Week Twenty-Seven in Cusco

Pie y Cara

The two body parts in my title have been wrecked this week, but I am doing great! After I wrote you last Monday, we went and played a huge soccer tournament with all the zones in Cusco. I am still horrible at soccer, but I love playing! Towards the end I wrecked my ankle and it got super swollen. I will be coming home next week… I will see you soon. It’s actually more like a week and year and a half! Luckily, I have been healing fine! Only limping around all week during the work. My face is super red too, because I forgot to wear sunblock for only 2 hours. Since we are so high up in elevation, the sun rays are way more powerful. Living the dream!

We had interviews with Pres. Herrera and he has been changing some of the goals of the mission. I am really loving the changes! Focusing more on baptizing and teaching repentance. Especially baptisms of men older than 18 years! It is more challenging, which is another reason why I love it. In our interview, he asked me what are my weaknesses, and I told him honestly. Naturally he asked why honesty would be a weakness, and I told him, “Because honestly that is a stupid question.” No I am joking I didn’t say that! I was sure tempted to though.. I love Pres. Herrera and his family. He has asked us to join his Family Home Evening tonight! Another perk of being in his ward? And it is also with Hermana Isabel that had her husband pass away recently. We are excited to be in the house of the mission and help out the suffering family in our ward.

All else is great! We are progressing our investigadores, but little by little. I am learning some patience as well as respect for the agency of others. I realize that people are going to make their decisions, and that as long as I am doing the will of the Father, I am being a successful missionary. I am praying hard because there are definitely 2 forces battling with each person that has a chance to know the Gospel through us! And the bad force sure doesn’t rest. Which simply means that we cannot rest either. Make sure you are always doing the things that keep the Spirit in rich abundance in your life! Unless you want to be miserable.. then do what you want. No, but really live the celestial law to be worthy of the celestial goal! And I will keep repenting and keep trying with youJ I love you and miss you!

Sigue sonriendo –Elder Daybell

Piano skillz

Elderes de mi primer districto (Epinoza, Yepez, yo, Carrasco)

Week Twenty-Six in Cusco

Otra semana se fue…

The time is going by way too fast (aka I am definitely extending)! I got the big package that you sent this week, and I have got to say THANK YOU. Elder Espinoza and I are loving the treats, but mostly I love the hand written letters. Thanks parents and siblings! I LOVE YOU.

We had a real good week of working. I am learning how to work more intelligently. I can work hard until I die, but I need to improve in the way I work to be more efficient. We are growing and learning every day! We have two more with baptism date. A super old couple that are hilarious. The wife is super sick, so they are both really humble and accepting of the word of God! We are going to save them right before they head up there…

I had an interview with Presidente Herrera this week! I am so blessed to get to know him in this ward and will hold his counsel in my heart for the rest of my life. He thought that I had more time in the mission. I will say it again: The Gift of Tongues is real. When members ask how much time I have, I tell them to guess. They usually say a year and a half or more! I told my time to this one JAS (young single adult) in the ward and he doesn’t believe me. He is convinced that I end this change or the next change. I think it is only because I am really talkative… But Spanish is coming along great! Right now I am practicing subjunctive. Which is like, Dios quiere que oremos para que tengamos una relación con El. In English, God wants us to pray so that we have a relationship with Him. Sound weird in English.. But makes sense! The subjunctive is shown in the oremos instead of the normal conjugation of oramos. Also in the tengamos instead of normal tenemos. There is a bunch of instances where you use it, and a lot of irregulars so you just have to memorize the different instances and verbs. I love Spanish! And I love when I start to use different things I learn because it is like evolving in Pokemon GO. Just kidding, I don’t know how to play Pokemon Go yet.

I love you! Keep being real. Only 3 of my parents sent me pictures of the temple.. The rest of you are sinners. But the glorious news of the Gospel is that you CAN repent and that you can change by going to the temple and sending me the pictures! I miss you 5ever.

Sigue sonriendo! –Elder Daybell

Elder Espinoza and Elder Daybell in Cusco.  The river behind us is a street!

Week Twenty-Five in Cusco

Por fin lloré

No he llorado todo mi tiempo en la misión. Cuando me fui a mi casa, no. El CCM y en el campo tampoco. Pero por fin, llore. Y sentí tan bueno porque está bien llorar, aun para los varones! Que paso es un miembro de la iglesia, familiar de la pensión, esposo fiel y padre de cuatro hijos murió. Esta semana fue a poco triste y mi corazón duele mucho por esta hermosa familia, pero estoy tan agradecido que eran fieles a sus convenios del templo! Vivimos en tiempos maravillosos porque tenemos el conocimiento que familias puedan ser eternas! El poder del sacerdocio es una bendición que no pueda explicar. Sé que vive mi Señor  J

How are you though? First off, CONGRATS TO MY BROTHER DAXTON! That mission sounds like the second best mission in the world (right behind Peru Cusco). I have been freaking out on the news. If anyone else is able to serve and thinking about it; follow the example of my righteous bro and JUST DO IT. The experience will bless your life, moreover your eternity.  Shout out to my Uncle Lance and Aunt Jill for the package too. The real MVPs this week.

Our baptisms were great! We had two members do the baptizing, but the joy was the same! To see people enter the waters and a covenant with God is a feeling like no other. The first steps of salvation for Fabiola and Gonzalo! Fabiola has the same personality as my sista Amanda. Gonzalo has dropped his entire old life to be worthy to enter the door to salvation. When one decides to follow Christ, it is amazing to see the power and help that come from Heaven. The Atonement is infinite! I love helping people figure out how to use it in their lives.

Other news, we changed pensions. Our old pensions husband is the Latino Jim Carrey, she is an experienced chef, and their kid is exactly like my hermanito. But they have plans to move to Zion (Utah) in a few years, so it’s all good. Our new pension is awesome too! So far… (please no feet potato).

Hope you are doing great! I have been missing the temple more lately.. Go and help with the mission work in the temple this week! If you do, take pictures in front of it and send them to me! PLEASE. I love you and miss you a ton. Keep remembering the things of most importance.

Sigue sonriendo –Elder Daybell

The river behind us is actually a street

Baptisms!

Week Twenty-Four in Cusco

La Batalla del Wayki y el Borracho

Conference was sweet, right? My heart was softened, my faith was strengthened, and my capacity to love the Lord increased! That is why I love general conference. I hope that you had many spiritual experiences and if not, you have the internet. Study and restudy the talks that were inspired by God! We are so lucky to live in these times. I never realized just how amazing it is to have a living Prophet and the Apostles. It is (literally) righteous!

We had a good time this week. We received a reference named Enrique that is bien prepared! He has been sober 19 years, but used to be a huge alcoholic. He has felt the power of the Atonement already from hitting rock bottom and climbing back up. He is leading a big rehab group now! The first time that we talked he told us that he feels good about life, but he keeps having the feeling that he lacks something. He told us that deep down he knows there is something else! I told him that he lacks making a covenant with God, which is baptism. The Holy Ghost has been prompting him to search, and he has found! The second time we taught him was on the Restoration. At the end, we explained the Book of Mormon and how he can pray and receive personal revelation. He told us that already he feels “more full” and feels more tranquil. I told him it is the Spirit and then we committed him to 5 of November to baptism! God is in the details of His glorious work.

Now to explain my title of this emailJ Translated, “The Battle of the Brother (Quechua) and the Drunk.” It was about mid-day and we were about to cross two-way street in our sector, when this drunk guy recognized us and ran over (every drunk recognizes servants of God, it’s strange). He started blabbering about something and we had to help him cross with us or he would have been ran over.  We made it to a middle walk-way, still with a busy street to go. The drunk caught sight of an old man sitting and selling some candy, which made him really angry for no reason. He walked up behind this 80-year old guy, and brought a fist to the top of his head! The old timer is from Cusco though… He stood up and round-house kicked the drunk with his stylish tire shoes! The drunk responded with a spit in the face, but the oldie had already picked up a rock. The old guy punched the drunks face repeatedly with a rock in hand as a weapon, as the alcoholic kept spitting (with an impressive amount of saliva) as defense.  Now imagine us, standing there with our jaws dropped, as this battle was taking place. I might have been laughing, but I don’t remember. Finally, we snapped out of shock because the intoxicated man almost staggered into a speeding bus. We saved the man, and took him to the other side of the street. We gave him a card of Jesus and I told him to stop drinking. ONLY IN PERU. What an adventure the mission can be.

Sigue Sonriendo –Elder Daybell

I see dead puppies everywhere I go

Birtday of the daughter of Walter (I) and Andrea (MA)

Part of my San Jeronimo

Be grateful for your kitchen