Thanksgiving

Hola a todos!

Well, this week was Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving! Thank them pilgrims and our great Maker.

So, to start out with I taught District meeting this week about the armor of God. (see photo with cardboard person) And that was really good. Elder Spencer volunteered and had the armor put on him. Basically we need to be strong, prepare ourselves and develop Christ-like attributes. I also like being like Captain Moroni too and declaring my Title of Liberty, we can all make our own y´know.

Tuesday night we had a ward Noche de Hogar, or Family Home Evening. And it was spectacular! We had around 80 people there, that´s more than other all the other ward activities I´ve had combined I think! Wow... We also did an activity that I describe below. I was in charge.

Then we had the changes meeting. It was super messed up. Because Elder Fawcett and I were still in our sectors here in the office and there were a couple sectors without people in them and there was a trio in another zone that was training. Super freaking messed up. So in all honesty Elder Fawcett and I got upset on that one. Because we had no idea how long we´d be without knowing where we´re going.

But then Thanksgiving happened. And that was super awesome! We had that at President´s house with all of the Cusco and Inti Raymi zones. Or about 50 missionaries. We all spread out picnic style on his lawn terraces. And I made some great quality mashed potatoes that a ton of people loved. I made about 2/3s of a 40 liter pot. (I think) It was a lot. And yummy.

I also had charge of an activity that we did as a Mix´n´Mingle/Get to know ya. Where everyone had a paper with different things written down and you had to find someone that had the same thing. But the same person could only sign twice. on your paper out of 25 items. I got them all, just like the ward Family Home Evening.

We also did a sketch of the pilgrims when they came to America, I´m uploading the video, it´s a 1.58GB file though, so you guys may or may not be able to ever see that on this blog...

Come Friday morning, Darwin gets baptized! He´s a convert of the sisters, and Elder Rüeckert (our zone leader) baptized him because he invited him to the Chapel Open House that we had in the middle of October right before changes. So, there has been at least one baptism from that activity and made everything worth it. Superb! (voice of Albert from 17 Miracles)

Saturday we went to Pisaq which was some ruins an hour out more or less. I was too distracted by everything going on with me leaving to really enjoy it, but it was cool. Elder Fawcett and I hiked all the way down to the city from the ruins after driving up to the top of the mountain to the ruins.

After we were done at Pisaq we went and had second Thanksgiving. With some members we did another Thanksgiving. Nefi and Kristina, they´re super cool and we presented again the sketch and there were like pure investigators. It was good too.

Our sector has been pretty good. We´ve taught Raul a bunch of lessons this week and he´s in his baptismal interview right now. It´s kind of tense waiting to know if he´ll pass it... Not much else. (in the middle of writing this email) RAUL PASSED HIS INTERVIEW!!!!!!!!!! For the first time in 15 months there will be a baptism in our sector! Also, I´ll be staying until Saturday at least, maybe longer.

And then on Sunday night (last night) President called an emergency meeting for changes that had to happen. But Elder Fawcett and I know our changes now. I´m going to.... PUNO!!!!!!!!!!! I´ve known that since I was awaiting my change at the end of my time in Sicuani. I knew I was going to go to Puerto Maldonado and Puno, just didn´t know what order, but being in the office made me forget until I saw it actually happen.

Elder Fawcett is going to Puno too, again. He´s opening a 100% new sector, no house, no pension, no laundry, no bed, no area book, no nothing. But he´ll have fun. :D

My companion will be Elder Ochoa from Peru (maybe Lima, maybe not, just hasn´t had to do tramites; so... automatic Peruvian.) Everyone is telling me that he´s cool, so that should be good. I don´t know how it´ll be. But it should be good.

They tell me I have a good sector too, don´t know. But I´m just hoping that it is all good. I know that there will be things I need to learn and grow with, but I just wonder what it will be. We´ll see...

We pick up the news tomorrow morning!!! YAY!

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Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher