Week 38 - First Thing First

First thing first.... This Wednesday is Max’s birthday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and here is a birthday song... Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday Dear MAAAAXXXXX, Happy Birthday to You. Everyone please wish him a happy birthday because I am sad that I can’t be there. 

This week was really good. We had a conference with a bunch of other missionaries and it was good. It was fun to see some of the other missionaries and learn some new things we can use in our area. 

Also.... I was able to go to the temple with my ward from Ica, my first area. It was so, so good. My convert Kary got to enter the temple for the first time and to see her there being so, so happy is what makes it worth it. A lot of times I question if I am really doing much here. But the truth is.... I’m not.... all I am doing is sharing the gospel and doing the best I can and the LORD is doing the rest. This really is the Lord’s work and he is the one that changes lives. 

We have an investigator whose name is Alexander. I found Alexander with my old companion Hermana Uchytil when we were knocking doors. We found a lady who told us we could come in to her garage area but not her house because her son was really drunk and dangerous. So we agreed and started singing a hymn. When we were singing her son Alexander came out to listen to us as well. We both felt okay and that there was nothing dangerous, so we continued to share our message. We have been working with him and he has not been drinking alcohol for the past 5 weeks. He was a complete alcoholic before so this was big. Teaching him has truly shown me that people can change their lives and that the Atonement is even more amazing than I thought. This gospel brings so much joy and peace and there’s nothing else quite like it. Alexander called me last night and told me that he actually did drink yesterday, and this 65 year old man was in tears because he felt so bad and he was so scared to tell me. He called me again this morning to tell me that he has even more motivation to get baptized and doesn’t have a desire to drink because of the way he felt yesterday. No one is perfect, but this gospel is, and so is the atonement of Jesus Christ. My old ward mission leader when we first started teaching Alexander said to us very directly... you guys are missionaries... not heroes.... it scared me a little because I didn’t know if I was trying to be a hero or trying to share the gospel. But I know with all of my heart that the Lord works in mysterious ways and the lord is preparing people to listen to us. Alone I cannot change the lives of these people. I am just an imperfect instrument in the hand of the Lord, but I am glad that the Lord doesn’t require us to be perfect. He just wants us to do our best, and he will help strengthen those things when we fall short. 

I love this gospel. I LOVE the Atonement. I love the people here in Peru. This mission is hard and I really am reminded every day that I am not perfect and have a lot more to learn, but I am grateful for these 9 months that I have been able to have a front row seat to see Gods miracles taking place. 

I love you all so, so much, and I am grateful for each one of you. 

Have a great week. 

Hermana Jacey Petersen