Gospel = Atonement = Doctrine of Christ

Hello everyone!

Tarea por ustedes esta semana, go and study about the Word of God, that phrase in scripture, there's a lot in the D&C and throughout the BOM and the Bible, go study that and what it has to do with us, you'll learn a lot more than I could ever write in an email. It's so amazing, write it down, "This week I'm studying the 'Word of God'" then do it. You will be glad you did.

And on Sunday I came to the conclusion that you can pretty much always replace the word Gospel with Atonement or Doctrine of Christ and it'll bring new understanding, just like the word Sober, that can also mean "moderate" or others, but I really like "serious" 1 Thes 5:8 and Alma 37 last verse. Serious. Also, there are 42 principles in the lessons! 42! It's the answer! :D It's fun to try and pronounce Quechuan, I bought a BOM in it.

You're all amazing! Keep going to church, read and pray every day! Cada día. Last night we had a devotional with Elder Renlund. Faith has to be kindled first, but then it's obedience that moves it up to enduring to the end and it's a joyful ride. The Gospel is never boring. And remember, the Atonement is finished, D&C 19:19, there is no maybe anywhere near it, the only maybe is if we will accept and utilize it. It's there and Christ is waiting for us to accept the gift He has given us. Use the Atonement, what it fixes is fixed, there are no tracks left, no scars. President Packer left us with a powerful testimony in April 2015 right before his passing, I recommend to go read it. I love you all! Keep following Christ!

Preparation and El Espíritu

Hola!

I hope that all is well wherever you may be reading this from. This was a great week again at the CCM in Peru. One highlight is from Sunday, we're supposed to write a 5 minute talk each week about a specific subject, this week was the Holy Ghost, or El Espíritu Santo. And as I prepped my talk Sunday morning, (bad idea, do it earlier) I had written down in Spanish this, "Espíritu" and I found three scriptures in English and had an idea of what I wanted to say, then it was time to sing the prelude, in other words, no more prep time. Oops. Because last week I had a really awesome talk planned out about Baptism. And didn't give it since it's just picked by inspiration over the pulpit each week. Though last week I knew I'd be speaking this week. And I had a chance or two to prep earlier in the week, but didn't. So after we were done with the first part of Sacrament Meeting, Elder Hansen the 1st councilor in the Branch Presidency gets up and thanks people for help, then says something like this, "Now we'll have the pleasure of hearing from these missionaries in this order. From the Cusco mission [my thought, YES! No eye contact! It's Elder Boelter! HAHA!...] Elder [OH NO! IT'S ME!!!!!] Fincher." *thump, thump, thump* goes Elder Fincher's heart, head, ears, brain, body, all of him.... "And then Elder Murri...." *doesn't hear anything else....sits down up front*

Then Elder Hansen sat down and I got up, in front of the whole zone, the size didn't matter though, it was the unpreparedness. But I started and just opened my mouth. I talked about the Holy Ghost, in Spanish, and yes I had to ask for Spanish scriptures since I'd forgot mine, but I talked about what I had intended to, shared a couple scriptures and then I sat back down. I really never look at the clock before I speak, but I ended at 9:25, so whenever I started until then. But afterwards people told me I did a good job with it, they were legitimately surprised that my notes in Spanish were, "Espíritu". I had to reach out and say each word as it came, but the Spirit does bring all things to your remembrance as it says in John. (14:27?) But when ye are prepared, ye shall not fear. (look for that reference please, D&C I think) That was the big lesson I learned, again. The Spirit is the comforter, but He might let you learn a lesson. So, prepare and go by the Spirit.

Other than that experience there were a couple other interesting times, but that was the highlight of the week.

Keep being awesome and live the gospel! Read the Book of Mormon and then ponder and pray about it. As you do those three things the Spirit will manifest the truth of the book itself, that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer and Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on the Earth today. (BoM Intro, last two paragraphs) Hasta luego!

Pass the ball!

Hola de Peru!

Cómo esta mi amigos?!

IT's been a great week here at the CCM, but it's only lasted at max 2 and a half days. Time goes so fast here!

Apparently I'm really good at soccer and had no idea before coming here, it's so fun! I got a through the air, off the middle of the pole, bounce back into the goal GOAL this week, that was awesome. But the best part is playing soccer is helping my teamwork, you have to pass the ball, or you'll lose it to the other team. That same principle is in play when teaching a lesson, you have to ping pong with each other as we say, because otherwise the investigator will lose interest and become bored or something, pass the ball. And during a role play practice for getting to know someone, we practiced by pretending one of us missionaries was Messi (however you spell his name) a famous soccer player, I knida know him, but Elder Avery had no clue, so as he sees the picture of him he says, "I'm going to call him Steve." It was hilarious to me! Also, know what you're trying to have an investigator understand from a scrpture, and how they'll likely interpret it, Section 132 is not necessarily the best scripture to talk about being with families forever, people get confused...

We get to go out and contact with the missionaries here on Saturday, excited for that! And the Temple last week was amazing! Absolutely amazing. It's smaller, but it's the feeling and the presence of the Spirit that are wat matters. So awesome, go to the Temple or get ready to go! You'll be grateful you did.

Yesterday a bird flew into the comedor, that wa fun, Elder Avery got some napkins and got it out though. Also, Elder Epenesa and Avery are now Zone Leaders and Elder Boelter is District Leader and Hermanas Springer and Richardson are Sister Leaders, it's been awesome changes! We as a district sang for the devotional last Thursday, and the Seventy that spoke Elder Villia, I think, talked about how we are the rescuers for the people here, just like the pioneer rescuers. And I've always wanted to be a rescuer, so, dream coming true right here in Peru! That's just about it, keep going to church, reading the Book of Mormon and praying. Hurrah for Israel!

It was kinda sad seeing the Latino missionaries leave, but it was also awesome because they're so ready! Although there was definitely less energy yesterday while playing soccer and everything, be the kind of person that people will remember because of how you made them feel, happy, joyful, amazing, not focused on you, but how they came closer to God through you. Build faith and keep smiling.

~Elder Fincher

Estar o no estar, que es la pregunta...

Hola mi amigos y mi amigas!

 

This has been a good week! I met a guy at Immigration named Edwardo, he's from Ecuador, I talked to him a little and I think we both understood each other, and he's a native! Make sure you focus on what you're supposed to be doing, one of the Elders fell asleep during language study on the computer, and the other Elders had headsets and started walkie talkieing back and forth to wake him up, but then our maestro came and whipped the backs of the chairs of the talking Elders, but it was unusual and highly hilarious. Meant as a get back on focus joke. You should all focus on being good and coming closer to Christ! :D

 

Playing soccer is fun, the Latinos are way serious about it though, I managed to block 5 goals against a mixed team on Saturday! And they made less than 3. Also, remember the language you and your investigators are speaking... on our last visit with Stalin we knocked on the door and then I heard him call out, "come on in!" So I just walked on in, he was slightly confused, but we taught a good lesson. Then afterwards my comanionero Elder Boelter reminded me that he doesn't speak Ingles, and had actually said, "quien es?" Oops...

 

Go study the armor of God, and then wear it! I'm learning a little about it and it's really good stuff to have. Then on Monday we were learning how to tell someone what to do when you pray, I was asked to say it, (not unusual to pick someone) okay, cruzer las brazos, bajer la cabeza y crear sus hijos. Es simple! Do not say that when explaining prayer... Say cerrer sus ojos. That's the right one... Yeah... But then later I ran for 30 minutes around the soccer field with just a couple breaks, hymns are awesome and invigorate you! And Elder Bednar gave a devo a while back that we watched, one cool point is that large plate notes are what the speaker says exactly. Small plate notes are what the spirit tells you. Keep that one in mind.

 

Fun saying, "¿Cómo te llama, bonito llama?" But that's for Hermanas. Himno 159 is really cool sounding and amazing! And when we were first exchanging English and Spanish at meals one Elder tried to have the Latinos say Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious... They were confused. And sorry that these thoughts are totally random, I just type as it comes, plus the enter key doesn't exist here apparently.

 

Also, last week I locked my keys in my closet, good thing the janitors have big key rings. Y el don de lenguas es real, pero, es necesite por usted a hablar Espanol a tengo esta. For preparing missionaries especially, but anyone really, it's a lot easier to memorize stuff in a foreign language when you know it in your own before hand, i.e First Vision, Your Purpose, Baptismal Invitation, etc... And if you want to learn a language, read the Book of Mormon in that language, you'll have it down by the time you finish Moroni.

 

That's pretty much it this week, but keep being amazing and good, strengthen your testimony and conversion and keep praying and reading the BOM! Hasta Luego!