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

Catching up is hard to do.........May

Monday, May 25, 2015>>> Hello Family and Friends

 

 

Well another week bites the dust and I am sure glad that week is over!! WHEW! What a hectic week we had. I think a lot of it has to do with learning and adding in all the new responsibilities that come with being a Zone Leader but needless to say. We have a fresh new week ahead of us and we are doing to all we can to make it awesome!

This past week we had our Multi Zone Conference with President Henderson and we were able to learn many good things to start applying now that I know will really help us progress in the Work of the Lord. Something I have began applying here in the mission is something I read in a Liahona article. It is titled "Opening the Heavens" by Yoshihiko Kikuchi. It talks about having a daily devotional with our Heavenly Father. I would recommend everyone to read it! Here in the mission things can get stressful. Especially when you understand we are talking about the Salvation of every one of the Sons and Daughters of our Heavenly Father. Something that I have learned, is that when you supplicate yourselves before God, in a humble and sincere prayer, you can really start to feel that you are not talking to a wall or a bed, but really you are talking to some one who is listening more intently than anyone ever could here on Earth. It is something that has helped me through the lowest of lows and propels me through my highest of highs. In moments of crisis we seem to want to just give up and move on to something else. But, what if we are talking about giving up on life? There is no "something else" to move on to. Be Here. Right Now and in the Moment. Get on your knees and pray to the one being that is perfect. That will respond without biase, but only with love and compassion for the things we are doing, and the things we are yet to do and to become. A scripture that I absolutely love and has also been a great help for me here in the mission where everyone loves to worship their idols and drink until they pee their pants in the street is found in Doctrine and Covenants 64:33-34. If we are obedient to the commandments of The Lord, we will lay a firm foundation for all of us, to prosper in our days and the days of our children and childrens childrens.

 

 

I love you all so very much. I pray for you all in your times of need and times of excellence and I hope you all enjoy your memorial week :)

 Hahaha, it's emails like this that I know that T has not lost his sense of humor ;) love this kid so very much and am so very proud of him and his journey!!!!

 

Elder Bell

 

 

Monday, May 18, 2015>>> Week one as a Zone Leader in the Los Andes Zone ‏      

 

     

 

Well...I can tell you right now- I have never been so tired in my mission. We run around like chickens with our heads cut off some times. And then when we finally crawl into bed at night, it is never long enough.

 

Now with that being said, I love being able to teach other missionaries how to improve as missionaries and as people too. We had our "Consejo" last week which is when all the Zone Leaders in the entire mission come together to talk and recieve training to give to all the other missionaries. This is something I truly love. It is such a great feeling when you can teach through the power of the Spirit. I remember this Saturday teaching and just being able to speak freely and through the Spirit and I KNOW the other missionaries were able to understand and FEEL what it was I was trying to get through to them. It was a really great training needless to say ;)

 

It was also great to be able to talk to my family this past week. As missionaries we get a little nervous to do that because we dont want to lose focus on the work we are doing. I know that it was great to see my family though and to talk face to face to them (with the help of Skype) and ask questions and laugh and joke about a lot of different things.

 

Right now the work we have in our area is kinda in the dumps. But this week it has greatly improved and we can see people getting baptized this transfer. We are really excited and have fasted a whole bunch to be able to find the people that we need to find and we have been blessed with the ability to find them through our acts of Faith.

 

I know that as we pray to the Lord to recieve guidance in what we should do, We do recieve the necessary answers to our questions, but only when we LISTEN. Listening is something I am really improving on here in the mission, I am sure my parents will be glad to hear that finally but it is true. It has increased dramatically!

 

I am so grateful for all the opportunities that I have been given and I have been able to grow and learn so much during the first 9 months of my mission. I am so excited to see what the remaining 15 months has!! Love you all talk to you next week!

Elder Bell

 

 

 

Monday, May 11, 2015>>> First week as Zone Leader

 

 

 

Well,

 

 

The first week as a Zone Leader was pretty crappy. We werent able to find a whole bunch of people to teach and it was a little discouraging. Anway, it was great to get to talk to my family and my mom and grandparents this Sunday. It was great to see everyone is doing good and are healthy!! I dont have much to share this week because I shared it all yesterday but, this week we will be going to a mission leader conference tomorrow, where we will talk about things that are going on in our zones and how we can help the missionaries become more efficient. Then we get to eat something made by Sister Henderson and some real American food like KFC or Pizza Hut or Popeyes chicken. I am way excited for that. Hoping to enjoy some good food tomorrow and then go off and play some soccer for like 4 hours. It will be fun. I am really excited to have this opportunity to serve and help everyone here in Peru. Missionaries, members and just everyone else that we come into contact with!!

Love you all and hope you take care!!

Elder Bell

ANOTHER CRAZY WEEK!!!

Well I dont have much time. I am really excited to call home next week and see how my family is doing. I know they are good but it is always nice to see them with my own eyes.

 

This week went by quickly and our numbers were pretty pathetic. But today I recieved a call from President Henderson and am being made a Zone Leader here in the same Zone of Los Andes.

When he called I felt pretty sad. I actually started crying afterward a little not going to lie. I really wanted to see the success in this area. We have 10 baptism for this month and I wanted to be a part of every one of them. But as a missionary, with a little knowledge, I know that that doesn't happen everytime. Also that for me, if I am able to help someone progress even a little in the gospel. I did what I was suppose to do as a missionary. As missionaries we INVITE people to make changes, we can not force them. We have many who have accepted the invitaction and I will surely miss helping them progress. But being called to another position in the mission is part of the mission and part of this life. Therefore, I know that The Lord needs me in a different place and that it is where I need to be RIGHT NOW.

 

I hope you all hug and kiss your mothers this week and truly let them know how special they are. I know I am the luckiest kid on Earth because my mom is by far the BEST :) Everyone else is a close 2nd but my mom is #1!!! (Yes, this made Mom cry a LOT :) love and miss my Missionary)

 

Love you all and have a blessed and safe week with your families!

Elder Bell

 

CONGRATULATIONS ELDER BELL on becoming a Zone Leader - Super Proud of YOU!!!!

 

UPDATES!!! UPDATES!!! UPDATES!!!

The person in charge of Taylor's Blog (mom) has been very busy and is very sorry for taking so long to update this for the month of April, There has been a lot of avitivity for Elder Bell and he is doing great!!!! Enjoy the updates and again I am sorry for being so slow this month..........scroll to the bottom to start with his update from 3/30/15, photos to follow soon :)

 

WELL WHERE DO I START WITH THIS WEEK??? (4/27/15)

 

It started off weird, the first thing that happend was we went up to Ingenio where there is a Trout hatchery, and we ate a bunch of fish. Really we went up there because Mike, our investigator from the States worked up there. So when we got there we found him pretty drunk. I was a little discouraged but wasnt judging him. He ended up losing his job that day.... He was pretty upset. We were able to talk to him when he was sober and he actually went to church with us this past Sunday! He has been searching for a very long time for an answer to his many questions about God, and he told us yesterday that he thinks he has found his answer to one of them. He has been reading a lot in the Book of Mormon, and he says it is helping him understand what he needs to do to repent and get over this guilt that he has for the things he has done. I know that it is helping him a ton.

 

Another thing that happened this week. We have a less active member who is such a great lady. She has two young kids and lives with her partner. Anyway, one day she told us that she didnt want to live there anymore and she was being verbally abused by her partner and his son. That she was a worthless peice of garbag and that his ex-wife was way better than she is, etc. Anyway, we counciled her to pray to God for an answer of what it is she should do. The next day in the morning when we were getting dressed, we recieved a phone call from her saying she needed help. I was really worried, so we went down stairs from our apartment and asked the Relief Society President to go with us to her house. This less active member had hurt her back during the week and it was hard for her to walk. She asked us to take her to the Health Center that they have here in San Jeronimo so she could get looked at by a doctor. Anyway we went to her house and her Partner answered the door as if nothing was wrong. We told him we had come to help THEM go to the Health Center to have her looked at. He told us, after we had helped her down the stairs, that he was too busy, he needed to feed his animals and that his wife is ALWAYS sick and he doesnt have time for her whining...... I was just in a state of shock of what I was hearing. We tried explaining to him the importance of her having her husband by her side and always helping one another in their times of need, he wasnt having any of it. He went inside and left us all standing outside just baffled at what we had heard. Then the Relief Society President said she couldnt take care of the two little ones and that they should stay there with their dad... The little boy, about 4 years old started to cry hysterically saying, "NO PAPA MALO PAPA MALO!!" Which means, dad is bad or mean... I could help by start crying because my heart litterally ached for this whole family. The mom wasnt getting the support she deserved from her spouse, the children were afraid to be alone with their father, And here were two missionaries that couldnt do anything to fix this situation. We then help our less active member go to the Center and get looked at. We bought her a juice and crackers as she waited for the results and we went back to the house and prayed that she would be able to have the strength to take her two kids to a safer place where they arent scared of anyone.

 

This is only one of the few experiences I have had while on my mission that has helped me realize, how good I have it at home, how awesome my family is and how grateful I am to have the parents and siblings that I have. I sure hope you all can look at your families with a new perspective, that the family literally is ordained of God for all of us to grow and help one another in their trials and sicknesses. I have learned so much about the family in just this one week it has been awesome! But my heart does ache for those people who do not have the families that they deserve to have, like the family of this less active and her two little children.

 

I love you all so much. Take care this week. Remember to love all, but especially your family and the people you hold dear to your heart!

 

Love you all so much,

Elder Bell

 

 

WHAT A WEEK THIS REALLY WAS!! (4/20/15)

 

First off, We thought this week would be better because I wasnt sick anymore and that we would be able to work really really hard this week. Then we found out my companion would be going to Lima for 3 days to finish up his paperwork and become legal here in Peru. I guess that is important. (Not that important in the States but I guess I am in Peru right) SO I was a little discouraged trying to find a member to acompany me through these three days. It was absolutely impossible. And it was looking like we weren't going to have work in our area for 3 days. Then, Elder Ochoa called me, an Assistant to the President, and said he would be coming to do divisions with us the day before Elder Jimenez left for Lima. I was relieved!! But, he had no idea he would be staying with me for 3 days. I am EXTREMELY grateful that he was able to come with me for 3 days. I can honestly say that in those 3 days, I learned more from him than I did in 3 months of my training. As sad as that is, it is true. He taught me how to REALLY study and to search for meaningful questions. It was something I truly needed and had been looking for the previous week. Luckily for me my prayers were answered.

 

The next thing I would like to share with you all is this. Right now we have a GRINGO investigator. Crazy right? In the middle of freakin Peru of all places, there is a gringo that speaks English. Today we are giong to teach him for the first time. He is the ex army ranger and has done some crazy stuff in his life to say the least. But the thing we are going to focus on, is that he feels he is out of the reach of the Grace of Jesus Christ. For the past few days I have been studying and trying to find an answer. And I did find one. NO ONE, I repeat, NO ONE is out of the reach of the Grace and Mercy that Jesus Christ can give us. Through his atoning sacrifice, We can all recieve his grace and be cleansed through his blood. BUT, we must have the faith in him that 1) He exists and 2) that he really can help us with our needs. Through the faith we have in Him we start the process of repentance. Something that Mike doesnt quite understand yet. But that is why we missionaries are here. To help people build their faith unto repentance and then be cleansed through the ordinances of Baptism and Recieving the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

 

I am really grateful that of all people to be in San Jeronimo at this time, I am here to do my best to help him get rid of the guilt and anger that he has for the things he has done. But not only him, all the investigators that we have. (15 new investigators this week! Heck ya!) It is a process that takes time, but with patience, diligence and faith. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

 

Thank you all for the support you give me. I love you all very much and am grateful that I have you all back home!!

 

Elder Bell

 

 

 

WELL THIE WEEK WAS KINDA KRUDY. (4/13/15)

 

 

I was sick monday night until Thursday morning. I had a nice little stomach bug. Never threw up but definitely felt like straight up crap. I was stuck in our room for those days so it was nice to finally get out and do some work. My companion and I get along very well. I am really glad to have him especially after the last one. On Saturday night there was a party just outside of our Pensions house and their was a band there (like always here in Peru) with their trumpets and drums and their weird made up instruments. Anyway, We were standing in the little store of our pension just dancing away HAHA the husband of our pension is going to try and send the videos they took of us doing our crazy dances. This week really wasnt as productive as I would have liked but we learned alot and were able to have some good times after being sick. We have some really awesome investigators right now, Maribel and Amanda. We share our lesson with them last night in the dark... because the lights went out in the ENTIRE city. Which was interesting definitely. Things always happen here that I never thought would, like teaching a lesson by candle light but most of it in the pitch dark. Just such a different experience Peru is haha.

 

Nothing more from this past week it really was uneventful so I hope you all stay safe and have a good one. Til next week!!

Elder Bell

 

 

HAPPY EASTER!! (4/6/15)

 

 

Hello everyone!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and a wonderful Easter Sunday. Saturday night, after the Priesthood session of General Confrence, Elder Jimenez and I were lucky enough to spend the night at the home of the Assistants. Were I was able to taste a little bit of Sister Hendersons, baked potatoe soup, (Which was absoultely heavenly) and to talk and laugh with the 4 assistants here in our mission. The following morning was Easter Sunday, I quickly got dressed and went down stairs and began reading the final few chapters of Matthew, that describe the Last Supper, the betrayal of Judas, and the suffering of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane and on The Cross. But most importantly, is his Resurrection. How can we know that such a thing actually happened? Well, it is amazingly simple, but yet, so deep and profound. How do we know that when we go to sleep at night, that we will awake the next day? Or the car we are traveling in to go to work or the grocery store will start? I can sum it all up in one word... ok two, Faith and Prayer. What is it that Jesus did in the Garden? He PRAYED unto his father, and again on the cross he prayed for the very people who had crucified him.

 

Having faith is not easy. saying a prayer is. In this life we are here to learn our purpose, magnify it and help others to search and fulfill their own purposes in this life. This life is not easy. Nor was it meant to be. The one perfect person who lived in this world, was beaten, spit upon and murdered. But through all the pain and sufferings and namecalling, he still had atleast two things, Faith, and Prayer. As a missionary, we go through many similar situations that Christ went through, the name calling, the being spit upon, and the countless hours and tears spent on our knees for those we only met yesterday. But if Christ can go through his life, suffering and being made as if a joke, I can continue to knock on doors and ask people to come unto the only perfect person this world has ever seen. And they like us, can be perfected in him, and return to their Heavenly Father after this long and hard and difficult road we have traveled.

 

I am so very grateful for the many blessings in my life, like my family, the gospel and my friends. I have everything I need to return with my family to live with that one being that gave us life, Because he lived, died and rose from the dead, I am assured that I will to, with my family and all those that I truly love and will come to love. He lives, I testify that he lives, I see his works and miracles here in Peru and I have seen them in my life back home. I am so grateful to be a part of this work to help other people and in the process grow to become what God needs me to be here on the Earth.

 

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

Elder Bell

 

 

 

 

 

WHAAT A WEEK!!!! (3/30/15)

 

 

Well, first off I just want to say, this has been one CRAZY weeek!! First off, our transfers were delayed one day, I was a little upset to say the least but I made it through that rough transfer!

 

Second, this is a bit longer, about 3 weeks ago I had a dream, Elder Fawson, then an assitant to the President, came to me and said that I was going to be training this transfer. I told him No way, I am not ready for such a responisbility, I dont know if i can do it! He insisted again, Elder Bell you are going to train this transfer. When last Monday came and went and I didnt recieve a call from the mission President I thought well, maybe some other tranfer right? We came to find out Tuesday that there was a nasty landslide over the highway from Huancayo to Lima. So the missionaries that were coming in didn't have a pass to get through. They didnt end up getting here until Thursday most of them. Anyway, Wednesday afternoon, I recieved a phone call from President Henderson asking me I would train this transfer. I almost crapped my pants not going to lie. For the first time in my mission, I actually remembered a dream that I had had. And here it was coming true right in front of my eyes. So yes... I am now a DADDY!! I have a son, Elder Jimenez, he is from Chile. Such a crazy week right?

 

So I am training this transfer.... Such a responsibility. I didnt recieve the training I had hoped for, so I really hope that I am able to help Elder Jimenez start this thing off right and be a successful missionary.

 

We have had a bunch of success this past week too. We have 6 investigators with dates for baptism this coming 25th of April and are hoping that all of them continue with their committments and learn more and start to love the gospel like I do. I know that everything is possible. I also know that we can recieve little tid bits of revelation apparently too!! Such a cool experience.

 

I have been able to think alot about the family this past week. We have a couple that have 2 kids that are preparing their marriage for the 25th and then after we will do their baptisms the same day! We have really been able to focus and think about them and how we can help their ENTIRE family with the gospel. It really is simple. When we apply the teachings of Christ in our lifes and in our families we will have more happiness and more fun times with each individual of our families.

 

This coming weekend we get to listen to the prophet and apostols speak to us and I hope you all are as excited as I am to listen!! i know we will be recieving some needed guidance in our lives and if we listen and apply we will be able to feel the happiness that God wants us to have here in this life.

 

I love you all, I sent some photos of the zoo, and today of our activity as a district. We went to a Catholic Cathedral that was really old, really all they did was talk about the first "Father" that was there, and how the missionaries were killed by the Incas, that isn't really the history I learned in school, it was really the other way around, but it was a cool place to go and visit none the less.

 

Love you all and I will write again next week!

 

Elder Bell

What a Roller Coaster...........

Monday March 23, 2015

 

 

Well this week has been up and down. It started out hot. Just rolling with a ton of lessons and people to talk to. We even found the one and only GRINGO that lives here in San Jeronimo. He is from Georgia. Served as an Army Ranger for a good chunk of his life. Did 5 tours in Iraq, Afganistan and Kosivo. He has lived here for 5 years and is just working as a security guy for the mines down here. Seems to be a really cool guy. It is really weird to talk about the Gospel in English down here. I had to ask the Office if we had Books of Mormon in English and the Pamphlets to give him in English. I dont even know if we have those!! Haha. Anyway, he was raised Southern Baptist, go figure being from Georgia, and his Dad was a Marine, so he has had Military in his life for quite some time. He said he loves it down here it is just really calm and no drama. Unlike the states haha. We are going to start teaching him this Tuesday. We will take it slow with him, he said that he "Lost his faith long ago". I am sure he has seen some really wicked and awful things being an Army Ranger. But I know that once someone has faith, they can never completely lose it. We can lose faith in Mankind, because we are all carnal and human and make some really bad mistakes, but God in not the Mastermind behind war and murder and killiings. We have opposition in all things. But it is through God and Jesus Christ, that we can rest from our heavy burdens and miseries we have seen in our days and we can look forward to the day we ALL will be welcomed into the presence of our great Eternal God and our Older Brother who suffered for us. I am so grateful for that knowledge that I have learned and obtained here in the mission.

 

 

Thank you all for the support and love!!

Elder Bell

 

 

 

Monday March 16, 2015

 

 

Well,

 

This week is the last full week of this transfer. I am extremely grateful this transfer has gone by fast. It has been nothing other than a really really rough transfer. I have found that little quote book to help me get through though. I have found good scriptures and I have just studied way way hard as my companion has slept. This past week we found many new investigators but one that we are really excited about. She is the sister of a member here in Concepcion and she is very very catholic. BUT she has committed to a baptismal date of April 25th. Hope that we are able to share with her the Gospel Truths and she can come to know that the book of Mormon is true as well. I know that you all think time goes by slow but it seems to be zooming by down here I want it to slow down. The days feel like minutes. It is unreal. But i am just going to keep working hard to become the person God wants me to become. If we can become the people God has intended us to become, We will be able to live a more abundant life and be able to influence many many people along the way. That is what I am trying to do here and I hape you all have the opportunites back home to change someones life. Not only to HAVE the opportunity, but SEARCH and PRAY for the opportunites. Thank you all for the amazing support you give me. Some times my weeks depend on it :) Especially this trasnfer!!

 

 

Love you all!

Elder Bell

 

 

 

Monday March 9, 2015

 

 

So this week was really good! We found a whole bunch of new investigators and people who really have a desire to learn. The only problem is, my comp is lazy and doesnt study for our lessons, so I try to teach the majority of it, and everytime he jumps in he takes us to a different part of the lesson and they become confused. Frustrating I tell you Frustrating! But I am definitely learning to be more patient. I have almost bit a hole in my lower lip... just kidding.. Anyway, the work is difficult here, everyone loves their Idols and Images and dont think it is against one of the 10 commandments to worship their idols.. Anyway. I am working hard to be patient with them too. Because I know that the Holy Ghost can work through me if I demonstrate and am actually here to love the people to death. Although hard at times, I do manage to shed a few tears here and there in our lessons. I know that God has called me here for a reason. And I am still learning why here and why now. But I am grateful for the opportunity to serve. I was searching through our room the other day and I came across this book called, "The missionary's little quote book". It has some really good quotes. Many about patience too!! LOL... One that I want to share with all of you that has really stuck out to me is this one, that you can find in the Doctrine and Covenants, it says, "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." It has helped me realize that this in the mission, yes it is designed to go out and share the gospel with all those we come into contact with, but also, we are building the foundation of ourselves. Anything that is worthwhile takes time, one quote from Elder Holland says this, "The baking of lifes best cakes takes time, so dont burn your lips with impatience." Something I definitely needed to learn right here and right now, is patience. I am thankful for the lessons I have learned thus far and will continue to learn through out my mission and throughout my life. It makes life such a wonderful journey when we can see the hand of God in all the things that we do.

 

I love you all and hope You will continue to build your foundations of your great work, which is yourselfs.

 

Elder Bellddddddddd

This week, in Concepcion

Well,

This week has been pretty boring not going to lie. I have been dragging my comp around with me a lot this week. But that is ok, He needs to remember that he is still a missionary for 3 more months. We have found some really cool families that we will begin teaching this coming week.

 

We are still living in Concepcion. We will be moving the middle of March now. We will live above our Relief Society President. They are a really great family. She is such a rockstar. She goes out with us like every day to find new people to teach she has really helped us get planted in San Jeronimo.

 

We had an intersting experience with a Jehovah Witness last night. We explained very thouroughly that Jehovah, IS Jesus Christ only in the Earth... She was beyond confused for over an hour. Finally, she understood it, but pride got in the way and she said, Well, Jehovah is still my God no matter what you say and the scriptures say.... I just chuckled a little and said ok, and wished her luck. I am just so glad to know that I KNOW who Christ is, and that he is real and can help us with whatever we need help with.

 

A talk I downloaded last week by Elder Holland called, "However Long and Hard the Road" Has really helped me with the struggles I have faced this transfer thus far. He basically says that, No great acheivement has ever been accomplished wi

thout hard work and determination. I have directly applyed that to me right now and It has helped a lot. If you all have a chance listen to it and see how it can help you in your lives.

The picutres I sent home this week, are of our pension, who was a professional chef before she retired, and two stickers, which apparently describe my face when the sister missionaries see me walking behind my companion hahaha.... I am seriously trying the best I can, but it is very difficult at times.

 

 

I love you all and hope you are doing well. Keep on keepin on and I will talk to you next week!!

Elder Bell OUT!

 

 

I have added some of Taylor's email from last week:

 

"Well I wish I could say that I had as wonderful of a week as you guys did. My companion is very very lazy. Usually he sleeps in until about 8 oclock and doesnt even study in the mornings. Then when we go out and teach he does all the talking for 3 minutes and teaches the entire lesson. I just want to kill him. I sent an intersting email to presdient today. So we will see what happens. It is really frustrating when you want to help people and then your companion just comes in like godzilla and destroys everything. It happens in almost every lesson. I dont know if I can have the patience I need to have with him for 6 weeks.

The room we wanted to rent, was going to be a problem because it was furnished. So we asked the guy if he had a place to put the furniture. He said no. So I went and asked President at our mulit zone conference this past week and he said we could use his stuff for the time being. When I went back to talk to the land lord. He was a COMPLETE JERK and told us he didnt want to rent to us anymore. Which would have been fine if we had other options in the city. We dont so for now. We are staying in Concepcion. We have had EVERY active member that lives in San Jeronimo searching for a room with no luck. It has been stressful and frustrating this past week. We will just say I spent a lot of time on my knees asking for forgiveness for the anger and frustration that I have had this past week. I am really hoping that things pick up this week. I am not even going to look for a room this week. All we are going to do is WORK WORK WORK!! And hopefully through our dedication this week something will pop up. If not, then frankly I just dont care :)

 

 

I have a few pictures to send home of our multi zone that we had this last week. Glad to be in a new area with new missionaries. I always love meeting now missionaries and getting to know them. I hope everyone is doing well back home and I am always praying for each and every one of you!

Love

Elder Bell"