Another Conference!

Hola todos!

Qué tal? Todo bien?

I hope that you're all fantastic! This has been a good week.

We were just about to move into companionship study Wednesday morning, when we got a phone call from the Zone Leaders who were in a zone leader meeting for the whole mission in Cusco. Turned out that we were going to Cusco for a Multi-zone conference! We were quite shocked and a little bit disappointed to have to cancel appointments, but it was an awesome conference! We also got most of the appointments rescheduled. We talked about how we need to teach repentance and baptize converts as well as some other awesome topics.

Last night, our last contact of the week we met a single father, and talked with him a little bit more than others, about prayer and how the Gospel can bless his family. He said that we were angels to remind him that he can pray to have a relationship with Heavenly Father and feel less alone. It was really neat.

Always remember that the Lord's promises are sure. When He promises, He will fulfill. We can look in the scriptures to find promises that we can fulfill our end to be blessed. Also in the conference we talked about principles, eternal truths that we can apply to our lives. I studied this morning in the Book of Mormon and realized that the notes I was taking were mostly principles, they're COOL! Go find some awesome principle to think about and act on this week from the scriptures. The Book of Mormon has a ton!

Hasta la próxima semana!

--

Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher

Transfers and...

Hola todos!

This has been a interesting week. I'm not sure that there's really a "normal" week in the mission, but there are more different ones, like transfers week! Elder Wilde got transfered to Puerto Maldonado, again! That's where he started his mission, and probably where he'll finish. He's also Zone Leader now.

My new companion is from Huánoco, it's here in Peru, north of Lima, I think. He is fantastic! We work really well together and we're going to get a lot done here in Sicuani. I'm a little sad to see Elder Wilde go, but tranfsers, like callings are always for a reason. Elder Cubillas is his name. It's normal transfers. And tomorrow is my 3 month mark!?!? It hasn't been as fast as the CCM, but it's still been a little quick.

Even though he got here on Thursday we've already gotten a lot done, we've had 43 contacts, 38 references asked for, a sacrament program! And we're planning how to and working with the leaders to help those who are here to help as well.

We had a sacrament program! Check it out! :D No wards or branches here in Peru or at least Cusco have one, except for Puno Central Ward and maybe a couple others. We're progressing well to becoming a normal strong ward.

Also this week we had a couple really great lessons, one with the family Arteaga and the other with a recent convert Yadira. We talked about the Atonement with the Arteagas and the Book of Mormon with Yadira. There is so much power behind inspired questions!

Why is the Book of Mormon important?

How is it side by side with the Bible?

Why is Jesus Christ so important?

Answer these for yourself.

We asked a couple of these inspired questions in these lessons and then commited them to read the Book of Mormon.

So, do you know why we should read the scriptures? Mosiah 1:5 (4-7) will help answer that one too, but think about it and the blessings we receive.

Read the Book of Mormon, there are so many reasons to, and just to mention a few, our knowledge will grow and we'll come to know (conocer) our Savior more.

Have a great week everyone!

--

Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher

Transfers!!!

Hello All! This week is transfers!

I'm going to have two "dads" in the mission! Elder Wilde is going off to Puerto Maldonado again, he'll probably end there, where he began. And I'll be companions here in Sicuani still, with Elder Cubillas. We don't know too much about him, but give me some questions to answer next week and you'll get the answers.

This is a crazy moment, apparently training used to always be in the same place with the same trainer for everyone, but even Elder Boulter, my MTC/CCM companion had an emergency transfer with his companion to Puerto with all the other emergency transfers.

This week though, it was great. Yesterday and Saturday we had a senior couple here, the Poulsens. I think they're from Utah. We did a ton of Family History, and I helped a lot of people get started with their family history in FamilySearch. I didn't think I knew a lot or how to teach FH, but I know a lot more than I thought, and more than most people here, missionaries too. I get the idea. But I get the opportunity to help teach people. We might do an indexing class since I taught someone last night and other people are interested.

I think the coolest thing about this family history time, besides the fact that it's awesome and everyone should do it, the cool thing for me is that I was speaking Spanish very well. I can speak Spanish well. But Sunday and Saturday I was blessed with the Gift of Tongues! It's real!

And then on Wednesday we had intercambios, exchanges, I think in English. I was with Elder Urrutia and Elder Wilde was with Elder Fritz, who now is the Gringo Assistant to the President! Elder Urrutia "killed" his companion (was with him as he ended his mission) and then his next companion transferred to be the Assistant to the President! He's doing alright though, we've just got a trio until his companion arrives, and then Elder Wilde leaves Wednesday morning! 7 AM!

Anyway, exchanges were good, it showed me that I know my sector or area. And that I can teach. Elder Urrutia just kind of gave me the wheel, at least partly because he didn't know people, but it was a good opportunity to learn more about being a leader.

The other cool thing this week, Monday we didn't have p-day.

We also had a conference with our new Presidente Herrera, which was p-day instead. We all went to Cusco and here is the picture of the missionaries that were there. It was good to get to know them, they're really cool and ready to be the new Presidente and Hermana of the mission. And apparently they'll only be around Gringo Elders in the mission until more come.

Elder Wilde and I stayed the night with the Assistants and Zone leaders of Inti Raymi. We'd planned on heading back, but no buses and lateness said no. That was fun. The best part is that during that trip I found out that I shouldn't eat granadillas, because they clear you out, and it hurts. So yeah, fun bus trip to Cusco, but you learn and grow and look on the spiritual side of things and learn that your sour experiences are but a moment that you'll forget the pain within a day or less, usually. Everything passes, but charity will remain and happiness too. Be good and happy. :)

Go study Moroni 7:45 and around it, but that verse is powerful.

Read the Book of Mormon and I'll talk to you all next week!

--

Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher

Vamos Adelante!

Hola todos!

I hope that you are all fantastic!

This week has been great for us here in Sicuani. We accomplished a lot of our weekly goals this week! Which is great since they're really high. We had 62 contacts! We needed one more before heading home last night, and we were contacting someone, but they ended up being a less active, or member, so they didn't count. So we had to find someone else. We ended up contacting a group of three people, so we got our goal! And we were only one short of asking for references, we got 47/48.

We had another lesson with Darwin, he wasn't reading the LDM, so he's not progressing right now, but we plan to help him change that and come to church. He was traveling this weekend, but he actually asked about fasting, so we encouraged him to fast for answers and that we'd fast with him.

Fasting is so interesting, you might end up really tired, but you can keep going, and I wasn't hungry Sunday, I was a little hungry Saturday night, but the power of our spirits when we go without food for a purpose to help others, it's powerful! And it's always worth it, so many blessings from it.

Last night while updating the area book I had to move Ayben to old investigators section. That was really sad. Because him and his 3 brothers have restaurants and they move around between them for each month, and it's a new month now. But come October we'll be back with him we hope! We're trying to help him get with other missionaries in Cusco right now though.

We had a lesson with the family Mamani, Shon and Ingrid are the kids who want to be baptized, but with their parents working out of the city Sundays and not being able to attend with them they can't yet. We talked about the day of rest or day of the Lord, (Día de Reposo, Día del Señor as it's said here) and they said they've been thinking about how they could find something else to work here in the city. And that would allow them to attend church with their kids. It's also really special when the Spirit tells you to say stuff, it's powerful.

We're also working with a family Arteaga, their son has autism or something to where he acts differently. But his spirit! WOW! They've been attending church again and we're trying to find ideas to help their son make it through without being too disruptive, also helping the ward understand more. If any of you guys have ideas here, they would be welcome. :) 

The Gift of Tongues is real. And yesterday we talked about Gifts of the Spirit, and I think a large part of them is kind of like the parable of the talents, you have to work towards it to have it. And you can develop ones that you may not be the strongest in. Just like a muscle.

Today we're off to Cusco in a little bit to have a conference with our new President of the mission, Presidente Herrera. It'll be exciting to see how that goes, should be fantastic!

Go to church, read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. then keep doing those things, you'll gain more wisdom and be happier. I'm experiencing that and it's how the Lord works. Commandments are the price for the BLESSINGS behind them. If you were to buy a polo, you'd need to pay for it, same with BLESSINGS and commandments, the prices are fantastic actually, just do this little bit and a BLESSING, and this other small thing, BLESSING! Just do these little things and HUGE BLESSINGS will follow.

 

--

Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher