Good Week...Good P-day

Hey!

I'm doing great this week.  It wasn't too awesome, but it was just solid...and I had a great pday.

Today for P-day, we went to the park and just sat there with another companionship and just talked for an hour or so, then we went and bought our food and made tacos with the sister missionaries in our ward, a member, and another companionship of Elders....They were soooooo good.  Thanks for sending me the ingredients and tortillas...we loved them!  LOVED them!

Zack's friends for Pday...making tacos.

Some sweet tacos.

Oh...and I got these sweet leather covers for my scriptures today.  I ordered the last week and picked them up today and I love them so much.

This week was a one of the slow ones.  My companion was really sick for a couple days, so there was some down time which kinda stunk.  It has been SUPER hot here for the longest time, and there is not any rest from the heat. So, if your inside, or outside...it always feels like you are slowly cooking which is the worst.  It's crazy how much I have adjusted so much to the heat.

My love for Peru, the people here, and the gospel have grown so much and they continue to grow.  I love these all these people so much and have really enjoyed my experience here in Piura, Peru, la ciudad de eterno calor.  (The City of Eternal Heat.)

This week was slower for me...but not in the progress of Jorge Mio and Edson.  I am pretty sure that the two of them will be baptized.  The two have attended to church three or more times and they both have made some amazing changes in their life.  Edson will be baptized  28 de March and Jorge Mio el 11 de April.  They will both be great members.  Love them!

We have had to drop some people in our area because they haven't made the decision to progress which has been hard, but it's all good...their time will come around, when they are ready.

QUESTIONS:

How about the family you met outside their house last week? 
Well, they live in the area of the Sister Missionaries...so we had to pass over the referral, but they are listening to the sisters! Still a little hard-hearted but are willing to listen...which I love.

Anything coming up for your mission?  
We have the a multi-zone conference this week which is good.  They are always fun.  Then, this is awesome...on March 30, for Pday, we get to watch MEET THE MORMONS!!!! whoooooooooooo.

What was the best part of your week?  
I don't know....There were lots of good things.  Basically just being with the people and learning from them.  I love teaching and the lessons are probably the things which I love the most each week.

Did you read that article I sent you last week? 
I loved it!

Anything else you want to tell us?  
I got my trunky letter this week!  With when, where, and how I go home....pretty crazy!  Is all of our ward and stake stuff the same as when I left? 

I'm doing well, I'm happy with the people we are teaching.  I love the members in our ward.  There are some incredible people.  I love and respect them a ton.  I love working with them.  My companion and I are great friends and always will be...we are working great together.  I am excited to keep on working and to keep on going...which is exactly what I'm going to do this week.

Love you all!

Elder Bradshaw

Love the Wonderful People here...

(Some Peruvian Culture by one of Zack's friends)


Hey hey hey It's Faaaaaaat Albert.

jaja! No se...(I don't know)... that just came into my head.

Well, it was a fine week, there weren't that many improvements in the area, or that many bad things...we'll just call this week kinda regular.  We had so many people with baptismal dates and now we are kinda narrowing them down.  This week we saw that a couple really didn't have real desires, so we are in the process of finding who really has true desires to be baptized, and who just likes to chat.  Its always sad to see someone without real desires.  Out of our eight, we have a few that are WONDERFUL people that I am sure will get baptized.  I don't know if it will be my during time or some other missionary's time, but it will happen.

The first is Jorge Mio...He came to church by himself this week and is starting to see blessings from living the gospel and to starting to have spiritual experiences.  Its incredible to see the gospel take hold in peoples lives like it has in his.  He lives a hard life, but its incredible to see the blessings of the Atonement slowly take hold in his drifty life.

Edson has 17 years and we contacted him through his Girlfriend (member).  At first, I think he only listened and attended to be with his girlfriend...but now he has come many times to church by himself and comes to the lessons alone too.  We have seen a great change with him and it's been real fun.  The people who actually make efforts to live the gospel really do make progress, and those who don't...don't.

I love having spiritual experiences with them.  Its incredible to see the difference of an open and sincere heart, and true intent, against someone who just wants to listen.  It really is an eye opener.

With Jorge and Yessenia, we are a little bit lost.  They are wonderful people, but we are trying to do all we can to help them, but we don't know where their hearts are.  This week we have two FHEs planned with them with different families, so we hope that we can help them. If you could keep them in your prayers, that would help. Thanks!

They filled in the holes in front of our house this week!  ...and then they dug them back up.   And then they filled them back up....don't worry UTAH CONSTRUCTION WORKERS....there are people who are less effective than you in this world!

That's super awesome that you got to go see Elder Mulford.  I just really liked him as my companion so much!  Did you get the package I sent home with him?  That is so awesome that you got to see his homecoming.  I hope you said 'hi' for me. 

And it sounds like you have a lot of fun things going on...good for you guys!

QUESTIONS: 

I think you had Zone Training and Zone Conference this week… how did that go?  
They went really well.  I learned a lot.  We are trying to work a lot with the members, and have a new program to help us with it...so we talked a lot about that.  What they teach us, we then teach to our whole zone. 

What was your favorite part of Zone Conference?
President came to our zone meeting, so that was cool.  I just love being with the zone (and President) and getting to know them.  They are all great missionaries.  We have a goal to do 1000 contacts this week!  Pretty fun.

What did you learn from the Zone Leader Training?
Members members members....there is no other way to work that is more effective than that...

Did you have an awesome P-day?  
We went to Catacaos, and I bought some sick leather cases for my scriptures....I sent them to be made, and the next week I will have them!

How did investigators do with coming to church Sunday?
Edson, and Jorge Mio, and another guy came!

Did you get that package.  I'm sending another one today…any requests??? 
Candy, photos, and letters....good candy!  like Skittles, and Reeses, and bit-o-honey, and good stuff like that.  Thanks for the vitamins, and the candy....I loooooooved that letter!  Made me laugh out load!  I was 'LOL'eando all day long. (We sent Zack a Valentine that was on a sheet of paper that read at the top..."I love Zack more than..." and then our family took turns writing things that we loved less than Zack...it got a little crazy and a little funny...happy to hear that he liked it!)

Noticed on my iphone weather app...that it said rain all week in Piura…was that true or not?  We were hoping it would cool down and wouldn't be so hot for you. 
LIES LIES LIES.

Best part of your week…
We had an awesome lesson with Jorge Mio yesterday...The spirit was strong and we really were guided and he understood.  Super cool.

Favorite color… 
Blue and Yellow.

Another cool experience....
we contacted a family that was sitting on the corner in front of their house.  During the contact, we talked a ton about everything from Jose Smith---to BOM---to temples and everything, and we took out an appointment.  They were Evangelicos (don't know the translation) but we ended up going again!  We entered their house and the first question they asked us was "show us in the Bible, where it says that Joseph Smith is possible." 

"Ok!"  So we jumped onto it and answered all of their questions with so much power....The spirit guided us both soooooo strongly.  We answered all their questions and doubts with lots of love under the direction of the Spirit.  We testified with lots of strength, and in the end, they accepted a Book of Mormon...and another appointment for this next Saturday.  They were great people and I hope that the BoM opens their eyes to even more questions!


I am happy. And doing good.  Love you all sooooo much and hope that all goes well for each of you!  Love you all!

Excited about the work this week!

March!

Things went really really well this week.  There were no cats involved.

Starting with Investigators... Right now, we have 8 investigators with baptismal dates!!!!...and they really are all progressing nicely.  They love listening to us (well...not necessarily ‘us’...but what we have to share with them) and many of them attended church yesterday.  Three attended church for the full three hours!   And there others that  attended for sacrament meeting.  We were so very super excited,  we even had some less actives there too!  We have seen progress in all of them and I really hope that they continue with their goals.  They just need to read and pray and attend, and I know they will feel it!  I am so mentally, physically, and emotionally tired because we are working so hard because we are so excited about their progress!

Jorge and Yessenia: So, they still are in...they didn't lose their interest, and they are going strong...HE FOUND WORK!  But, the problem is, that this work will make him work Sundays....He was really concerned about it, and asked us about if that is a bad thing.  We explained the importance of the commandments and the Sabbath Day really well, and even felt compelled to talk to them about fasting.  They got excited and desired to fast with us.  The next day, we stopped by and started our fast with them.  And, can you believe it... they fasted the whole 24 hours!  What an incredible act of faith!  They are so wonderful.  They read and have attended church twice.  Their baptismal date is the 28 of March...but then...as always...they need to get married :(

Jorge Mio....He’s a school teacher that just has a ton of problems, but he really wants to get out of them...He is super smart, so it’s so fun to teach him.  He attended church and is progressing really well.  He is single, and we just hope that he can keep going!

And guess what...The Book of Mormon is so key for everything, have you heard me say that before?  Conversion, revelation, testimony, and so much more....If you want to be happy, read, apply, and live the things taught in that book...

me is flying.  I can’t believe I have had twenty Fast Sundays here in Peru! And that I will only have three more.

And by the way,  how’s your family scripture study going?  My President challenged us to read the entire book before July 1....I think I am going to take that challenge. Pretty exciting!

Best Part of your week? 
Seeing the faith of Jorge and Yessenia.

Pday fun?
We played soccer on a turf field….And guess what?..it was so hot! Then we went out to eat with a member.

Three Elder's from Alpine...L-R Elder Harris, Zack, Elder Michael Smith

Zone Leader interesting facts?
This week we have our ZL training, then we give our zone conference Thursday...It’s a pretty crazy week.  I’m thinking that this may be my last transfer as a zone leader (I’ve got 7 now! jaja) and I am really really trying a lot harder to magnify my calling as a ZL and to really help the others.  Do you think it matters most what we do to help ourselves or more what we do to help others?  I’ve just watched how the mission seems to work and it seems like Elders usually don’t finish out their missions as Zone Leaders...more just like a trainer or a ‘regular’ missionary.

How was your Fast Sunday? 
It was really great...I felt really really close to the Spirit this Fast Sunday.

Received our package yet?
I just heard that it’s in the office....I’ll get it tomorrow. (Happy Valentine’s Day, Zack!)

Who do you miss the most?
Jaja...Everyone.

Did you decide to keep up your better diet, or did that go away? 
I seem to be able to eat really well the whole week, then I eat bad for one day....it’s just a pattern!  I think it’s working out ok.
 
Tender Mercies of the week? 
Just the feeling that I feel...I feel really spiritually in touch, and just feel good with my work that I am doing.  I received some spiritual guidance this week and I really feel like it’s going to help me!

So, as a missionary, I am in such a secluded world and when I hear things about the hard things going on at Lone Peak and stuff, it hurts in a different way.  It is so shocking for me.  And so very sad.  I feel so far away from that darkness, and that type of sadness, depression, and junk aren’t really a problem here in Peru.  I am sooooo sorry for all of those kids.

I'm sending some videos of our room....Every night, I sleep without sheets...without blankets...with the windows open...with a fan....and I always wake up sweating.  jaja... It is so hot! {spoiler alert:  he didn't clean it before he told the videos…}

I really love you all so much.  I love each and every one of you so much.  I am sorry if I have ever done anything that impeded you to feel that love. but I love you alllllll sooooo much!  Don’t forget that!

Love you all! That’s about all...until next week.


Elder Bradshaw