OCTOBER 7, 2013

Buenos Dias Todos!

Well what a fantastic week we have had. The lord has truely been apart of our lives down here as we continue to labor in his vineyard for the souls of his children. i have seen miracles time and time again and i know that my redeemer lives! i love being a missionary and putting on my plaque every morning. Alright well let me tell you about this week.

last monday elder pulido y yo got invited to a birthday party! it was really fun and we had so much food. the peruvians are so kind and they just keep giving you more and more and more food every time your hand is empty. haha and if you dont eat it....they think you dont like it! so we just kept eating and eating. new obsticale of the mission...dont get fat! we also got to have fun in the markets that are down here. you can find so many fun and cool stuff. we dont buy much but it is fun to be in that kind of atmosphere and try and barter in spanish. im sure you would have a ball down here dad. We also had a family night at one of the members houses which turned out really great and the spirit was very strong. on tuesday we had our district meeting as usual and the funny thing is i got assigned to teach a lesson in english for all the missionaries who dont speak ingles. Easy right....NOT....i was struggling to find english words and kept going back into spanish. my comp was all proud of me! On wednesday we had another family night type deal with another family. this time we invited some of our investigators to the event. we taught them about the plan of salvation and kacie yes i got to use your little packet that you made for me for the first time! i sort of struggled for some words as i got to teach the lesson and i thought it turned out really bad but everyone said i did great and it was understandable and everything. we watched a little movie too about the plan of happiness and the spirit was so strong and i know our investigators felt it. i did get the chance to bring my violin and play a speacial musical number for them. i want to bear testimony of the divinity of music. it truely brings the spirit and can touch the hearts of even the most stubborn of heart. the lord has truely blessed me in my life to be able to play and i look for every opportunity to play. as i played i felt a peace settle over me and i was able to play with power and with the spirit. i try to bear my testimony through my music and it works. the families that were there were crying and it really was a peaceful and wonderful experience for all present. haha i am actually thinking of having elder pulido and i set up a stand in the markets and i play the violin to attract people to come and see what we are adverstizing so to speak. if people try to give us money we will give it back with phamplets about the savior. idk...we are planning it all out and i will have to let you know if it works or not!

On thursday we were really busy teaching and tracting and one funny story was we were walking across the street and we see these two little girls running at full speed at us. we thought that they were playing tag or racing or what not and were going to run right past us. so i moved out of the way and they changed their direction and headed right for me. one little cute peruvian ran into me and gave me the biggest hug! haha my comp was laughing as she stood there hugging me in the middle of the street. i felt like i was breaking mission rules! and later that night as we got to teach my miracle family again a 20 year old comes into the room and i stick out my hand to say hello and she disregards the hand and plants a big kiss on me (the cheek dont worry)! haha...what can i say. the peruvians just cant keep their hands off. haha NOOOO just kidding! But like i was saying we got to teach my miracle family and now her mother is now very interested and told us that she wants to be baptized! i have never seen a more prepared family. i hope they can be baptized this month! later that night we were walking home and i saw this man standing there looking at us and i got this feeling to go and talk to him so i went up and said hello. he immediately said hey got a question for you. when are you coming to my house to teach me and my family? we were taken aback and answered...when are you free.....so we talked for a little bit and they have accepted baptism. Their whole family! it was such a blessing to us in that the lord knows his children and those who need this gospel and the savior in their lives. it was kind of weird to sort of be contacted like that but hey, whatever works right!

friday was a work day and we were on the move all day. it was really cold and i had to double layer the sweaters and use your gloves and scarf justin! it is still sort of winter down here and we are coming out into summer now. anyways that night we had a lesson with a family who had accepted baptism and they want to be baptized sooner, and it is possible so we are preparing them and hopefully this saturday we have a service for them.

Alright saturday and sunday....Wow! wasnt conference just absoleutly amazing! i loved it so much! it was the fastest conference that i have ever watched in my life. i miss it already! i loved listening to the apostles and prophets and their inspired messages. i went in with a lot of questions in mind and every single one of them was answered. they are truely men of god and the lords servants. i wish i could write more about it but i dont have much time. i encourage you all to read and reread their messages becasue every one of my questions, problems, doubts were answered, solved, or i know what i now need to do to be a better missionary for my savior and god. on sunday we had a fun experience as we left conference a couple of drunks stopped us and were like we want to change our lives!!! tell me what i should do. haha we laughed and i told the one hanging on me that if he wanted to change his life that he should have no more beer. so he said okay and down the full glass of beer in his hand and said okay no more! haha it was fun. we gave them phamplets and who knows maybe when they are sober they will come unto christ! and that is pretty much the highlights of this week.

i know that this is the lord work. i am supposed to be here in peru for my brothers and sisters in this area. jesus is the christ and he lives. the angels truely did say...he is not here for he is risen! i invite all to read the book of mormon and feast upon its words and if you dont have a testimony of the savior jesus christ or of this gosepl, get one now. i love this gospel so much. it has changed my life. everyone read 2 nefi 25 26 and that is the reason for why i am here. may god bless you all and may you all continue to stay strong in this gospel.

If you dont have a testimony, lean on mine until you gain one for yourself. for i know that this is gods work unto the salvation of the children of men. i know.

i love you all

Elder Birtcher

1-4-3