March is Just Around the Corner!

Hey Everyone!

Well, March is comming up. It's the rainiest month, so that should be fun. We'll see how that goes, but it definitely beats the summer heat of Trujillo any day. So I definitely can't complain. I'll be happy to be here for another exchange.

Though a lot of interresting things have happened to me as of late. Missionary wise, the district is gonna grow a ton. The new missionary wave is comming in. We're gonna go from a district of 6 to 10. All of the missionaries in the district are gonna be training new missionaries except for my companion and I. So that'll be quite the trip.

Other than that, we went on a great hike today. Instead of playing soccer every single P-Day, we got to do something new. It was actually really cool. I love being here in Huaraz where everything is green and we're surrounded by mountains. It's awsome to see everything. It relaxes me a TON to be in the mountains hiking, that's something that I've missed dreadfully. So it was way satisfying. Though my companion was dying on the hike and really didn't enjoy it, I felt great after we got back.

We also were served Guinea Pig by one of the members we visited. I can't reject it, of course, that'd be horrible. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that it tasted pretty good... Anyway, my companion, being Peruvian, refused to eat it. In front of the entire family. He's a bit picky, so he tends to do that. But it's a lot worse of an insult here than in the states. So it really worries me when he does that, so I just smile and eat it for him. Funny how it's usually the other way around. The US missionary won't touch it and the Peruvian is glad to eat it. Everyone says that my companion eats like a Gringo, which is funny every time someone says it. He doesn't take the comment very well, though.

As for the Work, I feel like this week we had more success. We're working hard with the new investigators that we find, and working to teach for commitment. As we've done that, we've seen a change in how we do missionary work and success has come from it. I've really learned a lot this exchange and really hope that I can keep myself working hard and bettering myself each day. But I can difinitely say that I'm thankful for this expirience I've had a missionary and I'm glad to be here each day. I've learned a ton and really find that I keep learning every day. But it's always great to find new investigators that are excited about us comming and show a lot of potential.

Hope all is well and that people are enjoying their lives back at home! Even if it's just another normal day, it's something to be enjoyed.

I love you all and hope to hear from you soon!

Take care!

Elder Seth Prestwich

Carnevales!!

Well, we passed Tuesday War. It's a Carnevales tradition where they soak everything and everyone. Without mercy. And they don't just use water, but paint, and sewage, and shoe polish, etc. It was crazy. We only left that day to go to a reunion, but we had to go from our room straight to the church in a taxi. We couldn't walk. There were hundreds and hundreds of people in the streets with buckets. It was insane. Teenagers walked around in groups of 10 to 30 looking for other groups or even individual people. Phew. It was something else.

Other than that, we're working hard to help people to come unto Christ. It's been a bit slow, but it'll pick up. Unfortunately, our progressing investigators (Ximena and Andre) just decided this week that they didn't want to get baptised... It hurt. Now we're really worried about them and have hit a bit of a wall. But we were blessed with some great new investigators this week. So we'll work hard with them and do our best to find those who are ready and prepared. And work really hard with the other two. We know that God can work a miracle in their lives and help them make it there.

But I've been doing great, despite the difficulties. We're not gonna let anything get us down, that's a huge key to success here. If life's hard, work harder. And by doing that, everything seems to turn out alright. If we choose to follow God today, tomorrow will be just a little brighter.

I love you all and hope that you're doing well! Keep looking forward with faith in Christ so that you can see the brighter future!
Take care!
Elder Seth Prestwich

Another Week Come and Gone

Hey Everyone!

This week turned out alright for us. We're working hard with being able to teach more lessons. I feel like we're losing all of our investigators and that's really worrying me. We're teaching one or two lessons, but they lose interest. So I've been really trying hard to understand how to invite the Spirit more into the lessons and how to apply the doctrine better the those we teach, starting from the very first lesson. But I really hope things get better and we can find the people who are ready. I know God is preparing those people and families. I'll never stop working every day to find those people.

But we were able to help little Paola make it to baptimal waters. So we're super excited about that. Now their whole family has been baptised (well, all that are 8 and up) and woking hard to endure to the end! We'll be there helping a lot, because I've really come to love that family. Without a doubt, the Lord sent me here to find them.

As for interresting things going on, well, tomorrow we won't be leaving the room. The mission president is making us all stay in our rooms for Tuesday War. It's the best part about Carnevales here. It's a day when no one is safe from the water... and paint... and, well, just about everything. It gets bad, but there's no public transportation that day. And they say that the only people on the streets are the police trying to regulate everything. Sounds like it's gonna be insane. I'll let you know how it goes.

And my companion also had two toenails taken out. He's been out a few days, but thankfully there was a RM who went out with me those days and helped the work to keep going. Though I can't help but cringe when I look at my companion's feet. It looks funny without a toenail. At least he's walking normally now (and playing football, just 6 days later).

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

Carnavales...

Well, this week went by pretty well for us. Our fecha fell through, though. We put it back up for the next week. We're just waiting for the girl's father to get back from a vacation in Arequipa. But he'll be getting back this week for sure. So we're not too worried. Other than that, we've recieved a lot of referals and we managed to find a lot of new investigators through the memebers. They really helped us out this week and we're sure that one of these refrences will be able to make it to the waters of baptism.

But we really saw a great miracle through the power of fasting this week. As we fasted, we did it for each of our investigators, but especially to find new families. We were continually praying that day hoping to find someone. But just as one of our appointments fell through, we got a call from a young man. He got baptised about a year ago and was ready to leave for the mission. He lives in another part, but his family lives here in Huaraz, in our area. And he wanted to present his whole family to us. We entered and were warmly welcomed. They saw what their son was about to do through us. And we're pumpped to go back and help that family come to Christ.

Then, that Sunday after church, we recieved refrences for two more familes! We still need to contact them, but it was amazing to see the Lord answer our prayers right away. It's really something special to see Him work directly in my life and in His work.

On other terms, Carnavales have made it to Huaraz. It's quite the interresting holliday. It's one where everyone can just dump water (sometimes paint) on whoever they want. Now that we've hit Febuary, we find ourselves watching the roof tops every single day. We've gotta watch out for the water balloons, because they're becoming more and more frequent. But it's kinda fun, not gonna lie. Makes the day interesting. Though my companion hates getting wet, so it's not quite the same for him. 

I'm also seeing a huge difference in who I am here in the mission. I had an interresting encounter with a North American in the street the other day. He wasn't too fond or my ideas, I guess. But he called me over from the other side of the street, but when I started talking to him, he began attacking me for being Mormon. He had quite different moral beliefs, so I guess he wasn't gonna let my pass by peacably. Anyway, he started insults, but it was interresting to, well, not feel anything. I didn't fell sad, nor angry. I just smiled and said that everyone has freedom of releigon and speech. But without saying anything negative, I smiled and walked away, after calming the conversation by the end. Before, I would have jumped right back at him. I would've been angry for hours after, but it was nice to see that change in me and just let it go. That calmness will probably serve me well in life. I'm always happy to see the way the Lord teaches me and helps me grow.

Hope everyone is well and that the snow comes for you guys!

Elder Seth Prestwich