Baptism in Puerto!

Hola todos!

This has been a great week! We've gotten quite a bit done and at the end we were able to help Hermana Almendra enter the waters of baptism; after changing it out for clean water. :)

Almendra was baptized this week and the baptism was really great, we just delayed because the water had to be changed since it was a little dirty.

I then had the opportunity to confirm her a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that was really special.

There's a ton more I could say, but the important is that we can always live the gospel and help those around us with whatever their need may be. A smile, a hug, a handshake or something else. Let's all serve each other a little bit more; maybe it'll be wiping a spider off a shirt like I did last night. But whatever it is, we'll help others and feel good ourselves.

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Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher

New Year, New Momentum

Hola Todos!

So, almost no time, some thoughts.

Hermana Almendra is going to be baptized on Saturday!!! I'm happy for her!

We started a little slow this week, but putting monthly goals has helped our motivation a ton and we're shooting off!

Following the prophets really helps us out, it's God's way of communicating with us, His voicepiece. That's why they have to be so loving. And the article in the Ensign this month talks about President Hinckley and I really like it. 

I'm going to be going off of meat except for Sundays. That might be interesting.

I'm doing great! Things are going well but I'm certainly learning a lot too! It's a ride, but it's worth all the bumps and jolts. 2017 is fantastic! It started a little slow, but now it's going faster and better!

Happiness is feeling good. Joy is feeling the love of Christ. They're both great, but I've seen that only the Gospel and living the principles of righteousness bring joy.

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Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher

Happy New Year!

Hola a todos!

Feliz Año Nuevo!

So, this year...  It started out with a bang! I've never heard so many fireworks in my life!!! Like I were in a war or something. Welcome to new years in Peru.

 I also ate fruitcake from last year, not sure if it was too great an idea, but I'm doing alright in the stomach. :P Panetón is a huge thing here. 

Here we're quietly going forward in the work of the Lord. We've got Sister Almendra who will be baptized on the 14th, she's super excited!

There's not much to report this week, but take this new year by the horns and make it the best year of your life! Better than the mission, better than the year you won the geography bee, better than when you finally got that goal! Better than them all! It's possible and you just need to decide to do it and do it!

Make this year the best year you've ever served God and been a light to draw people to Him.

--

Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher

The Return to Puerto Maldonado and CHRISTMAS!!!

Hola todos!

So, the opening joke will be by Elder Fincher.

When I get home, I'll open a restaurant and name it, "Oh! What's that place's name?" So that when people ask where people want to eat and they respond with the name, the person asking will be confused. I'm funny. :P :D

The results of the week and spiritual things will also be given by Elder Fincher

The sector is doing fantastic! We're finding a lot of new people and we're having a lot of lessons, it's going really great! We have an investigator, Hermana Almendra with a baptismal date for the 14th of January and we're working with others for their baptismal dates as well.

The temple is clean. The Spirit resides there. If it were dirty, it couldn't. How is our house? How is our room? Can the spirit reside there?

This is why as missionaries we have a day each week to prep, including cleaning. I strongly invite everyone that you can take the time each week to clean where you live so that the Spirit can live with you and bless your life.

Also, Marion G. Romney in April 1980 gave a promise in regard to the Book of Mormon. That also deals with the Spirit dwelling in our homes.

Ponder this for a moment, this Christmas season (as well as every other season) we have the opportunity to invite the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, a Member of the Godhead into our homes. Ponder on these two methods that God has given us that we can have this great blessing in our homes, to testify to all who enter that Jesus was born and has atoned for each and everyone of us, and we only have to do a few things so that the Holy Spirit can be a resident in our houses this Christmas season.

I invite each and everyone of you to ponder the blessings you will receive as you act on this knowledge, and then to act on what that means.

Have a fantastic week and a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

--

Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher

Cusco! Conference and vacations?!?

To start out this week, it's been interesting. We had a couple appointments Monday and Tuesday before coming to Cusco. The conference with Elder Godoy was fantastic! The thing I like most about conferences is the boost to our vision as missionaries; like climbing the mountain, seeing the whole view, and then going back to the trenches and working. Then today was also good, it was really fun at the Christmas lunch! Between those two days we did a little bit of contacting and ran into some members, 2 missionaries that just finished the mission touring with their families. We visited a couple places too since we didn't have any appointments, it was good, but it'll be really good to get back to working in our sector.

Not much happened in the sector, but Sunday we got a call from an investigator saying that her mom is okay with her being baptized now! Once she reaches 18, but that's in a month, so that was awesome! Here in Cusco we contacted a couple different people in the Plaza de Armas and nothing else, not being in your own sector is hard.

It felt like Christmas this week! Because we came to Cusco, and it's cold, it's kind of nice to feel like it's Christmas like that, :D

Let us know how the conference was and the bus trip too.

The conference was really good, Elder Godoy talked about a couple traps that we can fall into as missionaries and how to resolve them. He and the Herreras answered a couple questions that we had. And like I mentioned, it boosted the vision to be able to know and remember why we're here.

The Christmas lunch we had today was great, all the zones (other than Sicuani, Juliaca and Puno who'll have their own) did a video, choral and sketch. We had the best video in Puerto according to President Herrera, and Andahualas (I think) had the best sketch. I think the videos will be put on the mission blog. Which I don't remember what it is right now, but I think I sent it at one point.

Anyway, out of time, but have a great week, I'll be writing from Puerto next week. Be great and remember who you are!

--

Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher

Short week

Hello everyone,

This week is already at the end of time, so sorry, one question, no more.

Do you have any baptisms lined up?

We've got one person with a baptismal date.

Good work happening here, but we're off to Cusco for a conference and Christmas dinner for a week starting Wednesday.

Be good, live the Gospel. Love and serve Christ!

Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher

Thanksgiving in Puerto

Hola a todos!

Esta semana me encuentren con un poco mas de tiempo, entonces, voy a compartir un poco mas. :)

Yet again, I'll let you translate the Spanish. :) Sorry, but it's cool. :D

I was asked questions, so I'll answer them:

I know it isn't a holiday there, but did you do anything different for Thanksgiving on Thursday?

Yes. Our pension, Sister Nadine, knew about Thanksgiving already since other missionaries have celebrated it in the past with her, so, when I told her Tuesday that Thursday was a special day, she knew already. We did a little thanksgiving before eating and I told the pilgrim story. Photos of the rica comida. (delicious food)

How different are things there than in Sicuani?

Very. Weather, people, and really, not much. The people are the same but yet different, I think the branch here is a little bit more into missionary work than the ward, but we all pass through seasons, we're doing a lot here though.

Do you have a "mom" who helps with food and such like you did there?

We still have a pension, one for breakfast and lunch, another for dinner. Breakfast is delivered and the other two we go to their houses.

Is it only you and your companion or are there other missionaries there too?

In our room it's us two no more, different, but I like it. I think you can bond easier.

Which branch do you go to or is it multiple? 

We go to Puerto. We share the building with Tampopata.

Other things, The sector is progressing. We have a person with a baptismal date already and we're working with others. Lots of less actives, for the first time in the mission I'll see how we help rescue them. We're contacting pretty well and finding more and more people each day. It's going really well.

I'm doing good over here in Puerto Maldonado, with my goals that I'd set in Sicuani to become more like Christ by developing Christ-like attributes I'm progressing well. While I left Sicuani with more or less 10 whole points out of 220, now I have 26, I'm finding more goals to put to be able to see how I can improve and keep becoming more like Christ. It's really satisfying to be seeing the progress that I'm making. But it's not just me, I'm seeing a lot of help from many people, especially Christ.

Our companionship with Elder Quevedo and I is fantastic! He's helping me a ton with developing into a better missionary and a better person. He really cares for me and is showing so much charity. By his help directly and indirectly I'm seeing how I can improve, I'm trying to help him with English and the things that I know better than he does in other areas. We're doing an inventory each night to see how to improve each day and it helps a ton! The thing that is really special for me is that he accepts me for who I am, but sees my potential, so he helps me. I need to learn how to do the same. But we're all capable of improving and being better, each day. 

Let Christ be your friend, let Him help you when you're down and when you need a friend. He's always there and understands us completely.

Remember to be grateful.

--

Hurrah for Israel!

~Elder Fincher