One of My Best CCM (Peru MTC) Decisions

October 15, 2014

YO YO YO!!!!

Holy smokes time is seriously flying by here.  It honestly feels like I just got here yesterday.  We were talking the other day about that and how we really don´t want to leave, even though we sometimes claim to hate it here.  I really do love Peru sooooo much.  The people here make it the best.  Really though Latinos make this place the best.  It isn´t like America, all of them are really genuinely nice people.  They all care about you so much, even on the bus. Today I had a really old man on the bus, probably a member, offer me his seat.  Not that I took it but like seriously that would never happen in America?

Last P-day I asked some of the guys if they wanted to go sit with some of the Latino elders.  We were all a little scared to, considering how much Spanish that we don´t know.  But we thought that it couldn´t hurt if we just tried to be their friends.  That was one of the best decisions that I have made thus far in the CCM.  I mostly talked to one specific Latino named Elder Fuentez.  He is my FAVORITE.  I learned so much about him during dinner time.  He has 9 brothers and sisters - 10 kids total.  He is 26 years old and has been working construction for 12 years to help support his family and pay for a mission.  I got to know him a little better and continued to sit with him.  At one point I noticed that he wasn´t wearing a garment top.  That made me a little concerned.  I didn't know if he just honestly didn't have enough money for enough to last him through the week or what.  I asked him if he had been to the temple and he said no but that he would get to go in 5 days.  I found out that his family literally has nothing.  He showed me a picture of their house and 6 members of his family.  We were up in my room with the pictures and I asked him where the rest of him family was.  I got really teary eyed when told me that his parents split up 8 years ago when his dad got baptized.  All he wants is for him mom to talk to him and support him on his mission.  The night before he got to go to the temple I thought how selfish it would be if I didn´t help him out.  I asked him to come into my room and I just sat him down and told him my family had a gift for him.  It was only enough soles to buy all his garments but I could tell it meant the world to him.  He gave me a huge hug and told me his family was forever grateful to mine.  I love him.

So, on Sunday morning I was down in our class room getting ready to go to Sacrament Meeting when Elder Harris walks in the room and asks for my talk.  We all have to write a talk in Spanish and then they call up 4 random elders and sisters to give their talks.  I totally spaced it on Saturday and forgot to write one.  I explained that to Elder Harris and he said that I really needed to have one.  I thought that I would be fine and told him that.  He said that I really needed to at least have something.  So I sat there and busted out a pretty darn good talk on the Book of Mormon.  It was surprisingly really really good.  We get into Sacrament Meeting and while the Sacrament was being blessed and passed I just picked up my talk and went over it.  Really didn´t know why because the odds are that I wouldn't get called up, right? WRONG!!!!  Got called up and my whole district just starts laughing.  They weren´t laughing when I came to sit down because my talk was the BOMB!!!  I talked about how it is so important that we use the Book of Mormon in converting people come unto Jesus.

We had a video to watch later that day and I fell asleep and started snoring it is seriously the weirdest thing because I never snored before the mission.  I think that the Lord is trying to humiliate me out of sleeping.  That night we had a testimony thing where we all shared our conversion story.  Like when we really knew the church was true.  It really brought us together as a district.  I really do love all those guys.

I showed all the Latinos my picture and the were all in love. ♥♥♥  They were going crazy over the pictures of Lace and Molly.

The picture Elder George has of Molly

The picture Elder George has of Lace

 They asked me how I came from the same family because I was ugly.  They all also wonder why Sierra likes me, I just laughed it off.

Prom with Sierra and Gabe (aka Elder George)

 They love white girls!!!!  After they were all done I looked through all my pictures and noticed a few were missing.  I went into the Latinos room.  One of them was holding the picture of Molly.  Another was holding the picture of Lace.  And another was holding one of the picture from prom night.   They all thought that they were so funny.

It is CRAZY to think that next time I e-mail I will be out in the field.  I don´t feel ready or worthy of the great message that I get to share.  I have grown to love the gospel so very much.  I am ready to help others come unto Christ.

Here is a random page from my planner.

Breakfast 645-730
Personal study 730-815
Language class 830-930
Choching missionary study 930-10
Teaching investigator 10-11
More language class 11-12
LUNCH!!!!! 12-1245
Tall (Mormon rosetta stone) 1-2
Physical activity 2-3
Shower and get ready time 3-330
Additional study 330-430
Grammatical instruction 445-6
Dinner 6-645
Practice teaching in Spanish 645-8
Teaching investigators 8-9
Planning 9-930
Prepare for bed 930-1015
Quiet Dignity time 1015-1030
Lights out 1030

By the time I go to bed my brain is fried every night.  I feel like my head is going to explode.  I HATE Spanish by the end of the night.  But the next morning I just want to go to class and learn a ton more.

Love
Elder George