January 20, 2014

January 20, 2014

hola mi familia!!

how is everyone? whats new? sounds like you all have been doing some fun things this week.  

so last week we had cambios and drum roll... i am still in libertadores but am training a brand new missionary hermana espinoza.  she was born in puira but lives in trujillo.  she is super great and so ready to learn and work hard.  we are both excited for the great things that are going to happen in this area.   

 

This saturday we had the baptism of J.  J is 9 years old and lives with his mom, dad, 2 brothers, and his grandma.  his grandma is a member but she is the only one in their family.  one day she brought him to church and he loved it and wanted to learn more.  and so we started teaching him and he asked us in the first lesson when he could be baptised! we asked his mom and she said that he was 9 years old and was responsible enough to make his own decisions.  his mom also has started to come to church and after J's baptism she asked if she could share a few words with everyone and she said that she knows that this church is true and that through the example of her son she has been able to feel the spirit of the lord and knows that their family is going to recieve many blessings.  

Our zone decided that we are going to have an activity called tarde blanca this 22 of february.  this is where we are going to have a massive baptismal service and the goal is to have each companionship baptise 5 people this day.  so in total 45 people!! its a crazy goal but its possible with the help of the lord.  so right now we are working like crazy to find new investagators and to help our invest. to progress.  

I love you all and look forward to hearing from you next week.  thanks for all the love and emails! 

xoxo hermana murdock 

January 13, 2014

With the birds at the zoo

bumper cars for pday

doing service in the cerros (mountains)

panorama of Peru - land of dirt!  The land I love!!

zone on pday

January 13, 2014

Hello family! how are you all? i hope everyone had a great week.  this week for us was so good.  we were so busy but had so many great things happen this week-

 

Last pday my zone went to an amusment park/zoo! it was so fun! we did the bumber cars, some rides, looked at the animals, and just had a great time as a zone.  after today (transfers) we won't all be together anymore so it was fun so just hang out as a zone.  

 

This week we had the opportunity to give service twice as a zone.  the first one was wednesday when we painted the house of a lady in the area of the zone leaders.  and then friday was the best day ever! we had the opportunity to give service in the cerros (mountains).  the leaders told us that it was going to be really dirty but that they needed everyones help.  i was so excited.  This family lived at the top of one of the cerros and it was a pretty challenging hike to get up to their house.  we were all dripping sweat when we reached the house but they put us right to work digging a pathway from the house to the bathroom which was up the mountain a little ways.  we also found a scorpion and one of the elders cut off the stinger part and made us all hold it haha.  i can now say that i have held a scorpion!  this was one of the happiest days i have had in my entire mission.  i was filled with so much joy giving service.  it didn't matter that it was boiling hot and that i was covered head to toe with dirt and sweat.  i was so happy.  it really made me realize how important service is and how when you are in the service of someone else, you can forget about your own problems for a little while.  because these people literally had nothing.  and we gave only a little of our time but they were so grateful!  i encourage all of you to do one little act of service this week and notice the difference in your attitude.  i promise you will be happier.  

and then sunday we had 2 baptisms!! J and L.  we found both of these men in our first week.  i know that the lord was preparing them to hear us at this time.  and i feel like i was sent to this area to find them.  saturday we had a lesson with J and he said that he was questioning his decision to be baptised but not because of his faith, only because he was scared that his leg wouldnt hold him up in the baptismal font and that he would fall.  i happened to have a video with me called John Tanner and its about a man who wants to be baptized but has an infection in his leg and cant walk and says that he cant be baptized because of his leg.   we watched this video with J and it was exactly what he needed.  he said that he had enough faith to know that the lord would help him while he was in the font.  and then sunday we had the baptism and everything went smoothly and it was so great.  J started crying after and said that there were not words to describe his emotions.  he was so beyond happy.  he said that he knows without a doubt that he is a son of god and that he feel a warmth so strong in his chest.  he couldn't stop smiling the whole day.  he said that with every person he talks to he is going to teach them about the gospel because he wants everyone to feel the way he feels.  ah it was seriously so amazing.  i feel so blessed to have been able to know him but i know that his conversion was 100% the lord.  we were only instruments in the lords hands.  

next saturday we have the baptism of J scheduled.  im not sure if i will be here or not for it because this week we have cambios and i dont know if i will be staying or going but whatever happenes will be for the best.  

 

i love you all so much and hope you have a great week!! and im serious about the service thing.  try it out.  try giving service this week and see how you feel.  

 

love you all!!

XOXO hermana murdock      

January 6, 2014

Hey everyone! its 2014 i cant believe it.  what goals do you all have for this new year? this year has started off really great for us here in libertadores.  we have really seen the hand of the lord this week with our investigators.

 

This sunday was fast sunday and so my companion and i were fasting with a purpose that our investigators could continue to progress, that we would be led to new people to teach, and that we could gain the confidence of the members in this ward.  and some miracles happened!

First we had 5 investigators show up at church yesterday! in all my time in the mission i have never seen 5 invest. at church! and 3 of them have baptismal dates.  J and L are going to be baptized this saturday and J the 18th of january.  J is the grandson of one of the members in the ward and we have been teaching him and he loves the church and is so excited to get baptized.  he is super smart and really takes in everything we are teaching him.  in a few years he will have 12 years and will be such a blessing to his family and his grandma because he is the only person in his family who will hold the priesthood! 

And while we were at church we were approached by another lady in the ward with her grandson.  he decided to come to church with his grandma and loved the feeling he had during church and wants to learn more.  he has 14 years, so again, another potential priesthood holder! also a guy in the ward returned from his mission in puira this week and he has two friends he wants us to teach.  we love references!! 

Slowly but surely we are gaining the confidance of the members.  they are starting to realize that we are here to help and that we want to strengthen this ward.  

This week has really strengthened my testimony of fasting.  its not only to go without 2 meals but to have a real purpose.  this demonstrates to the lord that we recognize that we need him in all things.  and he WILL help us! i know this to be true! 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! CHOU!

XOXOXO HERMANA MURDOCK

one scripture that i really like this week.  

"and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.  (Romans 5:3-4)