It was great to be able to see you guys!!! I am sorry there was some internet problems! Thats how it is here in satipo!! It can be slow! And right now it doesnt want to let me send photos. The struggle is real here in satipo sometimes. Sorry.. we missionaries in the Peru Huancayo Mission, havent upgraded to ipads and iphones yet.... Haha. Wow!!! That is so scary that a tornado hit!!! I cant believe that!!! I hope everything is ok!
Soooo. The question is what did everybody do for christmas for some one else??? No one said much.. This whole week has been crazy with me and my companion!! We bought 5 boxes!!! of panetones!!! And this whole week we have been handing them out to people! It has been a great week!!! We handed some out to the homeless, to the members, to investigators! To everybody!!! One of the best experiences we had was we went to give one to a member, and right after a homeless guy on the ground asked for food. And well, we had a whole paneton, so we gave it to him, and he started crying afterwards saying he had forgotten the last time he had eaten paneton. He said he wanted just a little bit, but we gave him all of it, and he was very grateful. He wanted to give us something in return. But he felt bad because he didnt have anything! He offered us one of his socks... we told him it was ok and that he could keep his socks.. hahah. It was a great experience for me to of witness. All the people outside on the street were watching us as two gringo missionaries were offering paneton to a homeless peruvian. It was quite humbling. Then on christmas morning the other two elders came to our room and we did a gift exchange. I bought the elders some nice ties and in return i recieved a poem book (which i really like), a snickers candy bar, and my favorite.... A lifesize photo of me holding that big boa snake!!!! Its hilarious!!!! They found a place that makes lifesize photos!!!! Its so funny!!!! It was truly a great christmas. And what beat it all was that i got to talk to my family!!! So all in all, great peruvian christmas!! Ya the food wasnt that great, and nothing im used to back home, but it certainly was enough for me. My pensionista is a great woman, who serves us evry day, i felt bad for her, as she was talking about how she wanted a nativity scene, but they cost too much to afford. I felt bad, a nativity scene isnt much. So i went and bought her one, as a thanks of her service! She was grateful, and she as well wanted to give me something in return but she couldnt. I told her that her food was enough. She is a sweet lady.
So we have 4 people with baptism dates. But it doesnt look like any of them will get baptized any time soon, they still need time to progress. I hope they do progress though. I worry about them so much! It is weird, i worry about them more than i worry about my self. Which is a good thing i guess!!
Ok new years is coming... which means.... NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS!!!! My new years resolution is to do exercise everyday!! For at least 30 min or more, not including sundays! And then my other one, is to share my testimony every week with someone. And yes these goals are the same for when i go home!!! I think they are very manageable goal for me!! Think of your goals! And put them in a spot where you can see them every day!!!
Eight P's of accomplishment: Plan Purposefully, Prepare Prayerfully, Proceed Positively, Pursue Persistently.
There is a quote i like that says, "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there." So with that in mind make appropiate goals that will help yall progress as children of God!!!
Pictures from our Christmas Skype session.
Wow!!!!! What a week!!!
So I started the week , going to huancayo for a district leader conference, I was one of the oldest District leaders there. And one of the most experienced. There were so many elders there that i have never met, just goes to show you how big our mission really is!!! So that was good! We got to eat Pizza Hut!!!! YUMMM!!! Unfortunetly my stomach is not used to that food anymore, so i payed the price latter in the bathroom.... Hahaha. Then On Wednesday morning instead of packing my bags and headin back to Satipo I ended up going to La merced, for our Multi Zone christmas Conference! That was a blast! We had to play a skit for our zone for the others. It was called if Sister Missionaries ran the mission. I played as a sister missionary. I wore a skirt and had makeup put on me, and talked like a little girl! It was quite hilarious. And the good news is i got videos, but i dont know how to send them so i will show yall after!!! President talked to us about several things. And one of the things that i would like to share with yall about this christmas that is about to take past! It is a video called The First Gift, It has a message that is super powerful. "The First Gift, was not wrapped, had no bow, wasnt purchased online, or in a store. The First Gift of Christmas, was a simple gift, a sacred gift. It wasnt gold, or frankincense, or myrrh. It was a gift of love, and life, and peace, and hope. That was given to us by a father. To all his children. For God so loved the world, and so loved you, and you, and you, and every one of us. He gave his son. He is the Christ. He is Christmas. He is the Gift. This Christmas season, Discover the Gift, embrace the Gift, share the Gift. John 3:16" That message really helped me understand that the real gift of christmas was given to all.
One of the things i love most about christmas, looking back at it, is being with the family, chowing down on peanut m and m's, and watching the kids open and scream about there presents. Being with the family. Now there is another thing I would like to talk about and that is the charity we can give. Dad has been a great example to me in this part, I remember going with dad on christmas eve handing out chocolates to people, that dad would always be thinking about! "The world today speaks a great deal about love, and it is sought for by many. But the pure love of Christ differs greatly from what the world thinks of love. Charity never seeks selfish gratification. The pure love of Christ seeks only the eternal growth and joy of others" -Ezra Taft Benson
There is a video here.
http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/videos/what-shall-we-give-christmas-music-video.html It is called What shall we give. It is also powerful. As it shows people forgetting them selves. I remember one cold night i was with cameron. I dont remember where we were going, all i remember is we were busy and low on time. We were in the car driving one cold night. And we saw a lady stuck in the road, with her car and her kids. She was in the middle lane in Dallas. And instaed of passing by her like every one. We stopped and helped the lady. I remember asking Cameron, But we dont have time? But he didnt even think about my question, he got out, and so did i and we helped push a car up to a safer place. That moment impacted me a lot. As it goes to show, that we shouldnt even think twice about serving others! Especially in this time of year!!!! I challenge all of you to do something for someone else this week. It can be someone you dont even know!! But the thing is to just forget yourselves and do something for someone else. Sacrifice your things your time. All for the service of our Savior. It makes me think of the rich boy in the bible!? Remember? He had everything he wanted, he kept the commandments, But when the savior told him to give away everything he had. It was hard for him. But if we love the Savior, it wont be that hard. I want to hear stories of the charitable things you did throughout this week! And next monday I will share yall my stories!!! I love you all!!!!
Elder Thatcher
P.S. Skype will take place at 4 o clock your time!!! (Get your questions ready!!!!) I have a suprise for you all!!!
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)
Well I am a dad now. Which means im training a greenie!! His name is Elder Peterson, from Payson, Utah!! Whats good!!! President called me last Monday, and asked me if I would train a new missionary. I said of course, and next morning I went to huancayo to go pick and meet my new companion! He doesnt know that much english but he is a great guy, and really wants to learn! So that is cool! Never trained before, but it is going well, staying obedient and working hard, helping him out with everything!!!
So when i go to huancayo, i meet up with some other Elders that are training and I ran into my friend Elder Rodreguiz!! From my ccm group! I havent seen him since Cerro de Pasco days! So it was nice to catch up with him! As well I got to see Elder Valencia, my first companion when i was in Ambo!! Remember him? I was only with him for like 3 weeks, then he got emergency transfered? He is also training! So it was nice to catch up with those guys!! It was nice! As well as A sister missionary, named Hermana white? She is from Kaufman? She has like 8 months in the mission. It was my first time meeting her. She was also training, I enjoyed meeting her, because I found out she lives so close to me, and I didnt even know her? Pretty cool!
Anyways everything is going well here in satipo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love it here!! So Karina, our investigator!!! She is moving out of her house at the end of november and leaving with her kids, and she said she wants to get baptized in december!!! And her daughter liz!!! So thats awesome!!! They are coming to church frequently now, and doing great, she is looking for her new house! So grateful she decided to leave this guy..!!!
Quote that i really love is- "Believe in anything you want to believe in, but keep God at the top of it, with him life can be a beautiful experience, without him... well your just biting time!" -John Wayne I love this quote because, John Wayne just basically tells us whats good! That we need to keep God at the top of everything! I shared it with Karina, and thats how she decided she needed to put God first, to direct the rest!!
Well the internet was really slow today! Extremely slow! So sorry if i couldnt get to everyone!
I also ran into my boy Elder Walker in Huancayo!!! He is a zone leader down there, and i saw him!!! Love that guy! Good times in cerro de pasco with Elder Walker and Elder Schreiner, Speaking Of Elder Schreiner, he is now a zone leader as well!!! So cool!
With much heat in the jungle,
Elder Thatcher
Me and my new companion
me and Elder Rodreguiz
Hey everybody!!! en primer lugar, I got my package!!!! It was amazing!!!! I ate it all... hahaha just kidding, there is still a little bit left! I love that tie by the way! Thanks mom! And the america flag socks.... classic!!
So this week was good! We started it off with last monday going to another waterfall called Tsomontonari!! It was beautiful!! I love God's Creations!!! Then on tuesday we were having trouble with finding people so we called a guy in our phone named moses, and we thought it was a less active guy that was member. We go to his address and everything, meet up with him, and find out it was a different moses who was an old investigator from last year!! So that was interesting. We taught him and he liked it and said he was interested again to listen. So that was nice. Then on saturday we had a ward activity. We watched Meet the Mormons with our ward! It was great!! We had our invetigator karina show up! She wants to get baptized so bad, but she cant, becaused she isnt married with her spouse, and he doesnt want to get married. She cant seperate with him either because she has no where to go? Any advice?? sHE IS A GREAT PERSON!! Whoops.. caps lock... awkward... anyways.. I gave a talk on saturday!! It was good, I talked about my boy ammon in the book of mormon, and about his missionary experience, about how with the Lords help he didnt even doubt, the only one that doubted him at first was his father! Who was the King!! How cool is that! And he just said, Daddy, i know its what i got to do, im not some kid who watches cartoons any more, haha, im going, and im going to go preach to those lamanites!!! Whats good! I love that story! Because he just handles the whole situation with calmness!!!
Anyways that was my week! Sounds like all of yall are doing well, tell dallin, that his uncle says be careful!!!!!!! Haha, dad looks good on that horse still!! Josh looks tired! And chris... what is that animal doing on his face??? Haha, but nice blue shirt! And a good lookin family!!! Love yall!!!!!
Elder Thatcher
Hola chicos... pasan...
Haha we have an investigator that tells that to us when we visit her. Have chris tell you want it means, im sure he will laugh at it. haha. Ok so this week was AMAZING!!! All started out with a great P day at the waterfall called Jugle dorado!!! (Golden Jungle) It was deep and far into the jungle. We had a member named arturo take us up in his little moto taxi!!! It was amazing! I have never been so grateful for gods creations until now!!! There were all type of colorful birds flying around!!! Even a bird called Gallito de los rocas!! Its the national bird of peru!! You will have to look them up! They are sooo pretty!!! We saw sloths on trees! Monkeys were playin around!! It was truly beautiful!!! Then we worked hard, found some new investigators. Unfortunetly none came to church... Then our pension left for 5 days to that place called tingo maria. So I cooked the past 5 days!!! I made burgers, pancakes, breakfast tacos... and attempted to make philly cheese steak sandwiches... but i burnt the meat... but it was still better than raw potatoes and rice!!! Thats for sure!!!
I still havent gotten my package yet, but i should get it this week! Love you guys!!!!
Elder Thatcher
Howdy! Glad to hear everything is going well! This week we have been
doing good here in Satipo. Lots of rain, it comes down strong!!! We have
been having to rebuild this area. When I got here there was nothing.
But this week we have worked hard and received a reference in a small
town called mazamari, which is 30 min outside of satipo. She came to
church yesterday and we gave her a date for the 31st. She will get
baptized, she says she already knows the church is true! We have worked
really hard, I feel like we dont have time to breath, or even talk in
the street, we just have lessons all week every day!! I am also excited
for conference!! Yes we get to watch it all!!!
So
something that i liked in my study this week, is in section 112 in
doctrine and covenants, and it is refering to the 12 apostles of joseph
smith, but i like to put my name in there instead to make it feel like
its talking to me, and i advise yall do the same. In verse 5 it says
"contend thou, therefore, morning by morning, and day after day let thy
warning voice go forth, and when the night cometh let not the
inhabitants of the earth slumber, because of thy speech" then in 7
"therefore, grid up thy loins for the work, let thy feet be shod also,
for thou art chosen, and thy path lieth among the mountains, and among
many nations. These scriptures really spoke out to me as a missionary!
Am I concerned for the people i am teaching? Yes, should i worry for
them? Yes, although at some nights when i return i dont worry for them i
am just thinking about there situations. I feel there is a difference
in the two words there. Jesus Christ worried for the people he helped.
Like it says in mosiah 18, verse 9, "and are willing to mourn with those
that mourn, yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and
to stand as witnesses of God at all TIMES and in ALL THINGS!!!" I really
like that, Are we willing to do those things? Back in section 112 it
says in verse 14 that we should arise and gird up your loins, take up
YOUR cross, follow jesus christ, and feed his sheep... Are we taking up
our own crosses? Are we following him in everything we do? Are we crying
with those that are crying? Comforting those who are in need? As a
missionary, and i have thought about it a great deal, if im not worried
or feel sad feelings for people after i discover there needs, im not
really helping them, yes im still changing there lives, but im not a
TRUE disciple of christ. I find myself thinking about christ more and
more each day.. He is our captain, so why not follow??
Last
P day was an experience i will never forget!! We went to a waterfall
called San Andres!! It was beautiful! Mom... the jungle is everything
you have ever dreamed of, and then some!!!! You are probably super
jealous!!! In the photos is me about to kiss a guinea pig, and the other
is part of the waterfall!!
Hey family!!!! Whats good!!!!! I am lovin it here in hot hot hot
paradise!!!! Everything is going good here in Satipo!!! We are kinda at
ground 0 so we are rebuilding the area. So thats the only hard part. It
is a branch here in satipo. It is really nice! The ward is nice, they
just dont work in the way they should. So i was reading doctrine and
covenants when all of a sudden i got the impression that i need to read
and study more of the bible. I know the stories i just want to know
more. So this week i was studing john. And what i really liked and knew
that would help me was the story about Peter talking with Jesus in
chapter 21. I have been thinking about a lot. And yes it scares me that i
am getting closer and closer each day, so i really want to work and
finish hard, like what it says in 2nd timothy 4, verde 7, "I have fought
a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith", and
yes I can apply that to golf finishing strong on my round but more
importantly, thats what i want to be able to say at the end of my
mission, and further down, at the end of my life to show my discipleship
to christ. So when Jesus in john, goes to Peter, he asks him 3 times if
he loves him more than the things he had. "Lovest thou me, more than
these"? He had to ask his apostle 3 times that question. So iasked
myself, do i love everything that i have ever had or grown to have more
than Christ??? The first time i said yes, the second time as well, i
said of course, but the third time i really thought, and i wanted to say
yes, but i have also enjoyed the things I have been able to do, like
golf, college, friendds... but i thought more and i said yes, yes i love
my savior more than those things.. I think its important for us to know
where our true desires are, just like peter had to find his true
desires, and not his true wants... A lot of people here live together
with there spouse and arent married so i share this with them, whats
more important? the things we do and want or our love for the savior? If
we dont love the savior, our hearts are in a different place and the
same with our minds.
I love it here in satipo!!!
Today the four elders, we are going to a waterfall!!! I will send pics
next week!! Its nice having 4 gringos here in the district!!! We play
basketball for exercise!!!
Love yall!!! Ask me questions about the jungle!!! And go Cowboys!!!!
Love Elder Thatcher
Well, I am proud to say that I got transfered from ambo finally and I
got transfered to the promised land of the mission. I am in an area
called Satipo!!! It is the jungle!!! It is super hot and humid, kinda
like Texas eh? I am with an Elder named Elder Tolman. He is from
northern Utah, a city called Hooper. Never heard of it?? But ya he is
cool! He is from the same group as Elder Schreiner and Elder Walker! So
now he is my third companion from that group! He is way cool!! His first
name is also Logan!! Hahah. I am still District
Leader, even though my district composes of me, my companion, and the
two zone leaders. The zone leaders are also in the same ward as us in
satipo, and they are both gringos as well. So four gringos sharing the
same ward, and that is my district. Pretty cool, eh? Hhaahah. So i can
do my district meetings in English now. It is super green here in
satipo. It is everything i thought the jungle would be like and then
some!! People live in tree houses!! Mangos and coconuts fall from the
tree!!! Fruit everywhere!!! It is delicious!!! After every lesson we
have people give us fruit that i have never even heard of!!! But it is
super sweet and delicious!!! My favorite are the mandrains. So sweet! So
ya that is what has been happening around here.
I
miss ambo but in a weird way. My pension on the day i left was sad. And
they apologized for acting the way that they did. I apoligized as well,
and thanked them for there services to me. It was sad really to leave
that day. Elder Cahpeton didnt care that much for them. I am sad as i
fell that now that im not there Elder Chapeton will change the pension,
which means they might go inactive. But we will see. I was sad to say
goodbye to a couple friends in huanuco, like my old zone leader Elder
Horsley and Elder Schreiner and Elder Cook. (Different Elder cook, not
my old companion). But thats how transfers are.
Im
sweating a lot but I am loving the work! I am almost done with doctrine
and covenants!! It is very interesting how the lord interacted with
Joseph Smith about everything.
Love you all!
Til next week,
Elder Thatcher
Saying goodbye to my convert Jordan.. he was super sad that i was leaving.
And then saying goodbye to Elder Chapeton
And then saying goodbye to Elder Chapeton
