Address

Mailing Address:
Elder Gabriel George
Peru Cusco Mission
Av. de la Cultura 2417
Frente de Urb. Santa Ursula
Capilla Mormona
Cusco, Peru

E-mail
gabriel.george@myldsmail.net



Monday, November 16, 2015

Great Companion, Hard Work, and Miracles!

November 16, 2015

Okay, okay, okay!  Here goes!  I have made a promise to myself and to everybody else that I will be a better letter writer because you all deserve it and I deserve it also!!  I mean, these things are the only things that ya'll get from me for two years!!  Like dang, I have really been letting you down!!  So here goes!!  I am going to finish strong!

"My favorite member!  Evelyn!!!"
This week has been pretty dang good!!  We are working SOOOOO HARD!!!  Like, really, really, hard!  Sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day!!  We end up eating dinner in the room at 9:30.  I guess that you could call it dinner - bread with juice isn't exactly what you would call dinner over there.  But hey, it is all we got.  Haha.

Anyhow, Tuesday was a really good day.  We found new people to teach that I just love!!  You know the last three transfers I haven't really seen any miracles happening in this sector.  So we (me and Elder Leyton) promised each other that we were going to do our part and leave the rest in the Lord's hands.  We got a referral from somebody and they said that it would be a really good idea to visit this family.  So we had been doing everything in our power to get in contact with these people.  Their names are Walter and Mari.  We finally got a hold of them and set up an appointment for Tuesday night!  We went and they weren't at their house!!!!  NOOOOO!!!!!  A real bummer!  So we called them and they told us to wait 10 minutes and they would be there!  We waited for what felt like forever and they finally got there.  We started the lesson - we usually just use the first lesson to get to know them.  Well, come to find out that Walter is a tour guide and has had some really cool people as clients.  Cool people as in, Dallin H. Oaks, D. Todd Christofferson, and 2 of President Monson's personal secretaries.  These types of cool people.  They are just a family really prepared to hear the gospel!!!  He has also read all of the Book of Mormon!!!  So we invited them to be baptized right then and there!!  They said that they would when they know that everything is true!!!  So that was the highlight of my week!!

We worked really hard on Wednesday and Thursday but didn't teach one single lesson - just a whole bunch of contacts in the street!!

Funny story!!!  On Thursday night we got home and were really tired but we planned. Not the best planning session that we have ever had.  Haha!  I mean we were REALLY tired!!  After planning we both took off our shirts and sat on our beds talking.  We don't know that happened next because at 3:38 (in the morning) I woke up and the light was still on and we were both still in our church pants. So that was really funny to have to wake him up and change clothes and get in bed at 4 in the morning.  Haha!!

Friday we found a less active family!!  There names are Samuel and Mary!!  They are a really awesome family with 3 children none of which are baptized (the children that is).   Samuel recently had a operation done on......oh boy don't remember where, but he is having a hard time recovering. When we showed up he was really happy.  He told us that he has been seeing lots of elder in the street, that he has been seeing the name of the church everywhere, and he thinks that is it time that he and his wife start going to church again with their kids!!!

Elders George and Leyton! ♥♥
So yes we are seeing the Lord's hand again in the work here in our little sector!!  There is really nothing better that could happen to me!!  I really am on cloud 9!!  I love my little companion.  He is opening up a little bit!  We really are best friends, we get along sooo well and we are always laughing!  We just love each other!!

So there is my week!  That is about all I've got for you guys this week.  I am sure that I will have more and better stories in the coming weeks!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DAD AND LULA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love
Elder George

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

A Good Week and My Shy Companion

November 9, 2015

Howdy!!

Hello my family and my friends!!  This week has been the craziest week of my whole life really!!  So y'all got the news last week that I was going to be training and all the jazz!!! I had a bunch of training this week with president so that is always good!!  He is such a good man!  I really do look up to him.

So I am staying here in Picchu for 2 more changes!!  That is crazy and it means that I will stay in this place until the beginning of February almost!!  That is crazy!!!  I came here at the middle of MAY!!  I will be here almost 8 months and then I will have a change to the last sector of the mission!!  But ya, let's not talk about that because I still have a lot of time left to serve the Lord!!  Lucky me right!?!

This is crazy.  I feel like I am just getting the hang of things and now I get to train someone else to preach the gospel which is the most important message of the whole world!!  His name is Elder Leyton.   He is from LaPaz Bolivia and he is 19 years old.  He got baptized 3 years ago with his whole family.  He has one younger brother and one younger sister.  He is really, really, really, really, really, really, shy and quiet!!  That is something that is a little hard for me.  It is pretty hard to get to know him and to help him.  He is a really good guy but he just won't talk.  Not to me or in lessons - nothing!  Haha!  That is something that we are working on together!  But other than that there really is nothing to tell you guys.

This week we got a few lessons in that were just really awesome.  We started teaching someone named Juan Carlos.  The elders have taught him in the past.  His siblings are members and so that is how we know him.  He is a good kid.  He is 19 years old and a little crazy.  He likes to party and he likes the girls.  That is something that we are working on.  We taught the Restoration and it went sooooooo well.  He was crying and the spirit was just soooo strong.  I started crying when I was telling him about the first vision.  I know, not very manly, but it was just an awesome lesson!!!  He will hopefully get baptized in the coming weeks.  I will keep you posted.

I love you all and miss you a ton.  Take Care!

Elder George

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

I'm TRAINING!!!!!

November 2, 2015

How are you all doing this fine week?  I am doing really, really, well.  This week was a very long 7 days!  Hahaha.

My companion was trunky - like out of his head truky and kind of made me a little trunky too.  It was truly just a very long interesting week!!!!!  We really didn't work too much but yeah what new there?
I really don't know what else I could have done differently.

My Zone at Cristo Blanco
However, we had a really good experience as a zone on Saturday night.  There are 4 people from our zone that are going home so we all went up to Cristo Blanco.  It was just really spiritual.  It was also really kind of sad too.  It is a weird feeling.  You become good friends with so many people and then they just leave you.  And you will probably never see them ever again in your whole life.  Just a very sad deal right?  However, I am really glad that God has given me the opportunity to get to know so many good people that have changed my life forever.  That is the majority of the people I have been blessed to meet!  They are really cool I have found friends that I will have for the rest of my life.  Anyhow, we went up there, and then we sang God Be With You Till We Meet Again.  It was really fun, and sad, and just good!!!
The sister next to me will be training also.  My companion is headed home.  The other Sister is headed home because of medical problems.

♥♥I  LOVE  LITTLE  KIDS!!!!!!♥♥

That is all that happened this week!!  Take Care!!

My letters are going to be getting better because me and my son (that what you call the missionary that you are going to train) are going to work real hard!

So yes I am training!!!!  WOOOHOOOOO!!!

Love Elder George

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Short Sweet and A Couple Pictures

August 31, 2015

Howdy!!!

Well family and friends this had been a good week for Elder George!!  Things are getting better in our sector!!  We are finding new people and we are starting to understand how to work together better!!
"My friends in Peru"
 

"Good times at Family Home Evening."  They do something with
markers on their faces.  When I blow this up bigger he is not the only one
with a marked up face!

This is going to be a kinda short letter because I have lots of things to do.

But we are finding new people and Jonathan is starting to progress!!  He came to our talent show and played Guitar with Elder Salvatierra!!  We also did a number, us, and the sisters!!  It turned out really awesome!!  I played piano and Elder Salvatierra played Guitar.  The sisters sang I Know Heavenly Father Loves Me!!!  It was a really good note to end on.  something really spiritual!!  You will have to wait until I get home to watch the video because I cant send it home!!!

But we are working harder and things are getting better!!!  I love you all and hope that you are doing good!!!

Love Elder George

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

The Confidence of a Loving Heavenly Father

August 24, 2015

How are you all doing my friends?  Slowly things are getting better!!  But it is still a little discouraging!!  I am just trying to be me and to love him.  If I can learn to love him, he can learn to love me for who I am too.  But really!!  No?  I felt like I have been a different person to please other people latley, what an idiot I am!!!  I know hahah!!!

Tuesday was alright!  We didn´t get too much done because I was trying to get things oganized for a little District thing.  I had an interview with one of the investigators of the sisters, and it was one of my most favorite interview I have had on the mission.  It was really special.  I relized in that interview how much confidence our Heavenly Father really has in us - his missionaries.  He allows a 19 year old, snot nosed, kid from Idaho, help determine if somebody is ready for baptism. That is a stinking lot of confidence, no?

Wednesday we went out working in the morning and that was pretty dang fun.  I think that it was one of the first times that we have actually talked wile walking down the street.  It helped a lot.  People could see that we were happy and our contacts went a lot better.  We were even able to enter a house of some guy we were talking to.  I don´t think this man will ever get baptized but I know that we planted a seed.  He will remember that visit all his life.  He will remember how he felt the spirit, it is something that nobody can deny.  When you feel him talking to you, you just know that it is him.  You can deny that you felt something, but that won´t do you any good.  You should just admit that you felt the spirit and get baptized hahah!!!

Thursday we helped our leaders of the zone with an activity in their ward the whole day.  It was kind of fun, but at the same time I kinda felt like it was a waste of our time.  Before that we played marbles with Carla, her brother, and her aunt that we have been teaching.  It is a game that is definitely from South America but it was really fun!!  I lost - but it was really fun.  I mean what can you expect?  I am playing with all Latinos, and they have played this game their whole lives.  But I am getting better!!!
Elder George LOVES the children!

Friday we stopped by one of our investigators house named Jonathan!  He is 19 years old and he is AWESOME!  He loves music and plays guitar really well.  He also plays the drums!!!  I suck at the drums!!!  But it is always fun to visit him.  Before we start we play  guitar, piano, and drums all together.  It is always a good way to gain confidence, trust, and have a little fun.  One of the member visited with us and was kind of mad that we played for 5 minutes before the lesson.  I just asked him if he thought that Jesus never had fun while he was here on the earth.  He just said
"Tiene razón."  (Google translate says "He's right.")  I WIN!!!  Hahaha!

Saturday was one of his lazy days and we didn't do too much but I got some good reading in.  I love the sciptures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"When I get really bored I take some MAD selfies!!!!"
Sunday we met a less active youth in our ward, well not really youth, he is 20 years old.  But he came up to us and said he wants to serve a mission.  He is the best.  His name is Julio Cesas.  So our goal is to help him get out in the mission. He is going to come on visits with us and we are going to learn together!!  That is something that I would tell all the youth to do - go out with the missionaries.  We would be so much more prepared and be able to help other so much better!!!

That is about all I have for you!!

I love you all!!

Love Elder George

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

12 More Weeks

August 17, 2015

Well to start off this week has been really hard.  He started his last 12 weeks.  The first and last 12 weeks are a big deal.  That was news to me but I guess that is how it is.  He has been saying to everybody that he only has 12 weeks left and now he is saying to me, "Can you believe that I only have 11 weeks left.  Yes, yes, yes I can.

Tuesday I was reading in Isaiah for a few hours and only read a like 15 verses.  I was thinking about how not only do we need to read the scriptuces but we need to study the scriptures and we need to search the scriptures.  If we can learn this we will grow to love the scriptures and we will not miss one day of scripture study!!!

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday were all the same a LOT, LOT, LOT, LOT, of reading scriptures and talks from the brethren in Salt Lake.

Friday was the same too.  Hahaha.  I am looking at my planner like "Wow we didn't do anything this week."  Hahaha.  It really isn't funny - it is really sad but what can I do?  Not too much, continue to show my love.

Saturday we planned our next ward activity and it should be really good.  We are going to do a Talent show.  That is pretty dang cool for Peru,  As missionaryies we can do things that are spiritual so I think that we will put something together that is pretty good - we will see.

Sorry that this week there isn't that much to report.  I will try to do better next week.

Love you all
Elder George

Monday, August 10, 2015

Transfers, Transfers, Transfers


August 10, 2015

Hello hello hello!!  There is something avçbout saying the same thing 3 time in a row.  I don´t know what it is but I like it haha!!!  What can you say, I am kind of a weird dude!!!

This week was good.  First off there were transfers today!!  I am staying here in Picchu with my companion.  At first I was really worried for myself when I saw that one of us didn´t have a change.  You all know that the past 6 weeks have been rough for me.  After about 5 minutes I could feel the spirit in my life and I know that this is where I need to be and he is who I need to be with for the next 6 weeks.  I don´t know the reason yet.  But there is a reason and I will press forward with faith!!!

Tuesday was AWESOME!!!  We had our multi-zone caference with president and his wife (Sometimes you gotta be a little sneaky and find pictures of the same thing on someone else's blog and just abscond with the pictures they have.  Most of these pictures come to you in that fashion.  Elder George did send a few and I will make note of those)
President and Sister Harbertson


Elder George is really in this picture! I was so excited when I
saw him sitting on the ground level clear in the back leaning
against the wall!!!
There he is again wearing his Skyline Golf  sweatshirt!!
So Beautiful!!
and with one other zone.  But this milti zone was different - it was outside!!  It was outside in our street clothes.  It was really fun.  We were put into teams and we were asked to build a box with noodles and marshmallows that could hold up 5 oranges.  I was the team leader and we finished first and our box was the strongest out of the 6 boxes!!
This is the one that he sent.  Sister Johnson on the far
left writes the blog with Elder Johnson that I stole the
other pictures from.
 That is what I am talking about.  It was probably because my team was united and we comunicated!!  That´s what's up!!!

Wednesday my canpanion was really tired from the day before and I read a lot.  I decided that I am going to read Isaiah.  It is really interesting.  If you read in 3rd Nefi, (I always smile when a little Spanish creeps in) you will see that the Savior says that the words that we need to understand are the words of Isaiah.  They contain everything that we need to know for our salvation.  The only problem is that I have been studing every day for at least an hour and haven´t even made it to the second chapter hahahaha.  You have to work for your salvation!!!!!!!!  Not easy folks to understand this book!!

Thursday we did a service project that took up the whole morning.  People here in Peru just love painting.  They don´t care if it is a really good job or not they just like it when their house is freshly painted.  They know that we work for free, so they just call up the elders, and we come, and paint their house for free.   They like free and freshly painted!!  What more could you ask for really!!!
Thank you Sister Rhoades (discovered her name from Sister
Johnson's blog) for making no-bake cookies and sharing with
Elder George!
Friday was a day for the books.  Probably the hardest that we have work this whole change.  We visited a few investigaors and had 3 lessons (that is pretty dang good for us).  We visited a new investigator named Lurdus.  She is a single mom and is really awesome.  One thing that I really like about teaching her is that she undestands what we are teaching.  Some of the lower educated people here don´t understand, but she understands, and follows through with her commitments!!

Saturday we had Stake Conference so we were in meetings all day and same with Sunday!!  But all in all is was a really good week we are finding new people and slowly, but surely, improving!!

I love you all have a great week!!

Love Elder George!!!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Go a Little Further Than We Think We Can = Blessing

August 3, 2015

Let me just tell you all something, I love teaching English to the kids here - it is a total....hoot!!!  Hahaha, but really, it is so much fun!!! They are so cute and it is just really, really, fun for me!!!

This week was okay.  Sometimes I get discouraged with the appointments falling through and the investigators not coming to church or keeping their commitments.  But what is new?  That is the mission, right?  And it says in Preach My Gospel that you can be sad, but don't let that keep you from working.  So for now I will just be a little sad!!

This week was a hard week for my comp.  He hit 22 months and he got TRUNKY!!  Yeah 22 months, was all he could say.  I am sure that when I hit 22 months I will be happy, but, I will never stop working.  I will work until my very last day.  My very last minute.  I will serve for the full 24 months.  But ANYWAYS.......yeah!!

Tuesday was a sad day for Elder George.  I had worked so hard to get a appointment for every hour of the day on Tuesday and I was really, really, excited for this day.  But something went wrong and we didn't teach one person.  We walked around for 7 hours without a single lesson!!!  Those are really hard days.  You just feel like Satan is really working on you and you just have to gut through the day without much to enjoy - the whole day.

Wednesday he got mad at me because we had walked all day the day before and he refused to leave the room, hahaha.  Lucky me right!!!!

Thursday every thing was made right!!  We found a few new people to teach.  We found a couple that we have fix our ripped pants.  That happens more than it should hahaha!!  But we contacted them and they shut their shop and let us teach them right then.  It was miracle.  Everything had been going bad. We just need to go a little further and that is when we are blessed - when we go just a little bit further than we think that we can.

Friday and Saturday were the same we walked a lot and then he would get tired and we would go back to the room.  But Sundays are always good because we have to work!!  It is the day for the Lord, so that usually gets him to work, if I say that hahah!!!

Anyways that was my week nothing too special!

Love Elder George

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

"Neighbors, My Pig Laid an Egg!"

July 27, 2015

Howdy!!!

Hello friends and family!!  How are you all?  I sure do miss you but things really are getting better here in Peru!!  I have seen the hand of the Lord so much in my life this week and am happy and proud of the progress that I have personally made in the mission.  There is nothing more satisfying than reaching one of your goals that you had for your mission.

My good friend Elder Salvatierra is improving.  This week we just had a sit down talk and it was so perfect anybody could have felt the spirit that was there.   I thank the heavens that the spirit was there because without the spirit that conversation would have turned out a lot different.

Tuesday we had our talk and that is when things started to get better.  The whole day Tuesday was about the same as always.  I studied the whole day and I have been praying this whole transfer to know what to say and when to say it.  It is really hard to have a talk like we did, and I was honestly a little scared to talk to him about it.  But I had questions come to my mind that I know were from the holy ghost.  With some of these questions he really opened up to me and ever since that day things have been getting better.  Things are not perfect but they are getting better and that is all that I need right now.  I am not wanting perfection just improvement.

Wednesday we had an appointment with the Cucharro family.  I love them - they are investigators.  They are 4 siblings.  We are not teaching the parents but the kids are really progressing.  We had a family home evening that was really fun.  When we play games, there is always a loser.  Usually I am one of the losers.  Considering that all of our games have to do with tongue twisters and that I am talking in my 2nd language that really isn't a surprise.  But it is fun.  There are a few punishments that they can choose for me to do and for some reason they really like it when I go out the door and yell  "Neighbors, my pig laid an egg!"  They really like that here, I don't even know how many times I have yelled that here in Peru, more than 15 hahahaha!!!

Thursday we had a mission conference with Elder Uceda.  He is in the 70 and is amazing.  He is one of my favorite General Authorities.  He talked with us a lot about repentance and how many people think of  repentance as something bad or like a punishment.  But he said something really cool, "Repentance is a principle of perfection,"  think about that for a few.  I just really like that phrase.  It is kind of simple but really powerful.  We have to repent to become perfect.  I don't have time to write that much about it but it was amazing.

Friday we had a really rough day. We walked a lot but we didn't teach one person, but that is the mission some days.  Some are good, some like today and others just different haha.  There is no such things as a bad day in the mission.  Just different.

Saturday the zone leaders came and had divisions with me.  We went to Calca because I had another interview for a baptism and the elders there are going to have.  That pretty much took up the whole day, an hour and a half there and the hour and a half back but what can you do.  I have no money because I have to go to Calca so much so I am one poor missionary haha.  Like there are missionaries, poor missionaries, and then there are district leaders who have to travel to interview missionaries haha!!!

Sundays are always nice to just feel the spirit real strong in your life.  I have learned to really love going to church and participation in the Sacrament.  We contacted a lady that Is SOOOOOO ready for baptism yesterday, so that is good.  We have an appointment this week so we will see how it goes!!!

That is about all for this week, if you want to hear about anything in specific throw my a question at the end of your email and I will try to get back to you!!

Love you and am praying for you too!!

Love Elder George

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

A TON - - The Word of the Day

July 21, 2015

This week was a good week!!  Well, if you compare it with the past two weeks, it was good, haha!!  But here we are.  I am learning a ton in the process and that it what it is all about.  If I can change and become a better person, learn to love, this companionship will be a success.

Tuesday, I went on changes with the elders in my district.  They live almost 2 hours away in a little village, but this is one of the prettiest little towns I have ever seen.  It is so calm and everybody is more open to listen to the gospel.  We were walking back from breakfast and somebody pulled over their mototaxi (look it up)
I looked it up this is a random picture from the internet!
and just told us to get in and that he wanted us to teach his family.  Elder Jeffery was a little scared but I told him that we should just go!!!  It was awesome!!  We invited them to be baptized in the first visit and they are going to get baptized next month!!

Wednesday we gave service the whole day!! We try to not do that too often, just service and no knocking doors but it is a form of missionary work also!!  So that is all we did the whole day!!

Thursday, my comp was tired from the service and so I read Jesus the Christ.  That book is really awesome.  I have learned so much about Jesus and his life and it has helped my testimony grow a ton.  I am also reading the Bible dictionary.  That has helped me understand the Bible a ton.  Like a TON!!  Sounds really nerdy I know but if you want to understand the Bible better read the Bible dictionary first - it helps a ton!!

Friday and Saturday were about the same as Thursday and I read a lot.

Sundays are always a good day for me.  A day in which I can feel close to the spirit.  We don't have a temple to go to so I just try to feel the spirit as much as I can during Sacrament meeting.  Sounds weird, I know, but if we have a righteous desire the Lord can do anything,

Love you all to the moon and back!!

Love Elder George


Tuesday, July 14, 2015

A Girl Gave Me Flowers♥♥♥

July 14, 2015

Well here we are again, one week less that I have in the mission.  It is weird that the more time you have in the mission the more valuable that the time becomes.  You start to say things like, "one day less in the mission" instead of "one day more in the mission."  Well that is if you really understand why you came on a mission.  You start to pray with my love.  You change.  This week was a....week.  What can I say?

Monday we played soccer.  That is what you do in a mission in South America.  Every P-day.  All day for P-day - soccer.
Selfies can be so disturbing.  

Tuesday, we had a goal to find 6 new investigators this week.  So I reminded my companion that we had that goal, and in order to reach our goal, we would have to work pretty dang hard.  So that is what we did...for a few hours.  After a few hours of contacting and such, he was tired and wanted to sleep a little bit more.  I was very thankful for the time he had given and wasn't up for fighting, and so I gave in, and we headed back to the room where I was able to finish the Book of Mormon for the second time in Spanish.  Well yeah, I also read in Alma where they lay down their weapons of war in the ground.  I thought a lot about how we can apply this story to our lives.  We have to do the same with our sins.  We have to bury them really, really, deep in the earth and promise God that we will never take them out.  That is a real repentance. That is how we can become the people that God wants us to become.  Okay, that was really random but, it was something that I really liked from my studies this week.

Wednesday we had a lesson with a investigator that we dont visit that much because he really doesn't want to progress.  He is not willing to do the things that he needs to do.  His wife is a member that is coming back to the chirch. We are basically just his friends. That is what he thinks, so we explained that we are here for a much bigger purpose.  We are here to help people make covenants.  He didn't like that very much, but it is something that you have to do as a missionary, help others understand why you are here.

Thursday we went to the birthday party of a member and ended up staying there practically the whole day.  I was talking to all the people who were not members that where there while my companion was being a Latino and dancing, haha.  We have a few new people to teach this week because of the party and my comp got his dancing in for the week.

Friday I was running around the whole day doing things for the district and trying to get everything ready for zone conference with Elder Black.  He is the other district leader in the zone and we have to teach about unity in zone conference today.  So we spent most of the day planning together.

Calca Peru - I looked it up! ;)
Saturday we went to Calca (look it up online it is beautiful) for an interview.  It is always so sad when you interview someone and they are not ready for baptism.  You have to explain that they just need a little more time to prepare for this covenant.  But you can see the spirit working within them, and when you can help them understand how important it is that they don't just get baptized to be baptized, it is a really special experience if you ask me.  There are not that many people who get to give a baptismal interview.  We have the last say if they get baptized or not.  That is a pretty big responsibility.


Yeah I got flowers from a girl in the mission!
Sunday we went on divisions with a few of the members .  That is always something that I like to do.  You learn a lot about yourself and the member.  It was a good time to just talk and learn.

Nothing too exciting this week maybe I will have something a little different next week!!!

Love you all and know that I am praying for you all!!!

Love Elder George

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

I ♥ AMERICA!! ♥♥

July 6, 2015

"God bless the USA"!!!  I love the 4th.  It is my favorite holiday for sure, but, it is not quite the same here in Peru.  Well, in fact, it really isn't a holiday at all, but oh well, you know.

This week was really LAME!!!  So this Email will also be really lame.  Sorry in advance.

Tuesday I waited for my new companion to get here.  All day I literally did nothing.  Just waited.  Well actually, I got a lot of reading done in Jesus the Christ and finished it this week.  It is a really interesting book.  My companion got here at 5 in the evening and his name is Elder Salvatierra.  He is going home in 4 months and is not afraid to just tell someone that, "Ya I am going home."  He is TRUNKY - - is what I am saying.  He doesn't really want to work and so I have that on my plate now.

Wednesday all the District Leaders had a training with President Harbertson and I learned so much.  I can really tell that he is a man called of God.  He has helped me grow so much spiritually.  I will forever be indebted to that man.

Thursday, Friaday, and Saturday were all the same.  I got the opportunity to study the whole day.  I seem to get the chance a lot more as of late.  My companion likes to sleep the whole day.  I feel pretty trapped but I will continue to set an example and be the most obeident that I can.

I know that this Christ's church on earth today.  I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his son Jesus Christ.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true, that through the teaching in that book we can become the type of people that God wants us to be.  I know that we can live with God and our families forever.  I know that through prayer we can talk with God.  I know that He answers our prayers.  I know that Christ is my Savior and that through his atonement I can be cleaned from my sins.  I love this gospel and I love this work.  I love my Savior.

Keep sending prayers my way.  I am praying for you guys always!

Much love,
Elder George

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Transfers - YUCK! President Uchtdorf - AMAZING! Carla's Baptism - PERFECT!

June 29, 2015

This was a quick one liner that he wrote to me before he wrote his "long" letter.  I am so very thankful that he was able to have Elder Alen.  It is so much fun to be a missionary when you love your companion as a friend!

I HATE transfers!!!  I don't get one more change with Elder Alen!!!!!:(
Elders Alen and George
This is his "long" letter.  I devour every word every week.  I love this young man and will be eternally grateful that Father chose me to be his "Mommy"!!!

I hate transfers!!!!!!  Really though I don't know what it is but I will be receiving my 6th companion and this is only my 7th transfer in the field field.  That gives me time for my training and then after my two changes with my trainer one companion every change!!!  It is a little disheartening but everything passes for a reason!!  I am going to have like 15 companions at this rate hahahaha!!  That is a lot!!!  Everybody says that if you had lots of companions you were either a really good missionary or a really bad missionary well let's all hope that I am the good missionary right!! ;)

This week was a little crazy.  Whenever you have a baptism your week is a little crazy.  You have to run around all week making sure that everybody is going to be there and that everything is all in place.  Everything is a little more disorganized here so we have a little more work than missionaries in the great old USA!!!!!!  I love the USA by the way!!!! :)

Okay, so basically Tuesday we walked around like......people walking lots!!  We went to the president of every organization in the ward to try to get as many people to the baptism as we could.  There wasn't anybody in their house so we didn't get to teach one lesson.  Those days are a little discouraging but I don't let it get to me!!!  But there was a little miracle in the lives of Elder Alen and Elder George.  Last Monday we were told that we wouldn't be allowed to be in the same building as
President Uchtdorf.  HOW DUMB!!!  We had to go to our building and watch it through satilite transmition.  POOP!!!!!  But we have a lot of very touristy sites in our area and we had been joking that he would be in our area and that we would see him.  Funny joke, no?  Well our little joke turned to reality!!!!!!  We were walking to one of our appointments when we had to cross the Plaza de Armas!!!
Plaza de Armas Cuzco Peru  (compliment of  the internet)
 IT was packed!!  (You can look up pictures on the internet of the Plaza de Armas in Cuzco.)  And as we turned the corner, there he was he said "ELDERS!!!  How are you?"  I talked with him for about 1 minute while my companion stood there in shock!!  IT WAS SOOOOOOO AMAZING!!!!!!  Just a little side note for those not of our faith.  President Uchtdorf is the second counselor to President Monson who is the prophet.  For us it is like meeting Peter, James, or John, apostles of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  So for our Elder George this was a great experience.

Wednesday was the same as Tuesday!!  Lots of walking - you guys should see my legs, talk about defined muscles!!!  HAHAHA but really it is the truth!!

Thursday was a good day.  We were able to find a few new investigators and that is always really good.  Sometimes it is really hard to find new people to teach in this mission but when you work hard the Lord blesses you with people to teach!!  Her name is Jenet and she has two kids.  Sometimes you can't talk about husbands here because for the most part they are drunks and leave their wives for someone else and so that is kind of  a touchy subject here.  All I know is that there is no father in the home.  Okay that is always really sad for me!!  Anywasy (There it is!!  ANYWASY!! Haha!) I think that she will progress and that she will be a faithful member of the church!

We will fast forward to Saturday because that was the best day of the week!!  We were at the church most of the day cleaning and getting everything ready!  We had our baptism at 6 in the afternoon and everything was PERFECT!!!
Elder George, his sweet Carla, and Elder Alen
There was proabably 30 or 40 people there and they were all there to support Carla.  She was soo happy.  We had been heating up the water for about 2 hours and my companion said, "It's good Elder George."  So I went and turned it off.  I baptized Carla and I went into the water first!!!  It was freezing cold!!!  Poor little Carla!!  But she said, "I don't care Elder George lets do this!"  Afterwards her dad bore his testimony.  He isn't a member - it was really sweet.  I think that he will get baptized too.  After that was the party of the Relief Society.  It was really fun.  They didn't have any string to hang up the piñata so they asked Elder George to stand on a chair and hold it!!!  I will send pictures next week.  They are some funny pictures!!!
The human pinata holder!

Well there is my week!!!!  Love you all and hope that you all had a good week!!!!!


Elder George

Monday, June 22, 2015

Sickness and Priesthood Blessings, Temple Dedication, and President Uchtdorf IS IN CUSCO!!!!!

June 22, 2015

Elders George, Alen (the shortest  one in front),
three other elders, and some people who this elder loves!!
Hello, hello, hello!!!  Well here goes our last week before the changes.  Weird stuff!  The changes really do go by so, so, so, fast.  Six weeks has me a little confused and all but what can I do about it, NOTHING!!!  Well, I will just keep working and not let the time get to my head.  Really though it is weird stuff - time!!

This week I got really, really, sick.  Probably more sick than I have ever been in my entire life!!  Monday I was a little sick to my stomach but that is normal and I didn't really give it much attention.  However, Tuesday and Wednesday were really rough for me.  My whole body hurt and I couldn't really move.  The zone leaders came over to our house on Wednesday and told me that if I didn't get better then I would have to go to the doctor on Thursday.  That is something that I really don´t want- - to be in a hospital outside of the USA.  The hospitals are different and kind of gross.  So I had to get better!!!!!!
Elders George and Alen and to be honest I don't know who - - someone
Elder George loves.♥
There was no option.  Then I thought of a priesthood blessing.  We called our word mission leader and he came right over.  My little companion gave me one of the best blessing for health that I have ever received in my whole life.  I was better in no time and we were able to work that night.  I have a strong testimony of the power of the priesthood and the power of God here on earth!!

Thursday we had interviews with President and that is always a really fun experience.  President Harbertson is someone that I believe was put into my life for a reason.  I have learned so very much from him and I know that I will continue to learn more from him through the coming year!  We had a really awesome lesson with one of our less actives.  She has been less active/active.  She will come every now and again but is not even close to active.  Her name is Jenny.  I really like sharing the message of the restoration with less actives.  I like it because they know.  They know that it is true, sometimes they just need help remembering.  She said "Elders, I know that it is true.  I just am not doing what I should."  Hopefully we can help her come back to what she knows is the truth.
Elders Alen and George and once again someone I am sure
Elder George loves!

Friday we couldn't really work too hard because I had to do a bunch of stuff for the district and was running around all day like a headless chicken trying to get everything done.  That is a really good image, huh?  Elder George headless HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Saturday we taught our family!!  Rocky, Dina and their kids.  Dina is a member that is coming back to the church and Rocky isn't a member.  He just doesn't understand why we need to come to church!!  We are praying for and working with him a lot.  All your prayers would be greatly appreciated.  Because they work, I know prayers work.  This Saturday we are having the baptism of their daughter, Carla.  She is so cute.  The other week her family couldn't come to church and we walked in to find little Carla in the chapel, 30 minutes early, all by herself.  I asked her what she was doing and she look back at me and said "You think that I am going to miss a Sunday before or after my baptism? NO!!!!"  Oh how I love Carla!!

Five elders and a Peruvian they love.  I (Gabe's mom) smile
because they have Elder Alen on a chair in the back!

Sunday was the dedication of the temple in Trujillo.  It was a really awesome and spiritual day.  We went to all 3 sessions and were able hear Elder Bednar and Preident Uchtdorf!!  How lucky we are!! Guess what else??  We a have a conference TODAY with PRESIDENT UCHTDORF!!!!!!!!  He is in CUSCO!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!  Elder George is pretty HAPPY!!!!!! :)

Well there you have the week of Elder George!!

Love you all take care and be safe!!!
Our Elder George is truly blessed to be in Peru.  I do not know the names
of anyone in this picture with the exception of  Elder Gabriel George and
Elder Alen.  But I do know that as this mom kneels in prayer of  gratitude she 
will thank Father for each of these people and all the others her son is
blessed to associate with during this time he has been given to become a
missionary for our Savior Jesus Christ.

Love Elder George

Monday, June 15, 2015

A Pretty Awesome Week!!

June 15, 2015

Well, I am so glad to be on internet writing you all again.  Some weeks you just need some "alone" time.  Well, you are not alone, but you can feel alone for your one hour.

The Lord really, really, knows how much you can take.  He knows what you can take and what you can handle.  After a few experiences from last week I just really needed a good, good, week.  So Monday we had a really relaxing day.  We didn't really leave the room and we just chilled.

Tuesday we had a day full of appointments.  Most of them fell through but we just picked our heads up and kept walking.  We got in contact with one of the references that we had gotten earlier this past week.  He is soooo prepared.  His name is Rafiel.  He is seriously sooo prepared. We had one appointment with him and then passed him to the sisters because they are teaching his partner.  The sisters that we share a sector with, are teaching him now.  I will get to that story.  

Anyways, I will first tell you about the sisters in the district.  Their names are Sister Burgos and Sister Wight.  I have been with Sister Burgos since my first sector, she was in Puno for 9 months and then we got changes, and now I am her district leader.  She is a awesome missionary and finishes up this next change.  I will be sad when she is not here.  She helps our ward a lot.  Sister Wight, wow, what can I say about her.  She is from my group, we came into the mission at the same time.  SHE IS CRAZY!!  Not a bad crazy but she is crazy.  I don´t get why a lot of Elders have problems with sisters.  In all realty they are more valiant than us Elders.  It is a choice for them, but as Elders, it is a commandment for us.

Wednesday, well Wednesday was about the same as Tuesday, haha.  Had a lot of appointments the fell through.  We taught a family where the dad is not a member and neither is his daughter who is 9 years old.  I love that family.  They live in a one room house for the 5 of them and they really are a huge example of all the attributes of Christ.  Carla, the 9 year old, has a date for the 27th of this month to be baptized.  During this same appointment we got the signature form her dad and she is going to be baptized.  

Thursday we had our appointment with RAFIEL!!!  He is so awesome.  His friend gave him a Book of Mormon and one of the first things that he says is "I have been reading that book my friend gave me."  Wow, at first I was in shock and had to remind myself to let the spirit teach.  He looked down and looked back up and said "I know it is true."  I almost started crying.  That may have been on of the most spiritual experiences of my life.

Nothing more happened until Sunday.   We had an appointment with a family that had heard the missionaries before and they were awesome.  We hope to be able to keep working with them and helping them progress in the gospel.

That was about my week.  I know that this is the church of Jesus Christ.  He is my Savior.  

Much Love

Love Elder George                  

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Drunks and Children - - Heart Wrenching!

June 8, 2015

What a week it has been for Elder George!!  Seriously guys just wait!!!

So sometimes there is just not enough hours in the days to get everything done that you need to get done.  I am sure that you all understand that.  But really, sometimes I just need a day with like 2,934,871,234 (yes, I inserted the commas - just so I could determine the actual number) hours so that I can get everything done that I want to get done and need to get done.  Speaking of that, I haven´t even thought about what I am going to teach my little district tonight, so there is that!  If you could all send a prayer my way for my lesson I would greatly appreciate that!!;)

So here is my story for the week - prepare yourself with a box of tissues.  We were walking in the street like any normal day laughing and talking.  My comp is a short little Peruano and is scared of anything that weighs more than him.  There are a lot of fat drunks here.  We were walking down a street and were about to turn the corner when we heard someone screaming around the corner.  The very corner we needed to turn on.  We needed to walk down that street, but my companion said we better not.  I had a strong feeling that we needed to walk down that street.  I was a little scared also.  Peru is different than the United States.  But I remembered all the stories from President Monson and knew that I had to walk down that street.  As I turned that corner I saw what we had heard.  There was a big drunk was yelling at his 3 young kids.  The oldest was a little girl and she was standing in front of her two little siblings - she was probably 5 years old.  As we walked in his direction, we would have usually crossed the street, but I knew that I needed to walk up behind him.  Right as I was about 2 feet behind him he raised his hand to slap the little girl.  I don´t know what happened, but before I knew it I had his hand in mine and he was stumbling to catch his footing.  As he turned around I could smell the beer on his breath.  He just turned around and looked at me (his hand still in mine).  I quickly told the little girl to run home with her brother and sister.  She just looked up at me with her little brown eyes and said, "We don't have a home." All I could do was cry.  Tears welled up in my eyes as she looked at me and said that.  I talked to her dad, as he was quite angry with me.  The situation calmed down and we were able to go on our way.  There were some people that took care of the kids and we went on to our appointment.

I have thought a lot about that moment and am so thankful to be writing you this day  I want you all to know that as we follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost we are protected.  I am grateful for the life that I have and all the prayers in my behalf while I have been here in the mission!!

Love Elder George

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

I Am So Happy To Be Here In Peru!

June 1, 2015

Hey there family and friends!  Today has been a rough day.  We had troubles in the internet cafe and I couldn't write earlier today.  But here I am alive and working really, really, hard.

This week I worked harder than I have in my whole mission.  I felt like I had kind of lost my will and energy to work the past two weeks and so this week I told myself that I was going to work harder this week than I ever have in my life.  And I did!!  That is the best feeling in the world, you know that?  When you set a goal and you accomplish your goal, it really is the best.  I really had this desire.  I wanted to work really hard and, we did, we worked really, really, hard.  I am soooo tired!!  I have never been so tried in my whole life.  But it is the best feeling in the whole world.

Today I have been thinking about what I was going to teach about in District meeting.   I am going to  talk about the Holy Ghost - how important he really is in our lives.  I talked with a recent convert about how important the Spirit is in our lives.  It really is so cool how a recent convert understands the importance, sometimes more than people who have been  members their whole lives.  They sometimes understand better than us because they have gone years without him as a gift.  He is vital in our spiritual progression.   Without Him, we CANNOT return and live with our families and Heavenly Father again.

This week was really good.  We found a few new people to teach and that is always really very  exciting.  I love this work, and I love my Savior.  I am so happy to be here in Peru.  It is cool to look back on the person that I used to be and see how I have changed.  It is weird that time here goes by so quickly.  I will have one year before I know it.  How crazy my first 9 months have been, but I wouldn't have it any other way love you all!!!

Take care and stay safe!!

Elder George

Sunday, May 31, 2015

First Week in Cusco!!!

May 25, 2015

Family and Friends!!!!

A few final pictures of my good friend Elder Garcia and
myself.  I will miss this companion of mine.
He may be short but you know the saying, "Big things come
in small packages!"  That is oh so true of him!
 

What a week I have had here in Picchu.   I am really happy to be able to serve here in Cusco.  It truly is a blessing.  Things are a little different here.  Everything is a little more organized.  I am having a few difficulties with the Area Book.  It is a complete disaster.  I have had a hard time adjusting to that.  We worked hard in Puno to get our area book up to date and almost perfect and then you get a transfer and the area book is a mess it is a little frustrating. My sister mentioned this frequently about her mission.  She told me numerous times that was the best think I could do for missionaries that followed me into an area.

Elder Alen is a good elder.  We have lots to learn together and we will grow together here in Picchu!!  He is from Lima and he is probably one of the most humble Latinos I have met.  We will get along good but there are always things that you can improve to have a better relationship.  This week I learned that I need to learn more about paciencia (I believe that is patience?!?) - - with everybody.  We had a "lesson" with some seriously less active people this week.  And actually they were basically anti-Mormon.  They had, before the lesson, looked up on the internet things that they could use to try to prove that the Book of Mormon is not true.

They had a lot of things.  I was blessed to have an answer to every single one of their questions and doubts.  The problem is, if someone is looking for the bad in something that is exactly what they will find.  If someone is truly looking for the true church, the somehow they will meet us.  But if someone is looking for the bad in a situation that is what they will find!!  We have to look for the good in everyone.  That is how we can become better people and improve ourselves.

Love Elder George

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The First and Last Paragraphs - - REALLY Elder George?!?!?

May 18, 2015

Okay, my family and friends, I have so much to tell you all.  It has been a WEEK!!!  We are working so hard here.  It is weird to think that it has been a whole week since I deleted an entire email.  I really am a goof ball.

This week I have really felt the hand of the Lord is in my life.  As you come to understand the atonement of Jesus Christ (or at least as much as we can) it is lots easier to see His hand in your life.  I can feel the love that my Savior has for me and everyone else in the world.  This week I finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish for the first time and have been thinking lot about Moroni´s promise.  I have been thinking about how important it is that we apply that promise to our lives every day!! I finished the Book of Mormon this Friday and that night I just knelt down and said my prayers - -pretty normal.  Just about half way through my prayer I thought about this promise that we have.  I prayed and thanked Heavenly Father for all my friends and people that I love and then I thanked him for the Book of Mormon.  I know that book is true!  I love that book with all of my heart!!

Anyways, I have my first transfer.  I am going to CUZCO!!  I am soooo happy I don´t even know how to describe what I am feeling.  After you are with people for a little bit of time you become attached to them.  I am leaving some people that I pretty much consider to be my family.  But I am so grateful that I have the chance to build new friendships and meet new people.  My next companion just finished his training and so I thimk that we will work hard and he will help me get back a little of that spark!!

Not much to say this week!!

Love Elder George

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Computer Skills - - NOT

May 11, 2015

Well I just erased all that I had to send to all of you, so just know that I am an idiot and also I am doing really well.  I love you all and hope that you are all doing well also.  We had a really, really, good and successful week!!

I am so sorry.  Just know that I am alive and healthy!!

Monday, May 4, 2015

I Will Never Be Able to Repay My Savior For the Blessing of Peru!

May 4, 2015

Well here I am in this little internet cafe and I am panicking because I kind of forgot that I get to call my family on Sunday and I don't know what time I will be calling them.  So I am like freaking out and a little disappointed in myself.  Like, how could I possibly forget that I get to call my family?!?!  LIKE REALLY, IT IS MY FAMILY!!!!  Haha!  Anyway, I will have to figure something out real quick!!
Sometimes when I really, really miss my mommy I just buy a 4
sole candy bar and split it with my comp just like she always
did with me !!!!!!!! :)

This week was......good.  Every week is good but some are a little better - but every week is good!!  This week for 4 days straight we didn´t teach one lesson.  It was a lot of walking and I had a lot of time to just think and talk to my companion.  I really am going to miss this little guy when I have a change.  I will have a transfer in 2 weeks.  So this week I am going to tell you guys all about my companion!!!  And a little about me.

ELDER GARCIA!!
Elders George and Garcia
He is from Colombia.  One of his favorite sayings, that he writes all over my papers and his papers, is "Colombia the other planet."  He really is in love with Colombia.  He is shorter that just about everybody I know in the United States.  He has 3 siblings that he knows of, but he says that his dad is a little crazy(drunk) and he probably has more, he just doesn't know them.  He loves soccer. .  . . LOTS!!  He has been a member for 5 years and 22 days.  He loves the Book of Mormon.  He doesn't love the Bible as much as he loves the Book of Mormon.  Sometimes, he blames me when his Spanish is not perfect (I just tell him that he just doesn't know Spanish).  He wants to learn English really badly so he can come go to BYU and marry a North American girl.  He like white chicks.  He HATES eating bread in the mornings.

This is my companion.  Now you know a little more about who I am with 24/7!!
We have no idea what's on his mouth!!  It is a little disturbing!
This week we walked a lot and I thought  a lot about.....well, I thought about a lot of things.  Sometimes when you are a missionary thinking about a lot of things isn't so good.  So yes, I was a little trunky this week, haha.  But really I don´t want to come home for a long, long, time.  Actually, it was really weird; we were studying (we will both go home at the same time) and my companion said, "You know that we go home in 15-16 months."  I literally started crying.  Time flies by here.  I never thought that I would love this place so much but I really, really, LOVE it here. I will never be able to pay my Savior back for this time.  I thought at the beginning of the mission,that this is how I was paying him back for the life he has given me.  However, I have found that I just owe Him more, thanks to the mission.

Well it is hard to have fun stories to send home when all you did was walk and walk and walk a little more.  I am sure something crazy will happen this week!!

Love Elder George

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

♥♥Claudio!♥♥ and LOVE - It's All Just About LOVE

April 27, 2015

Okay, okay, okay!!  This week was a good one!
Zone Conference
Claudio
And lots of walking.

So first off we had our multi-zone conference.  It is always good when we get to have one of those.
Elder Balliston from his CCM group!  He loves his Brothers!
 We get to spend a whole afternoon listening to President and Sister Harbertson.  I really do love those guys!!   Sister Harbertson talked a lot about the first two commandments.  Love the Lord with all your heart, might, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor like unto yourself.  I have been thinking a lot about before the mission, and how, when I asked Dad about what was the most important he said, "What it all really boils down to is LOVE."  That is the purpose of our life.  To learn to love.  Love unconditionally.  If I can learn that here in Peru I will be a successful missionary.  If I can truly love the drunk guy who gets drunk after he has told us that he won't drink, or if I can love the person that says that they will read the Book of Mormon and doesn't, then I will truly be successful.  We were given time to share our testimonies.  Lots of missionaries talked about repentance because we also talked about that lots.  A few were sharing how hard it is to love people.  Then I got up there to share what I had learned and what I liked.  In my mind I had planned on talking about repentance.  But when I was up there I started talking about love, and how, if we can see the people the way our Father in Heaven sees them, it really isn't that hard to love everybody!!

Anywasy, (See, "anywasy" - - he almost always types "anywasy" - - along with lots of other misspelled words (see previous post).  One of the many reasons why he makes us smile.) yeah, we need to love everybody!!!!!

Our little man Claudio!
Yeah we got Claudio Baptized!!  It was a good day.  We spent lots of time in the church trying to get the water heated up but finally gave up and just thought that he and the ward baptism would just have to be in cold water.  Then we went into another room to watch some Mormon messages. (we left the broken water heater on for 4 hours).  Anyway, everybody was there and we opened up the door, and it was like a hot tub.  We had to drain hot water and put some cold water in there for the baptism.  The little guys couldn't handle how hot the water was.  "Anywasy," the moral of the story is, when you are obedient and in the Lord's service he works miracles and sends tender mercies.

This week we walked a lot trying to find new people.  We are having a hard time filling up our schedule.  It is sad that we are in a ward and don´t have a FULL planner.  We will keep working.

Elder Goerge (Yup, he even sometimes messes up his name - just a little.)