HUANUCO!!!!!

Hey all,

 

This week has been great!! We have so much work to do here and the ward is functioning like it should so everything is progressing like it should be. My companion is Elder Villegas, he is from Ecuador. He will be finishing this transfer, so in a couple weeks. He is doing great. He isn't thinking to much in his house which helps us to get along and work hard all at the same time.

 

At the end of this week we will be saying good bye to three of our recent converts, it is really sad, they are the coolest people I have met thus far in the mission. They really hold a special place in my heart. The mom, Marissa, was just baptized a month ago along with her son, Herly who is 14. The older son, Gronny, is 16 and is just a stud. He has a lot of the characteristics that I have and I think that is why I love them so much haha. They really have helped me learn to love more and to serve more and to worry a lot less about the things we cant control. They are moving to Arequipa and I know they will do wonders down there. They really are CONVERTED and it has been a blast getting to know them. We will be staying in touch for sure. It is my wish to go visit them when I finish the mission. One thing that I have learned here in my short time here in this ward, especially with these three converts, is that when you just have the desire to help someone like Christ helped all those who were afflicted, you end up loving them more than you ever thought imagined. This is one thing they don't tell you when you are leaving for the mission, is that, when we leave for the mission you go to bless the lives of others with the news and happiness that you bring, but what they leave out is the giant impact that these people will leave in your heart forever. I now have a valid reason to come back. I have found that this pure love that I feel for them, is enough to sacrifice any worldly thing to help them progess in the ways of the Lord. There is no greater happiness than helping someone progress to the temple or to serve a mission and to have an eternal family. No worldly thing can compare.

 

I love you all, I hope you are enjoying the snow and the Christmas season that is in full swing right now. I am excited to see you all Christmas day!!!

 

Love,

Elder Bell

Cha, Cha, Cha, Changes and more changes....................

Monday, December 7, 2015>>>

This week has brought many changes in the life of the mission here in Peru. I am no longer in La Merced and I am now in Huanuco for the first time in my mission. Crazy to think but I am happy to be here. Another change is that I am no longer a Zone Leader. President has been so kind to give me a little break from those responsibilites and I am just a normal missionary again! It feels great to just be able to focus on my area and my companion and myself for a change. Half my mission thus far I spent as a zone leader so it will be nice to just be normal again.

 

 

 

Where is Huanuco?

 

Huanuco

More of Huanuco

What an amazing place, Huanuco!

 

 

So here in Huanuco I am in an area called Cayhuayna. It is a great ward and it actually functions like it should. I am really happy to be here and there are a lot of amazing people here. This week I was able to meet a few of the recent converts. For me it is always awesome to meet someone who recently has been baptized because I always remember my baptism that is now a suprisingly 4 years ago this February!! Time sure does fly!! I love seeing in them the purness and happiness that they have recenly discovered and received and that they dont have any worries in their life because they have finally found the happienss that they had been looking for for so long. 3 of these recent converts form part of a family, Marissa, the mom, and her two sons Gronny and Herly. They really are fantastic. The two sons are 16 and 14, respectively and are just amazing. They remind me a ton of me when I was first baptized. Something I have been able to recognize in them is the light of Christ that we all receive, but in some it shines brighter than others. In them, it is burning as bright as can be and cant be missed. All three of them are just in love with the things of Christ and they do everything they can to keep learning and to keep moving forward in the gospel. It is so great to see and I just love being around them because they really are always happy. This week I would like to invite all of you who may read this, to look for the good things of this life and not the bad, the blessings you have received rather than the things you have not yet received and in doing this I know we all will leave a little more grateful for the things we have received from our Heavenly Father and we will all realize that we have more than we actually need and should start to share our goods with others who maybe dont have what they need.

 

I hope you all have an amazing week and start thinking in the reason we celebrate Christmas, A Savior was born :)

 

 

Love you all, until next week,

Elder Bell

 

November, last Thanksgiving without T (Yes!!!!)

Monday, November 30, 2015>>>Another week of Miracles...

This week was full of miracles where do I even start??

First- John got his parts and was able to have his surgery, it literally was like pulling teeth to get it all worked out but in the end John has been blessed with a reconstructed leg haha. He is now searching for his lost cat out in Villa Rica. I hope he is able to find it.

 

Second- We had our baptism this Saturday of a investigator we had been teaching for a little while. His name is Henry and he is way cool, he is 15 years old and a true convert to the gospel. He was so excited to get into the ward he almost dunked himself before Elder Carrasco could lower him into the ward!! It was funny but he was way excited when he came out of the water. We worked really hard to get him into the waters of baptism and I was glad the Lord blessed us with that opportunity.

 

Third- about a month ago Elder Carrasco and I were contacting in an area in which we do not go very often. I felt a really strong impression that since we do not work a lot over in this area, I needed to pay extremely close attention to the whisperings of the spirit. As I did so, the Lord directed me through the little streets until I came to a man who was standing under the shade of a patio by himself. I felt in my heart he was someone I HAD to talk to. As I approached him he smiled and greeted me, I told him I was a messanger from Jesus Christ that had been sent this day to share a very special message with him, That Christ himself has restored his gospel in the earth and there is a True Chruch once again established. He was amazed and gladly accepted our invitation to teach him, but the only thing is, he lives in San Ramon, an area that is close to us but isnt ours. I was let down, I thought for sure we had found someone that the Lord had chosen for us. But we sent the reference over to Elder Durante and Elder Gonzalez and they taught Javier. This saturday I had toe privelige to baptize Javier in San Ramon and complete the mission I had set out that very hot sunny day to find someone and baptize someone the Lord had prepared for me to find. It was such a blessing to be able to perform the baptism of someone I personally had found, it doesnt happen very often here in the mission, many time we baptize people that other missionaries had found. But to be blessed with the opportunity to start and finish the search was a blessing I will never forget. If we had not been in that very odd part of town on that one day he happened to be over there, maybe Javier never would have recieved the restored gospel, but because I had listened to the whisperings of the spirit, I was able to bless his life, and his cousins life, and their future families forever. It is such a blessing when you look at the tidle wave of effects it will have in the future :)

We are doing good, we are working hard and we have seen a change in the things the Lord has prepared for this area. I hope that next week I still get to write you from La Merced, Transfers are this Wednesday and I hope I am still here to write you and update you all on the miracles the Lord is doing here in the crazy Jungle of Perú.

 

Love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!!

Elder Bell

Monday, November 23, 2015>>>The craziness never stops !!!

Well here we are, another week down that FLEW by... We have been so busy this week I barely had time to sleep, but that was probably because I was a little sick! Anyway, what a week.

This last tuesday night we helped recieve a North American patient from Villa Rica here in La Merced. Why? Well he had been working with the missionaries out there and they needed to get him some urgent care. He fell from his latter while looking for his cat on his room, he was drunk and when he saw a hive of wasps, (that apparently he is alergic to) he fell breaking his leg... Now once he got here we thought our job was over Well I was very very wrong. We then proceeded to get wrapped into a giant scam that wasnt a scam!! We needed to help him get money for his operation. So we thought, hey lets send an email to his mom and that will get everything figured out. Well, his mom though that we had HACKED his email and stolen all his information. Elder John and Elder Jorgensen in Villa Rica had called her from a payp´hone explaining the need for her to send money to western union for JOhn to take out for his operation. Well she just thought that those crazy mormons had stolen all of Johns things and we were trying to still his money now too! Well finally after a few very very long days we were able to speak with Johns mom on the phone, we got everything worked out and today, finally we got John his money for his operation. The week was looooooooooooooong due to this process. But as I look back, I realize that we were Johns only help, he doesnt speak spanish like at all, he had a horribly broken leg and without us, he would have probably been kicked out into the street by the hospital with nothing more than a soft cast on his leg. I feel good about the service we were able to provide for John I know that if Christ would have been here, he would have done the exact same and it really made me feel like I was providing a Christ like service when we did it. John has many problems and needs to get some help, but the little help that we provided, really helped him to get going in the right direction. And that is really what our purpose is, get people going in the right direction. I was grateful that heavenly father gave us the oportunity to serve in such a unexpected way but that we were willing to take on this burden to make it lighter for someone else. I hope you all have a good week and look for ways to serve those who need their burdens to be lightened.

 

Love you all very much,

Elder Bell

Monday, November 16, 2015>>>This week, in the HOT, HUMID Jungle

Well, we are doing good out here in the jungle. We had a great week last week, we went and visited the Native Indians here at Pampa Michi last week again, that was fun and we also had a great multi zone conference with President Henderson. We had some really fun experiences The best part of last week was when we were able to help our investigator accept a date to be baptized. He will be baptized the 28th of November, the Saturday before the end of this transfer. I am really happy for him because he came to us on his own, he calls us to remind US of our lessons with him and he is just a really really great kid. It is difficult to explain the atmosphere here in La Merced without being blunt and kinda rude, It really is so bad and so hard for the young kids to grow up and be good respectful people. But those that we find, or find us, really seem to want to be good people, to be good parents and to follow Jesus Christ. We have the antidote to help them and I know that Henry will be a really strong convert. He has really changed, he use to be really shy and timid but now he seem to talk with the other Young Men and he is opening up.

 

We also had great training last night with our ward council. Seeing how the church is really young here, just about 30 years, the members dont really know how to lead and guide the people. We helped everyone realize the things they need to do first in the their own families before they can help someone else to progres.. We really made an emphasis on the importance of going to the temple and making the covenants in the temple The Leaders really understood us and we pray that they may continue doing to right things to help their own families progress first.

 

I know that the family is the most important unit we will ever have in this life or the life to come, I wish more and more people here understood that time is precious within the family and they would make a few more sacrifices for the family rather than working 12 hours a day. I know that if they made these sacrifices the lord would bless them and they wouldnt need to work extra hours and would have more time with their families. I love you all and hope that you too can apply this. Maybe work a little less to have more time with your families, we never know when the lord will call one of them home.

 

Have a great week you all and love your families more and more everyday!!

Elder Bell

 

Monday, November 9, 2015>>>The rains a comin!

Hello everyone. Life is going great here. The rains are about to start coming! I hope at least! IT has been extremely hot the last few days and I am really hoping the rains start to come. When it rains it pours but it cools everything down and that is what we are looking for. This week has been crazy. We presided 2 funerals and I helped bury a 1 1/2 year old baby boy.

 

 

 

 

I am going to copy and paste what I wrote to my President about this :

 

"We went to two funerals this week, we were asked to dedicate the graves... That was a first for me... very strange. One was for a member, the other was an intersting find. We were walking in the street and two ladies came up to us asking for some help we stopped and talked to them for a minute and they told us that the younger of the two had just lost her 1 1/2 year old baby boy, and he was never baptized. They felt like they had condemned their baby to hell because of that and were looking for the Father to come and bless the baby before they buried him. We explained to them what sin was and that a baby was sent from the presence of God and had no sins, that it was impossible for them to actually sin. We comforted them a lot and they invited us to come and bless the grave site, so we felt compassionate and we went down and taught the family most of the plan of salvation and they ALL LOVED IT. We blessed the grave and WE put the caskett in the grave and then WE buried it... That was the weird part of it all. Everyone afterwards asked us to visit them and explain more to them the doctrine. So We hope that they turn out we were able to comfort them in a time of need and that was sufficent for me".

 

 

The lord prepares people for us even when we dont expect it. We must be ready at all times and in all places to recieve these people and to help them find that which they do not know. It was really comforting for us to help this family in need, especially in a moment when they thought they had lost their baby boy forever, but in reality it isnt like that, they will have the opportunity to return and be with him forever. This is the message that brings me the most joy and peace is knowing the plan and then helping people apply it in their lifes so it actually can happen.

 

 

I am so grateful for my family, and the love they show me. With the knowledge I now have, I know we will be together forever and that nothing on earth can seperate us.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!!

Elder Bell

Monday, November 2, 2015>>>The start of November

Well here we are in the first parts of NOVEMBER!! Wow how fast this year has flown by!! I hope you all are listening to your Christmas music and putting up Christmas trees... just kidding, if you are STOP IT NOW.. it is too early....

 

I am still here in the jungle just enjoying the heat.. It is weird to think that we are in November and I am still sweating as I walk in the streets and lay in my bed because it is so stinking hot here!! Next year will be different that is for sure.

 

This week we had a few really cool experiences. Last week as we were thinking of what we could do, we decided we would stroll the streets and contact a few people. I had never been to this side of town so I was being led soley by the Spirit of the Lord. I would come to a corner and ask the Lord, Which way should I go? When I felt impressed to go a direction, I went, without hesitation. As we did this for about 10 minutes. I saw a man sitting on the front step of a house, instantly I felt impressed to talk to him and share with him our message. I walked straight up to him, greeted him, and share with him my testimony of the power and influence of the Holy Ghost that had led me to him. He was amazed and accepted our invitation to be visited in his home. Unfortunately he lives in San Ramon, so we had to pass along the reference to Elder Durante and Elder Gonzalez, but they visited him the next day and he attended church yesterday, with his aunt and cousin. They have a baptismal date to be baptized the end of this month. I love that the Lord trusted me enough to go and find our brother Javier and to share this gospel with him at a crucial time in his life. To be able to be a servant and messenger of the Lord is what I love the most of being a missionary, The work that gets done is not done by me or any other missionary. ALL is done by the Lord, in his time and season. But having the ability to change someones life with the true gospel of Jesus Christ is really the most rewarding feeling I have ever had.

 

Apart from that we had kind of a slow and poopy week but nonetheless we know that we are being blessed and guided by the Being that knows all and will reveal to us in His own time where we should go and with whom we should speak.

 

I hope you all have a great week in the cooling temperatures, I am going to a water fall today ;)

 

Love you all,

 

Elder Bell

October, come and gone......

Monday, October 26, 2015>>>First week of this transfer...

Hey all!! We are doing great out here in the hot and humid jungle of La Merced!!! I am now with Elder Carrasco, from Chile. He is great, a convert of a little more than 2 years. He is 19 and is just a little ball of energy. He kinda looks like goofy but I love him the same. HaHa.

This week we are going to search for the Young Men and Young Women of the ward. They really need a lot of the principles taught by the gospel and so we are going to go find them and start doing their mutual activities with them to help them feel more comfortable in the church. it has become very evident to me how badly the people here need the church and the principles of Jesus Christ in their lives. I live in a very poor part of the country, where the education is limited, where they dont know how to read write and do simple mathmatics. All the teachings of Jesus Christ point to us being self sufficent and searching for more knowledge. hopefully we can get the youngins involved in this and help them prepare themselves for their futures and future families.

 

The church is really young here and many of the leaders are struggling with their callings. We have been praying for some help for them to figure out their stuff. And it came ;) This sunday we saw a great conference from Salt Lake talking about THE BASICS of the gospel. Which is centered in the family, and help us to have the unity we search for. We realize now this is what the members here are lacking, the family love and unity that comes from Family Prayer and Family Scripture study. We are going to help them all by starting this week teaching them how they can strengthen their homes and their families through prayer and scripture study. It will be a struggle, but I just always have to remind myself what our goal is. Our goal is to help the FAMILIES GO TO THE TEMPLE. Whether they are Active, Inactive, or non members, our goal is to help them and prepare them enough so they can get to the temple and make the sacred convanents we need to return AS A FAMILY to the presence of our Heavenly Father. There is no greater love than that of a Heavenly Father, or a Heavenly Family. That is our goal :)

I hope you all have a fantastic week, and ponder and think about how we can all get a little better, smile a little more, and remember a few more times every day, what our Heavenly Father has done for us. I promise that as you do this, you will begin to see the hand of God in your lives a little more, where you will have no choice but to thank Him for the love you gives you.

 

Hope yall have a great week,

 

Elder Bell

Monday, October 19, 2015>>>Last week of this Transfer...

It is crazy to think that another Transfer has come and gone!!! Elder Garcia is headed home and I am waiting for a new companion. I remember my second transfer here in the mission, Elder Garcia was my District leader. The first time I saw him, I thought, "crap another latino I have to speak spanish to," Then he responded to me, "Hey man whats up, how do you like the cold?" I almost pooped my pants. It was a great transfer here with him with a lot of great and humbling experiences that really helped us grow and taught us the things we needed to know, in the moment we needed it.

Now we wait... wait for the new companion to come in and start to help this ward. My goal for this transfer is to do service. But do it ALOT. We have so many members here who need help, that struggle reading and finding work or dont have the economical resources they need to clean or repair their homes, so that is where we come in. :) The church is very young here, and the worldly culture that surround it is completely contrary to its principles and teachings. Helping the members realize this and practice it is sometimes frustrating. But it gives us more opportunities to teach, and love like the Savior did to his early followers. I know that if we remember to love always, that we dont get frustrated and keep trying to help people. Someone will realize it, and they will make the change and the progress we are trying to give them.

This last week we went to a place called Pampa Michi. It is a actual indian tribe that still follows their ancient teachings, they wear dresses and paint their faces. we learned a lot about their culture and customs and their heritage. It was really cool I will have to send some photos next week :) Forgot the camera haha. After that we went up to a little waterfall. it was tiny but it was perfect, allowing us to head back to play some volleyball as a zone and take some time to just sit and chat and relax for once. it was a great P-Day to end the transfer.

I hope you all have a fantastic week and enjoy the little things, they are really the most important things anyway,

PS- I am going to the gym 3 times a week here it is great we just found a gym and it is fantastic!!!

Love you all!!!

Elder Bell

Monday, October 12, 2015>>> The Jungle!!!

Well this week was a great week. Not a whole lot happened but a few things are:

 

We made the best tacos in the world...(must have used the Del Scorcho from Del Taco I sent him)

 

We are planning a few service activities for a few less active members

 

We are going to pampa michi today

 

 

Yeah not a whole lot but something that I learned was this.. The importance of being humble and repenting really take us far. Pride and ingorance dont get us anywhere. We need to humble ourselves and realize that we arent "all that and a bag of potatoe chips"... When we look at ourselves from a high plane of view we can really see where we need to improve, that we arent as good as we may think we are, BUT when we do that, we see the potential that we really have, and we can grow fast and furious.

 

I know that God knows us individually, He knows what we need and when we need. All we need to do is wait for the response and be willing to accept it and make the change.

 

I invite all you to follow the council given to us in General Conference, keep the commandments and keep moving forward.

 

I love you all, I dont have a whole bunch of time today, BUT know that I am going to have a great week ;)

 

Elder Bell

Monday, October 5, 2015>>> This week in the Jungle

Hello all,

 

Hope you had a great last week and a even great Conference Weekend. What a powerful conference it was. Seeing the sustaining of 3 new apostles, hearing the powerful declarations against the vain and impure things of the world, really goes to show that the church IS not and WILL not change just because the social and political flows are saying that it should. We know that this world is ran by an unseen power that has been put here to tempt us and help us grow. Unfortunately most of the world, gives into these temptations and are impeiding their personal and eternal progress when we allow ourselves to be swallowed up in the temptations of the adversary. What I learned this weekend I can not put it all into words. It was that much :) The importance of the family, and having it be centered on the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the importance of patience and understand of the Will and Timing of the Lord, the importance of being worthy of the priesthood and its blessings But most of all, the importance of keeping and upholding Gods commandments. They are NOT barriers that stop us from having fun, rather they are the ONLY things that keep us safe and allow us to have a controlled life while enjoying the benefits of having this mortal body. Many people say, "Its my body and I can do what i want to" well, having recieved your agency from God in the premortal life, this statement is partially true. But, our body is a gift from God to use in a proper manner, to tune our skills and abilities that we have been given to benefit others as well as ourselves. For example, President Russell M. Nelson was a extraordinary Heart Surgeon. He wasnt just born that way. He had to practice, learn and grow. He had many times where he wanted to give up along the way, but he didnt. He knew that the Savior did not give up on us so he could not give up, he had yet to reach his potential. So he kept the commandments, held his ground against temptation to quit, and then he went on to help develope the artifical heart for the benefit of all humanity. You see, keeping the commandments ALLOWS us to grow and become who we are meant to become. This life is not just a giant party and whatever happens, happens. This life is for us to look for, prepare, learn and perfect the gifts and skills that God has given us. We are all different, we all have different likes and dislikes, And that is EXACTLY why God created us, for us to grow and become like him, all-knowing. We can continually learn and get better, we can become a light to those around who seem to be lost, and because we have been faithful, we can pull them along until they can get back on their feet, and see with their own eyes the potential that they hold.

 

Conference really opened my eyes as you can see, we all have purpose in this life, but, we all have work to do, to obtain our potential. I hope all of you, can take the advice given in conference by Allan D. Haynie, The commandments are not a barrier to keep us from having fun, They are a barrier to keep us safe in an ever changing and fallen world, I love you all, I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be here and to help others realize and acheive their potential, the potential one can see when they search for, prepare, learn, and perfect their skills and abilities that God has given to each of us individually, because He loves each of us, individually.

 

Have a fantastic and life changing week,

 

Elder Bell

September, Once Again

Monday, September 28, 2015>>>One month in the Jungle

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

 

 



Waterfall





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

 

Where is La Merced, Peru

La Merced, Peru - September 2015

Jungle



FINALLY August 2015!!!!!

Monday, August 31, 2015>>> The one year mark.......

 

 

Well as I have sat here in this awesome, internet cafe trying to think what to write the only thing that has come to my mind. Is, freak... I am already at my year mark... I cant believe it has gone so fast!! I really wish time would slow down. I hope the rest of my life doesnt move at this speed!!

 

This week we celebrated a birthday. A young man who turned 24. He really is such a stud and a great guy. He has a temper, and is fiery when it comes to the gospel. He loves the people almost as much as Christ does and he tries his best to work. Work Work Work. That is all he does. It seems like 24/7 all he does is eat sleep walk talk and think about other people. He finally remembered it was his birthday when someone smashed 4 giant eggs on top of his head!! What a goof ball. He was so worried about other people he forgot about himself until he got a giant sign.

 

Yeah thank you all for the birthday wishes. I wouldnt say it was my best birthday ever but we made it work Peruvian style! On the 29th we went over to another pensions house and she made pizza for us all and we celebrated with Pizza and hot chocolate. Delicous right? Anyway, The weeks keep flying by and I dont know where the time goes. But I am enjoying it and learning it. I think God is really trying to make me learn patience, But I am being so impatient that it isnt working haha. I know that is an attribute that I can learn but sometimes it is just so dang hard I start stressing out. Luckly Elder Ottley is the same way so we stress together hahaha.

 

We have really focused hard on improving our ward. I feel like my time in this area is about done next week is transfers, I feel satisfied that I left the ward better than I found it. Many times, the First Councelor in the Bishopric has told us both that we are not your typical missionary and that are very special missionaries that have been sent to help their ward improve and progress. Makes you feel good, I would never thump my chest but I feel good that someone has atleast recognized our efforts and they have not been in vain. My objective always is to leave my ward or my area better than I found it. I really hope this ward can progress when we are gone and they can start to spread their success to the stake as well.

 

I am really grateful to be serving at this time. To be able to help the people in the manner I feel I am best capable of helping. I thought back to when the church was just being established and how NO ONE knew what they were doing. There werent manuals or guides to help them know how to do it. Just through pure revalation and hope and patience. Here the church has only been around for 35 years. They are at the most 2nd generation members, what was the church like when it was in its second generation back in the states? Lots of apostate things were still happening. But, with PATIENCE, Faith in the Lord, and hard work, we cant start to get them on the right track to where they can all enjoy the gospel to its fullest and recieve the revelation to guide their families that they desperately need. I love you all and I hope your week is good. Remember that this life is not a race, it is a slow paced jog and we need to take the time to smell the roses and look at the beautiful views that the Lord has blessed us with. This world is for us to enjoy, and to make the best out of this life, so that the next one to come we can be happy, and with our families forever.

Love you all, have a great week, dont forget to smell the roses and look at the beautiful views!!

 

 

Elder Bell

 

***Elder Bell turned 24 years old this week, here is a throw back to when he was 4 years old visiting Disneyland for his first time with his favorite Disney Character - Goofy!

 

 

Monday, August 24, 2015>>> Buenos Dias a mi familia!

 

 

Hello to you all and happy day!

 

Hope you are all doing well this week has been crazy busy, we had to take an elder to the dentist and that was quite the adventure. I will NEVER get dental work done here in Peru. I can wait til I return home that is for sure!

 

Apart from that we have just been working hard. We had a Stake wide Ward Council training last night in which we were invited. It was a really good training I feel. We are trying to help the leaders here realize that we have a Administration Handbook for a reason. The church is the SAME in all the world, and not on in the states and Canada. We have heard many times that this handbook does not apply here in Peru, and that it really is just a guide and nothing else. Finally last night the Stake President said in everything we do we should consult the handbook. This will be a step in the right direction. We have come to realize that there are many people in this world who have fallen through the cracks because the leaders and members of this church do not understand their responsabilities to help everyone they can feel loved in this world. If everyone could realize that LOVE is the one thing we lack in this world it would make things much more clear. The handbook helps us to understand our roles as human beings that we should be helping and teaching and serving others to learn more about our Heavenly Father it is our duty to share with everyone our purpose here on this Earth and that we can have Everlasting Happiness even in the most difficult of times. I know that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ. I have felt their presence many times here on the mission and I know that they love us and watch over us, hoping we will choose to put some more good into this world when we know it is covered with the bad and evil. I love you all so very much, I know you are all excited I have hit my one year mark, but dont get too trunky please. I still have a lot to do here in helping others before this journey can be over. Have a great week!!

Elder Bell

 

 

Monday, August 17, 2015>>>

 

 

No Update this week, he received a whole bunch of letters from Friends and sent out birthday wishes to others.

 

 

Monday, August 10, 2015>>> Crazy week In Los Andes!!

 

This week we had our Leaders Council to see what we can do to better off the mission and we talked a whole bunch about setting goals. As I sit and reflect on the importance of goals and goal setting, many things come into my mind.

 

1st- A goal should be difficult, but acheivable.

2nd- We need little goals(steps) to reach the bigger more important goal.

3rd-We cant do it on our own, we need to involve the Lord in our decision and in everything we do in order to complete this goal.

 

These three basics that I have put into practice here in the mission really helps us to acheive the goals we set with our investigators and within ourselves as well. As missionaries we set goals for EVERYTHING we do. But not only do the goals matter here in the mission, this is something we should apply to everyday life. For example. When I get home and want to lose all the fat I gained from Rice and Potatoes, I will need to set GOALS to get back lookin sexy..... These goals also apply to studying for a certian career and for finding an eternal companion. BUT what I have learned is it all starts within ourselves. No one else can put the goals for us. Or force us to do it. Only when the desires are our own, and when we strategically plan out the things we want to do in our lives will these things be possible.

 

Before the mission. Goals were not a priority for me. I just kinda went with the flow and did what I felt was right. Now, that got me to where I am now, which is great, but all of us can reach better and more worthy desinations if we use the steps 1, 2, 3 in every decision we make, in every goal we make.

 

I am grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn and UNDERSTAND better the things of this life. I know that the goals we place here in the mission, make us accountable to the Lord, and that if we are diligent and worthy, we can acheive these goals ONLY with his help.

 

I love you all and hope you all take a look around to make goals for yourselves and families to grow and progress together. And hold yourselves accountable for these goals and know that the Lord will help you all individually and collectively to acheive the goals you put.

 

Elder Bell

 

I remember him =)

 

New Transfer, Same Place!!! :)

Monday, August 2, 2015


Hey Everyone!!

Still here in Los Andes with Elder Ottley. We are doing great! Well, that is a lie. Elder Ottley was sick this last week and is still recovering right now. He was in bed for 3 days so we didnt really have much going on this week. We both have some big plans for this transfer so we are hoping he can get better so we can make them happen! I am really greatful to be here with Elder Ottley though he keeps me young haha. No just kidding but we do laugh and joke alot which is necessary when you are serving a mission. Some times we just get too serious so getting a few jokes and giggles in help a lot. I wish I had more to share this week but really, being in the room for 3 days, you dont have a whole lot to share other than thinking about all the people you could be teaching and findng. But one thing I did learn this week was to serve. Yeah - we learn to serve one another when the other is sick. Getting him food, getting him blankets and helping him in anyway I could. It feels nice to serve others, to help someone in need. I sure hope all of you sometime this week can look for opportunities to serve those who need our help.

I love you all and hope to write more next week!!

Elder Bell

July...WOW, almost there.....

Monday, July 27, 2015>>>

Hola mis Amigos y Familia!!

Espero que todos ustedes estén felices está mañana y con una sonrisa muy grande! Estoy aquí en el Internet de nuestro obispo escribiéndoles muy contento. Mañana es el ultimo día del cambio y esperamos que tengamos mas tiempo aquí en el barrio Los Andes. Compartamos nuestra gigantografía con el consejo de barrio ayer con algunas dificultades pero estamos aquí para ayudar en cualquier aspecto necesario para ayudar el barrio a progresar. La obra es muy difícil acá pero estamos en buen espíritus y agradecidos por la oportunidad a servir El Señor en su obra maravillosa. Tuvimos un bautismo el fin de la semana pasada y estaba chevere! El jovencito esperó 6 meses por su permiso y por fin sus padres lo firmaron. Con el fin de cambio mañana en la noche, no sabemos si me voy o me quedo aquí pero esperamos que me quede acá. Tenemos mucho trabajo aquí y Élder Ottley es chevere también entonces, espero que me quede.

 

Siempre estoy agradecido por la apoya yo recibo aquí en la misión y el amor yo puedo sentir de todos ustedes. Gracias para todo!!

Les quiero siempre,

 

Élder Bell

Yep, it's really in spanish or at least Peruvian Spanish. Here is the translated version from Google Translate - really do not know if it is correct, still waiting for Cameron to help me :)

Hello my friends and family !!
I hope you all are happy this morning with a big smile! I'm here on the Internet from our bishop by writing very happy. Tomorrow is the last day of change and hope we will have more time here in the neighborhood of Los Andes. We share our giant poster with the ward council yesterday with some difficulties but we are here to help in any need to help the neighborhood to look forward. The work is very difficult here but we are in good spirits and grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord in his wonderful work. We had a baptism to last week and was Chevere! The boy waited six months for permission and his parents finally signed. To change tomorrow night, we do not know if I go or stay here but expect me to stay here. We have much work here and Elder Ottley is also Chevere then I hope it is me.
I am always grateful for the support I get here in the mission and I can feel the love all of you. Thanks for everything !!
We always want,
Elder Bell

Monday, July 20, 2015>>> Time Flies When you are Working HARD!!!

Wow!!! I cant believe we are almost to the end of another transfer. It was been a blast here with Elder Ottley. We have been able to make some HUGE changes in our ward in which we are working and we will see this next week if it pays off.

 

I feel like the biggest struggle in South America, not only Peru, is the newness of the Church and that everyone wants to do it in their own ways. We soon forget that this also happened in the times of Christ. The Apostles went around correcting the apostacy that was springing up after the death of Jesus Christ. Now I am no were near the importance of an Apostle of Jesus Christ but we are having some of the same problems here in our area. The ward is not functioning correctly as it should, or better put, The Church is not being ran as God has instructed us to run it. An analogy I will steal from the late Elder Neal Maxwell is that the members going dashing back and forth with fire extinguishers in times of flood. We have been invited to give a training next Sunday and to help the members learn how to do their callings. Obviously we can't teach every situation but that is the beauty of being set apart to recieve revelation for every calling in the Lords Church. We are all entitled, when living worthily and searching humbley, we can all improve and receive the revelation necessary for that moment.

 

I am really grateful for this calling, the ability to be here in Peru to help people learn theirs, and for the ability to learn and grow from every experience that I am given here in the mission. I love you all very much, but I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. I love you all and hope all is well back home. I am doing great and will write you all next week.

 

Con un abrazo,

 

Elder Bell

Monday, July 13, 2015>>> The Crazy Week of a Missionary....

 

 

Well this week was a crazy week, again! I swear all of our weeks are crazy out here. We had a lot of success here in the Ward and Stake this week, we had 6 meetings this week with ward and stake leaders that proved to be very effective and I know that we will begin to see progress in the work here both in the ward and with the missionaries.

 

As missionaries we see a lot of what goes on out in the trenches, usually a whole lot more than most members. This week, with a loving stake president, we were able to meet with him 3 times within the last 7 days and we were able to present all of our ideas and suggestions to the bishops of this stake. It was a meeting that NEVER happens here in Peru with the missionaries, and we were able to see a bunch of other ideas coming out under the influence of the Holy Ghost which I know will allow the work to progress, both with the wards and with the missionaries.

Also this week we were able to meet as Mission Leaders to talk about the problems that are coming out here in our mission. We learned that, obidence is not quite as important as it should be to many, and in turn, our missionary efforts are lacking. One thing I have learned on the mission, being perfect is imposible. Even when we try so hard, it is absolutely impossible. But there is a different between being obiendent and being perfect. What I have learned about obidence is this, when we do our part, we are reminded often of what we should, keep doing, and what we should avoid doing. When we submit our Wills to The Lord, we will constantly be reminded of what we should keep doing, like being patient, loving, humble, that we should listen more than we talk and follow the impressions of the Spirit, to know what to do next. Imperfect people still recieve revelation, but disobidient people do not.

 

I hope you all keep studying how we can all be more obidient to the things The Lord has asked us to and I promise you will see the reasons behind all of hem, both temporal and spiritual.

 

I love you all very much and will write again next week!

Elder Bell

Monday, July 6, 2015>>> The Visit of Elder Waddell

This past week we recieved a wonderful visit from the Area Presidency, Elder Waddell. Such a gentle giant, and really he is a giant, he is like 6 ft. 5 in. or something like that. I was able to have a personal interview with him last Sunday and he gave me some really good advice for what I am doing here in the mission and what to do throughout the rest of my life.

 

After that we also had a conference with him with all the missionaries. It was a really inspiring and motivating meeting and he has helped us to learn how to move forward with this work and to continue to help others recieve the blessings that the gospel of Jesus Christ really can and does bring into our lives when we follow the principles He has established for us.

 

 

I am still adjusting to the additional things a Zone Leader does here in this GIANT mission. Luckily, I am blessed right now with a seasoned Vet and am learning a ton. My companion is awesome, Elder Ottley from Idaho, he has the same drive as I do to help edify the Church here in the mission. There is a lot of apostasy here but we are helping the church leaders to read from their manuals and do the things that the church has been founded on and we are seeing more and more progression. It has been difficult to find people to teach lately but this past week we found 2 excellent investigators and we are planning on helping them get baptized the month of July.

 

 

Thank you all again for the wonderful support of going on a mission. It is a blessing I never expected to receive. I have learned so much and I have only just begun.....

 

 

Love,

 

 

Elder Bell

June Wonderful June........

Monday, June 22, 2015>>> New Transfer, New Attitude

Well I'm glad to be with you all this beautiful Monday morning. It has been an excellent week and hope you all had a wonderful Father´s Day. I spent Father´s Day in the Dedication of the Trujillo Temple. Which was sent to us here in Huancayo so we could watch it. I was thinking of the importance of the family and all that it means. The temple really helps us know and understand our purpose here on Earth with our families and the importance of making and keeping convenants with our First Father, Our Heavenly Father. I am just really grateful for both my dads, everything that they both have given me. First, for Heavenly Father allowing me to be a part of the family that I now have, and Second, my Dad here on Earth that has given me principles and direction to follow my dreams and desires.

 

In the mission we may be far away from our families, but here in the mission we also learn about how important it is to love our families and to cherish them as if they were finer than gold. I got lucky I know I did, for the family my first Father gave me here on this crazy Earth. All the things that I have learned and continue to learn from all of them even though I am be 3,500 miles away HAHA. Thank you all for your love and support. I love hearing from all of you every week and really hope that you all continue to remember the importance of our Fathers, both Temporal and Spiritual.

 

Til Next Week!!

Elder Bell

Monday, June 15, 2015>>> The Last Week of the Transfer

Well, here we are at the end of yet another transfer and it seems just like yesterday I was headed here to Peru. I am glad this transfer has come to an end needless to say. We have had some many headaches that it will be nice to either have a new zone or see a bunch of new people here in this zone if I am going to stay here. One of the many things I was able to learn this transfer was that about patience and trusting in the timing of the Lord. I have really been able to see that everything happens for a reason. We have experiences in life to help us prepare for the future or to even help another person who may at some point in their lives, pass through the same trial or hardship. I am thouroughly convinced that we are where for a reason. The people who surround us are there for a reason and this life we have with a difinitive purpose. I know this email isnt very long this week. I know just want you all to know that this work, is real. God exists and Satan exists, Angels of God are ministering in the mist of the fallen angels of Lucifer´s on this Earth and we are in the middle of this battle for our eternal salvation or our eternal destruction. But we are agents to choose which one we will follow. My question for all of you who may read this is, What are you doing to choose the right? Or what are you doing to choose the wrong? And, what should you do to correct your course to where you KNOW where you are going?

 

I hope you all have a wonderful week and are able to put these thoughts into your mind to see what it is you can do to improve your lives, and the lives that are around you.

 

Love you all, until next week from Peru,

 

Elder Bell

Monday, June 8, 2015>>> The Last Week of the Transfer...

 

 

Well this is the last week of the transfer and I have never been so happy for a transfer to end. It has been rough and I will be happy to see many changes in this Zone, I could even be one of them, who knows. I have learned and grown a lot this transfer. The responsiblities we have as Zone Leaders is a little different here than it is in other missions. But I am grateful for the responsibility and the ability to help teach the other missionaries too. This week we will be doing a traning on how to become an active missionary and not be a passive missionary. The best example of this is Peter in the New Testament. He goes from walking on water to drowning for the lack of faith, to denying the Christ three times, then after the resurrection, casting out demoins, raising the dead and testifying to his death in Rome, Italy. I can't believe how much I have learned out here on the mission. It has been incredible and I am so glad I still have a ton of time left to keep learning and grow into becoming a new and better person than I was before!!

 

There really weren't any cool stories from this week other than Elder John came and did divisions with me, he is an assistant right now. He is a great guy. Definitely made a new friend in one night it was crazy. I didn't really know him before the other night but he is a great guy and I was able to learn a lot from him.

 

I hope you all have a great week and hopefully next week I have a better story for you all.

 

Take care!!

Elder Bell

Monday, June 1, 2015>>> The Craziest Week of my Life!!



Well, I dont even know where to begin! This week has definitely thrown me for a loop. We had so many good experiences this week but a whole lot of things to do for the Zone. We weren't the most productive missionaries this week but I was very blessed with some very interesting and important spiritual experiences. A lot of times in the church we say that "We know this is true" but do we really KNOW.. I can now say that I do KNOW with a surety that it is true. That I have the power of God here on the Earth in the Priesthood. That the Book of Mormon is true and that we have a Prophet today to lead and guide us to where we want to go after this life. To be honest before the mission, I had a few experiences that made me believe more and more that it was true. But I now know, I know, I know, I know. that it is true. That God lives. That Jesus is the Christ. It is such a great feeling KNOWING these things. When we know these things we have no fear, we have no doubts of whether or not a priesthood blessing will really work, we have no fear of the "other" side of things. I know God exists, I know that Satan exists, and he is real and everywhere and wants nothing other than for us to be miserable. I have seen it with my own eyes. I know without a doubt, that I am where I need to be and that this work really changes lives. I dont have much more to say other than I am so grateful for the experiences that I have been given and for the experiences yet to come in the future. Thank you all for the motivation and inspiration I recieve from you every week. It is always useful and very very timely. I know there is a reason for everything. :)

 

Thank you all a ton for everything,

 

Love, Elder Bell