Hello all!

We finally had investigators in the chapel! Our prayers and work have
finally brought in two progressing investigators. It definitely felt
great to see five people in Sacrament meeting when we've had so much
trouble just bringing in one for the past several weeks. But new
we're hoping to see the work move forward. I'm sure we'll be working
very hard to keep the progressing investigators that we have and to
find more.

I honestly had a humbling moment with the past few weeks, though. I
was so focused on getting numbers before. I wanted to get a baptism
every month, I wanted to see that "one" in my planner. But obviously,
that's not what missionary work is about. We ran into so many problems
with every investigator that I just forgot the numbers and struggled
to help them specifically. I mean, I always worried about them and
thought about their specific needs, but it got me to forget everything
else. I spent my time thinking in their needs when normally my mind
would just be wandering. I found that when I spent my time thinking in
them, I received revelation. It just shows that revelation is built on
our desires and that meditation in a big part of receiving divine
direction.

Elder Seth

Once Again, Hello

Well, Huanchaco is still running a bit slow, but we have high hopes
for this next week. We have a lot of potential progressing
investigators. So we're going to work hard with them and help them
keep their commitments and come to Christ.

As for me, the week was a bit difficult, but I still have high hopes
for the area and I still have hope that things will pick up this next
week. I'm not gonna get down that easily. I still see the blessings of
 the Lord each day and that keeps me going.

As for Spanish, I'm working hard to keep from going into a plateau. I
feel like Spanish is pretty comfortable to speak and I can understand
even more. So I'm excited to keep up with that and learn how to better
teach and help my investigators.

Funny experience: Tomatoe Jelly. As in Apple Jelly, but out of
tomatoe. Yeah. I don't always understand peruvinas.

Hope all is well!
Elder Seth

The Surfers Never Rest...

Well, the work is still going a bit slow here in Huanchaco, but it'll start picking up any day now. We'll find someone who's willing to come to Christ. Someone who can make it to church, at least. But we've been praying that our investigators will find some way or desire to make it to church so they can honar the sabbath day and grow a desire to be baptized. Last week two investigators dropped their jobs and started looking for new ones! We invited them to church and made sure they understood the importance of the Sabbath day. And it looks like they may be the investigators we're looking for. They've had most of the lessons, they just need to make it to church is all. And now they have the chance. So we're going to be sure to work hard and carefully with them.

Elder Seth

Another Day, Another Nickel.

Well, the baptism went very well. Liz was very excited and a little nervous, but she was sure that it was the right descision. It was wonderful to see her smile so much. When we first met her, smiles were few and she didn't really have much of a purpose in life. But as she bore her testimony, she talked about the happiness that she has found through the Gospel and how she now has a purpose. She invited her family to come back to church and to find those blessings again as well. The changes that can happen in people when they accept the Gospel really testify to the truth of it and of the healing power of Christ.

In other news, Daniel and David (two other recent converts of Huanchaco) have recieved the priesthood and are now helping with the sacrament! They both attended General Conference and told me that it was a very "strange experince" because they were sure one or two of the messages were specifically for them. They said that they just knew that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God. Awesome.

As for me, all is going well. The past few weeks have been filled with some sickness and a few mishaps, but the work is still moving forward (and that's what counts).

As for an interesting experience:
I call my companion Elder Vilchez of the Eternal Sniffels due to the fact that he's had a runny nose since the day he came. He says it's because of the dust or something. Anyway, my pensionista has gotten really tired of hearing his nose (which is really funny to me because I have to be next to him every day all day and she doesn't), and she told him that she was gonna give him the cure to the sniffels. She told him to lean his head back, so he did, and then she squeezed lemon into his nose. So that ran up through his nose, and he ran to the bathroom coughing with watery eyes. I couldn't help but laugh through it all. After he tried to clear out his nose, he came back, still sniffeling. Guess not every old-fassioned cure works...

Anyway, everything is going well here in Huanchaco. We're in a more cloudy season, so it feels a lot cooler, which is really nice. And conference was really great, I felt the Spirit a lot and got answers to my questions. Hope it was the same for all of you.

Elder Seth