Well I have been in the Jungle again, now for a month and I am still not use to the humidity, but I still love it. I sweat like crazy and take cold showers to cool down, actually I take cold showers because there is no hot water here in the jungle haha. But I am loving life out here and the missionary work!
This week we had a crazy humbling experience. Recently there was an older man here who was reactivated by the missionaries right before I got here. I have been able to meet with him a few times since I have been here and I have just learned the importance of humility in the 3 or 4 times we have taught him. This man, 76, has no money, he makes about 80 soles a week if he is lucky, the equivalent to 27 dollars. He sometimes does not eat because some weeks he can not find work. Because of his age no one wants to hire him. But every time he works and makes money, he pays his tithing, The last two times we have met with him, I can just hear the humility in his voice and the love for Our Heavenly Father when he talks about his trials and problems. He has the greatest faith I have ever seen in a man. This last time we met with him this last week, he told us he felt ashamed he couldnt pay tithing, because he hadnt made any money this last week. He didnt want the Lord to be disappointed in him for not paying. I thought to myself, how EASY my life was back home. Finding work wasnt the easiest but it was easier than it is for him here in Peru, And I made SO much more money and still found it hard to pay my 10%. Some times I just am in awe for the selfishness that I had and still do have at times when there are people in this world who have and are happy with, far far less that what I have ever had in my entire life. There is a less to be learned by every person you meet on the mission, I feel competely confident, that I have learned my lesson about being selfish and the importance of Tithing and Fast Offerings to those who have enough. i know that i will never go without paying these two very very important things, tithing and fast offerings, because there will always be someone in the world, that can use a little more or doesnt have anything in the first place.
I hope you all may think about the things we take for granted without even noticing it. Like a dollar cheeseburger or a $5 footlong from Subway, what may appear to be so cheap and so simple, could be someones entire daily supply of income or food, perhaps even more than that.
I love you all and hope you all have a fantastic week and look for opporutnities to serve those who may be in need.
Elder Bell
Monday, September 21, 2015>>> Another week in the Jungle
Well hello all!! Hope you are enjoying the nice cooling affect of Fall, I am still just melting away in the jungle! But I am enjoying it dont worry. :) This week we worked really hard, like really hard. We got to know a lot more of the less active members who live here while also helping some of the leaders learn and understand their responsibilities of helping those who may have lost their way. We found a family who was really strong back in the day in helping lead and build the church here in La Merced, but they have since gone inactive, anyway, we found them and they are really excited about coming back to church. We could really feel the spirit way strong in their home and after our lesson we felt like we had been led to someone who really could make a difference in the ward in helping others come back to the Savior.
Last P-Day we went to a water fall and ate at a really good restaurant. We had a good time the waterfalls are so amazing. It is crazy at how many there are as well. I could go every pday while I am here and still not visit all the waterfalls that are here. It is pretty cool. Me and Elder Garcia also had the opportunity to go and do a baptismal interview out in Oxapampa. It was a German settlement back in the day and there are a lot of white people out there. May sound funny to you all back home but seeing white people who are not missionaries is really rare and rather crazy for us. It was pretty out there and a nice little break from the humidity and heat.
Apart from that we are doing really great. Elder Garcia is hilarious and we are always laughing and joking. Keeps us sane in a crazy part of the world. I am really glad I am the one who gets to kill this guy. We really have a great time and teach really well together. That is all I have for this week, Hope you all take care and hope to hear from you next week!
Elder Bell
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| Waterfall |
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| Another Waterfall |
Monday, September 14, 2015>>> A week of Miracles =)
Hello all my family and friends!! hope you are all doing good and loving life!! Glad to hear the Utes beat Michigan, I hope the Utes have a great season this year. This week was really great and am excited to share with you what happened! Sorry it is coming to you late, we took the zone to Huaytapayana today and so we got back just barely to write everyone!!
This week we had a miracle. We were able to find an old investigator in the chapel and had a chance to set up an appointment with him and his family. That day we went to visit them and we learned that in the two weeks we had stopped teaching them, the grandpa had passed away. We also were amazed when the dad of the family, Ruben said that after he finishes his project out in Huancavelica for work, he will be searching for work back here in Huancayo to be closer to his family and not have to travel and be away more than half the year. As sad as it was to see that an event such as losing his father humbled him and opened his eyes to the importance of the family, we were really happy to see and hear that they all have the desires to be baptized and want to do it as a family. I have had the opportunity and privilage of teaching them my whole time while here in Los Andes and I am so glad that we have stuck through the times where they werent progressing so much to be here to see this moment, a moment of clarity and peace.
Something that I love in this work is seeing how, sometimes it takes a little while to get to someones heart, many people are very very prideful and very stubborn and dont want to conform to the commandments of God, but when we have humbling moments, they make us realize that we are dependent on his love and substance. There is no other way to get through this life happily without feeling the love of God, and seeing his hand in our lives. I am really grateful for the opportunities I have been given to see clearly the hand of the Lord in my life and seeing the hand of the Lord change the lives of others.
I love you all and hope you can see the Hand of the Lord in your lives, see the opportunites you have been given to see it clear as day, and that you all may recognize his hand and his love that if we seek diligently we will find it and feel it more than we ever though was possible.
Until next week!
Elder Bell
Monday, Septemebr 7, 2015>>> BACK TO THE JUNGLE!!!
Well hello world how are you doin today??
Just sitting here in an internet cafe in La Merced, PERU and loving the jungle!! This transfer was the transfer I had been hoping for! I finally made it back to the jungle and am just loving it!! There are only a few areas in the jungle, Tingo Maria (been there done that), La Merced (doin it now) and Satipo (maybe my next thing to do?) I am so happy to be here! We have a great ward, with a bishop who is ready to just start a new slate and allow us to work with the leaders to help them learn their responsibilities and to start completeing with their purpose as members! He is really gung-hoe and we are excited to be working with him. I am here now with Elder Garcia!! He is from Mexico but speaks perfect English too so he will be a big help in getting my Spanished fine tuned. We have had an awesome week already he is so freaking funny I laugh all the time which is great! Sometimes you just need a gut-busting laugh right? That happens almost everyday. We killed a rat this last week.... Yeah we found it in our room.... hahaha it was funny I was screaming like a little girl. Elder Durante is in my zone, he is from my group from the MTC and he is actually staying with us. Today will be his last day he has been waiting for his companion to get here from Huancayo. I was really glad to get out of Huancayo. I had been there almost 8 months it definitely felt like it was time to get out and spread my wings in the mission. I am just glad it sent me back here to the Jungle. Today it is pretty rainy but I am pretty sure we are going to go to some waterfalls and take some pictures. Anyway, really glad for this change and the ablility to help new people here. I am also gauranteed at least 3 months here because Elder Garcia will be going home at the end of this transfer. SO I will be writing from here until at least the begining of December :)
Hopefully I will have some great stories for you all here in the next few weeks!! Take care!!
Elder Bell
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| Where is La Merced, Peru |
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| La Merced, Peru - September 2015 |
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| Jungle |
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