Hey hey hey!
This last week was awesome. Mostly because it was Branch Conference here, and President Chipman came to town with his wife and the assistants. That made life really good. They showed up Friday afternoon and have been with us ever since. This week we spent most of our time looking for the members and trying to get people excited about the conference.
Saturday and Sunday were the most significant days. We started in the morning having our personal interviews with President. It was my last interview with him in the field. My last interview will be in about two weeks with the rest of the missionaries that are going home. After our interviews we went to the Chacha plaza together with the six missionaries and President and Hermana Chipman. She took out her violin and started playing (probably something never seen here in this town) and that attracted quite a bit of people, and the rest of us, including president, talked with whoever walked by and invited them to the conference. We went walking around through Chacha for a bit like that and it was really cool. Saturday afternoon I had the chance to proselyte with just me and President Chipman. That was AWESOME. We went to Lucero’s home, who is supposed to be getting baptized in two weeks, but is kind of struggling right now with her husband who is a bit more opposed to the whole thing now after being very neutral in the past. President talked with her husband, but not about the baptism. It was very relaxed about his work and other things, and then he indirectly taught about the beauty of a gospel based family. I have never felt that same spirit in their home as I did that day. President offered a prayer at the end and it was really powerful – Lucero was crying and you could tell her husband was fighting tears as well. IT was a sweet experience. We visited a few menos activos after that, and they were all great experiences as well.
Saturday night we had an activity in the church focused on the spirit of the hymns. We sang the favorite hymns of the people in the congregation and President played the piano while Hermana played her violin. We watched “Only a Stonecutter” which is a great video for those who haven’t seen about perseverance and fulfilling callings. It was a great activity. Sunday morning went very well, also. We started with separated classes, the women with the Hermana, and the men with the President…and we were with the Primary. Hooray! We had a general session as well and we have never had so many people there, and it was very nice. President and Hermana both gave excellent talks and expressed their love for everyone, how the members here are pioneers. And they really are, the Church is only about six years old here and they are all converts within that time. This place will be big someday.
We had a baptism after the conference. It was Jobita (pronounced with an H), an older lady who is very frail and was waiting for over three months to have her interview with President to be able to baptize her. We all drove down to the river and had to find a spot that was not moving quickly but still deep enough. It was pretty interesting, as we had to carry most of the people over a small part of the river to put them on a island to be able to get to the spot. We carried Jobita to the spot and had two elders in the water with her. It was a great success and no one got hurt – and I didn’t even fall over or in the water helping women and children cross the river. Go me.
We just got back from Kuelap, the Machu Pichu of Northern Peru. We went with all eight of us. It was cool, but I am tired and car sick. While I enjoyed going a second time, it was not as exciting as the first time. Still cool, though. They are headed back to Piura tomorrow as we continue working here in Chacha. So with two weeks left we are going to see what we can do. I just realized that Mom and Dad will be here in 12 days!! Wow! I bet they are pretty trunky! (Ha.) I am so happy to still be here, “grinding it out” as Whitney once told me, and will finish strong here. By the way, Whitney and Brad, I got your package this week. Thanks! It was awesome. Thanks Whitney for writing that note and thanks Brad for not even writing your name on it. I sent two or three letters off a bit ago, for the fam and responding to Tia’s birthday letter. I thought it would be there by now but I found out the office elders are slacking and haven’t even sent them yet. So hopefully they get there before I do. (Ha.) President Davie!!! Thanks for your letter. I really appreciated it. Everyone, the Church is true, the Book of Mormon is true. I know that (in part) because I visited the Gadiaton Robbers’ hideout today. Seriously. That’s what we have all decided. Kuelap equals Gadiaton. ;0) Have fun everyone!
Elder "Giant Gummy Bear" Royal
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