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
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