Hello to all. Ya I wont lie, i teared a bit when I found out Grandma had passed away. I did. But then i felt a chill go through my spine, that made me feel like everything is ok. I am so grateful, and i cant describe it perfectly, but how grateful i am to feel so secure in this Gospel that Heavenly Father so lovingly has given to us. Grandma needed to be with Grandpa, He was waiting for his missionary companion.. Grandpa has just been on a split for a while, but now he has his companion, and I know that they are working hard right now. They arent wasting time. They are getting to work and preaching the Gospel, and that makes me so comforted to know that they are still setting an example for me, which now is a perfect example. I also felt very disturbed on tuesday of this past week. I was feeling weak, we werent having any luck at all on tuesday.. I just felt weak, as if someone was trying to hold me back, and i didnt know why!!!!!! I wasnt sick, nothing was wrong!!! I now know satan was trying hard on me to throw in the towel.. This week me and my companion had 31 lessons! Satipo record!! We found many new people! But tuesday, we only had one lesson... I had to work hard so those feelings would go away.. It wasnt easy, but with the help of my father in heaven i was able to keep on swimming! I want all you to know that I feel God's love for every one of us. I feel it, i know its there, and I cant DENY it, and I know that Heavenly Father knows it!!! I know that he wants the best for us and that he lives, He has a body of flesh and bones.. and he sent his beloved son, so that we.. one day.. as well can live as he lives and be perfect. He gave us our families for a reason, and that is what I want these people in Peru to realize, so that they know that they as well can return to live with him. In my mission I have learned many things, one of the biggest things i am trying to work on is to follow the example of Jesus Christ, the example he set, with his Christ like attributes, I am studying them and trying to live them, especially in this time of season, charity and love. I feel Gods love, so i must light another candle stick with the light that i already have!!
This week will be busy for me, tomorrow i have a district leader conference in huancayo, and then on wednesday and thursday we have our christmas conference in La merced. And then I will be back in my area working on friday... It will be a long week! Let me know about skype for the next week!
I love you all and you are all in my prayers, every one of you, i love you so much and i am grateful for your love as i am here on my mission, I love the kids, let them know that.. I pray for there guidance each day, and i again am so grateful to be able to know that i know grandpa and grandma are in a much better place, preaching the gospel, just like there grandkids!!! Its time to work hard these last months, and that is exactly what i have planned to do now.
Elder Thatcher
Hey everyone, so this week has been ok. Getting lots of new investigators! We might have a baptism on the 26th for a 13 year old named Jhenner, and for this lady named Mirian, we are still not sure when she will get baptized, but we are planning for this month, we have a visit with her tonight to decide.
So this week I have been getting really tired. I dont know why... But I just am, I hit 18 months which is really crazy!!! But this week I just got tired more than usual. I have been doing Everything I should be doing! And sometimes I feel like I deserve more out of what I put in. So I was thinking of something that would help me out. And then I read this liahona magazine that had this poem. It is called "The job for me!" And I think all of us can apply this!
"The Lord one day had a job for me, butI had so much to do, so, I said ,"Please Lord, get somebody else, or, wait till I get through." I dont know how the Lord came out, but he seemed to get along, But I felt kind of sneaking like, and knowed I'd done him wrong. One day I needed the Lord myself, needed him right away. But he never answered me at all, But yet I could hear him say, Away down in my accusing heart,"I've got so much to do, You get somebody else this time, or wait till I get through." Now when the Lord has a job for me, I never try to shirk, I drop whatever i have on hand and do the good Lord's work. And my affairs can run along, or wait till I get through, For nobody else can do the job that the Lord marked out for you" -Paul L. Dunbar
When I was done reading that, I felt the spirit so strong, telling me, this is my job, this is my duty to my God, right now! I can be tired all I want, but it doesnt mean I am done here. The Lord will help me and guide me because this is my job. It is my responsibility and my duty. Like it says in D and C 107:99-100 "Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence. He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen." This scripture helped me a lot recently. Im finishing these last 6 months with all diligence because i know this is my duty, and I know this is the Job the Lord has for me!!! Like the old saying is, Yesterdays hits wont win todays games.
I am doing great, I am so Happy!!! And I see the touch of the masters hand, bless this people here in Satipo! I love this Gospel and I love yall!!
Elder Thatcher
Photos
1-Me and my district!!
2-I burned these pants i found (no they werent mine mom, they were gross) for 18 months!!
Hey guys!! This week has been a hard one.. I will just tell ya what happened. Hermana Karina is leaving Satipo! Her Ex husband came and found her room and where she works and was stalking her. She doesnt know what to do, so she is leaving for Lima this week or the next. It was really, really hard for me to accept the fact that she is leaving. I want the best for her... I know she will get baptized one day. I know she will live the gospel, I have never had confidence in any investigator like her. She is a great person, and even though I wont get to see her baptism, I know this is what is best for her, to get away from all her problems. It is sad but it is ok! So yesterday was hard as, I have a little cold right now. But dont worry I will get better. It rained all night last night! And hard! Its like a huge storm everytime it rains in the jungle! It made me remember Moms rain stick!!! It really does sound like it when it rains in the jungle mom!!!! How cool is that!!!! So ya, lots of rain, but it is still hot, it doesnt really cool down. It has been scorching hot recently. At the end of a day, im just drenched in nasty sweat... But I love it here, Satan tries to get me down, but I always am comforted to do what i know is right. I have been beyond obedient, yet there is always room for more... When I get a trial, I sometimes dont, know what to do.. What is the next step? Why is this happening to me? Last night I remember a quote by Elder Waddell, "The Lord doesn't burden us with trials, he blesses us with them". That quote made me realize sometimes the hardships I have as a missionary is because I need them. To be better. I truly know that that quote is true now, that i have seen it happen time and time again. Sometimes a good trial helps us gain our own crowns, "He who has no cross will have no crown". I know that to be true as a growing disciple of Christ. We need to humble ourselves to accept Heavenly fathers will, and not try to do it the way we think we can.
So after all that pondering about what happened with us and Karina, we had to stay strong.. and last night a crazy miracle happened!!!! We were going home to go eat dinner... kinda bummed out about the week, and this 35 year old lady stopped us in the street... She told us that she was waiting for us... (It kinda creeped me out) But apparently she had listened to the missionaries in Lima, and she moved a while ago, and said she has been waiting for us to find her.. Kinda weird. But she said she wants to get baptized and how "Jesus" keeps telling her in her heart she needs to follow his teachings. So we pulled out an appointment for tonight, and we will see how that goes!!!
Love you all and hope you had a good thanksgiving!!!
P.S. We had a water balloon fight, just the three of us! Pretty fun!!!
hey!! So everything good here in Satipo!! This was one of the hardest weeks ever, as my companion had to go to lima, to go get his visa, so i was alone without a companion! Also Elder Bartschi, one of the other elders here went back home to montana because he was having some head pains that were very serious. So his companion is also alone for one more week until transfers. Elder Peterson came back yesterday so im good now. It is just hard finding members to go with me all the time, so that way im not alone!!
I am just super tired, i work so hard, and sometimes i fell so upset, because i work so hard, and feel im doing everything right, and then by time sunday.... no one shows up to church... Karina needs to get baptized but now she is a little scared because her daughter is scared for it. She is afraid she will be a bad member. She got her new room alone with her two kids, and she got a job.. but its sunday through friday from 8 in the morning til 8 at night.... it was the only job she could find.. We talked on saturday about the sabath day... hopefully she talks to her boss, she said she would... hope it will be ok... i challenged her for the 20th of december... she said she would pray about that day.... pleasee!!!!!! She is soooooo ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyways for this week i read this quote that i really liked, "Mary had a little lamb, it grew to be a sheep, it joined the mormon church, then died for lack of sleep" hahaha i think its funny, but its so true! we get tired all the time for working in this church, but its all worth it!!!
Well i love you all!!! Have a good Thanksgiving!!!!
Elder Thatcher
Buenas me llamo Elder Thatcher y el es Elder Peterson... (Slams door in face) Hahaha , the usual, naaa its all good up here in Satipo!!! Los cielos!!! We are enjoying it here. So let me think yall, past monday my boy and I went to a waterfall called siete caidas, which is 7 falls, there were 7 waterdalls! It was pretty cool!! Afterwards, we went and got some yummy ice cream! I hit 17 months on my mission, so that was pretty crazy! And actually very scary.. We taught Karina and her kids again, She told me to bring photos of my family, i told her i have a lot, so I brought them all, and she said that we all look like movie actors, hahaha. Everything is going ok with the ward, except the bishops wife will be giving birth this week, so Bishop wont be helping out the ward to much, which means nothing will get done, thats just how it is here in Peru. My companion, and I have been studying a lot and he is improving in his teaching which is a great sign. On sunday, i thaught a class that I really liked, it was about the existence of God or not. And it amazed me after I taught that class, the true testimony that i didnt even know i had that God really does exist. I never really doubted the existence of God my whole life, I guess I took it for gramted a lot, but teaching that class made me realize that it means a lot more than to just say God exists?! I hope yall can understand me, no es locura de mi parte ok! Hhaha But I truly believe there is an almighty God looking over us on this world, that there are so many people that go about living that there isnt a God. Most people I have found believe in God, but because of things that happen, forget willingly of his existence and say that there isnt a God. Which is contrary to there original thoughts and beliefs. So they did at one point believe. Its interesting to think about, but I am here to say that God loves each and every one of us!!
There is a poem I would like to share with yall, called Seek ye first the Kingdom of God.
Life is a mixture of sunshine and rain, good things and bad things, pleasure and pain. We cant have all sunshine but its certainly true, there is never a cloud that the sun doesnt shine through. So always remember whatever betide you, the power of God is always beside you, and if friends disappoint you and plans go astray and nothing works out in just the right way. And you feel you have failed in achieving your goal and that life wrongly placed you in an unfiling role, Take heart and stand tall and think who you are, For God is your father and no one can bar. Or keep you from reaching your desired success Or with hold the joy that is yours to psssess. For with God on your side it matters not who os working to keep lifes good things from you, For you need nothing more than Gods guidance and love to insure you the things that you are most worthy of. So trust in his wisdom and follow his ways and be not concerned with the worlds empty praise. But seek first his kingdom, and you will possess The worlds greatest riches which is true happiness.
I truly believe if we put God first and we work and strive to become his children we can overcome great and hard things. That doesnt make it easy, and it sure doesnt mean we wont have trials. "If we are intended for great purposes, we are expected to overcome great trials." -Alfred A. Montapert
I love you all!!!!! Til next week! Hope you enjoy the photos!!
With many creepy bugs and many exotic fruits,
Elder Thatcher
P.S. We have to work today! No p day!! But its ok because tomorrow we are traveling to La Merced for a multi zone P day in a place called pompamichi!!! I get to hold a big Boa!!!!!!!!!!!!! Scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me and my son are doing good haha! My companion calls me dad, its quite funny. We are doing good! More than anything im just trying to help him get spanish going for him, so he can share more of the lessons!
So last monday we went to that zoo called ven y veras, so my companion could go see the animals!! It was super coll this time because i got to hold a wakamayo parrot! They are huge!!!! And very loud!!! And he keeps saying, "love is all you need" in a parrot voice, (my guess he says that is because the workers at the place, really like that song by the beatles, haha). Then we had some visits throughout the week. But our pension went to lima for the whole month because she needs several operations on her arm. which means chef thatcher is back in business, but only for breakfasts and dinners, for lunch we will go eat with the other elders. Which is fine! no more raw potatoes!!! YAY!!! Then on thursday i taught english class which was fun. it was hard but i liked it. On saturday we had ward mission night! It was super fun! We played musical chairs! Bobbing for apples, and an egg toss! It was fun to show everyone how to play fun yet so simple games that they have never even heard of!! So when we were doing bobbing for apples, i went against my companion, and when we started, elder roberts (my zone leader) came up from behind and pushed me in the water.... it was pretty clever, and i knew something like that was gonna happen!! haha, dont worry, i got him back when it was his turn!! haha
So karina our investigator is set and at the end of november is out of her house, and the weekend before christmas, her and her daughter are getting baptized!! YES!!! I remeber the first day we contacted her in the street, and just all the problems in the world, but she has truly shown her faith as a single mom, i say single mom because the person she lived with wasnt doing anything but cheating on her, and he was the one that was member of the church!!!
So on the 11th we have a multizone meeting with the zones of satipo, la merced, and tarma. It should be good! Im excited to see some friends from other zones. We have to memorize 1 nephi 15:13 and 14, i already almost got it down, but in spanish of course!
So i enjoyed looking at all the costumes!!! And i must agree with caden, that is the best way to wash the dishes haha. Here in peru they think halloween is of the devil... so everyone goes to the cementaries and pray to the dead, its quite weird. but its what they do here....
Anyways i love you all! Til next week!!
Elder Thatcher
Gallito de las rocas! Pretty bird, (I see you) National bird of peru!!!
A monkey pullin on my ear! hahaha!!!
me holding a wakamayo (all you need is love) haha
Elder Peterson, me, Elder Bartschi, and Elder Roberts (true love)
