Solidaridad and Christmas

Solidaridad and Christmas

I am sure at least that a few of you are aware of the crisis in Venezuela but they are all moving out the country. We have found about four of them and they are super receptive to listen to us. Their accent is really cool. This week we found Richard who lives with 5 returned missionaries... Yeah, good luck Richard. They do Family Home Evening as friends, he is just surrounded by the best people he could be.

On Friday we had our Multizone Conference and it was a really good day. The president gave each of us half of a chicken. We had a gift exchange and I got an expired pack of gum, but Elder Styler got a Qechua dictionary so we are learning some things. Japii chay wallpata, kaq pachapi kausanchik, kichaypunkuta. I was able to see Elder Limao for the first time in awhile he is still doing really good. Overall, it was the perfect thing that I needed this Christmas, president McGinn and sister McGinn both shared really good talks. I cant really explain it but I was so happy I wanted to cry, I just started thinking about the very fact of being out here surrounded by all of this, I love it.

We were thinking that yesterday, Sunday, was going to be difficult but it was the busiest day I have ever had. We started proselyting at 2 and visited 9 families. We shared little 30 minute lessons and sang hymns with them.

Just in case somebody asks how I am doing out here you can just go ahead and tell them the truth, I am so happy. I love it here in this ward I have made such good friends. Everyday I am always smiling. These people have no idea what is in store for them when they let us in their door, if I could explain it to them in one word it would be JOY. Our investigator Victor and his kids are still doing well and constantly improving. One thing I have seen that has changed with him is how happy he has gotten. He does not live a very happy life but he is super joyful. We had a lesson with them and I think they finally started taking this baptism thing seriously because we asked them how they felt about the 6th  of January and he just came out and said "guys I don't feel completely ready to be baptized that soon but maybe a few weeks later" so now he will be baptized on the 20th. Which is a lot better that he will be baptized when he really has a more profound understanding of it.

I wish you all the Happiest Christmas because that is its purpose. God sent the world His only begotten Son... that they might have joy. (various scriptures)

Love,

Elder Craythorne

Solidaridad and our Son

Family and Friends,

ITS A BOY. In the off chance that any of you understood my last email. We got another companion. Not gonna lie, we were definitely thrown into this parenting thing and I am not saying that its bad he was just a surprise. But seriously, it is really different with the three of us now, before I taught half the lesson but now I am down to a third. We had to practice how to teach with the three of us because we started out and we all taught the same principle three times. Elder Echague is from Paraguay and this is his second time in the mission. He started in March but after a week or so he went home but has triumphantly returned. That means that Elder Styler and I are training him. Officially, Elder Styler is the trainer which makes me the awkward older brother. No I am just kidding other than the fact that neither Elder Styler nor myself know how to train. One thing they do down here is mini missions. So the mission president of the area will call someone preparing to go on a mission to help with the missionaries but he lives and works with them etc. That is what Elder Echague did so he isn't starting from 0. Although this does worry me a little, knowing a thing or two about disturbances in the force I know that this most likely wont last and that I might be the most likely to leave. I have been adjusting to things over and over and I just haven't adjusted to adjusting. Always change, always something new.

I think I have mentioned before the recent convert family that is really good, the Mateo family. The 3 were baptized, Ariana, Jose Carlos, and Carina. They are super strong and super active and now we are attacking the rest of the family. Their aunt, Ruth, has a baptismal date for the 6th of January. Also their cousin, Natalia a 9 year old, has been quietly standing in on our lessons but now she participates a ton, I hadn't really noticed her but she has gone to church a bunch and knows a lot about the gospel. The only thing we need to do at this point is ask permission from her parents to baptize her. She acts like a member already. A while ago we started teaching a man by the name of Juan Carlos who started out full of doubts and questions. We actually were only able to teach him two times because of his difficult work schedule, but he comes to church every Sunday. He participates a bunch and has a lot of friends in the church. He really has changed and I am about 80 percent sure that he is 90 percent sure that all this is the truth, he just wants his wife to feel it too. He came to an activity we had on Saturday and was recording the whole Nativity on his iPhone, he said he wanted to show his daughter. The second counselor in the stake presidency came and gave a really good talk in our ward and after Juan Carlos went up to talk to him. All that is really left to do with him is teach the doctrine and fill up the font, I hope I will be able to see that.

We visited Victor and his family on Friday and until now his opinion about the Book of Mormon has been and I quote, its a good book. So we asked him to pray one more time. This last lesson he shared that he was having a rough couple of days and felt like he should read a little in the Book of Mormon and he said that as soon as he opened it up he just felt happy. He said he felt like crying and he didn't know why. If your looking for the opportune moment, that was it. The opportune moment meaning to tell him that he felt the Holy Ghost. They are solid, just a little quiet and so far have only assisted the first hour of church, they are shy and don't talk very much but we are bring some members to our lessons. The problem is is that they live at the very top of the hill and nobody wants to go hiking with us. To give an exaggerated example of what the Peruvians see, if the chapel is where Cliff Lake is then their house is on Kings Peak.

I am still loving it here in this ward. Sundays are the best because the members are all friends and we have good teachers. I think I have mentioned before Luis Aldana he is one of our best friends just super funny and super spiritual. Yesterday he taught our Principles of the Gospel class and elders quorum both about faith. They make it easy to bring investigators to church because we are almost certain they will have a spiritually edifying experience.

I know I sound like I am doing perfect but one thing I am struggling with is that the month of December tis the season to eat Paneton, fruit cake... I am not a fan. But, every one gives it to us... Pray for me, I live a hard life.

If I am going to be honest with you it really doesn't feel like Christmas. Days go by without notice and we are always working. Nevertheless, the lights go up and Santa Claus is every where. But we are still sharing Light the World and that video still gives me the chills.

One thing I teach is that nothing in life is ideal. No matter how good we plan things are naturally out of our control. The birth of Jesus was without a doubt an unideal situation. Joseph did the best to find comfortable accommodations for Mary, and the best thing he could find was a stable. Which we simplify to be with hay and wood crates and stuff when in reality there would have been smelly animals amongst other things you would find in a barn. Even though His birth had been predicted and there were people who had known He was to be a king and bring peace He was born in a stable.

The other two thirds of the three musketeers mandan sus saludos.

I hope you guys are living Christmas to its fullest and doing everything you can to remember Him. I love and pray for all of you guys. I know that Christ is our Savior and I am so grateful to carry this message with me here in Peru.

Love you all,

Elder Craythorne

Solidaridad and Sinter Klaas

Dear Family and Friends,

Thought I would start making a throwback to good old magic treehouse days. When I was little I would think of my mission and think "I wish I could go there" and then just like the books, everything started spinning and spinning and suddenly I am here, but I am living the dream. I never imagined actually being here. Like I referred to in the title HAPPY DUTCH CHRISTMAS, and you better believe that we set out shoes outside to get the presents from Sinter Klaas. Elder Styler still thinks I am making the whole thing up based on my imagination and we had a good laugh. We get along super well and it is fairly to get him to laugh which is good because it gives me the opportunity to try out some of my comedian impressions. So, as you will see in my pictures, yes, Sinter Klaas did make it to Peru. Actually, we had divisions with the zone leaders on Dutch Christmas so they were all able to laugh at our traditions I mean celebrate with me. Overall it was a really fun day.

How are your guys's Light the World calendars looking? I wish I were able to see the videos that come out everyday. Usually we associate New Years with setting good goals but these small acts of service are a good time to just get in the habit of frequently helping others. And a slight invitation to be looking for those opportunities. Just as the talk by Elder Holland reminds us that we are falling short we will never be able to do enough service.

The month of December is sufficiently different than those other months to make a difference on the work. We are still working hard we just have a lot of activities that we are doing and invited to participate in.

Tuesday we had a miraculous day we had set 6 appointments and we taught every single one and they were all good lessons. We didn't do anything different it was just a lucky day I guess but it was amazing. Everyday is different and I couldn't adequately explain to you what factors change, I actually think it might just start in our attitude. It is hard to explain and it doesn't make sense but we were laughing all day in the streets and somehow that affected our lessons or whether or not the people were in their homes.

It is different with a new companion, the things we focus on the people and it appears that some investigators have disappeared with the farewell of Elder Limao, no fault of his own it just happens sometimes.

It is humorous when we tell people that we follow the commandment and choose not to drink and they are like, not even a little? No not even a little the commandment isn't that we don't get drunk that is just covered when we don't drink at all. The same model follows that with the other commandments. Obedience starts with having in mind from the beginning that you aren't even willing to dabble in the gray areas. The pharisees weren't bad because they were super obedient but because they made their own rules. If being molly Mormon or peter priesthood means that you are obedient to the covenants and commandments then that should be a compliment although sometimes it feels like a negative thing. I digress, obviously I could go on and on about this topic being a missionary as could any missionary. Elder Holland doesn't like talking about this but I do. Obedience is just the simplest thing that has turned into a negative dogma or stereotype. Be good.

Well we just barely got a call from the President and we are getting a new elder in our companionship so after this we will go pick him up. I am actually kinda freaking out about that. We just barely got the news 30 seconds ago. WOO. Someone tell Elder Stylers parents.

I also did a really good voice recording but I cant get it to plug in. You guys are going to be blown away.

Last week I gave a workshop, I think that is the word in English, about getting people to come to church the three things I focused on was to make sure they understand the doctrine, put a plan and trust agency. Agency. The double edged sword that we are praying these people use to do good. Usually they do good but sometimes the natural man takes over, it also is a decision that requires initiative to be passive.  Missionary work work work day after day. I am glad to be out here, you guys would not believe how much fun I am having. And I take comfort in knowing that I can improve because, I wont lie my efforts right now aren't bringing maximum rewards so I still have a long way to go. The same reason I don't baptize people the day we find them relates to why we aren't in the Eternal Life stage yet. Progression. Progression which has pit falls but a sure positive slope.

Love you all,

Elder Craythorne

I pray you are having the best Christmas season. I am hear telling people that there was One who was perfect in every way and that through Him we can be perfect. Every day and my whole missionary life I testify of His life.

 

Solidaridad and Subway

Dear Family and Friends,

Solidaridad and Subway

On Friday we went to the temple, after a while it was so refreshing to go back to that holy place. I really cant describe adequately, it is different as a missionary. Then after we went to Subway and I got the good old meatball sub, I almost feel the same way about that as I do the temple. It was like our second p day for the week and it was a longer break because an hour after coming home we met at City Hall to do a Book of Mormon activity. We went around to people who were just hanging out outside city hall, actually a pretty popular place, and we asked the people if they wanted to participate in an experiment that we were doing for 2 or 3 minutes. Most said yes then we gifted a singular page out of the Book and asked them to mark it up with what they liked and what talked about Jesus. After they did that we would come back and talk to them and reveal to them that they only have one page of a great book that is full of additional knowledge about Jesus Christ. Most wanted to learn more and it worked out fairly well.

We also watched the Christmas Devotional Sunday night and as always it was a delight. They shared some good stories and examples and above all principles about love, service, and forgiveness. I hope we never forget that the best gifts have come and will come only through Christ and following His example. Loving, serving, and forgiving as He would and has.

One struggle we have is taking this work and forming it with the Peruvian schedule because I have said they are always working, sometimes we don't know if our progressing investigators are still progressing or not because we haven't seen them in over a week. One thing I have learned from that to is to be grateful for the time they give us to listen and receive us in their homes.

Our area does a really good job of finding new investigators but it feels like we have a lot to juggle and our schedules are always full but its a good feeling we are constantly stretching ourselves.

I love the mission life. We are always learning and if we don't write it down then I am bound to forget it. We are always studying and listening to talks from apostles. Thanks to Jackson and Emily that apostle is usually Jeffrey R Holland. He is a really good speaker and good with words. I am going to grow up and be the Elder Holland of Spanish.

I am so blessed to be out here on this mission. I echo the testimony of the greats and I know that Jesus Christ lived, died and He lives. The life and example He left for us is and will always be the best gift anyone could offer, and it shows how loving our Father is because He sent something so perfect.

I love and pray for all you guys. Have a good week, I will keep working hard.

Love, 

Elder Craythorne