Laredo, Por Venir

Well, everything is going well here in Laredo. We're already getting used to the  area and the members. They welcomed us in quite nicely. We have a whole lot of hope for finding new investigators. We found a good number, but not many that will progress very rapidly, so we're still looking for someone who's prepared. We know that the Lord has been getting someone here ready to recieve the Gospel.

My new companion is Elder Quispe, El Guapo (The Handsome). He's got a missionwide nickname for how he acts. He's got ridiculously expensive name brand deoderant, cologne, and gel. He puts it on constantly and makes sure his hair is nice and pretty every time he passes a mirror. He's pretty much the biggest pretty boy I've ever seen, but at least he works. As long as he works, I'm not really worried about it. But he really does make me laugh. Should be an interresting month and a half.

I'm not gonna be able to write much more since my keyboard is broken, but I'll do my best.

So my new mission leader's name is Jose. He's quite the character. He's 22 years old and everyone calls him "cid" for Cid the Sloth. He looks and acts just like him, so I thought it was really fitting. He helps us out, but there's just one problem. He hates gringos. He says that all north americans are racist because of what he's seen on the news and because we don't welcome all immigrants into our country. So he's not very fond of me... He calls me and my country racist every day, but I'll just have to grin and bear it. Maybe he'll change his mind when I show him otherwise through my own actions. I really hope so, because I'm stuck with him for a good while.

Well, I'm out of time, but I hope all is well!
Take care everyone!
Elder Seth Prestwich

Off to Trujillo...

Hey Everyone!

 

Well, everything went well this week. Hna. Maricruz was baptized and confirmed and we were able to finish the cambio with a progressing investigator. We're really struggling with refrences from members and our lessons were really low this week, but even then, we saw progress in the most important investigators.

It's always really exciting to see people making covenants with the Lord. Nothing went wrong this time for the baptism, well almost nothing. I guess one of the members decided that the font was full and stopped the water before it finished filling. When I opened up the font to see what was up, I found it really low, but we didn't have enough time to fill it up all the way. It's a good thing I was baptizing someone small or it would have been really difficult. She really had to dubble over to imerse herself all the way.

But other than that, all has been going well. I got the call saying that I'm headed out to Por Venir, Trujillo. I'm really depressed about leaving Ascope, though. When my companion was talking to the district leader and told me that I'd be heading out, it really hit me. I guess I was expecting to stay in the area and keep working and getting to know the people, but I got shortcutted. I guess I couldn't get too comfortable here. So off to Trujillo it is. I'm excited to see my new area a zone and work hard to serve the Lord. It'll be the first time that I'll be  in the city part of Trujillo, so that should be different. Even if it isn't the best area.

 

Hope all is well and that everyone is enjoying vacations!

Elder Seth Prestwich

A Birthday in Perú!

Hello Everyone!

 

Well, the last week went by pretty great. Hna. Korin was confirmed and that same day went out with a sister from the ward to do some visiting teaching. So she's really on the ball and is accepted into the ward. I was really happy to see that she's comfortable in Relief Society and has friends among the members. I have high hopes for her and really feel like she'll be able to endure to the end.

 

Other than that, a few of the members made me things for my birthday. One family treated me to a wonderful Lunch and another made me quite an amazing birthday card. I'll show you the pictures when I can. But the day went by well, we had success in finding new investigators. We had a really good reference from a member as well, so we're hoping he'll be able to progress.

 

I also got a wonderful gift from Hna. Korin. She was in Trujillo, and while she was there, she bought us Maple Syrup (which doesn't really exist down here, only in one store in Trujillo that has North American foods) for pancakes! So we'll be enjoying that sometime this week. I'm pretty excited to taste that again.

 

Elder Castro and I also have activities every Friday night to help with the work. The idea is that the members will bring friends to the activity or that they'll get to know us better and be willing to help us. It works pretty well. We teach something short, then play games or sports, something like that. And it's fun to play some traditional games from the US that the members haven't seen before. For example, the Friday before the last, pretty much all of the Young Single Adults showed up, but only them. We had about 15 people and I wondered what we could do that they'd enjoy. So we played Mafia. It was pretty entertaining, but it worked great with the YSA. The game is a whole lot different than anything they have down here, so it was really funny to see their reactions. But they were laughing and accusing and enjoyed it a lot.

 

By the way, I would love to hear a list of games suggestions and such that I could do for these activites.

I also want to do a Family Feud type game, so little completitions in that sense would be appreciated too.

 

I hope all is going great for everyone! I'm doing quite well and am really happy to be here doing the Lord's work.

Take care!

Elder Seth Prestwich

Careful on Friday the 13th.... Especially you, Dad. =P

We had quite the adventure of a baptism this week. It seemed as if everything we going to go smoothly when we woke up that morning, but life had other plans.

Our baptism was scheduled for Sunday after church on Sunday, so we left in the morning to fill the font, and there wasn't any water. That tends to be a problem when you have to dunk someone completely underwater. So we called the Bishop, the other members, we did everything to get it working, but there wasn't any solution. Members were trying to fix the problem during church even, but in the end, we had to tell Hna. Korin (our investigator) that we weren't going to be able to baptize her here. We suggested Casa Grande (30 minute bus ride) but that was too far and she was pretty sad. But the members came to the rescue and suggested that we go to a nearby river to do it.

 

Baptisms in rivers are adventures, just throwing it out there. We all hopped onto the bus and left to the river. The service was nice, but Elder Castro had lots of trouble making it to a deep part of the river. He was super timid and it turns out, it was the first time he'd ever been in a river before. We could tell... It was super funny seeing him try to get around. But he managed to get out there and baptise Hna. Korin. So all turned out well in the end, despite the havoc (emotionally speaking as well) that happened in the morning. But just as long as the havoc isn't for the investigator, all's well.

 

Well, I'm out of time, but I hope everyone can enjoy this coming week. Thanks for the letters and updates!
Elder Seth Prestwich

Hna. Flor was baptized!

Well, Hna. Flor was baptized! The baptism was super hectic, but it all turned out well in the end. The members really supported her and gave her a great welcome into the ward. I felt a happy security that she'll be able to endure to the end. She'll always want to be a part of the ward and the ward will take care of her as well. It was great to see that.

The only problem is that she wasn't confirmed. We'll get right on that....

Other than that, Hna. Korin is preparing for a baptism this week and she's really excited. She's read a good part of the Book of Mormon and has prayed about it several times. She's told us that she knows it comes from God and feels welcome in the ward as well. I'm super happy with what they're doing to help the new converts and investigators. We really owe a lot to them.

My companion and I are still getting along great and working hard to help people come unto Christ. We're keeping diligent and always becoming better missionaries and people. We're not going to slack off on the Lord's errand. Anything that we're not doing well, we're changing.

And I got some wonderful news! The Elders in Huanchaco (my first area, well, only other area....) were able to baptize another family that I worked really hard with! We spent so much time teaching Paul, Rina and her family. They never quite made it to baptism when I was there, but they finally made it with the support of the ward! So Hna. Blanca, Hna. Judith, and Paul and his family were able to make covenants. It's great to hear that those people that I was teaching continued and made the choice to follow Christ.

Oh, and thanks so much for the package!! I'm SO excited to eat all the candy and I'll wait to open the present on my birthday. But I'm super greatful. I got super excited to see that huge package when they handed it to me.

I hope everyone is doing great! Sorry that nothing too interesting happend this week. More work than anything. We saw some great miracles with the help of the members.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, EVERYONE!!

Elder Seth Prestwich