Week Sixty-Two in Cusco

Pivotal point… I hope!

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, depending on when you read this. If you are like me (before the mission), have a good 4:30am in the morning! This week we had a pivotal point in the mission I am hoping! To explain:

We have been improving a lot in many things in the mission. Like I have told you, March and April we had close to 100 baptisms each month. But in May we got pooped on and only had 37 as a mission. Sorry for the stinky reference, but it is accurate. The training we planned for this week’s Leadership Council was pretty much ask them what happened and take all the ideas. I was a little scared that it would just be a long, awkward silence of us feeling bad about ourselves. I was wrong! The zone leaders and sister leaders just came to the council with ideas and suggestions like fire! The best part is that they used so much time that we only had like 5 minutes to talk, so I got off the hook! Easiest training ever. I feel like I am going to do it next Leadership Council too! Honestly it’s not because I am lazy or don’t like talking (everyone who really knows me has asked me to shut up on at least one occasion), but because it was super more effective. We asked two questions: “How can we find people constantly?” And, “what can we do to improve as a mission?” I saw a new interest and drive in the leaders this council as they responded these two question. I hope that it was a pivotal point in how they see their responsibilities and how they act! Elders that have never been their own agents were making plans. Sisters that usually stand quietly on the sidelines were preaching. I am hoping that it was the start of a culture change in this glorious mission.

As far as our sector goes, we had a bumpy week. That is the nature of the mission though! I have no doubt that the people we have been focusing on will progress. We have a few weeks before conferences to help them with that conversion, and so I am excited. Our converts are going strong and thinking about the temple. No investigadores came to church, but neither did we.

We went to the Sacred Valley to a branch in a place called Calca. They just have a “house chapel” and they are few, but strong in spirit! We went with President and his family to help mend the hearts of a few mad members, due to things that don’t really matter. President gave us a chance to bare our testimonies of Christ and His atonement, which is by far one of my favorite thing to do as a missionary. After we went to Urubamba (also in the Sacred Valley) where my companion started his mission! We went to this super fancy buffet called Tunupa that was super Inca culture. Finally got a llama pic! I also ate ceviche which is totally against the rules, but I am a rebel… No, President gave us permission because it was like a last outing with Elder Huallparuca before he heads home in a few weeks. I asked Pres. as a joke and he said sure! I do believe in miracles.

I miss you! Keep enjoying the summer fun and send me lots of pics! My prayers will always be coming your way that you can come to know Christ and therefore be happy! Love you

Sigue sonreindo!! –Elder Daybell

Llama pics!

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURE

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Selfies with Gabriella y Ariella

                                     Hermana Herrera taking pictures of me sleeping…

 

Week Sixty-One in Cusco

Paintball in Peru

Like my title says, I paintballed in Peru today. We went out to Oropesa (a little village like 30 minutes from Cusco) and played on a course! About 25 missionaries went from the two zones and it was really fun! También me enfermé con gripe por un ratito, pero ya paso entonces no se preocupen. ¡Está haciendo un frio pero tan frio! I don’t know how the Incas lived up here in the winters because it is doing some real cold in the nights.

The new missionaries came this week! 13 came and only one gringa. I found out that the mission is actually 70% latino! When I got here it was reverse I think, which is interesting. It is awesome because many are converts to the church and bring a love for the gospel from the start. We taught much on obedience like usual.  I read 2 Kings 5:1-14 and we had a discussion on the importance to obey even if we don’t understand or like the commandment. Training the new missionaries always makes me look on how obedient I am being and causes change! There is always something we should improve on in the Gospel, and that is what I love! It is a beautiful struggle, but more than possible when we rely on Christs power to perfect us!

We were going to have a baptism this next Saturday. A day before his interview, Natalio told us that he is going to start university with classes on Sundays… We have taught him all the lessons, he has completed with all his invitations, and now we must wait. It was a little sad, although not discouraging. He said that maybe he can find a different schedule but in a few months. I have hope that he is going to change his schedule in July or August, because he still really wants to be baptized. Be praying for Natalio! He is going to enter the gate soon, the Lord just loves giving me opportunities to work on that divine attribute of patience. I am working on it okay!?

I love you and miss you. HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all those dads out there and especially to mine se llama Pablo. It is crazy that this Father’s day will be my last as a single adult.. No, I am scared to even joke about marriage. I will have at least 1 to 5 more! 😉 ¡Sigue sonriendo!

–Elder Daybell

Paintball Pro

Pizza to the new missionaries!

Contacting with the news in Plaza de Armas

He is taped to a chair becuase one elder is from Callao, Lima.

have a sad face becuase two elders (Westbrook and Boelter) are leaving the office…

Week Sixty in Cusco

BROKE.. ITS BROKE

I have some horribly bad news. I don’t know how it happened! I never thought that I would have to go through a trial like this, but I know that life is a refiner’s fire. I just never thought that I would be the one getting burnt. Um.. I don’t know how to tell you this. Please don’t hate me okay? I have always tried to be careful so that something like this doesn’t happen, but it BROKE. The camera has BROKE. I actually think that it has a virus and there is still hope, but I won’t be sending my handsome pictures for at least another week. I hope that you can handle this and I will be always praying for your strength.

Other than that news, this week has been super super! We have 5 new investigadores and Natalio is progressing towards his baptism for this month. We are looking for people for the month of July and the Lord is helping us a ton! The sister of my convert Frida has the name of Gloria. Gloria and her husband Victor are super interested in the lessons and have already expressed to us their desire for baptism! Their son Patrick got baptized with Frida and her kids, so they became investigadores through us trying to retain him. The only problem is that they are travelling a ton this month, but I have faith that they will be ready for July! We invited them to this 8^th of July and right now they are praying about if God wants them to be baptized on that date. They WILL receive an answer because they have the true intent to follow Christ!

Elder Craig C. Christensen came to Machu Picchu this week! With his wife and Elder Carlos A. Godoy with his wife. They stopped by to give us some Seventy wisdom and it was the best. It was only with Zone Sicuani, Inti Raymi, and Cusco but I know that his words will impact the mission. They talked a lot about how we are fulfilling prophecy and meant to be in this place. Another topic that Elder Christensen mentioned was the importance of understanding the Holy Ghost and recognizing revelation. As much for us as for the people we teach! It was fire.

We start another transfer today! So again with the new missionaries this week. I love the Spirit they bring and cannot wait to welcome them to the best mission in the world! Thank you for the prayers and emails! I call on those prayers to support me often and read those emails to know that you still are alive. I love you!

Sigue sonriendo –Elder Daybell

ps.. Just kidding about the handsome pictures! Elder Chango fixed it in like 2 seconds..

-Only way to sleep through the freezing nights

-Pancakes with the Johnsons!

-Heaven in a package (Shoutout Papá)

-Painting service before the General Authority sees the vandalism of Peru.

Week Fifty-Nine in Cusco

Hello… Again.

Another week gone! And this is the last week of the transfer… I do not believe that we are going to be getting new missionaries already! The mission is a time warp.

This week we went and worked in the jungle zone, Puerto, with the zone leaders. I worked with Elder Rueckert from UT. He is a newer leader and just killing it! Their zone has been improving in a lot of things and are being obedient. Less stress when there are zone leaders like him! It wasn’t a bajillion degrees this time, but still the heavy humidity. I love the jungle so much and I hope that I could serve there when I leave the office (if it be Gods will). Anywhere I go I will be more than happy.

Speaking of leaving the office, we did the changes this week! My companion goes home in  6 weeks and training for my assignment lasts that amount of time, which means that I am going to leave right now or I will be here until September at least. The decision President felt: I am leaving! No, I am just kidding I will be here 12 more weeks. I will be able to be Elder Huallparuca’s last companion and I will have a third companion here in the office. That usually doesn’t happen, but it works out because I have quite some time before I go home (in other words #2018). I am excited for the chance to continue serving in this assignment and definitely see the need to step it up!

We also have a new with baptism date! As soon as we baptize one, the Lord prepares the next one! Ever since I have gotten to this sector that has how it has been. We have limited time in our sector, so we have to focus on 1 or 2 only, but as soon as someone is firm in testimony another chosen person pops out of nowhere. His name is Natalio and he is a reference from a member family. We hadn’t seen him in like a 2 weeks, but he came to church. We taught him last night and he was the one who brought up baptism… He told us that he has lost all his fear and is determined to follow Christ. All we did was put his name as our goal for June in all faith and have been praying for him! God sent His Spirit because Natalio has been reading, praying, and going to church. This month he will be getting baptized. Can I get a WEEHOO? I love the mission.

I love you too! I pray that life is good. I hope that you strive to do good and to become better!

SIgue sonriendo –Elder Daybell

-first 5 pics(plane and jungle and monkey): Trip to Puerto Maldonado!

-Birthday of Elder Huallparuca