gospel.  We knelt before we ate, and I offered a small prayer of thanks.  I don't know what was really different...I just felt sooooo grateful for everything.  So I guess the moral of the story is...on the mission, you realize what you are truly grateful for. 

Training is going really well.  Elder Rodriguez and I get along great, and we teach well together.  He is a great guy, and he's got real good intentions and all.  He's just really really green and sometimes I feel that I am with a 13 year old.  I have to remind myself that he really only has three weeks in all of his mission...so he will learn more.  I am just trying to help him out with whatever I can.  He is improving so fast, but I am still pretty sure that I am learning more than he is ;).  I am seeing a lot of the things that Elder Mamani would get mad at me for, and I am trying my best handle them in the way that I would like to be treated.  I am super grateful for this opportunity to work with him.  I wouldn't change anything about my situation, but wow, its just a time of stretching for me.  I am loving it though.  We are studying and doing everything to train him well.  Because he needs it...and actually, I do too!

I can truly feel myself becoming consecrated to the work.  I'm not counting down till Monday anymore.  I am constantly thinking of investigators, and what they need and how we can best help them.  I am truly finding so much joy here...everyday I love it more and more.  I can feel myself growing everyday, and I feel so much more mature right now than I did 4 months ago.  My love for the Savior, the gospel, and everything else has amplified these 2 weeks like one hundred and fifty percent.  I can feel myself growing into the missionary that the Lord wants me to be.

This week, my love for the Book of Mormon grew exponentially.  I love to read it with menos activos, investigators, members, my companion, and everything!  Today we have a lesson planned when we are going to give a Book of Mormon to an investigator, and I am sooooo excited to share it with him.  

Questions...

Most Spiritual part of your week: We had a lesson yesterday with a Menos Activo and I could just feel the spirit working within us,  Words were just coming, we were answering all of their questions, and it was just really great!  

Funniest: I don't even know...

Best part of your week:  Everyday is just awesome.  Hard to choose.  

How's the training coming:  It's awesome, I love it.

How is Omar?  Is there a wedding coming up?  What are you doing for that? 
They are planning on getting married this week, but we are waiting for a responce from the government for their papers and everything.  we will find out today!  If they can marry, they will be baptized this sunday!  I love them so much!  We bought Omar a tie today, and Maria Elena a picture frame for their wedding!  Pray that they can marry!

How are you feeling?  Great,  finally got over that cold!

Mail? no mail, no packages yet.  Think this Thursday they will come.  I would like to email everyone and thank them for things, but seriously...I have no time for anything.  I wake up at 6:30 and work work work till 10:30.  No rest, no time to do anything personal.

Photos? Don't have my camera!

Pday?  Cut my hair, went to Talara, bought some wedding gifts (I never thought that I would do that)

What are you grateful for this week?  TODO. (all)

Mom, I searched today for something to send to you.  A nativity set or something, but...no.  Talara has NO CULTURE.  Only oil.  I am going to search more next week!

I love you sooooo much!  All of you.  I expect to know plans for how to CALL YOU for Christmas soon!.

LOVE LOVE LOVE you all!

Elder Bradshaw!