Hey everyone!
It has been a pretty eventful week here in the office. Monday was President Solis' last Preparation Day with the whole mission. We went to this nice grass field place and played soccer with the five zones around Piura. It was a pretty long day for President, I'm sure, because he played with us in the morning and then drove south to Chiclayo in the afternoon to play soccer with the missionaries there. I wanted to go…access denied. So that was Monday, the rest of us spent the day working. Tuesday was way busy too, because we were getting EVERYTHING ready for the changing of presidents on Wednesday. There were a lot of people running in and out of the office and office apartment - and now my iPod with all my church music is gone. I know, I know - I should have secured it after the whole camera fiasco. (Sigh.) Anyway, such is life. Wednesday morning consisted of more running around doing last minute chores up until President Chipman got off the plane at 2:00 pm. The office missionaries went to the airport with Pres. Solis to pick him up. It was cool to be present for that. The two presidents spent the whole afternoon together, doing…who knows what – probably explaining all the top secret mission stuff. And that night we went to the airport again to send off President Solis. Most of the missionaries in the Piura area came to see him off. It was kinda cool. He was signing Book of Mormons like Michael Jordan signs basketballs. I didn't think to bring mine…just like the little kid who sat in the corner crying cause he forgot his basketball.
When President Solis was walking down the terminal all the missionaries sang, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." You could tell he tried to not cry, but he did a bit, and I was expecting a lot more water works from Hermana Solis, but she just cried a bit. I figure they waited till they got on the plane. Anyway, it was cool – and now President Chipman has the reigns. He is AWESOME. I'm sure the mission will be in excellent hands for the next three years. He has a very calm, gentle, humble way about him – very down to earth, always cracking jokes. Really good guy. And he is definitely excited to be here.
Our zone leaders organized on a talent show for the Miraflores Stake. I was impressed when I showed up. It was very well organized. But, when I got there they told me that there weren't many acts, so they asked me to play something on the guitar. I didn't really know what I could play on the spot, without preparation, but I decided I could play my own rendition to, "I'll follow you into the dark," by Deathcab for Cutie. I'm pretty comfortable with that one. So, I asked President Chipman: "…Uh, President, the zone leaders have asked that I participate in the show – but the only song I feel comfortable playing without practicing is in English, and is not spiritual song. Are you okay with that?" He looked at me and said, "Well Elder, this IS a talent show," and with a little pat on the knee he said: "Go get 'em." So I played it, and it went pretty well. Thinking back, it's the first time I remember ever playing guitar solo in front of a large crowd. There was a pretty good number of people, 150 or so, pretty impressive for a church activity here. So it was cool, and when I finished the song everyone started clapping and chanting, "otra, otra, otra!" (Translated: another or encore.) Haha, made me feel GREAT – but it was getting late so we didn't have time for me to do another. (Always leave 'em wanting more.) But it was cool to be able to do that.
My Spanish has definitely gotten a ton better. How good? Well, (and this is pretty funny), on President Chipman's second day here, he walked into the office and - by this time he hadn't really talked to me much - he began speaking to me in Spanish, saying: "So you must be the elder from Chimbote" (city north of Lima). Yes, that's right, he thought I was a native South American missionary. I laughed and said: "Nope, I'm American." (While I wrote that exchange in English, it was in Spanish, which he thought to be my primary language.) So, I must have made quite the first impression with my Spanish for President Chipman to think I was a native (especially since I don't have any Latin blood in me - just that good ol' sweet Royal olive skin). We went out and visited with a few people, less actives, and a few other contacts. there is one family that I contacted a couple weeks ago that seemed pretty solid, interested, but nothing has happened yet. So we went there and the parents sent their son out to turn us down, using the kids, pssh...but I got the kid to find his older sisters so we could talk to someone. We ended up finding them...se llaman uh...Claudilla and Marilena - so we taught them and two of their other friends, Jose and Victoria. It was short because it wasn't the best atmosphere, but Claudilla and Marilena seemed pretty cool, and committed to attend church. We actually had three investigators attend church - which was pretty cool - but not the teenagers (because they had a conflict this week). But, we are going back to teach their entire family this week. I am excited about that. Also, we met again with the bishop again after church and gained a bit more confidence with him after telling him who we have taught and who came to church. things are looking up. The bishop is an interesting guy. He is pretty quick to attack sometimes, and I think every time I have talked to him he has jumped on us pretty quick for this or that - just a big immediate slap in the face. He said today that he was going to come into the office later to meet with Pres. Chipman about getting regular sister missionaries in the ward. That would be great, but I don't see that happening. Once I told him more about what we are doing he said: "Well it sounds like things are actually improving with the missionaries here. I have definitely seen a change lately. How about we assign four ward missionaries to help you, and I won't talk to the president about getting regular missionaries." So, it's getting better. The other problem now is...well...us. I love going out, especially now because I can talk and do more - but it's presently challenging to find another missionary who is so willing, or excited about teaching. Let me explain without using specific names (to protect the innocent). One of the office missionaries is, for all intents and purposes, a mute. You would think he doesn't speak Spanish or English. He just says almost nothing - ever. It's tough going out with him. Another new missionary here is very awkward socially. And those two should probably never go out together. Now, there is Elder Huanilo who is awesome, and I love going out with him. He is very willing to do whatever he is asked. But, he is leaving the office on Tuesday. Elder Calderon and I don't really go out together, because we are the only ones that really talk - so we have to kind of split with the non-talkers. Regardless, we are charged with the responsibility to be faithful, to magnify our talents for the purpose of bringing souls to Christ. And, who knows, perhaps we are here in part to help love, teach, and even more firmly convert our office non-talkers? So, we need to be always doing our very best to serve the Lord. Then, through our faithfulness, we qualify for His spirit and blessings. I hope to always be faithful in life and have the means to promote and build that kind of faith within the hearts of others.
That is very sad about Brother Gubler's passing. Very shocking. I am so sorry to hear about that. I feel so badly for the Gubler family. Please pass along my deepest sympathies to them, and my assurance that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that temple blessings are real, and that families are forever. Where would we be without that knowledge? I just do not know how I could deal with death otherwise.
I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your trip to Georgia, and that Jordan had a great experience at Junior Olympics. Tell him I am a tad jealous. (Yes, there can be extra blessings when you are the youngest child. I would have LOVED to do that trip and have that experience. Tell Jordan he needs to be very grateful for that.) I am so glad you guys got to go to Dad's first mission area in Vidalia, GA, attend church and see some people he taught and worked with there. That must be very cool, returning to your mission 30 or so years later - especially to see so many who are still stalwarts in the gospel (Alma 17:2-3). I am anxious to hear details about all that.
In closing, I am very happy to be here as a missionary of the Lord. It's not always easy, but I know that the struggles make me better. I try everyday to become better. I see things in me that I know need fixing, and I focus on really trying to improve myself to become the person/missionary that my Savior wants me to be. We live this life once, for an unknown period of time, so we have to do it right - to give Heavenly Father all we have, every ounce of our souls, setting aside all our personal ambitions/agendas. One time frame that I do know for sure is my time as a Special Witness of Christ, being set apart as a full time missionary. I get two years - and that's it. My one year anniversary is next week, and I feel I have done well - but not great. I want to be great, a great servant of God, which means I have to improve. I don't want to have any regrets about what I could have done better during my two years as a missionary. I want to give it all I've got and leave nothing behind – and to do that I have to constantly improve myself. I know I can do it, because the gospel of Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to better ourselves each day, and become more and more like Him. The Church is absolutely true. Know it, live it, love it, and never take it for granted. Finally, I am grateful for the Atonement and repentance, for it gives us all to immediately right our path, and follow Christ, who is always waiting to welcome us with open arms. Hope you had a Happy Fourth of July. Have a great week. I love you all.
Elder Hey Peru You've Got Talent Royal
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