BAPTISMS IN OTUZCO

MIRACLES HAPPEN

So my week was the best ever and also the worst... haha



Luis and Maria's Baptism Day

So we start with good news.  I actually was able to help Luis and Maria get married this week and also the two of them got baptized on Saturday.  

Yanela's  Baptism Day

 The other good news:  Yanela, another investigator of ours got baptized on Thursday!  Yes!  After 18 weeks we had 3 baptisms.  It was by far one of the craziest weeks ever!!!  


Dr. Pepper for Thanksgiving!



We had one of the greatest Thanksgivings ever haha.  So we started out with of course the Baptism in the morning and then we continued with lunch.  My pensionista wont buy Turkey for anything...  which is ridiculous... but then again it is also kinda expensive.  So we had just like meat with mashed potatoes and rice.  But Elder May and I a couple of weeks ago we bought barbeque sauce.  So that really helped out.  Then at night with all the Elders we had a fire and we ate chicken and fries that we bought which was freaking delicious haha.  And best of all I had boughten Dr. Pepper for special occasions and well ya it was Thanksgiving so it was special haha.





So after all of this week we also had changes.. Well this is were it came to be the worst... I am still here in Otuzco.  Elder Mano is leaving for Trujillo.  So im going to be here in Otuzco for Christmas...

So like the subject says, its been interesting...

I love you guys and hope everything is going good back home.

Sam

 

Pray for Sam and the people of Otuzco.  He needs your prayers more than ever through this next few weeks!!!!

AUGUST MULTI ZONE TRAINIG (OOOPS PUBLISHED THIS ONE LATE)

Otuzco and Huamachuco

After the big multi zone conference our work was not finished.

We went back to the offices 

and had interviews and training with Otuzco and Huamachuco

Elder Salazar, Elder Spencer, Elder Nystrom and Elder May

sang "Come, Come Ye Saints

"Oh Está Todo Bien"

I said...

"Let's take your group photo..."

This is the pose that I got

(((PURE LOVE)))

Hugs - Squeeze - Joy

But of course the mean mom says...

"Okay drop your arms so that we can see everyone"

Elders in Otuzco are 

Elders Salazar, May, Nystrom and Spencer

Elders in Huamachuco are

Elders Astill, Merkley, Ordoñez, and Lorenzo

Zone Leaders are

Elder Márquez and Elder Castillo

We Love You!

Keep up the great work!

NO MORE TWINKIES???? WHAT???

One of two things is happening... Either A) The Second Coming or B) The Zombie Apocalypse...

Ok in all seriousness we have got quite the week coming this week.  So last Tuesday, we went to Trujillo for interviews with President Turk.  While there, mom I got my pouch you sent and can I just say I am loving the drink mixes!!!  I have a request for the Christmas package:  more of those drink mixes and also like 5 pairs of missionary mall socks... some how a bunch have become ''lost'' ...

So anyway continuing on, we had a zone training as well.  One of the elders from our zone that is in Trujillo gave us the suggestion about teaching about how the family is meant to be together forever.  They realized that they could not live together forever.  So they have seperated themselves.  Luis leaves tomorrow for Chiclayo and Maria is going to get baptized the 1st of december. 

But dont be sad...  Luis has told us he is going to join the church there.  It all still is working out great.  The better news is for this week.  We have an investigator that took the stand of the... black horse i think is the expression...  came up from behind.  We have an investigator that is getting baptized this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Her name is Yanela.  She works for our Pensionista (The lady that cooks for us).  It has definitely been crazy.  I am so happy for the gospel and the blessings it gives us.  I was reading today actually in 3 Nephi 11 when God announces Jesus Christ.  I really love this chapter and would definitely say you all should read it and think about the holy ghost in our lives.  

Well Im out of time.  I love you all soo much

Oh and Grandpa, thank you for sending me the letter.  Im going to go print it off and read it today.

I love you guys.

Elder Sam Spencer

Lessons learned with our traveling assistants

So this was definitely one of the best weeks here in Otuzco!  We had the traveling assistants come to Otuzco from Wednesday night till yesterday at 5.  

I have definitely learned a ton from my first comp in the mission.  I was out prosyliting with Elder Pillajo.  there is a foto of that.  He helped me realize that I was missing that extra love and patience that I should have with everyone.  I also learned to be even more persistent than before.  Wow.. the list is extremely long.  So Im gonna stop for now.  

As you can see in the pictures, we had a fire.  well actually 2.  one thursday night and another saturday.  but a bit of a difference.  the first one was a fire to make smores and hang out together.  the one on saturday we made a doll for Elder Frietz and we burnt it.  there is a picture of a before and after with that one haha.

  

We really learned a lot together as a district and personally this week.  WE have definitely seen some crazy awesome miracles.  and some other things a little on the bad side...

Luis wants to leave and there isnt a lot of love between the two of them.  Its sad but we are going today at 7 to help them out some more...

This week was crazy and I just cant say everything here.  Oh grandma, I dont know if I will be in Otuzco or in another place but Im positive that im going to skype.  I will know where I will be for Christmas the last monday of this month when we have changes.  

Well Im out of time this week.  Love you guys a ton

INTERVIEWS AND MEETINGS WITH PRESIDENT TURK

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Mountain Men

Interview time for Huamachuco and Otuzco...

These are my fine Mountain Men.

If you are in the mountains you have to be obedient,

hard working, diligent and a Rock Star.

(don't ask... I don't know)

Here are a few of the one liners we have heard from our missionaries

as we talk about their love for the Book of Mormon and

the impact it has had on them...

"The Book of Mormon Corrects me when I read it."

"I trust my feelings as they come to me when I am reading the 

Book of Mormon"

"The Book of Mormon is the reason I am here"

"I love to Search, Ponder and Pray... and I find true answers in this Book"

One of our Elders was only twelve when he started to believe and learn

 about the Gospel and the Book of Mormon.

The Missionaries wanted to teach his whole family

but they were not ready to receive it.

So his parents told our Elder that he was too young and

couldn't be baptized at that time.

Three years later, some new Elders were searching their area books

and came back to his family.

He begged his parents at this time to please

let him go back to church.

They said he could only go if they went with him.

They started to attend church all together.

At this time his parents had investigated 6 or 7 religions.

With each church, they would leave the meeting bored and never return.  

But after attending the LDS church, 

they felt something different.  

They started to take the lessons with the missionaries.

They kept attending church and in 3 weeks

the whole family was baptized.

A few years later, his parents started to drift apart.

There was financial stress and they were about to separate.

They started to read the Book of Mormon as a family.  

Love came back into the marriage.

Stress left the home.  They were willing to square up their shoulders

and deal with obligations.  There was forgiveness and charity

in the home.  Life was meaningful and hearts were happy again.

There is Power and Love in the Book of Mormon.

Story after story reveals miracles that come from reading

and following the principles in the Book of Mormon.

WE LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!

PS>  Elder May says hello to his Mother!

New Apartment, City Party, and yes, I hitch hiked in Peru!

alright so first off, these pictures are from the new room. We are moving in on Halloween so we are taking the morning to move everything and then its right back to work haha.

So This week was ridiculous. I hate city parties here in Peru... Unlike in the states, there arent laws against drunks in the streets, or if there are they dont enforce anything... So this weekend was a big stupid party for the doll in the Plaza haha. Ok that may be kinda bad to say but its our nickname for the catholic church here. They were doing some like march for the virgen mary. I took a 20 minute video of it but I cant really send it haha. So Im kinda short on time because I was focused on reading everything.

 

Oh I really love Otuzco now haha. Its so much fun with the people here. Oh I have a question and request. mom or grandma, can you send me Monopoly Deal Millionare edition. It is so cool haha. Elder May received that the past week and its a lot of fun haha. Oh ya that reminds me, I didnt get the package yet but probably this friday or saturday. Its a couple days late but hey its all good. Ive been learning the atribute of Patience here in the mission haha. so Im sorry this one is kinda short but Im kinda short on time. I will definitely take less time to read this next week haha.

Oh ya i do need to say. we go every friday and sunday to Millachaqui to prosylite and have church. On Sunday Elder Cortez and I went there but we missed the bus. Its about a 40 minute bus ride there. We got on a bus that took us 30 minutes there. then we started walking. I just wanted to let you guys know that I can say I have hitchhiked in Peru legitamently. haha

Cow's in Salpo

Ok so there is some really awesome stuff going on here in Otuzco and also back in Chimbote!!!!!

So first off, here in Otuzco, I and Elder Mano are working extremely hard and seeing our labor pay off!!! We have a couple that are planning on getting baptized probably this 13th of this month if they get married before then!!! Its awesome to watch in my life Alma 32:42 come to pass. haha its so awesome to watch each of the scriptures come to life in my life and each day. The scriptures are becoming more and more part of my life. Its funny when I contact persons, I actually use parts of scriptures to talk with them its so funny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So in Chimbote, I got a letter from my old comp, Elder Perez. He told me that the parents of the family Romero Malarin (4 of the baptisms in Chimbote) are getting married and baptized the 13th of October. Its crazy to think about that!!!! I really have watched God enter into their lives and I was part of it!!!

So to know whats up with the pictures, One is from last monday at the beach haha and the other one is funny. Its a welcome to the City of Salpo, where we kill cows in the middle of the street and let the guts be out in the open for everyone. Enjoy hahahaha. Dont throw up haha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So this week, we have really elevated ourselves a ton... We decided that we better start trying to get the normas de excelencia which is the goals that President set for us to get. Its to have 5 people at church with 5 people with a baptismal date. Its gonna be hard but were looking for miracles everyday this week. We are going to see it. I know haha.