Week Sixty-Seven in Cusco

“A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.”

I have to write today because I am not going to have time Monday! Why? Because Elder Juan A. Uceda is coming to the mission tomorrow… and we still haven’t found enough tables that we need. But stop worrying, we just need to remain calm!

This week we said goodbye to 7 powerful missionaries and welcomed 13 more. Elder Valenzuela and I talked a lot about obedience like usual, but always using different examples in the scriptures. This time as I was studying for the training, I found the awesome example of Abraham having to sacrifice Isaac and being obedient. We talked about how coming on the mission, we are expected to make sacrifice. But really being a follower of Christ in His true church requires sacrifice! But I can honestly say “the greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more.” (GC talk by Pres. Monson April 2003). I know He will never forget me for that! I have learned this principle on the mission and will continue to sacrifice the old to be born anew.

This week has been nothing but hectic with the “paros” (strikes) in all of Peru. Like the one that happened in Juliaca, they are closing all the streets to strike and it’s hard to travel, which has made it really hard for transfers. What should be a job of a day or two has turned into a week so far. We have had calls in the middle of the night with some Elder stranded in the terminal or had missionaries sleeping in buses because they get stopped on their way to the new area. There is not really a way around it! Some missionaries have been staying in our house that should be in their sector but cannot travel. We will see how the zones travel for the conference… I have been out of the house past curfew just a few times this week! And the chairs at the terminal are not comfortable for sleep.

I miss you! I am exhausted and stressed while being happy and calm. Does that make sense? I hope that you can find that good balance wherever you are!

Sigue sonriendo –Elder Daybell

p.s. “Shout out to the legends Conner Kirk Holt and Anthony Hiram Lee Gray for keeping the hot tub warm for me!”

This guy (ex-elder Benson) was AP for President Harbertson! 5 Generations back…

E’ Valenzuela is a barber (dont trust him)

Goobye dinner for E´ Huallparuca with our converts Carlos and Juana

Office soccer polo

E’ Ordoñez thinks he is funny and put Gordilocks instead of Goldilocks…

My converts playing Dota instead of being at a lesson we had

Week Sixty-Six in Cusco

Perfect Record

This week was eventful and I have been in a trio all week. We have had a ton of fun in the lessons and training Elder Valenzuela who came already trained somehow. It’s been a Peruvian, a Chilean, and a gringo taking on the world.

My title refers to my perfect record in… the English test! All my companions that I have had passed the English test! This test is based in listening and speaking and if you pass with at least an intermediate-low, you can apply to these schooling called Pathway as soon as you get home. It is hard to get in if you don’t pass this test, but an automatic if you do! Elder Huallparuca took it because he is ending, and got intermediate-medium!! I gave him a blessing in English right before he took it and it was super spiritual. I am happy for my old companion! He has plans to go to BYU-Hawaii and I have plans to help him get there.

Other happy news: Gloria and Veronica have a date!! (mom and sister of Patrick the convert) We taught her last night and she just told us that she knows that this is the true church and that she is reading the BOM every night with her daughters… We had no idea because we haven’t been able to visit her in forever. HAND OF GOD. She told us, “I have been waiting for this feeling to be born in me, and I have felt it. I know that this is what God wants for my family but we need to find a date to be baptized.” Then my old companion offered a prayer to ask which date, and she thought of September 2. We looked to see if it was a Saturday and.. coincidence? I think not. I am so happy and cannot imagine how happy Heavenly Father must be for this family that is little by little accepting the truth.

Well that’s about it. Tomorrow the new missionaries get here and we start over again. But this next transfer a General Authority is coming to the mission! We are in the planning stage right now, but I am sure I will be telling you all about it. I love you and miss you!

Sigue sonriendo! –Elder Daybell

Trip to Salkantay!

Chilis to welcome Elder Valenzuela

Machete used for service in Puerto

Week Sixty-Five in Cusco

Nuevo compañero

Good to speak with you again! Hope all is well with the life and you are remembering to make the important things important! This week was 7 days, just like the last one. We were able to see some progress in inches too!

Karina came to church again! She didn’t have her kids come with her, but she has a true desire. We honestly need more time because when she is not working we are gone it always seems. I know that she is prepared and showing her faith by keeping the commitments. Another family with the last name of Cueva are doing well! It’s the family of my convert Patrick, and his parents (Victor and Gloria) have expressed a want to be baptized! We just need to help them understand that they need to come to church. They travel to Brazil, Panama and all over for work… But they are married, keep the Word of Wisdom even until coffee, and feel like they need to repent before baptism. Can I get a hallelujah? I am excitingly being patient for them.

We did the transfers this week, because we are travelling next week! Another reason is for my next companion, which is travelling right now to Cusco! His training will be a week from Elder Huallparuca and then my current companion is heading home! I have sent home 4 of my companions, and it’s strange. I know he will do awesome things and I am going to miss him a ton. The mission is hello and goodbye!

My next companion is… (drumroll please)… Elder Valenzuela! He has been in many of my pictures because he used to be the zone leader that lived with me for months when I first got to Cusco. Now he is coming back to the area! He is from Chile and already one of my best friends in the mission. I get so blessed with companions! We are going to work hard and play hard.

I miss you!

Sgue sonriendo! –Elder Daybell

Soccer every Monday in Cusco

“Fast Foot” (they meant to say food)

Cool Grafiti I did

Baby Jedi…

GabbiLu and Ariella

Pizza with the pension! Hermano Pedro and Hermana Coqui

Week Sixty-Four in Cusco

Taxi < Bus

I returned to my Holy Land this week down in Puno and Juliaca. Unfortunately, we travelled in taxi in order to save time. I thought that I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my mission, but I recovered. I was able to do splits with a new leader, Elder Cook (UT), who actually started in my zone when I was in Juliaca. He is one of the most humble guys I have met! Only 18 years old but his spiritual maturity is around 38 years. Just by his example I found things that I need to change and how to be better in my views. I also worked with an Elder Melo (Columbia) with whom I have worked with many times and we always have a good time. He is going home soon, so I tried to pick his brain and learn all I could too.

I have had 2 focuses during these splits during the transfer.

1. Learn something from each Elder, write it down, and apply it in my life.  I have easily found many things as I have observed each elder! It is obvious that every person has their strengths and God uses those strengths to fulfill His purposes. I believe it is so important to notice the talents of others! In order to thank them for that and to begin to develop it yourself. It’s important to realize the strengths and talents that you have too! In order to use them in every opportunity to bless others. (study idea… Matthew 25:14-29)
2. Invite each Elder to seek to know Christ better and love Him more. This invitation was one that Presdente gave me in our interview at the start of this change. He told me, “As you work with the missionaries this transfer, you should try to teach them about Christ. Study something of the Savior each day so that you may be ready to share it. Invite the missionaries to seek to know Him and to love Him. Can you do that Elder Daybell?” I took the challenge and it has worked wonders! I have seen the spirit working each time I have invited a zone leader at the end of our splits! One elder even cut me off as I was talking to tell me that this commitment I was extending to him was the answer to what he was wondering lacked in his zone! This unraveling of events that started from a simple invitation, is another evidence that this is God’s work and that He communicates with President what this grand mission needs. God is the author of this story we are writing in Peru! Not any of us, we are simply characters if we choose to be instruments in His hands.

I have seen that if we try to get to know our Savior each day, then we will love Him more. That love for Him brings us blessings! We find it easier to be obedient and keep the commandments. We have motivation to work hard and serve Him with our all. We are happy and don’t feel the need to complain about circumstances. These are only a few blessings that I am beginning to notice in me! I love learning about the life of Jesus Christ! I continue to learn of His message, ministry, and mission and I continue to “stand all amazed.” Even right now, sitting rather than standing, I am amazed. So I guess you could say, I “sit all amazed.” No but in all seriousness, I am happy because I tried to know better my Redeemer today and felt His love. I will be happy tomorrow because I am going to try again! Please if you feel like life isn’t fulfilling, put in practice the same invitation that President Herrera gave me. I promise that through faith and patience, you will reap the same rewards I feel!

I love you regardless if you write me or not. But you should! Keep taking it easy and…

Sigue sonriendo! –Elder Daybell

Selfie with the palm trees of Abancay

Splits with zone leaders of Bellavista (E’ Cook and E’ Valenzuela)

Smallest shower in the room of my first zone leaders in the mish!

Room of Flags in Juliaca (with E’ Melo and E’ Walker)

 Where we always teach Hna. Frida and her kids! “la lavandaria”

Week Sixty-Three in Cusco

Splits

This week was super tranquil. As in we didn’t have to do anything but work! We had 3 investigadores come to church which means they are one step closer to accepting a date!

We are teaching a lady named Karina and she is super catholic. Not super catholic in the sense of she is closed-hearted as she listens, but just has a lot of faith in saints and overall the mother of Jesus, Mary. She is a single mom with 4 kids! Her and her little kid Santiago came this Sunday and we have a lot of hope for this family. We have been focusing so much on Christ and His atonement as we teach and it has been interesting to see the faith of Karina start to turn more towards our Savior. She has changed the way she prays and has had even told us of a spiritual experience with the Book of Mormon! She opened it right to the Topical Guide on the Atonement right after we had taught her about it, and felt the spirit. She has much faith!

We went on splits twice this week. Can somebody tell me why they are called splits? I feel like it is going to be a struggle to talk about the mission or teach the gospel when I am back among my fair skinned people (you) and talking English. Of course I will quickly adjust to my native language, but so much Spanish has crept into my vocabulary as I speak with tourists and they just look at me like I am on crazy pills.

Anyways, splits were super good. I worked with Elder Westbrook (UT) in my sector. Then I worked with Elder Iza (Ecuador) in Abancay Elder Westbrook is a new zone leader that just left the office, so we bonded this short 6 months here.  Abancay with Elder Iza has a perfect climate and I slept with only one blanket! I would like to go there and serve. President invited me to focus on a certain topic during my splits this change, and so far every time has been more spiritual. I think it will be the topic for the conferences as well, so I will wait to tell you about it!

I am sort of thinking as I write this email, so I pray that it has sense. Glad to get the usual wedding announcements and pictures of the summer fun! I am about as anxious as a mere cat for my brothers’ mission call! (super anxious animals if you observe).  I put in my guess as Mexico!! We will see.

I love you and thank you for making it to the end of these emails. Count your blessings because to be grateful is to be happy! “The struggle ends when the gratitude begins!”

Sigue sonriendo- Elder Daybell

Pic with Cusco in Cusco

Are you aMOOsed? This is an UTTERly classic picture. #cowpuns

 

Working on corn mazes in Abancay!

“This tree is almost as trunky as I am”

The birthday party of Ariella!