Well. I'll start off with a warning.

Not a lot happened this week......

Although it was an incredibly awesome week!!!!

So, This week, we had the baptisms of Lupe and Andrea!!! It has been so great to see them both progress and change. Their baptisms were extremely special to me because I got to see both of them from their first lesson, until their baptisms. I got to see both their hearts softened by the spirit, and accept the gospel. It was amazing! The baptismal service was Saturday at 5:00 and last minute we realized that we didn't have baptismal clothes, someone from the bishopric, or someone from the relief society....but just like it always does, everything worked out as they all showed up last minute.....it was just another one of many miracles.....

Hahaha and the very next day Lupe had brought all her money for tithing, fast offerings, and had already signed up that month to give good to the missionaries. She's probably the best convert anyone's ever had.

And....other than that, this week we went and played pool in Larco Mar. It was awesome! Just us and the zone leaders, relaxing, talking, and playing pool.....needless to say, I won! Hahaha it was actually one of my favorite P-days we've had!

Anyway! I love you guys!!! Things are going great!!! We've got conference this week and then we should have Fausto's baptism the next week!!!! Love you all!!!

-Elder Winn

Pictures
#1  Lupe and Andrea baptism
#2  David's art work
#3  P-day pool game
#4  Ian Rogers who is serving in Lima North?
#5  Adding to his collection

1) Question:   Steve asked Dave if he knew his release date since I've had a couple of patients who already know their kids release date.

Answer:  I think it's like the 13th of July or something.....  

Personally I love this answer, because I know he is happy; he hasn't started the count down til he's home,

2) Q:  Dave started to write at about 9 this morning then we didn't get our official e-mail until 5 tonight, Steve asking him if he was ok.

Answer:  no......my companion and I were both sick today....so we didn't do anything, and it's just now that we're finishing writing.....

Obviously not a fan of this answer, at least he is honest with us.  He said his companion is sicker than him, but that they didn't feel like they needed a doctor.  They were feeling a bit better.  Honestly this is where it's hard to be the mom.

3) Q:  How is the new companion

Answer:  Elder Slade is the best! We get along perfectly! We work way hard!

4) Q:  When Elder Glassford came to visit us he told us Dave was now in the worst area, which has been especially nice for me to know!  So Steve asked him if he felt like he was ever in danger.

Answer:  And the area is a lot safer than my last one. I haven't been worried once.

Love you!

Usually I don't include much of the information we get if we have a chance to e-mail back and forth, but we have been asked a few of these questions lately so there are the answers straight from Dave.  And now the best part.....the letter!

March 23, 2015

Hey guys! I hope everyone's doing great! As for me, I couldn't be better! This week was super awesome! And it all started out with a little leap of faith!

So, going back a ways, when I first moved into the ward we met a crazy lady who verbally assaulted my companion and screamed that all the missionaries we 

terrible and good for nothings.....she had been less active and had no plans on coming back to church....anyway, fast forward to a week ago, she came to the 

church one week, apologized for being absolutely insane, and asked us to visit her.....the bishop said it was up to us, and he wouldn't blame us if we decided 

not to go......anyway I decided to go, and last Tuesday we went.

She is the nicest, most sane person I have met down here......I think she was just upset from the multitudes of members that have called her crazy over the 

years.......she talked to us, and we have visited her 3 times since then. She came to church this week, and is progressing very rapidly towards her 

reactivation; 

Her neighbors have talked to us, noticing the difference in her personality......

It's kind of really awesome!

Also, Side note, I've been a little under the weather as of late, and some friendly, well-meaning Peruvians have offered some health advice that I would like to 

share with all of you:

Stomach ache-

-Eat Lots of Salt

-Whatever you do, don't take Pepto

-Go for a run

-Drink yogurt

-Don't Drink Yogurt

-Eat mayonnaise

-Don't Eat Mayonnaise

As for general health tips, I've received this wonderful counsel:

-Don't drink cold beverages (They hurt your throat and will give you the flu)

-Don't eat pork.......They haven't adequately explained that one yet.....

- Don't chew gum

-Don't sleep with the A/C on (Same as cold beverages)

Anyway......I don't know how much of that advice I'll actually follow.....

And most importantly! I've noticed a distinct change in the lesson tone recently.....

I had gotten to the point where I knew the lessons forwards backwards and upside down....and could teach them well.....but recently I've relied more on the 

spirit.....Now I honestly don't have any idea what I'm going to say until the words come out my mouth......since then we've had a lot more new investigators, 

and a lot more come to the meetings! It's fantastic!!! I hope all of you can constantly strive to have the spirit in your lives!!!

I love you guys! I'm doing great!

March 16, 2015

Hey guys!

This past Thursday we got to go to the temple again! I'm glad I'm in a mission where we can go once a month!!! It's so amazing!!! We took a few group pictures outside as a zone, which I would send to you guys but the computer I'm using doesn't upload photos....so that will have to wait.

The temple is in "La Molina" Which is actually out of our mission (As is 99% of Peru), but it only takes about 30 minutes in a busy bus to get there.

And then this p-day we went to "La Cachina" again to buy a camera for Elder Slade, seeing as his broke in the MTC. Which was as terrifying as always!

Anyway, like the header of the e-mail says. We had a meeting with Lupe this week. A really, really cool meeting.

We had just finished teaching tithing, which was the last thing we had left to teach, when she asked us (for the 4th time) if she could move her baptismal date back a few weeks so she could be more prepared.

We explained that we had taught her all the material, and that she was already prepared.

She told us she just wanted to clear her mind from all the stress she's had from worrying about the move (she's moving across the street.....which is kind of a weird move if you ask me....but, I guess there's only so much space in Rimac), and that a few more months was all that was necessary.

Anyway after about ten minutes of talking back and forth, I promised her that if she would hold true to her baptism date that we would come by every day to help her with the move, and that we would do everything in our power to make sure she had nothing to worry about the day of her baptism.

She just kind of looked at me for a minute and then said that she had been a little worried that the elders didn't really care about her well-being and that we just wanted to see her baptized, but that now she knew that we cared, she then earnestly accepted her date for the 28th.

It was sweet.

And that's just a part of this month! That same 28th we've also got a baptism planned for Fausto (have I talked about him?)  and Andrea.

The work's going along great here! I'm doing great! I love all of you guys! Stay Safe!

Elder Winn

 

Here's a picture from our bike ride close to the beach, there's an amusement park close to the beach here....it's really cool!

And then there's elder Slade and a good view of the city.

March 9, 2015

 

 I'm glad you liked the mask!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyway......there's not a ton to write this week......not much happened!

 

Elder Slade is amazing! He's such a cool kid! We get along great! He's always ready to work, and ready to learn!!! I'm going to miss him like crazy when we have changes!!!!

 

Anyway; this week we met Andrea She's a reference from the other elders and she is super ready to be baptized!!!! From what I was told this was more or less their first encounter with her.

 

Andrea: "Hey are you guys Mormons"

The Elders: "Yeah"

Andrea: "Cool. I read your book; can you baptize me and my mom"?

 

Anyway, she lives in our sector and they passed the references to us! It was awesome!

 

Other than that, we're going to the temple this Thursday! Which is great! In our mission we can go every 2 changes (once with the zone, and once with the ward). I'll make sure to send you guys some pictures!

 

I really do wish I had more to say.......I'm doing just fine! The work is going along great! Feel free to ask me questions! Love you guys!

 

Love Dave

 

*Picture of the Mask Dave sent from Peru~~White Incan God (aka Jesus Christ)

*Picture of Daves first companion in Lima,  Elder Glassford, with Kyle

Well, first off, my new companion! Elder Slade!

I'm training a white kid!!!!!!!!!

Hahahaha really though! It's really weird! Only 3 people from the states came in and the other two got a latino companion!

He's from Murray! And we get along fantastic! He reminds me a lot of Trevor Taylor! And a good deal of Kyle! And Isaac Rushton too..... He's 21 and he's got a brother serving in the Manchester, New Hampshire mission (the same one as Sam). He liked to rock climb before his mission, he had a bullet bike, and he loves to slack line! He was a pretty extreme dude!

Anyway, the only problem is we talk a lot in english so I'm probably hindering his spanish progress.....eh. But yeah! We get along great!

Anyway, I thought it was about time for an update on the work!

Ever since I got Elder Slade as my companion I've redoubled my efforts and am trying to be the perfect missionary! And it's paying off! 

Here's what we've got

Lupe: The sweetest old lady ever, Elder Merino and I found her, we've got a date for her baptism this 28th of March. The only problem with her is that she progresses like a turtle because she wants to understand everything perfectly.

Armando: A new investigator we found on Tuesday. We invited him to be baptized the first lesson and he accepted, he'll be getting baptized the same day as Lupe.

Andrea: To tell you guys the truth, I don't know a whole lot about her.....other than she's a reference from the other elders and wants to be baptized. She's kind of a nervous person....and a tad odd, but she's getting baptized the 21st of March.

Fausto: This really old dude who reads the bible everyday. We gave him a book of Mormon, and now he reads that everyday. He's also getting baptized the 28th.

Then we've got a myriad of others who are in various other stages of progression.....anyway. That's this week in a nutshell!!!

The harder you work. The better you do.

Love you guys! 

Elder Winn